I love to research food in my books, especially from sources from the era I’m writing in. These are two of my favorites. They are both so easy and simply delicious. Serve Cranachan at your Time or Tide book club meeting, or whip up a batch of Petticoat Tails to nibble on while you read Time or Tide!
I’m so excited to release my first novel! If you are a Kindle reader, you can preorder it now!
Nae man can tether time or tide…
–Robert Burns
Midwife Deborah Hasley finds happiness delivering other women’s babies, swooning over the poetry of Robbie Burns, and stealing an occasional kiss or two from a handsome sailor. But when her beloved sister Rebecca makes an impossible request, Deborah must decide if she dares follow her heart to unexpected places and find room for unexpected love. Based on a true story, Time or Tide follows passionate Deborah from Ireland to Scotland, where loyalty and love collide.
Click here to order! https://amzn.to/3M5mIFv
With rollicking rhymes and fanciful images, this adorable picture book celebrates the special relationship between mothers and their children. Filled with stories of all kinds of mommies–like pilots and artists and scientists–this book shows how modern mothers still treasure that precious time spent together at home. A perfect book for moms and kids to enjoy this Mother’s Day or any time of the year!
This book has been a very long process of about 10 years! Here’s the story…inspired by some great ladies!
I’ve known many great women in my life who have all influenced the moms I chose in “When Mommy’s Home with Me.” A decade ago I lived in Florida, far away from my family. Playgroup became a lifeline. I always looked forward to socializing with other moms who had become my friends and mentors. One day, as we handed out cheerios, scooped rocks out of our babies mouths, and rescued children who freaked out halfway across the monkey bars, the conversation turned to our PK lives–who we were Pre-Kids. These outstanding moms were also outstanding individuals, excelling in very diverse careers and possessing very impressive talents. They ran businesses, they taught, they created, they managed. One friend even was recruited by the CIA as a spy! I began to notice their unique talents as it translated to their mothering. I realized more than ever that a women’s education, experience, and talents are never “wasted” at home. Indeed, there is nowhere those talents can thrive more than in raising little people. Some moms had taken a break to mother full time, and others saved their best for their kids after a long work day away from home. But all of them were totally committed to their families. They were an inspiring group of ladies! Read more
I have finally figured out why I don’t like you. Really. I’ve also realized why you don’t like me. I’ve even figured out why stay-at-home moms can’t abide moms with jobs, why hippie moms don’t dig organized moms, why tofu moms can’t stomach Cheetos moms, and why mommy wars exist at all when we should all be cheering, “You made a little person, too!? You’re trying to help it grow up to be a nice big person, too!? Wow! I am so proud of you. Can I get a hug, Sista?”
I don’t like you because I HAVE to get this right…and that means I can’t be wrong. I am investing everything I can scrounge together into mothering these little people. It is the most important thing in the world to me. I am usually worn out, frequently guilt-prone, and abnormally anxious as I do this mother gig. I can’t handle the idea that I might be doing it wrong because I love my littles so much. So when you mother differently than me, a dark worm crawls through my brain saying, “What if she is right? If you are wrong, your children will become thugs.” Because I can’t do it wrong and still hang on to the few marbles I have, it is far easier for me to stick out a mental tongue at you and call you a bad mom. Then I am still the good mom and my kids will stay out of the penitentiary. Whew. That. Was. Close. Read more
Ali Benson Moulton
Luke 6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Floating in the ocean
In perfect peace
Except–
The bandaid on my heel
I forgot to remove,
Flapping as I swim.
Tuck it in my suit
Or rip it off and trust
The vastness of the ocean
To hide my sin?
I don’t know if it sinks or floats
As I leave it behind.
In a day (or a decade)
It won’t matter much
After all.
Five minutes later,
Swimming back to shore,
I surface.
Right in front of me–
To end this perfect swim–
A bandaid–
Not mine.
I see you from the window
As I do dishes
Again-
Sunshine soaking your hair
Mud soaking your dress-
As you pet the cat and eat garden peas.
Crack
Peel
Chew
Pet
Again and again
For an hour or more.
You know your letters
And how to write your name.
You know what to do if someone tries
To take your lunch
Or pull you from a swing.
We’ve practiced all this.
But bells will soon ring
And lines will form.
You will try to find your place
When kids laugh and cut
In front
Before the teacher sees.
So stay outside, love.
Soak up another hour of light
And garden
And mud.
Cross-contaminate your little hands
With peas and cat hair.
The sanitizer dispenser
Will be posted
By your classroom door
Next week.
One week before Kindergarten.
So soon.
Too soon.
Some simple hand action can go a long way to help your kids feel loved!
I struggle sometimes with lumping my kids all together in our experiences. It can be hard to maintain those important individual relationships with lots of kids! When I saw this video of Barry White, Jr. welcoming his students to class with an individualized handshake, I knew I had to try it!
So. Much. Fun. Be amazing today and create a secret handshake with each of your kiddos. You could start by showing them these handshakes to get their ideas going!
The cool Baymax fist bump from Big Hero 6 here.
The cloud guy handshakes from Trolls here.
Then, let THEM develop a fun handshake you can use together in greeting, goodbyes, or when your kid needs a smile.
*Hint* Most kids will want this handshake to be home use only, so don’t pull out your moves at the school carnival or as you drop your child off at a birthday party unless they initiate it. (It may just come up with their therapist 10 years later.)
Have fun!
All you need are your hands and a little memory!
Most of us have used Patty Cake with babies, but much older kids can also enjoy the more complicated songs. Some of these songs have been around for hundreds of years, and others are recent nonsense fun.
Teach your kids a clapping game, and be amazing today!
This site has videos of some favorites.
This site has some great new clapping songs. We are so totally learning Four White Horses from her list. It’s an old Caribbean song with lyrics that make no sense, but I love the clapping pattern.
Four white horses on the river,
aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow,
up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come and join our shadow play.
Shadow play is a ripe banana,
aye, aye, aye, up tomorrow,
up tomorrow is a rainy day.
While you are clapping away, try making up individual handshakes with each child. See the post here.
Have fun!
Mother’s Day Book Event at The Book Table in Logan Utah on Thursday, May 11, 2017
alisonbensonmoulton.com 
