Our roots take us back to the United States of America, to the state of Colorado (where much of our extended family resides). In 2005, shortly after Lauren was born, we made the trek to Belize (for a fresh start), to get away from the rat race of the American lifestyle. We ended up on an island, off the mainland coast of Belize - in the middle of no where (as Lauren describes it).
I am a single mother to (5) children, (3) grandchildren, and I have adopted many children in my heart. For as long as I can remember, I have had an intense love for bears. Perhaps coming from my days of living (in grandpa's & grandma's cabin), in the Wet Mountain Valley, at the base of Mt. Gibb. There we use to have bears come in around the house at night. From our windows, the kids and I could watch them sniffing around (grunting), and standing on our picnic table. We never fed them, as we knew from the experience of others, this was a mistake. They are majestic creatures to be admired and respected for their strength and power (not one to be messed with). I guess that's why the kids started calling me Mama Bear, a nickname that has stuck to this day.
HOW I WANT TO REMEMBERED
We Had Some Good Times, Didn't We?
In the fall of 2017, I was diagnosed as having an inherited lung disease, a disease which will eventually take my life. In an attempt to preserve family recipes and cherished memories, I am taking this time (before I get worse), to write and dedicate a cookbook to each member in my family.
I hope my books inspire you to create memorable moments with your own families. Never let a moment go by, that you don't tell the people in your life - that you love them. Mama Bear Cookbooks is about celebrating great food and happy memories. This is how I want to be remembered.
I hope my books inspire you to create memorable moments with your own families. Never let a moment go by, that you don't tell the people in your life - that you love them. Mama Bear Cookbooks is about celebrating great food and happy memories. This is how I want to be remembered.
MY LIFE AS A MOM & A NANI
I can tell you there is no greater gift, than to have children to share your life with. I have so many wonderful memories of my life and so many things to look back upon to be grateful for.
The birth of each of my children, has been a highlight in my life. One of the most memorable memories, I hold, that touched my heart. Just the whole concept of creating a life (inside your body), is just amazing to me. As with everything I do, most of my family was present for each of my births.
For many years in a person's life they look forward, thinking of all the things they want to accomplish and experience. Places to travel, things to do, awards to win, promotions to be achieved, careers to seek, people to marry, children to have, attractions to see, and people to love. But then at one point in our lives, no one really knows exactly when, we start to look back. What did I do with my life? What memories do I have? This is when family means the most. I guess this comes with age. We start looking back at all the things we did or didn't do, loving or regretting moments in each of our lives. For most people, they become frustrated, because life didn't really turn out the way they wanted. They experienced sorrow, pain, and many are often left feeling frustrated. Life will never be frustrating if you put God first, family second, and work third. You will never regret living a life in this order.
I look back on my twenties, and like most I thought I was going to live forever (I was invincible). We learn most of our hard-knocks in our twenties. By thirty, life has rounded us out a bit (at least for me). The early thirties, is the best time to have children (in my opinion). By forty, you are starting to acquire experience and you're not so green around the edges. By now you've acquired a meaningful skill, you start to refer to yourself as a specialist, or as an expert in your field. Your kids are starting to hit their teenage years, and life seems to be rolling along just fine. Then the fifties hit and all of the sudden we realize, we're not as young anymore. Every time we look into the mirror, there is a new wrinkle or a new gray hair. Then it suddenly hits us, when the baby sitting on your lap (looks at you and says), "Grandpa/Grandma". That's it, your body goes into overdrive and the mid-life crisis slams you like a bus.
In my life I went through a lot of heartache, and some experiences that really devastated me. But I am a survivor, and I have never let bad things, ruin good things. Going through painful experiences isn't fun, but at some point we realize that life goes on. You can choose to let these experiences ruin or cripple your life, or you can choose to let these experiences define and strengthen your life. The choice is yours.
To be a better person, we often have to go through pain. Because pain makes us grow. If we're not uncomfortable, then we don't make changes. Change often equals growth. Learn to look back at your painful experiences in life and don't let them cripple you. Look at these, as memories or experiences, that taught you lessons. Lessons that brought you to this amazing place you are today - a better you. Don't let life embitter you, embrace your past, cherish those lessons, because those lessons are helping you to make the changes you need to make, so that you can live a better life. That's how you take a negative, and turn it into a positive.
I have loved my life, and I have a wonderful family (the jewels of my heart). I am enjoying being a mother and a grandmother. I want to thank my children, for all the happy memories, and for being the bright spots in my life.
I have taken the time to write all these cookbooks and dedicate one to each of you, because I love you. Every meal you cook, every bite you take..........I hope you think of me.
I can tell you there is no greater gift, than to have children to share your life with. I have so many wonderful memories of my life and so many things to look back upon to be grateful for.
The birth of each of my children, has been a highlight in my life. One of the most memorable memories, I hold, that touched my heart. Just the whole concept of creating a life (inside your body), is just amazing to me. As with everything I do, most of my family was present for each of my births.
For many years in a person's life they look forward, thinking of all the things they want to accomplish and experience. Places to travel, things to do, awards to win, promotions to be achieved, careers to seek, people to marry, children to have, attractions to see, and people to love. But then at one point in our lives, no one really knows exactly when, we start to look back. What did I do with my life? What memories do I have? This is when family means the most. I guess this comes with age. We start looking back at all the things we did or didn't do, loving or regretting moments in each of our lives. For most people, they become frustrated, because life didn't really turn out the way they wanted. They experienced sorrow, pain, and many are often left feeling frustrated. Life will never be frustrating if you put God first, family second, and work third. You will never regret living a life in this order.
I look back on my twenties, and like most I thought I was going to live forever (I was invincible). We learn most of our hard-knocks in our twenties. By thirty, life has rounded us out a bit (at least for me). The early thirties, is the best time to have children (in my opinion). By forty, you are starting to acquire experience and you're not so green around the edges. By now you've acquired a meaningful skill, you start to refer to yourself as a specialist, or as an expert in your field. Your kids are starting to hit their teenage years, and life seems to be rolling along just fine. Then the fifties hit and all of the sudden we realize, we're not as young anymore. Every time we look into the mirror, there is a new wrinkle or a new gray hair. Then it suddenly hits us, when the baby sitting on your lap (looks at you and says), "Grandpa/Grandma". That's it, your body goes into overdrive and the mid-life crisis slams you like a bus.
In my life I went through a lot of heartache, and some experiences that really devastated me. But I am a survivor, and I have never let bad things, ruin good things. Going through painful experiences isn't fun, but at some point we realize that life goes on. You can choose to let these experiences ruin or cripple your life, or you can choose to let these experiences define and strengthen your life. The choice is yours.
To be a better person, we often have to go through pain. Because pain makes us grow. If we're not uncomfortable, then we don't make changes. Change often equals growth. Learn to look back at your painful experiences in life and don't let them cripple you. Look at these, as memories or experiences, that taught you lessons. Lessons that brought you to this amazing place you are today - a better you. Don't let life embitter you, embrace your past, cherish those lessons, because those lessons are helping you to make the changes you need to make, so that you can live a better life. That's how you take a negative, and turn it into a positive.
I have loved my life, and I have a wonderful family (the jewels of my heart). I am enjoying being a mother and a grandmother. I want to thank my children, for all the happy memories, and for being the bright spots in my life.
I have taken the time to write all these cookbooks and dedicate one to each of you, because I love you. Every meal you cook, every bite you take..........I hope you think of me.
Family, the Jewels of Your Heart
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