A Place Like This

Author: Valarie Budayr

  • Your Invited to the Club

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Over the weekend my blogging friend Joy was recommending the book "The Weapons of Mass Instruction." By John Taylor Gatto. Another friend of ours, Eileen ,wanted to read it along with her and then I said, "Can I come too?"  From this very simple Facebook conversation was born the Mindful Parenting Book Club. I'd be so…

  • One Year Old

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    Valarie Budayr
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    There was a knock at the door. As I walked to the kitchen to see who it was, I could clearly see that it was my baby girl Mimi. Odd that she wouldn't use her house key but then I saw her holding something. When I opened the door I saw CAKE !  Oh how…

  • The Quiet of a Cafe Afternoon

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    Valarie Budayr
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    After all the excitement of our Traveling Tribe holidays, I quickly preceded to get sick. I've had the worst case of hacking cough of my whole live long life. What was needed was just a quiet day of resting, reading and coffee.  Such a place was found in this lovely cafe inspired by Portugal. Cafe…

  • The Birdman of Montreal

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    Valarie Budayr
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    It was a hard day walking in the streets of Montreal. The night before an ice-storm had descended upon the wintry city making it nearly impossible to walk the next day. That didn’t stop us however. Following my mother’s advice of “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” We donned our warmest…

  • We Talk With Our Hands

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    Valarie Budayr
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    As I was going through the photos from our trip to Montreal, I noticed that there were always a couple blurry images in each photo.  The hands. Yep the hands are always moving, more so than the mouth in family conversations. "Who us? No Way" Zaina says For years I've made the joke with my…

  • The Year That Was and A Happy New Year

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Holding both incredible and difficult moments, 2011 is a year we will not soon forget. We are thankful for so many things. I've met many blogging friends near and far. Started Audrey Press and watched our first production The Fox Diaries launch out into the world. We've watched and helped where we could the wonderful…

  • Living With Attention

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Holstee Manifesto Today I find myself in a very reflective mood. When 2011 started I made the intention to live differently. Not the resoultion making type of living different , no not that, I just wanted to live with attention. I wanted to live without missing any little details or to let my brain go…

  • Good Continuation

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    Valarie Budayr
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    These days between Christmas and New Year's in the Swedish tradition are known as "Good Continuation". Why end all of the merriment? Our huge family gang is still together moving in tribal form around Montreal, that is until I took a look at our travel schedule. Thinking I was leaving tomorrow December 29th, I soon…

  • Holiday Wishes from The Traveling Tribe

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    Valarie Budayr
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    So here we are on Christmas Eve. Our family, aka. The Traveling Tribe, has come from all over the globe to be together, Canada, France, USA, Lebanon, and Sweden. We're heading over to my nephew and nieces where we'll prepare a wonderful feast filled with all of our family favorites. Here's wishing you a wonderful…

  • Dip in the Cooking Pot Day

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    Valarie Budayr
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    Today I'm out and about gathering all the good food to prepare for tomorrow at our family feast. December 23rd is a day of gratitude, a day when we take a piece of fresh bread and dip it into the pot of great smelling and cooking food. For all we are about to eat, for…