I Don’t Recognize America Anymore
A veteran reflects on state power, anonymity, and why America no longer feels like the country he believed in.
Embracing Enough: Welcome to Lou LaMedica’s Personal Blog
"Embracing Enough" is my exploration of a life well-lived—where gratitude meets growth. From mindset and parenting to small business insights, easy family recipes, and personal finance, this blog shares practical wisdom on appreciating what we have and finding fulfillment in the everyday.
Featured Posts
Make the Good Stuff Happen Automatically
What if the key to long-term health, savings, and peace of mind isn’t discipline, but removing decisions? A reflection on building a life that works automatically.
52 Weeks Under the Bar: How Strength Training After 50 Changed My Life
A year of small, steady habits transformed my strength at 50. From rowing to barbell training, here’s how I became stronger than I was in my 40s.
Living Well Within Our Means
We’ve learned that living well isn’t about having the biggest house or the flashiest things. It’s about shaping what you have into enough, planning with purpose, and choosing experiences that last longer than stuff ever could.
Your Gut Knows the Way
From culinary school to combat zones, parenting through COVID to rebuilding a business—this is the story of trusting my gut when nothing else made sense.
Breadcrumbs for a Life Well Spent
Journaling helps me live with intention. From food to finances to bird calls in the woods, here’s how I track what matters and leave breadcrumbs worth following.
How I’m Going to Teach My Kids to Drive (Assume Everyone Else Is an Idiot)
Driving is the most dangerous daily task. These seven driving commandments will help new drivers stay safe, avoid accidents, and keep their insurance rates low.
Posts
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Apple Spice Behind the Scenes
Asian-Inspired
Beans
Books
Breakfast
Business
Grilling
Chautauquas
Coaching
Comfort Food
Communication
Cooking
Emotional Health
Fall Recipes
Family
Gratitude
Grief
Habits
Health
Holiday Traditions
Italian Inspired
Kid Friendly
Kool Collectibles
Leadership
Leftovers Remix
Light Vibes
Meal Prep
Mindset
Music
My Story
Nature
nature
Nostalgia
Parenting
Patience
Personal Finance
Process
Purpose
Quick Meals
Reflections
Sales & Strategy
Sandwiches
Seafood
Seeing People
Slammin’ Sides
Slow Living
Soups
Sports
Sunday Funday
Sweets
Vegetarian
Winter Recipes
All-Day Tomato Meat Sauce with Spaghetti (Slow-Cooked, Kid-Friendly Comfort Food)
An all-day tomato meat sauce that tastes like home. Slow-cooked with soffritto, beef, tomatoes, and optional mushroom tea, this cozy bowl of spaghetti is pure comfort — the kind of meal that makes the whole house smell like love.
Cozy Split Pea Soup with Bacon, Cabbage & Balsamic — A Cold-Weather Favorite
A deeply comforting split pea soup simmered with bacon, cabbage, sweet carrots, and a splash of balsamic to brighten the whole bowl. Simple ingredients, slow-cooked flavor — perfect for cold days.
Washington DC Tour Group Box Lunches | Apple Spice Catering
Planning a tour in Washington, DC? We make feeding your group easy with fresh, individually packed gourmet box lunches delivered directly to your tour bus—on time and stress-free. Perfect for student trips, adult tours, and educational travel.
Onion Broth Udon with Shabu-Shabu Beef | Sweet Onion, Smoky Bacon & Mushroom “Noodles”
A cozy onion broth udon inspired by a bowl I used to order during my Wall Street days — now a family favorite. Sweet onions, smoky bacon, mushroom “noodles,” tender shabu-shabu beef, and a quick 국밥 twist for the leftovers.
Rainy Day Grilled Cheese and Creamy Tomato Soup
A cold, rainy day in Northern Virginia calls for the classics: a crunchy sourdough grilled cheese and a silky homemade tomato soup that warms you from the inside out.
Best Leftover Meatloaf Sandwich – Perfect for Game Day
A crispy, cheesy, saucy leftover meatloaf sandwich that tastes even better the next day. Built on a club roll with BBQ-ranch sauce, melted American, fried onions, and tangy pickles. Easy to make, perfect for game day, and a family favorite in our house.
The Best Rice Krispy Treats
Gooey, buttery, dangerously addictive Rice Krispy treats made the right way.
A Thanksgiving Discovery in the Woods: Finding Our First Geocache
A quiet Thanksgiving walk turned into a surprise adventure when we uncovered a hidden geocache that has been sitting in the woods since 2011. A new family memory, a handwritten note, and a fresh reason to explore the outdoors.
Momentum in the Woods: A Parenting Lesson About Balance and Moving Forward
A walk in the woods with my daughter turned into a lesson about momentum, balance, and why moving forward is almost always easier than standing still.
Lentil Minestrone | A Weeknight Friendly, Hearty Vegetable Soup
A hearty, weeknight friendly lentil minestrone loaded with vegetables, pasta, and Swiss chard. Simple ingredients, big flavor.
The Most Important Decision You’ll Ever Make (and It’s Not What You Think)
The best advice I’ve ever given my kids isn’t about work or money. It’s about love—and the choice that shapes the rest of your life.
Tightly Held Opinions, Loosely Held Wisdom
What if the wisest thing you could say today was “I don’t know”? This reflection explores the power of open-mindedness, the discipline of thinking, and why tightly held opinions often get in the way of true wisdom.
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