Ann Romney Talks Faith, Family and Moving Forward After Mitt's 2012 Defeat: 'We're Very Much at Peace

Following the chaos of her husband's 2012 presidential run, Ann Romney has been busy writing and now promoting her new project -- "The Romney Family Table." Part recipe guide, part insider look, the book has already made Romney a New York Times best-selling author, while offering the public a lens inside her life with husband, Mitt, and their five sons and 22 grandchildren.

Romney, 64, spoke with TheBlaze about the project, her family and life following the contentious 2012 campaign. Naturally, we wondered what motivated her to publish "The Romney Family Table." She said that it started out as a fun, personal project, but unexpectedly evolved into something much bigger.

Former Republican presidential candidate and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and wife Ann Romney sit ringside before Manny Pacquiao takes on Juan Manuel Marquez in their welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 8, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Getty Images

"I wanted to leave a legacy for my children and grandchildren. It started off as just a small project and kind of grew," she told TheBlaze. "It started off as just being a collection of recipes, and then it changed to a story."

Through the book, Romney shares her recipes and family stories with the masses -- and the public is apparently responding with deep interest. Consider that "The Romney Family Table" premiered this week in the 14th slot on the Times' "Advice, How-to and Miscellaneous" list.

Of the sales success, the former Massachusetts first lady is absolutely stunned.

"I never anticipated the book sales, frankly. I never thought much about it, and now it’s a New York Times bestseller!" she said with a hint of joyous laughter. "I was fun for me. It was a fun project about family and food and how we celebrate life together around the table."

While she had a blast putting the book together, she is also hoping that it inspires readers to "find the joy in life." Family and the traditions that come along with it, Romney said, are major sources of happiness, so she's hoping to encourage others to create and foster their own memories with loved-ones.

Romney, a devout Mormon, also told TheBlaze about the importance of her religious views in her everyday life and the parenting process. She discusses these themes in "The Romney Family Table" as well.

Photo Credit: Shadow Mountain

"It’s...a part of how we live our lives. It’s part of the fabric of who were are," she said. "It is what I believe made our children so strong and gave them the ability to stand on their own two feet, being very committed to ... principles in their lives and having stand true and strong, even though the world might be telling them something different."

This message will certainly resonate with parents who are struggling to raise children in a world that is oft-times characterized by negative and competing messages -- many of which represent views that contradict the moral sentiment these parents choose to instill in their children.

She told TheBlaze that parenting all comes down to two things -- love and setting parameters.

"I think there’s a lot of key components in raising a child, but one of them is love and the other is limits," she said. "You have to have both -- you can’t just know that there’s no limits in how you raise you children. They have to know what the parameters are, and I think faith gives us limits, but it’s also an interesting thing where if you say, ‘Don’t do this, this will bring you greater happiness.’"

Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his wife Ann wave after Romney conceded defeat to President Barack Obama on November 7, 2012 (Photo Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Being consistent about church and other sentiments and setting limits on what is permissible inevitably helps bring people greater joy and happiness, she argued.

Considering the flurry of events that have unfolded in Romney's own life over the past year and a half, we also asked her to share something she's learned as a result of these experiences. In response, she was candid, mentioning Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential defeat and noting that the biggest resulting lesson was the importance of family.

"You know, we came off a pretty disappointing defeat, and having to have yourself well grounded and having the faith that we do and the family that surrounds us -- it made it a very easy adjustment for us to recognize that life goes on, and life is good, and our real joy and happiness is coming from other things," Romney explained. "And we’re very much at peace and finding great joy in our lives right now."

Romney, who has multiple sclerosis, will donate all proceeds from the book to neurological research.

--

Follow Billy Hallowell on Facebook and Twitter

[related]