Beauty

We just got back from our Christmas in Corbeil (where I grew up). The drive was beautiful. I couldn't help myself but take pictures of ice glistening in the sunlight.

Part of my New Year's resolution is to take the time to see the world around me, to take
in the moments. I notice that when I am present to the now time slows down.

Now that I am a mother of 2 time seems to have accelerated and I am into taking deep
breaths and making life slow down a bit. I want to cherish this nectar of life.

Ice Storm

There is beauty all around me. I walked through the woods. Everything is frozen. The pine trees are heavy with clear, beautiful sparkling ice! There is a surface of ice on everything! The branches glisten. The stream bubbles under its frozen surface. My feet crunch through the snow and the cracking of branches fall and startle me. My snow shoe tracks from yesterday are there, frozen in time.

My Gift to Myself

I sit here on Lac St. Antoine. It is peaceful, it is quiet. There are no children bustling about only me and my thoughts.

My gift to me this Christmas is solitude. A quiet space to reflect and be present to myself.

Funny when I arrived here I felt a well of emotion. Life has been particularly stressful as of late and I tend to hold things in, to keep going as though everything is fine. Arriving here among the trees, in the quiet of nature I am finally relaxed and letting go. Tears have welled and passed. It feels good to be real.

Later....
Celebrating Christmas day alone is proving to be great fun! My first adventure was taking an hour long Epsom salt bath where I laid there letting go of the past 2 weeks. I simply relaxed.
even more.

later still...
I've been on a snow shoe adventure. I crossed a stream, climbed a steep hill and laid in the snow with my back to the ground, gazing up at the tree tops. Sometimes I need a different perspective.

Even more later still...

This is enough blogging for me. I hope you have a great time with your families. I am soon going to close the computer and take the next little while cyber space free. Merry Christmas!~

Nostalgia

There is something in the air on this day and night of Christmas Eve, an anticipation, and a feeling of something special. It goes way back to when I was a child. Of course I loved the gift opening what child wouldn't but it's not the gifts that stand out. It's the car ride to church. It's those times in the car where lazy snow flakes fell from the dark sky and Christmas carols played on the radio. It's this very simple car ride with my father driving, my mother sitting beside him and my sister and brother at my side that brings me feelings of nostalgia. As I watched out the window as the colours of Christmas decorated people's homes and a feeling of something intangible lived inside of me. Was it contentment, happiness? I don't know it's hard to describe. If time would permit I would now sit in that Oldsmobile and gaze out that window once again. What nostalgic feelings live in you?

Sleigh Ride

A new tradition has sprung. We just got back from a sleigh ride at Pinto Valley Ranch and Oh! what a good time we had!!! From the minute we got there we were greeted by a very vibrant, confident 8 year old girl by the name of Reece. She was the perfect tour guide and began by showing us the animals in the barn. There were horses, Lamas (my favorite) and new piglets born this morning. Unfortunately the piglets came with a sad story. The mother birthed 6 (I believe) and only 2 remained as she'd sat on the newborns and suffocated them. Even while we admired the wee ones the humongous mother was having problems caring for her young without sitting on them! Oh! How sad we all felt for her. In the time we had our sleigh ride and came back another piglet was in need of help. Her mother had sat on her too many times and Tracy the owner of Pinto carried her in her coat to keep her warm. They will keep vigil overnight and care for her in hopes of saving her. Zoe went to bed wondering she is going to make it.
The sleigh ride itself was wonderful! The crescent moon shone upon us and the stars shone bright. I think we've found a new yearly tradition :) I hope the beginning of winter has found you in many new adventures with lots of learning. Ciao for now.

Solstice 2009

From this day forward everyday will be brighter! It's winter solstice and five years ago I gave birth to Owen my youngest. Time flies and I no longer have a baby but 2 young children.

Yesterday we celebrated the coming of light with friends. We sang and ate it was delightful. There is nothing like celebrating the seasons, being grateful for the light that is coming our way. Have a great solstice and remember to spread light wherever you go :)

There is Peace found in the Breath

When I get stressed and life gets overwhelming my breath becomes short and resides in my upper chest. With this comes feelings of anxiety and fear. As I become aware of my body and the tension in my rib cage I take deep breaths. I breath deeply and slowly. I relax my body. With each breath I feel myself relaxing letting go, grounding myself into the now and begin to see things more clearly. I have learned and still learning that long deep breathing is where I can find my peace of mind......

Go ahead take a long deep breath......Take another.......and another.....and notice the change that happens within. Peace of mind begins within. :)

Fairy Surprise

We've been cutting, sewing and needle felting and our little stockings hang from our seasonal
wreath. Little fairies will soon be by to drop little surprises in each stocking. We are excited for the fairies to come. We are excited for many things. I hope the excitement of the holidays has found you and your family. Many warm wishes to you!

Let it Snow :)

I love you

There is something to be said for the words "I love you" from the sweet voice of a sweet child half asleep...I love you too...

Snow Day

I hope you had a good snow day. We had a love in, it was wonderful with lots of playing, singing and being together. Enjoy the snow!

Did you know that if you wear your pajamas inside out it's going to snow? This is Zoe's theory and she is testing her theory out and sleeping this very moment with her pajamas inside out. I am not sure if it's snowing but the wind sure is howling! I hope she is right because I am craving more snow.
Have yourself a great day.
Later....
It's blowing snow outside and it's a snow day, no buses but a house full of kids. We are snug as a bug in our beautiful space celebrating our first snow day!

Sisters

I love my sister. This past weekend we spent some time together in the woods with our kids. Even though we live in the same city and I care for her child we don't get to spend much time together. I love spending time with her. There are so many things I admire about her and one of them being her sense of humor and wit. Together we can fall into fits of laughter by a simple phrase or look. She is a special person and in this coming year I vow to spend more quality time with my younger sister whom I love very much.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Mister Nelson Mandela

Family Time

To connect with my kids I sit down with them and have family art time. We light candles sit in a circle and allow the creative juices to flow. I really cherish these times. The house is quiet, the candles send warmth and there is a specialness that flows between us, binding us, creating ties. These times are precious to me.