Christmas fun!

Merry Merry Christmas

we love to wrap...

...we love big fat beautiful ribbons
...we love curling ribbon
...and Christmas music
...with egg nog
we wrap and wrap and wrap
until we don't love it anymore
and our creativity starts to wane
and the presents all begin to look the same
so we stop
and walk away
until it all
begins again

Merry Christmas

the Christmas card revealed

This little Christmas Garden Faerie is here to say,
"Merry Christmas to you"

and 80 of them are arriving now
to friends and family
everywhere all over
this globe.

handmade love

My favorite thing about Christmas is unpacking the memories that come with all the handmade treasures. I have many because my great grandma's were crafty and added to my collection each year. In grade school, my children were lucky to have artsy teachers and they came home with some masterpieces. Now as adults, they still see their ornaments hanging on our tree. Nothing I could purchase can compare to the beauty and love I feel for all of my handmade goodies

"WaSup Mark?"

A few people have asked about Mark, so I thought I'd give you an update. His unfortunate car accident happened on December 19th 2006, I chronicled the events, an experience we will never forget. I can't believe it happened only 2 years ago. Looking at him today, no one would know he had been in such danger. It is only when you spend time with him that you begin to understand the accidents full effects.

Mark lives on Imodium, lots and lots of Imodium. Very slowly his intestines have been making adjustments, but they will never quite operate normally. His right foot is still without a tendon and needs constant therapy. He has a very large scar that runs down his front and around to his back, a harsh reminder of the serious damage...but I have to say, that the biggest change in Mark was the vision he had of himself.

Yes, near death experiences will do that to you and he rose from that bed a changed man. Mark knows that God saved his life and that there is a specific reason for it. He aggressively wants to help people. He is going to college to become a Respiratory Therapist and often finds that he is the one doing the teaching. His professors often ask him to conduct the labs, or have him organize and then teach the class experiments. He is so meticulous and has found his place in the medical field. All of those medical terms that fly right over our heads...well, Mark now eats them for breakfast and finds the human body, his body, is the most amazing complex miraculous thing. He beams BEAMS when he talks about it. He remembers everything and wants so badly to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

I could go on and on...be the gushing mom that I am, but the most important lesson that we all learned, is that there is a cherishable community in this big world of ours. Especially, in a time of need.

a labor of love

Every year I hand make my Christmas cards, it has been such a long tradition of mine that I don't know when it started. I also make them for my husbands employees, so all in all it amounts to about 80 in total. This is just a peek, I don't want to spoil the surprise for my loved ones. I will post an entire one later. I guess you too will have to wait :) It is both a pleasure and a pain to design these cards and make each one. Christmas just wouldn't be the same without them, sort of like special recipes and presents. Such anticipation...

So you are not
bored with seeing
just one corner
of a Christmas card...
here is a picture
of a monster
slaying a dragon ;)

the President's dog

Rumor has it that President Elect Obama and his family have decided to get a Golden Doodle for the family dog. It just so happens that my mom and dad have one of their own, Callie Lu. Half golden retriever and the other half poodle gives you a shed proof allergy free canine. She is very friendly and great with kids.

Baby Boho Cedar was an interesting test, as we haven't had babies around for a long time. Callie needed to sniff him out and she was very gentle about it. From that point on, she became Cedar's protector and was acutely aware of every sound and movement he made. His crying was obviously distressing to Callie and she constantly needed to check the baby when he was near.

It amazes me that dogs know when a human being is helpless and fragile. Instinct kicks in and they make themselves responsible as a guardian. We all love Callie Lu and it warmed our hearts to see her accept and love our newest family member.

I love you Cedar and I too will protect you and be your guardian...auntie d

love at first sight

there was a bounty of love to take in for such a little baby boy
I couldn't stop smiling at this little miracle
he is seriously cute and has a wise spirit about him
every day he looked a little different
completely irresistible
comfortable with everyone...especially grandma
and this is classic Cedar sleeping position

***After spending such precious time with everyone, I learned a very deep and spiritual lesson about adoption and the entire process. Because Denise is my baby sister, I felt protective of her and wanted a positive experience. Being ignorant about adoption, I felt concerned with the bonding process and kept a keen eye on any undercurrents. Then we all experienced an extremely poignant moment together, it went kind of like this...

At around 10pm the tired couple handed the baby over to us for some quality sleeping time. Cedar was wide awake and alert to his surroundings. He did the usual newborn routine, burped, pooped and let us know when he was hungry. About an hour later he began to fuss and that quickly turned into obvious unhappiness. My mom and I passed him back and forth, both of us using our own tried and true methods of motherhood, on how to stop a baby from crying. To no avail, Cedar continued to cry and dug in his heels...he was stubbornly angry now and this adorable little boy began to Wail! Bright red faced screaming, with stiffened arms and legs! Completely frustrated I said,
"Mom, I think he wants his mommy!"
and she reluctantly, but swiftly, woke the couple. Boho boy entered the room first. Obviously half asleep, he gently took the screaming child and tried to calm him. Denise then entered the room and she too was dishevelled and deeply exhausted.
Denise reached out to Cedar and said,
"Come here... it's okay"
...and an instant hush filled the room. As soon as Cedar heard his Momma's voice and felt her soft familiar shoulder, he silenced with peace. We all stood there with our mouths dropped open.

In any other situation, this may not have been quite so special a moment, but there was no longer any question that all Cedar wanted was his Momma and Denise was that person. She also felt the awe of the moment and tears misted over her eyes. My baby sister, this woman rocking that bundle back and forth, with a timeless instinct, was every bit a Momma and I will never see her more deserving, as I did in that moment.

first kiss

I get to meet this little man tomorrow
I get to see my sister and my boho brother as parents
I get to pick him up, stare into his beautiful face
and say, "welcome lil cedar"
then I will hold him very close to my heart
and give him a small gentle first kiss
from me
and then many more will follow that one

Thankfulness

Could anyone be more thankful than this?
This picture is worth a thousand words...

Mommy Magic

I am the proud Auntie of this bundle boy
Cedar Kroon
8lbs 7oz !
he came into the world
with angels on his shoulders
could life be any more beautiful
than this moment?
God is good...all the time :)

This beautiful girl, my beloved baby sister Denise, is currently on a plane and will return forever changed. As a family, we will be blessed with a new family member and I will have the pleasure of not only becoming an Auntie again, but watching Den embrace Motherhood. I have no words to describe how excited we all are for her, boho boy and this adoption process.

this is better than a new puppy
an exotic vacation
becoming a millionaire
or worldwide fame

this is priceless
life's loving lessons
beautiful moments
unforgettable memories

a rewriting of your life
bonds that cannot be broken
spontaneous surprises
laughter and tears

this is the creation of a new family
that I am blessed to bare witness to
partake in and observe
the miracle of parenthood

unexpected

When I first started blogging, I remember thinking that there would be endless pictures for me to take and that there would be so many topics to choose from, that I would be dizzy with choosing. 2 years later...I find myself struggling with my own boring writers voice and I feel stuck.

Is this what writers block feels like?
Even my journals are blank.
My prayers have been filled with a quiet meditation
and the words have been few and to the point.
This is so unlike me
and so very...unexpected.

So, I feel that I need to ask for your forgiveness, as the tears dry upon my cheeks. And I need to ask the same to my creative voice...I have silenced her for way too long. I realized that waiting for inspiration can often lead to dead ends and it's okay to turn around and back track my own steps until I find a side road or two. Or, maybe I need to retell some of the stories that have shaped my life and made me who I am. Regardless, the most important and least expected information I can give you today...is me

I am Darlene.

Happy Harvest

Autumn

harvest

warm

colors

traditions

family

decorations

food

sharing

love

life

speaking sea

you cling to earth
uniting all with your touch
roaring peace not war

the traditional Monterey momma/daughter trip

Momma & Daughter

A hole in the wall boutique
Pampering galore
Darling resting and eatting choices Don't forget the coffee...or bottled water!
Some of the greatest unique things for the home
Always time for a cold brew
Have your palm read?
And yet another darling place to spend our money

These were some of the creative signs along the way, I found them fascinating! A true testament to the owners inside. I encourage you to go to Monterey California if it fits into your budget. Clam Chowder in a bread bowl is a must, (however us gluten free girls have to settle for steamed clams) And this, of course, must be eaten on The Wharf. This year we had a fabulous spa day and definitely did more shopping than usual. Another year gone by, more matching rings for our fingers and precious memories made together :)