Birthday bowling- the kids had lots of fun!

Dressed up in some of her birthday gifts eating MORE cake!!

Finally some snow here, enough to do angels but not quite enough for a snowman. Bummer.

Never Too Old for this !

Abs and her Papa going for a ride. :)

Loss

Dedicated to all of those strong women who have lost.

The water stung my skin
As I saw red running down
How I cried
How I wanted you to stay
The cramping like labor
I drummed you a beat on the shower wall
To show you the way out.

Barack Obama

This video is beautiful. I may be too idealistic sometimes but I feel this is what being on this earth is about. The collective will to do good and well by people, for the people, to all be here in harmony. Watch it.
http://www.dipdive.com

February 5th, 2003

After laboring for literally "days", in and out of the tub, bed, walking, and bathroom. Finally at 5:42 am Abigail Nadene was born. It took her what seemed like forever to breathe and cry. I remember my midwife telling Joe to talk to her as we were rubbing her all over to get her to take her first breath. Then finally she did as she lay on my chest. I was so tired I hardly heard or cared if she was a boy or girl, I still can feel that relief that she was out and my body wasn't screaming for relief. I looked down at her and her eyes were as open and intense looking at Joe and I peacefully, like she was saying- "Hey, its you, nice to see you."

5 years later she is her own beautiful girl, with her own will and determination. She knows what she knows and sometimes I am amazed that she is only 5. She is strong and a snuggler at the same time. Right now she sleeps in her bed looking so big, it is just so hard to believe it has only been 5 years. I feel like she has been with us forever...... Happy Birthday my girl.

The "Back" Dance

Ballerina by day..... rocker by night?

For breakfast?

We are loving all of these things lately. Stay warm everyone!

Books

Is she our kid or what? THIS melted my heart.

Questions

What if our religion was each other
If our practice was our life
If prayer, our words
What if the temple was the earth
If forests were our church
If holy water - the rivers, lakes, and oceans
What if mediation was our relationships
If the teacher was life
If wisdom was self-knowledge
If love was the center of our being.
Ganga White


I do the nursery at our church once a month. Sometimes we go more, sometimes we do not.
Sometimes it feels right and sometimes it doesn't.
Today I asked Abby while she was in the tub, " do you like going to church and talking about God?"
She shakes her head no but quickly says, "well, I do like church but I wish we could just talk about, (pause)..... animals or something."

Gardening in January?

Well this is a little hard to see in this smaller pic but Mt. Baker was out and beautiful and today
I attacked the sunflower patch. It was looking like something out of the dinasour age.

This is what doing no fall clean up looks like. It was actually not stormy, windy or rainy today so I bailed outside and attacked part of the beds around the house.





Here one side is looking MUCH better!











This sweet fairy who has been lost in the sunflower patch is now taking residence in an area that our dogs keep laying and digging so hopefully she will whisper to those dogs to stay out since my scolding doesn't seem to do a thing. :)

Material

Does anyone know of any good online fabric shops. As we are a bit isolated with only Joann's to chose from in the fabric department, i'm wondering about online shops that have good material?

The Knitting Circle

I just finished reading this book that caught my eye at the library in the New Books section. It is called the Knitting Circle by Ann Hood. It is a gut wrenching but lovely book about life, grief, and moving past it. The one thing that really hit me in this book is how women need each other. We can have supportive partners, families and kids but we NEED other women period. What would the world be like if every woman had a place to go to be themselves, be creative, at the same time feel supported no matter what was going on in their lives. It used to be women got together to quilt, what do we all do now? I guess we have coffee. :) I've said this before but we are too isolated in this society, we're all afraid to depend on each other. This life is as beautiful as it is horrifying, anyone out there up for a knitting circle?

Christmas 2007

Abby on her new bike, Christmas morning!

Abby, Joe and the dogs

Dad and Luke on our family Christmas Eve get together.

Abby snugging her uncle Anth, whom she just adores.

This Christmas was a great one. I hope that everyone was able to be with those they love and have a fun day of family and being together, oh and presents of course! It is so fun Christmas morning now having an almost 5 year old who thinks is all so magical and that the reason why she didn't get Ratatouille from Santa is that, "she told." and if you want something from Santa apparently you can't just go blurting it out. Abby says you just have to think and wish your hardest. When mom pointed out that Santa did get her a bike which she "told" her wish she muttered, "oh yeah, hmmm , it must be just for movies I guess."

Tree Hunting Expedition

This is our only picture of our tree this year. It turned out good for sure, a little less charlie brownish than last years!











Joe and I after Abby picked the tree at her Grandpa Peep's farm but for some reason was too crabby to be in the picture.

The only pic of Abby on the tree hunting day.

It was definately a I'm not having my picture taken day today. Geeezzz. what could be the problem with hunting for your Christmas tree?

The Nutcracker

Abby and Elena in the car on the way to the Nutcracker, soooo excited.

Abby and Elena waiting for the show to start! Elena came with us without her parents which is all very exciting for almost 5 year olds. She (Elena) whispered when the show had been going for about 5 minutes that " I love this!" with great expression.


We had a crew to see the Nutcracker this year in Port Angeles. Jenny, Mom, Courtney, Angelina, Abby, Elena, Joe, and myself. We thought seeing the slightly lesser version was good for this year, that the girls wouldn't know it wasn't the big Seattle production and maybe when they are a few years older we can fork over the money and do Seattle. I have to say that mostly I wanted to do this for the girls as they are very into ballet and LOVED the sugar plum fairy but it did put me in the Christmas mood. The music is lovely, dressing up and seeing a ballet that your kids are excited about was pretty fun.