Monday, February 27, 2017

Postcards From the Beach







Blue skies and sunshine were waiting for us when we arrived, and we are soaking it up in the best ways possible with walks on the beach, shell hunting, and hanging out poolside. It's been a good first day at the beach and we are looking forward to much more of the same as the week continues.

Have a beautiful week, my friends. I hope wherever you are the sun shines her magical rays of light on you.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Ten Things


One
The beginning of last week had us shoveling out from lots of snow. It was a lot of work, but also provided lots of beauty. I walked around the yard with my camera, snapping photos of last summer's flowers covered in snow. So pretty.

Two
Four days later we were enjoying sunshine, blue skies, and spring like temperatures. It happens this time of year, the huge shift in weather, and let me tell you it certainly puts a spring in your step, and fills you up.  The skies this weekend were beautiful shades of blue, the sun warmed my cheeks and my soul, and the snow...it's melting!


Three
We have entered into the stage of sleepovers in our home. My little man's best bud has been sleeping over quite a bit the last month. The first time was a "storm stay". She came for our homeschool day, and the weather made it impossible to get her home, so she spent the night. Since then two more sleepovers have happened, and I'm pretty sure the two of them have more planned. It's another one of those bittersweet milestones.

Four
On Friday evening I gathered with some close friends to host a blessingway for another friend. It was beautiful. We shared poetry and quotes, adding them to a journal the mama to be can look through as she awaits the arrival of her little one, we all made braided bracelets that we will wear until we hear word that her baby has arrived...a small way of connecting us all and a continual reminder to send her love and support, and we each brought stones and crystals and created a birthing bracelet for her. Then we ate, chatted, and the mama to be received a chiropractic adjustment and a foot massage (thank goodness for chiropractics and massage therapists in our beautiful tribe of women). It was a special evening, and I know the mama to be felt loved and supported.


Five
I have shared my morning yoga and meditation rituals on the blog before, and this ritual continues to be a grounding and centering way to begin my day. I am finding the longer I continue this ritual the deeper I connect to myself. Most mornings after my yoga and mediation I settle in to listen to a podcast, something to inspire me, and guide me on my continual journey of growth. Two mornings a week though I tune into my studies....yes I am a student again, taking an online course through Journey of Young Women. I am working towards a certificate to mentor young girls, helping to guide and support them as they transition from childhood to young womanhood. It is something I feel very strongly pulled to do, and I look forward to seeing where it takes me.

Six
I have jumped on the essential oil bandwagon, and I am in love. Young Living essential oils are amazing, and every day I am learning a little more about just how powerful these oils are. I have used some of their products, most notably thieves oil, over the years, and now with more oils in my life I am finding new ways to support the health and well being of my little man and myself with these magical oils.


Seven
The last few months has brought some new people into my life, people I am getting to know better, and am happy to call friends. Some have come through my work, some through friends of friends, and it feels so good to welcome new people into my life, people who bring a sense of joy and abundance to my life.

Eight
My little man and I are getting ready for the beach!!! Yes, we are beach bound again this winter, off to visit my parents. It's our annual trip south, and one we are both looking forward to. This will be our fifth year traveling south and it seems my body and soul now crave this trip...both are aching to be on the beach, to hear the ocean waves crash against the shore, to breath in the salty ocean air. You can be sure there will be a post or two from the beach once we get there.


Nine
Summer planning has begun around here. First up, summer camp. I am putting the final touches on my plans for summer camp and will be posting information over at Life at Nature's Pace in the next few weeks. There has already been a lot of interest, and registrations are coming in. So much interest in fact that I have hired someone to help me out. It was exciting to have so much interest so early, but to be hiring my first employee, well that is super exciting. I mentioned abundance in my last post...this is just a small amount of the abundance that has been coming my way. So grateful.

Ten
With the start of summer camp planning also comes garden planning. I am looking through seeds, putting together seeds orders, and making plans for the summer garden. I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt.

Wishing you a beautiful start to your week, my friends.

Monday, February 13, 2017

February Freshness





February has arrived with a fresh face, and with a fresh spring in my step. I will be completely honest with you, January was a difficult month. It was dark, dreary and grey. It didn't provide the typical winter weather, making our loved winter activities non existent. It seemed to drag on, one grey day after another. I also don't think I was ready for the fresh start of a new year. I wasn't ready to fully jump into 2017 with gusto. Instead I entered 2017 with caution, and a sense of uncertainty. I think that is pretty normal when you are in the midst of divorce and all that encompasses, but it was more than that....I just don't think I was fully ready to embrace a new year, yet.

Something about turning the calendar from January to February changed all that and with a great swiftness I am suddenly ready for 2017. I feel lighter, grounded, centered. It feels good. It feels right. It feels amazing!

Things are starting to become a little clearer on my path. I am figuring out how best to use my gifts to serve others, and as I figure that out suddenly more things and opportunities begin to open up. It's funny how that happens...the moment you open up, with a readiness to receive, there it is coming right at you.

I am grateful for the abundance I am feeling right now, grateful to be opening up my heart to receive, and grateful to those who are walking with me, and offering support. We were never meant to walk our paths alone, and those who choose to walk with us are the little bits of joy and sparkle along the way.

Have the most beautiful start to your week, my friends, may your path be filled with lots of joy and sparkle this week, and always.

Monday, February 6, 2017

Handmade Homemade Swap Party






Yesterday afternoon marked my fifth handmade homemade swap party, and goodness they just keep on getting better. Each swap party brings out the creative talents of my girlfriends, some sticking with tried and true creative talents and others stepping out of their comfort zones and trying something new. There was so much beauty, talent and love represented on the gift table, and it truly was beautiful.

Ten beautiful friends gathered in my home, each arriving with their swap gifts, food and an open heart. We ate, drank tea, shared stories, and then got down to the business of swapping gifts, and what fun it was. For this party every guest brought four gifts, and our names were put into a draw four times. When your name was drawn you headed up to the table to pick a gift. We continued this way until all the names were picked and all the gifts chosen. It was fun, exciting, and truly amazing.

I had plans to snap a few photos of the gift table and our gathering, but alas I was just having so much fun, and forgot to pick up my camera. The photos above are the beautiful, lovingly made gifts I have the honour of calling mine. I am so impressed with the gifts I received, and am so grateful to have them in my home.

Hosting these handmade homemade swap parties has become a beautiful ritual in the rhythm of my year, and they always leave my heart and soul full. Big thanks to all the lovely ladies who joined in, it was a joy to share the afternoon with you. And be ready, we will be enjoying our next swap party under the summer sun.

***Much gratitude goes to the lovely Amanda for sharing her own swap parties, and inspiring me to jump in and give it a go.

Friday, February 3, 2017

Choose Love


Choice. Everything you do is a choice. Everything. Can I ask you to choose love? Can I ask in these days of so much uncertainty, so much unkindness, so much emotion, to just choose love. Choose to see the good around you. Choose to see the good in people. Choose to smile, and be kind. Live in the essence of love. Let love light you up, let it shine from you, let it touch another person, another soul.

It's February, a month dedicated to love, let's be love in a big way this month, every single one of us. Let's share it in whatever way you feel called to do so. Send a card to a friend letting them know you care about them, make a meal for a neighbour, open the door for a stranger, say hello, smile, say thank you, help a mama with crying kids pack up her groceries at the grocery store, let someone go ahead of you in line, buy a coffee for a stranger, offer up a warm meal to someone who might not otherwise enjoy one, listen, really listen to someone's story, tell people how much they mean to you. Let's open our hearts and let the love flow. Let's shower our small part of the world with love, and then sit back and watch it spread.

Will you choose love? Will you spread it thick and heavy in your corner of the world? We can do this, come on, I dare you, join me.

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Celebrating Candlemas







Happy Candlemas, my friends. Today marks the halfway point between winter solstice and spring equinox....we are almost there! It's an exciting day in our home, and was a little more exciting than normal as we had some extra kiddos here to celebrate with us.

This is a day in which we celebrate the first stirrings of Mother Earth as she awakens from under the deep cover of snow. It is a day to notice the birds returning and singing happily in the morning, and a time to start thinking about planting seeds in preparation for the coming growing season. It is recognizing the lengthening of the days and feeling the anticipation in the air of what is to come. It is coming out of hibernation with the knowledge that soon spring will be here and the rain will come and wash the earth clean.

Today, in celebration of Candlemas, and the returning light, we took a morning walk in the woods, we rolled beeswax candles, and we planted calendula seeds. Dinner was enjoyed by candlelight, as it is every night throughout the winter, but tonight was different, because we know the need for this light is fading.

Spring is coming, friends, with its fresh face, to shower us in light and warmth, and I am looking forward to it with great anticipation.