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.

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.

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.

Sunshine

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, 

if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has the power to move you, 

if the simple things in nature have a message you understand, 

Rejoice, for your soul is alive."

~ Eleanora Duse ~

Hello sunshine! It's been a few weeks since the beautiful sun has peeked out to say hello, so when we woke Sunday morning and it was peeking out we made our way to the trail as fast as we could to soak it up, and I'm so glad we did. The trails were quiet, the birds were singing, and my little man and I walked, sometimes chatting, other times in silence. It was in the silence I could feel it....connection. My heart was full, my soul happy, I felt connected. Things in the world are a little heavy right now, and so I have been intentional with what I have allowed in and what I have kept out. I have focused on the good I can do here, in my own home, within my community of friends, and within the community in which I live. It's small in the grand scheme of things, but every bit helps, right? At least I like to think so. 

It's no mistake that I felt such connection in the woods, it is my happy place, the place I go to find myself, to seek answers, to connect, to heal. My soul is alive in the woods, there is no despair as I walk with the trees, only hope and love. I wish the hope and love I felt as I stepped off the trail could be spread far and wide across our beautiful earth, reaching every soul that is hurting. I realize that's not possible, but I can still wish.

So today, and every day moving forward, I will stay intentional. I will focus on the small, meaningful acts I can do in my little world, and hope for a ripple effect that spreads far and wide. Will you do the same?

Scaling New Heights

Life tends to hand you lessons right when you need them, and this week, on the tail end of publishing this post on walking my edges, and continuing to grow, my little man handed me a big lesson.

If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that choices have been made in regards to extracurricular activities, choices that work for our family, that fit with the lifestyle we want to lead, and that allow us to live a life free of rushing and running around. We have dabbled in summer swimming lessons, and tried baseball this past summer, but our life has for the most part revolved around being at home, enjoying our time as a family, and soaking up life in the slow lane. It has worked for us, and feels right, for my little man and I.

Well, last week we took a step into the world of extracurricular activities....my little man started rocking climbing lessons. As the day approached he was hesitant, not sure he really wanted to do it, but ever so slowly, as the minutes ticked down closer to his first lesson, he got a little excited. We talked about doing things that make us feel a little scared, we discussed the many things that made him nervous and came up with ways for him to look at those things differently, and I reassured him that he had rock climbed before and that it would be just the same, except I wouldn't be the one belaying him, his instructor would be doing that.

When we arrived he settled in very quickly, got his harness, shoes and helmet on, and away he went. I didn't watch much that first week, I headed out for a quick trip to the grocery store, and then came back and sat quietly knitting in the corner, trying not to be disruptive. This week though he wanted me to watch, and so I sat front and center.

I watched as my little man scaled new heights, literally and figuratively. As he climbed he took his time, tested his level of comfort, worked past fears, and finally reached the top....of both the wall and his own comfort zone. It's an amazing thing to watch as your child steps forward with confidence and courage to try a new challenge, and it's even more amazing when, as a parent, you sit back with pride and love at the great accomplishment they are achieving.

As I sat in the climbing gym, that pride was beaming from my face, and my heart was so full of love for this amazing little man who constantly has things to teach me. As I work to continue stepping out of my comfort zone this year, trying new things and walking my edges, my little man proves to me that with a bit of trust, courage and confidence you can do anything you put your mind to. Thanks little man, you continue to be my greatest teacher.

Continued Growth

I am finding great solace these days in quiet....in my home, in my life, in this space. I have come here many times to write, but find myself staring at the blank document not quite sure what to share with you. As many of you shared your words, goals, intentions and desires for 2017, I sat back pondering exactly what I want 2017 to be about. And to be honest, I still am not totally sure.

Yes, I have set many goals for this year for work, for life, for my homestead, but it all feels safe, within my comfort zone, and I am ready to step out of my comfort zone. Towards the end of 2016 I walked a few of my edges, trying a few new things on this journey of discovering more of who I am. It was thrilling in many ways, a little scary, okay, a lot scary, and absolutely amazing. It's never easy to step out of your box, to do something unexpected, and it certainly has no guarantee of being a worthwhile experience, but if we don't do it, if we don't challenge ourselves to keep growing, learning and changing we stagnate, and if I am being truly honest, a little bit of who we are dies each day in that stagnation.

So, back to 2017...I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I want this year to be about. I do know I want to walk more of my edges, step out of the comfort zones I have created for myself. I am not sure what that looks like yet, but I do know that I will allow myself to be open to possibility, and I will look for opportunities that challenge who I am and step forward into them with courage, confident that they will help me on this continual journey of self discovery.

Now, tell me, friends, how are you doing with your intentions for 2017?

Reflecting on the Darkness

Happy New Year!!! I hope you all had a wonderful time welcoming 2017, and are now settling in to this new year with an open heart, ready for what awaits you.

Around here I have spent quite a bit of time reflecting on the year that was, the year that marks the most difficult of my life. I have not shared any of the darkness that this year brought for many reasons, but the main reason was I didn't want to give it a voice in this space that brings me so much joy, and connects me to so many wonderful people. It was a hard year my friends, but as I sat reflecting over the last few weeks the darkness wasn't at the forefront, not at all, what kept coming back to me were the beautiful highlights of a year full of never ending love and support. You see every time a little darkness reared it's head my tribe of women and my family stepped right up, without hesitation, and lifted me up. Every single time.

Hugs, shoulders to cry on, someone to cry with, texts, love bombs, flowers, meals, someone to talk to, someone to watch my little man so I could squeeze in a little mama time, and so much more. These beautiful women along with my family, stepped up in so many ways to love and support me. When I look back over the year, I am amazed, and my heart lights up with love and gratitude.

It's that light that crowds out the darkness. It's that light that guides me forward on this journey. It's that light that reminds me that I am strong. It's that light that calls to me to continue to work towards my dreams and goals. It's that light that makes it possible for me to get up every day, and start fresh with a positive attitude. My tribe and my family are there by my side when I need them, but what they don't realize is that they are there in my heart every single moment, lighting me up and helping me find the magic in every single day.

So, yes, it's been a hard and difficult path this year, but it doesn't feel that way. Instead it feels like a beautiful journey, speckled with bits of darkness, that were easily wiped away with the love and support of my tribe and my family. I am forever grateful to have them all in my life, and appreciate beyond words how much they have all done, not only for me, but also for my little man, this year.