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My Friends,
We begin each year with promise. We end each year with hope. And in between we live. For me 2014 consisted of 365 attempts – some successes, some failures – to find daily fulfillment. The last months were wrapped in family, friends and food. I’d like to share a quick reel of my recent holiday season with you. Feel free to hum, The Twelve Days of Christmas while viewing.

My holiday season began with Thanksgivingpalooza (5 days of family, food, fun and shopping, did I say food) –

Delicate daughter posed like a Christmas Tree, free of charge, for her mom’s art –
Dealt with holiday shopping exhaustion –
Shared big son’s wrestling moments –
Rocky the Shepherd and yours truly, tried shedding T’day pounds before Christmas –
Made holiday decorations using fruit mailer packaging –
Attempted snapping Xmas photo with all subjects cooperating –
‘Christmas Eve-ing’ at The Roselli’s – Manjia!
A few Roselli’s and attachments (more were hiding in other rooms) –
Dessert, dessert, did I say dessert… –
Elf on Shelf terrified Rocky the Fierce –
Waited for Santa or wanted to draw yellow snow angels (they’re creative) –
Big son went missing when Santa showed up (He still admits nothing) –
Tried lifting away Christmas pounds before New Year’s –
Laughed in the New Year with family & friends –
The giant husband can still hear my voice above the din of the crowd –
Right eyebrow arched high, fist supported chin, sleep was not far behind –
After the 2015 New Year’s ball lands, we begin the wait for mall Santa’s return –
Hopefully Mojo the Dachshund will divulge where he hid Elf on the Shelf before next Christmas –
We breathe a moment while peering out the window –
and look to the stars –
and take comfort in knowing they’ll shine no matter the time of year.
Dream well 2014.

Thank you. Here’s to dreaming your 2015 hopes into reality.
And don’t forget to start polishing up those Valentines 😉

Holiday Disorder

Dear Friends,
The big son decided this year he’d like to give football a try. He’s a gentle soul by nature – a pacifist at heart – but, he’s discovered a love for mannish sports. I look at him, smiling with his gigantic football gear on and pray it keeps him safe from injury. Though, I know it’s impossible to ask for such a divine favor – so I’ll just ask that he has fun and that he’ll only require a bandaid from time to time.

We can’t protect our children anymore than we can make ourselves less vulnerable to life. What we can do is arm them with self-confidence. So when their young minds are conflicted or they find themselves in a precarious situation, they can remember the mantra, “I’m better than this…”

After I took this silly-faced picture of the big son, he said, “I’ll feel bad if I hurt anyone, mom.”

I responded quite motherly, “Then tackle them with love, my son.” Then I glanced up at the sky and thought, I hope you’re tackled with love too.

Love Tackle

On the way to the big son’s 5 and 1/2 hour practice today, we saw the sun’s rays peeking through. We both took this as a good sign…

Thank you. May you dream this evening of the world’s children being safe from harm.

Big Son with Goofy Face photo taken August 14, 2014
Blue Footballer drawn August 18, 2014 with Prism and fingers crossed (right hand only, needed left to draw)
Sun rays taken this AM, August 19, 2014