Storms

Do you ever wonder how you you can ever make it through the storms of life?  When the clouds part and you can you see the sun?  I often wonder this.  Basically my life is pretty great and drama free, but there have been a few storms in life that have pushed me down and make me question everything.  The things we hold onto because it is comfortable and safe.  I would struggle on and just take everything day to day and wait patiently until the storm subsides.  Then you can look back and be thankful for that time in life that helped you to grow and develop into the person you are today.
  The thing about storms is that you can almost see them coming, but there is nothing that you can really do to stop them.  Its almost like you hold on and just try really hard to make it through.  You can't see past the present.  We are all going through something? I am too.  Its called life.  Choose wisely, seek peace and give love.  Nothing is greater than knowing that you have the strength and power to overcome the storms of life.  Let go of that which doesn't bring out the best in you.  Trust in yourself and the abilities that lie within.  

Stretching Myself

I was thinking about this magnet project all week and it finally hit me!  The girls have ripped a few vintage looking books and I love the little pictures on them, so instead of throwing them out I decided to take the scissors to them and make magnets.  I need to laminate them so they don't get wrecked as easily, but I might just continue with this little idea and do whole stories and get a magnet board for them.  I might have just found a fun and easy thing to do!

Enjoy!

Joy

Farren

Nellie

joy [joi]

noun 

1. happiness; delight 

2. source of delight - Related Form


When I seen the word joy obviously these two came to mind.  These photo's in particular.  We took the girls to the swings one day and I snapped some photo's of the pure joy and delight that they were having.  It was a day that stands out in my mind because we were living in a place where there was not much to be happy about.  We were living in an isolated community where social interaction was almost frowned upon.  Sadness was written all over the faces of the people that lived there so eventually that rubbed off on me.  We were there for three long months until we decided to come home.  So this day was a very big bright spot and the fact that we captured it was even better. I love the innocence that comes when you see joy on the faces of children.  I am so grateful for the abundance of joy that these two little people have brought into my (our) life.  It is easy for me to forget these moments.  When you can't see past a situation and wondering how you are ever going to get out of it.  I have to constantly remind myself that joy starts from the inside.  I hope that each of you reading this can find joy in even the smallest things.

Growth

growth (grōth)

noun

1.The process of growing. Full development; maturity.
2.Development from a lower or simpler to a higher or more complex form; evolution.
3.An increase, as in size, number, value, or strength; extension or expansion: population growth.
4.Something that grows or has grown: a new growth of grass.

    When I really sit down to think about growth it brings so much to the surface.  The thing that may have struck a cord is the simple fact that we don't just grow physically, but we grow emotionally and spiritually.  Watching children grow you can see the changes and how their minds are developing and how along with them you are growing too.  Its like you develop a whole new side of yourself and someone else emerges that is much wiser than the person you knew even just months ago.  I have felt myself change over the course of the last few weeks taking this e-course, its not a physical growth, but an emotional one.  Something has changed and is starting to develop inside of me.  I feel like I do have a voice and there is a tone to that voice through my writing.  Maybe it can be further reaching than I ever imagined, but maybe not.  And thats ok too.  
  I took this photo outside of our house a few years back, just a simple display of growth and changing.  Here is this beautiful rose in full bloom surrounded by others that are anxiously waiting to open up.  Isn't that kind of how we all are?  At different stages of growth, but always growing together (even if we don't know it).  The next year this rose bush will be even larger with more flowers and a sweeter aroma.  The more we grow in a positive direction the sweeter life becomes.  Sometimes I feel stuck.  After giving and giving all day to my children, husband and home I start to feel complacent about myself and I don't nurture that rose inside.  I feel like those roses that haven't quite bloomed, but are so close.  Maybe just needing a little bit more time, you very rarely can see a rose change right in front of you and open up and become a beautiful flower.  It just happens slowly.  You might take a moment to look at this flower that is inside of you and think that there is not a chance it will ever blossom and change, until one day there it is.  You have changed, you have blossomed and you are beautiful and worth something.  I need to just remind myself of this too.  Nurture you and that what is in you.  

wis·dom (wiz′dəm)

noun

1.the quality of being wise; power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.; good judgment; sagacity
2.learning; knowledge; erudition: the wisdom of the ages
3.Now Rare wise discourse or teaching
4.Wisdom of Solomon
5.a wise plan or course of action


I think often about wisdom.  Sometimes when people come to me with "stuff" I hope that I can say something profound and wise and they will have a lightbulb moment.  Most times this doesn't happen.   I love the first definition of this word.  Everyday I try hard to not judge others or myself.  We are humans and we make mistakes, we are supposed to.  They help us to grow and growing helps us to become more wise.  Often times I feel judged, maybe by choices I make or am making, the way I parent, and maybe even the way that I look.  That being said, it is never good to dwell on what you think people think about you.  Most times you are wrong.  So I try to judge rightly to understand why people are in a certain situation, what brought them there and how can I help?  I find that through helping others or even just listening that I can learn from where others have made mistakes and not make them myself.  

In life I always want to seek wisdom.  Be wise in the choices I make, how I treat others, how I allow others to treat me, and most importantly where I am seeking this wisdom.  

Cultivation

crea·tiv·ity (krē′ā tiv′ə tē)

noun

creative ability; artistic or intellectual inventiveness

Being creative does not come naturally to me.  I find that when I try to hard to be creative it becomes too contrived.  Its like the organic feeling is lost somewhere.  My creativity lies in my writing ( I have found ) and it might be a stretch to say my cooking too.  I like to just write freehand and see where it takes me, often the words seem to flow through fingertips and the finished product is something that is much more "creative" than something that has been stewed over and over.  I like to kind of proof read to make sure the words have the right flow.  Maybe that in itself is inventive!  When it comes to cooking I find that I go in huge spurts of when and what I like to cook.  Right now I am  in total convenient mode.  That being said I like to find ways that the girls will enjoy eating and think that its something fun that mommy did.  So I will cut up food and put it in a little container that they can pick it out of and they love it.  I know every mom probably does that, but they really seem to enjoy it.  

Cousin's make dinner for Farren and Nellie's
1st Birthday!

A laminated card from cousins!

Meal for the girls.

Cupcakes I made for the girls' 1st Birthday

 I look forward to the days when my girls are old enough to sit and color and do drawings and paint.  I love how creative children are.  You can almost see their minds working.  Honestly, when I think about creativity I think about Arctica's kids!  The girls are amazing drawers, play writes, cooks (the best potato salad I have ever had... seriously), and singers.  Benjamin has so much expression on his face that you can almost hear his thoughts.  I have a few laminated books that have been sent over to us from them, and they are so precious to me.  Tica and Lars are truly cultivating creativity in their children by encouraging them to just express themselves through art.  Its inspiring and I look forward to following in their footprints with our girls.  I think about being a child and being creative and that's truly where it starts, it's just about being encouraged to do so and a willingness to continue in a creative direction.  

  We live in a different world now, where you can express yourself in so many ways and so many people can access it.  People can become bloggers, web designers, freelance writers, and so much more!  I love how there is very little separation between people nowadays, although anonymity is also desired.  I hope that whatever you do in life you are somehow cultivating creativity in your (or someone else's) life!

Life Collage

Life is filled with so many moments and memories.  Some faded, but still remain.


The writing on the bottom is supposed to resemble a tree when it is cut.  The years are marked by the amount of circles here (I couldn't fit 30), but the main idea comes through I hope:

Here's what is written (free hand):
 
  You come into this world alone, pure and innocent.  Thought of, dreamt of and anticipated.  Childhood is magical.  Full of wonder, fears, and just taking it all in.  Day are spent exploring, being dirty and careless.  Then comes the teen years. Awkward, finding your voice, and understanding the ways of the world.  The rose colored glasses removed and you start to see things for what they really are.  Maybe you fall in love, lose a friend, gain a friend.  Maybe you are popular, but maybe you're not.  The days float by and you long for freedom.  Freedom from your parents, school, and authority.  Then one day you're an adult, navigating a whole new world.  Supporting yourself and discovering independence.  Maybe you fall in love again.  You feel the pressure of expectations.  The one's you have for yourself and the expectations everyone has for you.  Still you carve your own way.  You lose love, but gain it back in spades.  You meet the love of your life.  He changes you in ways you could only dream of.  He changes too.  Your lives are a beautiful balance, so you decide to spend them together.  Marriage is a beautiful game of respect, compromise and joy.  You both soon start to get the feeling of being discontent, so you buy your first home.  It grounds you, brings you stability.  Something is still missing.  So you decide to start a family.  You soon discover you are pregnant.  But not with one baby, but with twins.  You know then that your life will always be full of unconditional love.  You give birth, bring souls into this crazy world and you begin to grow in ways you never imagined.  Now you have your own branch that will continue to grow. But for now you experience life through the eyes of your beautiful children.  What will the next 30 years bring?

Home

home (hōm)

noun

1. A place where one lives; a residence.
2. The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment.
3. A dwelling place together with the family or social unit that occupies it; a household.
4. An environment offering security and happiness. A valued place regarded as a refuge or place of origin.

A piece of wire we have had for 7 years, always changing.

Danish picture that Dallas has had for years

I never read the definition of home before.  It provokes a lot of thoughts for me. I remember dreaming about my home and what I thought it would be like when I was little and our place has far exceeded any expectations that I ever had.  It's comfortable, inviting, and really just another way of outwardly expressing who we are as a unit.  Two lives blended together in a marriage under one roof. A long time ago Dallas said that he wants our home to be simple and decorated with things that have meaning and value in our hearts.  We don't want to fill our home with generic pictures that anyone could just go and buy from Walmart, so we have started a nice little collection of art that is meaningful to us.  We have surrounded ourselves with these pieces because they help to remind us of how they came to us or why they are important to us.There you have it a glimpse into our home!  I hope you are all surrounded by things that you love!

Oak hope chest I was given for a gift
for graduating.  Its now a toybox.

Burlap coffee bag.  We love our coffee!

My favorite piece of furniture.  It was Dallas' grandparents.

Our first print.  Group of Seven.  Very Canadian.

A table Dallas made out of 2x4's! Love this so much!

Reminiscing

sit still

Meanwhile back in the 80's

Do you ever look at a photo and it can take you back to that very day?  I was just looking at my photo of the day from Flickr and this is it.  This was an extraordinary day.  This day was spent eating spaghetti at my grandparents house with ALL of my cousins and aunties and uncles.  It involved impromptu family photo's being taken and running around their yard.  We didn't all have matching outfits, I didn't even actually have shoes on my feet.  We were just us.  Just kids and my parents were young people.  My dad still has that same moustache (I'm not sure if it was cooler then or now).  I just love how candid this is.  My older sister was always a bit more reserved than I was and more girly and my brother, well I think my dad was likely trying to hold him down here, because he would just go and go and go and never stop (he's still like that).  Then there is me in the middle, I am not sure what I am laughing at, but I still look like this (minus the amazing blonde locks). I love how happy and proud my parents look here too.  They look young and vibrant (and my mom isn't wearing shoes either).
  When I see these photo's and the memories it evokes in a way it makes me long for my childhood, even to just relive this day in particular.  This was the day I remember my grandpa telling me that the dog will just lick the plates clean ( and then he put them in the cupboard), this is the day I remember my first smell of sweet peas, this is the day that we were all still kids.  Innocent and carefree.  I love my family and my cousins, though we all live in different parts of the province (and world, my sister lives down unda), we all still have this amazing bond.  Unconditional love really.  Most of us have children of our own now and it will be amazing to watch them spend time together.
  I can't help but think of my grandparents when I look at these photo's, the legacy they left.  It's been just two months since my grandpa passed away, but I don't think that a day goes by that I don't think about him (and grandma too).  Just a little peek into my childhood and the day I will remember forever.

O·RIG·I·NAL·I·TY

    [uh-rij-uh-nal-i-tee] 

noun

1.      the quality or state of being original.

2.

ability to think or express oneself in an independent and individual manner; creative ability.

3.

freshness or novelty, as of an idea, method, or performance.

I love the idea of writing an original thought.  Hoping that no one else has ever had that thought.  The problem is, usually when this happens I forget it.  When I think of the word original I think about the word origin.  Thats where something began or started.  The genesis of something.    

Me as a child.  Innocent and carefree.

So that being said, where does our originality originate?  Is it something that is we are born with or something that forms over time.  The way that children express themselves is much different than the way that we as adults do.  They are independent and interesting, emotional and sometimes fragile.  But they can, from a young age, distinguish good from bad and eventually they find their voices and want to be heard.  Their innocence is something to be adorned and everyday they are eager to learn.  

Maybe being the mother of twins has helped me to understand this better than I ever have.   This for me is something that I am learning myself, that they are two souls, two separate beings, two people, two personalities, and they are different from each other.  I get to raise two children who are the same age at the same time.  They both have the same parents, eat the same food, wear the same clothes (while I can control that), and they live in the same environment.  Yet they are different and have their own unique personalities.  

Origin of two souls

What about creating something original?  I think about how much I would love to own an original Tom Thompson painting.  The original has a high value, because thats just why, it is the first, unchanged, unduplicated, and the beginning of something.  Not only does an original piece of art open the door to more artists using them as inspiration to create a unique piece, but it then gives those artists the opportunity to create something original in their own right.  Its a continuous circle of giving in an interesting and complex way.  

  Originality I hope begins in your heart and works its way out.  

Fashion... Turn to the Left

  fash·ion (fas̸h′ən)

noun

1.the make, form, or shape of a thing
2.Now Rare kind; sort
3.the way in which something is made or done; manner
4.the current style or mode of dress, speech, conduct, etc.
5.something, esp. a garment, in the current style
6.fashionable people as a group: a man of fashion

Captured: Everyday style.

  As I sit here and try to figure out what fashion means to me, I have the David Bowie song Fashion stuck in my head. Here is the song and video for those of you who don't know it.  I have to say that I have a soft spot for fashion.  If I see a lady on the street or in a store or out in public and I like something she is wearing I always comment on it.  For one, its always an opportunity to get to know someone and secondly it makes that person feel noticed and appreciated (usually).  I maybe am not a trend setter or even really know what is the " In" thing this season, but I think fashion is just a way of outwardly expressing who we are.  Style and fashion are so closely related, they are always changing and evolving.  Style is the way you interpret fashion and make it your own.  I always appreciate someone with their own style and something a little bit different.  I've always tried to define my style, but I simply do not fall into any one category.  Here is a link to my friend Jessica's lifestyle blog ( she is the sweetest girl I know, seriously), she took some photo's of me when I was pregnant (about  7 months here).  It actually captures the essence of my style, just in a larger version.
    

Hopes are High

If I was being honest with myself I would say that I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and underwhelming.  That being said, I stop and ask myself why?  This course is to help anyone bring out their creativity.  When you start creating you start to find things out about yourself that you never thought existed.  Now you have to keep going, don't stop,  just enjoy the ride that could potentially change the way you thought you were.  Or who you are.
I am not a photographer?  Who said those words?  Wait!  It was me.  That's the same woman who said that she's not a writer, who said she can't draw, or who can't sew.  Why spend so much time trying to be who you think you want to be, instead just be yourself.  It shouldn't be hard to be yourself.  Never try so hard to be yourself.  Instead just be.
I will go into this without expectations, instead I will enter with an open heart and mind.

Serendipity

Serendipity
ser·en·dip·i·ty (sĕrˌən-dĭpˈĭ-tē)

noun pl. ser·en·dip·i·ties

1.The faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident.
2.The fact or occurrence of such discoveries.
3.An instance of making such a discovery. 

So here we are!  I have found this through the eyes of my girls.  Little minds are always going!  They stop for nothing and have no limits.  On a cool autumn day I took the girls (Nellie and Farren) for a walk to the park down the street from our home.  It had rained about an hour before and it was hard for them to resist the puddles!  

It is important to allow your children to run free and wild and splash in cold puddles.  It shapes who they are an encourages a healthy sense of adventure.  Through them I have found out new discoveries about myself, some amazing things and some not so great.  Children bring out parts of us that are hidden deep within some of us.  That innocent, care free and trusting side we all want to have, but maybe have let go.  I hope these little photo's help you to see a bit of serendipity through the eyes of a child or two!