Hitting the 'Play' Button

Life has changed significantly for me and my girls over the last few years.  As a result, I have not had the heart, energy or time to keep this blog up to date. 

I intend to change that.

This blog serves not only as a connection to family members near and far, but also as a scrapbook for me.  It already holds so many moments from my daughters' early years...I want to keep the tradition going.

Life is too important to just let it slip by without noticing.

Time for me to start noticing mine again.

💙💙💙💙💙

Time to get this blog updated and moving again!!!

 

 

Easter!

 

Possibly the most unique one ever for us, but it was fantastic!!

 

 

Breathe

Commentary by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan:

What we generally know as the breath is that little inhaling and exhaling which we feel through the nostrils. We think that is breath and attach little importance to it, while in reality, breath is a life-current running through the innermost part of man's being towards the surface. It would be no exaggeration, according to the mystical point of view, to say that the breath connects heaven and earth. ...

For the mystic, breath is not only a science, but the knowledge of breath is mysticism, and mysticism to the thinker is both science and religion. The mystery of breath is not a thing that can be comprehended by the brain only. The principles of mysticism rise from the heart of man. They are learned by intuition and proved by reason. ... 

If we consider the conditions of life today, we see that, however much man thinks he has progressed, certain aspects of life are neglected in the way of health, repose, balanced thinking, and in the way of kindness and love to one another. All these things are lacking, and the spirit of the present time seems to be going in quite the opposite direction.

Selfishness seems to be so much on the increase. Real religion, the spirit of forgiveness, generous giving, regard for old age, refinement, culture -- all seem to be disappearing. Man in general, does not know even if there is a God or Truth. If this is the spirit, how can we expect to find that harmony, peace and love, which make heaven on earth?

It is useless to discuss the peace of the world. What is necessary just now is to create peace in ourselves that we, ourselves, become examples of love, harmony and peace. That is the only way of saving the world and ourselves.

Christmas/New Years

 Full and happy Christmas/New Years!!!

So.  Because I am the best mom EVER...I forgot to charge the batteries for my camera...so, no pics Christmas Morning...nada...nein...none. 

 

Moving on....

 

 Christmas evening with the fam.....Auntie Kim discussing Eme's gifts....

 

 

Different family formations...

A few days later...a pretty annual event....dinner in the Old Market with Josie and Jeff...

A few days later....ice skating with Zac, Josie, Jeff and me....

 

 Grace's first time ever on skates...by the end, she had let go of that wall and was killin' it! :)

 

That evening....a very filling dinner at Mamas....pizza and beer....we were ALL feeling by the end, not just Jeff....

 

 

New Years Eve!!  Downtown for fireworks and dinner....met up accidentally with Jay and Kate....

 No idea why it looks like I just ate red berries, but the red noses...yep...COLD waiting for the fireworks!!!!

Playing and beating Uncle Jay at Tic Tac Toe before dinner...

 

After dinner..back home for sparkling grape juice and pjs....

....games....

....painting our "word to describe 2016"...

...and reading....thus missing the actual midnight hour, which resulted in a pretend countdown a few mins past midnight...hey, what can I say...it was a good book....

Durham Museum

First and foremost, my crafty and creative little G-bug sat for several hours and made the little door decorations seen below....just cute.

 

Okay...other stuff...

Durham Museum with the Mawk and Papa.....love the supersized tree....

Trolley car of yesterday...G was impressed...

She was impressed however with the Christmas Around the World display that showed how different countries might decorate their Christmas Trees.  G and E favored Lithuanian's tree(not pictured), while I favored Germany and Scandinavia(pictured below)...

Santa made an appearance, as did two of his reindeer...Prancer and....

....Dancer....

Love my girls...

Love this tree....tried to show it's size from below...just massive and beautiful and I didn't want to leave it!!!

 Also made some ornaments while we were there...

Papa was having the time of his life...

Made some friends...

 Last big holiday outing until the big day...great way to wrap up the pre-Christmas fun...