Tiny Flowers

Happiness is in the air. Spring is here and our wood pile has dwindled to nothingness. Reflecting over this past winter it seems to be a friend who has moved away. I remember at its beginning, how I wondered over in what ways my blog photos would change. Since my new love of photographing in natural light had been discovered through this blog, I was scared. Would I run out of subject possibility during these dark months? I worried a dry gulch was headed my way. Happily, that turned out not to be the case. Life changes and continues and this time, I rolled with it.

These pictures were taken today in this neat little nook which Cesar has carved out from the wild with his ancient lawn tractor. I love it down there. It is my favorite spot in our yard. What happiness it was to discover all these tiny flowers covering the ground today! I plopped down amongst the grass and flowers to indulge myself in the sunshine. Hugo ran about. Far from me and close, the pattern was repeated over and over. He soon was intrigued by what I was looking at. Plopped down in the grass beside me, we looked these tiny flowers over together. Time passed and a giant cloud covered up our sunshine bringing with it a stiff wind. We ran for the house and food to fill our tummies!

Blogging Pause

I've struck a pause in my blogging. I haven't run out of ideas or happy moments just... simply have paused.

Life is zipping past. Hugo is almost 3. His birthday party is looming over my head. I've got a theme, goodies and games planned in broad strokes in my mind for his kiddie party. Where I get stuck and am stumbling about a bit is with the date of this party throwing event. You see, Hugo is sharing his birthday weekend with Easter this year. Trouble, trouble.

Life is zipping past. We've been in our beautiful kitchen for a year now. This has changed our lives by bringing our main living quarters downstairs. This second floor is far, far from being finished but it feels good to be here. To be enjoying the space and light.

Life is zipping past. My first blogging anniversary is in 3 days. Three days! Check back for a giveaway from me. Very exciting! A giveaway!

Life is zipping past. The garden and yard have been calling my name. They are desirous of their spring haircuts. It is time to rid the garden space of tall seed stalks and it's pine needle covering. Plus a certain someone was busy dumping ash in my garden over the winter. Did I mention this already? Did I mention he is on my list?

Life is zipping past. That certain someone who made my l-i-s-t you're in trouble mister list, has also made my good list. I've been a bad girl and not told him that I realized his good deed. My certain someone filled up my kindling bucket for me before he left for the week. I am grateful.

Life is zipping past. Hugo's feet keep growing and growing. So do his legs, torso, arms, hair and nails. He still doesn't like me to cut his nails. Sometimes we cut Rodrigo and Bella's nails first so he can watch and realize that everyone needs to have their nails cut. Sometimes I trim my nails for him. This morning I had Hugo stand against the kitchen cupboards so I could measure his height. He used to fit under the edge of the counter, not anymore. Note to self: I should take a photo of that tomorrow for the blog and compare the two counter posing photos.

Life is zipping past and I am trying my best to enjoy it and be happy with where I am in it.

The Small Things

I gathered up trash from around the house this morning and tied it up neatly into bags by the front door. It was cold today, a whopping 20 degrees in the sunshine. Even though the garbage cans are just around the corner from the front door I needed to dress up like the Abominable Snowman for my short jaunt. With parka, boots up to my knees, scarf, mittens and hat all donned, I bent down and gathered up the plastic bag tops into one hand and opened and shut the front door behind me with the other. I took three steps, or so, straight ahead, turned to my left and was about to take a step down which would lead me on a short path alongside the house to the trash cans when I froze.

There they were.

Some creatures foot prints in the deep snow. I think it must have been a rabbit, but I'm not sure. I'm no animal track master. I surprised myself that I was able to stop so quickly when my body was simply rolling with the motions and my mind had been off on who knows which cloud, well, I know, but I'm not telling!

I stood there for quite a few minutes and just admired those tracks. Some little Peter Cottontail was brave and bold and had ventured close to our door and left a cute calling card for me. The tracks brought a smile to my face and offered up happiness along with a moment for reflection upon the little blessings which are all around us and which are so very easy to miss.

Nie Nie Day Auction

Today is Nie Nie Day, August 28th, 2008! Today, this special day, the air is bursting with love, blessings, faith, healing, and many upon many earthly angels. May the Lord grant it that angels from heaven may not be restrained from us on this great day of giving and sharing and loving.

I like so many others across this vast blogging universe have been deeply touched by the tragedy and beauty of the Nielson Family. I only discovered the Nie Nie Dialogues recently through Design Mom. I am haunted by the true joy and love that poured fourth from the photos and written word of Ms Stephanie. I wanted to be a fly in that families house. I wanted to live next door to Nie. I wanted to be her friend. I wanted most of all, to have her, call me friend.

I can't shake this back to school dinner party post from my thoughts. It has inspired me to want a theme for my family. It has inspired me to talk and share its worth to all about me. Stephanie surely was in tune with the spirit as she planned this family party. What a wonderful gift and memory for her children to hold onto. And "Be Prepared"!? My goodness. My thoughts keep stumbling over what a blessing it is to her family that this young mother decided to share herself and children in a public blog. She welcomed the world and acted as a missionary of God, bringing all who tuned in, into her loving world.

I have a deep desire to do something for Stephanie & Christian and their beautiful children. I am offering a beloved shawl that I crocheted for myself nearly four years ago. I thought and thought about what I could offer. What I could do or make that would be Nie worthy. This shawl came to mind because of its vintage appeal and Nie loves vintage! The buttery soft, 100% cashmere is a pearly shade of white and the fiber was spun in Italy. The pattern was designed and the original crocheted in Russia by my favorite boss, Berta Karapetyan of School Products fame. One day she brought this shawl into work and I squealed in delight and adoration at it's sight! I begged to copy it and she happily obliged me.

All the proceeds of this silent auction of mine are going directly to the Stephanie & Christian Paypal account. Please leave your bids in my comments field. Does this part sound familiar? I am completely copying Gabby's words here from Design Mom! Don't know what I'm doing! So, as the auction for my Cashmere Crocheted Shawl progresses, bidders will need to check the most recent comments, to see what the current high bid is. I plan to leave the auction open till midnight PST Sunday evening, August 31st, 2008. Once the winning bidder is identified, they'll send their money directly to the Stephanie & Christian Paypal account. The winner will then forward the Paypal receipt to alicatknits@gmail.com. If you have any questions regarding the shawl please feel free to email me or leave a note in the comments. I suppose I should also mention that we have a smoke free home but we do have a 2yr old, 2 Chihuahuas and a kitten! I promise that the shawl is in perfectly new crocheted condition! Thank you so much for stopping by to look and happy bidding!

One final note I would like to part with are the words of Joseph Addison.

"Friendship improves happiness,
and abates misery,
by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief."

Great Finds

Have I ever mentioned that our Mr Hugo l-o-v-e-s his airplane swing? He says swing now and "peass" for please. Once in the swing all we hear out of him is "Weeeeeeeeeee!" and "Again!" or "More peassss!"

What a great buy I scored in this airplane swing. While in Providence I went shopping at the awesome Savers with my Mother-in-Law when Hugo was small. Much smaller, infant like. I found this swing, his slide, and a brand new rocking horse on that shopping day. I also run, not walk, to the back wall where the books are kept. Can't keep from grabbing up books to add to our collection. People in Providence read super books and donate them to Savers to share with families like ours. Nice.

Oh yes . . . we have reached a stage in life where removing our monkey, fire truck, or in today's case - rocket pajamas, is a tremendous tragedy. Hugo wore his rocket pajamas until late in the day when he woke from his nap. At that time I was able to bate him with swim trunks for the pool and we thankfully had happiness.

4 Grateful Things

I am grateful for rain. To feed our earth, replenish our seas, and to quench our physical thirst.

I am grateful for my eyes. To see shapes and forms, patterns, colors, and my dear loved ones faces.

I am grateful for the beauty of the sky. I love to watch clouds move, shift in shape & color, look at the moon in all it's many fazes, and star gaze.

I am grateful for love in my life. I receive love from many sources. I receive love from my family, from girlfriends, from guyfriends, from young friends, from old friends, from my Chihuahua's Rodrigo and Bella, from my neighbors, from fellow church goers, from passersby, from a past boss or two, from blogging friends, from my son Hugo, and from my husband Cesar. Most surely and truly and completely I receive love from my Heavenly Father.



I photographed these flower images tonight a little before Hugo's bedtime. I wanted to share them on my blog with you. I thought I didn't have much to say tonight. Nothing of note really happened today. So began my copying of Millie's grateful topic idea. The rain, my eyes, beauty of the sky, and love in my life all flowed out of me as I watched/listened to an interesting television show on light and science with Cesar.

Rereading what I had written made me sit up and take notice. My 4 grateful things had come full circle with my acknowledgment of the Lord's love for me. I didn't plan to write this! It is simple and truth.

I know that our Heavenly Father designed and created this world for us to live upon. I know that he set in motion the elements which would not only sustain life here on this planet but would do so in such a way to give us, his spiritual children, much happiness and joy in his creations. I know that the Lord loves us.

President Thomas S. Monson said,

"God our Father has ears with which to hear our prayers. He has eyes with which to see our actions. He has a mouth with which to speak to us. He has a heart with which to feel compassion and love. He is real. We are his children made in his image. We look like him and he looks like us"

John 13:34-35 reads,

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

Alissa believes and knows:

Life = Heavenly Father = Love = Heavenly Father = Happiness