I have too many darn cute photos from Christmas. It is going to take me half of 2010 to go through them all!!
Here are Gigi and Rodolfo making the most midget snowman I've ever seen.
Snowfight! :)
Christmas morning
Mindos making snow angels.
Gigi received a beauty salon from Santa. We all got our hair done by her, including Elle!
Well, baby, it's cold outside! We are sitting in a winter wonderland today and I cannot help but think tomorrow will be a white Christmas. Georgia and Rodolfo are out sledding right now and I wonder if I will ever get to finish my Christmas shopping. I have a few stragglers left on my list to buy for and was hoping I'd make it to the store today. But I'm having so much fun sitting in my warm house, watching the snow fall and listening to Gigi giggle about the sledding that I don't want to go anywhere!! Maybe I'll hit the mall in an hour or two...
This image provoked a strong reaction in me. It is a Barbara Berry ad that I saw in Elle Decor magazine. At first I was drawn in by the garden scene. I've always admired hedge rows, they remind me of a favorite childhood book, The Secret Garden. Next I was struck by the funny juxtaposition of the giant, mirrored armoire in the middle of the garden. Then I noticed the woman sitting on top of the armoire reading a book. Her presence made me laugh. Finally, I realized that the book she is reading is titled "Fear of Heights" and my admiration for this ad was piqued. Such symbolism! Here is a woman, conquering her fears by doing the very thing that frightens her most. There is something exhilirating about staring your fears in the face, taking them head on and conquering them. That is what this brave woman is doing in this ad. I love it! I plan to frame this picture and hang it in my new home office where I will be working out the details of my new adventure: www.clementineroad.com . Check it out if you haven't already!
Here is a very small glimpse of the fun Rodolfo, Gigi and I had last night. We started our evening at the Oklahoma City Art Museum's Cafe where Gigi had a delicious PB & J sandwich and some fruit while Rodolfo and I dined on steak and tomatoe bisque. Then we headed over to the Civic Center, stopping briefly to watch some ice-skaters, before finding our comfy seats. We went to see the Nutcracker, or as Gigi keeps calling it, the Cracker Nut. Georgia was 100% enthralled by her first ballet. I have to say that the costuming was top-notch and the dance at the end of the first act was breathtaking. During intermission we had to persuade Gigi out of her seat. She didn't want to leave because she thought she was going to miss something. We explained that a little bell would sound warning us before the second act began. It was so funny when she heard that bell ring. She made a b-line for the theater, running full-speed ahead. We had to really run to catch up with her! Mr. Bear came along with us. We dressed him in a bow-tie so he would be appropriately dressed for his night out at the theater. We took a family photo by this gigantic Christmas tree, but it won't load. So, anyway, I thought a photo of Mr. Bear enjoying his lemons was better than nothing. This evening was so fantastically magical that I'm pretty sure the Cracker Nut will become a family tradition. Anyone want to come next year??? :) Oh look, the tree photo finally loaded! 
Celebrated my 33rd birthday on a beautiful winter day this year. Early in the morning Gigi presented me with her sweet gift, a blue-heart necklace, a birthday tiara and a sleeping beauty card (it played the theme from the ballet-- that is such a beautiful score!). While shopping with my dad for the gift, Georgia also bought herself a matching necklace, with the exception that her heart was on a pink ribbon (mine was on a green one). She wore her necklace all day and so did I! It sure is fun having a daughter. We all went out to Sushi Neko that evening, had cake and then headed out to look at the Christmas lights. We saw a stretch-Hummer driving around too. I guess they were doing a light-tour, not a bad idea for an evening out with friends. However, the ultimate in fun for a light tour, in my opinion, would be by helicopter. Maybe I'll do that on a future birthday... This year the celebration was really low-key, just how I wanted it. Cheers 33! I'm looking forward to living you!
It has been birthday central around here lately. Ellyn Claire turned one at the beginnig of the month. We had fun celebrating with that little bundle of smiles. Favorite part of the party was watching her eat the cake! My battery lost its juice half-way through the party so I didn't get to capture it. Mindos got some good pics though. Happy birthday sweet little niece!
We had fun celebrating Rodolfo's 35th birthday a few weekends ago. We started our morning with a trip to Cafe Antigua, the local Guatemalan restaurant. Then we came home and made a chocolate cake and celebrated! Later that day we put up Christmas lights and our tree. The weather couldn't have been more picturesque. It was cool, no wind and sunny. I am very thankful that we were able to celebrate his birthday together in such a fun way. God is very gracious. He has been teaching us both about forgiveness. The depth of God's love for us, His children, is profound. And I think this beautiful birthday was a perfect example of it. God was totally in the middle of it all! Thank you Lord for your blessings!
Things I am thankful for in 2009:
Georgia is rounding out and looking more and more like a child and less like a toddler. She has grown about 2 inches since her birthday in August. As such, she has been eating tremendous amounts of food. Every night before she goes to bed she asks if she can have a midnight snack. In part this is her sneeky way of extending her evening before bedtime. But my oh my can she eat when she has this snack. Typically she eats a banana, a pb&j sandwich, water and or milk. She has also been saying funny things. The other day she asked me what a moth eats. I told her they eat clothes and other things... then I added we should look up what other things moths eat. After a few minutes I looked over at her, and there she was, looking up at the ceiling. I asked her why she was doing that and she replied "you said to look up what moths eat, so I'm looking up." Ha! :) Also, for those in the family who get this one, the other day I blew in Gigi's ear and told her "I just gave you goose bumps." She then blew in my ear and said matter of fact "I just gave you bird poopoo." Oh!! :)):):):) I died laughing!
GOLDEN. That is how the air, the light, the color-- the season -- feels this very moment. I LOVE this time of year. My opinion still stands that Oklahoma is most beautiful in May. But when I'm basking in this golden halo of amber autumn color I question my spring senses. It is too beautiful some evenings. I breathe and breathe again deeply trying to absorb it all, but I never can quite take in or get enough of the vast beauty that these sunsets spray into the wide open skies. Yukon is best for enjoying these evenings because the land is flat and the sky is huge. The picture above is taken at my home in Oklahoma City. Still a fabulous view. Thank you Father for autumn. It is glorious.
Finally! The ice has been broken to welcome trendy dining to OKC. The other evening Rodolfo and I accidently happened upon the Flaming Lips ghouls gone wild parade. We were trying to make it to midtown OKC for dinner. When we saw the parade and their eery music and torches we high-tailed it over to Western to hit Sushi Neko. Once we got to Sushi we just changed our minds and kept on driving. I'm so glad we did! As we made the curve on Classen we were reminded that there is a new restaurant, 105 degrees, in the still-under-construction Classen Curve shopping center. My-oh-my what a surprise! I never would have imagined that the founder of the Raw food movement would be working (and teaching!) here in OKC. It is all part of Aubrey McClendon's efforts to put OKC on the map. This last surprise makes me think that he may really be able to do it. As I have mentioned before, I was on this no sugar, no dairy, no wheat fertility diet. It was so difficult to stay on it when I went to restaurants here because no one really caters to this type of eating. But now perhaps they will as the trend filters across the city. I really do NOT LOVE Raw food. I prefer mine warm, especially in the cold months, but this is such an exciting start to a trend that I adore that I just can't help but love this restaurant anyway. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gigi went to the funnest birthday party last weekend. It was an art party for Harper who was turning 3. Her mother went all out and had all these stations where the kids could paint pictures, birdhouses, decorate masks, make bean shakers, fruit loop necklaces and finally decorate a canvas bag with their name on it. After the art was created the mom hung all the pieces to dry on a laundry line strung across the yard. The hanging art made the party even more festive! Here are some of Gigi's creations and photos of her working on them. What an artiste! :)
The holiday season has begun! We went out to the pumpkin patch this past Friday. Gigi had fun running around with Carter, riding the pony and playing in the haybales. I roasted hotdogs over a fire for lunch. At the end Georgia picked out a pumpkin to take home. She accidently dropped it in the creek when we were heading back to the car. Ah well. She has been busy carving a pumpkin with her Opapa this afternoon. October is a pretty nice month. The weather is crisp and the sun is golden. It has been windy lately, but I always notice that the wind blows right before the weather makes a seasonal shift. Georgia can't wait for Halloween. She has been trying to figure out the order of the seasons and holidays. She has been saying repeatedly, first it is Halloween, then autumn, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then my birthday!!! She will get it soon enough. :)
Move over Giada, Georgia has taken the reigns! This renegade chef designed and prepared an exquiste chocolate delight this past weekend for Aunt Rebecca on her 28th birthday. The regal confection was baked using ingredients from Granny's chocolate cake recipe. The frosting was none other than Betty Crocker and the topping consisted of a spattering of marshmellows as well as some royal jewels. Aunt Rebecca said that "the cake was moist and delicious and reminded her of Granny's cake." No higher compliment could have been granted. We look forward to seeing what else our kitchen genius will prepare in the days to come. :)
Georgia still loves to play dress up. She also, as of late, has loved to curtsy. Here she is doing both!
Sunflowers are blooming everwhere right now. When I think of sunflowers, I am reminded of a moving poem that was read in the movie Calendar Girls. It was read in a way that expressed the husband's true love for his wife. Here it is:
Sunflower Woman by Handsum Hart:
A sunflower must follow the rules of gravity. When its florets ripen with hundreds of edible seeds It must bend its body into the earth's bosom And allow the birds to eat its seeds That are rich in oil. A woman must follow the rules of romance. When her lips ripen With hundreds of edible kisses She must surrender herself into her man's arms And allow him to eat her kisses that are rich in passion A sunflower on a sunny day Will turn its face Towards the sun And with joyful eyes Watch it move across the sky. A woman on her wedding day Will turn her veiled face Towards her husband-to-be And with eyes soaked in matrimonial joy Watch him move across her soul. The nickname for Kansas Is the Sunflower State For it is where every sunflower dreams of living. The nickname for a man's heart should be Kansas For it is where every sunflower woman dreams of living.
