Mini Boden

Have you ever seen that catalogue called Mini-Boden?  They have the splashiest, laid-back, colorfully fun clothes for children.  I love the catalogue because they always list the names of the children modeling the clothes + they ask fun questions for the kids to answer.  Their names are always trendy European names like Mila, Giullia, Anna Luisa, Nayara, etc.  I thought I could ask Gigi some of the questions from this catalogue and document HER answers.  Here we go:

Most ticklish: sides of tummy
After school enjoys: playing dress up in O Papa's playhouse
Spots or stripes: stripes
Favourite word: candy and jewelry
Hidden talent: music
Best thing in the world: candy and jewelry
Favourite film: princess movies
Favourite game: hopscotch
Favourite sandwich: egg
Animal I'd like to be: tiger
Wants to be: princess
Collects: candy and jewelry
Worst food: yucky bananas
Favourite word: word perd (we're really into rhyming now-a-days since Aunt Laurie introduced us to it), I asked her this question again and she said her favourite word was: dinosaur, elephant, Disney World
Best thing you've found: jewelry
Favourite book: princesses book

Well, in a nutshell, that's my 3 year old!

New House!

Today Georgia and I scouted out spring weather photo locations.  I dressed her in the springiest dress I could find and we headed outdoors.  Afterwards we meandered over to our new house to see if the water was finally turned on, and it was.  We then watered our transplanted peonies, hydrangeas and tulips.  I was able to get a few adorable photos of her while we were in the garden.  I can't wait to move into the new house, but we are still in the process of renovating.  In fact, the process hasn't even begun.  We are still finalizing details on the changes with our interior designer.  Today we were told that the contractor can BEGIN the process in 3 -4 weeks.  We've always heard it takes patience when renovating and we are ready to be patient, but oh I can't wait!! :)  I will post pictures of the house once we know what we will be doing to it.  Stay tuned.

Our journey to the Dallas Arboretum

This is right before Gigi broke out into her loudest rendition ever of Sleeping Beauty's song "I know you"

Ah!

This color combo makes me calm and happy.

I was trying to get a sweet cousin shot like I did last week, but Gigi decided to put Elle in a head lock instead.

Elle after the headlock, happy and a little dazed.

sunflare practice and PEZ

Just practicing more sunflare techniques.  Gigi was out dancing with her PEZ candy that Auntie Rebecca gave her for Easter.  I just realized that she was wearing this dress the last time I practiced sunflare.  Funny!  I guess this dress lends itself to that sunny, 70s look.  Gigi has been so funny with her candy lately.  She has started sleeping with it she loves it so much.  No more Mr. Bear at night time, she wants to sleep with whatever candy she has been given most recently.  It is funny too because she doesn't eat the candy she just has it on her pillow.  Three years is a silly age!

cousin!

We really had fun hanging out with Elle this past week.  Since Elle would wake up before Georgia in the morning and afternoon I would wake Gigi up with Elle in my arms.  Georgia loved waking up to her cousin so much that every time before she would go to sleep she asked "can Elle wake me up again?"  And I said of course!!!  I am very hopeful that someday Gigi will have a sibling.  Until then, cousins are the next best thing!  Rodolfo is down visiting family in Guatemala.  Georgia has three cousins down there.  Hopefully we will be able to see them sometime soon.  My hope is that we can all meet up at Disney.  Wouldn't that be fun?

my girl

We are having fun this spring break hanging out with Omama.  Snapped this photo last night while practicing sun flare.  I didn't get my flare quite right because I only had my f-stop at 3.5 or so.  Plus Gigi wouldn't sit still long enough for me to practice.  This was the best shot I got of the fleeting sun and my fleeing daughter.  :)

Visiting dignitary

Elle belle is visiting for the week.  So glad to see this little cutie pie.  I haven't seen her since January 16!  She is walking, barking and can even say my name and Georgia's name!  I think I'll try to teach her how to say "Wally" while Mindy is out and about in Spain.

29 Palms

Just returned two days ago from a wonderful trip to the desert.  I've never been to a desert before.  I was planning on it being really hot.  Turns out that the desert can be very cold.  Who would have guessed?

I stayed at this incredible place called The Inns at 29 Palms.  Above is the little house I stayed in for two nights.  Below is the majestic hill it faced.  There were actually several little homes like this all in a row.  My home was divided into two sections.  An Australian couple was staying in the other half.  This trip was a sort of solo sojourn for me to explore photography as well as to do a little personal introspection and talking with God.  I attended a photography retreat at the inn with some amazing photographers.  I felt like a true artist on a pilgrimmage.

I never really thought of the desert as a beautiful place.  After this trip, however, I have a new respect for the desert.  Glorious, glorious, glorious!

They even had a potager at this desert inn.  Here is the gate leading to the garden.  Behind the gate you can see their abundance of produce.  So, I guess I learned two things from this trip.  First, deserts can be cold.  And second, you CAN grow food in the desert.  Actually, I learned a lot more than that from this trip, but it would take a novel to explain.

Darling dear

Dear Georgia,

I can't believe that you are already three and a half years old!  You are growing up too quickly.  The other day you told me that you wanted to marry prince Burke and that he was going to buy your wedding dress and I was supposed to buy the shoes and veil.  You seemed to have all the arrangements already made, although you did mention that you might change your mind and marry Elliot.  I sure did have fun making blueberry cobbler with you last night.  Did you get to eat any of it?  It seems like you were too distracted by It's A Bugs Life.  I think you are about to outgrow your nap.  You are 41 inches tall and you weigh 36 lbs and every ounce of you wants to play, read, talk or sing.  I enjoy your performances, especially when you sing about yours truly in your best soprano.  You light up my life!  I love you!

xoxo, Mommy

Hormigita

Georgia and Rodolfo have invented a playmate that has come to visit our house nearly everyday since his birth.  It is hormigita.  HORMIGITA!!!!  I can just hear Gigi's voice right now calling this little ant to come play with her in the playroom.  You can see a photo of this little guy above.  It is Rodolfo's two fingers, the peace sign.  And Gigi is the mama hormigita, and I, I am the grandma!!  That's right, my name has been replaced.  I am no longer mom, I'm grandma hormigita.  From the moment Rodolfo comes home from work until Georgia goes to bed she refers to us this way.  She is very bossy to hormigita, but I guess hormigita deserves it since he is always getting into trouble and never does what his mom tells him to do.  Last night hormigita was put into time out 4 times.  Ha!!  I snapped this photo last night when they were playing.  Too cute!

That Hat!

I love this hat that we bought 2 years ago.  It still fits Gigi and is totally perfect for these wintry days.

What is good health?

Change is occuring in my home and in my diet.  Last March, which I guess it has almost been a year now (goodness!), I transformed my diet.  I followed the Spleen Qi diet from "The Infertility Cure" (no wheat, no dairy, no sugar) for 6 months.  It was completely cleansing, invigorating and mind-clearing.  I never realized how food affects one's entire being until I did this diet.  Now I realize that food is a chemical and when you put it in your body you have various responses.  In September I stopped my diet.  Now that the new year has emerged and life is more on track for me I am slowly re-integrating the Spleen Qi into my daily habits.  It is amazing the variety of foods and grains I have learned about since beginning this way of eating.  Who new that there were so many grains besides wheat?  The photo above is of some grains, legumes and other foods that I have added to my pantry.  I still don't use them as often as I should but they are nice to have around when I want to mix things up.  Here are their names:
quinoa
teff
flax
spelt
amaranth
lentils (I don't actually guess these are a grain, more like a bean)
chickpeas
bulgar
semolina
wild rice
steel cut oats
goji berries

I guess vegans eat a lot of this food, but I am in no way vegan.  I love meat!!  I just love foods that are healthy and tasty.  Another great thing I have added (for the minerals) is Sea Salt.  Apparently here in the states we are very deficient in many minerals.  Eating foods grown in the ground without pesticides and from seeds without genetic modification really helps to put the minerals back in one's body.  So does sea salt!  At first I was purchasing this salt from France called Fleur de Sel-- but it was way expensive.  It is harvested from the oceans and raked over several times to meet Fleur de Sel standards-- it is a favorite among chefs.  Rodolfo gave me a very hard time about it b/c in Guatemala raked sea salt is the cheap salt you get at the market-- the more expensive stuff is Morton's.  Ha!  Isn't that funny.  He also gave me a hard time when I purchased a bottle of Molasses for $10.  Apparently molasses is the left-over from the sugar refining process.  In Guatemala molasses is the cheap sweetner.  Funny how there are trends and cycles in the food industry.  And things we are told are good for us-- bottled water-- can suddenly become bad for us.  I would like to know who is the intellgencia that gets to make these decisions.  I want to join them and sway the masses.  Ahem.  I do think, though, the Spleen Qi is truly a healthy way of eating.  It stems from the Chinese ways of eating.  Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the temperature of your body and the temperature of your food.  It considers the way it is chopped and cooked as a means to aiding your overall health.  At first I thought this was a bunch of hokey pokey razz-ma-tazz.  I first heard about it in France when I was sick.  The doctor advised me to not eat anything cold.  That's it.  He gave me no medicine.  In Guatemala my grandmother in law was advised not to open the refrigerator door to keep her body from getting chilled.  Then, low and behold, I learn about TCM and I am told to keep my body warm, especially with the food I eat.  Nothing cold-- no ice in drinks, nothing chilled and even certain foods with cold properties I was told to avoid (cucumbers, mango, etc.).  Strangely enough, having followed this advice, I have been the healthiest I have been in 10 years.  I think it is no coincidence.  Pure food from the earth that has no modifications, temperature of that food, and its preparation all contribute to a person's overall health.  BTW, not all people need to eat warm food.  Some people, those who are always hot, need to eat cold food.  It just depends on your body.  Another really healthing thing to do for your body is breath correctly.  I don't know much about it except that I have been told if you can simply learn to breathe correctly you will heal a multitude of ills in your body.  Apparently when we are stressed we take short breaths from the upper parts of our lungs.  Healthy breathing happens when we are expanding our diaphragm and breathing the way a baby does-- where the tummy rises and falls.  It is difficult to sustain breathing like this.  When the body is truly at rest it automatically breathes this way.  But we are so stressed in our day-to-day living that we tend to never breathe like that when we are awake.  I have been doing exercises where I practice diaphragm breathing the first 10 minutes in the morning when I wake up and then the last 10 minutes before I go to bed.  I have found that it aids with my circulation, my digestion and my stress levels.  Give it a try!!  Hope I have given you some information to think about.  Bon journee!               -JoDee

snowy glow

Surprisingly, as much as everyone prepared, the blizzard didn't strike this time around.  We did get a nice dusting of snow that has kept us inside all weekend.  Here is our home looking wintery and wonderful.  We have a contract on our house now and will be doing the inspection tomorrow.  We have been a little wistful this weekend, remembering all the memories that have been made in this house.  I will so miss my garden and all the love and hope it represents.  I will also miss all my 52 windows and the amazing light they bring.  The good thing is that I will be able to devote my gardening energies to my parent's home.  They have a rose garden that is calling my name.  And now Rodolfo and I get to design and create our next home.  Whatever results from this next step, it is a journey that I look forward to taking.  2010 really is a year of change for us.  And change is both scary and exhilirating.  Change takes faith.  Change takes courage.  Change forces you to live.  Change is a good thing.  Until the move out date I think I will really be enjoying this home.  I love you dear old 1222!

Bubble Dreams

Gigi and I have quite a routine for bedtime.  It is not the simple bath, book, bed anymore.  No, it is way more elaborate than I could have ever schemed.  She prefers to select a toy that will listen to the story, then we all read the story together, talk about the story, watch a slide-show of one of 7 princess slides (she received a mini-projector for Christmas last year), then talk, giggle, tickle, lay quietly and then say goodnight.  And her goodbyes remind me of the way French correspondence is formally ended-- with flowery flattery.  Tonight she told me, "mom I hope you have sunshine dreams, princess dreams, candy-dreams AND EVEN BUBBLE DREAMS!"  She took a deep breath before she blurted out the bubble dream part.  It was like it was the absolute highest confectionary honor she could bestow on me for the evening.  It was utterly adorable.

Will it Blizzard?

We are looking at the skies wondering what will happen tomorrow.  The weather report says that we are supposed to have an ice-snow storm that will rival the one a few years ago that knocked out electricity for 3 days.  You would have never guessed it from the weather today.  It was 65 degrees outside, blue skies and no wind!!  Craziness.  Oklahoma weather is sooooo unpredictable!

Grampy's Song

Grampy Max showed me a poem that he wrote the other day.  He has been digging into his geneaology and learning about his family.  Part of this poem/song contains words written by one of his distant relatives.  This song is a perfect glimpse into Grampy.  I love it and thought I would share it with you:

Just Wobblin' Along

Just wobblin' along
whistlin' a song

Age has slowed my pace
And wrinkles line my face yet
Deep inside I know--

*The spirit never ages
The essence of the soul is
Sure and strong forever and
keeps us young and whole

Just wobblin' along
Whistlin' a song

Max, Age 89
January 2010

*Charlotte Pease

From the mouth of babes...

This morning, as I was getting Georgia ready for the day, she looked me squarely in the eyes and said, "Mom, I talked to God and He told me that you are pregnant.  You are going to have a baby.  You don't have to wait anymore."  She said it so matter of fact and with such clarity I had to just stare at her for a minute.  Georgia knows a minscule amount about my struggle to have a second child.  We've talked before about how we are waiting to see if God will bless us with another baby.  But our discussions have been one or two sentences max.  Her comment today really surprised me.  There was a huge part of me that wanted to take her message at face value.  I really wish it were true.  My response was something along the lines of "wouldn't that be wonderful."  I think Georgia is beginnig to think about siblings and desire one.  I do not know if she was motivated by her ponderings on siblings or if she actually heard a message from God.  I wouldn't put it past God to deliver a message through a child.  Just thought I'd put it here to document in case it does happen! :)  I will say that there is some science to beliefs and their effects on biology.  I am about to read a book called The Biology of Belief.  It deals with this very topic and is based on a very new branch of science called epigenetics.  Epigenetics asserts that thoughts not genetics determine your overall health.  It is not a "name it and claim it" type of idea.  Epigenetics has to do with electrical currents that run through the brain and the effect they have on biology.  I can't wait to read it!

Ballerina

Degas captured all those beautiful ballerinas, and I got to do the same thing back in November (albeit mine were a little younger!). Georgia adores her class! I remember taking my ballet/tap/jazz class at the Moose Lodge when I was around her age. I loved my teacher and I still actually remember a small bit of choreography that we performed to "I of the Tiger". I can even hear the song now in my head as I type-- DDDdddd dun, dun dun dun, dun dun dun, dun dun daaaaaa. Gigi will have her first performance in May. The dances are supposed to be top secret, but from the information she has leaked, I gather they will be performing at least one routine to Walk the Dinosaur. I can't wait!

Ladybugs-a-plenty

We have had an inordinate amount of ladybugs in our house lately. I have no recollection of ever seeing any ladybugs in the months of December and January in the history of my life. This year, however, we have plenty! They are on the floor in the playroom, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, dining room and the hallways! I have no idea where they came from and wonder why they all chose to come into my house. Although it seems very unusual to me, I am happy to see them. I've always thought ladybugs were friendly little creatures, not to mention that they are an important symbol at GPhiB! I thought I would google what they symbolize, thinking maybe I have some sort of natural phenomenon occuring. It turns out that ladybugs are very good luck! Here's to 2010!

Belle Annee!

Happy New Year! I am very happy to welcome in 2010. It is a new beginning ripe with possibilities.