December 31st Shelter Cover Marina Outing:

December 31st....yet another wonderful day on the boat (the warm weather streak ends today:)...we took it into Shelter Cove (LOTS of idle speeds to get there); two Dolphins (most went south), several Pelicans and a couple of great blue herons, lunch with Piper at his first restaurant. Then a wonderful New Year's Eve Celebration with Grandma and Grandpa. She created her very own Royal Rummy board to carry on the New Year's tradition of my grandparents.

And, according to the non vegetarians, she made the best she crab soup ever:)

Cheers to a healthy, joyful, and peaceful 2016 to you all from the southeast coast! 

Happy 2015 from my family to Yours...may it be filled with Peace, Joy, Health, and Abundance!

Happy 2014!

yes, I recognize these crowns are so last year, but one of my intentions is to appreciate what we already have and own :D



I've always heard that Hilton Head is shaped like a shoe, but I never really understood it until now:)

 

I have intentions this year:
To Deepen.........

in Gratitude
in Appreciation
in Freedom
in True Presence
in Awareness
in Joy
in Peace
in Beauty
in Love 

Happy New Year; my your moments be filled with Joy, Health, Love and Gratitude!

Cheers to a Fabulous 2014!!

Happy 2013!!!!!!

this is what I wrote yesterday (on New Year's Eve day): "So I have a goal for 2013...my goal is to get my butt out of bed earlier! I've even had dreams of what I'm missing in the wee hours of the morning as the sun rises...just last night I saw myself sitting on the beach watching the sun come up and about 20 dolphins dancing and at play. Of course, being me, I attempted to take photos with my cell....but later found that the photos weren't there. Clearly there's a message that that moment was mine and mine alone. I plan on getting up earlier, starting tomorrow. My clothes are picked out...and if the family can join me, they are welcome...but in my 2.5 years in SC, I have yet to go to the beach and see the sun rise! That is how I'm going to start my 2012, watching the sun rise from the Atlantic!! I couldn't think of a more fitting welcome! My other goal is to start practicing yoga..outdoors...mostly in my backyard which backs up to a forest...I'm VERY excited about this...and realized, I'm blessed to live in a place with weather where I can do that most of the year...it's time! My other goal...MUCH more outdoor time with the kiddos and family...kayaking, MORE camping, boating (after we find a new boat...the old one's been missing a floor for a year now;)....LOTs and LOTS of nature time! Yes, my goal for 2013 is to rise and greet the day with the sun rise!"

I believe I had some similar, yet less formal goal last year at this time.  It never happened.  This surprises me because my husband was off work for TEN WHOLE MONTHS..which means this homeschooling mom had a lot more liberty to do something like this...and guess how many times I made it to the beach for sun rise?????  did you guess somewhere in the ball park of: NOTHING, NIL, ZIP, ZILCH, NAUGHT, ZIPPO? 


Then you would be correct!

And I think I'm completely pathetic...I've lived on the coast for 2.5 years now!!

And 2013 has arrived...it was time!!!!!  That said, greetings to the sun...it really DOES come out of the ocean!!!!  (I used to think it came out of Lake Michigan, but clearly I was wrong all those years:D):

 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

Happy New Year!

Ring Out The Old; Ring in The New--reflections

photo taken from final hike of 2011

2011: This was a year of MUCH transition for me and my family.  It was a year followed by much whirlwind of a previous year of travel, loss, and a strong desire to have that fresh start...and we did.....2010 didn't involve a whole lot of thinking and reflecting---we just went!  And then 2011 arrived, we found ourselves feeling a little bit more settled in our new neck of the woods---but we still had the craziness of 2010 of having JUST relocated to a new state, far away from WI; moving into a pricey house rental situation, with our home in WI on the market...trying to get all of our house hold goods to catch up with us in SC....working with our wonderful (Thank GOD for her) realtor in WI, who went WAY beyond the call of duty to help us with the sale of our home...selling our home, finding a new home, buying a home---and 2011 hits...we are completely packed up...once again....then we hit Disney World to celebrate Little Angel's 7th birthday, then we come back, and then I bring my girls back to FLA to be with grandparents, so that we can close on our beautiful new home and move in, and install new flooring and get unpacked and settled in and....add to this, I traveled to WI twice (driving once by myself with two little girls), we hit OH once, we hit FLA a few times, a week in The Smokies.....J wound up working UNGODLY INSANE hours....basically as much as we love it here and are settling in nicely---2011 was a year of finding peace amongst the chaos.....

and then...the Winter Solstice Hit, and brought with us a fresh opportunity for us to completely reinvent our lives...the peaceful, nature-based, simplistic lives we have always so-desired!  Most people would be fearful or upset by the changes coming our way...but not us....we are filled with nothing but complete gratitude!  

And now...here we are, the much talked about and written about 2012!!  This is my year of gratitude and creativity.  And I truly am grateful! My 2012 Resolution: to be as In the moment, with Gratitude for each and every moment, as I can possibly be.

photo taken from first 2012 hike

Wishing all of you a blessed and peaceful 2012----filled with Love and Gratitude!

New Year's Eve --Video Part Deux

The kids started doing the limbo while they awaited the "surgery" of the poor snowman pinata--soon after the first hit or two, his poor head was detached from his body, though the candy remained:)

New Year's Eve---video: part 1

Happy New Year!!!!!!

Happy New Year

I know, this picture's old--but it's still a goodie (doesn't he totally look like he's suffering from the New Year Day hangover:) So, here's a very precious moment from New Year's Eve last night: (yes New Year's Eve is pretty wild at our house)--about midnight, my husband who was working in the basement came upstairs. I had a nice fire going, and was just relaxing and watching shows (I believe HGTV)--he said, shouldn't we watch one of those shows with the crowds of people where the ball drops---I said, why, we know what'll happen--true, he agreed (besides, we're central time, so by the time our midnight hits, the NYC ball drop is old news, and the Chicago celebration isn't quite the same). Well, then as soon as my one show ended, we knew it was midnight. My husband was sitting on the middle part of the couch, I was on one end, and Buddy was on the other--he looks at me, looks at Buddy, and gives Buddy a big New Year's smooch!!! See how life changes after 8 years of marriage:)
Happy New Year Everyone!