Happy Holidays 2010

Missed November Blog

It has been busy, busy, time. We drove to San Diego for thansgiving, then on Fri. to Palos Verdes and on Sat. to City Walk and at noon drove back to San Francisco. Thank God for the itouch. Morgan played with it most of the drive, as you can see from the above photo she figured out how to take pictures of the game she was playing. I am happy about that but not so happy about all the itouch pictures appearing on iphoto.

Well its December and the busy, busy continues. I have 9 minutes to finsh this and pick Morgan up from school. There is so much to say, but I will have to wait for another day.

Peace, Love and Blessings this holiday season.
Gaelen

Halloween 2010

We went to 3 Halloween events last night and home by 9:15! Morgan made a cute little cheer leader, Mark and I wore our usual costumes. Actually I wore my usual borrowed costume.
I even had a good time at our Spiritual Center's Halloween party, Mark's work party and a Montessori family party.
Morgan only hit me in the head accidentally one time while taking this picture. Cheers for us.

Sitting here writing this I realized what is stressing me out about Halloween. It is the marker of how busy the next 2 months are for me.
This year we are driving to San Diego to have Thanksgiving dinner at my sisters and on the way home we are stopping at Mark's Aunts house to see his cousins + his brother who is flying in from Montana.

November is filled with 5 scheduled meetings so far, 1 Saturday 9-5 retreat, a week of teachers conferences where Morgan gets out of school at noon and the middle of the month is when the Spiritual Center I attend gears up for a Holiday Dinner for Homeward Bound of Marin (training and housing for homeless family's) and I recruit volunteers to help cook the dinner, set up the Hall and just writing all of this sent me into the kitchen to make some espresso.
Lots to do.  I don't even want to start thinking about December. Oh and I just remembered that I want to see a friend in San Diego while we are down there and I don't think that is going to happen.

This is screaming to me the need to remember to take car of myself first. Get some sleep, eat well, drink tea, enjoy friends and family, meditate and remember that all is well and miracles occur each moment when you slow down to witness them.

Has this ever happened to you?

I remember as a child we would play the pass it down game, some call it the telephone game. You tell the person sitting next to you something and they tell that to the person sitting next to them what you told them. Even if the line is not completed, the last few people to receive the message can compare this with the original, and some messages will be unrecognizable after only a few steps.

I remember this being a fun party game, it helps to teach others that it is harmful to spread gossip or to say something to someone you would not like repeated.

Now that we have the Internet and e-mail, the 2010 computer version of pass it down game is not always so funny.

The sending of e-mails isn’t one person whispering to another, what you write does carry a powerful message. It is something that can be read and re-read.

You might not want everyone to hear what you are saying in your e-mail. The reply all button and forward button are actually really scary. Once you press those buttons you can’t take it back. What you meant to say, or what you were feeling, might not come out correctly when you type it. I have felt many different things when that has happened to me. Angry, sad, sorry, a feeling of YIKES I wish that didn’t happen.

Forgiveness of others and forgiveness of self are sometimes hard things to do.

So now my new e-mail policy is think about what the e-mail says and respond 2 days later, or better yet call the person and don’t reply to the e-mail.

Happy September.

Kale Chip Saturday

This is a test b/c I don't have anything planned for August yet

hair cut & skinny jeans

June re-do

Don't Laugh

Yes, it's true. That is a Topsy Turvey planter, the kind you see on TV, and yes, 3 Heirloom Tomatoes plants were my Mothers Day gift, oh and 1 umbrella to fit the table on our front deck.
Now I can eat breakfast outside with the umbrella. Actually, I can have my expresso outside too. No hat needed with the umbrella. Yeah!
We planted the other two plants in separate pots and this morning I noticed 3 little tomatoes growing!!!
I like growing tomatoes on the deck because no scary tomato bugs can get to them!

May is a busy month for me with Mothers Day and at the end of the month our Anniversary.

I am so excited because this year I get a new camera! My old Canon eos was stolen from our truck :-(
I have waited 6 months for my Canon G11. Next time I post a picture of the tomatoes I will be able to take a good close up.

I am so grateful to cross it of the "items needed" list.

Peace, Love and Joy this month for you.

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day
Thank the Goddess today that it isn't raining and Morgan and I can go on a bike ride. Well that is if I am strong enough to lift our bikes off the garage ceiling and get them down to the floor.
I am looking out the window and giving thanks for the pine tree and green grass and the blue sky. I am giving thanks for the awesome and wonderful circle house (earth) we live on.
I am grateful for the fruit trees, vegetable plants, nut trees, animals, insects (even spiders except when one is on the shower ceiling when I am showering) rivers, bays, and oceans. The geysers and volcanoes too. Even the things I can't remember right now but I am sure to remember once I post this :(
Being about the three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) here is an earth fact:
Never underestimate the importance of recycling: if every newspaper was recycled, we could save about 250,000,000 trees each year. Unfortunately only 27% of all American newspapers are recycled.
Love, joy, peace, patience-Gaelen

HAPPY EASTER

Happy Easter! This is Morgan's drawing of spring.
I have just a few minutes to finish this blog as we have 50 chairs to pick up for our spiritual center, I have to cook a ham for the Easter potluck, put together hats for our youth and family group, go to the market, take a shower. My To Do List today feels like it is never ending. I did vacuum the top of our refrigerator as a spring cleaning thing this morning though.
I was trying to remember Easter with my family and I guess we didn't do anything for Easter. I do remember all of us getting into the car to go to my grandmothers when I was 5 or 6. I also remember I got plastic golf clubs. I kinda remember getting new dresses that we would get dolled up in. I suppose I could ask Colleen and Carrie what they remember about Easter. Now that my parents have passed I guess I could make it up. I think I will tell Morgan that Easter was a lot of fun, filled with good food, spending special time with family and friends, feeling grateful for the energy of the winter melting away with the new growth of life. I am sure that is what my Easter will be about this year. I hope yours is too!
Blessings

Erin Go Bragh

Ireland Forever! I am mostly Irish and I do really like St. Patricks Day. I was raised Catholic and yes, it is a day of wearing green but a shamrock works too. Although green is my least favorite color to wear, I usually wear a lime green jacket.
Now that Morgan is in the 1st grade I have tried to distinguish what is actually alive and not a made up story. So anyway I really haven't mentioned rainbows, pots of gold and Leprechaun's. This year in class there was an assignment to make a Leprechaun trap. Not much into that myself I did let Morgan use a whole roll of tape to construct her own. I even made green pancakes that morning. I was proud that Morgan even ate one. My friend e-mailed me, "I would eat those too, syrup makes everything taste good. " Which is actually true. I put maple syrup on everything, and did eat the green pancakes and they were just like a not green pancakes, yet I usually eat buckwheat pancakes that are mostly brown-ish. It is nice to have spring arriving though having spring alergies is problematic. Happy Spring :)

MORGAN'S PEACE POLE HEART

Happy semi-belated Valentines Day!

This is not only a story of Love, but a story of Hearts Desire and wishes being full filled.

Last year Morgan's class made a peace pole. The heart tile that Morgan made was soul centered for me. Desiring it really wasn't an impulse. I could see Morgan's love in that heart. Her beautiful creativity. The Divine power of Love that sets you free.

I so desired that peace pole! and I almost purchased it, yet I remembered there were other things that I actually desired and needed. At the auction it sky rocked over $1,000.00 and I choose to let it go. After the auction one of the people working on the peace pole let me know that the heart above is the first one she made. They couldn't use it because of the way the Spackle was attached. She had to make a second one which they attached to the pole. So my soul centered desire, my wish was given to me. The Universe is a magnificent place.

Morgan's heart tile now sits on our bathroom counter. I am so grateful. It constantly reminds me of Love energy that is ever present. The Love that heals and sets you free.

Valentines Day is a reminder that Love is Life itself. I often sing this Buddhist prayer to myself.

May you be filled with Loving Kindness.

May you be well.

May you be peaceful and at ease.

May you be happy.

Blessings, Gaelen

Turning 45

What is turning 45? I am not exactly sure.

I do remember when I was 25ish I found my first gray hair. I pulled it out of my scalp, taped it to a black piece of paper and gave it to my sister saying,

"You gave this to me."

Now that I have a whole lot of gray hairs, who can I blame? I guess there is no one to blame.

Is that why so many people dye their hair? Would it help me if I didn't see my gray hair?

Living in Marin with oh so many green people, I don't see too many people with a lot of gray hair.

Are most of the "Don't polish your nails" people and "Bring you own shopping bags to the grocery store" people dyeing their hair with toxin free hair dye?

As it is written on the back of my business card "Thinking makes it so" I guess I should start there.

Is getting older a scary thing? Well yes, to me it sort of is. Does this have anything to do with gray hair? Actually, not really. Is about change? Realizing that daily I change?

I suppose it is. I guess it does boil down to "Thinking make it so."

A received an e-mail from a friend that said, "Time flies, but luckily our kids get older and we keep feeling the same age." Remembering that I am 40ish helps.

Turning 7

Morgan turned 7 and it was so much fun! I don't know what is more surprising that she's 7 or I'm seven years older.

2010 Predictions from ... Beyond.

I really love the positive energy of this message but I like it best with the sound turned down so I can read it.

2010 intention

Yes, I did write more but these words are the essence of it. Please be sure to set your intentions.

happy holidays love the coopers

Turkey With a Little Help

Its me holding the Turkey roasting pan. That is my friend Jo who stood in as a mother figure.

Jo really helped me as I have to say I had no idea how to cook a 22lbs. turkey. Other than putting the turkey in the over I think it was the last time I touched the pan. Jo grabbed the turkey and got it all ready to put in the roaster. I just watched her. Oh, I did hand her the string to tie it all up. I took a small nap while it cooked and Mark basted it every 20 minutes. At least that was the first hour. He quickly realized how fast 20 minutes goes by so he changed to every 30 minutes. I would have helped him baste it but there was no way I could lift the turkey across the oven. I got to be the "time to baste the turkey person" Morgan watched the dog show and parade.

We had 16 people over from our spiritual community. Each person brought a side dish so I suppose it was a Thanksgiving potluck. The turkey was great and it was a whole lot easier to just cook the turkey and make some stuffing than cook all of the side dishes too.

Everyone was gone at 6:00 to see a movie. Mark, Morgan and I just relaxed and watched something on Disney. Something about a mouse whose name I can't spell.

Usually I call my Aunt in Boston and some friends. I even send out a Happy Thanksgiving e-mail. I think the 22lbs. turkey and 16 people at my house spooked me. I didn't do any of those things. Oh yeah, I took some extra strength Tylenol. Even my 75 year old Aunt sent an e-mail on Thanksgiving. I don't think her son even helped her. Carrie sent me a text message. Colleen and I spoke on the phone. I guess it was a "just talk with your sisters" kinda Thanksgiving.

So this is your, "I Hope Your Thanksgiving Was Love Filled." e-mail.

YES THATS THE DOG PJ'S I MADE

Well, I really wanted to post a YOUTUBE video of me but I am running out of time to do so. I have a name for my studio, STUDIO G. I am even going to have a script sort of, thank you to my sister for suggesting that I need one. :)

Anyway this is a picture of Morgan making cupcakes and wearing the PJ's of dogs that I made for her. Baking in the winter is a ton of fun and Morgan loves it. Though I would have to say I do more of the clean up than she does. Autumn is a great time to retreat to quieter indoor pursuits relaxing, reading, listening to music, knitting, singing. Going to bed early. Drinking tea. Remembering to let go of worry and fear and to replace it with the knowing that all is well. Have a TV dinner without watching TV. The best thing for me lately is not watching any TV. Ok I do watch FoodNetwork but no news. I find myself feeling better by not trying to have any judgements so the less I watch what I don't like makes me feel better. Morgan just came over to me in the office and said to me, "Do know what NBT means?" "I said no I don't know what that means." "Morgan said it means NEXT BIG THING" Wow I love that. So what is your next big thing?

I skipped the month of September so I could have a blog break. Relax. Live in joy.

I know I am not the only one who has been extremely busy as I hear the same thing from a lot of people. It sure is time to press the pause button on the fast forward of my life.

I have been so grateful for everything I have lately. A friend of mine commented on how she doesn't like to be away from her Apple computer and I would have to say that is true for me too. As I work on this blog I am listening to the radio on iTunes on my laptop. So I guess my NBT is to continue to be grateful.