The End of Another Year

This year brought challenges, losses, wins and beginnings, stronger commitments and a sense of gratitude for what is. We learn how to make the challenge of not having a car work for us. Now, we don't think about getting a car so much! We had the dream of living a more self-sustaining lifestyle and living within our community. When we spoke about this dream we had no idea of how we could still have a car and go beyond our addiction to having a car. Loosing the car was a blessing, though for a long time we did not see that blessing. We ride our bikes everywhere, we save the environment in our small way, we get exercise, we see the beauty around us and notice our beautiful mother earth is.
This year has also been about losses. I love my life and all the blessings I have, even not having a car, but with those blessings, losses have come too. Not having a car has caused me to also loose some friends and loose the connection with other friends. This has been a very hard thing for me. I love my friends and feel like I have been given a gift, every time I get or still have a friend. I have started a new morning affirmation, I am grateful for all the connections of all my life; be for a moment, a year or a lifetime. I tend to think about people always being in my life and feel ,so sad when they are not. Saying this affirmation has helped me to be present to what is now! I have met some very special people in my community that are now my friends. I feel that things are coming full circle and I am coming to a place of peace, acceptance and gratitude.
I have also lost my dad. I have peace about who he was. I miss the relationship I wish we could of had, dreamt of having and hoped to come when we got older. I have been given a gift of feeling those who have passed around me. The death of my dad has cause a lot of healing of the relationship we didn't have. Now at those time when I feel upset or fearful I feel him holding my hand, just like a dad would do with his little girl. I feel this is healing for us, for the relationship that was. Before his death, I didn't want to see I was like him, now I see parts of him that are mine now.
When we moved here 9 1/2 years ago, we came from a place where everyone knew us; the health store, the library, the bank, the grocery store, coffee shop and everything in between. Moving here was a hard transition. We longed for the type of community we came from. Now, we are finding that community. Like the saying goes; Bloom where you are Planted ,we have taken this be our motto. We are now a part of our community, though we like to have a bit of autonomy, we love being a active part of our community.
We have found belly dancing and community yoga, having found these has transformed our lives. Autumne and I have taken belly dancing classes. I see this empowering her in her power as a woman. I hope that she will always see her beauty, as beauty is not what is external told to us, but an acceptance of herself as she is!
This class has helped me too, thanks to my dear friend, Jean for telling us about it! I have gained a acceptance and love for my body and womanhood. It has also given me a sense of community within a group of women, about empowerment and acceptance.
I having found Community Yoga has given me a sense of community and sacredness that I need in my life. Community Yoga is a special place. The energy is so calm and sacred. I found a yoga studio that resonates with me on a deeply and profound way.

Thanks for everyone for making this year, for us a year of growth and healing. Thanks for touching our lives in countless ways, for loving us, for accepting us and being there. Y'all make a difference. Little connections and big connections have made huge and profound difference in our lives thank you!

Soulmas Morning

Me with only 4 1/2 hours of sleep! don't I look like the perky one! haha! We are all patiently waiting for the gift exchange to begin!

Our gifts under our tree.

Our TREE!!!

Our Solstice Celebration

Jerry is practicing playing the guitar. Three Little Birds and Jingle Bells. Jazzy the drummer helps out with his own addition to the song

Jerry helps us out with some drumming, so Autumne and I can do some Belly Dancing.

More Jazzy talent!!

Jerry gets into the performing aspect!

Life keeps on Ticking into The Future

Fifteen years ago Jer became a huge part of my life. I love this picture. I love my relationship with Jerr at this time too. It's so hard to believe that time would go by so fast.

This picture reminds me of one special memory I have of Jerr. While I was watching him. Jerry was working and his mom wasn't able to watch him, so I did. Gus wasn't born and I was sitting in the window and he and I just sat in the window seat he laid down as I rubbed his head. I think about this and feel so lucky to be his step-mom.

Here is Jerr now 23 and graduated from college, WOW!!! I can't believe it! I am so proud of the young man he has become. We all are his 3 parents.! I feel so lucky to be able to have the gift of sharing the role of parent with his mom and dad. I am grateful for that blessings!

Homeschooling happens all the time

Life of the Thomas: Autumne and I are at the store. Autumne loves to scan the food and bag it for me. Learning so much just living daily life.
My smiley happy daughter, Autumne!

How to transform a old shoe into a fingerless glove

Take a old pair of socks.

Cut the sock in half. Now stitch the thumb and fingers. I used blanket stitch around the fingers and a straight stitch around the thumb and there you have a pair of fingerless gloves.

my sister's b-day gift

My sis, Tracy is so amazing. She is so talented. I wanted to give her something that was made by me. Walla . . . here it is, her apron!!! I think she liked it!!

My Secret ( not so much ) Solstice Elf got me some

CHOCOLATE!!!!!

This new place in Cornelius opened up and OMG!!!!!! they sell the best chocolate! It's the best! My SSE got me this chocolate; rum raisin, key lime pie, and another one! I was so impressed! I shared one with Jazzy and it was so good I had to wait until he fell asleep to have the other 2!

Black Friday well really Saturday

It's Black Friday and unlike most people we are heading to Habitant, the best place for bargains Food Lion, only because it's close, Ace Hardware because it's our favorite helpful hardware store and Home Economist because Nettie is there of course. Heading out to shop and just have some fun!

Packing up my bargains at Habitant

Jazzy and Tara are all ready to move on out. Packed like 2 cute little sardines, snuggling together enjoying each other's company!

A minor dispute! Teenagers are for sure aliens to parents! Think it visaversa too!

We're heading off to our next destination!

Day After Celebration

Every Year our Frineds come up and stay over, they live in Asheville. We make breakfast, get to visit for a bit and than they go home until another, well until my b-day when I get to honor the women in my life.

Scott is playing with Jazzy He's being the dino tickle monster. The fingers are what Jazzy was doing! He'd come after Scott and than Scott would bring out the Dino tickle fingers. He had a ball with the tickle monster.

Sweet little Veda! In the car. Yes, this is are only car. Great on gas mileage, It doesn't use any!!! Only problem is it doesn't go fast and we can't all fit!

All the kids love this car. Jerry got it when he was 18 @ the Salvation Army in Buffalo, NY! Veda really like the car!

(Gina) Mom and Veda having a little nurturing time! Bye til next time! We miss ya'll!

Our Annual Thanksgiving Celebration

Here are some picture of our annual Thanksgiving Celebration. Each year around the 14th of November, we invite friends to come and celebrate with us. This year was a small group, but it was nice to have people to all be able to talk together .

In this picture we have Charlie, Julie, Nettie Tara , Autumne, and Zac in the hat.

We do a gift exchange, something that you have made or something you have loved, but are done with. This is what is going on in this picture. In here we have Jerry, Gina, Charlie, Julie, Scott, Gus Nettie, Tara and Autumne

Gina and Jerry with Veda. Night night Veda!

Autumne teaching Tara how to knit

Autumne took some time to teach Tara to knit. She was remarkable calm and patient.

Tara and Autumne sharing a laugh while the work! Tara has learned how to cast on. One step at a time! I love these pictures, they show how close they are. And beautiful!!!!!

Creation Takes Over

I redesigned my Parlor/office. Took the blinds down, I was getting tired of them! Made these curtains. I love them! Now my vision of the Parlor look is coming together. Took the carpet up and and in February we will paint the floor and it will be done.

Re -vamped this dress. Cut off the ties on the neck, just looked weird. Than I cut the sleeves, they were 3 quarter length sleeves. Added the lace and left enough to make a bow and added it to the bottom. Now, I like it!

This was a T-shirt. Basic T, just a bit boring. I added the lace, now Tara has a new night grown! I added a T because it had this little hole and Tara was thrilled to have a T !

This was another revamped jumper. It was to small for Tara so I cut off the top and made a waist band and a bit more for a tie. The top pic is the back. The Bottom is the front.

Another one of my redesigned rooms. The foyer needed something more. I actually just started wanting to do the Foyer, than ended up doing the dinning room, foyer, and parlor.

Why Peanut Butter and Dogs are Comical

No! my Buddha is not hot and tired out, he has peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth. Feeling stressed out, give the dogs peanut butter and your stress melts away! Buddha couldn't get his tongue in the peanut butter enough !

Joy is not a violent dog, she just loves peanut butter! She usually eats in a half a second, but not when we give her some peanut butter, she is busy for quite awhile.

The Wisdom of Mother Earth

We have taken to paying attention to the Moon and to the change in the seasons. I am becoming more and more aware of myself in relationship to the earth. This is a picture of the trees by my home. It reminds me of this time of year, the autumn.
I have noticed as the moon changeds so do I, as the seasons change so do I. Each cycle brings a new energy to my beingness. To how I see others, to how I see myself. To how I am capable of doing and not doing, To what foods I crave to what foods I can't think of eating.
This time of year I want to retreat inside. I also feel the need to connect more to others, not in a do this or that, but in a deeper connection way. I feel the need to nurture myself and those that have made a difference this time of year.
This is the first year that we are following our tradition, our spiritual tradition of this time of year being the end of the year. This is our new year! I am excited about that. I am excited about the prospect that new year will bring. Yoga has become a big part of my life. I have started a home practice. I am going to take more yoga classes in the coming year and may do yoga teacher training. I am working on my business, which is exciting. I am claiming who I am. Who are you claiming to be this year?!

Sweetness, needing, cool and beauty

Tarasoulfia is her real name. This picture is so Tara. She is named after 2 goddess; Tara and Sophia. Soulful is what I called her when she was growing wombside. Looking at her sometimes, her beauty is Goddess like.

Jazper for sure is my baby. All the other ones couldn't wait to grow up. Jazzy likes being mamma's boy. This is those moments that I cherish completely. It's at these moments that I feel almost Zen like. I wish I could bottle up, times like this and pour the energy over those times I feel like I'm not going to make it. It always happens that after having one of those moments of dread, I get one of this Zen like feelings of gratitude.

Mr. Cool that's Gus man for sure. He can challenge me, beyond anything I thought possible of a child of mine. Ignorance is bliss! I use to think I had all the answers when I came to being a parent, before I had kids. HA! Was I put in my place. I have no idea what the answers are!!! ! !!!

Gus is sensitive, caring, very good at working out plans, very creative and talented. He is also very cool. Unlike, this picture, this cool is in his temper. Gus is a teenager. How is it .... I have a teenager, I can't possibly be old enough for that!~

Her beauty is so amazing. Her beauty is inside and out. Such a giving soul, sweetness and strength. How can I be so blessed and so lucky to have these kids and all the treasures they give me.

Reading @ the Thomas's

Everyone has taken this time for reading. While Jazzy snoozes everyone takes some reading time. Everyone is into learning more and more. Tara loves the Dick and Jane readers, Autmne is reading her favorite book, her inspiration, Jacques Pepin, the guys, who knows. Jerry is always reading something and lots of books. Gus, is having a hard time picking one to stick with

Dad and son sharing a learning moment. Jerry is showing Gus a location on the map.


Autumne again reading, Jacques Pepin.

Jazzy is reading about BMX bikes. I guess reading it upside down help if you are laying down on the ground fixing the bike. Than you know what you doing

Tara is reading one of the Dick and Jane series. She has some really old ones. Some are from the 40's originals, but in the shape you would like a book that old read by little kids would look like.