The Little Schoolhouse

Big things are going to happen in this little house.
It never ceases to amaze me how the universe lines things up.

Selfless Acts of Giving

The disaster brought by the earthquake followed by the tsumani that crashed into Japan on March 11th, has been such a terrifying and heartwrenching event.

So when I saw on facebook that two of Sophia's dear friends, along with their mommies, had made cupcakes and delicious quinoa bars to sell at the park to raise money to send to Japan, I gathered up my brood and we went to support their efforts. Before this event, Sophia didn't know what an earthquake or tsumani was. This tragic event has given us an opportunity to have some deep discussions. What these mamas did was a wondeful thing. A gift to our children of awareness, selfless giving and service to those in need, even when they are halfway across the world.

Ebb and Flow

With the arrival of spring, my mind has been whirling around like crazy. Many things are stirring in our lives. I feel like I'm constantly researching, reading, researching, and reading more. Researching expanding our veggie garden, learning about sustainable landscaping (still stuck here), getting ready for Domi to graduate in June (such an exciting time!) but even moreso, heavy on my mind is trying to soak up and gather as much information on homeschooling co-ops because, yes, it's that time for my almost 5 year old. My eldest is finishing up his schooling, and my youngest is preparing to begin her journey.

Kindergarten roundups are right around the corner, and I just can't bring myself to enroll her in our public school. The idea of it puts my stomach in knots. Don't get me wrong, I know if I had no other choice, she would be fine in the public school system. She'd get good grades, she'd pass the standardized testing, her teachers would love her.

But I want more for her.

And now with the budget cuts our state is facing next year, makes this option even more appealing. The elementary school we're zoned for is over capacity by 200 students. The school under construction set to open this fall to alleviate overcrowding in our district, has been halted because of the budget deficit.  I honestly feel, I can do better. I can do better outside of the 4 walls that enclose an over-crowded classroom, and over-extended teachers. I believe, that a group of like-minded mothers and I, can do better working collectively.

Still, this is new territory for me. Even as a certified teacher, with a Master's degree in Education, I'm a bit nervous. However, I am relieved that I'm not doing this alone and have a support system and community.   I've got to just go with the flow.

Our New Addition

Now that Sophia is going to turn 5, Mike and I felt the time was right to bring in a furry friend to our home to offer companionship to our family. After a month of searching, today, we finally met our match! A beautiful 2 year old female Labrador!

After we made the decision to adopt a dog, we decided that the best fit for our family would be a Labrador, and it was NOT easy to find what we were looking for. I love that labs are devoted, obedient, friendly, and most importantly, good with children.

This morning, Sophia and I went to the Humane Society to visit a different dog that we had seen on their website. I called Mike at work to meet us there so he could be with us during our visit. While we were waiting for a staff member to get the initial dog for us to visit with, I turned and saw "Lana", and I was immediately drawn to her bright and soulful eyes, and her sweet and calm demeanor. She is a tad older than what we were looking for, but after we visited with the 11month old [super energetic and rambunctious] lab mix, I wasn't sure about the 11month dog. I wasn't feeling it. So, I asked if we could visit with Lana. The staff member said she wasn't sure if she was still under clinic care, but would check. Her file was pulled and we were told she did test positive for heartworms and will require treatment at home. (They don't do treatment at the humane society because it's too stressful for an animal for peaceful and quiet healing). Asked if we still wanted to visit with her and I said yes. She was very excited at first, yet was so gentle and sweet with Sophia. I knew instantly. I wanted her. My mind was made up.

So we will begin heartworm treatment in the coming week, which will be a long 2 month process. We'll have to keep her calm and severly restrict her exercise during this time. The timing is perfect though since I'm at home, and she will have a peaceful restful recovery.

I can definitely see our forever friend being a calm house dog, playful yard dog and intense field dog, all on the same day. She's already proven that today.

We are all in love! Now we just need a name...

Pretty in Purple

Charming little wrist corsage he had made for her for the military ball. To match her dress.

From El Jardin

*WTH is up with blogger's formatting now? Trying to figure it out, but in the meantime, I've got a little gardening update.

Spring cannot arrrive soon enough for me. I've started a majority of our veggies from heirloom seeds this year and our first set is sprouting nicely. The only seedlings that haven't shown any signs yet are some of the peppers; the purple tomatillos, godfather peppers, and one orange roma tomato finally sprouted yesterday. I feel like the the little boy from the classic story, The Carrot Seed, watching and waiting, but nothing comes up. :) I'm also starting many herbs from seed as well and so far the two basil varieties have sprouted. I'll learn to can and preserve this summer, and have many different varieties of tomatoes this year. I look forward to no longer buying tomato sauce from the store, and I'm contemplating a little urban porch stand for my neighboring friends.

Garden soil has been gently tilled and just the beds need to be made, and as you can see, the only items left from our fall and winter garden is some lettuce and spinach, so the hubby kept the tiller away from those. We pulled up the rest of the carrots, and the artichoke plant looks like it survived the recent freezes.

Another project we have is relandscaping the large plant bed in the front yard. A few weeks ago, Mike removed the large old bushes which were an eyesore and the rose bushes which just weren't producing anymore. My goal is to replace sustainable native and adapted plants, which also provide some greenery during the winter. I've been researching, but really feel at a loss with landscape design. So I keep putting it off since it's still February, and instead I go watch the seedlings.

Roses bushes from the front yard hibernating in the wheelbarrow. Will probably put them in pots and go from there.

Our baby citrus trees hopefully survived the recent freezes and even though Mike protected them with plastic and heat lamps during the low temps, we still don't know how they will fare. The trunks look ok so far.  We'll know soon.

Some petunias that the nursery was giving away for free post freeze, so I scooped up half a dozen. After a couple weeks here, colorful petals have emerged.

Welcome 2011

New Year's Eve, we played outside with light. This one happens to be my favorite. It's beautiful to me because it reminds me of my zodiac sign. I also see some yin yang in there too.

Here's to a new beginning and a harmonious 2011. Happy New Year!

Coffee!

It's sometimes funny to watch him drink his coffee. This time, I snuck in a few shots.

Thankful 2010

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice."
-Meister Eckhart

Gratitude for my wonderful family, good friends (old and new), bountiful food, and joyous memories.

Much love and blessings to those who could not be with us this year.

Hello Sunshine

In less than one year after planting, we are reaping fruit. Pretty little satsumas!

Reason

In preparing the ofrenda (altar) this year for El Dia de Los Muertos, I was searching for old photos stacked in shoe boxes buried in my closet, and came across these hidden gems. Looking at these two photos, I remember this so vividly now. And it brought me back to this happy place of my childhood. I'm not certain who took these photos of my Godmother, her daughter, and myself, but I appreciate whomever did because they captured a moment in time, and preserved a piece of my history.

This is why I take photos.

Wedding in the Riviera Maya

Now that I'm a full-time SAHM and schooling Sophia, in an effort to carve out time for my own passions, I've been picking up my camera more, and I was thrilled to be hired for another wedding gig.

I was fortunate to photograph another wedding in Mexico, this time, on the Carribean side. I had the pleasure of photographing Holly and David's wedding in the beautiful Riviera Maya. It was pouring rain the morning of the wedding, and it stopped to allow enough time for me to take photos of the bride and her ladies (in the midst of strong winds). The dark, heavy clouds were looming and fast approaching again, and fortunately, the rain held off just long enough for the couple to exchange their vows, and for me to shoot post ceremony photos, before it came pouring down while everybody danced and relaxed under the covered dancefloor on the beach. It was perfection. Congratulations Holly and David!

And all I can say is, I love photographing weddings. Absolutely love them.

Importance of Grandparents

It's been so long that I've posted on this blog, I almost forgot how with all the updates to blogger. Over the last few months, I've been recharging, and now there is a nice ebb and flow to our home, and lives.

My inlaws came to town for Domi's Senior Band Night, which I appreciate so very much. Both my parents are deceased, so I treasure the time with Mike's parents, and the simple things they offer to my children. Our generation is a quick and fast one, but children (and teens) still need the knowledge that elders hold, and nothing takes the place of a simple, honest, and pure lifestyle.

La Playa

A shot that makes me happy.

Mi Compañero

Domi didn't realize he'd end up being my "assistant" during the recent wedding I photographed in the beautiful Riviera Maya. I'm in the beginning stages of importing photos and editing, but this was one photo that surprised me, as I didn't even realize I took it, but something about it makes me happy. He didn't complain once about having to stand by my side the entire time to hand me equipment back and forth, and he held the umbrella over me whenever the drizzling would start. Thank you, Domi for being an incredible assistant on this special day of rain dodging.