The Lovely Laura

Well it's official, today Laura turned 33! In honor of that and the fact that she has lost an amazing 61 pounds over the past 3 1/2 months we decided to do a fun photo shoot last night, so without further ado...Will the new slim Laura please stand up!

No, I said stand up!

That's Better!  OK, now pretend your a lion!

Wow, that's good! Be Serious!

Fantastic!  OK, go commune with nature!

Beautiful and that says it all...

Tent Trials

Raine and I decided on Saturday night to test out our beautiful (it's green) new tent (thanks Dad).

  We wanted to make sure that 1. I could set it up (I so rocked it :) and 2.  It had no rips or seam damage, so that we don't end up with any surprises on our great Maine adventure of  2010 that's coming up next month.  It was easy to set up and fantastic looking and yes I realize I am a complete dork for falling in love with a tent, but it is sooo pretty.

  The air mattress we picked up that day on sale for 19.99 (6 dollars off! woohoo) at target was easy to blow up with our nifty Coleman rechargeable pump.  We decked it out in the latest fashions :) and made sure it was extra comfy.

Raine added two brand new pink camp chairs and I even set up our fire pit on some cinder blocks to complete the experience.  We even had the makings for smores and were ready and full of anticipation for our night out!   

Well this should have been a clue!  Everything had gone just a little too smoothly so when the skies opened up and let loose the fury of god I should not have been surprised.  Let me first tell you that I have never in my life seen a storm of this proportion!  It was awe inspiring and a little scary.  Just look st her face as the thunder shook the ground she was sitting on!

We stayed in the tent to try and ride it out thinking that the way the wind was blowing it would move through rather quickly.  It didn't!  Raine was kinda funny saying things like "Mom, Do you think we should go in?  You need to make a decision here because I'm a third grader!"  She cracks me up!!  When it got so bad that you couldn't even count to one between flashes of vivid strobe like lightning I made a command decision to run for the house.  We stayed low to the ground and ran as though being chased by demons and considering the war that was taking place all around us I don't think this was far off.  Back in the house with the lights out and huddled close we watched it unfold like an epic Greek battle between the gods.  It was Awesome and Raine though a bit nervous caught some of the excitement of the moment and even oohed and aahed as forks of lightning came down on all sides of the house.  It took about 40 minutes before moving off into the distance and being that we were still up we chose to go back out to the tent to give the overnight one more try.

We played a few games (bullspit / tic tac toe) and had just settled down to sleep when the torrential rain began again and the sky started flashing.  The look on her face was priceless as she said, "Mom, that's it we are calling it a night!  Let's go in right now."  Haha  I sometimes forget which on of us is the parent ;)

So it was off to bed with a promise to have smores for breakfast if the weather had improved (Hey, you only live once!)

Sunday morning brought sunshine and the promise of a beautiful day, even the cats came out to join us.  We lit the pit, caught some marshmallows on fire, and then had a healthy breakfast (farm fresh eggs, turkey ham, and zucchini) fireside. 

All in all it was a great "dry" run that we will never be forgotten and will be bringing us smiles long after the the vivid storms of this season move past us and make way for the long nights of winter...

Hot New Dress sparks Photo Shoot!

Let me just start by saying that I Love this Dress and that I have been waiting for it to go on sale for what seems like forever!  On Saturday on our way to pick up a air mattress for camping we just happened to swing by the girls section and Hot Damn it finally was.  Raine gave me a look when I asked if she liked it like I had possibly lost my mind, but I said "trust your mother honey" and man am I glad she did.  So without further ado...

Isn't she and it beautiful!!

It's sophisticated in an under the tree, read in the sunshine sort of way.

It stands out and yet blends in to it's surroundings.

It makes a point.

It can even pull off serious.

Vanna White eat your heart out!

It's goofy and a little Popeye Esq.

It definitely means business!

It makes you ponder all the possibilities.

It's visible even in the Dark!

And last but not least...It so fits the personality of the kid wearing it!!!

Another View from the Garden

One week later...

The Magnificent Rubharb

Gets Bigger!

She Spies

Baby Squash!

The Zucchini is harvested,

and new ones grow...

Back in the Saddle

Well Hello Everyone! Its been a long time since I have really ocupied this space but I think I missed it and am glad to be back. Ok, where to start? How about the garden....

This years garden is a great improvement over any other I've every done! We put in 4 raised beds and brought in soil to really give it a go. The results, well come on in and let me give you the grand tour...

Meet the rhubarb!

Look how big just a leaf is...that is my size 9 shoe!!!

Raine's favorite: The Tomato Garden! Look at that Smile!

She's on the Prowl.

First Harvest.

Zucchini

Squash

Herb Garden

Full View

Chasing Fireflies

Twilight descends across the land painting the sky a deep indigo blue,
As mother earth sets the stage this evening just for me and you,
You lay on a blanket watching in awe as the stars slowly come awake,
I lie besides you and secretly smile at the wonder on your face,
There is a moment of complete silence, as the twilight turns to night,
You whisper that you can hear the fireflies getting ready for their flight,
The moment passes quickly as a summer serenade begins,
A chorus of frogs, an orchestra of crickets, all accompanied by the wind,
It's the music of the season and tells a story all its' own,
Of a kindom filled with faeries that sit upon an ancient thrown,
I tell you that they travel by night, sprinkling dust on flowers to make them bloom,
That the sing and celebrate their joy under the light of the brightest moon,
You ask me how they see when Luna forgets to turn on her light,
I remind you that it is by firefly that the faeries will then take flight,
You gaze at the field below us just as they appear,
And can barely contain your excitement as they draw ever near,
You wonder aloud that if you chase them is it a fiaerie you will see,
I say that anything is possible if only you believe,
So off into the meadow you run with arms open wide,
A peel of delighted laughter surfacing from deep inside,
I watch as the magick takes you and your dreams come to life,
And I remember myself chasing fireflies on a not so long ago night...

To Raine with all my love~Mom

St. Patrick's Day Party

Yesterday was one of our favorite holidays of the year! It all started with a visit from our friendly leprechaun trickster Lucky. He always comes while we are sleeping or out for the day and this year was no different.

An Amazing Grace

I am but a single drop of rain, falling down from the heavens, in search of a body of water to become one with, to belong to, to learn from. I am but a simple spirit in awe of the world around me as I float once again down to this great earth’s painted landscape below. I am as always stunned by her beauty and the contradiction that makes up her very soul. She is both powerful and weak, made of water and stone and petal and leaf. She is violent in her fury and yet so soothing after its’ peak. She protects what she must to keep us all safe and forgives all that is; no matter how much of her resources it takes. It is my hope in life to be this great, this kind, this forgiving. Not just to be one drop of water by itself but to become an integral part of the whole that brings about a greater change. I aspire to be the one that completes what already is instead of trying to defeat what already was. I am a dreamer from a far off place that has been touched by the sun, transformed to a different body and brought back by the very same cycle from where I once began before. I once thought that I was something so small and insignificant that I could not possibly change what is, but I have been to the heavens and back and am all the wiser for it. I have discovered the secrets of beyond and understand the way of this magnificent gift called life. I once was unto myself and wanted to be apart from the rest of this world, to be on my own and accomplish my triumphs without any of my fellow travelers to lay claim to my glory. What I have realized from my past journeys is that it is not about the trail that you burn up and consume on your way to the stars, but about the hands that you hold and the hearts and minds that you touch along the way that matter the most. It is how you live this life and the paths you take to get there as opposed to how far you actually go. It is remembering that we are together for a reason and that to overlook what is so simply before us is to completely miss the lessons and life that we were set here to experience in the first place. Hold not to the pain and suffering but to the love and joy that you have the ability to give. Remember that any one of us can choose to strike back at those that have left us ravaged and broken in their wakes, but that it takes a scarred heart filled with an amazing grace to forgive and love those that have yet to figure this out. Choose not to avoid those before you but to leave this life having truly touched everyone you meet. Be known for the gentleness of your voice, the kindness of your eyes and the way that you freely give of yourself. Let the powers of your heart guide you and heal you along your way, and teach this way of being to as many as you can…

Melanie

Thoughts

A space in time to light the way,
Simple thoughts to guide my day,
After these moments may my soul receive,
The energy of well wishes that I need,
Shadow of doubts be cast aside,
As my very being be filled with pride,
Know thyself and trust in my sight,
And my inner most dreams will be brought to light,
Choose your path and walk it’s way,
Each step to strengthen me and bring what may,
Accept this journey and hold nothing inside,
And as this is done the earth will provide,
For I am water and she is me,
As I will it…so shall it be~

Off to Baltimore...

I'm off to Baltimore this weekend to visit Nik & Tony. I'll be back on monday...

Whirlwind

This year and the end of last have been a frantic ride on a whirlwind. I am just starting to get into the new rhythm of things. The blog has been silent for a while and I hope in the next months to make it a priority again because it is a release that I have missed. So hang in there and be on the lookout for updates and some more glimpses into the life of Melanie and Raine...