Bear

Bear, Proudly Standing, full of grace and strength,

you appear before us,
your face alight with the wisdom of one who has journeyed far
and witnessed much of man`s inhumanity to man.

Your gentle eyes weep for the pain you have borne witness to,
your soul afire with the knowledge that there is
so much more to the Walk around
the Sacred Hoop.

Your mind blazes with the desire to communicate to we,
the two-legged, that all life is infinitely precious,
and to be held sacred and revered.

There comes a gentle stirring from Within, like autumn leaves
blown by a restless wind, it harkens us back to a time,
when All walked as One.

When the force of Great Mystery moved across the face
of the waters in the veil of silver moonlight,
and rode freely upon the Seven Winds.

Wise Sister, who reminds us that Destiny`s Beginning and End,
                                                      resides not Without . . . but Within

                                                     I thank you for your Selfless Love, and pray
                                                   we will all hear your call to Awaken
                                                  to the glowing embers of
                                                the Soul`s Memory.

My Etsy Shop

I just listed items on Etsy.com!
I have seven dresses posted and three pairs of ballet slippers.
I still have more dresses to post, but I ran out of time.
I hope to add more this week, to get things on there before Christmas.

Finding Heaven

Each day I try to find "beauty" in my day....I usually find it as I am driving to work in the morning. I can find it in the vineyards, fog rolling over the hills, a hot-air balloon, a really cool car, cloud formations, the mountains...but I try to find something. Today as I was driving home from work, I saw some really cool cloud formations, as the sky was turning to rain...bright blue sky, sun blazing and there was a hole in the clouds with God's sun rays shining down through the billowy white. That is where I find heaven. I said out loud, "Hi Kathy!" Hello to my sister in heaven who left us going on 18 years! But, that is where I find her...in the opening of the clouds, through God's sun rays. This time when I said that, I did not get teary-eyed, I just smiled!

My Home Someday!

One of the Most Beautiful Places on Earth!

Jesse and Trevor's Wedding

Jesse on her wedding day
August 21, 2010

This is in the bridal room at Warren Woods where Jesse got ready to make that once in a lifetime trip down the aisle with her dad to marry the love of her life!
























About a year ago... we were in the midst of getting ready for Corey's wedding. During this time, I am sure I had a conversation or two with Jesse about her getting married. Little did I know that I would be planning another wedding 6 months after Corey's wedding! Jesse and I had a "heart to heart" talk in February while she was home from school for a bit. It was a serious conversation as, she told me that she and Trevor were wanting to get married and in August! I always knew that they would get married, but I had also asked her to give us time time to recuperate after Corey's wedding...was that too much to ask???

I guess my eyes were filled with $$$ signs and I felt there goes my retirement $$$. I probably should not have had those thoughts, but I did and I was a bit upset about it and not very positive or encouraging. Part of the reason I had those feelings was because of the timing...August is a very busy time of year for my work schedule and it was one more time that I had to take time off...I was just not feeling good about it. but she was not engaged yet...so....

I got over that hurdle and let it go for a bit....then in May Jesse called and left a message...that Trevor had proposed! Well, they indeed did pick August, as that was the only time they could get enough time off from school to have a wedding. So, again, I got through the news of the date....and we got right on to planning this wedding - as we only had a little over three months to get it all done! Corey really helped me out with a lot to get things going and we both got our fingers typing through websites....searching for locations and decorations and more!

One of the first things that Jesse did was search for her wedding dress. As her mom, I wanted to be with her when she tried them on...that is part of the Mother of the Bride tradition! Well, being that Jesse is in Utah and I am in California...it didn't quite work out that way. I got a phone call from Jesse telling me that she was at a bridal store with Trevor's sister Emily...and her intent was to just look. Well, the stores usually don't let you do that...of course...they want to sell you a dress! But, Jesse fell in love with a dress she tried on. My heart kind of sank as I wanted to be there for this historical moment (and yes, I got teary-eyed)....but when a bride-to- be finds "the one" you just have to let all those possessive feelings go and just say "yes" to the dress! So, I thank Emily for being there with and for Jesse and being her mom for the day.

In those three months we visited at least five locations (took loads of photos), found the photographer and DJ and hairdresser and started to put the guest list together. Jesse picked her colors, Trevor's mom was down for making the cake and Walt, Trevor's dad arranged for all the flowers. Kathy &Walt also agreed to put together the rehearsal dinner! We passed emails back and forth on ideas for decorations and all the other details. I took a trip to Utah in June to take all the info I had collected and Jesse and I did some shopping for things. Trevor, Jesse and I spent a lot of time talking about the details and they picked the location. Warren Woods in Sebastopol! A gorgeous place. I knew it had everything Jesse wanted in a location and they did the catering as well.

....getting though those months and to the wedding weekend....Trevor and Jesse arrived in California a few days before the wedding. We got the cars (3 of them) packed and headed to Bodega Bay and got ready for the rehearsal dinner. We headed for Warren Woods as the fog rolled in and all of Trevor's family and all of our family, special friends, bridesmaids, groomsmen, photographers and DJ all were treated to an amazing picnic with fantastic pies for dessert! We got the rehearsal going and then to end the evening we all enjoyed a slide-show of photos of the wedding couple from birth to present...ending with their engagement photos.

Wedding day morning was spent waking up and tip-toeing out into the kitchen of the Bodega Bay house finding the bride-to-be and her bridesmaids all cosy and huddled under their blankets in the living room! I made coffee and got breakfast together and then my hairdresser Michelle and her daughter arrived and the day began! It was a morning I will never forget having special conversations and moments with all the girls, my son Brian and daughters and husband. We all laughed and cried and just had a great time!

Then it was off to Warren Woods and the ceremony! We arrived at the site and we had to drop Jesse off...she had to hide in the bushes, as she did not want Trevor to see her before the wedding...so we had Trevor disappear and then Sarah and I walked Jesse in as she was hiding behind her wedding dress! The site was buzzing with excitement and lots of activity going on to prepare for the wedding and reception! Off the girls and I went to the bridal room to get Jesse dressed and all the girls ready and for photos. Jesse's Aunt Catherine was to be on hand to help her get into her dress and then we had Kathy, Trevor's mom come up to spend a few moments as well. From the bridal room we could watch and listen to all the guests arrive and then it was time for the ceremony......

...music began and off we all went down the aisle to a beautiful setting and so many smiling faces and happy tears! It all goes so fast, but the memories continue! One thing I need to say is that this wedding was truly a family affair where there were many hands helping to make Jesse &Trevor's wedding a spectacular event. My heart is not big enough to hold all the love that was there that day. It was a day of love and happiness and many happy, happy tears!

Corey & Ron's Wedding

The date was Saturday, November 21, 2009!
Corey married the man of her dreams that day!

I am going back in time, but I did not have a blog back then...and if I did, I probably would have written something daily on all the plans, preparations, hurdles and bumps in the road.

The wedding was in the most beautiful place, a place full of memories and a place dear to my heart. Corey & Ron got married in the Stewart Chapel at the San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, CA. Anyone who grew up in San Anselmo as I did, just knew this place as the Seminary. The location is in the center of the little town of San Anselmo and as you drive into town on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard the chapel and the "castle" like buildings just pop through the trees. My sisters and brother & I used to climb all over this place when we were kids, playing Robin Hood and Army. It was a place where my sisters and I would go at night to hang out and talk about boys, our dreams and any trials and tribulations were were having. It is kind of a "secret" place...kind of... our secret garden.

But back to the wedding....The processional was Under the Umbrella, from the movie, "Little Women". It was truly a family wedding with my brother-in-law Randy as the officiant, my niece Aubrey as a reader and as my husband, sisters and niece as singers! Part of the wedding four people were asked to give wedding advice to the couple and so, Corey's dad spoke (a one-liner) my father, Corey's grandfather spoke, Ron's brother Tim and my aunt Kathy spoke. All wonderful advice! Ron's family came all the way from Greely Hill, near Sonora. We had family and friends for a beautiful weekend of activities and it all turned out so incredible!

We started on Thursday night in a beautiful victorian home on the seminary property. We moved loads of boxes, the wedding attire, food, drink, decorations and more into the house and prepped for the wedding day. That night we gathered in the kitchen and watched Catherine & Allen make the cupcakes for the shower the next afternoon.

Friday it rained, well, it actually poured and some of the surrounding streets flooded! Corey & I and my sister and my niece headed out to get our manicures and pedicures and then to visit the honeymoon site. Of course, hoping all the way that it did not rain on the wedding day!

This will be an event in my life that I will never forget! We got back just in time to change for the shower and find that the house had been turned into an elegant affair with a dining table full of scrumptious treats and a gourmet lunch! Decorations and flowers were amazing!

At 3pm the shower was over and we turned the house into the location for the rehearsal dinner with a little tropical flair - setting up tables and decorating again! My amazing friend Debra and her husband Jim prepared the meal for that evening and it was an amazing feat! They worked so hard! the wedding party went up to the chapel for the rehearsal and we returned to have a great party and view a slide show starring the bride & groom (from babies through their engagement).

Wedding day morning I was the first to wake and make coffee and greet my hairdresser that arrived to do hair for the wedding party. My niece, Monica made french toast for breakfast and we all hung out and just enjoyed the morning with people buzzing by hair in rollers and different stages of make up and dress! My hairdresser, Michelle is not only an incredible at what she does but she is a very incredible person with a big heart! She tears up when she puts the veil on the bride...so she has us all going!

When everyone was ready we drove up to the church and got the bride ready and took tons of photos and then the event began.......all worth the work, all in love and it was the greatest feeling to have so many people in one place, all having a great time and all with smiles on their faces...I think it was heaven!

My Friend in Tea

I have the most wonderful friend that I would like to tell you about. Her name is Deb Heaphy and we have been friends for about 17 years. We both live in the same town and our children have grown up together. Debra is one of the most caring people I know on this planet and the best friend anyone could ever have.

Debra came into my life when she needed daycare for her sons James and David. James is a year younger than my son, Brian. David is a "special" guy and he was three years old when I started taking care of him. He is now 20! As our kids grew up and they stopped needing day care and I stopped taking care of other kids, Debra and I remained friends.

When I started my home party business with tea parties, our friendship has become even more solidified as Debra became my biggest supporter as she loves tea. She has one whole cabinet of tea in her kitchen! It is full of all sorts of varieties and flavors! She has had three Tealightful Treasures tea parties with me and we have done parties together where we have planned every detail! We love to go in search of tea rooms and we love to have tea together at least once a month. In fact today we had tea and she was kind enough to get us both lunch and we had iced tea with it. We love to try new varieties and flavors and we talk about tea every time we are together!

Well, then of course Debra and I each have a collection of tea pots. I will write about those in another post. But, Debra's collection is more extensive than mine, but as we have been collecting, we have also collected a story or two behind each tea pot.

Debra is a treasure and has brought much treasure into my life. She has helped me with my daughter's weddings (that is an understatement) and she is always good for an idea or two and she keeps me inspired in my business and creativity. She knits and sews and is a master at her craft! I am always in wonder how she makes things so fast and with such wonderful quality!

She is just an amazing friend and is forever and always will be....my friend!

The Beginning

I have always thought about writing a blog, but I was always weary that I would not have much to write about or even have any time to write. I am still thinking what this all should be about....ramblings or if I should write something that will always be remembered. I am thinking that I will venture into writing about family, tea, music and art...all things that make my life what it is. So, this is the beginning and there will definitely be more to come.