Here.

There has been a lot of pondering about this blog, and life.. however we have also been so busy that the most delicious thing we can manage each day is climbing, exhausted, into bed! How truly grateful I am that my bed is still in my cozy home, with warm insulation above and below - and that my cozy home is filled to the brim with people, animals, and things I love. Many people have not been so lucky over the last 6 weeks - in our country, and abroad. This has reminded me of the value of 'here'. Funny how life does that...

Happy 2011 to you!

Golly, it's a while since I've been here. hello to you and Happy 2011. I hope that, in the muddle of the Christmas and New Year's celebrations, you have been able to refresh yourself, even if momentarily, and that you are feeling positive about a new year.

I have declared 2011 the year of experiencing confidence in what I know (yipee! Sooo looking forward to my 3rd year of teaching, in this regard). I most want to experience love, and I have already discovered that the best way of doing this is, simply, remembering to breathe. How we overestimate the value of our breath. Seriously.

The other words that intrigue me ths year are 'abundance', 'grace' and 'gratitude'. What lovely words. My actual 'word for the year' is discipline. Watch this space on how I go with that ;) So far the dog has had a walk every day so it's looking good!

What a ramble... just to give you an idea of what's been inspiring me, I'll post you some links.

Rejuvenation and centering is what I received on my weekend to Martinborough (just this last weekend) with 3 dear friends from University years... we stayed here:

http://www.martinborough.com/tui/index.html is the link. It was sooo restful, peaceful, within walking distance of the Square and wineries - and just plain clean and calm. Ahhhhh!

I have been loving this ebook Flying Lessons - http://kellyraeroberts.com/ecourses/, purchased on the strength of a whisper from my creative self... who knows where it will lead. The bit about creating community has led me to Facebook, and soaking up Kelly Rae's positive approach to life has reached through layers of facade to my beaming inner self. Totally quenching my thirst for authenticity in living.

I have also been nourished by Jen Lemen's blog http://jenlemen.com/blog/ - so much going on, and still a steady focus on her heart and on hope. A newbie to the blogger world is http://www.kristinnoelle.com/ . Another nourishing idea - tending trust.

I toast a 'camping marguerita' to you.. with some tropical popcorn on the side

and please... feel free to leave me crumbs of what's been nourishing you lately! xx C

Our first 'proper' renovation project!

As promised, I am posting up some photos of our first grown-up, proper home renovation project!

Our home is a State house, built in 1953. Titahi Bay got the first State house in the country, and it sits a couple of streets over. This home we chose is blessed with a North-facing lounge and a lovely flat section. We have been here for 6 years now (this week, actually!) and the cosy-ness in winter, and sunshine in summer, have nurtured our souls and our babies.

And all along we have felt that this place deserved a decent do-up. It was whipped into shape by previous owners, but their job was a superficial one. We want to do it justice.

Of course, this takes dollars so progress has been slow. We decided the bathroom was the room most in need and started the process about 3 years ago when hubby knocked out the wall between the toilet and the tiny bathroom. Phew! Space!

Next came my teacher training, and my first year as a teacher.. still the plans were mulled over. Finally, this August, the builders came. Our bathroom went from the above, to this:

to this (we only have one window now):

to this: ta-daaaa....

Every time I go in, my heart sings! I love the sparkle of it, I love the bright colours like watercolour paint on the lino, and I love that the paint colour fits perfectly and is called Onepoto - the name of the big park around the road. Mostly I love that this room is living testament that dreams can come true. Waiting is required, along with visualization, trust, and ... yes... love!

While I'm here..

Scout, our crazy dog, is growing and has become a dynamic part of our family!! He is 9 months old now and, while it should have happened months earlier, he had his first haircut on the weekend. This will give you a smile :o)

Hi! Join me for a cuppa...

It is the school holidays again and.. after several days of sorting and clearing, and resting, I feel like 'Cheryl' again. Phew! My mind has been here for several days - thinking of what to share, and how to possibly catch you up on the last 4 months. The bathroom renovation photos are to come, and other juicy snaps from round our lovely whare.

For now, I invite you to join me in a cuppa. We have been enjoying schott's Lemon Honey and Ginger drinks, hot (they're a wellington company, you know).

I took this photo of mine last night to send my Dad. He lives in America and has the flu. This drink would certainly help. I sent him lots of love too. What have you been up to?

Fishing

A glimpse into my life where I find beauty in.. baking?

People who know me know that I have my own unique sense of style.. if you can call it that. One of my dear friends will tell you about a time we went into Auckland city as teenagers, me dressed in my petticoat (it was the 80s!), op shop 'blouse', floral waistcoat, and lace dressing gown. That same friend will tell of how she nearly fainted when the woman in the fabric shop commented on how groovy I looked! There will be my husband who raises one eyebrow at the idea that I might have a 'sense of style', and then there is everyone who knows that I love colour.

So, when I read this blogpost http://www.sankofasong.com/blog/game-of-go-fish/ from sound guy (ok, he's more than that, but just wanted to shorten it) Fabeku, I let out a huge sigh... this resonates with me! Some things really do, and I so totally mask over that in my rush to be a .. heaven-forbid ... people-pleaser. ARGHH! The fact that I only like the outside of the carrot, not that sweet bit in the middle, and care about peg marks on clothes when you hang them on the line, are my things.. They may so totally not resonate with you.. but there are some people out there who will absolutely get this .. or at least appreciate it.

Go have a look. I look forward to reading your comment. Meanwhile, I'm going fishing... ;o)

A shift

I'm not sure who really comes here, but, if you do, then maybe you are interested in pondering with me how life grows and evolves. There is the yearning - dreams are good (I always get that Happy Feet song playing in my head when I think that 'You got to have a dream, if you don't have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come truuuue'), and there is a time for finding motivation in reaching, stretching...

But, it seems to me, there is a little-talked-about consolidation time that is required, once dreams come. My dreams have come true: I have two healthy, happy, fun, loving, delicious children, a cute puppy, a sunny house in the 'burbs with a fenced section and 'good bones', a loving, intelligent, handsome husband with a sense of humour that always makes me laugh (even when I'm grumpy), and supportive, thoughtful extended family. I am a TEACHER!! I have a career - and I can do things with this training that can (do?) positively influence the children of today who are our adults/society of tomorrow. For this, I am deeply grateful.

It's the living of the dream that is causing me to stumble a little. (OK, a lot, just at this time) There are plenty of 'yeah, buts' going on... I am living my dream FULL STOP Yeah, but how do I fit in the exercise I need to be healthy in my head so I don't be grumpy to the children (at home, in class). Yeah, but how do I get reflection time to make the connections between the learners (all 23 of them) and their next steps, then put that in my planning, in an interesting way so that I appeal to all learning styles... yeah, but, how do I make do all this and make sure we have enough healthy food to get us through the week.

One idea is systems - routines, systems for EVERYTHING. You must know, you might feel it yourself, that resistance. I want the JUICEY-NESS of life not the routines. yet, I am wondering if that's how one gets to the juice - by ways of taking care of the mundane.

Any words of wisdom from out there in Blogland? Voices of experience who have tried this and found a better way? or, have I stumbled on a pearl of wisdom that I should write down for Emma and Ciaran when they are wondering the same things?

I would LOVE to hear from you :o) Cheryl