The Days Go On...

(Para Español hacer click a qui)

...and the waiting continues. 

It has  been 5 months since it all began.  Five months of tests and still unknowns.  You would figure that by now there would be some sort of answer.  There isn't.  First they thought it was Multiple Sclerosis (MS for short).  The symptoms are all there, they all point to it, but the tests came back negative (aside from a lesion found on my brain.) Now they think it may have been strokes.  Strokes?!! So more tests are being done.  More visits to the neurologists, more blood work drawn, more MRI's, more waiting.  The waiting is the hardest part.  I think if I just knew what was wrong I could deal with it and move one.  Right?  Maybe it is just an illusion, maybe that will be the case.  On the mean time, I hate being in limbo.  The unknown can be scary.  

Out of all this unknown though, there is one thing I have learned.  It is to let go.  To let things be.  To enjoy the now.  Dishes can wait, laundry can wait, housework can wait, even blogging can wait.  Those things will always be there for me to do, they are never ending tasks, they aren't as important as spending all my energy (as much or as little as I may have) with my family and friends:

Cuddling with my hubby to watch his favorite show (okay maybe not his favorite, it's just too gruesome for me, but close enough.) 

Snuggling with my little ones while they fall asleep. 

Leaving an untidy kitchen indoors to spend time out back around the fire pit roasting marshmallows.

Inviting friends (and the lot of kids) over for a late morning brunch.

Having long phone conversations with my family far away. 

Sleeping in when ever I can.

Taking it slow...or slower.  

Yes this are the things I have learned this past few months of unknowns.

As they say:  
After a storm comes a rainbow.  
I am trying to find rainbow where ever I can.

Happy week friends.

2012 Through Instagram

(*Para español ver abajo*)


I've seen these photo collages around other blogs before and I so wanted to create one for the longest time,  especially since this year I took most of my photos with my phone since my Nikon needs to be repaired and I've been to lazy to take it.  It is interesting and fun to see a whole year (or most of it, since I do take way more photos than these) in one spot.  It brings back all these wonderful, happy, sad, and warm feelings.

If you like you can follow me @lisarenata.  

***

Ya tengo tiempo queriendo crear uno de estos collages.  Se me hacen padrisimos.  Y con eso de que la mayoría de las fotos este año las tome con mi teléfono porque tengo que mandar a arreglar mi Nikon, pero me ha dado una flojera llevarla a reparar, se me hizo mas que perfecto.  Es interesante y divertido ver todas las fotos (o la parte de, pues tomo bastantes) en un solo lugar.  Me traen lindos recuerdos.

Me puedes seguir en instagram soy @lisarenata.

Memories Of a Traveling Abuela

She carried it with her when she traveled.  That's the first thing I would see her carry into the house when she arrived.  Hanging from her hands, those warm loving hands.  It was always full of make-up, jewelry and other trinkets that any child would find amazing.  And sometimes she would have something wonderful hidden in there, just for me.

Oh how I loved to see that little suitcase.  It meant she was here to stay for a while.  To hug me, to sing with me, to play with me, to listen to me.  My first best friend.  My abuelita.  But never would I call her that.  Oh, no.  She felt she was far too young to be called abuela, so instead I simply called her Mama Lisa.  My mama Lisa. 

Always so elegant.  She walked into a room and all would turn and look at her.  An amazing woman.  A confident woman.  A strong woman.  She raised two girls all on her own after her very young husband died of cancer.  She moved to the United States and taught herself English. She spoke it impeccable.  She worked hard.  She sent both my mother and aunt to private schools both here in the US and in Mexico.  She sent them to college as well.  She never gave up.  I admired her then.  I admire her more now that I am a mother.  She was incredible.

I miss her.  I was only nine years old when she died.  

To this day I look up to her, and always wonder how she would have handled things.  I know she is guiding me from up above.  

So when this past spring while visiting my parents, my mother walks into the house (after searching for something for a while in the garage) holding this same little suitcase, I knew exactly who it belonged to.  "De mama Lisa!" I exclaimed.  She didn't need to say it.  My eyes began to get wet.  Memories flashed by.  

"Para ti,"  said my mom.  For me?  "Si," she responded.

And when I carefully opened it, inside we found this:

The one and only things inside.  

A birthday card she had sent me as a child.

It was my Mama Lisa's way of telling us it was meant for me.

Gracias Mama Lisa!  

And look, I filled it with lace and trims!  (I know she would appreciate that very much because she loved sewing as much as both my mami and I do.)

...and tucked inside with all that lace and trim I keep my birthday card to remind me of how special I was to her.  

Love Notes For My Little Guy

When he opens his lunch box the first thing I want for him to see is a love note from me.  Sometimes I write a word here and there, other times I simply draw him a picture.  I don't do it every day, but often enough that he expects it.  He likes it.  He says it makes him happy.  I like making him happy.

What I love the most is that he's been collecting every.single.one.of.them.  First he stuck them on his wall.  Lately he's been trying to figure out where to put them (they only stick to the wall for so long.)  I suggested he could put them in a mini photo album, but he didn't seem to keen on the idea.  

Any suggestions?

Happy Monday!

 

Garden Fairy

There's a little fairy in this garden of ours...

She comes when least expected.

She plays, and laughs, and dreams,

And sprinkles love everywhere.

And when she's done,

She leaves,

But not before leaving us little presents.

I love our garden fairy.

(tutu-torial here)

It's Crazy Around Here!

Oh yes indeed!  The full time crafting craze has begun.  Last year my friend Noelle and I decided to give it a try and sell our creations at local craft shows.  We liked it, it went well.  So this year we signed up for many, many more. 

My original plan was to craft through out the year, that way come fall I would have a nice selection of items to sell.  A stress free life, no worries about getting everything done weeks before the show.  REALITY CHECK!  Though I did craft a bit here and there, there is no way near enough merchandise ready for my firs craft show of the year (which just so happens to be in two weeks!)  Yes, so here I am crafting away.  Cutting, sewing, cutting and sewing some more.  Gluing and labeling.  All fun, but definitely keeping me busier than busy. 

My life.

Always running around,

Always doing.

I wouldn't change  it one bit.

That is just who I am.

And I embrace it just the same.

Me.

While keeping myself busy so has my super fairy chiquita.  Now that her brother is in back in school  you will often find her in the craft room by my side working on her own little projects.  I don't guide her, I let her be.  She never seizes to amaze me.  I love seeing what she'll come up with. 

My chiquito too.  Look at all those wool felt scraps, I mean, pasta in the making? 

May your week be filled with fun busy days.

Now I better get back to work!

Monday Randomness

Isn't funny when you are looking forward to something and can't wait to do it, but then when it is there in front of you, for what ever reason you don't?  That's the story of my life (for the most part.)  Lots of wants, lots of plans and not much time to do them.  So this morning, a beautiful cloudy morning, I decided to step out to the front porch with coffee on hand and sit on my not so new bistro set.  Something I had been planning for years!  You see, since the first day I saw our house I fell in love with its lovely front porch.  I totally pictured myself sitting there enjoying my coffee.  Forward 9 years later and a constant search for the perfect bistro set, I finally found one.  Mid summer.  The perfect one, just like I had envisioned it.  Only problem?  I've only sat on the lovely cushioned chair- once! 

So this morning while the kids were watching some t.v. I escaped for a few minutes and walked out to my front porch with coffee and sat there...just watching...and listening...to the birds chirping, the squirrels running up and down the trees, and the light drip drop of the scattered rain.  Still for a moment. A simple little moment of enjoyment. A moment for me.  

Then I came in and the doing began once more...

Sprucing up my son's art shirt/smock for school.  I used the same technique as the wearable art shirts (tutorial here).  On this shirt though, I also added some puffy paint.  When done I'll write his name below the scary (not!) alien to help my son find his art shirt in class with ease. 

Other randomness:

I'm in love with the sweet lemony flavor of this herbal honey with a hint of thyme.  Perfect in our tea.

Cutting more herbs to dry and freeze.  Yea, that is the fist time I'll be freezing basil.  A couple of days ago while at Trader Joe's I came across basil in the frozen isle.  Well, I can totally do that!  Can't believe I never thought of it before.  All you need to do is puree the basil and put it in tiny ice cube trays.  Pop them out after frozen and place them in a container to use later.  

While cutting around my herb garden I also came across these lovely little flowers.  Can you guess what plant they are from?

 

Chives!  I know, pretty right?  I had never let my chives bloom.  This year I decided to let them and I love them.  I made sure to cut them all before they drop their seed though, I don't need more chives growing than what we already get (and that is a lot!)

I got the kids a game of Gobblet Gobblers, it is so much fun to play! We've spent hours playing the other day.  Imagine tic-tack-toe but with a twist:  You get to gobble up pieces! 

She's good!

The other night my chiquita came in to the kitchen and announced she had made lots of headbands.  One for me and her friends.

How do I look?

Wishing you a great start to your week!