{this moment}

Inspirited weekly by SouleMama: {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

snow, 2011

I haven't had any quiet time yet for thinking about my intentions for this new year...I guess that should be one goal - more quiet time for writing and reflecting...I will get to them when I am ready.  This weekend would have been the perfect time but somehow, it just flew by...we had some snow on Friday, Saturday was grey, windy, and cold.  Sunday was sunny and the snow looked beautiful.  We slowly took down the christmas tree.  Winter is wondrous...it may be grey some days, but the sunny, snowy days are worth it!

Seneca...using BlacKeys Super Grain film, Hipstamatic

Seneca had lots of fun at the park today!

Mike had fun too!

Last shot of Christmas Tree 2010...Alfred Infrared Film...Hipstamatic App

{this moment}...SNOW!

A post inspired by SouleMama:

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."

ps. i am very excited for the first snow of 2011.

my intentions for 2011

A long time ago, my friend Jessie and I started brainstorming, drawing, and writing out our goals for each new year.  There were not exactly resolutions, but more like goals from a strengths perspective and there were several different categories for which to fit each goal. We started doing this over 10 years ago! (Can you believe that, Jessie??)  Sometimes, we worked at a tea house, or we discussed it over the phone, west coast to east coast, and once we brainstormed on a plane.  I have introduced my friend Laura to this new year's ritual as well (in Mexico right??).  Some years, I create a visual work with my goals and hang it somewhere so that I can glance at it often throughout the year. Sometimes, Jessie and I send monthly postcard updates on how we were doing with our goals. 

It is about this time, that I look at last years' goals and start thinking about the new year.  Last year, I wrote about going into my second year of living with cancer and how that impacted my goals.  Now, that it has been 2 full years of living with cancer, I am thinking of how I will enjoy and live my third year with happiness despite this awful disease.  I guess time does really help, because each year gets a tiny bit easier. I will always have really bad days but the everyday is much easier than it was last year and WAY easier than it was going starting that first year.  Phew! 

So I am off to brainstorm for 2011.  Maybe I will post a few things I come up with here! 

before the end of 2010

I want to reflect on this year and think about the opportunities to come in 2011.  But before I do that, I needed to try a go at making homemade cinnamon buns.  Who doesn't like that can of buns with icing?? When Whole Foods recently started selling a "natural" brand of cinnamon buns in a can in their cold isle, I forgot all about my 'health' diet and brought them home for breakfast.  They are delicious...but even the whole foods version still has a lot of crap in it.

So...I wanted to try making my own.  Yes, there is sugar, but at least, there is not crap that has names we don't like and I made them half whole grain...so a tiny bit healthier.

After a few more minutes in the oven, I will soon enjoy the rest of 2010 with a nice cup of tea and homemade cinnamon buns.  I used the recipe posted on 101 Cookbooks.  As suggested by this recipe, there is a whole batch in my freezer for later.  So maybe if a few of those family members who live far away in RI will come around to a visit Montclair soon, they will get to enjoy the homemade goodness.  

But, hurry, because Mike and I may thaw these babies out real soon...

christmas 2010

We just got back to New Jersey, which is full of snow.  We spent several days in RI, celebrating Christmas with a whole bunch of family!  It was a wonderful holiday, filled with quality family time, delicious food, and lots of snow!

I did't take too many photos and most consisted of cute niece or nephews. Sorry, they steal the show!

{this moment}

A post inspired by SouleMama:
"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."