Light Blue Circles

Took with us a few things from this road trip.

Assorted Eye Fillers

and 

Now's the Time

This winter is taking a mental toll on me hard.  I don't mind small towns, heck I don't even mind Iowa really.  It's just not where we had planned on being this year.  As we got thrown for a loop last summer.  And we are making the most of it.  We're not quite as broke here because our rent's pretty reasonable.  We live near Chris' parents and he's got a job at a Natural Food Market Co-op as the general manager and Enoch's doing so nicely in school and has become quite the reader now.  We're doing decent, hell we even signed up for Netflix and get movies on demand on our Wii.  Iris is getting more and more clear in her speech as she enters the 2 year mark.  I am being a little tongue and cheek but I am ready to move on.

I am fully aware of how we got here.  I remember it clear as a bell.  We moved to Los Angeles to get more sun, to be close to my Mother and Father and very good friends.  However, things soon went 'south' with good ol' mom and dad.  And it wasn't the first time either.  The days into Iris' birth were beautiful but bittersweet as well,  my mom and dad came to visit and abruptly left on sour terms.  Let's say it's been an ongoing theme in my relationship with my parents.  Luckily I have amazing friends who know probably more about me than my mother and father ever will.  And why should I let this sudden brake off of biological familial blood run me asunder.  I am not defined by their fears right?  Anyway, heavy stuff.  Too heavy for this blog I bet so I'm clearing out the mental junk.  It's my early version of Spring cleaning.  As I look out from window to window on a snowy day I remind myself how very good I have it.  I'm not homeless, I have my own family of two kids and an awesome husband who's been there through all this challenging self analysis.  Last year the blows just kept on coming, I experienced other losses, which I can't go into here but every day the sun gave way to morning and things began all over again.  And hey, Iowa's got a charm all it's own.  

So now's the time to get going.  I don't want to hold back or let my mental trips overtake progress.  And maybe just maybe we can create a gem out of this.  

2011 Heaven, goodbye 2010 the 'Interesting Year'

How is everyone doing so far this year?  Well, here are some photos of what X-mas and New Year's looked like around here in Algona, Iowa.

 I made that 'oval' wreath (above) using the tree clippings from the bottom.  We cut our own tree this year on a snowy day at a lovely Tree Farm on the outer part of town.  The tiny red twig dogwood branches are from my husband's family.  There was a ton of them to use this Holiday. 

Below we have a photo of E-man eating his gingerbread house he helped to decorate at our dear friend Rebecca's house (she had a gingerbread making party that was so much fun, tons of kids having fun).  Rebecca and E made the shingles of the house together and it came out so good.  Thanks R!

The last weekday of winterbreak, we went a sleddin'.

**  And below is sorta a year in review.  Here is a photo of our sunporch at the beginning of winter.

Iris and her beloved cookies in our 'new' apartment's kitchen!

I was gifted with a new plant over in the background (above pic) from C's mom, the Christmas Cactus is one of my favorite indoor houseplants and I don't have much greenery since the move!  We've also been making soymilk by the heaploads and gave a swing at making some sourdough bread.  Bread adventures on the horizon! We spent the Christmas Holiday with C's family and ate yummy warm food.  For New Year's C and I celebrated a day early with a margarita and some good laughs.  I have a lot to be thankful for!  I remind myself as much as I can that abundance abounds.

So this is where the journey from Oregon into Calif., and saying our hard to do farewells to P-town began!  We thought we were on our way to Los Angeles to live for awhile where my side of the family resides and a few real rad pals...  Little did we know just how soon we'd be departing Los Angeles (1.5 months after arriving).  We traveled lite that time (the move from Portland to L.A.).  With a camper cargo carrier on top of our car and the rest shipped off in a crate.  First, (below) is the photo of all of Enoch's awesome Portland, Oregon pals at his Bon Voyage party.  I still remember the kindness of the families and the children whom Enoch befriended.  It was bittersweet to be leaving our Portland friends for sure!

This above photo was taken at Cape Disappointment in Washington.  Then time slipped by and it was goodbye Pacific Northwest, so sad we miss everyone.

The Hi-Lo stay and E located in Weed, CA.  Mt. Shasta area.  It's fun there!

We got to finally make our way down to SF on during our move to Los Angeles.  San Francisco is where C and I lived years before.  Little E was born and raised there for almost 2 years.  On the left is our beautiful Pal Risa.  We miss our friends in SF for sure.

Los Angeles (below) was pretty good to us.  Seeing the ocean all the time and good friends and reconnecting with long lost family was revitalizing.  Other things happened while we were there that were quite challenging to get a handle on, life defining infact.  But the happy parts definitely overshadow the sad.  Now we definitely feel like a family of road warriors!

And now presently, here in Iowa.  Some long awaited (by me) projects in the works, low light photos on a late night.  Just sketches and in the first stages.

So, treasured times overall and hopefully more and uplifting fun in 2011.  All has been just fine.  We're lucky to be meeting such nice new people everywhere we have lived.  And to have C's family here in town (Iowa) is really fun and helpful.  Of course we miss Oregon and LA and SF even.  Who knows what 2011 holds for us.  We are keeping our head up tho'.  Happy New Year's wherever you are from Ancient Pocket here in Algona, Iowa!

Algona, Iowa (Fall 2010)