2010. (Already) that decade flew? so much has happened.
We have now been around for 12 years (and my baby will be 14 this month phew!)
The world has embraced as a standard organic EVERYTHING! “ The choice not a choice”, the people have spoken and global commerce has provided, fair trade is a phrase that everyone understands and most companies abide by, and the mantra, “ less is more ” is really the movement of the day. (And my family no longer thinks I’m a zealot!)
My thought is it’s better to have money, then to look like you have money!
I for one never understood the 1200.00 handbags? And the 100K automobiles,
“Can you live in either or eat them?”
This Holiday season I lowered my expectations, not because of depression, although those TV ads try to convince you that you do? Everything is a struggle, weight loss, finances, parenting, time management, it is depressing, and the thought of a prescription to take that all away is tempting, but not realistic for the most of us. I decided not to have the most perfectly decorated house on the street, not to spend 100’s on perishable garlands and wreaths, Cleo and I trooped through our woods, cut our own tree, made our own garland and gathered clippings for our mantle and window sills, She told me it was the best Christmas she has ever had! How could I have missed this opportunity in the past? “Baa-hoo doris, Bah-hoo doris, welcome Christmas day is hereeeeeeeee!, (Leave it to those who’s down in whoville!) Where have I been all these years?
Last year Cleo got a horse and I think that is equal to in my day the bike,” how do you top that?” I told her the next best Christmas she will have that compares to that will be the first Christmas in her first home! (And congratulations to everyone this holiday in there new homes) and the first Christmas when her first-born is 2 or 3! (Those were great years too!) this years not so crowed tree was filled of thankfulness and reflection.
Lastly, 10% (I’ve read its more like 25%) of the country is unemployed.
We had a dismal last quarter sales but I’m thankful for the customers we have that are loyal and supportive today as in the past decade, and I was sorry to see some of our oldest (and some new) stores go. (I wish them all the best in their new ventures)
My overall wish for this year is the creation of more Jobs. If this economic downturn has proven anything is that there is no job security. I met this past year, a wonderful woman who told me if anyone told her job and invested stock in the multi-billion dollar investment firm she works for would be gone and worthless, she would never believe it and what she said was the only real thing you can count on is yourself (“Amen!”)
“We will all rise like the phoenix from the ashes and the future will be bright!”
Get out there, put good vibes out into the universe and it will always come back!
“Merry New Year” Mary
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” (I guess?) We are soooooo busy, but not as busy as I would like to be. This year is about family and the little things. I saw a special about Christmas in the White House and how the Obama’s remembered this best Christmas gifts ever, I think in my day and age it was the Bike! (It your a mover and shaker it was the bike) Everyone has a story about the best gift ever and almost everyone thinks to their childhood!
My mom loved Christmas, we were from a sort of lean up bringing (really lean) but as kids you really don’t think of how much, just that in August I would have my selection picked out! (in August!) My daughter had a year where she could not think of one thing till Christmas eve and by that time I had it all wrapped-up, only she thought Santa had a hot-line and it was open “Up to the minute” (That was not good.) and I knew something had to change.
Every year since then, we decide what we will give first and what we need later, This year is about all the people close to us and who are most in need .
I told Cleo about the year I got a coat, she said, “You got a coat for Christmas?”, I said, “I needed a coat and what I wanted was not as important as being warm!” Since then she stops and thinks. I don’t think anyone is above losing everything. Look at all those people who invested with Madoff. Who is safe?
Love is the best investment. You always get so much in return!
Start your new babies off with that. Give first and then dream. Don’t be disappointed or discouraged. Babies are the best way to start people!(I don’t remember who said that?) but it is true
Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!
Love everyone close to you and who you meet!
Mary
Being Thankful……..
Thanksgiving is not about the turkey around here or that the pilgrims stole the land from the kind native indians.
It’s about all the little things that make us think and be grateful for it all. A warm day, the brillant leaves, family and health. Todays day was spent with our good friends at their BEAUTIFUL New England home where we reminisced about the early days of out kids (now 13 and soon to be 14!) and I spoke about how I would trade 6 babies for the one teenager that I now have!
OK, I really don’t think that way but during the dessert play and it’s un censored content I traveled back to the days of it being a simple and out of tune rendition of the Barney Theme song or jungle-bells!. I guess my point is that time flies and you don’t even remember getting on the plane?
The birth of a child is a course that you can only travel on in one direction with that one child once and never turn back. You will never get it all right, you can only do your best with what you know, you can read all the books and join all the chat room and ask what you think are all the right questions and still at some fork in the road none of it will matter (sure, some of it will be helpful but don’t give-up on your own instinct) “All a baby really needs is you.” was advise I was once given and that is the one that sticks in my head.
So as much as I wanted to ring Cleo’s neck for that performance, I gave her that look that needed no words, the one my mother would give me, I think it’s a thread that runs through us that Cleo may use one day! (She should be so lucky) I think Love is the answer.
And now on to Christmas……. Mary
Mary
No need to wipe your feet or leave your shoes at the door, instead sit back and make yourself comfortable as you browse our new site, our Facebook fan page and of course our blog where you can catch up on life here on the farm and on the road. Our love of the simple, organic side of parenthood and babies was the driving force behind the new site design. Although we weren’t able to figure out how to neither transfer the scent of honeysuckle nor generate the gentle breeze of a spring day from our computers to yours, we were able to create a site that shares the homespun qualities of nature, the simple, thoughtful touches of motherhood and a dash of fanciful design.
