Practicing Papa...

Trying out the baby sling...and blankies and new baby clothes....






















Onnie is the baby for now...but not for long!!
















Mama and Papa enjoying the Eugene Celebration parade on our 5 year wedding anniversary


Visiting our friend Andrea's new family...a mama, papa and baby horse!!

KC's Corner

Some highlights of the Friendly Street neighborhood, taken on the way to KC's school...

Eugene neighborhoods have lots of these creative doorways...


One of the most beautiful Willow trees we have ever seen...


Another interesting yard feature...


Here are some pics from KC's school, the Hazelwood House...

A cute little "yurt fort" for the kids...


A beautiful loft built in the same style as the one at the Eugene Waldorf School...



Looking out from inside...a gigantic fig tree and a couple apple trees outside. Over by the yurt fort Miss Rachel has a beautiful lush garden and some chickens. What a great place for children to play!

Homeland

Lisa, mom, Lori and I at Whistling Bird...the Iron Range's ONLY Jamaican restaurant.


My visit home last month meant the world to me. I needed to connect with my family, close friends, and north country roots as a way to gain support, strength and confindence for my upcoming task of giving birth. I also wanted our loved ones to be able to see and feel our baby growing...not just through pictures. Both the new grammas got some good baby kicks, and that right there made everything worth it!

Gramma Dede and Grammy Linda

The baby shower was magnificant...and a bit overwhelming! There were so many lovely ladies there to show their love and support. I wanted to sit down and have a good chat with each and every one there, but it was not quite possible. I want to extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to all those who joined us in celebration, as well as all those who wanted to be there but couldn't. A special thanks from the bottom of our hearts to Lori, Lisa and my mom for making it all happen.

Leelee and Natasha feet in Lake Superior

I am writing down a day-by-day recount of the trip in our baby journal...I'm finally on the last full day, when Natasha and I went to the big beautiful Lake Superior. We travelled to Gooseberry Falls lakeshore site where KC and I got married 5 years before that. It was a day just like that day in fact...cloudy and misty as we approuched to rocks, then warm beams of sunlight as we took in the magik of the place. We wandered down to the shore and even took a dip! These are some of her beautiful photographs from that day.
To see more, here is a link: http://s427.photobucket.com/albums/pp351/breathesun/gichigami/





Here is the bench KC and I visit everytime we go to Gooseberry. We got some cute wedding pictures taken there.

Bryce Creek

We spent a wonderful afternoon in the 100 degree heat, cooling off in the mountain waters of Bryce Creek, about 40 miles south of Eugene. My first time swimming since I've been pregnant. A beautiful sacred place to enter. Our friends Ali and Heather came with us. Heather is a doula and is having a special workshop for pregnant womyn out on her land in November. She wanted to photograph me for the flyer, as well as take some special pictures for KC and I to have, so here are some of my favorites...be prepared, clothing was optional!
PS: If you're wondering...KC and I are covered in smushed up blackberries. ;-)

More Pics from Faerieworlds!

Pictures taken during our Saturday night performance with Qntal, an amazing and beautiful band from Germany. We were in the front of the stage and the audience all moved back and sat down to watch us. Afterwards we got lots of yells for "Encore" and people were grabbing our hands to shake them as we were making our way out of the crowd!


More from the Friday opening ritual, shot by a professional. I just love all these pics. What a great way to remember that weekend.

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The Miracles of Every Day

This Being within me has opened my soul up to so many more miraculous happenings around me. I am so thankful for every breath, every sense and every moment. Here are just a few recent blessings we have recieved:

-thunderstorms this morning and last night (a very rare occurance in Eugene)
-seeing an angel in the clouds last night with the full moon shining through
-taking baby swimming for the first time at a sacred mountain creek with papa and two soul sisters who will be at the birth
-covering KC and I from head to toe in smushed up blackberries (photos to come)
-communicating with baby thru meditation, journaling, dreaming and yoga
-seeing my belly move
-watching our garden bloom
-connecting with family and loved ones far away
-knowing that soon we will all be together again.

The Faerieworlds Ritual

Our troupe was asked to perform at this year's Faerieworlds festival, a fast-growing annual celebration of the mysitcal world of Faeries, pixies, gnomes and hobbits. Thousands of people come to Eugene for it from all over the world, including Brian and Wendi Froud, the world-famous illustrators and puppeteers who collaborated with Jim Henson on movies such as the Dark Crystal and the Labyrinth, and whose son Toby (who was also there) played the baby Toby in the Labyrinth.
Anyhoo, we taught a workshop there Saturday and performed that evening with the famous German band, Qntal. Friday some of us were asked to participate in the opening ceremony blessing and ritual. I got to represent the mother muse! Here are some pics.

All the Luminessah ladies dressed for the fest...you actually stood out more if you did not dress up!

Preparing for the blessing...jeannie, Lila and I were veiled in white red and black for the maiden, mother and crone. We mostly spun around in a rotating circle through all the directions. There was a huge circle of faeries all around us.

My belly got a lot of attention!! Baby even kicked a couple people who came in the rub the belly! My good friend Serene made my outfit especially for the ritual.

(more pics of day two to come later)