DeSpain Family 2013 What a Wonderful World

To my family. Thanks for a wonderful year.  You have Blessed my life.
Love, your mom and grama

My Goals - Learn a new Talent every 30 years

When I was in my teens I took singing lessons. 

 I worked hard, had an extremely good teacher and enjoyed singing. 

 At the age of thirty I decided I needed to learn something new.

  I am extremely untalented when it comes to the arts, so I decided to stretch myself and took up painting. 

 This was very difficult for me, but I practiced and practiced and proved to myself that with enough practice you could get fairly good at anything. 

Well, another thirty years have passed and I've decided it's time to learn something else..

I've taken up the harmonica!

My first lesson was today. 

 It was actually quite fun, so I think I'll go back and hopefully with a little bit of practice I might be able to play a song or two.

 ( I wonder what I'll come up with when I turn 90 !  It seems I'm on a thirty year learning curve.)

"In Some Other Life"

I have a board on pinterest called "In Some Other Life.." 

It's a collection of images and a way of daydreaming.

In "some other life", I would line all my shelves, bake lovely pies and have beautiful roses climbing a white picket fence.

 

 In some other life, I would...

have a garden room, hydrangeas,   and... have massages and manicures...and of course a bit of shopping !

 

I have another board entitled "The Real Me." 

 This is more about who I am, what I like and am happy with.  I am truly grateful for my home, my life, my circumstances..

(although that massage thing doesn't look so bad.) 

I'm a wife, mother, grandmother, caretaker of three of those grandkids, my home is not large, but it's mine and I love it. 

 

"The real Me" needs shaking up every few years...I feel the need to spruce things up a bit.  Since I am not a part of that "some other life dream" I must improvise, which I am an expert at!  This week I am moving all the furniture in my house from one room to the next.  This will give each room a whole new look, plus a much needed deep cleaning..without buying any furniture. 

Jim is starting on a project in our kitchen.

 It's a small one, but will give us an open feel, which I am looking forward to. 

 

In "some other life", I would go out and buy new furniture, have someone paint the kitchen,

 I would be pampered and have lovely red cupboard lining.

 

In "the real me,"  I become creative and think of ways to improve my home without spending money.  I spend my days with little ones, enjoying their hugs, their joy and their laughter.  

 I like "the real me" more than the "some other lfe"

...except for that massage part.

The Best Days

"The best days are when you don't need anything extreme or special to happen to make
it great. 
 You just appreciate and enjoy what is and that's perfect enough."

~author unknown

A Gentle Path

"Take the gentle path."  ~George Herbert

As I work through my dreams and aspirations this year, I want to find time to enjoy some quiet.  When life gets busy and energy gets depleted I tend to eliminate the things that energize me.  I need time to plan, to organize, to pause, to dream and then to act on those dreams.  Quiet time and meditation shouldn't seem like such a difficult thing to achieve.  But as I get older, instead of having more time, I seem to have less. 

Right now I am working on simplifying and cleaning my home.  I often wonder how I can gather so much stuff.  Usually in January I go through closets and cupboards and get rid of unnessessary items.  Yet every January there seems to be another pile.  I want my path into spring to be uncluttered and simple.

Summer will be here before I know it.  I want to be more aware and grateful for my surroundings.  I think this is possible through organization and simplicity.  I want to take the time to do the important things that feed my soul.

But, I need to start practicing now, so as the months pass I will continue to walk down a "gentle path."  I want the energy to plant my flowers, to be organized so I can sit and read a book or do whatever makes me feel quiet and happy.  After almost sixty years of living I think it's time to just enjoy the little ones and then indulge myself with simple pleasures.

Aspirations

I consider myself a happy woman.  I have a loving husband, a beautiful home, children and grandchildren that I love dearly.  I have friends that are dear. 

As I go over my life each year at this time I make resolutions, but I usually don't follow through. 
The get in shape, loose the weight thing happens once in awhile, but I'm not as diligent as I
 should be.  I think this year I won't call the things I want to happen resolutions or goals. 
 I will call them aspirations or dreams that I will turn into reality.  I need to get out of
my "pajamas" quit waiting by the mailbox, open the door and get on my bike and go somewhere. 
 It's not that I don't do anything, I'm busy from six in the morning until I drop in bed at ten
 or eleven.  But I seem to not get in some of the things I want to accomplish. 

Simple things like getting a bit more organized.  Trying a new cleaning method. 
 I have really wanted to learn how to make a skirt. And I'd like to give a few more parties. 
 I have some personal goals, oh I mean aspirations, that I keep putting off. 
I think it is time to organize myself, so I can make these dreams a reality.

I need to be a little surprised by life, to hug a little more, to enjoy my friends and have fun
 with them more.  I need to lay out under the stars and hear the sounds of summer nights. 
 I need to laugh and sing with my little ones even more.  They are small for such a short time. 
These are my dreams for the New Year. 

 I'm excited to put things into motion!

MY HOME

"There's nothing like staying home for real comfort."

     ~Jane Austen

My home isn't large, it didn't begin as my dream home. 

 It became my dream home. 

When we bought this house we didn't intend to stay longer than two years. 

That was about 33 years ago.  So instead of wishing we had the house we always wanted to build, we decided this was the home we always wished for. 

And because this is where we raised our children and made our lifelong friends, this is truly the home of our dreams. 

Everywhere I look in every room there are objects with special meanings connected to them.  I don't have things in my home.  Everything is either for comfort, a gift that is treasured, something Jim and I picked up while travelling, or a picture of a loved one.  So if I sit down, in any room, to read or rest for a minute I just have to look around, and I am reminded of something I cherish.

I've posted a few pictures of the bathroom Jim's been working on.

I think of the late nights, after a long day of work, that he has worked on this project. 

He's like that. 

Always working on something to make our home a bit nicer. 

 I told him a few days ago, as he was finishing up the tile, that he might not be painting a picture, but I felt as though his work was like a piece of art. 

He puts so much of himself into it.  He is such a perfectionist.

 A professional couldn't do a better job.

And so, as we put our heads together and pick colors for paint and choose tile or whatever the project may be, he does the heavy labor and I put the finishing touches and pull it together. 

I'd say we are a pretty good team. 

We might not have many talents, but together we can decorate, care for, and love our home.

Hopefully this effort expresses a bit about who we are. 

I love the time we spend in our home.  I love when our family and friends are here. 

The snows will eventually melt, and we will be outside working on projects in the garden.  And again, I will have never ending ideas of how we can plant this here or have that there.  And Jim will plant this here and move that there. 

It will be glorious. 

Our home isn't grand, it isn't even something you would look at twice if you drove down the street...

unless you knew how many dreams have come true inside these walls or
as you walk down the path and up the old stairs and
enter Upper Garden. 

Then you might want to stop by and stay awhile.

Friends are always welcome. 

THREE BOYS

 Today was a BIG day!  The Three little boys were all together again after almost a month.  Jake has been asking everyday when his "little guy" is coming back.  Dylan has become an important part of this group.  His absence is felt.  Jake loves to help with him,  and even though Sam is a bit jealous, he got a huge smile on his face today when "Dylsie Wylsie" appeared. 
I wonder what these three will be like as they grow?  If I continue taking care they'll become close, spending so much time together.  They are close in age.  They'll grow up (I hope) playing, caring, and having fun with each other.  Oh, the "abentures" they'll have.

 Jake is already having daily "abentures".  Sam is just starting to join the fun.  And I can only imagine what else will be thought up when three great minds get together.

Those warm summer days when there is nothing more serious to do than swing on that old tire or lay on the cool grass and plan all that stuff you can do when you grow up.

And then there's little league!  All those practices, summer evenings playing games, playing catch together.  There's nothing better than baseball.  Just ask those four other big boys back east. 

Maybe a little fishing with Grampa and the Dad's at Fish Lake.  What can be more fun?

I can just see these guys growing from little boys into grown boys.  Hanging out, supporting, laughing, doing all the fun things boys do.  I hope I am able to continue to watch these delightful grandson's.  Nothing brings me greater joy.

 And I hope they grow, and share their dreams with one another, but most of all I hope they stay the best of friends.  There is nothing better.

Dreams

Everybody has a dream. Something we want to accomplish or achieve. I was sitting in my backyard last night after being with the little ones for the first time in quite a while. Listening to their sweet voices and feeling their wet kisses. Coming home and watching Jim work around the yard. Watering my flowers and sitting in the gazebo, enjoying Nick's company on his last night home, after a lovely visit. I looked at my beautiful roses, my vines, realizing the hard work that has gone into all the beauty. Chatted with the neighbors over the fence. Watched the gorgeous sunset. Felt the coolness as the day turned into another summer evening. My tiny little lights twinkled in the dark night. I realize I am living my dream.