....and let your self go......enjoying the thrill and joy of being a child and getting to play on magical slides such as this one. 

and Miss Emma Sage has been practicing her tight-rope walk...... 

and reflecting her deepest thoughts while sitting in the yellow tunnel..... 

and then it is time to take a leap of faith...... 

and we have been climbing rock mountains [OK, so they are plastic rock mountains, but to four year olds....this is a great experience, not to mention a great work out!] 

and sliding is so much more fun when it is a double slide and you are taking the plunge with a friend!!!! Emma Sage is so blessed to have so great, dear friends that she spends her days with. 

Emma Sage has been busy sliding.....see the neat ground-cover, it is shredded tires and is so deep and springy....this is the only park near us that has this type of ground cover...the kids think it is so neat, and so do I! 

Wow, where had the time gone? It has been a whole week since I posted and it actually seems like a month [I guess there are just too many things going on in such a short amount of time that time is just slipping away from me]. This is some of the fun that Emma Sage and her daily friends have been having. The weather has been crazy and running havoac on everyone. Two weeks ago we spent every day outside at various parks [that is the fun thing we like to do....we check out parks and then the kids rate the ones they like the best]....then last week old man winter returned and burrrrr......baby it was cold outside, so we ventured to the library and did lots of fun indoor activities. I've been flying solo of late and between these four and my own four, this is one tired Momma [not to mention I threw out my neck and have been in complete pain....makes you really appreciate the times when you have total health and not an ache or pain anywhere.  

The little stream that flowed under the foot bridge that Emma Sage was looking over below.....we are truly blessed to have so many incredible parks and enchanted places to play and explore every day.....I love bits of green in the middle of winter. The weather has been unseasonably warm this week and we are taking full advantage of getting outdoors and playing and exploring. This is at Voorhees State Park [right across the street from Katrina and Greta's high school] and where we held Emma Sage's birthday party....there are so many little streams in the park and ponds and foot bridges that we just have a blast checking things out..... 

Yesterday at the park,,,,walking over one of the foot bridges...the children love our little nature walks and the love when I pretend when we are going over the little bridges that they are the 'Three Billy Goats Gruff....trip, trap, trip, trap' 

This picture just cracks me up....this is Emma Sage with her cousin Ronan....who as you can tell was not a happy camper. He is just so precious and woke up after falling asleep in the car ride up for Sunday dinner and was still not 'awake'....Emma Sage was not sure what was up with 'Roni'. 

A picture of Emma Sage's great-great-great-grandmother, Britta Lindstrom who came to America from Sweden....Emma Sage thinks this is a picture of me....I think she thinks that because I always wear my hair in a bun and I think we have very similar eyes.....It is so cute that she thinks this. 

Emma Sage and Mommy at Nana & PopPop's house for PopPop's Birthday Celebration checking out one of Nana's Christmas trees....in the background is the above picture hanging on the wall....Emma Sage thinks that it is a picture of her Mommy, but it is really her great-great-great-grandmother, Britta Lindstrom from Sweden 

The In-between....

Life has been full............days are welcomed, lived and retire into the night,,,,,,,with sweet dreams to carry us over into the dawn of a new day.

My resolution to leave the Internet has been hard, but it has also opened up my days for more celebrations, more projects completed with some exciting ones waiting to be started. [not to mention my sock basket is sorted and matched!]

I have joined an artists book club and we are beginning the project of reading and living the book 'the Artists Way ~ A Spiritual Path to High Creativity' and I am looking forward to this journey.

I began a program called 'Couch to 5K' and have started the process of getting myself back in shape and geared up to run my first 5K on September 24th in honor of my sisters little boy Griffin Patrick at the Griffin Patrick 5K.

A dear friend sent me a wonderful gift from the Walkers Warehouse and I have been using the step counter and journa...........and will post pictures after I complete this mission to get my self back to the best possible physical fitness I can be at.

Greta and Emma Sage are busy perfecting their dance routine for the talent show.......Otto is busy sanding his PineWood Derby car for the big race at Boyscouts,,,,and Katrina is taking on the project of coaching one of the Special Olympics Basketball teams for our county. Life is good,,,,and there are so many things to celebrate.

After the rush and glitter of the holidays, I have been reflecting on celebrations.....while most celebrations are big and honor life's more momentous occasions, I have been celebrating the living that happens in-between these times.........and I have to tell you, I enjoy these simpler celebrations the best.

Emma Sage is the greatest teacher about celebrating these in-between times........the smiles, the giggles, the 'Ummmmm' when a food tastes great!, a cup of tea with beautiful music playing in the background, a sunset, a sunrise, a good book,,,,,and a deep, deep breath of fresh air after a rain storm. A walk in the woods, a big push on the swings where you feel like your going to reach the clouds.........these are the things I've been celebrating,,,,,,these in-between times when life happens to us, are what we love to celebrate.

Waiting for Miss Denise to begin and Miss Emma Sage found an interesting way to stand at her chair.........May you always dance little girl, and may you always carry a song in your heart. 

"It's The Heart That Matters Most"

Last night at dance.....my little dancer.
Emma Sage just loves to dance,,,,,she loves music,,,,,she loves to sing and perform.
For this years school Talent show, she is going to do a ballet dance routine to "It's The Heart That Matters Most" sung by Charolette Church. It is the most beautiful song and perfect words for my little ballerina to dance too....Greta is working on the chorography and will be on stage to help Little Miss [even though she is now in high school she is being allowed to assist] and I know that I will have tears streaming down my face just as I did last year watching the two of them perform in the Talent Show [click here and click on the link to a video clip from last years performance which is on the bottom left hand side under the picture of Little Miss up on stage].

Charlotte Church
"It's The Heart That Matters Most"

Time to spread some hope,
Make the spirits rise
Do you see the wonder in their eyes
Time to speak of love
Hold each other close
Cause it's the heart that matters most

Its still the same old moon
Why does it shine so bright
There's a little magic in the air tonight
Time to speak of love
Hold each other close
Cause it's the heart that matters most

Always the heart that matters most

Oh, take a look around you can see that it's true
It's like a river flowing inside of you
Everyone needs love, you need it too
So here's what you, have got to do

Spread a little hope, make the spirits rise
Do you see the wonder in their eyes
Time to speak of love, hold each other close
cause it's the heart that matters most

In time we come to learn

It's the heart that matters most.

This picture says it all......."We had such a delightful, exciting, fun-filled Day!" Miss Emma Sage modeled again for Toys R Us and this time she got to model with the neatest dolly and a sweet little girl named Nicolette!!! not to mention that she got to see her most favorite stylist and production crew and photographer!!!!! Pure Joy........that is what this little girl is.....Just plain old Pure Joy!!! 

Or how about this look???.....Apple Dippers all over my face...what a sticky, yummy mess I am....but hey, I'm a working girl so I deserve it!!!! lol!!! 

So what do you think?..........Could I be the next McDonalds milkshake model? If not,,,do worries mate,,,I'll just keep on practicing drinking them!!!!  

My sweet little girl....I love you so dearly. 

My serious little thinker......she just melts my heart. Her favorite CD right now is Charolette Church and on our trip to and from our photo-shoot she would ask me to play track 5 [Amazing Grace] and track 15 [The Heart is what Matters the Most].....and sing to me!!!!  

How cool is this view.....playing on the jungle-gym and there is the Empire State Building in clear view......I always said the 'Jersey' view is the best view.....lol!! Can you tell I'm a 'Jersey Girl?" 

OK Mom....I'm so glad we decided to stop at this playground overlooking NYC because I'm having just way too much fun!!! 

Wheeeeeee.....the slide is a much better way to get down....Like the lime 'Chuck Taylors?'......Emma Sage's Daddy has always had Chuck Taylors [in black] since he or I can remember...so it is only fitting that his littlest girl sports them too! 

Wow...Mom,,,,that is a long way down....maybe I'll turn around and take the slide.... 

My little 'Swinger'.....we passed this amazing playground overlooking the Hudson River and Manhattan on our way to the photo-shoot, so after the shoot we decided to go 'check-out' the swings and equipment.....what fun we had!