Happy Halloween!

And here's the little cutie last year, our lil' dragon in a wagon!  Wonder what his costume's gonna be this year?

Every day awesomeness

Every day awesomeness fall 2013.  Picking apples, going to the playground, playing with toys, hugs from family...

Those Silly Lips

So this is one of those things only a mother could love...but ever since William was a tiny newborn, he would do this cute little thing when he slept, where his lips get all sloppy and loose and pooched out and asymmetrical!  And I loved it!  He doesn't do it anymore, but it was seriously adorable!  Those Silly Lips!!!!

William at One Years Old

Here's our little sweetie at exactly 1 years old, doing his little guy thing, walking around furniture and being happy and content travelling around France with his Papa and Mama!  I really miss my little baby sometimes!!!

Soul Sisters Retreat Fall 2013

This was an awesome experience.  After being so incredibly sick in France during the summer of 2013, I was at a pretty low point early last fall.  I was exhausted and dealing with the mystery of my early onset arthritis...for some reason I felt that I HAD to go to this conference.  I had no idea why.  But looking back now a year later it makes perfect sense.  It was kinda like a reset button, to turn me around and get me started going back in the right direction.  I started really being more courageous with my art business, and I started doing some DEEP exploration of my spirituality.  I also started to really work on my eating habits, getting my eating as clean as possible.  When physical healing came to me later that winter, I embraced physical activity with a vengeance and now I workout almost every, going on hour long walks around my neighborhood, or going to NIA dance classes or Yoga.  I am learning to meditate. I get massages!  I am also learning about a self-massage method called, "MELT"...in short I am really taking care of myself like the precious vessel of light that I was created to be...I was meant to go to that conference.  God really saw that I desperately needed help to get back to where I needed to be, to who I used to be.  I needed a gentle reminder!

Belle from Beauty and the Beast Painting

Here's our lovely heroine before her encounter with the beast. Her spirit and purity of heart shining through so clearly. She's ready for anything and even though she will be going through that dark valley of the soul she will come through it stronger and purified even more by the experience. Original Mixed Media 8x10 painting on canvas.

A Few Days with Friends

This was a very fun little interlude for William, as my husband's friend has 4 kids (she's pregnant now with her 5th!)  So William had lots of playmates...

...and his favorite playmate was Lena, a year older than him.  They had so much fun together and it was so adorable to watch the two of them together!

Here's my sweet little man still battling the pinkeye, poor little lamb!

Some more photos of the 2 famous friends...

So cute!  I hope they meet again someday!!!

Our Earth Angel

This is one of the most beautiful photos ever taken of William as a baby.  I'm so glad we captured it!  He truly looks like a little sleeping angel.  Where are his wings???  They must be invisible!!!  Thank you God for this precious miracle!

Gazing at the Sky

Oh my goodness my tiny little man, where have you gone?  You are such a huge BOY now!!!!!  2 years and 2 months old...wow.  It is really going fast!  I realize it so much more when I look at these pictures!  My sweet baby loves, dreaming as you gaze up at the sky and wonder...I love you so...

Loving the Crisp Cool Fall Air

Here we are last year, just enjoying the beautiful fall air, having family time!

St. Tropez, part 2

Here's my true love and I, in a couple of the rare photos of the two of us taken during the trip.  True Love!

Here's Aurelien's Great Grandmother and her sister, Tadith, the Matriarchs of the family.  Awesome genetics!

Here's my beautiful boy with all his many facial expressions!  He was really starting to show his little personality in those days!

Here's my beautiful man!

The only selfie from the whole summer because I was a very sick lady the whole trip.  After we got home I went to the doctor and found out why-my pharmacy messed up my prescriptions and had me on a half dose of Thyroid the whole time I was in France.  No wonder I was sick as a dog the whole time.  Paradise was truly wasted on me...so unfortunate!  Well, at least I survived and I'm alive to tell the tale!

A super fun day trip to Monaco.  A couple of highlights of that were the Royal Aquarium and the ancient village.  Very cute place!

St. Tropez, Part 1

Hanging out with les cousins francais!  

On the train to St. Tropez where somebody seems to have discovered an adventurous streak, much to the detriment of mommy's nerves!!!

William and his boy cousins.  Aurelien and his sister are very close, so it is really special to watch these boys spend time together.

So many wonderful moments I got to see between my 2 guys!

And here's some more!

Some special memories when William was discovering lots of new things, some of which overwhelmed him with joy!!!  Love to see THAT!!!!!

Chop Chop

Here's William's first haircut.  It was such a big drama last year, since my hubby shaved it without my prior authorization. Well, fast forward to this year, somehow we all got lice a couple of weeks ago and I didn't even hesitate to tell my hubby, "Shave it all off"!  Guess I'm getting to be a little more used to this mommy thing!!!!  LOL!!!

Our time at Montigny

I absolutely love these pictures of William and I.  We were just lying in the grass under some trees, with pleasant, mellow warm weather on a beautiful day.  I LOVED IT!!!!!!!  It's like I'd waited my whole life just to experience moments that felt that wonderful...so glad to be William's mommy!

Here's William with his French Auntie, Ninon.  He looks so much like her, and she loves him so much.  She is such a precious, dear person.  I'm glad whenever they get the chance to bond, unfortunately it is all too rare living thousands of miles apart...

Here's my beautiful guys, just taking it easy at the lovely place that is Montigny-sur-Loing.

Here's William bonding with all his sweet lil French Cousins, even Gabby, Le Chien!!!!

And here is where we had to say farewell to our beloved Auntie Martine.  I dearly love this woman, she has such a heart of gold and has been so good to us in so many ways.  I am sad that we see her so rarely as we live so far away.

Visiting Sarah

This was an incredibly important pilgrimage.  We went to the site where we buried my miscarriage in the fall of 2010.  I felt that baby was a girl, so basically we took William to visit his big sister's grave.  Very very sad and poignant.  It still hurts, and probably always will.  I am someone who has ALWAYS wanted to be a mom more than anything, so that little baby that we lost was so incredibly wanted.  Losing her really broke my heart.  I can't wait to meet her in heaven someday!  I know she's waiting for all of us, especially her little brother William, and that Jesus is taking very good care of her for us!

Just the 3 of us...

All I need to be happy is my 2 guys.  Just the 3 of us...we can make it if we try...just the 3 of us, you and you, and I!!!!!  Family is the best part of life, hands down, no contest.  I've done a lot of things already in my 37 years, and nothing even comes close.  Nothing!  Love my guys!!!

Paris to Montigny

So here was our first transition, from Paris to Montigny, where Aurelien's Uncle and Aunt have a beautiful country home...William had such a good time on the train!

Papa Cuddles

Here's my beautiful guys, a year ago, cuddling away.  Their relationship is so beautiful to behold.  I love it!  I pray that it continues for all of their days!

Randomly out of order scrapbook page-Happy 3rd Anniversary my Love!

LOL and a hanging "a"!  Darn Thickers just don't stick so great sometimes, which I'm sure others have noticed too!!!  Anyway, here we are, July 26, 2013, in Paris, France. 3 years married...now we're going on 5 years so yes I am a bit behind!  Just trying to catch up with my blogging though so you'll have to forgive me!

Girl's Weekend!

This was a super fun weekend!  Shelly, Tana, and I got mani/pedis, and then had a sleepover.  Then the next day Shelly and I went to the beach for the night.  It was awesome!!!!  I love these girls!  Shelly is my freshman year college roommate, and I met Tana when I was 21.  They are awesome, loyal, good, true women, and I am so lucky to have had their friendship all these years!!!  What a blessing!

Arrival in France

Family, Cousins, Jet Lag...so much stimulation and so many new experiences.  Again, William took it all in stride!  As long as Papa and Mama are with him, he's a happy little man!

Camping in the Woods in France 2013

This was totally a fun adventure!  A week camping in the Oak Woods owned by Aurelien's best friend, Michel.  It is so peaceful and wonderful there.  Very good memories.  William was so happy, just playing with pebbles and toddling around.  He loves rocks, just like his Papa!  Adorable!

Here's my guys hanging out in the woods!  I love them so much!  Thank you God for them!

Cinderella Painting

Finished this painting awhile ago, when I was doing a Fairy Tale Characters series.  Cinderella is just dreamin' her days away, trusting that good things are coming, if she will just be patient and keep her heart pure and wait...Original Mixed Media 8x10 painting on canvas.

At the Pumpkin Patch

Here we are, in early October of 2013, at the pumpkin patch.  It was William's first time there, and it was really fun.  It was much much colder last year than this year.  This Indian Summer that we are having is amazing!  

Early May 2013

Scenes from early May, 2013.  Just family time enjoying our little Prince, William. We all love him so much. He is the light of our lives!  What an incredible blessing from God.  My miracle baby!

Baby's First Airplane Ride

I was so anxious about William's First airplane ride, but it went just fine!  He was such a little trooper.  He surprised me over and over.  As long as he's with Papa and Mama, he's a happy little guy.  Pretty awesome!

A Father's Love

Here's a page from May of 2013, showing my 2 favorite guys in the whole world.  As I write this, it is very timely, as I just spend the last 24 hours sick as a dog in bed and guess who was taking care of our son, who is also coming down with it?  Yep.  The best father in the world, aka my husband, Aurelien.  Sooooooooooooooo thankful for him.