The Firsts Continue

Stella's first trip to the ZOO!

One sad rainy day we were bored & arguing so we decided to take a family trip to the zoo!  We rode the max & used our family pass Auntie X & Uncle D got us for xmas.  Woot Woot!

Stella was a wake the whole time on the max, gawking at the local color, and as soon as we got to the zoo she fell asleep.  Figures.  But she woke up for the Bats.  So I got a pic of that above.  The Lions were out.  That was about it.  All the other animals were hiding cuz it was raining.  Not us.  DUMB!  We also went to Fire on the Mountain after for wings & stella sat in the high chair.  I don't have a picture of that though, so I'm substituting this one.  Pretend that is wing sauce on her face, not sweet potatoes.  SO nice she can sit in the booster seat now!!!

Stella's First package from Malaysia!  She had fun playing with it!

PRETTY!  A dress for her birthday & a chinese new year dress from Devin, Sarah & Nevi!  Thanks so much!  They are beautiful!

Love Is The New Religion

On the surface of the world right now there is war and violence and things seem dark But calmly and quietly, at the same time, something else is happening underground An inner revolution is taking place and certain individuals are being called to a higher light It is a silent revolution From the inside out From the ground up It is time for me to reveal myself I am an embedded agent of an secret, undercover Clandestine Global operation A spiritual conspiracy We have sleeper cells in every nation on the planet You won’t see us on the T.V. You won’t read about us in the newspaper You won’t hear about us on the radio We don’t seek any glory We don’t wear any uniform We come in all shapes and sizes Colors and styles Most of us work anonymously We are quietly working behind the scenes in every country and culture of the world Cities big and small, mountains and valleys, in farms and villages, tribes and remote islands You could pass by one of us on the street and not even notice We go undercover We remain behind the scenes It is of no concern to us who takes the final credit But simply that the work gets done Occasionally we spot each other in the street We give a quiet nod and continue on our way so no one will notice During the day many of us pretend we have normal jobs But behind the false storefront at night is where the real work takes place Some call us the “Conscious Army” We are slowly creating a new world with the power of our minds and hearts We follow, with passion and joy Our orders from the Central Command The Spiritual Intelligence Agency We are dropping soft, secret love bombs when no ones is looking Poems Hugs Music Photography Movies Kind words Smiles Meditation and prayer Dance Social activism Websites Blogs Random acts of kindness We each express ourselves in our own unique ways with our own unique gifts and talents “Be the change you want to see in the world” That is the motto that fills our hearts We know it is the only way real transformation takes place We know that quietly and humbly we have the power of all the oceans combined Our work is slow and meticulous Like the formation of mountains It is not even visible at first glance And yet with it entire tectonic plates shall be moved in the centuries to come Love is the new religion of the 21st century You don’t have to be a highly educated person Or have any exceptional knowledge to understand it It comes from the intelligence of the heart Embedded in the timeless evolutionary pulse of all human beings Be the change you want to see in the world Nobody else can do it for you We are now recruiting Perhaps you will join us Or already have…. All are welcome… The door is open -Brian Piergrossi (From the book “The Big Glow”)

kitchen "remodel" ~ on the cheap!

For anyone who has been to our house, you know the kitchen is seriously lacking in functionality.

Its okay to admit it, we won't be offended.  We're really not attached to it.

The house was built in 1924 & back then they didn't need counters around the stove when they cooked because they didn't have food to cook with.  They just ate potted meats & canned potatoes.  No I joke.  I don't really know why there is NO counter space over in the corner where the stove is.  Maybe there was at some point, but anyway, the sink is 14 feet away from the stove with all the other counters making for some serious droppage & spillage of various food items as you trek across the vast linoleum landscape.

Alas, no more.

Hark you say, nay, you jest?  After 5 long years you've finally changed the status quo?  Surely you couldn't be happier with the long linoleum journeys?

No, we aren't, and don't call me Surely.

What else are we supposed to do on Friday night anymore?

Clubbing & barhopping is so out.

Reorganizing the kitchen is sooo in!

Those were the interim shots...

And here are the finished products of our labours!

BOOYAKAsCHA!

If anything about this whole project makes me happy it is this right here:

AHHHHHH.....can't you just feel the serenity in the simplicity of organization.  & Spices! YAY! You can see all the labels at the same time!

We'd like to thank IKEA & Swedes in general for their contribution to the golden age of functionality in the home.

Without them, we'd still be in 1924.

the EYE of the TIGER

Am I crazy?

Wait don't answer that....

Maybe I'm getting in over my head with the sheer fabulousness of this event, but I'm doing it anyway & I sure hope you can make it cuz its gonna be a blast.  At least, that's just the way I like things to be.  What's the point, otherwise, really?

SUPERFUN!

Lots of collaboration, cross-pollination, rejuvination & relaxation.  All at Casa Stellita.

Be there or be nowhere!

Out with the old, in with the NOW!

HNY 2010!!!!

After about 2 hours of nursing & finally getting Stellita to sleep, we strolled across the street from our Inn to have NYE dinner around 9pm.  Stella was all asleep & it was very romantic.  THEN, they passed out the noisemakers & soon everyone was blowing them & POP, her little eyes peeped open & of course, she wanted to join the party.

It was super fun though to have her up!  Everyone in the restaurant was making googoo gaagaa eyes at her & taking our picture.  I think 4 or 5 different people asked to take our pic.  Pretty wierd.  Guess they don't get much excitement in small coastal towns?

We had a blast.  Stella was up later than Topher I think.  She put us all to shame with her late night antics.  HA HA.

The next day, Auntie X & Uncle D came out & we went for a hike on the dune & the headland of Cape Kiwanda.  It was blustery, but beautiful.  I LOVE the Oregon Coast!  No place like it anywhere in the world.

We figured out it is WAY more comfortable to have her on the back for long hikes.  She loves it too cuz her face isn't in the wind. 

Uncle D & Auntie X.  Awwww....

Cozy with papa.

Nice weekend to recharge the batteries & get so R & R from the craze of the holidays.  Now I am ready for the Year of the Tiger (my YEAR, finally!) & am not taking any prisoners!  Step aside Oxen, Pigs, Dogs, Rats, Cocks, Snakes, Goats, Rabbits, Dragons, Monkeys & everyone else, the Tiger is here to get everything straightened out!  WOOT WOOT!

May the wind be always at our backs this year & a fine breeze set our sails swift & sure.

2009, in a nutshell

Wow.  2009.  What a year, indeed!

If I look back at my life up to this point, I would have to say that 2009 ranks up there as the year that changed my life, absolutely, forever.  (My mom will laugh when she reads this.)  It is the year in which Topher & I brought forth our amazing & loving & healthy & happy beloved daughter, Stella.  It is the year in which I gave birth & caught with my own two hands this sweetest expression of my & Topher's love I could ever imagine.  It is the year in which I, who at one point said "I'll never", became a mother.  It is the year in which I gave up all that was & all that I had been for the unknown & charted off course into a new and re-defining role.  It is the year in which I had to finally, in some way, grow up.....just a little.  But not to worry, I'm still pretty silly, most of the time.  YessSSS!!!!

That was the BIG one.  But you knew that already.

Among other things, we did A LOT....even on top of having a baby!

Since I didn't even start blogging again until JULY of this year, lets recap a little....just for kicks & posterity.

We rang in the New Year with our best friends the Bailly's & also with Davey & Xtina at Manzanita.  Topher drank enough Tequila to laugh, cry, get in a head lock, get sick & pass out all within the span of about 45 minutes.  I believe there is some pretty disturbing video out there somewhere on the interwebs of the whole event.  We had a blast hanging at the beach with our best friends & family & that is my favorite thing in the world to do.

We played our 6th anniversary show with MarchFourth on March Fourth 2009 at the Bossanova....me while 7 months pregnant.  5 shows in 4 days.  I had to use a chair at a few points,  & almost went into labor (mild contractions from all that bouncing & drumming!) after the second set on the 4th night, but pretty much rocked it other than that!

I know this isn't fun or entertaining, but I managed to refinance all of our properties onto low interest fixed rate loans (whew!), while 7 months pregnant & working full time....yippee!!! No more interest only arms that will adjust & now we are making principal payments on all 4 houses & investment properties.  That is FUN to me!

We attended the best "baby shower" ever, thrown for us by our friends Sarah, Liz & Xtina & made possible by the tremendous community of friends & family we have here in Portland.  I will never forget that & it certainly was the most rocking baby shower in the history of the world!  Words simply cannot describe.

Topher completed the upstairs addition of our new gorgeous bathroom.

YIPPEE!!! Made it much easier (for me not having to go downstairs) to go to the bathroom at all hours of the night & made our home birth experience extremely carefree & luxurious.

I celebrated my 35th birthday,

went to the 10th annual crawfish boil

& had a blessing way all in one weekend,

 2 days before Stella was born.  At least she waited!!!

May 20, 2009 Stella Heitland McGarry was born at 7:57am & we have been smitten with her ever since.

At this point, a lot of visitors were at our house all summer, friends, family, grandparents, meal wheel peeps, stopper-by-ers, weekenders, weekers, etc...it was a summer of non stop party, bbq's & celebration of new life.

In June our best friends Devin, Sarah & Nevi waved bon voyage to go live abroad in Malaysia for 18 months...we miss them dearly, but love that they are living their dreams.

I was able to take the summer off & we did some traveling, once Stella was a few months old.  (2 to be exact)  That was a blast!!!

The road trip (our favorite thing to do) started with OysterFest 2009 & went to all four corners of Oregon.

It was challenging to rough it with a 2 month old at times, but all in all we did really well as a new family & it steeled our skills as parents.

Topher celebrated his 40th Birthday!!!!

And he scored a really sweet mountain bike that a lot of people pitched in on to make his dream come true.  He rides it ALL THE TIME.  Mostly in wheely mode.

When we came back, I started working again, part time from home.  Which has not been easy, to say the least.  Still doing the mortgage business & the chocolate business plus the breastfeeding business & the diaper changing business....the latter two are by far the most time consuming of all.  We have tried to integrate back into MarchFourth on a few occasions, but perhaps that is part of our lives that will just have to be put on hold for now.  We did finally release our 3rd album, which we have been working on for the last 3 years & I think it is our best yet.

We played the CD release party, albeit with a pathetic re-entry into the project.  I (we) simply can't fit all the things back in I was doing before....Stella takes up a big chunk of it now& but I wouldn't have it any other way.

We enrolled Stella in swimming classes & she is now able to dunk all the way underwater holding her breath!  She is doing so well & loves the water so much.  We have decided to enroll her again for the next session so she'll be able to solidify those skills.  Plus its great father~daughter time & mama can get stuff done!

We traveled to Florida for Thanksgiving & for Stella's Sip & See that her NanaCathy threw for her.  Stella flew on a plane for the first time & was great!!!  We definitely had some apprehension about taking her on the plane, but she slept & breastfed up & down, so she never got a congested head, never really fussed & was truly a star.

Stella cut her first teeth!
Stella ate her first solid food!!!

Somehow we got all our christmas shopping done & cards sent out all the while working & finishing (uh, err, working on finishing) the new garage project.

We went to Medford where Stella had her first Christmas & really found her voice.  Ever since she has been blabbing up a storm!

We are now relaxing at an Inn in Pacific City where we are spending our 15th Anniversary Celebration.

We rang in the new year in a place that has been a part of our lives together since we met;

Cape Kiwanda, and now we get to share this place with our newest family member.   Oh, and Inigo of course.

It is really wet & stormy, the waves are huge, and the view of the gray ocean & sky is exactly what we need to clear our energies for the new year ahead of us!

We wrote down our goals & dreams for the next year & sent them as a prayer into the night at midnight last night, with the power of the Blue Moon Eclipse to carry them through.  Stella's first NYE, our 15th & the beginning of a new Decade for us all.

This past year has seen some amazing sweeping changes; the first African American was sworn in as the President of the USA; the king of pop died; texting, twittering & facebooking have become the network communication standard; the US economy & global economy pretty much collapsed & is re-starting itself as we speak, the deepest & most severe recession since the great depression on its way to recovery.  It has been a year of extremes, to say the least.  And one in which much has happened in the blink of an eye.  I know because I have an extra 3000 photos on my hard drive that weren't there in 2008. Most of them of a new little someone you might know.....

Whatever happens in the years to come, 2009 will definitely be a year to remember, to heed & to learn from.  It is these times, the ones that are the most challenging, that define us & make us who we are to become.  What we do with these lessons is up to us.  I don't know about you, but I learned a heckuva lot, & hope to continue to do so for a long time to come.