Author Archives: Camilla

Throwback Post: Fortune Under the Moon with Mirror Writing and UNO

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August 28 2015:

“Something special is coming your way.” The culinary teacher just walked by and gave me a fortune cookie. I thanked her and told her that I was waiting for my fortune to be told! Then, I opened it!! Thanks universe!! I knew it!! xoxo

Such a great walk tonight and then we caught the big giant moon playing hide n seek with a tree. Played a game of UNO on the front porch while the moon got brighter and higher. xoxo


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August 28 2014:

Lillian says she has a talent and asks if she can tell others about it … Of course, Lillian! So Mama’s gonna share with y’all for her. Quite a while ago, she read a book about Leonardo da Vinci which talked about his mirror writing. Last night she told me that stuck with her and she’d been wanting to try it. Yesterday, during the brief time the teacher was reading to the class, she mirror wrote the alphabet and her name. She is so proud of herself. Here I am helping her tell others about her talent … Here’s a couple of websites about mirror writing … Any other left handers or C18’ers out there who can do this so easily? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_writing and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2117809/

I’m ready to spread some happiness! It’s a go! Just got off the phone with Seema from Project Happiness! It’s exciting to come across an organization whose mission and vision are so closely aligned with my own. They’ve got a 9 lesson curriculum for kindergarden through high school that teaches social, emotional and leadership skills. Now! Who here in Reno/Sparks/Tahoe wants this brought to your child’s school? … And, we’ll blog about it too! Here’s more: Project Happiness is working to help create a world where:

School bullying will no longer be a socially accepted behavior
Young adults will be taught to know and value their passions and personal strengths, and become more compassionate to themselves and others
Building one’s character will be as important as building one’s resume
Success will be measured by the degree to which we experience meaningful, fulfilling lives (not just by our job titles and credentials)

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August 28 2013:

Lillian has been home sick today … poor fairy angel! Thomas and I are playing UNO together on the floor and providing her some entertainment! Now, shoo shoo, whatever has her tummy upset and giving her fever! SHOO! We want our Lillian back!

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August 28 2012:

Thomas wants to know …. How do high winds turn over tall vehicles and trucks? I’m gonna start asking y’all some of his questions!!! (We passed the high wind warning sign for Washoe Valley and that’s what prompted this question)

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Just had to share this update from one of my Houma, Louisiana friends …. “With a hurricane bearing down on us nearly all the stores in town are closed, but the Daiquiri Shop and fried chicken place are open. Yep, I live in Louisiana.” Thank you Darrell ‘n Lois Solet for making me laugh!!! People cannot believe it when I tell them there are drive thru Daiquiri Shops …. Hey, they leave the straw out of the cup and in the paper y’all!!

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… and Lillian’s choice for falling asleep music … Zydeco …. Yep, that’s my girl!! I ♥ my Mississippi & Louisiana roots y’all

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August 28 2009:

BFF of mine (Lillie) just helped to bring back some awesome, innocent, happy, peaceful thoughts of childhood. Thought I’d share with y’all ~ seemed like a great way to start the weekend! Anyone else remember making home made ice cream with parents, grandparents, cousins? Fun of putting in the ingredients, excitement of waiting for it to get ready and then savoring every yummy scrumptious bite with family & friends

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Thank you Kathy LaCroix Buchanan for the awesome review of “D iz for Different” over on Amazon … Appreciate it times a million and appreciate having you in my life!! “An uplifting and honest book about facing life’s challenges. Teaches you that how you respond to adversity is within your control and that you can still be happy even when circumstances are less than perfect. As the mother of a child with special needs, I really connected with the author. A great read!”

Throwback Post: Fun Outside With Dried Peaches at the Beach

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August 30 2013:

These two young people = Faith, Inspiration and Courage …. nice time outside at The Romano Casa tonight!

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August 30 2011:

Giving Lillian a spelling pre test . . . Called out “admire”, then the pre supplied sentence to use with it, “Whom do you admire most?” She turned around and said, “I admire you.” Awwww . . . made me stop being so serious for a moment!! Love that girl!

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Thank you tons and tons Kimberly for the amazing veggies from your garden and the homemade dried peaches!! Lillian LOVED the peaches and I sauteed the veggies with garlic . . .my taste buds were in yum yum heaven!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

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August 30 2009:

Just back from a minication with Thomas & Lillian to Incline Village/Tahoe. Left Sat morning & just back – what a beautiful place!! We had so much fun, Saturday at Burnt Cedar Beach & Pool & Sunday at King’s Beach.

Throwback Post: Blissful Day

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August 30 2014:

Some beauty from our sunset walk last night. All 3 of us walked with our eyes towards the sky and Lillian and I were taking pictures like crazy! xoxo

Last night’s sunset had more to share than just stunning sky colors! Looked down just in time to see this! xoxo

Love, Love, Love …. The most amazing blissful day. And we didn’t go anywhere. Stayed home, read, cleaned, played a homemade LEGO game, wrote, helped Lillian with dolphin facts research, and went for our walk.

Throwback Post: Subbing While Swimming on a Panel With an Adventure

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September 2 2015:

Got to sub last Friday for creative writing, this Monday for creative writing again, yesterday for Ruby, and today is creative writing again!! So blessed to help the teachers and grateful to get to share myself with the students. xoxo

We finally got to check out the pool tonight. Felt sooooo good! Awesome pool!

Thank you Jude Fourman Wolpert for capturing these pictures of Thomas participating in the sibling panel at the C18 Conference. What authentic people these siblings are … my eyes get all sweaty just looking at them and remembering what they shared …

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September 2 2013:

Adventure time! Late birthday celebration for Frank and early birthday celebration for Lillian at The Romano Casa! Team TLC is on our way!

I can see clearly now the smoke is gone. It’s gonna be a bright, bright, moon shiny night!!! Can you see the little heart shaped cloud? Just had to get out for a sunset walk now that the smoke has cleared …. Ahhhhhhhh …. Amazing and AWEsome!!

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September 2 2012:

Been spending all morning cookin up all these over ripe tomatoes, peaches, plums and nectarines from my friend Kimberly. She brought us more yesterday. Thank you Kimberly!! Yum Yum!!

Quick little pretending to be tourist adventures for Team TLC …. Farmer T & L …

Finishing our tourist adventures with frozen yogurt adventures … YUM!!!! Thomas has root beer float flavor … He says root beer floats make cowboys go crazy … Um, okay Mr T!!

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That was one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time made by my own hands …. YUM!!! Chicken with the fresh peaches I cooked earlier today and yummy toasted bread with the fresh maters I cooked earlier today …. Did I say YUM?? My tummy is so darn happy!

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Just back from a walk on the trail in the dark with Thomas and Lillian … One of the best walks we’ve ever had!!! Nothin like walking in the dark with your kids, looking at stars, listening to crickets and just being together ….

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September 2 2011:

Last Friday night dinner with the very special Romano peeps {Patty & Frank} while they live in Reno before moving to Vegas!! Bittersweet . . . . looking forward to new adventures yet to come . . . happy, happy, happy about all the adventures we’ve had during the past 6-7 years . . . and a wee bit sad that our Reno adventures are coming to a close! Takeaway: Enjoy the darn pieces out of every moment y’all! Muah!

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September 2 2009:

She’s just a little nearsighted – was having issues seeing the board!

Isn’t she adorable with them on?

Throwback Post: Vaulting in a Wedding Dress with Handmade Stuff

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September 3 2014:

Spring 2014 vaulting lessons for Thomas at Center for Adaptive Riding … Looking forward to next Spring and Summer so he can do it all over again!

The week I sold my wedding dress:

Reno/Tahoe/Sparks/Sacramento and surrounding area friends: Know anyone getting married next Spring, Summer or Fall? I had been saving this for Lillian but she doesn’t want it. Go me with purging! Here’s some info. Please feel free to share .. Ilissa Wedding Dress by Demetrios. Bought brand new for nearly $900. This is the magazine photo. I have the Summer 1996 “For the Bride by Demetrios” magazine with this photo also. The dress is no longer made so it’s likely you’d be one of a kind with this one!

It was cleaned and preserved by Merry Go Round cleaners in Los Angeles and is still wrapped in a special 100% cotton liner inside a Museum Quality acid-free coffer with a 100% cotton outer cover. I wore it for my wedding in 1998 and it was preserved shortly after that.

The back is sheer like the arms. The dress is a size 8, but there were alterations made to it to fit me perfectly. It was a tad too big. I am 5’7″ to give you an idea of the length.

$450.00 or best offer


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September 3 2013:

More creations for the Museum of Handmade Stuff …. made by Team Member T! A bull, a sun crawler and the egg beater … all army tanks! You go Thomas!


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September 3 2012:

Being silly, reading, painting, reading, making oat bars, drawing, reading, water balloons, making memories, taking pictures and reading … PERFECT Labor Day for Team TLC!!

Throwback Post: Walks While Having a Spa Day and Swimming

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September 8 2015:

Went for my first solo walk this morning at our new place. Now for some writing and more unpacking. It’s a great day!!

On Saturday we had the very first beanie baby birthday party in our new place …. For the one named September .. Isn’t she a beautiful blue?

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September 8 2014:

Came across this great quote in a book I’m reading right now … “The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in a place no one has ever been.” -Albert Einstein … I would say woman or man … AWESOME book, by the way. It’s called “I Am That Girl” … xoxo

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Thomas has been wanting me to lay upside down with him on this grassy hill. It’s about a 90 degree angle. The first time I flipped backwards while trying to get up!

This caught my attention as I was leaving Perfect Balance Therapies, LLC this morning. Must be some great energy leaking out the doors and windows! Got set up on the calendar, got a key to the place, met some of the other practitioners and fitness ladies. My services will be formally announced to current PBT clients in the next few days. Who’s ready for some relaxing, healing, nourishing Reiki?

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September 8 2013:

Thomas and Lillian got treated to a morning movie with breakfast at The Romano Casa! They had one more sleep over and I got one more home made spa day before we say Bon Voyage to The Romano Duo as the leave on Tuesday for a month long adventure to Mississippi to visit family and an amazing Caribbean cruise packed in the middle of family visits! Good stuff all the way around!

This young man warms my heart and reminds me to stay focused on LOVE! Said he wanted to have a bath just to soak and read! xoxoxo

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September 8 2012:

How could sweeping and mopping the floors NOT be FUN when doing it to this and feeling grateful and blessed that I’ve got floors to sweep and mop and a roof over our heads??? WoooHoooooo!!! Bring it on baby … I’m sweeping and mopping them glorious floors!!

Family swim time adventures for Team TLC!!! Thanks Silver Bear Swim School & thanks Grandpa Frank … Just a few more weeks left of swim lessons … Then …. New adventures …

Team TLC Saturday Night Movie Adventures … We are a go for …. Buttered popcorn … (Space Buddies)

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September 8 2011:

Ice cream and French fries adventures for team TLC!!!!

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September 8 2010:

Lillian is havin her 1st lesson on the Ukelele. She just learned her C chord. YAY!!!!

Throwback Post: Shadows and Bread While Swimming

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September 9 2015:

Working in the mobile office this morning while Lillian is building those muscles!! I came across one of the most amazing poems this morning … about shadows. “Shadows are everywhere” … I’m confident you’ll like it too! Go here to join the shadow world for a moment …

Shadows Are Always There

… You can subscribe to receive her posts of poems, short stories, book recommendations, and research reports as they are posted using the link at the end of the post.

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Even bread knows about hearts. Thomas was eating a piece of bread with dinner one night and noticed his bread had shaped into a heart! xoxo

It’s been a week and a half in the new place. Just finished the second blog post about this adventure. We are in love with our tiny little place … xoxo

Living in a Tiny Home Adventures – Week One

Just had the most amazing swim! Felt so peaceful and sweet!! YUM!! Now, we’re all hungry! Thomas wants to know why swimming makes you so hungry. xoxo

Apparently going for a swim not only makes one hungry. It also drenches one with creativity when making dinner. Thomas asked for something different done with the chicken this time. Couscous & Chicken in Pumpkin Cream Sauce and French Style Flat Bread with mushrooms, Emmental & Parmesan cheese and sliced bananas with cinnamon and coconut sugar. My body is relaxed and full. I am content and peaceful. So wonderful!


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September 9 2014:

Could there be anything more beautiful and love infusing as a tender kiss on the cheek from the one you get to call your son? Swoon …. xoxo

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During our walk last night Lillian said she wanted to give anonymous gifts to people we don’t know and asked for ideas. She referenced the times that she and Thomas had been the recipients of anonymous gifts. I suggested we could paint inspirational words/messages on rocks and give to people. She liked that idea! She suggested we could write “Love Notes” (my term) and hand those out anonymously too! She was thinking and brainstorming during our entire walk.

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Preparing for the annual Lillian Presentation! The FUN begins tomorrow at 9:00 am in the Stillwater classroom at HDMS. Lillian’s classmates get to have a basic, mini lesson on genes and chromosomes and a huge lesson about non-judgment, differences, compassion and supporting one another!!

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September 9 2012:

WHEW!!!! Dusting, cleaning floors, getting rid of piles ALL day with a little ole Family Swim Time Break this afternoon with the Team …. I’m tired y’all; but darn this feels GOOD!!! Nothin like some good ole cleaning and purging to give a girl a pep in her step and to clear the way for possibilities ….

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September 9 2011:

Happy Happy Happy Early 10th Birthday to my AWE-some Fairy Princess Lillian and Happy Happy Woop Woop to Mama for getting her book to the editor this morning!!! WooooooHooooooooo, YeeeeeeeHaaaaaawwww and Hot Da**!!!

Throwback Post: Sunset Walks While Reading and Cooking

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September 10 2015:

Just WOW! Beautiful walk tonight. Plus a moving quote from the bedtime book we read last night … “Do the little thing that comes from YOUR heart and everything might change, in ways no one could imagine.” – The Brave Little Parrot


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September 10 2014:

What a great morning presenting to Lillian’s classmates about chromosomes, genes, DNA, differences, acceptance, non-judgment, patience, loving and accepting our unique selves, supporting one another, and that Different iz Good! Even had a sweet young man buy one of my books for his aunt. He has a cousin with 22q-. He totally got my presentation. I could sense it in his energy and his eyes! YAY! These kids are awesome! Will post it all to my blog later today for any interested in sparking a conversation with your kids or perhaps you want to give a similar talk at your child’s school. xoxo

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September 10 2013:

Just back from a soul soothing walk. Overflowing with gratitude for the abundance of serenity and peace Mother Nature shares so freely and effortlessly. Full up of LOVE!! xoxoxo

“I feel, no, I KNOW we are at the beginning of something beautiful, magical and amazing coming into our lives! I choose to present this to myself and my kids as an opportunity for adventure. I shared the exciting news with Thomas and Lillian this past Sunday night … carefully worded and presented as a shiny new gift on a silver platter just waiting to be opened ……” Who’s ready to set sail with Team TLC? Thanks Luther for the play on words!

Allowing the Gift of a Situation

September 10 2013: Gonna enjoy as many of these sunset reading moments as we possibly can in the next month and a half …. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!


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September 10 2012:

I’m so excited!!! Prepping for my annual “Lillian Presentation”. Every year I present to Lillian’s classmates about her differences. This year I’ll have a larger audience as all of the 4-6 grade teachers want me to present to their students instead of just Lillian’s class! WOW!! I’m thrilled to be given the opportunity to have these little minds to inspire and educate … My desire is that I say just the right thing, in just the right way to inspire at least one of them, hopefully more, to accept themselves just as they ARE and to carry that forward to acceptance and kindness towards those with differences … The magic happens this Friday, the 14th … not just any Friday and not just any 14th …. It’s a very special inspiring little ladies birthday that day too …. Rock on Ms. Lillian … Keep on shinin girl

Makin dinner adventures for Team Member T … Fillin my boy with confidence and kindness tonight … Spaghetti and Meatball Stoup … And I was Thomas’ helper all the way!

A little poem inspired by Team Member T & L this past July 2012 …


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September 10 2011:

About 10,000 feet up on Southwest Air on our way back to Reno from Vegas!!!


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September 10 2009:

Awoke with these thoughts this morning. 1st & foremost we must trust ourselves. We must trust & support decisions we make even if we don’t fully understand why we must make certain decisions! Liked it so much thought I’d share!

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Had a ball at Vino 100 Supporting Danell & Lisa with their wine tasting fundraiser for the 3 Day Walk next month! Man, those red wines were yummy!!