How to Have a Homemade Christmas

December 25 2016:

The most cherished and beloved gifts. Part 1

Lillian created a Nature Book for me that caused my eyes to sweat.

“Grass is healthy food and beautiful.
Sky is a beautiful ocean in the sky.
Flower is a pretty thing in nature.
Trees are old wise spirits in nature.
Ocean is a reflection of the sky.
Night is a beautiful time.
Animals are people and nature like us.”

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I wrote a poem for each of them and made it into a wall hanger.

Thomas: “Knowledge beyond grasp, Gentle and tender heart, Deep knowing of the soul.”

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Lillian: “Beauty shining within and without, Depth and strength I know not, A light shining brightly for the World.”

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The most cherished and beloved gifts. Part 2

A handmade card from Lillian and a poster size drawing from both Thomas and Lillian.

The card is full of original Lillian nature quotes … Plus one from Thomas!

“A sunset is nature’s art.
Rainbows are nature’s fancy artwork.
Night is art to the human’s eye.
Seasons are nature’s beauty.
Wind is nature’s music.
Space is a beautiful art.
Snow and ice are nature’s quiet time.” -Lillian

“Nature is full of awesome animals.” -Thomas

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The most cherished and beloved gifts. Part 3

Lillian made Thomas a Nature Book also.

“A cat can make several sounds including purr and meow.
A dog likes a lot of outdoor exercise.
Fish are living in almost any body of water.
Mouse like a lot of food scraps including cheese.
Ducks are social.
Cows help humans by making milk and eating grass.
Humans can dress up as animals and wear animal headbands. We are animals.” xoxo

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The most cherished and beloved gifts. Last Set of Pictures

Lillian made a Christmas card for Thomas and a noisemaker for me!

Many of you know that Lillian has been working on having flexibility. Something that is extremely difficult for her. At about 9:00 pm Christmas Eve she was still working on handmade gifts. She was determined to stay up until she was done!

She decided at 11:00 that she would go to bed and finish in the morning. YAY for flexibility entering a wee bit!! I simply knew the next morning that it would be best to not even suggest waiting until after opening gifts for her to finish.

So … our Christmas Day did not begin until about 11:00 as we waited for her to be finished …… And, we were all okay with that …. xoxoxo

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There were a few non homemade gifts too!! Thomas and I can play tennis now!! And as soon as it snows he can go sledding. Plus a calendar and a sweater he just loves.

Here’s a great gift idea for someone with sensory issues ……. a soft fuzzy sweater. He asked me if he could wear it all week. Great job Romano Duo on that gift!!! Thanks to Super Owen for the great book too!

Lillian got a box of one of her favorite cookies, a great new LEGO set, some books, and a calendar. Thanks to Super Owen for the great book.

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Gifts beyond the handmade …. I received some great books, a new sheet pan, oh so comfy socks, and since I’m not able to have a real camera right now, a few awesome accessories for what I do have!

Can’t wait to read the books! Thank you Frank for this amazing pan!!! Baked rosemary fries in it last night and they were amazing.

Thank you Olivia for these yummy socks!! And thank you Momma for the lenses. I finally got to go for a walk this morning and tested the macro. Love, love, love it!!!!

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To Peace and Love and Compassion and Solutions for 2017

December 31 2016:

Team TLC observes the occasion on New York time!

Now …. time for our last Letting Go Burning Ceremony of 2016. There’s no problems, only solutions.

A couple of quotes with which Thomas chose to end his book and with which I’d like to end this years post.

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.” -John Lennon

“Everything you can imagine is real.” -Pablo Picasso

It all begins within. One cannot have peace and love without, if not first having it within. Here’s to peace, compassion, self-love, and solutions for all.

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I Love You and Hugging

**THROWBACK POST**

May 2 2014:

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“I just wanna walk up to people, tell them I love them and give them a hug” –Thomas Darnell

Told him that is so awesome and beautiful. He asked if it was okay to do that. I told him absolutely … but be prepared for some possible strange looks from people as they are not used to this.

Then we talked about the song “What a Wonderful World” and the line “When people say How do you do? they’re really saying “I Love You” … I suggested he could do this and the meaning is the same as long as that’s what’s in his heart.

I LOVE LOVE … My heart is so full of love ….. LOVE!! xoxo

Thomas’ favorite version of “What a Wonderful World” …

Thank You Thomas and Lillian

December 22 2016:

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More getting caught up ….. For our November gratitude project we wrote letters of gratitude to our future selves, to one another to be mailed in the future, and a letter thanking someone to be delivered in person in the present moment.

I had done it all except the letter thanking someone. I wrote two!! Delivered Lillian’s last night. What a wonderful feeling! xoxo

Lillian:

I don’t know if I have ever truly thanked you for being my daughter. Thank you for choosing me to be your Mom.

Thank you for every card you have created for me. Thank you for sitting beside me, reading with me, and playing with my hair.

Thank you for every gift you have ever made for me. Thank you for helping around the house. Thank you for going on walks with me.

Thanks for going on dates with me. Thank you for being so kind when I’m sick. Thank you for watching movies with me. Thank you for going to the library with me. Thank you for going to parks with me.

Thank you for being on this “Living in a Tiny Home” adventure with me. Thanks for laughing with me and dancing with me. Thanks for taking pictures of nature with me.

Thank you for being the daughter I get to have while on this life adventure!!

Love,
Mom
Camilla

Thomas:

I don’t know if I’ve ever thanked your for choosing me to be your Mom. Thank you for being my son, thank you for going on walks with me.

Thank you for reading with me, and sharing your knowledge with me. Thank you for going to the library with me. Thank you for loving nature as much as me.

Thank you for loving me. Thank you for helping around the house. Thank you for listening to mantra and meditation music with me. Thank you for dancing with me.

Thank you for the cards you make for me and thank you for all of the gifts you have created for me!

Thank you for sitting beside me. Thanks for holding my hand. Thank you for hugging me and kissing me on the cheek.

Thank you for being a part of this “Living in a Tiny Home” adventure. Thank you for BEing YOU. Thanks for being on this life’s journey with me!

Love,
Mom
Camilla

You Are So Comfortable

December 9 2016:

“You are so comfortable”, Thomas says to me as we’re reading in my bed …. I am deeply and incredibly blessed by this soul I get to share life with.

He was also the catalyst for deciding about a month ago to take one day a week off of facebook. So far, it’s been every Thursday; which is why it’s quiet on my timeline the past several Thursdays. Thomas takes the day off of minecraft … so it’s something we are doing together. Love, sweet love …. xoxo

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I Can Do Anything

November 6 2016:

I was drawn to watch this short 3 minute video just now. Although I have moved on from some of the roles and advocacy from this time in my life, this served as a reminder for me in this moment.

This is the video journey that accompanies the book I wrote and published in 2012, D iz for Different – One Woman’s Journey to Acceptance.

I CAN do anything I decide and choose I’m going to do ….. AND …. so can YOU! And it will be a success as long as we do it from love and with love. LOVE will free us all … xoxo

South Valleys Library Art Gallery and Incline Village Library

October 23 2016:

…. And, coming in 2017 at the South Valleys Library’s rotating art gallery ….. a Team TLC showing. I think it will be their first family showing!! The date will not be set until we reach 2017 so we’ll share when we know.

Featuring a few of Thomas’ photographs from his book, Lillian’s abstract art (and her book if it’s ready by then), and we shall see what appears from me.

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October 26 2016:

Field trip today!!! Incline village library ….. Beautiful drive up and down Mt Rose. Such a great library!!!! Books … for the Love of it! xoxo

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Just Start Doing It and Keep Doing It

October 8 2016:

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Tonight I go to bed tired and exhausted …. a blessed and good exhausted. I end this day full of gratitude. I am grateful to so many people, for so many things, and for magical and miraculous happenings over the past 3 months.

For the past 3 months I have worked on completing one task and fulfilling a promise I made to the T in our Team TLC. I have hardly “worked” on anything else.

For the past 3 weeks, I’ve helped Thomas get ready to show 2 of his photographs at the Young Blood exhibit and be prepared for the Kids Business Fair today.

I was so tired when we got home and unloaded everything, all I could do was run a hot, epsom salt bath, and slide my tired body into it. And, it was amazing. I cried tears of gratitude, joy, and knowing.

I have many stories to share via blog posts that have been patiently waiting for the completion of Biggest Little Photographer for Thomas. One being that I had no idea how I would make this happen when I made the promise to an 8 year old Thomas (10 years old now). Yet, I knew in my heart it was what I was supposed to say to him.

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When the time came to fulfill that promise, I still had no idea how I would do it. What I did know from my past experience is to just start doing it and keep doing it and it will happen.

What I also knew is that this came from my heart and nothing from one’s heart is ever the wrong thing to do. And, it ends up being not about the end result, it’s about all the “doing it” leading up to the end result.

I simply started taking steps to create a book with Thomas’ 365 day photography project. Many times not even knowing where and how my foot would land. Not knowing how to put it all together or who we would have help with final steps of making it into a book.

I checked out a couple of books from the library to use as inspiration, looked at some books online, and just started. I did back up once and start all over, deciding to go about it differently and am so glad I did.

We aren’t completely done yet, as we’ll be having book signings around town and are available to speak as a Mom and Son duo. I will take a brief break to catch up on my own writings …. and to fix the driver’s side mirror that has been held on with duck tape since July!

Then, it’s on to fulfill a promise to the L in our Team TLC …… For now, I know what I know, what I know, what I know …. xoxoxo

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The Most Refreshing Feeling

July 30 2016:

This was one of the MOST refreshing feelings ever! It was nearly 100 degrees yesterday and we went swimming! Felt so good!!! Thomas loves floating in the water … being still and quiet. There were a few really cool clouds to give us brief breaks from the gorgeous son! xoxo

Blessings,
Thomas, Lillian and Camilla = Team TLC
See It. Share It. BE IT … Spread Love Everywhere You Go!

Wonderfully exciting news! We’ve completed the first book trailer for Thomas’ upcoming book, Biggest Little Photographer. You can learn more and pre-order here.