**THROWBACK POST**
June 23 2013:
Lillian’s Imagination Question tonight …
If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you like to have with you? She says she would like to have food, her phone and a place to live …. and she had to add a fourth one … A name for the island. Asked her what she would name the island. Her answer … Lillian’s Fairy Land Secret Island …. Sounds like a wonderful, blissful place to me!
December 22 2016:
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
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
December 21 2016:
It’s been six months since I’ve been a night without Thomas in the house. He’s only around the corner, yet I miss his presence!
The Romano Duo arrived yesterday and we went to the lodge today so they could use the gift wrap station. Thomas is spending the night with them tonight. Lillian’s turn tomorrow night!!
________________________________________________________
December 22 2016:
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
__________________________________________________________
December 22, 2016:
Remember when I posted about how the strap on the Coach purse I’d had for 17 years broke?
Just received the most amazing love filled package.
Oceans of gratitude to Super Owen and his SUPER mom and dad …. Olivia Burella Hinden and Justin Hinden ….. Thank you for blessing us! So big and so much love to all of you!!!!! xoxo …. 🎄⛄️❄️💕🙏✌️️💖💜💙💚
**THROWBACK POST**
June 14 2013:
I finally put the almond flour cookie recipe on my website y’all! Gluten free, dairy free and vegan and YUMMY!! Here ya go … Also, if you wanna make sure to not miss any of my blog posts you can sign up to get them as I post. I write about once or twice a week on living a natural, simple and inspired life (with a smattering of special needs parenting issues).
________________________________________________________
When we are urged by our inner voice to share, do or say something, sometimes we don’t know the reason. Simply trusting that the reason will become clear once we let go and embrace it is all that’s needed to understand the reason. I received this comment on my website last night. I share it with y’all for anyone who questions their inner voice and chooses to ignore it. ♥
“Dear Camilla
I have only by accident come across your book and upon reading the first few pages was surprisingly ( even to myself) reduced to tears. Someone else has a daughter with 18p- … Someone else knows what that means… And the rarity involved. Someone else knows the endless parade of doctors and decisions and someone else does it as a single parent. I did not know I felt so alone in this until reading u describe my own child, Emalee, (13yrs) in your words about Lillian. I have lost a daughter to trisomy 18 and a husband to divorce. I look forward to reading your book knowing I am not navigating this alone.”
__________________________________________________________
Headed to turn in Thomas‘ summer horse riding paperwork … Making a fun little stop to get inspired and refreshed!!
A few more pictures from our quickie stop at WashoeLake today. So beautiful and inspiring!
**THROWBACK POST**
May 27 2013:
Just back from a refreshing walk with nature … Look at the beautiful gift I found waiting for me! Had the entire trail and walk to myself …. PERFECT!!
May 27 2013:
It’s a homemade almond cookie kinda day! YUM!! I experimented this time and made some substitutions to the recipe I usually use. Turned out GOOD! Sending y’all warm homemade cookie hugs!
May 27 2013:
Team TLC had dinner at The Romano Casa tonight … Yum!!!! That Romano Duo is so good to us!!
December 22 2016:
Team TLC extra movie night: My choice: “Julie & Julia” –
I say, “I watched this for the first time in 2007. It was one of the reinforcing messages to teach myself everything about blogging.
Which, I did. I spent hours and hours learning. And, then I jumped in!! I purchased my, Thomas’, and Lillian’s names as domains as I knew this would be important for them later in life. Thomas was 2 years old at the time. He’s 11 years old now. (CamillaDowns.com and ThomasADarnell.com and LillianDarnell.com … )
I began blogging at Pink Elephant Books .com and then Lillian joined me over there. I think she was 6 years old. Then at some point she and I switched to writing at our namesake blogs. And, later, Thomas did too. And at some point I began an online journal at The Team TLC .com (this blog).
I loved this movie then and now as, for me, it is about listening to our intuition, divine messages, and following those messages without hesitation. xoxoxo”
Thomas says, “I liked it. I like food. I liked that she was driven by a passion for something. I liked how it switched back and forth in time. I like how it is similar to my 365 photography project.”
Lillian says, “Good, I like how it has to do with food, liked how she was passionate, like the humor, my favorite parts were Julie’s blog, and after she cooked the last dish, and how she got to see Julia’s kitchen.”
December 14 2016
Here’s to completion and new beginnings!!
Today we graduated from psychotherapy sessions with Alexa at Midtown Mindfulness.
After a trip back home to Germany beginning tomorrow, Alexa will begin her new journey helping young girls affected by sex trafficking. A beautiful heart centered new beginning for her.
We are extremely grateful for the year and a half we’ve experienced sessions with Alexa. She has seen Lillian come a long way from that first visit in 2014.
Alexa always shared wonderful comments about my style of parenting and ability to stay calm and relaxed. Of course I’m not always able to sustain this, yet how would I know the joy and peace of remaining calm if I don’t experience the opposite.
Mindfulness is indeed miraculous and has been life changing for all 3 of us. Another wonderful path in our journey together!!! Cheers!!!!!
December 14 2016:
Wonderfully windy walk with Lillian this afternoon. The clouds and wind put on an amazing show. Nature is her own gallery! xoxo
___________________________________________________
December 15 2016:
Lillian shares why she loves this time of year ….. The wind had quite a bit to say too so some is muffled. Yet, I think you can hear most of it!
December 11 2016:
We’re getting to have a drive by quickie visit with The Romano Duo on their way to see Heather Schutzler and Brian Schutzler in Washington. They’ll be back here next week! Happy Thomas and Lillian!!!! xoxo
Sautéed onion, garlic, and potato salad with beets, cashews, raw pecans (from a Mississippi pecan tree – courtesy of The Romano Duo), raw sunflower seeds, sulfur-free dried apricots, sautéed broccoli, chopped pickle, olives, English cucumber, sprinkle of prairie sunset cheese topped with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar. Potato mixture sautéed in coconut oil, Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, paprika, chili powder, and ginger.
Yum!!!!
________________________________________________________
December 16 2016:
Yum, Yum dinner last night!! Mixed mine with romaine lettuce, pickles, beets, English cucumbers, and aged balsamic. Thomas had his sans the salad.
Sautéed sweet onions, garlic, raw pecans, raw pistachios, and raw sunflower seeds in coconut oil with Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, and ginger. Mixing in gluten free Tinkada pasta and sprinkled with Prairie cheese.
__________________________________________________________
And then there was this ….
Vegetarian chili infused with fresh sage ….. With sautéed sweet onions and garlic, big pinch of unsweetened cocoa, dash of aged balsamic vinegar, Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, chili powder, paprika, and ground ginger. Needed quick so used 2 cans of Trader Joe’s organic vegetarian chili and 2 cans of fire roasted and diced tomatoes.
And …. it is soooooo good!! xoxo
__________________________________________
December 17 2016:
Finally took time today to get caught up on some “love” details.
We had a party, cake, and gifts for Lillian’s birthday in September; yet, I had not made her card. I also finally made Thomas’ 11th birthday poster for his November birthday.
I love making homemade cards …. xoxo …. 💙💚💜
