Sweet Nectar for My Soul and Bliss and Beauty and Love and Hidden Beach

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Camilla

August 15 2016:

Lillian and I got to have a sunset walk. I’ve had a rough day and this was like sweet nectar for my soul.

I received an anonymous email from someone who laid judgment upon me and the way I choose to live. It hurt. I have not been able to take my own advice of “What other people think of you, is their business, not yours.”

I finally shared with a small group of friends and that helped a bit. Then I was treated to this most delicious walk with Lillian where I ask her about our walks together. xoxoxo And, lastly, I came home to a Louise Hay post of “I Release All Criticism” … Feeling so much better. Not quite myself. Yet, much better.

I apologize! I turned the video to landscape halfway through. Oops!!

By the end of the day, I chose to see this as an opportunity for growth for myself and to have compassion and non-judgment for the one who is confused by whether my living as a free spirit is by choice or necessity and the one who feels my kids are enduring financial stress that no kid should endure … Oceans and oceans of love to you … LOVE is the answer … xoxo

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August 17 2016:

Wonderful sunset to darkness walk last night. It was nearly 8:45 pm once we got back to the car. So quiet and peaceful with stops several times to listen to the birds talking. It got too dark for more pictures. These walks are so incredibly blissful. … Then we went to the grocery store. 9:00 at night is the time to go grocery shopping! So quiet!! xoxo

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August 18 2016:

Beauties outside of the building yesterday afternoon … Northern Nevada Medical … Where Lillian receives craniosacral therapy. We were in a hurry so I could get to another appointment, yet we stopped to admire natures gift and to try and capture it. Remember to have a sense of wonder as often as you can. It’s life changing. xoxo

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August 18 2016:

Thomas n Camilla sunset walk tonight. I simply could not get enough of the light breeze brushing against my skin while gently blowing my hair. So divine.

Thomas and I had a ball. We watched the killdeer and the black necked stilt for a bit. Then danced a killdeer tango as we walked. If you’ve watched them you know what I mean.

Then Thomas said something that caused me to remember the television show with Lee Majors as The Bionic Man. Ha! Now Thomas knows some tv trivia! Nature is love … xoxo

Thomas wanted to share more about our walks. And I chime in a wee bit too. And so do the ducks!! On our sunset walk last night. xoxoxo

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August 19 2016:

Field trip day!! Lunch stop!! xoxo

Third stop on field trip day yesterday. I’ve only been here once and Thomas and Lillian have never been here.

Definitely got our exercise for the day. Another first for Lillian. She has never hiked on a little narrow path, sometimes with a steep downhill on one side. Lots of anxiety and one scream and one scratch on her toe and one scratch on my hand from her grasping my hand. We made it though!!

A first for me!!! I swam in Lake Tahoe and it was amazing. Refreshingly cold. Relaxing. I didn’t want to get out!! The water hugged and caressed my body like a Mother hugs her baby. Pure heaven.

Thomas swam too. He loved it!! Even though he got a gnarly scratch from one of the rocks. He wants to come back again and again. And wants to move to Incline Village!

Another first for Lillian. She got “attacked” by a dog. Well, not really. She has a debilitating fear of dogs. She was sitting on the towel. I saw the sweet puppy headed over and before I could get there he was trying to lick her to death. I’m sure all of Hidden Beach thought someone was in grave danger. Lillian screamed like I’ve never heard her scream. The dogs humans apologized like 5 million times. They felt so bad! It took her about 15 minutes and then Lillian recovered back to enjoying herself.

As we headed down to the beach Lillian was commenting she never wanted to come again. On the way back up she was commenting about next time this, that, and the other …

Made it back home about 8:00 with 4 scrapes and scratches amongst us and lots of tired muscles and having learned so incredibly much.

And …. We loved it!!! We will all sleep soundly tonight.

The Beauty of Blossoms and Investing and Another Step and Meteor Shower

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Camilla

August 7 2016:

The poem is finally finished that goes along with the tree blossom painted rock.

I delivered the rock at the conference, yet, simply had run short of time and the heart space I wanted for creating the poem before conference. Thank you Steve Poteete-Marshall for your support!! Will mail it to you next week.

A friend posted the other image one day last week and it moved me to tears. Oceans of thanks and gratitude for all who support and encourage the creations I put forth … whether with my writings or other artistic creations! It truly means the world to me and my little Team TLC … xoxoxoxo

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August 11 2016:

Thomas wants to learn about stocks and investing so we went to the library today and got him a few books. I also gave him a couple of websites to visit. Does anyone have a good suggestion for a book, website, or class for beginners? I was really on top of it in the early to mid 2000’s …. yet, life kinda took a drastic turn! Thanks!

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August 12 2016:

Just finished one more step for Thomas’ book! Actually took a step backwards as we decided to group the photos into themes. Now we can continue with the layout. It feels wonderful to be one step closer!

Want a little burst of inspiration? Watch the 1 minute trailer. Even if you aren’t interested in the book, you might get a shot of “I can do it” from the trailer. Oceans of gratitude for those who continue to pre-purchase, share, and comment!

Here’s another of the photos to be included.

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August 13 2016:

Thomas and Lillian wanted to get up in the wee hours this morning to see if we could catch a glimpse of the Perseid meteor shower.

My alarm went off at 3:00, yet I turned it off and went right back to sleep. Woke up again at 4:00, got them up and we walked to the lake. We didn’t see as much as we could have further out from city lights or if we’d done it yesterday morning, yet we each got to see at least one! It was so cool! Then home and back to bed!

These are pictures from our day yesterday. Working in the morning, found a heart shaped chip while making lunches, and then Thomas and I went for a swim. Shared an online business idea with each of them and they liked it so took the first step with that.

Lillian wrote and published her next “Emotions with Animals” blog post. I worked on Thomas’ book AND I found a website where Thomas can practice buying stocks in a simulated environment. He’s pretty excited about it! Busy day!

After receiving the extremely sad news about our C18 friend, Heather, we ended the evening with lots of discussion and writing compliment cards for each other and for ourselves.

Team TLC Errand Services and More

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Camilla

August 13 2016:

We have been brainstorming ideas for how we can serve our community as a family and team and at the same time move towards our dream and live how we choose. Here’s what we came up with …. xoxo

Errand Services

Is your “to do” list longer than The Great Wall of China? Team TLC is here to tackle those errands with Tender Loving Care.

Who We Serve

Individuals – Have you simply run out of time to get it all done?
Homeschoolers – We are a homeschooling family. We know.
Non profit agencies – Having run a non-profit for a couple of years, I know the tightness of your budget. We are here for you in those here and there times when you need a second hand.
Small businesses – I’ve been an entrepreneur since 2001. I know.
We serve the greater Reno area. Although, we are happy to assist those not local to Reno if there is anything we can do online for you!

Sample errands and Other

Dog Nanny – Dog walking and/or dog sitting
Drop off clothes/pick up clothes at dry cleaners
Grocery shopping
Return books/pick up books from the library
Mail items/pick up mail
Deliver items
Pick up and deliver restaurant orders
Check on your home while you are out of town
Costs

Simple flat fee of $20/hour, with a minimum of a 2 hour purchase for the first use
5 hours or more purchased in bulk receives a 10% discount
*We get as much done for you within the hour as humanly possible.
**For errands that incur additional costs, ie groceries, an estimated amount of the bill is collected in advance.
***24 hours notice needed for all requests. Less than 24 hours incurs an extra fee.

Who We Are

Team TLC = Thomas, Lillian and Camilla = One Mom + Two Kids = XOXO

Our Team = Nature lovers, Unschooling, Book Lovers, Writers, Nature based schooling, Practicing mindfulness and emotional connection, Inspired by photography, Tiny home dwellers, Minecraft enthusiast

**More details** We are truly open to hear ideas about what others need help with “getting done”. We will be honest if it’s something we do not feel capable of helping with.

From errands that keep getting put off, to researching products/curriculums, to sorting things like LEGO pieces, beads, nuts, bolts (we like sorting!!), to scooping the backyard dog poo.

On a different note, outside of the Team TLC services, I specialize in nature mentoring (showing parents how to help their child not lose their nature connection and retain their sense of wonder) and as a mindfulness/positive parenting tutor. With this I can assist with introducing mindfulness into a family via mindful eating and other mindfulness practices. And I also offer a unique nature centered style of one to one coaching.

Feel free to ask questions or for more details! xoxo

Wise Tortoise by Lillian

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Camilla

8.12.16:

Another great story from Lillian … Carry on wise tortoise … xoxo

“Hey, everyone! Welcome back to this week’s bonus edition of Emotions With Animals. The bonus is in honor of water. This week’s edition includes tortoises and freshwater turtles. Let’s begin!

Wise tortoises live longer than average humans. So it makes them seem wise.

Wise people have many experiences. They also meditate.

How To Be Wise:

Know that you are wise from the heart …. ” Go here to read further … https://lilliandarnell.com/2016/08/12/emotions-with-animals-wise-tortoise-shy-turtles/

Lillian and Camilla July 2016 Date Day

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Camilla

August 11, 2016:

Lillian and Camilla July 2016 Date Day …. July’s date day was delayed due to our travels to and from the 2016 Chromosome 18 Conference. So we did something different for this date day.

After dinner Lillian and I headed to Whole Foods to pick out a cookie from the “Cookie Bar” … cheapest dessert ever …. and made with real food ingredients!

Next up we took our cookies to Audrey Harris Park so we could eat with a lovely view. When we got there, we saw the park was closed due to an event down below at the Bartley Ranch stage. We decided to go for a walk around Bartley Ranch and have our dessert later.

We enjoyed a wonderful time looking at the old equipment and buildings, trees, sky, and sunset. After our walk we enjoyed a slow, quiet, and peaceful drive the long way back to our end of town. I just love this drive of taking in all the farms and older houses and simply how peaceful it seems.

Next up was to head to Geiger Way Lookout to enjoy those cookies with a view. It was dark by the time we arrived so the pictures are fuzzy, yet they capture some of the beautiful essence. So incredibly wonderful.

And, last we enjoyed another slow and peaceful drive back home. I’d rank this one up there with one of our most beautiful date days. Simple and wonderful. xoxo …

Walking and Nature and Love and Exploring

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Camilla

August 2 2016:

Lillian and I had a beautiful walk last night. Walking with Thomas and Lillian inspires me and I’m blessed they feel the same. xoxo

August 3 2016:

Took our nightly read-out-loud-together to the park last night. Also had our family walk and threw the football and frisbee.

Yesterday was a day of intensely sad emotions. I’m blessed this is the way we ended our day. Nature and love are good medicine. xoxo

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August 6, 2016:

Sunset walk with Lillian last night. Noticeably cooler with a wonderful breeze. So much joy in exploring trees, leaves, and shadows. Plus we found this cool feather to research and discover its owner. xoxo

Keep Alive the Nature Connection

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Camilla

August 6 2016:

I began taking Thomas and Lillian for walks when they were both infants. Having not tried to introduce going for walks and relighting the spark of wonder at a later age, I’m not sure how this would work with older children. Thomas is 10 years old now and Lillian is 14 years old. Each of them treasure our walks together and if we skip more than 2 days, they notice and bring it up. [ 772 more words. ]

13 Ways to Keep Alive Your Childs Nature Connection

The 2016 Chromosome 18 Conference – In Pictures

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Camilla

Reno, Nevada to San Antonio, Texas and back again!! July 7 – 16, 2016

Cardboard and Paper and Pencil and Halloween Movie

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Camilla

October 13 2016:

It was Thomas’ turn last night to choose our family activity. He chose to play the board game he made for Lillian for her birthday … A piece of cardboard, a piece of paper, and a pencil + imagination and creativity = Fun and love. xoxo

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October 14 2016:

Thomas was 5 years old when he thought of this, put it together, and asked me to “film” it …. Just came across it again … Enjoy … !!! (He’s about to turn 11 years old!) xoxoxo

Wonders Of Nature by Lillian

Posted on October 19, 2016 by Lillian Darnell

Hey there, everyone! This post is about wonders nature can give you if you look closely. Hope this helps nature lovers and other people who want to be nature lovers or likers. Enjoy these wonders I listed below.

At Washoe Lake, Thomas, Camilla, and Lillian (which is me) found gypsum rocks. I picked a big gypsum rock to keep. Camilla had found a hand sized gypsum rock that had shimmered to catch Camilla’s attention. Camilla had said that the gypsum rock told her, “I’m yours!” and that is one wondrous thing especially if you’re a rock lover.

Also at Washoe Lake, Thomas found a piece of slate and a different mineral or rock. When we got home, he washed both and cleaned both. That is a miraculous thing to find by a lake.

At home, I found petrified wood and I was amazed by the wood turned into stone. It’s a very cool thing to have. I found out that blue goldstone and goldstone were pretty and can have healing powers.

Amethyst can look pretty and have healing powers too. Quartz is always pretty and if you look closely you can see a rainbow and it has some healing powers as well. Sandstone is our state stone and it’s amazing how sand turns into stone.

I was surprised to find out that we had hematite in our home. It’s also very pretty but it’s a natural wonder. Malachite is very pretty and almost the same as hematite.

When we were walking at Rancho San Rafael Park, we saw a hummingbird and I had never seen one before. I think hummingbirds represent nature in different ways. I also saw a blue jay that same day. I think blue jays resemble the mountains. When walking here at home, I saw a Little Egret and Egret. I think egrets represent snow and lake.

In one of our previous homes, we saw California quails. I think it was a great experience! I also think that quails represent land and sky together. Coots are amazing. I think Coots represent the night sky.

I saw a woodpecker last autumn pecking a dead tree and that was amazing. I think that woodpeckers represent dirt. I saw a hawk eating something and it attracted a crowd. I thought that was very awesome! A hawk represents fertilizer to me.

I had never seen a dove up close until 2014 to last year. I think a dove represents an angel from “heaven”. I also hadn’t seen Canadian geese up close until last summer. I think a Canadian goose represents earth.

Camilla, Thomas, and I saw two pelicans not too long ago and I think pelicans represent floppy paper. All these natural wonders remind us that natural wonders are around us all the time. Look around you and you’ll see natural natural wonders no matter where you look. I hope you visit my blog, Thomas’s blog, and Camilla’s blog.

Gorgeous Sandstone!