My Daily Affirmation

It's been a rough week and it's so easy for me to spiral down to a very low place. I got my affirmation cards out last night and here is my affirmation for the day, written by Louise Hay:

Every thought I think is creating my future.

The Universe totally supports every thought I choose to think and believe. I have unlimited choices about what I think. I choose balance, harmony, and peace, and I express it in my life.

She decided to free herself, dance into the wind, create a new language. And birds fluttered around her, writing "yes" in the sky.



Monique Duval

For the last several months I've developed a passionate interest in dreams and the meaning of my own dreams. Realizing that the meanings and symbolisms of dreams are going to vary greatly from person to person so you can't really go by all those dream dictionaries and such. I've been journaling my own dreams so that I can begin to connect patterns and meanings.

So last night I had this dream that a tattoo artist tattooed an armadillo over the sun on my forearm. He tried to convince me that the armadillo represented the sun so it was all the same. I remember the feeling that I had in my dream - a deep sadness that my sun was gone because I LOVE my sun and moon tattoo's, and that I was stuck with this greenish/bluish armadillo for the rest of my life! I found it interesting that I dreamt about an armadillo since I have only seen a couple in my entire life, and as of the last two years I haven't thought about them, I haven't seen a picture of one, nothing about an armadillo has entered my life.

So I looked up the symbolism of an armadillo today since "when we come across certain animals in our lives it can be an indication that they are put in our path to give us messages from Spirit about what it is that we need to focus on in our personal healing at that moment in time." (taken from one such website). So here is what they say about an armadillo:

ARMADILLO - putting up boundaries. We learn from the armadillo - which, by rolling into a ball, can be completely armored against attack - how to consciously define our own emotional and physical boundaries. Carrying our protection with us and using it when it is necessary for our well being.

I won't get into detail but there have definitely been some things in my life where I definitely need to put up that shield of protection. Very interesting.

This will brighten up anyone's day!! Incredible!


korean baby singing hey jude

Well, I decided to scratch the Meme because I can't think of anything wild and crazy about me. I know some of you are thinking, "what? Everything about Heidi is wild and crazy!" I know, I know, but most people that read my blog don't think those things are so different from their own lives because I have a bunch of wild and crazy friends, lol. I asked Kev's friends what they thought was wild and crazy and they all came up with things such as our unschooling lifestyle, our relaxed parenting style, my funky fashion style (I don't think it is that funky), I didn't look like a mom (translation: you are really cool! :) ), and some of the guys thought I was hot (didn't really think that was appropriate to blog about). So anyway, I guess I will just have to start blogging more regularly for those of you that love to hear what is going on with our family.

So today the thing that is on my mind.......................... I have had several things happen in the last several weeks that has taught me to 1) not make assumptions about ANYTHING 2) Don't judge a person by what someone elses experiences with that person are. There are always two sides to every story, always someone's perception on the situation or the person. 3) Stop talking about people and talk about dreams and ideas. I was reminded again that there is NO REALITY, only one's own perception. I want to remember this as I continue to go through life and just simply LOVE!!! To let go, accept, tolerate (people, not necessarily behavior, as there is a difference), learn how to separate the person from their behavior, to truly understand our connection with one another.

So that said, in the last couple of months some of the things that have been going on in our family life: Martin turned 39. Tristan made an absolutely BEAUTIFUL cake for him while we were at yoga. He is becoming quite the baker. He figured out that if he pours hot fudge over the cake that it is impossible to eat only one piece! So we now eat chocolate cake with hot fudge, forget the frosting:) And Martin has one more year to enjoy in his 30's.

I gave my notice with the Blue Mountains yoga studio. I really want to have a less chaotic summer so I can focus on my kids and there were things happening that caused me to want to leave before I began to feel too much resentment. I still have two classes at the new SportsCenter and it looks like I may pick up two more classes at a new studio that just opened. I meet with the owner today to discuss details. We (yoga teachers) have had the privilege of meeting a Swami that works in an Indian restaurant here in town. He has offered to teach us meditation and we will meet with him for the first time tonight. I am very excited, especially since I have asked the Universe to bring me a teacher. Not sure if he is the one but I am excited to meet with him.

Kev got to go to the Jazzfest in Fairbanks, with the highschool Jazz choir. He had a BLAST and said that home seemed boring after that. He is really enjoying the choir and Japanese at the school. He has competed in two different Japanese speech contests and had a great time. He has decided that he is going to do correspondence next year and just take the choir and Japanese at the school. He still is able to swim on the swim team at the school also, so all the things that he likes best about school. The great thing is that he gets an allotment with the correspondence that will pay for him to take college classes that will apply to both his highschool and college transcripts. Basically, he could have his first semester of college done by the time he reaches his senior year. He is pretty sure that he is going to take English at the college and possibly his geometry class there, as it is going to be a little harder for me to help him in that arena.

Tristan has decided that he is going to get a macaw. He has saved $700 for the endeavor so far and is pretty determined. He has spent a lot of time researching and even learned that non-stick cooking pans cannot be used in a house with a macaw, as it is extremely toxic to them. Wow, wonder what it does to a human. It is fun watching him fix his attention on a goal and go for it. He is a good saver and we have even talked about handing the bills over to him because we would probably have a lot more money if we did. I may start working on showing him how to do everything over the next year and then possibly giving him a small salary for taking care of our finances. Now that is something school doesn't teach them!! I love unschooling!!

Calista used some of her money to buy two hamsters last month. I swear were starting a farm here! She has been taking full care of them so I'm okay with it. As long as I don't have to touch them! I'm not a big fan of rodents, although they are fun to watch. They are a little humanish. She also bought herself a computer, with her Alaska Permanent Fund money, and is learning how to navigate around the internet. She also ended up buying herself a camera so she has her own little setup. It has definitely helped with fights over computers so I'm happy about that. She likes to play Club Penguin, Toon Town, Ty Girlz, and Simms, especially when Rylee, Haley, Jalen or Sierra are on there at the same time as her.

I know I've blogged about Christa before but she is my adopted daughter. We were introduced to Christa back in September through friends of Kev's. She has slowly made her way into our hearts and home. She has been in and out of the house all winter and is now living with us full time. She will be living with my sister, Robin, this summer to be her nanny. She comes from a split home, lots of alcohol problems and mom is completely emotionally detached. I think it is a bit of a challenge for Kev but it seems to be working out okay. Rylee adores her and I'm sure it will be a great summer for her not to have to wake up so early to come to my house in the morning.

Oh, and my sister, Robin, had a big bonfire this last weekend that was loads of fun. Robin invites her friends and people that she works for and then those people invite friends and we invite our friends. It is an eclectic group of people and it just works. We all stayed until midnight and it was full moon, just beautiful!! I'm lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life!!! The picture above is some of us at the bonfire. I'm in the middle, top row, in the tan sweater and my sister is the one directly in front of me, as if you couldn't have guessed. My best friends Debbie and Tanya are to the right and left of me and the others are my sisters friends and friends of theirs.

Well, this has gotten a little more lengthy than I had intended. That is the gist of what is going on at the Snavley household. We are definitely enjoying our warmer spring weather!!

I realize that I haven't been blogging too much for the last several months. It's about all I can do to keep up with stuff around the house, much less blog. I've really been having a hard time lately staying in that place of contentment. I'm sick of winter and really wanting to be back on the road; sad that we ever came back to Alaska. On that note, I decided today that it is time to get back to making my list of gratitudes, coming back to that place where I can appreciate all that is good in my life. So today some of the things I am grateful for:

* The sunshine! Haven't been seeing it as much, with all the snowfall, and it just feels really good to have it beaming down on my face.

* My kids! Of course! They just continually amaze me with their creativity and their independence. Tristan has voluntarily begun to do his own laundry! He starts running out of clothes and just gathers them up and puts them in the washer. I never asked, never nagged. I really don't mind doing their laundry at all but he's decided he likes doing his so..........

* The mountains! They never cease to amaze me. It's just incredible to look out the window and find yourself completely, literally, surrounded by these majestic mountains! I don't know many other places quite like Alaska, as far as how beautiful the scenery is.

* My house. I really love my house. I can't explain why exactly, except that it fits my personality and fits the way we live. I complain at times about having so much to take care of and really wishing for an ultra simple lifestyle but there are good things about having more space and I just really like my house- did I already mention that?

* Our three dogs. They add this great energy to the house. And they love so unconditionally. I can learn a lot from them. I love it at night when all three of them crawl up on to our bed and snuggle for an hour before we kick them off to sleep. Then they go snuggle with Tristan because he will put up with being crampled all night.

* My friends and family. And all my "adopted" children. I have wonderful people that surround and support me. The thought of not being able to see them every day is not a pleasant one. Something I need to keep in mind when I wish to be somewhere else.

* My yoga practice and the new yoga studio that just opened up. My practice makes me who I am and makes me much more able to deal with the ups and downs of life. I am much more than this body that I happen to dwell in.

Well, that is a pretty good start to having a good day today. So now I have to work on the Meme that my sister, Ren, tagged me with. I will give it some thought first and post a little later.

Namaste'