the glittered nest

An Afternoon at Lake Travis

Spring is almost here! Spring is almost here! 

We went to Bob Wentz park Friday after school which is located near The Oasis restaurant and Hippie Hollow. We are very excited to be just a 10 minute drive from this park.

The kids love to pick up shells and rocks.  Brock mainly threw the rocks into the water the whole time!

 

When you are on 620 passing over the dam you see a peninsula on the right. This is part of Bob Wentz park.

Emily and Madi looking for those special shells in the water...they're better than the ones on the shore of course!  Looking forward to a Happy Spring!

Feeling Good

 

I love seeing how my girls set up their stuffed animals in the morning.  When I go into their room in the morning after they've left for school... it just makes me smile.  The childhood innocence of believing in your little friends.   These are their favorite little blabla dolls. You can access their site from my typelist.  Have a wonderful and bright Friday!

Meditation and Guided Imagery for children

vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/CraterLake/Images...

I love to meditate.  Sometimes it feels necessary to have a mental escape even if it's for a few minutes.  Sometimes just letting out really loud breathes can relax you.

Take in a deep breath and let out a loud AHHHHHH two times.  I was driving with my girlfriend once and accidentally did this in front of her...she burst out laughing...but now uses the technique and loves it.

A great website to go to for help on meditating is: learningmeditation. Click on meditation room to hear some guided tours into meditation. 

For children I found a great article in Pathways issue 20 to help them learn how to cope with anxiety and deal with stress in their lives.

1. Guide children in the use of their imagination to start the day.

They can imagine a stressful situation that may happen and how they will react positively to it.

2. Another good way to start off the day is by having children do daily affirmations, not only saying the affirmations but using their imagination to visualize the affirmation, "I feel good today. My body is healthy. I look great!"

3.  Ask children to recall or create imagery of humorous situations to relieve stress, anxiety, or pain.  The chemicals released in the body through laughter reduce pain and tension.

4.  Conscious and controlled breathing can be used in cooperation with guided imagery to relax muscles and reduce stress.  Children can learn to take conscious, deep breaths to relax and feel the tummy rise and fall as they relax.  Show them how to inhale deeply through the nose and slowly exhale through the mouth.

5.  Children of all ages can listen to soft instrumental music or nature sounds and pretend to take a journey through a park, meadow, or some place that they feel is peaceful and safe. They can listen to the birds, a babbling brook, smell the flowers, or feel the sand under their feet as they relax and enjoy being in their serene, safe place.

6. Goal Setting is also an important element of guided imagery.  Goals are the more analytical imaginations one creates that are intentional or purposeful.  Good, sound, positive goals are productive imaginations.  With goals, a child can move an idea from concept to manifestation.  goals are the short-term stepping stones to realizing dreams. Children can have moment to moment goals, daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, and yearly goals.  As children create the images of their goals time after time, these images sink into the subconscious mind where programs develop to transform consistent images into reality. 

I am currently working with my children with guided imagery.  I want to give my children tools that they can use to become individuals who are at peace with themselves.  I'll keep you updated.  If you have your own ideas that work please comment.

Italian Cooking Camp Day 1

Bags are packed. Daddy's home with kids. Time for some girl time!

I went with a girlfriend to a cooking camp in Hunt tx at Camp Honeycreek.  An Italian chef from Tuscany was flown in and taught us for the weekend. The adventure there was just as fun as the weekend cooking and eating incredible food.

We drove through Dripping Springs and stopped at the cutest little boutique called Consuela.  She hand makes the most beautiful boxes/crosses and picture frames made of wood and tin.

  

  

This wreath chandelier was made from willow branches.  She took little bird nests and set them around the wreaths.  A chocolate brown satin ribbon holds these two wreaths together.  This would look amazing on a covered patio or even in a room with a light running down the middle of it.

 

 On to our second destination: Lunch at Bejas in Fredricksburg.  We had an amazing Pomegranate Margarita!  One of the major benefits to girl's weekend is an afternoon toddy!

 

Here we are!  Jill and I are enjoying the Texas weather outside.

 

Driving into Hunt was amazing.  The Guadalupe River runs right through it and it is breathtaking.

 

We checked in and had a wonderful welcome dinner.  The first night was not Italian.  We had some delicious Mexican food.  The fajitas had an unusual marinade: recipe below. Of course wine was flowing all weekend!

   

   

The tamales were handmade and had long slivers of green chilies in them.

After dinner we headed to our bunks for the night!  I felt like a little kid...it was great!

 

 This is the view from my bunk in the morning.  The river runs through the camp.

Download Fajita Marinade

Second day...coming soon!