Hmmmm...I've already written and posted this once but it's not here so I guess I'll do it again!  Isabelle is fine!  She is a carrier of the Cystic Fibrosis gene but does not have the disease.  She was in my arms when we received the good news!  I cried extremely happy tears.  Oh, and she's just as cute in person as she is in the pictures.  She's a crier though - whew!  Glad my babies were such perfect angels!  ;0)

Jenni did not come and see me because she was afraid of a little snow.  Awww.  I was disapointed.  (just teasing you, Jens, hard to tell what it was going to do that day but I was disappointed, as I'm sure you were).  That said - chicken!  ha  - still kidding

My brother and I spent a day in New York City and had an absolute blast!  I was like a kid in a great big candy store!  My tootsies were tired by the end of the day.  I can't wait to go back.

So, now I'm home and packing like a crazy person because we head out for Florida tomorrow.  I will be back the 18th & until then - Happy Holidays!  BIG Love,  Ayla

I'm home!  What a wild twelve days!  It took two and 1/2 days of driving to get to Florida.  We drove 14 hour days, crammed in a Dodge Neon (which we gave to my son, Derek) like sardines and being chased by really terrible winter weather.  If we had left one day later we never would have made it across Wyoming or Missouri.  It pretty much rained or snowed all the way to south Georgia and then the sun magically appeared!  Every day in Florida (except for our last day there) was sunny and 84 to 86 degrees.  It felt hot and muggy and I loved it. 

We spent our first night in Florida in Ocala at my bestfriend's (Tina) house.  I haven't seen her in five years so it was just wondeful talking and catching up.  Brad & the kids liked her and she liked them as well, so that was a lovely bonus.  Nichole, my first girl (borrowed often from Tina) was able to get out of bed a little bit and it was so fabulous to see her and hold her close.  She has Lupus and is very ill.  It scares me silly and I cried for awhile after we left but kept it together in front of her.  I hate that disease and just pray and hope that they find a cure soon.  She is 26 years old and has been suffering since she was 13.  The lupus is attacking so many of her organs, the worst at the moment being her lungs and kidneys.  I practiced some Reiki with her and she was very open to it.  My husband said her eyes went kind of "dopey" in the middle of it and I could feel her relax under my hands.  That was wonderful as she has a lot of anxiety.  It certainly wasn't hard giving love to my girl. 

We then moved on to Bradenton, to my Derek.  Oh the joy of holding my boy in my arms again.  It has been a year since I last saw him.  He's so adorable.  I love him so much.  Now I'm missing him and feeling too sad to write any more.

Missed you all while I was gone but it was nice to be out in the "real world" and connecting with my loved ones.

Here we are, elved!

Click here -  Brad, Michelle, Ryan & Amanda

Click here - Derek, Zachary, Jesse

I planned to go wish each and every one of my Zaadzter friends a personal Merry Christmas but Zaadz is on slow-mo today and I started pulling my hair out so I'm going to do it here and hope everyone sees it! 

Merry Christmas:   Jenni - I hope your day is magical and full of love! 

Diving Deeper Writers & Friends,  Merry Christmas Sandra, Gabriele, Burt, Jim,  Nono, Ramasses, Rudyan, Syner, Sparrow, Tom, Islandman, Quietlaughter, Josy, Earthdweller, Dave, David, Maya, Laura, Sea, Candi, Elke, Valli, everyone - your writing, your feedback, your friendships mean so much to me - I wish you all Beautiful Holidays! 



Playpod Friendzters, Merry Christmas Dryad, Peri, Mamakat, Jena, Doug, Paul, Spritelet, Snowmoon, everyone-  I have been so deeply touched to watch how everyone has gathered around our Dearest Winnie in her time of need!  Sending out our best wishes, our biggest loves, our healing energies as we sit around her bedside making her laugh and most of all letting her know how much she is loved.  You are all so Beautiful! 
Wishing you all a Gorgeous, Playful, Loving & Merry Christmas! 


Talon - Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Continued Good Health! 


Nicola - All the best to you and your beautiful family! 


Samme & Valli - I MISS you!  Love & Hugs & Merry Christmas!


Searching, Swartzman, Mimi, Joybringer, Ladybear,  Mary, Happiness, Michael, Nikki,  Dana, Matinde, Neva,  Reenchantedearth, Nishtha, Clovis, Eva, Starfire, Eva, Irina, Lisa, Surface, everyone,



May There Be Peace,  Michelle (a.k.a. Ayla)

I had a surprise present from my husband, Brad.  We weren't supposed to buy gifts for one another this year because we just bought a new vehicle and we also took a vacation to Florida right before Christmas.  He's at work in Alaska but managed to sneak (the sneak!) a present under the tree through Mandi!  It's a beautiful gold necklace with a little Guardian Angel pendant.  What it says on the back is what makes it so special:  "I Will Always Be By Your Side".  We're apart way too much and sometimes I get so lonely . . . I try not to let on but I guess he knew anyway!  I love my husband!!!

Ryan got Mandi and I up at 3 am to open presents!  Geeze!  I guess we're gaining though, last year it was 2 am!!!  As always, he said "This was the best Christmas ever!"  We actually cut back on presents this year so I was a little surprised but I guess it just goes to show that they don't need a million presents to be happy.  At dinner he said the same thing "This is the best dinner I ever ate!"  LOL!  Of course, I did let him eat 5 shrimp, so it probably was!  (both Ryan and Amanda have PKU and cannot eat protein so shrimp is a big no no - but hey, it was Christmas!). 

Jesse came over for dinner but it still felt like a really quiet day.  He was extra loving and told me that waking up all alone at his house with no presents under the tree wasn't much fun.  He said, "I don't know if I like this grown-up stuff" (or something close to that).  I should have asked him to spend Christmas Eve but just didn't think he would have wanted to.  Oh well, next year I'll know.  We're all hoping to go "home" for Christmas next year.  My Mom throws a huge Christmas Eve feast and it just never really feels like Christmas to me if we are not there.  It's the one time of the year that most (or sometimes all) of the family is together and everyone is cheery and on their best behavior.  I love the comedy movies when Christmas or Thanksgiving get-togethers go haywire but that doesn't seem to happen at Mom's.  Which is probably weird because we aren't exactly the Beaver-Cleaver family! 

So, to wrap it up.  I miss Derek, Zachary & Brad but was blessed to have Mandi, Ryan & Jesse at home to keep me busy.  I ate too much fudge.  Completely blew my diet and have to start all over!  The pheasant came out a bit on the dry side.  Winston hates Ryan's new flying toys ( they are kind of weird - it's like a bad B-movie with all these little helicopter things flying around the house like large bugs!)  and wants to eat them.  One of the dogs apparently had too many scraps and has diarrhea (can't figure out who the culprit is!).  The house is a wreck.  The bank account is probably in worse shape, I'm afraid to look.  AND  I'm still a lucky woman because I am surrounded by so much love. 

Now, what to do for New Years?  I never go out but am invited to a party.  Hmmmm....

I haven't learned that secret apparently because I feel kind of depressed! 

Here is my first post in July 22, 2006.  My response to it is a) the picture I chose to represent the blog was extremely appropriate  b) I need to post the words all over the house (for reminders) &  c) I'm still working on it but I'll never quit trying!

I have so many friends feeling unwell either physically or emotionally or both and felt inspired to send out some love and blessings to the world ~ May you all feel better soon!

Then: The first few days of Christmas Break from school were nice.  We could sleep in, no morning rush, everyone laid back and happy. 

Now:  A week has passed.  I have several bald spots as I have been pulling my hair out from exasperation.  Everyone is bored (forget all the new toys, they are yesterday's business). Everyone is tired of everyone else.  It's freezing and windy outside.  Cabin fever is setting in.

Friday Night/Saturday 1:22 a.m.:  Blood curdling screams awaken me.  I fly out of bed, hair standing on end.  Another scream splits the night apart, followed by crazy giggling.  Crash!  Shouting!  I may kill someone if I leave my bedroom so I simply stick my head out of my doorway and shout, "That is enough!  No more!  Go to bed and I mean it!"  A sudden (frightened?) silence fills the night.  I lay back down and listen to the wind chimes singing and start to fall back into slumber.  Crash! Scream! Shout!  Okay, that's it.  I make my way to the living room to find three children wrangling.  I shout and they stop.  They look at me and I have to fight valiantly not to burst into laughter.  Poor Ryan.  He is covered with marker, splashed with colorful graffiti.  His sister and her friend have labeled him "Loser", painted his nose red, drawn faces on his belly, using his belly button for a nose.  He has fought back and the girls are covered with black slashes of permanent marker.  I restore order before grumpily huffing  back to bed.

Saturday Night:  Everyone is put to bed with strict orders, "No goofing around, no pranks, no screaming!"   The angels answer angelically, "Okay, Mama"

Sunday Morning:  I stumble from bed and am greeted with a white house.  Did it snow inside?  Ryan mumbles good morning and is trailing white dust.  I ask, "Ryan, did the girls antique you?"  "Huh?" he asks.  He looks down at himself and says, "I have this white stuff all over my bed, too." "I think that is flour and I think that you were antiqued after you fell asleep last night.  Didn't it wake you up?"  He looks puzzled.  A small voice comes from the other room, "We did antique him."  I twirl my hair, pulling out a few more strands.  I'm trying not to laugh again.  I'm thinking that it would truly suck to antique someone and have them sleep through it!  I'm thinking that I know two girls who have a lot of cleaning to do today.