Holcombs.org - 2009 Holcomb News

Lucretia’s 41st Birthday 12.04.2009

We had a wonderful time all together. First I got a ski package for my big day. I now have skis, boots and pass for the entire season. My hubby got me my favorite cake, Boston Cream Pie, for me to enjoy with my clan. It was excellant! We had fun eating on this cake and making a chocolate mess. Thanks family for a wonderful day!

First Day of Skiing 12.04.2009

Lucretia on her way to ski Eldora!

Happy Autumn Equinox 09.22.09

This is a special time of the year that we celebrate. Brad and I started an Autumn Equinox meditation on Saturday which we do everyday ending today. I also created our talking stick (picture left) and have done a door blessing. I have more info on this on my blog.

Lena Turns One 09.13.09
We celebrated in San Diego. She recieved a special birth wish from the Graybeard’s Band! Fun, Fun…

Good Vibrations 09.11.09

Attended the Good Vibrations unschooling conference in San Diego. It was a wonderful time for us. Someone once asked why I go to these conferences. Well, when I was in the corporate world, I would go to one conference a year and usually several local lectures. If I did this for a job that paid me for my time, why would I not do the same for my parenting that is a lifestyle? We always come away with a better sense of how we will/are parenting. We get ideas. We work through an issue or two. We get inspiried. We find creative solutions. It’s all good.

Updates 08.31.09

Wow! I have not updated our website since May. We have had a wonderful 3 months. June was just beautiful in Boulder. Cool temps and rain had everything singing with color. June brought out The Browns to Colorado on their way home from the Portland, OR “Life Is Good” Unschooling Conference. They stayed for a week. July brought our dear friend Kathy out for visit. First we attended an Abraham-Hicks “Art of Allowing” workshop together. It was inspiring to say the least. We then went to Moab for two days and had a wonderful time together. We were sad to see her leave. August brought Granny Pa Wanda, Brad’s mother, out to visit! We went to Breckenridge for the weekend. John was ran over by a petal biker at Peak 8 and had to get his first stiches. We ended the visit with a trip on the Georgetown Loop Train and a tour of closed silver mine. Stay tuned for September….

Dennis Visits for Awhile 05.29.09

Dee came out for an extended visit. He stayed a few weeks and worked and had a relaxing time. We camped, saw Star Trek, went out to dinner a few times and to the Farmer’s Market. He explored Lyons, Estes Park, Nederland, and Louisville. Dee learned how to play Godzilla but he still got KO’d by John. Dee also got my irrigation system flushed out for my beautiful garden, mowed our lawn, and put John’s Rainbow play set together. He helped us around the house with odds and ends. This was a great help to us and we were very grateful for his skills. Thanks Dee! See you when we see you…

Boulder’s Farmers Market 05.2009
It is always an experience for the senses. I absolutely love going to the market. The fresh veggies and flowers fill the air and look vibrant! The food vendors have the best taste ever. The cheeses, the eggs, the kombucha tea, breads, fresh milled flour, soup, soap, herbs, and more are so wonderful to purchase (and usually cheaper than the store). I enjoy the whole experience and all the diversity of folks, colors and sounds. Thanks Boulder!

Life is Good Unschooling Conference 05.21.09

This is our second year to attend this conference in Portland, OR. Mary Gold did an excellent job organizing the event again this year! The speakers, funshops and evening activities were awesome! John spoke of dinosaurs this year at the talent show. He misses his posse and the hotel! We are attending Good Vibrations!

On Our Way 05.20.09

We are off to Portland to attend the Life is Good 2009 Unschooling Conference. We are looking forward to connecting with old friends and making new ones. John is looking forward to visiting with Dylan and Gemma. John loves the swimming pool - it is outdoors and heated. There will be funshops full of sword play, face painting, balloon animals, clay play and more. There is a gaming room set up for dancing, video gaming, board games, chess, and more than I can remember. A room is dedicated to World of Warcarft play.

The conference speakers and circle chats are inspiring. They always help us to look outside our parenting paradigm box and find new creative ways to parent.

Our New Play Set 05.17.09

We are loving the Rainbow play set that Dee put together for us! We had breakfast in it for the first time and decided on where to put the pirate ship wheel and spy glass. John loves the swings and slide.

Hiking Lichen Loop 05.13.09

We had a wonderful unschooling hike at Lichen Loop which is part of Heil Valley Ranch off of Lefthand Canyon. The valley was stunning and the wind was sweeping through with this amazing sound…it was so peaceful. I felt I could feel the Indians that had been in that area riding their horses and surviving. It was an astounding experience. The wind does that to me - it carries me away!

Camping Yogi Jellystone Park 05.09.09

We love camping. One would never know that since our gear sat in the garage from Oct 2007 until this weekend. I got pregnant in December 2007 and just was not into camping in 2008. It was not comfortable for me and too much work for my energy level - I was keeping up a toddler this pregnancy! So we decided to do an easy one night trip. We had fun going to REI the day prior to camping and purchasing a 6 man tent. We were ready for it. We picked a few other cool items and set off to camp the next afternoon. We choose a campsite that was kid friendly. Yogi Jellystone Park was set up for kiddos 10 and under. We had a great spot with a good view in Estes Park. It rained and snowed on us but we had been upgraded to a primitive site with electric. We took our heaters and we were very glad we did because we forgot our fleece liners for our sleeping bags. John had a great time and Dee joined us. He was the fire master.

Sunset In Our Backyard 05.2009

This was the gorgeous sunset Wednesday night. It was stunning and the colors turned quickly. The wind was blowing and it was peaceful…

Happy 6 Trips Around the Sun Together 05.05.09

Thank you! Thank you for all you do for me and your family… Thank you for your humor…. Thank you for your growth and inner awareness that expands all the time…. Thank you for all the fun, playful, joy-filled reminders that life is meant to be full of joy and happiness and laughter…. Thank you for my mirror and letting me be yours… Thank you!

Granny Snuggle 05.2009

Granny came for a long over due visit. This was the first in 2009. We all have had so much going on that there was no time for Granny Pa to fly to Colorado. We had a good visit. We ate lots of good food, made a Costco trip, played video games and made lots of soup and smoothies in the Vita mixer! Brad and Granny spent time bookmarking all of his homes from his childhood in Google Earth. Lots of emotion and memories for him. We miss you Granny Pa!

My Dragon/Dino 05.2009
My sweet boy enjoying his new dino hat that Granny brought from him. He really likes it. It goes well with his dragon costume or his dino feet.

My Girl Crawls and Stands 05.2009

Baby Girl is crawling very fast now. She started working on this the first week of March. It has been a wonderful process to commit to memory. She really wants to keep up with her big brother. She can also stand from a squat position - at 7 months! I am hoping that is all she does for awhile so I can relish this brief period in our lives together before it becomes our history. I so enjoyed John at this age and I am savoring it even more with Lena. I am acutely aware of how fast this sliver of time sheds from present to past.

Happy Spring Equinox 03.20.09
Besides being the start of the astrological year, March 25 was also the start of the calendrical year for many centuries. Great Britain and the Colonies began the new year on March 25th (Lady Day) until 1752. In other words, March 23 1750 was the day before March 24 1751. This preserved the old belief that the year began on Spring Equinox. The Persians still celebrate the new year on Spring Equinox with the joyous feast of No Rooz. March was also the first month of the Roman year until the adoption of the Julian calendar in 46 BCE when January and February were added. March is still acknowledged as the first month of the year by the names of our months (September which is actually the ninth month means seventh, October which is actually the tenth month means eighth and so forth).

Spring Flowers 03.18.09
My favorite flowers are daisies but tulips fill my heart with thoughts of spring… I am moved by the combination of colors. Bright green, vibrant purple, robin egg blue and white. My soul is stirred. Never to be the same.

Our Girl Is Now 6 Months 03.13.09 I can not believe it…but she is the sweetest. I have really enjoyed watching her discover her hands, then her feet and then both at the same time. She can sit up with ease. This is such a special time!

Hubby I Love You 03.06.09
We had a mini-vacation in Keystone. I got sick. Lena was sick and hubby was out of his comfort zone. The best thing about the trip was our drive home. My hubby is really working on inner aspects and is really helping our relationship to flourish. We had this amazing conversation the whole day. I felt so connected and into him! Yummy!

My Son Is Growning Up 02.03.09
My son is 4! I have such gratitude to share this time with him. This is such a small window of time and space out of my entire lifetime; Then it is gone. Over. Never to be experienced again with him! Thank you my sweet son! Thank you.