Neighborhood Hike

We are blessed to live in an awesome neighborhood. A walk here is like taking a hike and that's what we call it.
I'm not giving the location of this hike but if you know me you have the info : )

Willow woke up this morning saying we should pray for snow on Mondays. I knew what she was getting at. The snow fell on Friday and she doesn't have school on Saturday anyway. What fun is that . . .

. . .Apparently it's fun : )

Birthday Boys and a Snow Day!

It's just not a birthday unless we visit Chuck!

Jan. 28, 2010 Happy Birthday to my boys!

Jan. 29, 2010 - Our dirty snow man!

Channel 3 News in Chattanooga reported 4.7 inches fell in all. I measured 5 inches after it was all said and done in my yard. This picture was taken only 1 hour into the storm.

New Hobby?

I just stumbled upon the most amazing thing. I have seen the light and I am in love once again. This has got to be the best feeling in the world. I am doing it again. I want more!

I am talking about running - trail running - running in the mud. Street running, running, running and running. Running anywhere - I don't care. I am in love.

Out of shear frustration I took off and it melted the frustration. I feel renewed and I am in love.
I am standing straighter and taller. I don't have to feel frustrated and slouch in misery. I am in love. This is awesome. I am doing it again!

This is how I felt when I discovered yoga. Now my yoga has a friend! Now my yoga has a loving husband. They go hand in hand and pack up and travel well. I am in love!
I am so happy I found it. It found me actually when I was ready to scream and pull my hair out it exploded out of me like the fourth of July!

I'm High I Tell You and I am Doing It Again!

Tree of Life

. . . to be in the arms of my love. How I wish to be sitting under a large Oak tree sheltered from the sun.

How I wish I was in the forest of my youth, tripping on the Strong roots of my family tree. Playing in her leaves and climbing up her trunk. Swinging from her branches. Reading my favorite book under her canopy.

Rainy day hikes, splashing in puddles.
Frog kissing, mud pies and dances in the rain.

Newspaper hats, hide and seek.
Tap dancing in the doorway.

Friends forever -
friendship bracelets, beads, secrets.

Love letters and first kisses.

Time, energy -
vigilance carefree.

Quiet moments under my tree. Just my tree and me.
Love eternity

: )

Happy Place

Happy Place

Here I am. This just may be my happiest place. This is either the Tellico or the Bald not sure which - either way - if I'm on a rock by moving water and surrounded by trees you have discovered my happy place. I am such a dork but I am so in love with it that I don't really care.

Oh happy day : )

Happy Place

Here's a crooked picture of Bald River River Falls in early spring.

Dreaming of spring.

Thinking of that hike to the top of the falls. It's nice, especially if you go mid-week when there isn't a ton of tourists clogging up the trail and the view.
Nice place to sit and listen to the water. It is definitely one of my happy places : )

Wishing I could go for a nice, long walk in the woods but it's raining.

If you meditate earnestly, pure in mind and kind in deeds, leading a disciplined life in harmony with the dharma, you will grow in glory. If you meditate earnestly, through spiritual disciplines you make an island for yourself that no flood can overwhelm.
~ The Dhammapada


I just love this little book! It's nice to open up and sit with on rainy days.

Trying to find a routine with meditation and yoga practice can sometimes be difficult.
I made the decision about a week ago to get up at 6 to practice yoga before the kids got up. My son decided he too was gonna get up but instead of 6 he thought 4:50 was a better time. Oh well. The easiest way to get time to clear my mind these days is on walks.
I need it bad today and it's raining. I am considering a walk in the rain. . .

The glass is half full

I am very proud of my country and the people that live in it. I am proud to be from a country that stands up and helps when there is need in our backyard. I have heard a lot of negative things about this country and our leader and I completely disagree. We are a great people and in our own time of need and in our own time of strife we have given of ourselves.

This country is by no means perfect and by no means are we free of selfishness. We are; however, giving and caring despite it. I have chosen not to look at the selfish - I have chosen not to look at the corrupt. There is no country on earth that is free from it and there is no person on earth whom is free from it. I have chosen to look at the good in people and to look at the selflessness of this country and I HAVE FOUND IT!

Look at the millions we give every year to help and look now when our neighbors in crisis to begin with are in their deepest hour of need. We stand with them and we take the lead. I will not look upon the injustice. I will not look at the corruption. I will not give it power. I will not give it audience. I will give justice my attention. I will give love my attention and I will give the images of hope my fullest energy. My energy will go only to those who pray and believe in hope and peace. THIS is the only way to produce change in our world. THIS is the only way make the dreams of the hopeful come true.

You have a choice. You may choose what you give your energy. Hate and corruption are an easy thing to dwell in and spread. I have chosen to turn my back on it. I have given my heart to the good in this world and the more I ignore hate the more love I find. Turn your energy towards peace and love and help lift this world out of it's depression. Love is in your hands and it is there for everyone. Love can heal the world. Send love to our leaders - do not dwell on smearing them. One person can make a difference imagine what millions can do. . .

I found God on a yoga mat!

By oneself is evil done; by oneself one is injured.

Do not do evil, and suffering will not come.

Everyone has the choice to be pure or impure.

No one can purify another.

~ The Dhammapada

Happy Endings

I believe in happy endings - I believe in happily ever-afters and I believe in myself. I believe in hope and I believe in the good in all humans. I believe in who we are and what we are destined to become.
I believe that if you see the good in people that is what you will find. I believe that if you choose to see the wrong, the unjust, the corrupt and the wicked in humans that is what you will find and you will not be disappointed.
I am striving as a mother to teach my children to see the good. To see the humanity in the world. To see the happy ending. I am teaching my daughter and son to seek out the happy ending, the good, the just and what is good in themselves. This is how they will find all of it in others.
I am my child's greatest teacher. I see now that I create my world. I create my happiness. I create my happy ending. I love myself - my child will love herself. I find the good in the world - my child will find good. I respect and love my husband - my child will respect and love their peers. This is the circle of love. This is the circle of life.

I am - my child will be and so much more.
I am at peace - my child will know peace and spread it.
I care for myself - my child will care for themselves and share it.
It begins with me. Not in my words but in my actions and deeds.
I am so much more aware of the messages I send my children and now I truly feel I have reached womanhood. I have reached the true meaning of what a mother really is.

I have become. I have shifted. My attitude toward the role that I have chosen has changed.
I am proud. I am happy in my chosen career as caregiver and support (not subservient but supportive caregiver and partner as he is to me!) to my husband (yes, my prince and my happily ever-after). I hold the fabric of my family together. My husband and I together weave that fabric. When my attitude shifted the attitudes of my family shifted as well.
To be a woman, wife and mother is to have great responsibility. I feel empowered. I feel I hold something very very precious in the palm of my hand.

I am renewed and I rededicate myself to my family. I rededicate myself to myself most of all because I am my own happily ever-after as well - Without me there to create my own happiness and show my children that I can be happy on my own how could they create their own happiness and seek out their own happy ending and then share it with their chosen life love. Look for love and love you will find. Look for it and you will never be disappointed!

This is who I am and I am so glad to awaken to the grand importance of my chosen job.
May I introduce to you Victoria Beth Whisler - woman, artist, wife, friend and mother (teacher of self love and happiness).

One Rainy Day

Rainy Day Cupcakes

Yum!

That's Brandy's cupcake - watch out!

Like that it's sittin on a wipey container (not sure what the real name is anymore but that's what us Whisler's call it) ya never know when you're gonna need one.

It has been so rainy this weekend. The weather lately has definitely made it hard to get out and play. It has either been too cold or too rainy; though, the cold usually can't stop us - the rain can.

Indoor fun isn't so bad.

More pictures from Sunday Drive 01-10-10

Tet-tet

Teddy is big in our house. Everyone has one - well, except for the husband, he has a stuffed dog named Henry. We all have a lovey of some kind. Willow has Tettin, Hayden has Tet-tet and I have Chocolate Teddy.

Occasionally, one of these precious members of the family gets lost. It is a tragic occurrence to say the least and every available body is rallied to help find the missing link to our happiness. Most days the rogue bear is located quickly without a tear shed; however, there are rare instances when panic is felt because the hiding place of the Ted isn't as quickly discovered. Oh, the tears and the frantic searching. We always find our bear though.

Well, this time, Tet-tet was lost abroad and unfortunately we had to leave without him. Tragic and most sad! The good thing however, is that he (in this case) was lost at grandma and grandpa's house or that was what we hoped. My greatest fear is that one of these days or trips teddy will jump. Jump right out of the car and fall where he or she will never be found. That was my greatest fear for Tet-tet this particular time.

Yesterday we got a visit from the friendly and always happy UPS man. He was carrying a medium sized package of which we are used to seeing. We love getting care packages from all the grandmas out there! Hayden and I are always quick to get the packages open. We will use just about anything to get them open - spoons, teeth and the ever ready key from the key chain.
This day there was a lot of peeling going on. Layers and layers of tape to peel off - what fun.
The tape came off with ease and the box was opened and the contents were revealed . . .
. . . It was none other than good ole Tet-tet.

OH, THE JOY! He was tired from his journey and looked like he needed a good hug from his trusty mate and that he got. I have never seen a child so happy in my life. This happiness by far surpassed the happiness of walking out to see the presents of Christmas morning. This was the happiness of finding a near and dear love.

This was the happiness of all the happiest moments of a lifetime wrapped into one single moment. What love for a raggedy old Tet-tet. What love for a stuffed bear that has seen better days. What love. It brought a tear to my eye and gave me hope. It renewed my spirit. It filled me with love and joy. Teddy's are an important part of our family and I am so proud my children find comfort in such things. What a wonderful way to transition from dependence to independence. Pure love!

Tet-tet is back in his place - at my son's side. Tet-tet's position of honor has been restored and my son's faith in love has been renewed. The toy trains he had been using as a substitution have been tossed to the floor. I can't blame him! Tet-tet can never be replaced and I wouldn't dream of trying to.

A Sunday Search for Winter

Our journey began in Tellico Plains, TN. We connected with the Cherohala Skyway (for those of us who live in TN the beginning of the Skyway!) there and up the road a bit we took a small detour to see what the Bald River Falls looked like.

Bald River Falls - as you can see we were not disappointed.

Bald River Falls

We continued our journey along the Cherohala. We started to get worried that we wouldn't see the snow we were hoping to find.

LOOK - SNOW!

The higher we climbed the more we saw! This was taken at about 5,ooo feet.

We stopped at one of the highest points along the Cherohala and got out to play in the snow we found!!! We found what we were looking for - YAY!

Boy did we find it - Big!

The Cherohala ends not too far up the road from where we made our stop. Robbinsville, NC is where we got off the Cherohala and made our way onto the Nantahala.

We followed the Nantahala for a while and eventually found ourselves in Cherokee, North Carolina (don't ask me how but we did). We had an early dinner there and made our way through the Smoky Mountain National Forest to Gatlinburg, TN. We had dessert there and began our quick journey home via the Knoxville route. What a great, full day we had!