BEGIN time spent together

Have you ever found yourself enjoying a movie you can't believe your watching?

This is the way to wake up...

We woke up to this vibrant sky on Christmas morning. Dan had the 4 of us stand out in the back for a bit. We breathed in the cold morning air and soaked it all in...then ran back into toasty warm house!Only Dan was hardy enough to linger behind watching the morning sky change.

Right now the girls are on the trampoline. Kaitlin has a friend over who she hasn't seen since October 2005 and Breana, who came home mopey & numb from her dentist appointment this afternoon is screaming at the top of her lungs w/ glee...poor neighbors! (I guess someone is feeling better!) I am so happy that it's Christmas break. I love having the girls home all day. I enjoy sharing my day with them. I enjoy the 3 of us moving about the house together at our own paces. I enjoy starting the day with an idea of how I want to spend it then when I present it with them the day's agenda alters with their ideas & expectations. The day definitely morphs into one that is a culimination of the 3 of us and becomes a day that's distinctly ours. I feel sad when it's time for them to go back to school...deep down inside I then long for Spring Break!

The end of this year is almost near. I'm trying to collect my memory of things I want to tuck away in a special place. I'm also gathering what I've learned from certain elements of 2006 that I am glad to leave behind. I want to be sure to start 2007 on the right foot!
My hopes are that Dan & I will step into 2007 walking at the same pace. I hope we support each other through our new personal goals. As a family, I hope we remember to pick our battles, remember to appreciate our differences, remember to be patient with each other, remember to be kind to one another and always remember to laugh. I also hope we continue to look up & appreciate mornings like this one.

The Begin Kids - Christmas 2006

Even though I warned them this picture will go on our blog...the two couldn't resist!





Jesse (Jessup), Oliver, Breana & Nicolas.



...looks like Game-Night is at the Nickell's next month!
















Breana, Nicolas & Oliver playing "Mouse Trap".



This is what goes on while you're downstairs cooking!

Olo & Jessup...................................................and Breana



Pictures by Kaitlin.

Quijance Christmas

The Quijance Christmas was celebrated early this December (however, :( without Teresa's family.) Unfortunately only a few blurry pictures were taken of the girls and there were no family shots to share. Mom & Dad decided to spend the holidays in Washington w/ the Quijance clan. They arrived in Washington the day of the huge storm with 70-90 mph winds...




Pictures compliments of Uncle Jimmy the great.

Christmas 2006 at the Nickell's

Dan, Christine, Cynthia & Mia gathered around the kitchen cooking - there was Christine & Bill's Talapia, Dan's Potatoes au gratin, brussel sprouts, green beans, Mia's onion tart, Cynthia's cole slaw and Mom B's desserts. Everything was delicious! The kitchen smelled wonderful and the house was warm w/ love & memories.


While some were in the kitchen, others were in the front room by the fire & piano absorbed in music & conversation.












After the Wigilia with the oplatki, we gathered around the table.

Jesse, Dan, Cynthia, Melissa, Mia & Oliver.





Kaitlin & Breana.








All pictures for the Christmas posts were taken by Kaitlin.

Christmas 2006 at the Nickell's

Christmas music w/ Aunt Mary singing, Jesse on the flute & Melissa on the piano.
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" from 'Meet Me In St. Louis' was my favorite tune to play on the piano this Christmas. I found a wonderful Christmas Songbook at my Parents' last week (while I was watering the plants - ahem, Mom!) which I, ahem, borrowed. We talked of going caroling this year but didn't - maybe next year!

The kitchen was "on fire"!
Dan & Bill were amongst the many talented cooks. The meal was of
Begin-style standards...absolutely delicious.
Kaitlin & Nanni Begin taking a moment by the tree.

Dan enjoying his wine by the fire.

Begin style camping

Here we are heading south on Highway 1 last spring. One of my favorite places to camp is by water. I love the sounds of waves either gently lapping or crashing in the distance, how every deep breath has the distinct smell of the ocean (ahhh) and how the vast sky & deep ocean meet in the far-away horizon...sometimes I get convinced that the world is flat! ;)
I like camping in our vanagon, we can get-away in all kinds of weather and are protected. Our first camping trip in the vanagon (aka: Poliwhirl) was down Highway 1 in a rainstorm. The four of us learned how to move from preparing a meal, to eatting it, to cleaning up, to getting ready for bed, etc...all in one space. We've performed this act so many times it's developed into a well-choreographed dance that helps us move from one transition to the other. It becomes difficult to do while one or few (or all of us) are hungry - it definitely is a form of 'family therapy'.


I enjoy cooking meals in the vanagon. In good weather I shoo Dan & the girls out of Poliwhirl until dinner is ready. In this particular spot I prepared our meal w/ a breathtaking view of the ocean AND my family playing catch football - what more could I want? In return, Dan & the girls clean up & wash the dishes.




We live a simple life while camping.
It's peaceful & tranquil...Begin-style.

Horse Vaulting

Breana started Horse Vaulting when she was 3 1/2 years old. It was a Parks & Rec activity that she did with Kaitlin. They vaulted in this rec program off & on for 2 1/2 years. 2 years ago a friend, a Champion Vaulter herself, started a team, High Point. Breana joined enthusiastically! This was a fun team for her. Breana learned a lot, she competed in numerous competitions (did quite well!) and she discovered that this is a sport that she loved. Unfortunately it conflicts with her Comp Soccer Team during the Fall season...we do our best to make it work.

Tasha, Heide & Breana walk from one event to another.

Dan walks beside them beaming...or is that relief that he doesn't have to carry her!

Elle is the horse they vault on.

Here High Point is getting ready for the Team Compulsories.

The girls practicing their Double Freestyle on the barrel before they

compete on Elle.

Breana mounting on Elle for her Individual Freestyle w/ Holly, her Coach.

Breana's horses and her ribbons.
In November, she was recognized by the American Vaulting Association Region II for her overall score of 5.500 for the Preliminary Trot Women Freestyle placing her in 2nd and her overall score of 4.933 in the Preliminary Trot Women Compulsories placing her in 4th. (The overall score is devised by all the competitions she competed in - only 4!)
She has big dreams and she has the ability to make them happen! Watch out!

"I AM" - By Breana Begin (age 10)

I am a vaulter

I wonder if I could go worldwide

I hear my heart pounding when I compete

I see myself holding the first place ribbon

I want a vaulting horse to call my own

I am a vaulter

I pretend I'm flipping high above the horse

I feel excited but a whipping feeling in my stomach

I touch the horse's grassy tail as I land a flip

I worry that I will never compete worldwide

I cry if I do bad

I am a vaulter

I understand that I might not go worldwide

I say I am a true vaulter

I dream to be a gold medalist

I try to do my best at vaulting

I hope I will travel worldwide

I am a vaulter

I am Breana Begin

Absolutely nothing to post today...absolutely nothing going on.........
b-o-r-i-n-g...

Creek Clean-Up

In lieu of 'beach clean-up' day, Dan & the girls went to the nearby creek. There they filled a wheelbarrel full of garbage. They were glad to clean up that area near our house. During the summer it's a fun place to hang out. You feel like you're way off in the forest when actually you're not too far from the freeway - doesn't sound too appealing, I know, but it truly is beautiful & serene there. We can never participate in the state-wide beach clean-up day because it takes place during the weekend and we all know what the Begin Family does on weekends...you got it, soccer.

GO JAWS!Go Crew!

Keeping the beaches clean is still important to Dan & the girls. For some time now, Dan has wanted to go down to the creek and make that their project. This year they did and they should be proud of themselves. To begin with, Dan can't walk past litter. This he instilled in his daughters.

What?

What do I do while they play soccer?

Go Mom! :)

Oh don't get us wrong,

Mia doesn't play the ukelele when Nicolas is on the field! ;) winkwink!

The Road Less Traveled

Camping is a time for us to get away from our busy schedules, walk away from the instant gratifications found in a full home, push aside civilization and be with each other.

Just "be".

More than not we take the road less traveled as we
did here past the Poppy Reserve.
When we park in the middle of miles & miles of
sereneness we climb on top of 'Poliwhirl' and hang out.
On top we have uninterrupted views and get
good sun. :)
This particular moment we had
chips & salsa - not bad, not bad...

Autumn in Sonoma

Sharing with you another slice of heaven ~ Morningsong.

The Begin Family gathered for Thanksgiving here - we shared, we laughed, we cried...we ate delicious meals and drank delectable wines, we hiked, we played games, we pruned the vineyard and we breathed in all the memories that accumulate here. This is definitely a special place for us. The pictures above were taken in October. That's when the vineyards smell delicious - one can get tipsy just by inhaling it all in ;-}
This time October was a somber time for us and yet the autumn colors seemed more vibrant and the grapes more significant...God works that way.

Finding love where ever we go...

Breana has the knack of always finding heart-shaped items. She'll find heart-shaped rocks & leaves or things arranged in a heart...when she was 3 she discovered that the plastic square enclosure for bread had a heart in it (check it out!)...this time it was while making dinner. Thank goodness for cameras otherwise she probably wouldn't have let me cook it!

"Begin's Law"

Summer 2006

"Poliwhirl" in it's glory. Our last camping trip which started out innocent (camping, paddling & daydreaming around lakes) and ended up in the little town of Strawberry with a blown engine.