This Moment- A Friday ritual. A single photo- no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

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I lost a good friend yesterday to cancer and would like to honor him as my “moment”. I’m so lucky to have grown up with this crazy, fun loving, always positive “good” man who faced each day and each challenge with a smile. Gino has “only the good die young” tattooed on his chest and it’s just one of the many ways in which he embraced his illness and took every single day good or bad in stride. His humor, quick wit, and artist flair are just some of the things that make this guy so lovable and unforgettable. Gino turned a long and painful cancer diagnosis into an opportunity to make something lasting and has given us some incredible music that speaks to other young cancer patients and to all with a message of hope. We are so lucky to have known you, to have learned from you and to have you as our guardian angel.

So this is pretty wild…I open up my weekly baby growth chart and realize that I’m on THE LAST PAGE! How the heck did we get here so fast? So uneventfully? So healthy and energized and feeling so good?

It’s absolutely crazy to me that within the next few weeks he will be here, in our arms, outside of me and a part of our physical world. We are oh so anxious to look into our little ones eyes, to study his features, learn his cries and watch him grow. Although we can’t wait for the day, his birthday and the day we officially become parents, we’re also enjoying this quiet time together and really taking in the miracle that has unfolded over the past few months.

We’re feeling patient and blessed, walking around with full hearts and one big ‘ol belly!

Monday morning has come all too fast but I think we managed to squeeze every minute of fun and holiday cheer out of these past few days that we possibly could. We were surrounded by friends who have somehow become more like family than we ever imagined, lots of delicious food, games, movies, music and all that special holiday magic that makes this time of the year so special.

And special it was as we sat around our mini forest of Christmas trees, drank our hot cocoa, listened to traditional Christmas carols, opened our gifts and enjoyed our last Christmas as just the two of us. I imagine next year will be much louder and much much busier as we teach our little one all about this season and the traditions we have grown to love and look forward to.

For now we’ll take in the remaining sparkle of lights, leftovers and the natural high that comes from spending time with those we love. Our days have been full of long walks, laying in bed listening to music, afternoon naps and falling asleep to the soft sound of hubby and his banjo as he plucks just one more note…one more…

The loot you ask? Mama was blessed with this necklace, a favorite that was featured here on mama surfs during our handmade holiday special and hubby received a build your own banjo!

Wishing you continued peace this season and a very Happy New Year!

This Moment- A Friday ritual. A single photo- no words- capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor, and remember. If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see.

I’m hooked! Qi Chong (pronounced Chi like tea with a C) is incredible! Hubby recently received two of Lee Holden’s Qi Gong/Yoga for beginner DVD’s and we are absolutely loving our mini morning and evening sessions together. This is hands down the greatest discovery of my entire pregnancy. If you are expecting or even if you have little ones, this is the perfect quick, easy, relaxing, rejuvenating little exercise that you must incorporate into your day.

The movements are slow, fluid and natural. I feel like I’m sleep walking or really really drunk as I move through these postures (seriously!) I even commented several times throughout the session that I felt like I was floating or swimming in a quiet pond. The sense of calmness that this practice brings is unreal.

I’ve read several different books on birthing, relaxation and pregnancy health and as soon as I started this DVD I knew that I had finally found the tool that really works for me. I go immediately into a relaxed state and continue to go deeper and deeper as I sway my body, focus on my breathing and simply let go. I can’t rave enough about this! We might be having the very first baby born to Qi Chong Yoga because I can seriously picture myself turning to these movements for comfort during labor.

The back of the DVD reads,

“The classics state that flowing water never stagnates and the hinges of an active door never rust. The same applies to our bodies. Through exercise, stretching and fluid motion we can alleviate pain and clear tension. Like water flowing down the mountain, Qi Gong is a form of effortless movement that recharges the body, refreshes the mind, and brings increased circulation to the neck and upper back.”-Lee Holden, Qi Gong for Upper Back and Neck Pain

I will admit that at first hubs and I felt a little silly trying the different movements, “swimming bear”, “bamboo in the wind”, “turtle”…you look absolutely ridiculous as you practice each of these but I swear they will make a difference in how you feel, both in body and mind. We’ve found that turning off the lights and closing our eyes helps you forget about how funny the movements look and allow you to just go with.

Check out this little mini preview from the Exercise to Heal website:

I write to you from the quiet of my living room, enjoying a later start to the work day and with a full heart. Last night hubby and I held our 4th annual Christmas Cookie/Pajama/Holiday Movie extravaganza – - something I look forward to all year long. While I try my hardest to live life constantly reflecting on all the blessings and wonderful people, places, events that fill my days, this time of year really puts a focus on all that goodness and there is so much of it this time around.

I am a blessed woman by all definitions of the word. Just the other night hubby and I were talking about the many roads that we have taken to end up where we are today, days away from welcoming our little boy into this world! Somewhere along this discussion I began to feel really grateful to our parents for their example in our lives and so most of this post is going to be a shout out to them.

My parents have a fairy tale love story. They met when they were kids, both of their parents serving in the military and attending the same church. They fell in love young and married quickly at the ages of 17 and 19 (just about the ages hubby and I were when we met 18/19!) They have been together for over 25 years now and recently recommitted themselves with a renewal of their wedding vows.

As a kid I remember being grossed out by their displays of affection. My mom would be making dinner and my dad would pass her with a little butt squeeze and it wasn’t uncommon to find them giving kisses on the couch over a late night movie. Now as a wife and mother-to-be, I see how lucky I am to have had this role model of friendship and affection for one another. As a little one, I would ask my mom and dad “who’s your best friend” and they would always reply “your mama/your daddy”. This would frustrate me to no end because HELLO your best friend is supposed to be a FRIEND not your husband/wife duh!

As I danced my father-daughter number on my wedding day, I told my dad I finally got it. Ryan is my best friend and that is why we are so in love, so excited and eager to be husband and wife, to start a family together and live each day side by side.

I’ve been blessed with the gift of amazingly loving and devoted parents. Parents who love one another to no end. Through sickness, finance struggles, raising two kids and so much more, they have faced life as a team and this is the best gift and blessing I think anyone can give to their children.

Not only did I have a great source to learn about love from, but hubs was pretty lucky in this department too. Looking at my in-laws it is very clear that they are still very much in love. The thing that I love most about them and what I see as such a great example to us as a married couple is how they are constantly creating special moments together. Spend any amount of time with these two and you quickly realize how much they love life and love living it together. A walk along the beach to grab margaritas, a kayak for morning coffee, a themed dinner, some quiet music relaxing together in the hot tub…there is no shortage of making the ordinary day full of extraordinary moments. These two fill their days and their marriage with laughter, they create a sense of peace in their home and most importantly share their blessings with others, true and honest hearts of pure generosity.

As hubby and I look at our own lives we both realize how much our parents have influenced the type of people we are and the type of love that we share. We are blessed to have such loving people around us to teach us, guide us, and help us along. There have been times when our marriage and friendship needed that support and I anticipate we will call upon these amazing role models time and time again as we embark on creating our own family.

So this holiday season (and everyday) I hope you mom and dad on both sides realize how much of a gift you are to us.

Today is our final handmade holiday feature and it is truly a sweet one indeed! Thank you to all the participants for contributing to our weekly holiday fun and for providing unique and handmade gifts for this holiday season. Today we are excited to share the delicious treats of Honeyrun Farm!

“Honeyrun Farm is a small family farm located near Williamsport, OH. We are committed to serving our local community with fresh, sustainably grown vegetables, flowers, raw honey, and handcrafted soap. We strive to produce environmentally mindful goods by taking a step back in time into small-scale farming; with a focus on diversity, freshness, and ecologically friendly practices.”

Mama: Tell us a little bit about how Honeyrun Farm began?
Jayne: My roomate in college, Becky, and I shared an interest in farming. We both were from farm backgrounds, and dreamed of someday running a sustainable farm business together. She introduced me to her older brother… we hit it off… and the rest is history. I am now married to her brother Isaac, and the three of us work together to direct market our farm products. Becky runs the produce farm, Isaac manages the beehives, and I do the soap making, beeswax candle making, help market the honey, and website/blog.
Mama: What kinds of products can we find?
Jayne: Isaac and I produce pure, raw, honey- unprocessed and unfiltered. We also sell comb honey, directly from the hive, as well as bee pollen during the summer months. I started making handcrafted soap because of the abundance of honey and beeswax we had on the farm. I also create pure beeswax candles.

Mama: Can you tell us the benefits of raw/natural honey?
Jayne: Raw honey is so much more flavorful than any of the processed honey you will find in the store. When honey is unpasteurized, it retains all the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and natural tastes and aromas of honey fresh from the hive. Eating local honey can also reduce symptoms of pollen related allergies, as consuming bits of local pollens helps your body build up an immunity.

Mama: In addition to your flavorful honey, you also sell handmade soaps. Tell us a bit about this process and the products you make?
Jayne: Our soap is cold-process soap, which means we start from scratch and use lye and vegetable oils, just like many of our great-grandparents used to do! We add honey as a natural humectant, which draws moisture to your skin. The beeswax makes the bar harder and last longer, and both honey and beeswax have antibacterial benefits. We add essential oils as well as herbs grown on our farm to add scent and exfoliation. It is so much fun to dream up new recipes!

Check out this Soap Sampler Gift Package! These fragrances are perfect for the holiday season!

Mama: You and your husband manage a business, CSA, website, blog, and family! How do you do it all?

Jayne: We feel that is important for our children to be a part of our farm operation. Both Isaac and I grew up on farms and know firsthand how much work goes into it… but it is a way of life, and I cannot imagine living otherwise. We want our kids to grow up feeling the mud between their toes, playing with our baby goats each Spring, and even dealing with a bee sting or two each summer. Our son Mason came with us to the farmer’s markets while we sold honey each Saturday when he was just a baby. Now that we have two kids, we decided to scale back and one of us stays at home while the other parent is out marketing honey and soap. As our kids grow up we hope they will feel excited about the opportunities our business will provide for them to get outside and explore the nature around them.

Isaac, Becky, and I each have our part in the farm and it runs smoothly… Becky does all the produce farming and CSA, Isaac does all the beekeeping, takes care of the goats and chickens, and I do the email/computer work while taking care of our kids.

Mama: What advice would you give to entrepreneurs that are just starting out?

Jayne: We had the idea to start slowly and keep full-time jobs until we could see that our business could survive on its own. This way, we were able to reinvest our earnings back into the business to allow it to grow. We love what we do, and even if we weren’t making money at it, we would still do it on some level. If you don’t love what you do, you will lose the desire to keep working at it.

Mama: Favorite part of what you do?

Jayne: The best part about our business is that we are delivering a product that people like and appreciate. That is really what keeps you going… the compliments and the knowledge that our product is making a difference. It is something unique and it comes from our own hard work, and people really appreciate that.

Mama: Lessons learned along the way?

Jayne: Working in a family business is very challenging but also rewarding, and you always have to remember at the end of the day… family is what matters most.

Jayne: At Christmas we have BIG family parties and we always hand out a lot of honey and soap to everyone. It feels good to be able to offer something homemade / homegrown to our family.

You can check out more of Honeyrun Farm’s products at their etsy store or website and be sure to check out their blog for great recipes and to read about the processes that go into creating such wonderful products!