Christmastime Happiness...

Chapin in the "good luck" tree.

One big happy family!

With Ellie Meyer...Chapin's longtime sitter and good friend.

Let the presents begin...

Lego's...His favorite!

Lego rescue boat from Abua & Granddad.

Carcassonne game from Krister, Sandy and Kira.  Chapin's new favorite game and he is not to bad at it.  He beat both Jon and I last evening.

James still is our Christmas kitty after all these years.  He loves Christmas morning with the boxes and bows.  His special treat showed up and he opened it all by his self.  Good kitty!

Catnip toy = Heaven!

At this point we have already been up for a very longtime...I do believe we look a bit tired!

Rescue boat building all by himself.

I HEART these boys!!!!

Christmastime is always fun and a bit hectic.  This year we were convienced not to enter into the craziness of it all...And I do believe we accomplished this.  Not to sound like a broken record, but we have so much to be thankful for that getting wrapped up in chaos just didnt feel right!

So we enjoyed having a peaceful morning to ourselves and a lovely group of friends by for the traditional Christmas brunch.  Chapin handled it all very well himself and had a blast building his lego's, airplane, etc.   We hope that this finds you all well and that you found peace in your celebrations.

Love to all - Turi, Jon & Chapin

Ready Steady...

Ready Steady...I do believe we are ready. 

Chapin certainly is. 

Oh the magic and wonder in his eyes...Cant wait till Christmas morning.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

May Peace, Joy and Gratitude

Fill You Each Day!

Looking at the photos above reminds us how fortunate we are to have shared another fun filled year. Of course there are images throughout the year that didn’t make the cut…Another ski season, t-ball, visits from the Turkel grandparents and the summer trip to Wisconsin, which included great times with the Nevin side of the family followed up with a detour on the way home to Connecticut, catching up with the Turkel cousins. The summer in Virginia was marked with visits by friends from Oregon (the Tallmadge’s) and Colorado (the Hawley’s) and spent great times with both exploring the Shenandoah Valley, DC and catching up. At the end of summer Chapin started Kindergarten, his only disappointment is that he can’t go on the weekends. Unfortunately, the end of September ended with Jon getting hit by a car while riding my bike. By now the recovery is mostly complete, just physical therapy to go. On the upside, we have experienced the amazing support of family and community throughout the process. I thank you all for allowing us to see a world filled with caring and compassion, it is a wonderful sight. Now it’s time for snow and skiing!

Happy Holidays! Gratefully - Turi, Jon and Chapin

Tis the season...

Winter Wonderland...

Cheeseeeeeeeeeeee....

Proof of Chapin's excellent photography skills.

Have jeep will travel....Have tree let's decorate!

The boys!

Garland made from Bitter sweet...It is so very sweet with twinkle lights at night. 

There you have it!  Another spacious tree found in our very back yard.  Boy she's a beaut!

Train up and running...Chapin is very, very happy.

Oh the joy of the holiday through the eyes of a child.  A deep sense of joy and what fun we are having.  Chapin was very helpful in getting the tree and decorating it.  He sure is growing up.  We sure are thankful for so much this year.  It is a big gift in itself.  This gift of life and gratitude for it.

Peace and love ... Turi, Jon and Chapin 

Grateful Thanksgiving....

Not sure if there is a word beyond grateful or thankful, but we continue to be filled with a deep appreciation for each day.  Why should we or do we wake without this each day?  We have so much to be thankful for....Our health, our food, our home, our electricity, our cars, our sight, our smell, our touch, our family's, our fingers, our computer, our self, our SELF...............Obviously, we (Jon & I) were shocked into this sense of being and I hope we don't let it slip.   It is a much better existence holding on to gratitude each moment...Each sunrise and sunset...Each tree that has gone into deep slumber or bloom, each good and each bad, each smile each tear, etc...!

So, today we continue this gratitude and are very happy to have Jon's parents, Bill and Jeanne, here to celebrate Thanksgiving.  We are also, beyond extactic to have Jon out of his back brace for Thanksgiving day.  May each of us continue Thanksgiving everyday!  Peace and love...The Turkels

Morning invite to a traditional "fox hunt"...Horses and hounds gathering.  So not us, but beautiful to partake in this tradition in Clarke County.

The hounds were excited...As Chapin was too.

Look at this little man...

Spectacular country side of Clarke County.  It was like a movie scene!

Dinner was awesome...Simple, but amazing!

Occupy Your Being...

Come on...It is much better then doing!!!

Many Apples Up on Top...

Fall harvest of apples happened this year.  Yahoo! Not from our apple trees for the deer did accomplish gorging themselves...But from a work friend of Jon's that owns an orchard.  Weather conditions this year brought many apples to the ground.  So many of this ground apples are in perfect condition and they are unable to sell them.  So we picked and picked and picked...Oh yeah and picnic our lunch our away yesterday.  Today we make applesauce, dried apples and juice.   Busy, busy with all pitching in to help.

Late season Frederick County apples

Picnic in the orchard

One apple up on top

Look you, I can do two!

Two apples up on top...

I am so good they will not drop!

Master peeler getting apples ready for applesauce

Dried apples from the dehydrator

Applesauce cooking on the wood stove

Dried apples ready for storage, roughly 8 apples per jar.

Enter the great adventure of reading...

With kindergarten comes reading, and what better to read than 'Go Dog Go!'.  One of Chapin's favorite books from his 2nd year of life is now a great practice reader.  For me it is quite enjoyable to sit back and be read to, and even better is my own memory of learning to read from the same book with my brother Will helping me out.  Although sometimes frustrating for Chapin, sounding out the words and figuring out the meaning is very rewarding for him as well.  So...  Go Chapin Go!.

Opportunities...

“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they're meant to be.” – anonymous 

Welcome!  I know you have been interested in hearing from us with an update since Jon's bicycling accident on August 29th…How’s Jon, how’s everything, going, are you all ok, can we help…?

Jon is doing well.  Each day presents itself with healing and he seems to be gaining energy, while experiencing less pain daily.  Today is the first day of follow up appointments that will happen in the coming month.  So we will touch base next week after he meets with both the cardiothoracic and trauma drs.  From these appointments we will have a better picture of what is next to come on the recovery calendar with the big appointment at the end of November with the neurologist. 

All in all, we continue to stay positive and hopefully for a full recovery.   Jon said the other day that he “is sick of being beat up.”  Patience’s seems to be a main theme we are all working diligently on accumulating.  But one thing is for sure, every morning we wake and hold with us throughout the entire day a deep deep sense of gratitude!


Can you say we are lucky?  Not sure we need to go there, but I can say that this has been a big change to digest and we are very happy where we are at.  Each day gets easier and a new normal sets in.  I can also say that from this experience we see opportunity to grow stronger.  If we cannot learn from this experience then what…SO today we learn to grow.  That has already occurred, but more much more is to come.  Jon will grow stronger in regaining mobility in his spine.  Our minds will continue to be grateful for each waking morning and day ahead. And we will remain inspired by how Chapin has the innate sense of living in the present moment.  Another opportunity for both Jon and I to become mindful on what we are giving to our self, each other and Chapin.  What a beautiful space!

The other thing that came up for us was sure amazement at how we are supported in this community.  Our friends, work and family are incredible.  We had food to help us through, we had so much support with Chapin and we had many, many kind and supportive thoughts coming for all over.  If we haven’t been able to get back to all that have helped…Thank you thank you thank you!  We are blown away and feel much love!

Jon is back at work and happy to be there.  I am back teaching yoga and looking forward to a training of a lifetime with Andrey Lappa in November/January.  Andrey is a guru from Europe that has extensive training with many yogi masters and will be sharing his Universal Yoga practice.   We know recovery will continue to happen and it will be hard work, but Jon is the strongest most resilient person I know….So trust all will be great.  I love him beyond words and thankful he is here!

  

Camp Deerfield

Camp Deerfield

The Russell's and Turkel's for a weekend at Camp Deerfield near Deerfield, VA

Carmen, Ray, & Chapin enjoy snacktime on the Shenandoah Mountain ridge.

Chapin and Ray summit the front yard boulder, and have nothing but tongues for the cameraman.

The fireplace provides a perfect venue for roasting marshmallows!

Gordon gets Ray rolling in a tube.

Bumper tube draw.

Ray, Carmen, and Chapin line up for tube rolling.

View across the Calfpasture River

Family mountain bike ride outside Deerfield.

Shin high toadstool at overlook along the trail.

Chapin collects grasses while Dad gets chain back on the tag-along.

Everything is good to go!

Back on the adventure trail!