New Year's Eve Pow Wow

Picture of the Day for 12/31/2015. So, a couple of days ago when I visited the Native American Trading Post store that I adore, the owner mentioned there was going to be a New Year's Eve pow wow and that I should come. I didn't have any other plans so I dragged my friend Suzanne to the event and we had a fabulous time. We had Navajo tacos for dinner, shopped the vendors selling jewelry (I bought a copper bracelet), watched the dancing, and participated in the raffles. So much fun. I love what happens when you say "yes" to new activities and opportunities. Check out the videos at the end of this post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Scarf and Earrings

Picture of the Day for 12/30/2015. Just showing off the new scarf and earrings I received for Christmas.

Mother Kachina

Picture of the Day for 12/29/2015. I bought this Hopi kachina during my most recent visit to the Native American Trading Post. The owner looked up the meaning of this one and said it was the "mother" figure of all the kachinas.  I love that. I love that it is painted red which reminds me of my mother since that was her favorite color.  I placed this next to a Christmas decoration she made decades ago. I miss her a lot of course, but Christmas is when I miss her the most.

Another Sentimental Christmas Present

Picture of the Day for 12/28/2015. My brother-in-law Will used the limb that fell from my English walnut tree last year to make Christmas wreaths for everyone in the family. This was a HUGE hit. I know several people (myself included) are going to hang them up all year- not just at Christmas. It's special that these came from our parents' tree, but even if the wreaths didn't have that sentimental connection, they are still beautifully made and definitely to be treasured.

Mother's Portrait

Picture of the Day for 12/27/2015. I loved EVERY Christmas present I received (duh), but I have to say this one from my sister Paula was pretty special. She had copies made of a portrait of my mother that she inherited. This portrait was painted in 1948 by Mary Kimball, a well-known Utah artist. I believe Kimball and my mother were colleagues/fellow teachers at Irving Junior High School in Salt Lake City during that time. I'm so very happy to have a copy of this beautiful portrait of my beautiful mother. It's a true treasure. 

Merrill Family Christmas Party

Picture of the Day for 12/26/2015. So this is how we kept ourselves amused at tonight's Merrill family Christmas party- my niece and nephew teaching me how to do horse face/lips. 

Best Christmas Stocking Ever

Picture of the Day for 12/25/2015. I spend Christmas mornings at my sister Robynne's house. Got the BEST Christmas stocking in the history of Christmas stockings!!!

Santa's Coming!

Picture of the Day for 12/24/2015. It's Christmas Eve! Santa will be here in Salt Lake City soon! In three minutes and 50 seconds to be precise! One is never too old to track Santa on NORAD. Just saying.

Saggy Boob Cookies

Picture of the Day for 12/23/2015. I was making my annual batch of chocolate chip cookies for friends and family today when I thought I would try a little experiment and add a chocolate kiss to each one before baking. The results were disastrous. I posted this picture on Facebook and a friend commented that they look like saggy boob cookies! That delighted me on so many levels because it's absolutely the last thing I would expect this particular friend to say and because she was right- that's what they do look like! Also, it reminded me that my family has a habit of inadvertently turning innocent Christmas items into something naughty.

Snow Prints

Picture of the Day for 1222/2015. My footprints in the snow leading up my front stairs.

Another Visit with Betty and John

Picture of the Day for 12/21/2015. Have a lovely Christmas visit at Betty and John Gundersen's house. They are neighbors from around the corner whom I have known and loved my entire life. They are also fellow Norwegians which automatically makes them special.

They served me herbal tea with honey along with homemade Bakkels which are a traditional Norwegian cookie. They showed me a picture album of the two years they spent in Norway about 20 years ago. I loved every single photo. The landscape was beautiful of course and it was fun to see all the places they lived and worked while they were there on a church mission. 

Before I left, Betty and John sang a traditional Norwegian Christmas carol for me (pictured below). It was so charming. For me, this felt like when Christmas really began. So much fun.

Snowflake Lights

Picture of the Day for 1220/2015. I attended the German Chorus Harmonie's annual Christmas concert. The venue is always changing and this year it was held at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. It has a beautiful chapel and I was entranced by the light fixtures that look like snowflakes. Perfect atmosphere for a lovely Christmas concert!

Another Good Ethan-ism

Picture of the Day for 12/19/2015. Conversation at my great-nephew Ethan's 13th birthday party tonight:

Great-niece Hayley to me: "I want your shirt" (Shirt pictured below.)

Great-niece Sadie to me: "I want your necklace." (Necklace pictured below.)

Great-nephew Ethan McNeill to me: "I want your soul."

Sand Painting

Picture of the Day for 12/18/2015. I just bought this beautiful sand painting by artist Tom Clark at the Native American Trading Post which I've come to love. I adore the beautiful blue face of this male Navajo Yei figure. And of course I had to add it to my personal art wall of shame. 

Christmas Tree - View from the Street

Picture of the Day for 12/17/2015. Always wondered what my Christmas tree looked like all lit up from the street. Now I know. It looks pretty cozy inside that house!

Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest

Picture of the Day for 12/16/20015. My office held an "ugly Christmas sweater" contest today. This co-worker of mine is sure to win!

Shoveling Snow

Picture of the Day for 12/15/2015. Oh man. It took me awhile to dig out from yesterday's big snowstorm.

Cat Observing Snow

Picture of the Day for 12/14/2015. First big snowstorm of the season! The cat who lives "at" my house (not with me) can be seen observing the snow from the top of the stairs.

Life Imitating Art - Christmas Trees

Picture of the Day for 12/13/2015. Got my Christmas tree decorated today. Was kicking back enjoying the view when I realized my "real life" Christmas tree looked exactly like the Christmas tree picture (hanging on the wall over the piano) I embroidered for my mother over 30 years ago!

Preachy Fortune Cookie

Picture of the Day for 12/12/2015. I took my sister Robynne's family out to lunch today to thank them for doing some work around the house and helping me pick up a Christmas tree. We were at one of our favorite Chinese restaurants and I got this fortune. I was outraged! It's not so much a fortune as it is a reprimand!

Leaf Removal

Picture of the Day for 12/11/2015. So happy it hasn't really snowed in earnest yet this season. I'm late getting all the billions of leaves in my yard raked up before the winter snow blankets the ground. I can't really complain about the leaves since they come from my beautiful English walnut tree that I adore.

53 Years

Picture of the Day for 12/10/2015. 53-years-old today. Here's my annual "birthday picture taken while standing at my vanity mirror while wearing a black shirt" photograph.

Hippie Coffee Van

Picture of the Day for 12/9/2015. This coffee van is parked in front of my gym in the wee early hours of the morning each day. Genius marketing strategy. 

Grown-Up Purchase

Picture of the Day for 12/8/2015. My disposable income pretty much goes to travel and jewelry, but recently I had an unexpected bout of responsible homeowner maturity overcome me and I purchased this useful leaf blower to deal with the leaves and debris that blow onto my porch.

Santa Hat Placement

Picture of the Day for 12/7/2015. I started decorating for Christmas today. I looked around wondering where I could place my Santa hat and this is where it ended up. It makes me smile every time I look at this. 

Christmas Ties

Picture of the Day for 12/6/2015.My great-nephews wearing their new Christmas ties. So cute!

Saddest German Market Ever

Picture of the Day for 12/5/2015. My sister Paula's family and I eagerly walked into a local church for what had been advertised as a German Christmas market. Boy, was it the saddest market ever. I was expecting to see crafts and a variety of vendors. Not so much. There were just a few food items for sale. It was so sad that I didn't even take a picture of it. We ended up going out for BBQ instead.

Here's what I ended up buying.

Diet Coke Substitute

Picture of the Day for 12/4/2015. I'm TRYING to cut down on my Diet Coke consumption. I've found a fairly good substitute - plain sparkling water with a few squirts of the Publix (grocery store in Florida) sweet tea water flavoring. I just need to make sure the next time I go to Florida a stock up on this. Of course some might say I just need to start drinking plain old water, but I would scoff at them.

5 Second Rule Pays Off

Picture of the Day for 12/3/2015.  Last month I blogged about the Mel Robbins Ted talk on YouTube that made quite an impression on me. One of the things Robbins said was that whenever you have a thought about something you need/want to do, do it within 5 seconds of having that thought or else you won't get around to it. 

A few days ago I was thinking about my former neighbor, Diana, who (whom?) I hadn't seen in months. So having Robbins' voice in my head, I texted Diana within 5 seconds of thinking of her. Turned out to be fortuitous. I thought she had moved away out of state, never to be seen again, but it turns out she and her husband were back in town for a few days clearing out their house that just sold. Diana told me she had something she wanted to give to me before leaving and could I come over for a visit? Wow.

I went over for my visit tonight and Diana gave me some space memorabilia from the1960s when her father worked for the defense contractors involved with the space program. She had come across the memorabilia as she was cleaning out the house. I was glad to receive these items of course, but I was even more pleased I got the opportunity to say good-bye.

Best in Centerville!

Picture of the Day for 12/2/2015. I was just notified that Teach Speech Now, the company I own with my sister Robynne, has been selected as a Best in Centerville, Utah company! Wow, what an honor! They are also honoring us with the opportunity to buy expensive plaques that we can display in our place of business (hard to do since we exist virtually only without an actual storefront). I think I'll be passing up that honor.

Gray Hair Coverage Solution

Picture of the Day for 12/1/2015. So what do you do when you have REALLY gray hair that needs to be covered and you still have a few days until your next hair appointment? 

Why, you cover it with this really cute beret your sister crocheted for you. Problem solved.