Women Now: Sharing 2017 Moments Off My Phone

 

Oh sure, I have presents to shop for, cookies to make, Christmas Eve dinner to plan but what am I doing instead? I’m going through my phone and looking at what none-fashion photos I took this year, photos someone else took using my phone, or photos in texts from family members that I’ve saved. This relaxing activity made me remember that before I was taking clothing and style photos to share on my blog, newsletter, or Instagram, I was taking photos just for the fun of it. I always think I’m someone who doesn’t have hobbies but photography could be my hobby in the coming year!

So this snapshot of my snapshots over the year is mostly sentimental. If you’d rather do anything else but something holiday related, I’ve just given you your out! Enjoy this little time capsule of 2017.

Travels

While I was in Cabo San Lucas this November, my daughter Erin was traveling in Japan. She texted me this street scene from Kyoto. I’m mesmerized!

 

 

Santa Fe is such a special spot for many people and I’m one of them. It was great to get back there in June. This is a portion of the St. Francis Hotel lobby. Wouldn’t this be a great meditation spot?

 

 

Here is another part of the St. Francis Hotel, taken at night. I could be in this space for hours and never feel antsy. Do you have places like that?

 

 

One of the highlights of my time in Mexico was visiting Flora Farms. I share lots more about that trip here. One of the small shops on the Flora Farm property was a wine and coffee shop. While hanging out there enjoying my latte I was fascinated by how the barista stood casually at the counter with his feet crossed. He looked so comfortable! I wonder if he teaches yoga on the side.

 

 

The Wine Country Firestorms

Memories of the fires in Sonoma and Napa Counties are fresh in our minds while prayers go out to Southern Californians fighting blazes of terrifying magnitude. Boy oh boy.

With so much gratitude I look at this picture of my kids, Caitlin and Trevor, wearing those ever important face masks to keep the smoke from hurting our lungs. When Russ and I decided it was time to evacuate, my twin brother, kids, and Mike, Erin’s husband, if they were married, showed up in record time. I mean within forty-five minutes! All of them! My next door neighbor marveled at how quickly a flock of family members were there to help. I’m so proud to be part of this family!

 

 

When it was time to come back to our home, I stopped at Mollie Stone’s in Greenbrae and bought supplies to make our house feel better. It needed some tender loving care.

 

 

The Sonoma Plaza was decorated with children’s art, expressing appreciation for the firefighters and neighbors who came to save homes and our town. Of course, nearly 9,000 structures were lost in the Wine Country fires and recovery will be a long process. This tribute helps the healing.

 

 

 

 

My home life goes beyond Sonoma

In my heart, I have more than one home. I have my Sonoma home and then there’s the place I go home to and that’s Fargo, North Dakota and western Minnesota where my dad and my younger brother live. I have nieces and a nephew and most of them have kids. It’s a big family!

 

 

One person, Carson Wentz, is a North Dakotan who has hit the national stage. He came from North Dakota State University in Fargo where he played football for the NDSU Bison. I watched him play in college (on TV) and then he was named the #2 draft pick for the pros. The Philadelphia Eagles snapped him up and he’s been a phenomenal starting quarterback in his first year and now his second. This picture is taken off my TV screens. It’s so fun to watch him play because even in the pros there are so many North Dakota fans wearing the green and yellow jerseys from NDSU.

I decided I was going to quit being a fan when two weeks ago he suffered a torn ACL in the game against the Rams and that ends his season. What a crushing blow! But my sports moratorium is over. I’ve been watching the NDSU Bison march through their competition and they’re back in the finals again looking for their sixth championship win in seven years. Go Bison! That college championship game is on January 6th, 9 am PST on ESPN2.

Our family watches and texts each other throughout the game. Makes me miss Mom. She was a huge fan.

When Carson Wentz made a video to his fans the day after his injury, he was wearing a Bison jersey, not an Eagles jersey, and included North Dakota as the fans he knew were hurting right along with him. Hey Carson, you’re a class act and we’ve got your back!

 

 

I’m visiting Dad and my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces and their kids, etc., after Christmas. Only Auntie Brenda will travel to North Dakota in the middle of winter. Foolish? Or bravish? I’ll let you know! Plans are to be making lefse with these beauties. I heard their first batch was a bomb. I’ll bring my experience to the mix to make this Norwegian treat that we all lust for.

 

 

I’ll also plan to see Mother’s friends, the Church Ladies. Here I am this summer with Marge and Bonnie who are two of the members of the quilting group Mom belonged to at Dent United Methodist Church. She loved them and so do I!

 

 

I Heart Pairs

Here’s a good pair, Russ and me! This was on Mother’s Day at b. Patisserie in San Francisco.

 

 

Another great pair! Two ghosts filling the taupe polka dot ceramic heels that I bought on a fun summer day in Battle Lake, Minnesota, not far from where Mom and Dad lived on Dead Lake. I bought the felted ghosts on a shopping trip with Mom at the Norsk Hostfest in Minot, North Dakota. Boy, we had fun!

 

 

This seems to be our pose! Here we are in Santa Fe on my birthday in June.

 

 

The Home Office

Well, this is where I am right now, tapping away on that keyboard sitting on my Mid-Century Danish desk. I spend a lot of time here writing blog posts and writing content for image consultants for my Monthly Marketing Bundle program.

 

 

I’m not alone in there. Bella keeps me company and not always in a good way. When she sleeps on top of my files or papers, that’s fine. But when she walks back and forth across the keyboard, her tail swishing in front of my screen, she’s not helping.

 

 

On Office Tuesday when Caitlin is here doing admin stuff, bookkeeping and helping me with ideas for the Monthly Marketing Bundle program, she often scoots Bella out. “We’re working here!” she’ll say. But sometimes Caitlin’s flat on her stomach on the floor doing paperwork stuff while Bella snoozes spread out on Caity’s back.

Here, my office mate is pretending to shed real tears over something I’m fretting over. She sure can make me laugh! I’ve also never been around someone who actually sings while she works. We work hard on Tuesdays but we have fun at the same time, mostly thanks to her!

 

 

One of the marvelous things that the members of the Monthly Marketing Bundle group are doing is coming to Sonoma in February for our Nearly Annual MMB Retreat. (That thing Bella does, walking across the keyboard blocking the screen? She’s doing it now!!)

These are image consultants from all parts of the US plus Canada and Australia. We’ve done it once before and it was amazing!

What you’re looking at here are our scheduling notes for the training programs that will happen during February 6 – 8. I love looking at these plans on the table. It’s a reminder of how dreams become reality!

 

 

Quotes that energize me

I’m a sucker for quotes. Here are four of my favorites this year which I found on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to the New Year

 

Here’s wishing you a winning year ahead!

 

 

The little card with the bird sits in my office as well. There’s much to be thankful for. One of my greatest gifts is YOU! Thank you very much for showing up here on the blog, for cheering me on and others, for sharing your great experience and wisdom. It’s been a grand year!

 

 

As we come near the end of the year, share what happened this year that graced your life. Where is your gratitude coming from? We’re all ears!

XO