Day Three- A Picture of You and Your Friends

That's hard to find a picture of me and all my friends. There's so many friends that are left out. But here I am with some of my beloved ward friends. We're super duper excited (or super duper constipated... at least that's what I look like) for the New Moon movie! I love my friends. They're so much fun!!

Day Two- The Meaning Behind My Blog Name

I believe I've already made a post about this a long time ago, but for those of you that are new to my blog here's the story...

When I was little I was always a little bugged by the fact that I didn't have a middle name. My dad told me it was because when I got married, my last name would become my middle name; therefore, there was no sense in giving girls middle names. Although this explanation may have been justifiable in his head, it still didn't sit well with me. I wanted a middle name! So I decided to give myself one.... Ivory!

Where did Ivory come from? Well, every year for Christmas my mom would give me a doll. (This tradition even continued into my married years). One year she gave me a cute baby doll, and then the following year she gave me a black baby doll (my mom went through a huge obsession with black dolls. She has quite the collection!) Well, when I got this black doll and set her on my bed next to my previous year's doll, it was only natural that I called the two of them Ebony and Ivory. After that I came to love the name Ivory and when it was time for me to pick out my own middle name, Ivory seemed to be the perfect fit.

All through jr. high and high school I had people convinced that my middle name really was Ivory. I probably even had myself convinced. I'd even sign my name with Ivory as my middle name. In fact I was so obsessed with it that my mom broke down and told me that we could go legally change my middle name if I wanted to. I'm not quite sure why that never happened.

Now lets fast forward 10 plus years when I decided to start a blog and needed to pick out my blog name. Everyone had all these creative names that dealt with their last name, but for the life of me I couldn't find something to go with Merrill. So if I wasn't able to incorporate my last name, well then obviously I'd just use my previous middle name. And that's why my blog is named Ivory!

Day One- Current Photo & 15 Interesting Facts

1. I'm a South Weber homebody! I love my hometown. It feels so good to be here.
2. I love to thrift shop and go to yard sales.
3. As a kid me and my crew would do anything to earn money. We acted as homeless people and begged for $, we charged admission for shows that we'd put on, we charged admission for our friends to come watch movies at our house, we'd leave "anonymous" notes on people's doors asking for money in exchange for a rock or leaf, etc.
4. I've always loved and still love to dance. Name the time and place and I'll show up with my dancing shoes.
5. I really like the golden oldies music. Nothing puts a smile on my face faster than listening to this type of music!
6. I'm a really good lip syncer.
7. I've given up my running shoes! I gave a good go at it, but came out JACKED UP after every race. I'm convinced that speed walking is ten times better for me anyway. I'm actually seeing results in the booty area!
8. My favorite color is and always has been yellow. I'm trying really hard to convince Matt that our new house should be yellow.
9. Still to this day, not a day goes by that I don't think of my mom and Travis and get that sick empty pit in my stomach feeling. I have learned to deal with it better though.
10. I still secretly do my style challenges. Right now my challenge is wearing all the clothes on multicolored hangers. After I've worn them I switch out the hanger for a white one. When I'm done, I'll have a whole closet full of white hangers! :)
11. I'm in the process of writing a children's picture book. It's been a long process, but a process non-the-less.
12. When I'm bored I re-arrange things. Shelves, bedrooms, drawers, etc.
13. I love fantasy. My book club always teases me that I've got my head in the clouds because I love it so much. Let them tease all they want, I love to escape into those imaginary worlds.
14. I saw the Titanic 5 times when it came to theaters the first time. I'm super tempted to go see it again when it hits theaters soon. Anyone want to go with me? I have a strong feeling Matt's not going to want to go with me.
15. Elvis is still the King! Thank you mom for giving me that love of him as a young girl. I couldn't imagine a world without that beautiful man. :)

30 Day Blog Challenge

Not much going on with me and my family right now. (Oh, except our house is for sale! Any takers?) Therefore, there's not much to blog about. Remember back in the day when everyone blogged, kept up on their blogs, and did fun little blog challenges or quizzes? Those were the days :) Well, much to my own excitement when I saw that my friend Jeni did a 30 day blog challenge, so I thought that I'd join in on the fun and do it to.
Here's the details...

Day 1-Recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself
Day 2-The meaning behind your Blog name
Day 3-A picture of you and your friends
Day 4-A habit that you wish you didn't have
Day 5-A picture of somewhere you've been to
Day 6-Favorite super hero and why
Day 7-A picture of someone/something that has the biggest impact on you
Day 8-Short term goals for this month and when you'll accomplish them
Day 9-Something you're proud of in the past few days
Day 10-Songs you listen to when you're bored, happy, sad, mad, hyped
Day 11-Another picture of you and your friends
Day 12-How you found out about blogger and why you have one
Day 13-A letter to someone who has hurt you recently
Day 14-'A picture of you and your family
Day 15-Put your ipod or shuffle on-first 10 songs that play
Day 16-Another picture of yourself
Day 17-Someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why
Day 18-Plans/dreams/goals you have
Day 19-Nicknames you have and why you have them
Day 20-Someone you see yourself marrying or being with in the future
Day 21-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 22-What makes you different from everyone else
Day 23-Something you crave for a lot
Day 24-A letter to your parents
Day 25-What I would find in your bag
Day 26-What do you think about your friends
Day 27-Why you are doing this 30 day challenge
Day 28-A picture of you from last year and now-how have you changed?
Day 29-In this past month, what have you learned?

Day 30-Your favorite song

Gracefully Aging

Ever since I was little I've always appreciated those that could gracefully age. I've admired all the little oldies in my ward with all their wrinkles and a story to go with each wrinkle. When I was in elementary my mom enrolled me in modeling classes. One of the instructors there was an older woman, probably in her late 60's, that I just admired! I thought she was beautiful. There were countless "model" type looking women instructors, but to me this older woman was the one that I looked up to. I clung to every word she said, wanting to be just like her and still remember her advise to this day. She encouraged us to keep our bodies healthy and strong in every way, so that when the inevitable aging process happens, we'll be the best version of "you" that we can possibly be without artificially altering ourselves. Over the years I have really tried to take her advise to heart. I use sunscreen, I don't drink caffeine, I exercise regularly, I "try" to avoid artificially processed foods, I try to keep myself mentally in check, etc. But every so often the world or my own weaknesses get a hold of me and I cave in.

When I turned 33 this past week, I did an internal look at myself and who I think I should be at this age and I've decided to do yet another overhaul of my life. And to spare you all from every detail of my overhaul, I'll just stick with the topic of gracefully aging.

I've spent a lot of time this past week taking a long hard look at myself in the mirror. At first I did what probably a lot of women instinctively do. I picked myself apart and found every flaw that I could. But seeing as my new word for the year is "perspective" I decided to take a different approach to these so-called flaws. And here is what I came up with...

My frown lines (as you can see I have two distinct ones) represent the deaths of my mom and brother Travis. They help remind me of the trials I've been through and the person I am today because of those trials.

My random gray hairs represent the stresses of marriage that I've gone through. Matt and I have had our fair share of struggles, but just like my gray hairs, there are way more good times than bad, and I need to focus on those. I have one amazing husband that I adore (even though he does give me gray hairs!)

My pimples keep me humble and remind me to stay young at heart.

My elongated dimple marks represent all the people that have come into my life that have made me laugh or smile.

My sun marks remind me of my fabulous childhood playing in the sun. I have the most fondest memories of my childhood!

And lastly, my crows feet/smile lines represent my children and my husband. (I conveniently have 5 distinct lines, three on one side and two on the other). These are my favorite wrinkles. Nothing makes me smile more than my family.

So now when I look in the mirror I like what I see. I love that just like the old ladies I've always admired, my flaws and signs of aging all have a story to tell!

Word

For the past two years I have taken the advise from a friend and have chosen a Word of the Year. This word is something that I want to incorporate into my life to make me a better person that I repeat in my mind over and over. 2010 was Courage. 2011 was Breath. And now for 2012 my word is:

Perspective

When it comes to others problems I am really good at taking it all into perspective. I can see things clearly and usually have some good advise to give. But when it comes to my own trials, I have a little bit of a harder time being rational about it. I usual make mountains out of mole hills and blow things way out of proportion. If I could only just apply that same perspective I have for others into my own life, what a wonderful world this would be!! The thing is, it's all good and easy to say and write out, but when those trials, or arguments, or unexpected events happen, all my logic goes out the window. Woe is me!! I stew and torment myself, or negatively react to these situations instead of taking a step back to see the situation as it really is. I want to have a better attitude when it comes to problems. It's like the 90/10 Principle. 10% of life is made up of what happens to us. 90% is made up of how we react to it. My reactions can completely turn my life around. This one word can be a game changer in my life. If I can change my attitude positively and really put things into perspective in all aspects of my life, I think I just might achieve that genuine happiness that I've been searching for.

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time!

(Or in Rocky's words, "Spinning, Happy a Wonderful Christmas Time)

This Christmas Season flew by super duper fast! For each day in December I had a stocking hung up on a line. In each stocking there was something "Christmasy" for us to do. Some days we performed service, some days we did activities as a family, some days we read Christmas books, some days we watched movies, and some days we made Christmas treats. I wish I would have written every day down or at least taken pictures of every day. Oh well. Here's what I did capture on camera....

Trimming the Tree.
The baby of the family gets to put the angel on the tree. This year Rocky was big enough to handle the task. Although he may have been big enough, he definitely still wasn't ready. That poor kid is such a scaredy cat. He couldn't handle being up on Matt's shoulders!

So the torch got handed to Maya. Unfortunately, she wasn't any better than Rocky. Where did I get such scared kids from?

Luke was MIA at the time, so Isaac was able to do the honors this year. He's at the age where he thinks he's too big to do things like this, but I wasn't about to let him get off the hook (plus I was the next in line and there's no way I'm getting up on Matt's shoulders!)

We wrote letters to Santa.

We went to the Ward Christmas Party where the kids got to sit on Santa's lap.

Rocky didn't want anything to do with Santa the last time we saw him, but for some reason he didn't really care about him this time. That kid confuses me.

We attended the Stake Nativity Night. Our kids were asked to participate in the live Nativity. Once again, Isaac thought he was too old for something like that, but he was forced into it by his lovely mother.

As an early Christmas gift, Matt and I gave our kids season tickets to Weber State basketball. The boys were ecstatic!! This was the best present ever!!

We went to the Covieo family Christmas Party where we did the same old, same old. (Not that that's a bad thing, I like traditions). We met at a church, ate dinner, the kids did a Nativity, Santa came (a little bit of a creepy one this year if you ask me), the kids danced the hokey pokey and bunny trot with Santa, Santa gave out treats, Grandma gives out presents, and then your free to mingle with the family.

Luke played Jr. Jazz this month, and his team did awesome. They went the whole season undefeated. Luke tore it up at the tournament. He was one of their leading scorers which helped lead their team to first place!!

Every Wednesday Reese gets to come play with Maya. They made Gingerbread houses one day.

On Christmas Eve we got together with the Merrill side and attempted to do the Nativity for the first time since there's enough cousins to do it now. There's a lot of crying, a lot of fighting, and a lot of aimless wandering by the little ones. It was quite entertaining.

We opened our traditional Christmas Eve Jammies. Matt and Luke were the most excited about theirs. Matt finally got Spongebob PJ's and Luke finally got onesie PJ's!

Christmas Day
Rocky's Loot (Rocky's favorite gift was the chocolate milk in his stocking

Maya's Loot

Luke's Loot

Isaac's Loot

My Loot

Matt's Loot (is it just me, or is the word loot sounding really weird right now?)

Melinda made all the little one's monkey pj's and a matching sock monkey.

Grandpa Poll gave all the kids slippers.

Curt's family gave my dad this framed shirt that Mandy and her kids gave to Nathan when he was diagnosed with cancer. This is the shirt that Travis wore throughout his cancer ordeal.
Post Christmas sleepover with cousins. All the Poll cousins planned a huge sleepover at various houses. Unfortunately, one of Chad's kids got sick so it threw everyone's plans for a loop. Somehow all the older kids (15 of them) ended up at Curt's house to sleep over! I was lucky and only had Reese sleep over.

The boys got Jazz tickets in their stockings so we went to the first home game of the season. Luckily it was a good game and the Jazz actually won.

New Year's Eve we went to the Weber State basketball game. For Christmas all the kids got Weber State gear. They were featured on the Jumbo Tron with their foam wildcat claws and won fans of the game. They won a big duffel bag full of coca cola items. They divided it all up amongst themselves.

A Christmas miracle happened when Waldo the Wildcat came by our seats and Rocky decided that today was the day that he'd give him a chance. At first he gave him a fist pump, and then he took it even a step further and sat on his lap. I was in shock! The first game we went to Rocky was huddled under our seats in fear of Waldo when he was still a few rows away.

It's been a fast paced but very good Christmas season. I was able to slip some spiritual moments in there and we made a lot of fun lasting memories.