Red Barn

This past weekend our office hosted the Red Barn Celebration on the Brighton Reservation.  It was a great event with almost 300 people in attendance, a cattle drive, live music, BBQ, and stories from the Council and elders.  Everyone was so proud of the work our office has done, especially with the dedication of the Red Barn to the National Register of Historic Places!

Pep Talk

We all need one once in awhile.

Happy Friday :)

It's that time of year again!

It's Archaeology Time!!

My office hosted our last and final Archaeology Day with the Museum.  It is always a stressful event, but in the end I love seeing the 4th and 5th graders excited about what we do.  I even went to Michaels the night before to buy some new and exciting artifacts for the kids to find during their excavation.  This year we also decided to only open it up to the tribal schools which was great!

Learning about artifacts with me in the "lab"! yea!

We lucked out with cool weather that morning and it was nice to spend most of the day outside enjoying the winter breeze.  We only had one little boy who told me repeatedly that this was "sooooo boring" and "I wish I had my ipad!" I just smiled at him and was glad that he was not looking at his ipad and flipping fake pages of a book or watching cartoons.  He was exploring and thinking and touching real things.  I have a feeling that even though this was the most boring day of his whole entire life! he will remember his field trip to the Museum, learning about his culture and how for a few hours he got to be an archaeologist.

:)

NYC

Last weekend Bobby was lucky enough to be gallivanting around the Big Apple and braving the freezing rain.  He had a wonderful opportunity to visit Boston and NYC for a long weekend as Road Manager to Sammy Figueroa and his Latin jazz band.  He stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel, just down the street from Times Square and learned to navigate his away around Manhattan in a yellow taxi cab.  

    

What a different world from the tiny mountain town of Basalt, CO where he grew up and even a contrast to the craziness of Miami.  I asked him if he would ever want to live in NYC, and he laughed and said, "Nope".  It really is a city that never sleeps and you have to be prepared to keep up with the pace. 

The band was so pleased with Bobby (as they always are!) and are hoping to take him with them on some of their future tours....next stop Brazil?

perfectly nice day

I have been enjoying my 3 day weekend.  Work has been busy and I am glad to have an extra day to relax.  Catching up on my Netflix, going on a movie date with my husband, and sleeping in.  I've even had a few extra hours to peruse my favorite websites and bought a great new art print.  I've been working slowly on putting my home together and over the last few months have been on the avid lookout for great pieces of art to fill the empty wall over our tv.  Both my sisters gave Bobby and I some art for Christmas and I love hanging new things on the wall, making it my own.

We had a bit of a cold snap the last few days, but the sun was out shining and bright today.  Even the lizards were out and about, scurrying up and down the screened porch.

Family

The past few months I have been glued to the computer almost every single night searching and searching for my history.  I signed up for Ancestry.com back in November, hoping to find a few unknowns in my family tree.  Low and behold, a wealth of information unfolded in front of me and ever since I have been reconnecting with my ancestors.  

Family has always been so important to me.  My parents lead by example, always putting the family first.  Family dinner every night.  Family vacations at least twice a year.  Family game nights, family evening walks.  I am dedicated to keeping the bonds of my family tight, and my sisters and I have made powerful promises to always stay close.  Even with me living 2,000 miles away, I feel close to my family.

Digging around old "dusty" records has introduced me to so many different feelings.  By learning the most simplest of facts--a date of birth, an address-- I feel strangely connected to those I never knew.  I sit and think about me and them.  Without them I would not be here.  I feel like I owe my ancestors something and so I've taken it upon myself to document what I find and then turn it over to my family, even if its just for a small  sense of appreciation for who have come before us.  I want my little niece and nephew to know their roots.  I want my grandchildren to know their heritage.  Must be my "museum" side of me bursting through, wanting very much to capture the past and preserve it. I don't want it to be forgotten.  

I'm sure many people go on with their lives, never knowing where they came from.  Maybe it doesn't make a difference.  Maybe it doesn't always influence the decisions we make or the path we take.  But I have a sense of comfort and joy knowing that I carry traits and characteristics of my grandparents and even great grandparents.  To know that my nose and eye shape and maybe even my musical skills came from someone down the line makes me smile.  I see it even within my sister's children and am always in awe of what can be passed on from parent to child. 

So here's to family.  To knowing who you are (for better or worse :) and appreciating who has paved the way for us.

  The Redente Clan, Thanksgiving 2012

Mele Kalikimaka

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say 

On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day 

That's the island greeting that we send to you 

From the land where palm trees sway 

Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright 

The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night 

Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way 

To say "Merry Christmas to you." 

I know there are only remnants left of the Christmas season, but I thought it better late than never to post a few pictures!  Although I did not spend Christmas on a beautiful Hawaiian island, it felt a little like it being here in South Florida. Bobby and I spent a quiet Christmas with palm trees swaying and 80 degree weather.

It was a bit strange to be away from Colorado this year and I felt a little sad knowing I wouldn't be coming down the stairs Christmas morning to a house full of my family and crisp white snow on the ground.  But Bobby and I tried our hardest to make it feel as Christmas-y as possible despite the lack of chill in the air.

We enjoyed a peaceful day, eating good food, opening gifts, and playing with our new Roku.  Maybe next year we will be singing White Christmas instead!

  Off to a friend's Christmas party

  Making homemade sauce: my dad's secret receipe

    Christmas breakfast                        

Bobby is really good at opening presents :)

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Beach