Happy Birthday Landon

Today Landon is 28 years old. It's amazing for me to see him in his later-20's, considering I met him when he was only 20 years old. And not much has changed, in his daily life, really, in these last 8 years. Besides the fact that he's taking care of a wife and the world's bestest dog. He has developed some crow's feet around his eyes, more hairs on his chest, and gray hairs on his temples (which are super hot, his wife thinks!). He's gathered years of wisdom and knowledge and has grown in compassion and strength. But otherwise, he's the same bloke who stole my heart long before he had ever realized it so many years ago. It's pretty awesome to see him age and grow and bring in another year of life - it's pretty awesome to know that he's chosen me to experience all these future years with him.

Yeah, I'm a lucky girl.

Ski Snowbasin - from Landon's point of view

just a video that Landon took of our time skiing this weekend. BEAUTIFUL views of the Utah Mountains. A little shaky, but this was Landon's first day using his new helmet cam. Enjoy...it's a bit long, at least get the beginning for the beautiful views!

edit:::::::::sorry loves, I included the "pattern" (which was really just a tutorial) as a link in the paragraph below, but I'll put it here too for easy access: http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-your-own-onestringbag/

by the way:

I had SOOO much fun with this sewing project! It was neat to find some instructions online and then just run with them. This project cost me about $1 for the tulle at Walmart. I used some scraps of cloth from previous projects to reinforce the draw-string part of the bag since i didn't have any "rope" except hemp and I thought that hemp could be a big abrasive after awhile on the tulle. I have 5 bags in all, each one trying out a few different things. It was fun to get to take creative liberties and to try to be resourceful with what I have at home. I learned so much about how to use my machine during this small project.  I tied some buttons onto the hemp so that the hemp doesn't slide away and hide in the bag - they were a pain to get through the openings (then i learned to just sew the bag with the hemp already in there!).

Okay, now it's time for you to make some for your house too! Going paperless in 2010!!!

The Frost performs its ministry....

The Frost performs its ministry,

Unhelped by any wind....

...But thou... shalt wander like a breeze 

By lakes and sandy shores, beneath the crags

Of ancient mountain, and beneath the clouds,

Which image in their bulk both lakes and shores

And mountain crags: so shalt thou see and hear

The lovely shapes and sounds intelligible

Of that eternal language, which thy God

Utters, who from eternity doth teach

Himself in all, and all things in himself.

Great universal Teacher! he shall mould

Thy spirit, and by giving make it ask.

 Therefore all seasons shall be sweet to thee,

Whether the summer clothe the general earth

With greenness, or the redbreast sit and sing

Betwixt the tufts of snow on the bare branch

Of mossy apple-tree, while the nigh thatch

Smokes in the sun-thaw; whether the eave-drops fall

Heard only in the trances of the blast,

Or if the secret ministry of frost

Shall hang them up in silent icicles,

Quietly shining to the quiet Moon.

-Frost at Midnight, by Samuel Coleridge

Sewing: Take 2

I am so excited. I received a sewing machine for Christmas from my parents. And so far it has been working wonderfully. I am relieved to think that perhaps it was not I who was the hopeless cause with my old machine, but the machine itself that was beyond hope.

So it's time for some craftiness!

I finally finished the apron that I set out to create a few months ago.

Over the past 2 years, I have been collecting my clothes that need mending. I've only fixed 2 of those items so far. Much less exciting projects, but wonderful to put these items back into my wardrobe.

My next project, I've decided, will be a beginner's version of these:

(picture and produce bags by Loveforearth)

Right now when I go to the grocery store, I don't put my produce in any of those little pastic bags because of the waste of plastic. I think the clerks, and I, would find it more convenient if they were still bagged. So I found these on etsy and think they could be rather easy to re-create. One seller is actually selling her pattern in a PDF for $3. But I think I might just try to wing it first.

by the way,  PLEEEASE tell me that you were encouraged by Maya's post on SimpleMom's blog yesterday. I know I was!

Last night I had a dream that I somehow recollected during tonight's dinner and can not now forget.

(photo by jessmartin89)

I was playing with a little boy about 3 or 4 years old. He was my son. I guess I was never told that he was and of course, i didn't recognize him (because i don't actually have a son), i don't even remember his face. But I just had the deepest love for him - it was absolutely overwhelming, and that's what I remember most from my dream, that's why it was so powerful. And it was so brief. I just remembering tickling his tiny squirmy ribs and then nestling my face in his baby boy hair. He smelled so sweet and I could hear his laughing in my ear. And my heart swelled. And that was it.

And it's not surprising that I would have a dream like this, with the Christmas that Landon and I had in Georgia with our 8 nieces and nephews. It's not a surprise that this longing has grown and remains so desperate and pleading in my heart.

Maybe some day I will have my own child to nestle and tickle. One with his father's freckled skin and rambunctiousness, no doubt. Mmmm, i am longing for that day.

the LIST

(photos by mikezenero)

I don't really like my grocery shopping strategy, but I can find no better way.

Landon and I have very different grocery shopping philosophies. I don't like grocery shopping. I adhere strictly to my list. Landon, on the other hand, enjoys grocery shopping. He shops with a list and then lets himself be inspired by great deals and yummy foods. Like last night we were shopping and I'm looking through my list and my coupons and Landon comes by and dumps fruit snacks and pop tarts into the cart. I was almost blown off my rocker. Those aren't even healthy!!! But, of course, I am not his mother, he is an adult and darn right should get to eat crap if he wants to. But on the other hand, I am also the maker and keeper of the budget and did not see Pop Tarts on the list.

I am open for suggestions, please.

Usually on Sunday each week I plan my menu for the entire week and make a shopping list. I try to stick to 2 meatless meals and 2 free-range meals. I also try to find recipes that have overlapping ingredients in order to save at the store. Then, with my shopping list in front of me, i search the internet for printable coupons:

www.coupons.com

www.healthyparenting.net

www.afullcup.com

www.coupons.redplum.com

(many of these websites overlap coupons)

and i even search the manufacture's websites. many of them have an actual "coupons" tab.

You would cringe in knowing that after my trip to the grocery store yesterda, i really only saved $3 with my coupons. Sometimes it's more. Sometimes it's less.

Any other ideas on how to save mullah grocery shopping?

oh, and fyi: if you have not heard of www.retailmenot.com, you should check it out. This Christmas, I put together my Christmas list and found great coupons for the items that I wanted to buy. If not for the items, then in most cases I at least got free shipping through the coupon codes on this website.

Transitioning home

It's kind of hard to come home. But good.

(photo by Rich Legg)

As my plane descended into Salt Lake City, I saw the haze from the notorious winter temperature inversion. We cut through a thick layer of brownish fog below the mountains. And from the ground, I couldn't even see the mountains except for their snowy peaks. It's a bit gross. But kind of amazing, how the weather works, and what a unique place Salt Lake is with the lake effect snow, desert storms, and monsty mountains.

It was wonderful to see Landon (he drove home and I stayed two extra days to help move my sister into her first apartment! woohoo Janelle!!!). We had dinner and beers together at a local brewery in Salt Lake City, Squatters. I like squatters. They partner with other local companies to provide responsibly grown vegetables and ethically raised meats and eggs. I had an awesome beer that was a marriage of between Squatters stout and our local coffee company's espresso. Yum yum (but i was up until 1am - should have anticipated that one better).

Our house is a mess. We left in a hurry. Our home is in much disarray with an empty refrigerator, dirty laundry, Christmas decorations everywhere, and a carload of stuff to unpack. I guess Santa never slid down our chimney while we were in Georgia, or i'm sure his elves would have taken care of this place.

Welcome Home.

And now I'm back to work with my own computer and office and it's easier to work from my home instead of my parents' home. Yet, i'm struggling a bit because while we were in Colorado I was informed that ACSI will be phasing out the sponsorship program. I'm not sure exactly how to move forward within this job when moving forward seems like moving backward. But I have A LOT to do, so this shouldn't get boring any time soon. I'll write more on this later.

Landon is back in classes again today. He brought home straight A's last semester and I am so proud of him. This PhD program has been a real challenge for him on many levels and he seriously puts in at least 12 hours of study a day. I'm not sure how he does it, but he constantly amazes and inspires me and I am so grateful that he has this opportunity to study Philosophy here at the U at such a high level.

It's sort of nice to be in our own place again, just the two of us. It's a little strange, after being with family every day throughout these last couple of weeks. It is quiet. Duvick has been howling outside ALL DAY today, as his time at M&D's allowed him the luxury of letting himself in and out using the doggy-door. Welcome back to your life as an outside dog, Duves. Get used to it. Poor pup, he definitely misses his grandmother.

I think we all are a little happy to be home and a little sad to have to say goodbye to people and places that we so dearly love.

The world spins madly on

I'm leaving in a few minutes for Colorado Springs for a meeting with ACSI peeps. So I'll keep this short...

We got bombarded with much snow and very very frigid temperatures yesterday. So Landon is still here in Littleton (should have driven home yesterday) and I am in for a long treck to the Springs.

This New Year should feel more monumental than the last. TEN years since we brought in the millennium - amazing. It feels like only a few short years ago that Bottom Rung brought in the New Year in Dillon, CO - as we performed at a church youth group party. We got "booed" a lot that night by the local punk band. Jerks. But it was still fun to be in the mountains with my favorite guys making the music that we loved. And the world did not end that night, like some had predicted. In fact, life just kept on trucking.

And so we spent this New Year not too far from the mountains of Dillon, CO - at my parents' cabin in Como. Much cross country skiing and fondue eating and a kiss from the hubs made for a wonderful, yet uneventful New Year. The New Moon was amazing and frightful as it lit up the entire expanse of snow-covered mountains. Amazing.

And just a few pictures from the second annual McBrayer/Sheely hut trip to Ken's Cabin:

Good Morning in 2010!

(photo from cjad.com)

This is only the first day that I have had internet connection in almost 2 weeks, when we left for Georgia a few Mondays ago. Yes, there are still little beautiful bubbles of the world void of cell service and internet connection. My Christmas and New Year have been completely focused on family and fun - nothing else. And I'm so grateful.

I sincerely hope that you have had a wonderful last couple of weeks.

We were in Georgia with Landon's family for 8 days. Each day was spent at our family's lodge in the (back)woods of Jasper County. It's so great to have a place for the family to gather together away from the busy world of "in town" and that which is required of us when we do have access to the entire world. I was able to meet my beautiful new niece and nephew - which overjoyed me! My goodness, isn't life beautiful in the eyes of children? My heart is so encouraged by them and I loved being a giver (and receiver) of kisses, being a shaperone of rides on the swing, and playing on the edge of the lake. By the time we left, my heart was over flowing and i was absolutely exhausted. ha!

With 7 McBrayer siblings, most with children, our immediate family is now at 24, including the 8 kiddies. Imagine housing, gifting, and feeding this many over the holiday! landon's parents were so brave (or maybe crazy) to bring us all together again for Christmas. It is really a treat to have the whole family together. The family now resides in 5 different states and is growing exponentially every year, with 2 babies born in 2009 and 2 more expected in 2010 (so far). Now with each of the siblings married, it seems the next time that we should all expect to be together again is Christmas 2012. I can't even guess how many babes we'll have by then! wow!

Christmas was full of fun, including a hay ride singing Christmas songs, Santa visiting the kids on Christmas eve, a production of the Christmas story put on by the nieces and nephews with Uncle Dooney as narrator, early mornings with coffee and conversation, and late nights kid-free next to the fire. What a blessing!

We arrived back to Colorado late Wednesday night and left Thursday morning for M&D's cabin in the mountains. We celebrated the New Year with champaigne, fondue, and cross country skiing. We will be here for a few more days, while we enjoy the Colorado mountains and the Sheely family. Today Dad and Doons are ice climbing near by, and tomorrow we all leave for another Hut Trip through the woods. I love every season in Colorado. Each one is filled with different opportunities for adventure and every season brings breathtaking beauty to this beautiful state. I love being in Colorado.

This next week, we will finish up our time at the cabin and I will go to the Springs for a few meetings with ACSI. Then I will help my sister move into her apartment. All that to say that I'm not exactly sure at the regularity in which i will be posting. So, i'm sorry, friends, but it may be another week yet until I am able to be a more avid poster once again.

Happy 2010!!!!