Purpose the Paper

You may be living in a similar situation as Landon and I:

Most of the things that make up our home have been generously given to us as gifts or hand-me downs. We haven't really purchased much of anything for our home. I especially have not purchased home decor, because we are always moving and to buy pretty things for the sake of them being pretty is quite a luxury, and honestly not really a priority for us. 

Sometimes I find myself enjoying the function of something but really not liking the style. 

At this house, I took some of my favorite crafting papers with browns and lime greens and went to town with the mod podge to try to repurpose some things, and actually try to tie my kitchen together a bit with a color scheme (have never done this before!). 

I received 10 of these magnolia coasters from my grandmother in 2004. Although they are a very thoughtful gift for a newly married couple, they really remained so not me. I always thought of getting rid of them, but in reality, we needed them and it was dumb to get rid of something that you need just because it isn't cute. So I covered them.

They turned out well, except if there is a hot drink on the coaster, then it gets stuck to the coaster because the mod podge adheres to the cup. didn't think through that one too well, eh? but i like them much better and don't mind them sitting around the wooden surfaces of the house because they are so cute and so much more my style!

I used the same paper and to cover some of our kitchen accessories to tie everything together.

 I covered my recipe box with the lime green.

 I covered a cardboard tomato box and we use it to store our teas on top of our microwave. 

it's cute, really.

then i took out all the pictures in our "wedding shrine" (as landon calls it). I have this little collage of frames that were holding 7 black and white pictures from our wedding day. I understand that after 5 years of marriage, one might rather have something else framed. I asked Landon to take some black and white pictures of trees....but that isn't happening any time soon. So, I plopped the paper in these frames. With their being on the wall across from the kitchen that goes into the living room, i feel like it really ties the rooms together. 

I thought that this was a very fun way to make my things mine. and a easy and cheap quick temporary fix to an area that really had lacked cohesion in color. .

Thanks

Wow, between Facebook messages, phone calls, and Blog comments, I feel so celebrated! Thanks friends, for participating in my birthday and making me feel not so very far away from you that I dearly love.

Despite being deep into final papers, Landon spent the whole evening celebrating my birthday with me. We went out to a yummy Mexican restaurant in Ogden. We haven't been able to find good Mexican out here. I even have to call ahead now to make sure that the restaurant has a liquor license if I'm thinking I want imported beer or a margarita (which of course I did last night - it was my birthday, after all!) I found myself so surprised at the last Mexican restaurant we went to out here when I asked for a list of their drinks and she told me which coke products they carry. I was bummed.

But this place was awesome.

Landon also put hours into a beautiful carrot cake for me! I wanted a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and this man delivered!

I received a very cute giant cupcake cake pan from Kristen for my birthday. Isn't it adorable?

Well, although I am now officially in my "late-twenties", I'm a pretty happy girl and feel dearly loved by those I love most. What could be better?

27 years ago I was born

Wow. That's amazing.  Being in my late 20's feels different than I thought it would, but I rather like it. I don't really feel much older than 20 (or wiser!). I thought I would be a mom by now, surely, especially since I married the amazing Mr. McBrayer when I was 21 (can you believe my mother is 21 in the picture above?). I thought I would be deep into my dream career (whatever that is) and bringing cupcakes to MOPS meetings and teaching 3rd grade Sunday school. But we are on a different adventure.

I am so grateful that I get to celebrate this birthday below the mountains. There are no words, really, for the joy and the peace that they bring to my life. Landon is deep in the midst of final papers, but we plan on going into the mountains  when he is finished to celebrate the b-day and his completing his first year of his PhD.

Last night Landon spent hours on a cake for me. I am excited to eat it up. I will  post pictures tomorrow.

I received cards from family and friends in the mail over the last few days (THANK YOU!!!) and last night as i was reading them i started to cry. Almost every one mentioned "wish you weren't so far away", and that makes me sad. It was such an amazing adventure to leave home five years ago. Now it is sort of painful to still always be away.

Let's see.... I'm trying to remember being born. Of course, I can't remember that. My earliest memory, though..... well, i have two and i'm not sure which one came first.

I remember sitting in a high chair at a restaurant with my parents and my dad's parents. I remember playing a game where i would drop something on the ground and my grandpa would pick it up. i remember thinking it was hilarious. And I also remember them laughing at me because they kept giving me lemons. I remember liking the attention. I remember loving my Grandpa. And for some reason this memory is so clear in my mind. I think this must be my first memory.

My second early memory which must be a little later, but maybe isn't, is watching my mother bathe my little sister in the kitchen sink. I was jealous for attention (what's new?) and was also confused as to why Janelle was getting a bath in the sink. Why didn't I get a bath in the sink?

Well, thanks for being in my life, dear loved ones. My greatest joy and blessing has always been the people that I love. Thank you for making these 27 years unforgettable!

Mormon Fashion

Just in time for Spring, Mormon fashion is rubbing off on me.

Last Wednesday I had a crafting night with a good friend of mine from my Colorado childhood. Kristen and I go way back. She's been in Utah since we graduated CHS in 01. Kristen comes from a large LDS family with a really awesome Mormon heritage, actually (which she has never said, only I have seen pictures of her ancestors as a founding family in our town hall - her family have been faithful Mormons for a long time. Pretty neat heritage).

Kristen is also a fashionista. Her style is very classic and cute with a strong edge of creativity! I'm not sure I've ever seen her sporting this fashion, but ever since the temps got above freezing, i have found myself exploring this world of modesty and comfort. And I feel okay sharing this because when I mentioned it to her on Wednesday she cracked up and verified my observation.

I'm not sure what the fashion world would say about this, but out here in Utah, this trend is very cute and acceptable and catching on to non-Mormons like me!

Wearing a shirt under or over the strapless and spaghetti-strap tops

I even wore a spaghetti strap shirt over a long sleeve t-shirt during the winter and it made me feel like my wardrobe was doubled - summer shirts are no longer only for the summer! 

(not me and no photo credits on this post - sorry)

Don't die, but I have definitely worn a white t-shirt under a strapless dress. I have two dresses that are a bit too big for me and they are so cute and I don't wear them because they're a little too immodest since they don't hug me quite close enough. I love wearing a t-shirt under these strapless dresses. It's great not to be tugging on them all the time, and worrying that they're not where they should be.

I didn't ask Kris, so i'm not sure exactly the reason that this is such an acceptable fashion trend out here. I know that Mormons strive to dress modestly. We evangelicals do this also. But they also wear holy undergarments that actually have tiny sleeves/thick straps, so if they are wearing these all of the time, their clothing needs to cover them up, so no strapless dresses or spaghetti tops. But, of course, I don't know too much about these as they are another aspect of the LDS faith that is too secret  sacred to share with the non-Mormons in the neighborhood.

Kristen made sure to let me know that these items can still be worn very classy with cardigans over them (Janelle, aren't you glad I included this - I'm sure it's what you have been thinking this whole time!). Ha! That does sound much more classy, but I do really like the t-shirt idea. It's casual and comfy!

What do you think?

A little Friday treat:

I've never recorded a video of myself  playing piano before.  But I needed to send something to that church that I'm applying to, so I made myself subject to the techie advice of a few 13 year old boys and somehow got my skype camera to take a video of me and even upload it onto Landon's youtube channel. So it's not great quality, but it was sufficient in giving the pastor of the wonderful church an idea of my playing/singing capabilities.

He has asked me to come down to his church and lead worship some week in May as part of my application process for this worship position. I am excited. I love worshiping with new people - it's amazing - the unity in the body of Christ in worship.

So for those of you, dear friends and family that have not really heard me sing, this is for you. Though I share it sort of reluctantly, I have been encouraged as Landon blasted video of me on his facebook and his friends actually liked it. I felt bad for not sharing a video with my friends too. So, sorry for feeling self-conscious in front of you - you are always such a great support!

Enjoy, lovelies.

Spring, you are invited to the McBrayer household

This last weekend I swept the winter out of my house.

I put away our basket of winter woolens that we kept by the front door filled with different gloves, scarves and hats, easily accessible for every time we leave the house.

I stripped our bed of its flannel moose sheets and replaced them with the sateen sheets from the bottom of the closet.

We opened all of the windows in the house to let the fresh air in.

I pruned the roses and some bushes and mowed the lawn.

I gave Duvick a bath and brushed him well. He's shedding out of his thick winter coat.

Landon turned off the pilot light that fuels the heater in the house.

And this is the first week in many months where i didn't cook stews or soups for dinner. Instead, we cooked on the grill. I even did a deep clean of our back-yard table and chairs and Landon plopped the umbrella over it.

We hung our swing off of the deck where I am able to read barefoot in the sunshine- how wonderful.

Spring is here!!!!

..................................


Or so we thought.

This is the second morning that we have awoke to a fffffffreeeeezing house. I'm definitely missing the flannel sheets and circulated heat that had filled our winter months and kept us cozy. I'm finding myself drinking extra coffee and tea just to keep warm around here.

The last two morning have been filled with rain and hail and snow, but altogether gray.

Oopsie.

Wear-Weary Wardrobe

I have have some items in my closet that i love. So much, in fact, that I wear them all of the time. Every week, even. 

For instance, this Patagonia capalene shirt. Which has also shrunk over the years of use, use, and misuse: 

Alaska 2005

Hawaii 2007

Utah 2010

Mom and Landon have been trying to convince me to throw this one away for years. I like it. I found it at a garage sale in my Grandmother's neighborhood in 2000. It may actually be my favorite shirt ever.

Living on my own for the first time, 2003

Kenya 2006

Home for Christmas, CO, 2010

I have another that is in great danger of becoming one of these over-used but not under-appreciated staples:

This great gray j.crew cardigan

CO reunion with friends, 2009

Which was meant to replace 

This great gray j.crew cardigan

Meeting the McBrayers, GA, 2004

(the cardigan died after wearing holes into the elbows. i reluctantly parted with it after somehow being convinced that there was another gray cardigan equally as wonderful out in the world somewhere. of which i've never found. but the one above is a very satisfying replacement). 

You can tell how adventurous I am in fashion. See, my style (and my closet) has stayed the same these last 10 years. But how can I part with these? You see the memories involved in each, don't you?

Life

I have come that they may have

life,

and have it to the full

(John 10:10)

Yesterday marked many important anniversaries for many people: The Oklahoma City Bombing, Hitler's Birthday, the Columbine Shooting, 420, etc... 

And many of those remind us of much destruction and loss of life. And yet, yesterday as I remembered that which has been so destructive in my life, I couldn't help but become so aware of the life around me.

The trees are leafing. These pictures come from two trees in the front of our house. They are magnificent in their pink blooms. It's just amazing. 

The daffodils and tulips are abloom, a striking contrast to the bright green lawns that cover the landscape of the Wasatch front. 

It's incredible how life can be suddenly bursting from the seams after such a long period of dormancy, where all these beautiful things were not even a thought in our minds. We just saw the gray; the appearance of death. And now within a few weeks, the earth here is covered in life again, as if we never experienced these last 6 months of winter.

And I think that there are periods of our lives that are much like this. I was thinking of the darkness that I had once lived in, that gray, bleak world. And from it, Christ has brought me life. I am a new creation in Christ. Yesterday I was reminded of this, as I reflected on times of darkness in the lives of those I love, darkness in the history of our country, darkness in the history of the world. But see, even out of these atrocities, life is bursting from the seams! What an amazing promise we have in Jesus!

Yesterday my nephew was born: Graham Charles Parnell. And I am so grateful for him. What a beautiful reminder of life!

(Can you tell me what kind of trees these are? I really love them)

I know that today is the anniversary of the shooting at Columbine. I tried to decide if I was going to write about it today. But....it's a beautiful day here in Utah. And though my heart is swelling in remembrance of many beautiful friends and many beautiful lives lost, I am not really inspired to write about it. I don't really feel like it. However, if you came to my blog today to read about Columbine, just type Columbine into the search box on the right. Or see what I wrote last year.

Spring Skiing

Sunday we went skiing.

I should have worn a tank top

It was beautiful.

 and fun. 

and kind of amazing to be skiing through the trees and feel so very warm.

Duvick had fun. 

and finally got some exercise.

And was hot enough that he went swimming in some beaver ponds.

I love family time with my boys.