Emma went to a Leading Edge meeting!

Good news from Emma: she went to a crazy meeting for TLE. They meet in a different room now. John emailed back to her suggesting she take every opportunity to tell the staff she is the result of an office romance!

We met in 1107 JKHB (Jedi-Knight building at BYU) at a meeting for the desk-top published science fiction and fantasy magazine. I was the marketing director. John got assigned to work on my staff. Good memories, lots of hard work. Eddie Mueller designed the monster head icon on the t-shirts.

This was taken Christmas 1986. We are wearing butterfly-tie dyed "The Leading Edge" shirts (Make the shirts kiss right sides together, then tie with rubberbands and strings. We thought we were being so clever and symbolic!).

We met when he was 17, dated a semester, I flew out to DC to see him over the summer and meet his family, then we dated another semester and both put our mission papers in (I went to Belgium, he went to OK) and wrote letters for two years, got married 2 months after he came home! John wore his shirt every P-day on his mission, and it has faded. Mine is still bright, but doesn't fit like it did!

Sons, Dating, and Praying for Soldiers

Max is officially taller than his older brother, here is the proof. Stewart is still stronger, and his shoulders are beefy from wrestling. Even his neck has noticeable muscles now.

Surprise (for John) date (I asked him out on FACEBOOK!) was me deciding the itinerary. First, to go soak in the hot tub, then 5 Guys for THE best burgers, quick stop at Sears (30% off already clearance Lands End stuff) and Circuit City/Michael's and Target, and then ending at Broom's Bloom Ice Cream (cake batter with Ande's mint=heavenly). We watched a table of teenagers with one girl and 5 guys circling around, but she was only kissing one of them, that we saw. I love people watching.

Today, Sunday, John had the assignment to speak at the servicemen's branch meeting. We went out to the army post (had to sign in with security) to the chapel and were escorted into a classroom. 5 soldiers in their grey uniforms attended. Stewart came and cued the CD player with the correct hymns.

We had Sunday School first (lesson on the Savior, what we thought of Jesus Christ). Then for Sacrament meeting, one tray of water with cups and one tray for the one slice of bread. I wished for a camera at that moment: a soldier kneeling in prayer, using the Priesthood. Another soldier passed the trays. It went quickly--there were only 13 of us, total.

John did well speaking, but he is ever eloquent! Giving a voice of warning talk from General Conference, by President Eyring. Making sure we love, show example, and bear testimony appropriately...

I was asked to give the benediction, the closing prayer, and as I prayed for the soldiers, asking for health, strength and protection for them, and blessings for their families far away, I could feel the love of God for them. I wept as I voiced the prayer, asking for help. Thankful for their service and their sacrifices for me, for this great country. Praying for soldiers and having them praying for me was a great blessing today.

PBJ Mom

I frequent thrift stores along the route 40 corridor. This was my treasure find today, $1 for orange polka dot on hot pink canvas apron. My turn to plan the date tonight, so the kids are on their own eating pbj or hot dogs, their choice!

The Process

Sometimes people ask me how I do it? Here is a picture show of how to paint a mural.

Start with a theme. Fabric is a great starting point, wonderful inspiration. Much easier to match paint to fabric than to search for fabric that goes with the paint you have already chosen.

Client basecoated teal border near the ceiling, saving me time and her money!

I use house paint (Home Depot oops paint) and craft paints.

White lettering in "Splash" font include: sunshine, palm trees, salty kisses, flip flops, "Life's a Beach!" (request from client) sunscreen, vacation, surfboard, swimsuit, hot, waves, seashells, sandcastle, surf's up.

Little Changes

Haven't painted the hutch yet, but did put IKEA orange and red wrapping paper on back wall to offset dishes and tie in with kitchen yellow-orange...This is to keep Emma updated on what changes.

Not in my house, but a good friend's: three kids, three rooms, three colors, three fonts.

I love it when people take me up on my offers!

Green Painting unveiled!

(See fabric inspiration from blog January 3rd)

I started out with silver and white paint, copying the flower motifs from the fabric onto the wall...

And then I couldn't stop putting a little bit of color in, just a little...

Downstairs, same background paint (it looks different in east facing nursery and west kitchen). The font is from freefonts.com and called "Scooby Doo" and looked fun, young. Emma helped me choose between the many options I had pulled. Love playing with fonts!

Pie for dinner

My mom told us about a family tradition of Pie Night. Somewhere, some family started inviting friends and neighbors over on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving for Pie. Just pie. Pie for dinner. Everyone brings a pie and you can eat all the pie you want.

Thanksgiving is usually spent with family, and this made a way to celebrate with friends and eat FIRST what I am almost too full to enjoy after turkey and trimmings.

Throughout the years we have had many Pie Nights at our home, sometimes a few weeks before Thanksgiving, or even after, stretching out the holiday. We are never disappointed with the event!

This year for Pie Night it was the December Elder's Quorum activity! Someone made chix pot pies (first to go) and there were pumpkin versions, a frozen lemonade pie, apple, oatmeal/granola pie, Reese's Pieces pie, a pomegranite-raspberry pie (mine!) and Mr. L made 3 pink grapefruit pies, using his grandfather's recipe. Think lemon meringue filling but grapefruit flavored, and with big chunks of fresh grapefruit. Sweet and tart. Top layer is real whipping cream with frozen strawberry jam stirred in. The pies turned out perfectly, yummy. I'm just drooling thinking about them. Time for lunch. Which won't be pie.

This is my Re-Birth Day! 35 years ago today I was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.






















I remember my grandparents coming down from Napa, CA to visit us in San Jose. I remember my mom braiding my hair tightly and my dad holding down the end of the braid near my waist to keep it from floating up out of the water. I remember sitting in the circle of Priesthood men with their hands heavy on my head and feeling warm and good and safe and loved as the Gift of the Holy Ghost was confirmed, given to me.

Good memories. Good feelings. I was raised by goodly parents. Three siblings are yet to be born into this family portrait (taken up at Timp Lodge near Sundance, Utah).

Emma, check out my oj shoes! And the orange stripes on my jeans!

I don't have a picture of my when I was 8 years old in the computer--maybe a hard copy in an old album that I still need to scan in. Luanna is the baby so I must be at least 12 in this picture?

RESOLVED: take lots and lots of family portraits, in lots of moods, many places. Candid, formal, relaxed, real, silly, serious, too.

Family portrait WoW

We picked up Grandpa John to be our photographer (between funerals and memorial services--he has had 15 deaths within the last week). Drove out to the lighthouse in Havre de Grace. Unbundled from our jackets.

I really wanted a picture of us with our clothes on (as opposed to the swimming portrait!). I like how this one shows our wedding rings. It is hard to get 8 people with all their eyes open. In half of them my mouth is open--telling everyone to "SMILE! THIS IS FOR ME! BE HAPPY! IT IS ALMOST OVER! PLEASE SMILE?!"

I think this one is my favorite. We look like a human snowball! Actually, the flat winter light is nice. I wanted a white on white "Forever Family" portrait.

Gifts of Paint

We gave Emmalyn the "You are Special" birthday plate tonight during dinner and went around the table telling her what we love about her.

She will be at BYU during her birthday--so we wanted her to feel celebrated here before she goes back to school.

She is our peacemaker, good listener, kind, good teacher (she taught me how to blog, and most recently how to use the elliptical machine), smart, hard worker and happy about working hard, good example of getting good grades and a great Laurel President (Suzanna said) and fun to talk to (Stewart said he has missed talking with her). John teased him about having email and the technology to stay in touch this next semester!


















This is the inspiration for a nursery mural for a friend who has been out of town over Christmas and gave me her house keys (to pick up mail and check for leaks inside).

We did talk before she left. She says she trusts me! I have permission! I know her favorite colors. I've been watching what she wears to Church.

I did a home walk-through with her and interviewed her, asking lots of questions. She describes herself as boring, but I restated it positively and said she likes classic, clean, elegant designs. With an edge. A bit hip, cool, confident. This is a fun couple to be around, always happy, smiley, silly sometimes, strong testimonies, good people, happily married and excited for their first baby. She's a girl, but won't be a pink girly girl, maybe.

This Alexander Henry fabric that mom-to-be chose for her baby quilt is super-chic, bold, graphic. The background is dark chocolate brown. Icy blue, real red, sunshine yellow, and light sagey green (not minty). I promised I would not be too wild or too crazy. Promised no rusty orange (there is some in this fabric, see far left bottom corner for a peek, but I'll respect her choices.).

I tried to talk her into painted ceilings (her husband was okay to try it but she wasn't sure, and her vote wins. I told her I would never be a tie breaker between spouses). Have I mentioned how much I love painted ceilings?! For one, they are MUCH faster to paint, takes out the hours and hours of cutting in that top edge. It takes longer to cut in a room than to roll a ceiling and walls put together.

She doesn't want a preview before she sees it in person, and she reads my blog. So I will post pictures of her painted house in a week or so when she gets back! It has been a glorious vaction for me, having somewhere (with blank white walls) to go when I needed a break from everyone home at my house! And painting, just for fun! Glorious color, beautiful new-ness, creative fun! I had a great time!

I have been thinking about new murals and colors for our home. I think we may need a bright red bedroom again. It has only been blue and brown for...5 months? And after going to the DC temple on Friday and looking at the Celestial Room painted cloud ceiling, I think I really, really need to do clouds in our living room.

For my birthday John gave me a gallon of Benjamin Moore paint. Any color. ANY COLOR?! Do you know how nice this is? It is horribly expensive wonderful paint. Lucious. Better than painting with butter or silk. Smooth. Great coverage. Gorgeous colors! I have a list of favorites I have been daydreaming about. The choice is which room? Which favorite color?

Most of my painting is carefully customized OOPS paint mixes. I splurge on $5.00 Home Depot returned paint. And Universal Tints (they are in tubes, sold on counter) and lots of white. It is amazing what I can do. The boys groan as they transfer my gallons from the car to the basement. It is like having my own paint factory, making my own special blends.

The thing is, just like you can't make a tiny pasta salad you can't mix a tiny bit of paint. After you add all the ingredients to the pasta for it to taste really good, it is huge! Barely fits in the big bowl! Mixing paint is like that--I need the big 10 gallon bucket and the long stirring stick. Add this, add that, fix it with this, and suddenly I have 5 gallons of beautiful paint. But 5 gallons. Enough for 2 coats of any room (and ceiling) plus! Great way to stretch a house pallette and create flow from one room to another. Especially if it is a favorite color that matches accessories (boxes, towels, rugs, plant containers, candles, placemats) you keep buying, and even your stationary.














On an unrelated note: I will paint "I am a child of God" FREE for anyone who wants it. Email/facebook me or leave a blog comment here and I will schedule a time to come paint this in your home. If you aren't local (within a half hour of Baltimore) then you'll have to arrange transportation for me. (Anyone living in Hawaii or Alaska want one? I am willing to travel to Europe to paint as well.)


It is something I feel strongly about, a phrase that lifts my spirits when I am having a bad day. It is the first line to a great children's song. Every child should wake up and see this happy thought!


And that reminds me of singing today!

The new Primary songs for 2009 Sacrament Meeting Program are beautiful. I am one of the music directors (not choirister, but DIRECTOR. We learned in our stake meeting that a choirster=anyone who sings in a choir). I started teaching the kids "My Eternal Family" today at the pancake breakfast (the kids got to sit with their new teachers and find their new seats for Church tomorrow). The song is hopeful, encouraging, uplifting.

All kids should know that they make a huge impact on the environment at home. Speaking kindly, serving each other, praying are all things they can do to help create a happy family now and in their future homes when they are parents.

Happy New Year means new what? Frugal & comfortable goal

New goals. New habits. New shoes?

You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes.

I worked in a shoe repair shop after serving a mission in Belgium. I knew intimate stories about customers by what they brought in to repair. Shoes are personal. Shoes tell you what is important to that person, how much they spend on themselves, how much they care-0r don't-about fashion.

My quest for comfortable, walk-able, cute Sunday dress up shoes for WOMEN continues. My choices feel limited by budget and finding ones that fit and feel good. Really good, not just okay-to-stand-in-store-30-seconds good.

When I had a professional measure my feet, the answer included a W for wide. Most shoes are not made for my feet. I read somewhere you should look at the bottom of the shoe, and look at the bottom of your foot. If they don't match, they won't feel good for long.

I am no longer willing to walk miles in amazing-looking shoes that hurt. One trip to the podiatrist (terrified that I would be crippled for life) solved that. Cute and painful are not worth it. Ahh, but still tempting...Cutest $7 acid green Chinese Laundry heels at thrift store almost came home with me. I walked around for half an hour and sadly put them back on the rack--I needed a size up, not an option in that venue.

I've heard rumors that the more you pay for your shoes, the more comfortable they are. I did try on a $200 black leather mid-heel pair once at C-Mart, super marked down from the original NYC boutique price--and they were wonderful, smooth, like walking on marshmallows. They looked great too, but it was one of those shopping trips where I had $25 to spend, total, and I think the kids needed socks that day...

Once I find a comfortable pair, I wear them to death. I've actually worn a hole through my favorite green Crocs. I wore my black Mary Jane pair every Sunday all spring/summer/fall, even in the rain.

I encourage you to weed out the painful shoes in your closet this month. Give them away, e-bay them, but get rid of them. Walk tall (ha, or flat-footed?) and pain free.

Brands that actually feel good and that I am saving for:

Merrell (Em's lovely college shoes that have a bit of a heel, but still good with jeans);

Sofft (bought one pair last year, wonderful, wonderful, dancing shoes with 2.5 heel!)

Danskin (was on clearance at Wallmart for $13--tried on my size, perfect, didn't have the cash, waited a week and they were gone, so gone...)

Other recommendations?