No chimney...no problem!

Healthful Living
A few weeks ago I saw a picture similar to this in a Better Homes and Gardens magazine:

...a faux fireplace!

And I thought...why couldn't Darren and I build something like that? And the answer is...WE CAN! So...WE DID!! :)


The before picture (just a blank wall)



The process and materials:

mantel shelf painted white and hung on the wall

foam board ($ store)

Crown molding (Home Depot) glued to the foam board with wood glue.

And the end result:


Darren drew the fire. He's quite the artist!

I think it turned out great! And all for about $10. I LOVE it in our living room!
It makes the room feel so quaint and cozy. If only I could justify leaving it up all year long. :)
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A Change of Plans

Healthful Living
Darren and I like to travel. That's no surprise. So this year Darren was able to save up his vacation time (nearly 4 weeks worth) so we planned a trip to....Thailand!! We were so excited. Everything was planned. Plane tickets bought. And then...we started to feel like something was amiss. We couldn't put our finger on it but after a lot of prayer and fasting, we decided to cancel our trip. We were SO  bummed but we figured there had to be a purpose. We were able to get everything refunded, even including an inter-country flight which normally would not have been but they cancelled the flight a week before because of electrical issues so we were able to get a refund. What a miracle!! It just shows that when we listen to the spirit everything works out in the end, even if we don't understand it. So Thailand...postponed for now but not forever. :)


Where we will go someday:


Kanchanaburi


Chiang Mai


Krabi


Bangkok

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Our ghoulicious salad

Healthful Living

Darren made this to go along with dinner tonight. He wouldn't let me see it until it was finished. Pretty clever eh? Very creative babe. Have you been looking on Pinterest? haha :)
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Schnepf Farms Pumpkin Festival

Healthful Living
We didn't have time to eat dinner before heading out to the festival, so once we arrived we bought two huge muffins at the country store bakery. Pumkin and apple. YUM! 
My cousin Shana and her family

Cute little Kasen

Hay ride, corn maze, pig show and go-carts. It doesn't get more fun than that :)
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Graham County Fair

Healthful Living
It has been a Brown Family Tradition for some time to get all the kids together for fair weekend. We had a great time seeing all the nieces and nephews (and their parents too of course) :o)




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4th of July

Healthful Living
For the 4th of July, Darren and I went to Heber for our annual family BBQ. We always have such a great time getting out of the heat and spending time with family. And of course eating the yummy food :)
we had fun decorating this year

My first attempt at Watermelon Cake.
Other than not being perfectly round, I think it turned out pretty well :)



Our cute "niece" Haylee

...and Devyn

I think the cutest kid in there is the big one :)

James...what a character :)

Uncle Darren playing baseball with the kids


Cute kids! We had so much fun being with everyone. I can't wait until next year :)

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Girls Camp 2012

Healthful Living
We had fun at Camp Lo Mia this year.
The girls had the opportunity to ride a zip line...

...and practice their archery skills. They had fun competing for the role of Merida (from the new Disney movie Brave). As they pulled the string back and stood to take aim, the famous line was..."I'll be shootin' fer me own hand." I'm not sure who won the title.

the girls in front of our addie (a.k.a. spider-ridden cabin)


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Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pioneer's life for me...

Healthful Living
On June 6-9, 2012, Darren and I had the opportunity to be a ma and pa on the pioneer trek. What an amazing experience. We absolutely loved our family!
The before picture: doesn't he look like a true Stetson Man?

Another before pic: we definitely were not this clean after 4 days of trekking

"rollin', rollin', rollin', keep those handcarts rollin'"

most of our family: Natalie, Ben, Luis, Katie, Kaytlyn, Quint and Kassy

pa and the girls

chicken pluckin' time

Tug 'O' War. We won a bag of salt water taffy! :)

The kids playing the "sign game"...and Natalie shaking our cream into butter.
Doesn't she look excited? :)

One of my favorite parts of the trek...our family cooking around the handcart.
Such a fun time!


Chili and scones (with honey!) Our favorite dinner by far!

YUM!!

Our family: Aubrey, Gareth, Luis, Katie, Kaytlyn, Ben, Quint, Kassy and Natalie.

This pic includes us along with Aunt Chandra and Uncle Scott.
Our family would not have been the same without them. They are amazing!!

Names from the "sign game": random kid, More!, cup 'o' noodles, tiger-slicing,
take a picture, Tarzan, chopping wood, sonic boom and tree-man.
I can still see and hear Quint lying on the ground laughing...haha :)

the last day...not too much farther to go

Can you see our "unity stick"? The kids pilfered handkerchiefs from the
other families so we could have our flag of many colors.
"Go pirates!" It was such a great idea!

Such great kids! Thank you for all your hard work and great examples.
We will always remember you and love you.


"YO-HO! YO-HO! The pioneer's life for me. ARRGGHHH!!"
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