Easter

Home Decor

 I fell in love with this picture even before I was married, so my mother gave it to me for Christmas.  It symbolized what mattered most to me even then; motherhood.  Now that I’m in the midst of mothering, I feel like I’m clumsily trying to figure out how to do it and simultaneously enjoy it.

 I started playing the piano when I was 6 years old.  I played in piano festivals twice every year and earned these statues as awards.  They mean a lot to me because they symbolize hundreds of hours of work.  I’m so grateful to my parents and previous teachers for my musical training.  

 This was our engagement photo.  I loved this photo best, because I dreamed of a life full of wholesome recreational activities, balanced by healthy doses of good hard work, selfless service, & the company of good friends.    

 

  I was at one of my friend’s houses a few weeks back & commented on this plaque.  She reached down & handed it to me.  Her generosity & the quote have been very meaningful to me.  She must have sensed it was a lesson I needed to learn.  It’s based on a talk by Elder James E. Faust of the Quorum of the 12 apostles.  The talk bears the same title.  

 My mother in law gave us this sketch of our 3 girls the day we announced that we were expecting baby #4.  I love it!  I’ve always wanted a sketch like this of my own children.  I guess it’s because I love my picture of the little Bolivian girl (pictured below) so much.  I told Sondra, I can’t freeze my children, but she did.  This is one of my treasures.

Richard has amazing artistic abilities.  He did this piece when he was in high school.  He has such amazing talents.  

Home décor wouldn’t be complete without family photos.  My family means more than the world to me. 

 My mother in law painted this picture.  I feel a special peacefulness when I look at it.  For weeks I couldn’t figure out why.  Then, one day I realized that it reminds me of the mural inside the Rexburg temple.  My Amber & Kate especially liked the painting of the swan, so it became special to me.  I feel the peacefulness of the temple when I look at this painting.  

This sketch is from Bolivia, where I served my mission.  Oh how I struggled the first few months of my mission.  They seemed to do everything so backward there!  But, by the time I was to return home my heart had changed in so many ways.  I think it had become Bolivian.  Those 16 months have changed me forever. 

Happy newlyweds.  Is it cheesy that I still have a wedding picture on the wall? 

The Manti temple where Rich and I were married 12 years ago!   12 years!!!  I wonder where the future will lead us.   The temple is a place of peace, inspiration, & strength to me.

For years I’ve planned to hang each of my babies' 3 month photos up side by side, but the cost of matching frames has never made it into the budget.  So, baby Amber hangs alone.  I just love this photo.  It captures the happy baby that Amber was.  Someday I’ll replace this photo with a current photo of Richard & me.    

Just before our wedding, and just in time for these bridal photos to be taken I broke out with cold sores for the first time.  It was horrible!  My lips were swollen beyond recognition.  The photographer had Richard go stand outside so I could see him from where I was posed.  It was brilliant!  The photographer was able to capture that engaged twinkle in my eye and a genuine smile.  The photographer did a great job touching up my lips so I was identifiable.  Richard wondered why a bridal photo mattered so much to me and said that it would probably just end up in an attic.  Because he said that, I’ve refused to put it in storage.  It hangs in my walk in closet.  Silly, huh?  

This is the photo that hangs in my childrens’ bedroom.  This is the scriptural account from the Book of Mormon, “And it came to pass that he commanded that their  little children should be brought. So they brought their little children and set them down upon the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.. . . and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. (3 Nephi 17:11, 12, & 21).  The artist and the child models were in my ward growing up, so I’ve always felt a special fondness for this painting.

My dad gifted this painting to us when we built our first home.  He gave one of them to each of my siblings when they purchased a home.  It ironic that we were the first ones to receive one, but now we're the only ones who don't own a home.  The painting always reminds me of my dad. It’s a precious gift that I treasure. 

 

When I read this I see, “Take time for the little people.”  I’m a task oriented doer & I tend to run too fast—always!  So, when I remember to look at it, this plaque reminds me to slow down and enjoy my little people.  

 My American décor, because I’m proud to be an American.  I’ll forever remember walking to the Provo temple from the MTC in the early dawn, seeing the American flag against the pristine mountainside, and feeling the tears stream down my face as I knew I was soon leaving my home country and everything I knew.  (I'm not very brave).

And here's the display of the family photos.