Taking a Break

Hi guys,

I am going to keep this pretty short.  There are some intensely private and hard things going on in my personal life right now and I have reached a place where I am unable to maintain my YouTube channels and blogs.  I may continue to post the occasional blog post, but for the time being I will be taking a step back from the internet.

I am not quitting and I will not be gone forever.  This is temporary.  I will probably explain a little bit once I come back, but we’ll have to see how that plays out.

Please keep me in your prayers.

❤
Jamie

#TBT Summer 2007, Fort Stevens

My family and I used to go camping at Fort Stevens on the coast of Oregon every year or so. My sister and I loved it because there were so many places to explore at the fort. We didn’t go so that we could go to the beach. Ever. It was all about camp fires and going behind the ropes into places we weren’t supposed to go in the fort.
There were a few things around camp that we liked. We always liked taking our dog to parks because she loved going down slides. At least I think she did. It may have been us that enjoyed watching her slide down them.

Jumping around with brooms and sticks was all the rage with Kasey and her friends at this point. The goal was to look like you’re flying on a broom. Like Harry Potter.
We’re nerds.
I think I was trying to be a ninja more, though.
Sorry about the photo quality. It was dark, my camera was poor quality to begin with, and blah blah blah.

Every year we went to Fort Stevens we would take pictures in a certain window. Apparently this year I chose to take a lazy posing route in an attempt to be unique. Kasey decided on the classic.

My dad wanted to join in the fun. “Look, I’m pulling a Harry Potter!”

And the ever classic Sierra with her ball photograph. She’s my favorite.

❤
Jamie

Home Decor || Ikea Throw Pillow

I decided a long time ago that the colors for my living room were going to be navy and tangerine. At least the accent colors. Let me tell you, it has been a chore to find those colors. I have been searching for the perfect throw pillows for almost two years. I found a certain Ikea pillow cover this spring and have been drooling over it for months. Some things are worth the wait, and making sure you have the right colors and spending money on the right things is worth it.

Let’s be honest with each other–not everything from Ikea is great. A lot of things are too modern for my taste. There is also the fact that most of their furniture pieces are made out of particle board and not solid wood. The reality is that most of their stuff is inexpensive all around and sometimes not worth the money wasted. However, I have found some great things at their stores, like things that you shouldn’t have to spend a lot of money on in the first place. Ikea was a life saver in college when I needed things like knives, cutting boards, pots and pans, and a lamp. 

I want to go a bit nautical and beachy with my house right now. Navy and tangerine can fit into that nicely. I saw Christmas decorations on the Ikea website the other day and roped my mom into going to check it out. You’ll see the Christmas spoils on another day, but today… this is my pillow.

My brother-in-law was fast to point out that there are bugs all over it. Thanks for that perspective, Jon.
Haha! Kidding. But I find the pattern cute. It will go well with other patterns and colors, but also compliment a solid (eventually) very well. I waited to find exactly what I wanted, and I wasn’t disappointed. Ikea seems to be going through a somewhat earthy phase right now with their textiles. I approve. I’m not the biggest fan of modern styles and geometric shapes around my house. Apparently I don’t mind bugs. It isn’t necessarily nautical, besides the navy color, but it reminds me of the doctor from the movie “Master and Commander” who is obsessed with bugs, plants, and other animals. He is a doctor on a tall ship back in the day, ergo the pattern of the pillow and the ocean are synonymous in my mind.
I know, my logic astounds me too.

The pillow cover was only $5. It is 20 by 20. The pillow itself only cost $3. An eight dollar pillow? Yes please! Plus, the cover is easily removable to clean or replace. My season and holiday obsessed self has decided that this is ideal. Plus, pillows from Target start at something ridiculous like $25.

❤
Jamie