Homemade Wreath

I have always liked wreaths but greatly disliked thier prices! While I was at the Dollar Tree the other day I was inspired to make my own! What do you think? I think it turned out pretty good- I am really getting into the 'less is more' approach to life.

To make your own:

One wood wreath

15 ft. strand of piney garland (I didn't use all of it- check back for what I used it for)

1 bunch of pretty poinsettas with holly berries

ribbon for hanging

I just wrapped the garland around the wood weath and hot glue the ends. I pulled my flowers off their stems and just reaaranged them until I liked it and hot glued them down too. Tied a ribbon around the top and hung it up!!

Simple, cute, cheap ($3!) and the wonderful satisfaction of doing it myself! :)

Hoo are You?

1. Do you like to listen to Christmas music?

LOVE Christmas music!! I listen to it occasionally throughout the year!

 

2. Are you one of those people who get all their shopping done early,

or do you do most of it in December?

Definatly! I have all my Christmas shopping done- although I find that I get more little things as Christmas gets closer :)

 

3. Do you set a budget on how much you spend on each person?

For extended family we try too and for my husband and me we try to stay in the same range but for our kids we haven't gotten there yet:)

4. Do you send out Christmas cards?

I am going to do it this year!! Every year I say I am going to but I have actually ordered the cards this year!! Love getting them too!

 

5. Do you enjoy this holiday season or does it stress you out?

Enjoy every minute of it! It is my favorite time of year!! Can't wait to be done with school and enjoy it all!

Talk of the Week

This weeks talk is by Elder Richard G. Scott, entitled, The Transforming Power of Faith and Character Click Here to read it

This was a great talk full of lots of things!! Too many to mention here

So I guess you really need to read if for yourself: )

Here are a few of my favorite quotes and thoughts:

"We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day."

Now that is profound to me- If we truly try to live ourlives the way we want our lives to be we will get our desire! We become that person if we strive for it each day.

"Righteous chraacter is more valuable than any material object you own, any knowledge you have gained through study, or any goals you have attained no matter how well lauded by mankind. In the next life you righteous character will be evaluated to asess how well you used the privilage of mortality."

Our righteous character is the most important thing we can obtain and it is soley up to us!

"This mortal life is a proving ground. How well you meet its challenges determines how strong you character will be."

I know that there are many times when I miss the mark when it comes to 'enduring well' especially during some trials but the ones that I have been able to see the 'bigger picture' and have an eternal prespective really have made me a better person. New goal for the new year I think!

I am going to finish with the four principles that Elder Scott shares for peace and happiness.

- Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His program to acquire the power to achieve

-Repentence to rectify the concequences of mistakes of omission or comission.

-Obedience to the commandments of the Lord to rovide strength and direction in our lives

-Sefless service to enrich the lives of others

I am encouraged that I can do better when Elder Scott said, "Life may be difficult now, but hold on tightly to that iron rod of truth. You are making better progress than you realize. Your struggles are defining character, descipline and confidence in teh promises of your Father in Heaven and the Savior as you consistently obey Their commandments."

I am going to start strengthing my faith and working to 'endure well' and strengthen my character in my daily life by living the way I want to be and then someday I can look bake see that I have become it.

What struck you?

Want a Silhouette?

Okay so I totally see the cutest crafts done with a Silhouette Machine (just learned how to spell that today!) and there are a lot of giveaways going on plus codes for $100 dollars off on Cyber Monday! This brings to cost to $199... yeah WAY out of my budget range right now but ohhhh the thought of winning one!! Here is one that I was able to enter... some didn't let me (too many contestants!) Good Luck!! Oh, and if you win... want to share? :)

Infarrantly Creative Silhouette Giveaway

http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/2010/11/silhouette-giveaway.html

Hurry giveaway ends TOMORROW!!! Midnight- Sunday November 28, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!  I am so grateful for the opportunties we have to act like kids and rediscover the joy of holidays!!

Today, I had this oppertunity and I took it... while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. It must have been quite a sight to see a 20-something year old jump up and down when Kermit the Frog appeared and the again when the original cast of Seseme Street sang thier little song... or maybe it was the excitment of remembering Miracle of 34th Street (the original of course) and thinking ... "all these years later and it is still a huge parade!" Either way I had a blast remembering and seeing the fun floats for the parade- all leading up to the wonderful entrance of SANTA  CLAUS!! I grabbed my two year old and hugged him tight as I pointed out Santa to which he replied "HO HO HO"! What great memories we created today! I hope you did too!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Great Giveaways over at Leelou Blogs

There is a buch of really awesome giveways!! Don't miss out!! Entries close on November 30!! I am presonally hoping to win Giveaway #2 -- coolest stuff!!!

Click here to enter!!

The Best Rolls

Ever since I tried these rolls I have never gone back! They are easy, and never fail!! I make this dough for rolls and any other dough related thing I might need!! Hope you enjoy these as much as we do!!

Parker House Rolls

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1 TBLS cold butter

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. salt (omit if you used salted butter)

1 tsp. dry active yeast

1 cup + 2 TBLS warm milk

Crumble cold butter into flour with fingers until course mixture appears. 

 Stir in sugar, salt, and yeast.

Add milk and stir until dough forms.

 Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 3-4 minutes.

Place in greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise 2-3 hours or until doubled.

Lightly knead and cover with towel. Let rest 10-15 min to relax gluten. Roll out and cut with circle cutter. Place dab of butter/marg. in center and fold in half. Place on greased cookie sheet.

Cover with towel and let rise for 45 min. Bake at 400 degrees for  15-20 min. 

* to freeze: place COOLED rolls in a zip-lock freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months.  To re-heat,  wrap frozen rolls in tinfoil and  place in a 350 degree oven for 15 min.

Click on card and right click to save pic to your computer and print!

Thanks to My Computer is My Canvas for the recipe card!

Flower Clip Tutorial

Okay so there are TONS of tutorials out there how to make cute little flowers for your hair. Now, I live in a pretty medium sized town and you cannot find alligator clips any where around here... I also think they are a little over priced myself. So.. thanks to a good friend who showed me a tip she uses for her baby girls hair I decided that I could use it for bigger flowers too!! So here we go!

Materials:

1 or 2 silk flowers -dollar tree brand works great:)

1 brad (looked everywhere and found mine at K-mart)

1 snap clip -again dollar tree sells them in packs of 8 or 10

Camera to take cute pictures afterward :)

Take the flower off the step and apart so you have many layers.

Layer the flower however you think looks the cutest.

Take brad and poke through the little hole in the middle of the flowers.

Place prongs through the open top of snap clip and open. Slid up to top.

Clip in hair and you are done!!!

Told you it was easy!! Cheap! and CUTE!! It is also changable! Just undo brad and change the flower whenever you want!

You can also glue the layers to make them stay if you need to (mine kept trying to come together) just be careful to not clog up the whole for the brad to go through!

I haven't tried it yet but I also bet you could hot glue a nice little jewel in the middle if you want to cover the brad.-or use scrabooking brads.

30 Days of Blessings

Hey I made it today!!

Today I am thankful for apples, caramel, and chocolate... any idea what I made today??

All in all I am grateful that my family has always had enough to eat and that there are soo many delicious varities out there!

What are you thankful for?

Talk of Week

So sorry I missed last week! We had had the flu and... I am sure you know how it goes!

This weeks talk is "Be an Example of the Believers" by Mary N. Cook

What an inspiring talk and motivation to be a good example!! A few of the quotes stuck out to me.

"Be an example of the believers in faith. Actively strengthen your own faith and testimony of Jesus Christ, thus preparing to testify by word and example to you children."

I liked this reminder to 'actively stregthen' my faith and testimony. 

"your actions are just as tangibly linked to their faith" (our children's)

WOW! That really woke me up - what a responsibility we have to make sure our actions are in accordance with the commandments and following the example of Jesus Christ!

I want to end my comments with this quote:

" The prophet Brigham Young said: "we should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set them an example that we wish them to imitate." Each of us can start today by being that good example."

I am going to start today to try and be a better example for my family, especially my young boys, and consciously do those things that I would have them do. As the old adage goes, "actions speak louder than words!"

I hope you all have a great week!

What did you get from this message?

30 Days of Blessings

Once again I have fallen behind!! I promise I am very grateful for all I have.. the end of semester with school and a new calling in my ward.... I am just constantly running!! :)

Friday: I was soo thankful my hubby was willing to take me to see the new Harry Potter movie!!! (which I loved!!!) I am a BIG Harry Potter fan and going to opening night was lots of fun!!!! The yummy ice cream afterward just made it a perfect evening!

Saturday: I was so thankful for my casserole that turned out in time for the ward Thanksgiving party! It was a new recipe, I was running late (seems like I am always running late these days!) and it turned out good! (At least I came home with an empty dish!)

Sunday: I was so thankful for my new calling. I am now an Activity Day leader for the 8-11 year old girls in my ward and we had a meeting to see when would be the best time to meet! I am really excited to start this new adventure and can't wait to start!!

Today: I am grateful for the tiny bit of snow we had this morning. I love snow and I am excited for when LOTS of snow is on our ground! Growing up in southern California, I used to dream of white Christmases... now I get to have them and they are everything I hoped they would be!!!

What have you been thankful for?

Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Okay so I would like to take credit for this adorable cute centerpiece but the credit actually goes to my dear husband!!! He brought this home from school last Friday (he was subbing in the Special Ed room and they made these) and I just love it!!!

Isn't it cute?

The bottom is a flower pot painted black. The brim and buckle are made of black cardstock, shiney gold paper, and some construction paper. The flowers are pooked into a foam block with some moss-stuff around it:)

And it just wouldn't be complete without the adorable scarecrow!!



Don't I just have the sweetest hubby?? Love ya!!!

30 Days of Blessings

So this has been one crazy week and I am soo behind but I have been very grateful!!!

Sunday: I was grateful for the missionaries. They came to dinner and the Spirit they bring into your home is so wonderful! I was also grateful for my new calling! I am now the Activity Day leader for girls 8-11!!! Can't wait to get started!!

Monday: I was grateful that Nathan was a doll during ALL the many errands I had to run! He was soo good it made my day!!!

Tuesday: I was grateful that even though the roads closed and we couldn't go to Afton for Michaels job interview, he was able to do it over the phone with no problems!!! (hopefully I can be grateful for a new job next week!)

Wednesday: I was grateful that I am worthy to have a temple reccommend. We had our renewel interviews and it was such a peaceful feeling to have my temple reccommend for another two years! Hopefully, we will get to the temple more this next year!

And today I am grateful to have music in my life. I can't imagine living a life without the wonderful influence of music. Music can envoke feelings like nothing else can and it is such a blessing in my life. I am grateful that I can play the piano and sing! I am so grateful that my children will grow up in a home full of music and that they really enjoy it as well. Nathan now sings 'Popcorn Popping" and constantly askes to watch this video his 'Special' movie.I am glad that through the power of music he nows that he is a child of God and that he is indeed special!! 



Household Tip

Okay so I know probably all you who read this already now to do this but I was married for over a year before I learned this wonderful secret.  Here it is!

Who likes to clean out the microwave? Definatly not me! No matter what you do there is always gunk in the microwave and it is a pain in the you-know-what to twist and turn to get all those angles and spots (standing on you head to get the top for instance). Now wouldn't it be great if there was some easier way to do this? Here comes my secret!!

Step 1: Take a mug of water and place in microwave for 1 min 30 sec (or until steaming)

Step 2: Remove mug and pour in some hot chocolate mix (this is a very important step)

Step 3: Take a dishcloth or paper towels and wipe out the inside - thats it just wipe! The steam has made it all soft and it just wipes out!

Step 4: Sit down to enjoy your hot chocolate, cooled to just the right temperature, and smile at how clever you are:)

What are some of your tips for easy housecleaning?

Hoo are You?

1. Do you ever burp out loud in private or public?
I burp outloud sometimes but I usually try to only do it at home

2. How often do you get sick each year?

Probably 3-4 times a year-- was sick with the flu just last week!!

3. Would you rather paint a room in your house yourself, or have someone else do it for you?

I can't wait for the day when I can paint my own rooms in my own house!!!

4. If you get 30 minutes to yourself, what do you do?

Read a book, craft or just listen to some music:)

5. Do you allow people to wear shoes in your house?
 
I allow guests to wear shoes but with my family its you walk in and take off your shoes- I have seen how gross my carpets get even without shoes adding shoes!!! YUCK!!

30 Days of Blessings

So yesterday I got to join the boys in being sick! YUCK I hate being sick and all day I kept thinking to myself- find things to be grateful for- thanks to doing these blog posts! Having to account for my blessings is really changing my outlook and I hope that I can continue on with this new mindset.

So yesterday I was very thankful for hot water. I got that bone cold you get when sick and was soo thankful that I could take 3 HOT BATHS! I was also thankful my two boys were good and let me take them without any fuss!

Today I am thankful for little baby voices. Ammon was here cooing his little heart out and it just melts my heart!! I love to hear his little voice tell me the sweetest stories... and I have been fortunate to hear many today! Babies are too cute and grow up too fast! I am so thankful to have this time with my little boy!

30 Days of Blessings

Today I am thankful for the oppertunity to go to school and learn. It is sometimes really stressful and I am more tired than I would like to be sometimes but it is great to be leraning and expanding my education!!

What are you grateful for?

Hoo are You?

1. Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at.\

Planning parties (love it!!) and taking pictures of the everyday funniness of life:)

2. Name two things you consider yourself to be very bad at.

Keeping things uncluttered (I am always losing things and it drves me crazy!) and telling people how I really feel when they upset me

3. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?

Definatly! Even if I never know why.

4. What is something you have eaten lately that you shouldn't have?

Halloween candy- the trials of being a mom...

5. Do you think the time should change or leave it alone?

I HATE time change! I think it should just stay the same - its too hard on kids and moms!

So ....what are your answers?

30 Days of Blessings!

It SNOWED!! I love the snow!! Growing up all I wanted was a White Christmas (love the movie too) and winter is finally coming! I don't like the bugs going around but I am so thankful for my warm cozy home to live in and watch the beautiful snow outside!

Talk of the Week

This weeks talk is by Pres. Thomas S. Monson entiltled

 "The Divine Gift of Gratitude" click here to read it!

I really enjoyed the talk! I loved the stories he told but some quotes really hit me!!  

1. "My beloved friend President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives.” 

I loved this!!! Isn't that the truth? When we walk with real gratitude we don't have the air of someone who 'deserves' everything they have or has the 'right' to have it all thier way. A person with an attitude of gratitude really understands that everything in life is a gift and they appreciate that.

2." We often take for granted the very people who most deserve our gratitude. Let us not wait until it is too late for us to express that gratitude.  "

Those that love us the most, that really deserve our gratitute are easily overlooked becuase we talk them for granted so often!! I am determined now to be better at recognizing those people and letting them know how grateful I am for them like this next quote:

3. "A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone has said that “feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it"

What a great reminder as we come upon Thanksgiving and the Christmas season, I hope that this attitude can remain with me through out the new year and continue on! I want to finish this weeks thoughts with this last quote

4. "My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."

I hope to touch heaven each day!!

What touched you?

30 Days of Blessings!

Today I am so thankful that I get to be a stay at home mom so when my kids get sick I can be right here taking care of them!! Poor Nathan has the stomach bug:(

30 Days of Blessings

I am soo thankful for the gospet I have in my life. Knowledge of my Heavenly Fathers plan and Christs sacrifice for me makes life all worth it- the ups and the downs. I am so grateful! (To learn more about the LDS church click here)

30 Days of Blessings

Today I am thankful for my sight. Of all my senses I belive that my sight would be the hardest for me to lose. I love taking pictures to help me recrete memories, I love seeing the smiles on my childrens faces, and I love to see the beautiful world our Heavenly Father has created.

Christmas Homemade Gift Exchange

What a cool handmade gift from someone you have never met? All you have to do is make something in return!! Check out Craftaholics Anonymous here to enter!! I have already signed up.. now what to make?? Hurry sign up ends November 10, 2010

30 days of Blessings Day 3-5

So we made a wonderful trip to Logan, Ut and without a computer I couldn't post  but that doesn't mean I wasn't thankful for a lot!!!

Day 3: I am soo thankful for the temple and the wonderful blessings it has brought to my life!! (To learn more about LDS temples click here)

Day 4: I am soo thankful to be able to travel safetly and have fun in the car with my wonderful traveling companions.

Day 5: I am soo thankful for my two boys! They bring so much joy into my life. I have so much fun watching them become friends as brothers. It has been three months since Ammon joined our family and he adores Nathan and it is soo cute to watch him- watch Nathan. Nathan has finally decided that Ammon is pretty cool too;) Family is so wonderful!

Hope you all have a great Friday!!

Hoo are You?

1. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?

Giving birth... never thought I could do it without drugs but I did!!

2. What would you name your next child or if you don't have any your first child?

I am anxiously waiting for the day we have a girl and I can name her Kazzity LeAnne... right now I have used my boys names!!

3. If you could add one feature to your car, what would you choose?

Automatic windows! That way I could lock them in the back and my two year old would stop trying to freeze him and the three month old out!!

4. If you named your house (or car or computer) what would you name it?

My home!! -nothing better than that!!! It is the best thing in the world!

5. What is your dream occupation?

Being a stay at home mom and once my kids are in school, I want to have my own little preschool!! Love kids, crafts and treats!!!

What are your answers?

30 Days of Blessings Day 2

Today I am soo grateful for a husband who never gives up hope! He is always helping me see that anything can happen and you never know when it will!! LOVE YOU HONEY!!!

30 days of Blessings!

I created this little printout to help you keep track of your blessings and and kids too!! Nathan did his first one tonight and he is thankful for his body!!

Hope you can use it!! Enjoy!!

Just click the picture to enlarge, right click and save to your computer and print out!! I placed mine in a Dollar Tree frame and am using tape to add the little turkeys each day!! Enjoy!!

Please comment if you print this off! I would love to see if anyone uses it!!

Talk of the Week 3

This weeks talk is by D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve entitled:

Reflections of a Concentrated Life

click here to read

WOW!! This was such an uplifting and inspiring talk for me!!

Elder Richard L. Evans said this

"Life offers you two precious gifts—one is time, the other freedom of choice, the freedom to buy with your time what you will. You are free to exchange your allotment of time for thrills. You may trade it for base desires. You may invest it in greed. …

“Yours is the freedom to choose. But these are no bargains, for in them you find no lasting satisfaction.






“Every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for. And it is in this life that you walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement. And your eternal reward will be according to your choosing.




“A prophet of God has said: ‘Men are that they might have joy’—a joy that includes a fullness of life, a life dedicated to service, to love and harmony in the home, and the fruits of honest toil—an acceptance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ—of its requirements and commandments.






“Only in these will you find true happiness, the happiness which doesn’t fade with the lights and the music and the crowds.

Totally made me stop and think about what I spend my days doing! What do I spend my 'free time' on? Where do my choices lead? I especially felt caught by the part about how every minute of our lives have to be accounted for... every minute, every hour of every day! Do I spend my hours in ways that I want to be accounted for? How many minutes have I wasted with foolish pride or "pity parties"?

 

This part got me too.

 

Stubbornness, rebellion, and rationalization must be abandoned, and in their place submission, a desire for correction, and acceptance of all that the Lord may require.

 

Okay, I'll admit that I am a little stubborn... alright a lot stubborn and sometimes I think I know what best for me and I don't always trust my Heavenly Father. This is definitely an area I am trying to work on and going to be one of my 'new year resolutions'!

 

Elder Christofferson mentions five elements of a consecrated life. They are purity, work, respect for one’s physical body, service, and integrity.

 

Purity:  We become pure through repentance and putting of the natural man (getting over my stubbornness)

 

Work: Thomas Carlyle said "All true work is sacred" I try to remember this as I do the laundry, dirty dishes or clean the bathroom. Being a homemaker is my work and it is a sacred thing.

 

Respect for Physical Body: Our bodies are essential for exaltation and we need to take care of them. They are a precious gift from God.

Okay cute story, tonight for FHE we were talking about the wonderful blessings we have been given from our Heavenly Father and Nathan (our two year old) said that he was grateful for his body. He then proceeded to jump up and run around the room joyfully exclaiming that he was 'bouncing his body'!! Makes you just love the gospel, even a two year old understands the simple principles!!

 

Service: We need to listen to the quite promptings of the spirit and enjoy in a life of service. New years resolution number two is to do just that! Be on constant alert to hear and listen to those promptings so that I may help those around me!

 

Integrity: Elder Christofferson told a story of two friends who had a business. Their children decided to sell the business and were not very fair in splitting the profits. One partner asked how he could do this to such a good friend and the reply was to stop being so naive. Elder  Christofferson's reply to this story was "Integrity is not naiveté. What is naive is to suppose that we are not accountable to God."

 

Five simple, yet life changing principles- principles that we have to continuously strive to reach. I am glad that I happened on this talk before this holiday season and hope that I can do all these things and continually become a better daughter of God.

 

What touched you?

30 Days of Blessings Day 1

Okay, so I am going to follow in my sons footsteps and say that I am thankful for a body. A body that allows me to see, hear, walk and talk!! I am soo grateful that I have my body and that I was able to have the cutest TWO BOYS ever- that remind me I have a lot to thankful for each day!