Gimme a big 'ol hug and make it all better!

...this.

Ava, after tripping a little bit and bumping the shower enclosure:

"Shower hurt me!  I got a boo-boo on my skin. I need a sticker(bandage)."

I just love toddler talk.

Something To Think About On Christmas

 

I'm grateful for the gift that Jesus has given me.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

Something To Think About Saturday

Missing my sweet son.

~Whatever~

I'm at the point that I feel like just saying, "Whatever" to everything and everyone. I guess I have a short fuse lately (although I can hide it quite well). I just feel like giving up on sooo many things!

I can't please anyone (especially myself). I can't get everything done in one day. I'm no super-mom and I'm no super-wife. I'm not the best friend in the world and I avoid some of the people I love the most. When does a woman start menopause? Now you say? Or is it just the middle age blues? Am I middle aged at 41? I guess so. How did I get this way??

Welcome to the pity party!

♫ It's my blog and I'll complain if I want to. ♫

I am only partially done decorating my house for Christmas. Not that anyone would notice anyway. I'm too lazy to put up outdoor lights. I haven't wrapped gifts or care to. I haven't even started Christmas cards. And just now I put a new Christmas blog header on my blog just to test it, and next thing I know, the program shut down on it's own and I wasn't finished tweaking it. So I guess the header stays unfinished because I don't have the energy to do it all over again!

And how about the family? I have 3 girls who are "moody" if you know what I mean. One boy who has been missing his hockey practices for several reasons (car related, illness related) so he can be grouchy (plus he keeps running out of socks because MOM can't keep up on the laundry). One daughter who likes to put her fingers in her poo and then run down the hallway with said fingers on the walls. And one husband that puts up with all of it and needs more attention than he is getting.

There is much more, and I will spare you the details, but let's just say that my poor pillow must think I'm the biggest freak for screaming into it so much lately.

To top it all off, I can't get Blogger to let me change the color of my font.

Whatever Blogger, WHATEVER.

What A Deal!

Need an inexpensive gift? A beautiful inexpensive gift? Look no further!

Check out these gorgeous antique looking clocks at Deseret Book. The price? Only $2.99!

That's right...$2.99! The normal price was $19.95.

Um, there is one tiny catch to it. These have a sweet sentiment printed on them , but there is a misprint. :(

But take a look ^... it's a tiny misprint. Truthfully, it doesn't bother me a bit. I bought one (or a few!) myself. I haven't received mine yet, but I've ordered from Deseret Book before and have always been pleased with their products. These clocks are 10 inches high with a 6 inch face. Good sized!

Now if you don't want the misprinted one, no worries. They have other clocks with different sentiments on sale for only $9.98! How about one that says, "Families are Forever"? Or one that says, "Time spent with family and friends, is time well spent."? Cute.

Plus, there are several other things on sale and clearance.

Annnnnd....if you spend $50, you can use this code (9GGDIR) to get $10 off your order. It doesn't expire until December 24th. And yes, this includes sale and clearance items! The only thing it doesn't include are the Willow Tree products, gift cards and church distribution items.

Happy shopping everyone!

EDIT: 12/01
Hurry! Use this code (insider1201) to get free shipping on an order of $25 or more! But hurry....it expires at midnight tonight! (I don't think you can combine coupons, but you could try)

A Grateful Heart

5 Things

I totally love Megan's frames! Thanks Megan!

There are so many things I am thankful for that there wouldn't be enough shabby frames to cover them all! So I've decided to just narrow it down to 5 (but squeezing my family of 7 into 3) and then maybe, just maybe add more and occasionally post them.

For now, my 5 are (not in any order at all since I love all of my family equally of course...)

1. My beautiful girls
2. My cute as can be son
3. My patient, loving, hardworking hubby
4. The blessings that the Temple gives me. Because without that and the Gospel, I wouldn't be able to keep #1,2 and 3 forever.

And a random #5. I have really been soaking up the beauty of nature this past year. I've been trying to take time to appreciate all that Heavenly Father has given me to view, smell and feel in each of the seasons. One of my greatest pleasures is to look up at the night sky and enjoy each star. Another is to breathe in the smells of nature and concentrate on the smallest things that are so intricate and complicated, yet to some, so insignificant. Have you ever just sat and looked at a spider web? I can't get enough of a beautiful sunset or a rainbow. Sappy and cheesy? Maybe. But now that I'm older, I guess something is telling me to dig deep and really pay attention to the world that Heavenly Father has given me. I'll never know when He might just call me home and I want to have appreciated as best I can, what He has given me today.

Black Friday @ Amazon!

It's here!

Today is the day!

You know, I'm not a fan of Christmas commercialism starting before Thanksgiving, but I AM a fan of starting the gift shopping as early as I can!

I shop at Amazon every year because I can really find some great bargains. Actually, I'd say 75% of my shopping is done on Amazon every year. Most items have free shipping if your order totals $25 or more. I'm over 1/2 way done with my gift shopping this year and I already have Amazon boxes all over my house.

Shopping for toys? Try the Amazon outlet! I click on the button that is 70% off and can find hundreds of toys that are cheaper than in the stores. Amazon can be tricky though....sometimes they have things that are rediculously more expensive. Do a little research if you're looking for a specific toy and then check out Amazon to see how they compare.

Amazon also has some rebates etc. that make it soooo worth buying from them. Recently I saw Guitar Hero 5 bundle for $98.99 at Amazon PLUS they give you a $40 online store credit. PLUS, they had a code to get another $20 off the order. Total for Guitar Hero 5 bundle....$38.99! What a steal! Sadly, I did not partake of this deal and now the $20 off coupon has expired. But you can still get the bundle with a $40 credit on future orders, so it's still a great deal.

My advice for saavy black friday shopping, is to check out bfads.net. You may have heard of this site, but just in case you haven't, they give shoppers a sneak peek at Black Friday ads from major retailers like Target, Best Buy, JC Penney etc. Sign up for their newsletter and they will send you deal info every day in your email inbox. That's how I found out about the Guitar Hero 5 bundle deal.

Now, if you're planning to check out the Amazon early Black Friday deals, could you please click thru the banner at the top of this post, click the Amazon ad banner on my sidebar or use this link?? ----> Amazon Black Friday

I would be every so grateful!

Happy Shopping Everyone!!!!


And here is another one just to be safe! :)
http://www.amazon.com/b/?node=384082011&tag=sitandstaawei-20

What are YOU thankful for today?

Coming Soon...

A special direct link to Amazon's Black Friday Sales!

Keep a look out.....

Everyone loves a sale! Especially one with low low low prices and ~free shipping~.

Did I mention that the prices will be LOW at Amazon? And hey, it won't be JUST on Black Friday! Amazon will be starting their Black Friday sale on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23rd! Deals all week. I hope I get some yummy goodies.

So come back here first thing Monday (meaning I'll have the link up at midnight) and there will be a direct link to the sales.

Did I mention that I get a percentage of the sales if you click on my link?? :) You would be helping my children's Christmas by just going thru my link to do your shopping. Plus, I'd love you for it and you would receive big blessings for helping me out *wink*.

Happy Halloween from....some of us.

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Wish I could've had all my family in this one, but 2 are missing. I'll make them be in the Thanksgiving one. Hee hee.

Here are direct links in case you can't see it above: Kids only: http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/SHvQElzE1zshAiE6

Some of us:
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/7ZAA9FKCl5CRqx9h

Whose Got The Virus???

Meeeeee!

No, not THAT virus. ;)

My computer has several annoying viruses and it's keeping me from blogging. I have to use my daughters slow computer or my hubby's laptop and they don't have all of the functions I need or want.

So for now....no bloggy bloggy for Leanne. Hopefully I can get it fixed soon. McAfee didn't catch the viruses (I think one of my kids clicked on something accidently), so I tried to also download Avast and now my computer is totally locked up. Not sure why. I know Avast is good.

Anyway, see you after it's back to good health!
(and we are sick in my household by the way....wish there was an easy fix for that)

Something To Think About Saturday

I know this phrase has been a round for a while. And perhaps it's a bit over-done now, but that doesn't make it any less true.

I can't even begin to count how many times this phrase has been said or could have been said in my life lately. Sometimes we just can't get around or change certain things. They just are.

It's all in what we DO with this thing that is happening. It is what it is, but how are we going to react to it? Something to think about for sure.

Try it Tuesday.....Arnold Select Sandwich Thins

Can you say, DELISH?! Arnold Select Sandwich Thins are superb!

I didn't even know they existed until I saw my friend Holly in the store with some in her cart. See what I get for going off Weight Watchers? I'm sure I would have tried them by now if I were sticking to the plan.

Anyway, these artisan bread thins are super high in fiber (5 grams) and have only 110 calories and 1 gram of fat. Whoopeee! 1 WW pt! They also have NO trans fat and NO high fructose corn syrup. They are also cholesterol free. Nice.

They come in these flavors:

-Multi-Grain

-100% Whole Wheat

-Whole Grain White

and

-Seedless Rye

ALL of the varieties have the same amount of fiber, fat and calories. I love this. Sometimes I get sick of eating the same thing. It would be nice to eat white once in awhile while getting the same amount of fiber as whole wheat.

I have tried the Whole Grain White and the Multi-Grain. They are both fabulous. Wal-mart sells them for $2.67 and Meijer for $3.19. I can't wait to try the rye!

Sometimes breads that are high in fiber taste like cardboard.

Not these!

They taste great. Yes, they are thin, but they are perfect for a sandwich. A big plus, I might add, is that they are PRE-SLICED! It makes it so much better in my opinion. Nothing like fighting with an english muffin or bagel when it has to be sliced. That gets on my nerves. The Arnolds sandwich thins are good to go! Easily taken apart.

My favorite way to eat these is with some roasted deli chicken, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and some Laughing Cow light swiss cheese. And of course I toast the whole thing. Mmm.. Oh and by the way, if you haven't tried Laughing Cow Light Swiss (a spreadable cheese), then you need to git ur fanny to the nearest grocery store deli and grab some!

I also like these sandwich thins for breakfast. Scramble up some Egg Beaters and the Laughing Cow cheese on the sandwich thin and I'm good to go! I also like to add some bacon when the mood strikes.

There are so many lunch/breakfast possibilities for these thins that I get excited just thinking about it. I bet kids would like to have 2 mini pizzas for an after-school snack!

I even saw a photo (on google images) of one piled high with chocolate chips! Umm..I don't think I'll be trying that any time soon.

What else can I say about these? Just that I wish I had found them sooner. Now all I need is my own panini maker instead of heating up the oven for my lunch!

P.S...I wonder if Arnold Sandwich Thins are the same as Pepperidge Farms Deli Rounds? They seem to be about the same in calories, fat and fiber, but which tastes better? I better find out!

Nursery Rocks!

I think the nursery in our church totally rocks. Probably more so than other ward nurseries if I do say so myself! We have a wonderful nursery leader that goes out of her way to make it an enjoyable class for the littlest primary kids in the ward.

She has a really cute bulletin board up with all the children's photos and she always teaches them lessons that, as a parent, I would want my child to learn. Look at this cute crown she made for all the kids! It's durable too! Just what a 2 year old needs. And it's an sweet reminder that she is a child of God.

I love that our leader gives the kids handouts that will help reinforce what they have been taught. They bring home things that they can either play with or look at to remind them.

We also have a fabulous music leader that sings each week with the children. I can hear them when I'm next door teaching my own lessons to the older kids. They sing and then Ava comes home and sings them for me and with me. So fun!

Many thanks to all the primary teachers and leaders in my Ward!!! Oh, and the presidency isn't too bad either....*wink*

Try it Tuesday.....riceworks Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps

I found a yummy treat! I'm always thinking of ways to add brown rice to my children's diet. They don't like it. Because it's brown. Simply because of that fact. Me? I love brown rice! I prefer it over white. Not just because of the nutritional reasons, but I just like it. It tastes good. It's really not that much of a difference in taste as the white anyway in my opinion. But it does have a bit of a different texture according to my kids. So they won't eat it. Well, I bet Ava would.

So I see this new chip at Wally World a few weeks ago. riceworks Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps. And yes, the riceworks is spelled all lowercase and as one word. They look like a tortilla chip but I could tell they were smaller.

riceworks crisps have all these great benefits:



-Natural ingredients

-No preservatives or artificial flavors

-Wheat & Gluten free

-No transfat (0 grams)

-33% less fat than regular potato chips

-Vegan & Celiac friendly

-No cholesterol

-Kosher certified

-Zero sugar



The FDA claims that diets rich in whole grain foods such as brown rice and that are low in total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.



Great! But how do they taste? So I picked up the Salsa Fresca flavor. We all really loved these! I knew that because these were brown rice, they would probably be a bit more dense than a regular tortilla chip and I was right. They are kind of small, but still good sized and satisfying.



So then a week later, I pick up the Sweet Chili & later on the Sea Salt flavors. We love them all. Even my husband said they were really tasty. None are too strong in flavor. They are just right.



Now let's talk fat & calories.....



10 chips (remember, they aren't big) or 1 ounce have 140 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram fiber, 0 sugar, 2 grams protein and 110 mg salt.



I like that they have protein and at least 1 gram of fiber. I'm not too thrilled with 6 grams of fat and 140 calories. But like I said, they are more dense so they are filling. Plus with all the nutritional benefits, I'd say I would choose these over tortilla chips any day. Crush and sprinkle them on top of tomato soup...mmmm. They are still kind of a junk food though....It never says if they are baked or fried, but I'm guessing fried in canola oil.



In a dream world, these would be just as tasty if they were baked. Why promote a heart healthy chip and then deep fry it? I think baked would be better for us all. Just my opinion.



Besides the Sea Salt, Salsa Fresco & Sweet chili flavors, these brown rice crisps also come in Parmesan & Sundried Tomato, and also Wasabi and Baked Cinnamon flavors. I wonder if they really mean baked when they say Baked Cinnamon. I doubt it. I'm sure I'll get around to trying them all eventually.



One small set back for me- Sometimes I get a tiny allergic reaction to certain foods....raw carrots, banana, avocado and now brown rice crisps. My tongue itches! Weird, I know. But yes, my tongue itches a little bit after eating a few of these crisps. I love bananas and raw carrots, so I usually just put up with it and will with these crisps.



Now go ahead and buy some of these for yourself and let me know what you think.



Oh, want a coupon for $1 off a bag? Here is a link. Plus, you can learn more about this product at their site.





Would you like to read about the health benefits of brown rice? I found some great info at this site...



Benefits of brown rice

Winner!!

Oh this has been F-U-N! There were only 5 comments, so I didn't think I needed to use a random generator to choose a winner. Instead, I asked Ava to help me!

She's only just turned 2, so I knew she wouldn't be able to read the names and then say, "Hey, I want my friend Nancy to win." or something like that (not that we didn't want Nancy to win, mind you). Ava was perfect for this since she is totally unbiased! So I scribbled everyone's names on slips of paper and folded them up. Then asked Ava to choose one.
Choose one? Only one? She couldn't do that. She had to have them all.

Ok, so now what? I tried a few times to explain to her that she only needed to choose ONE. Nope. Doesn't want just one, she wants all the pieces of paper. If there were only a few people signing up to win, I would have said OK! We have 3 winners! But there were 5 and I decided that we had to just choose one.

Sooooooo.....finally Ava decided to give ONE paper back to me.





I decided that this one paper would be the winner....

Congratulations Rachel!! Now just tell me which scent you would like of the Glade Fragrance Collection candles! Here is a link to the website to help you choose. I'll do my best to find the scent that you like. I also need your address, so send me a Facebook message.

This was fun! I might do another sometime!

It's kind of funny that the very same day I picked a winner.....I WON a give-a-way!! How random is that?!

Tick Tock....

The time is running out! Don't you want to win a *free* Try It Tuesday product?

Tick tock...tick tock....tickety tock....

Leave me a comment by midnight tonight to be eligible!

Don't forget to let me know which product you would like to receive and how to reach you.

Free is good. So sign up now!!!

Give, Oh Give-A-Way!

I did it. I've joined the *give-a-way* bandwagon!

Would you like to receive your very own Try It Tuesday product? For freeee?!

Just say yes. You know you want to.

Here's how it will work.......

Leave me a comment telling me which product that I have reviewed that you would loooooove to have sent right to your doorstep. You can find the Try It Tuesday products by using the search box or clicking on the label cloud on the right hand side of my blog. You'll have to scroll a bit to find it. If you are already a follower of my blog, you probably have a product already in mind!

Make sure when you comment, that you leave me a link to your blog or an e-mail address so I can contact you. If I already know you...no worries! Chances are, I know you anyway because my blog is teeeny tiny in the blogger world. Which, I might add, doesn't bother me a bit.

RULES:
There.. are.. no.. rules.

LOL. Just kidding. I had to say that. Anyone watch the movie, "Rat Race"??

Ok, maybe not. *sigh*

Anyway, there is only one rule. If you do not live in my town, you cannot choose a product that needs to be refrigerated or frozen. Sorry...that's just too much work for moi. If you don't even know where I live, then make it easy and just choose something that needs no refrigeration okay? Thanks!

Oh, I lied. There are 2 rules. The winner needs to "try" the product and then e-mail me to let me know how they liked it. Sort of a mini review if you will. If you would include a photo of yourself actually using the product.....well, then you become my new best friend. (although a photo isn't really necessary....and who needs another friend to annoy you anyway?!)

So go ahead and leave me that comment! You know you want to.

Just make sure you do it soon because this give-a-way lasts only until *Sunday, September 27th.* On Monday the 28th, I'll pick a weeeeener!!

Try it Tuesday.....Schick Intuition Razor

This will be a short review, because I didn't like this razor and don't care to waste too much space about it.

I received a free Schick Intuition razor. I love free. I'm glad it was free because these things are just under $10 and the refills (you get 3) are almost as much. It comes with a cute suction cup hanger that works perfectly. That's the only thing I liked.

The razor itself is not easy to handle. It's big, bulky and wide. It kept slipping out of my hand. Not cool.

There is a moisturizing soap built up all around the blade. This is for convenience so they say. No more using a separate soap or shower gel. It's built right in! Nice concept, but it misses the mark. First of all, I couldn't really tell where I was shaving and because it was built in, it was almost 'too' smooth and again, I couldn't tell where I was shaving. It's hard to explain, but the few times I used this razor, I came out with streaks that weren't touched. Nothing like having rows of hair down your legs. Pinstripes! Nice. Not.

The soap only lasted about 4-6 shaves and it wore down unevenly. The soap on the bottom...closest to my skin, was gone before the top part. Not very useful. Wasteful even. Plus the razor lasts longer than the 'soap', so I had to use my own shave gel anyway. My Bic Soleil razors last much longer than this one too.

Why did they send me an Intuiton recently, when there is a new one called Schick Intuition PLUS?? Weird. Looks like the Plus verison is the same price, but it's handle is narrower and there are 4 blades. Duh Schick! Couldn't you have thought of that before?
I doubt I will even try the Plus version (unless it's free!).

Feel free to argue with me on this review, but I feel that this razor just isn't very useful to me. I'm glad I didn't waste any money on it.

Something To Think About Saturday

Elements & paper by Nicole Young Designs

View the short video, "What Matters Most" here. It's only a minute and a half out of your day. Make it worth it.

Try it Tuesday.....Hershey Goodies Straight From The Factory!

I know, I know. It's about time I got back on track with Try It Tuesday's! Summer is always busy and I just haven't had the energy. Plus, I have to fight with 4 kids to use the computer on summer days. One computer doesn't really work for 5 people.

Anyway, we went on a trip with the hubby (he had business) last month and stopped in Hershey, PA! What can I say about this sweet town?! It's cute, it's quaint and smells sooo yummy. I'm not kidding. We rolled our windows down and could get nice, big whiffs of cocoa coming from the Hershey Chocolate Factory. The whole town is centered around the highly popular chocolate. Even the street lamps are shaped like Hershey Kisses!

The street names are just as sweet.

Before I get to the review, here are a few more photos that I took while we were there. Please bear with me on the pictures...I'm not so great at taking them from a moving vehicle!

Heading into town from the east (we were in Lancaster, PA first), we were greeted by a yummy sign.

It's kind of hard to see, but the bushes spell out, "Hershey Cocoa". The real factory is behind it.

Don't get me wrong, it was fun for the kids (Molly is in the photo above). But I was a bit let down because I really wanted to see the whole process in action. Instead we got to look at fake candy bars being made. *sigh*

And fake cocoa beans rolling down the conveyor belt.

One fun thing about this tour, was that it wasn't a walking tour. We rode in a fun car (of course I didn't take pictures of that part because I just didn't think of it! Duh) that took us along and spun us around to see things. Ava especially enjoyed the cute cows with their moving heads singing about how the chocolate couldn't be made unless milk is used.

After the free tour (which we took one more time after this I might add) we watched the cutest 3-D movie! This wasn't free, but $5 for kids and $6 for adults wasn't too bad. I thought it was just going to be 3-D, but it was interactive too. We had great fun watching Ava try to grab the floating Hershey Kisses and Milk Duds, while we also got sprayed with sweet smelling cocoa, sprayed with 'milk' (water) and confetti dropped on us all while our seats wriggled and things felt like they were tickling our legs! Great fun I tell ya. I felt like we were at Disney for a bit!

We could have gone on to a chocolate tasting adventure show, but time wouldn't allow. Those shows filled up quite fast. We did get to see a Reeses Nascar race car though which thrilled Brycen. Doesn't he look thrilled?

There were plenty of other things to do in Hershey.... like take a trolley tour, go to the Hershey Museum, learn how to make chocolate etc. But time wasn't on our side. Plus, it was expensive and a man who worked at Chocolate World said the kids would get bored because most was geared towards adults. And to think I believed him and and we didn't do any more fun things! Later, I heard they were still fun for kids and that we just should have atleast gone to the museum. Oh well. Next time.

While in Hershey....well, everywhere we went in PA actually...I saw the most beautiful homes. They love to build with stone and I love to gawk at all the beautious architecture! There were a few mansions right on the main drag in Hershey that were SO lovely, but I couldn't get a good shot of them. I did, however, get one of this small stone home. It's not a great shot, mind you..but it shows some stone that I just loved! I could have just walked all along this main road if hubby would have let me. Even in the rain! Yes, it rained all day while we were there. :( Our oldest daughter, Jillian couldn't come with us on this trip because she had to work, but we brought back a large personalized Hershey Bar for her to munch on. Speaking of candy, the Hershey Chocolate World really pushed the shopping! The main area is one big store with anything and everything you would want to eat, wear, play with or cook with. Anyone up for some tiny Hershey Kiss shaped salt & pepper shakers for $15?! They did have some cool vintage looking tins and vintage looking shirts, but we passed on them. Actually, the prices on candy weren't too bad. No mark up in the price...they were the same that I pay at Target. I thought for an attraction, they would have sky high prices. But I guess they really don't need distributors with the factory so close do they?! Ok, on to the Try It Tuesday part! After both the free tour and the 3-D movie, we were given little treats! They were both new products, so I thought they would be perfect to review. After the 3-D movie, we were given Twizzlers Sweet & Sour Filled Twists. Below is not a great photo. Sorry. I know it's out of focus, but atleast you get to look at the beautiful sarong (is that the right word?) of the person behind the candy.

These taste lemony (yellow) and cherry. The insides are a soft candy that packs a punch! I'm not much of a fan of the sour part, but my kids loved them! I'm not sure if they are in stores yet, but when they are, I'm sure kids all over will like 'em.


After the free 'factory tour' (blech), we were given little handfuls of the new Hershey Chocolate Meltaway. I have no idea if these are out either, but I doubt they will make much of a hit. I wonder if they are a limited edition. They remind me of the Hot Chocolate flavor that was out last winter. They are tastier than the Hot Chocolate, but like their Meltaway name, they melt away *in*your*hand*. Once you take them out of the foil, don't wait too long to actually eat it. The soft center makes them melty all right.
And there you have it. Our small little jaunt to Hershey, PA. Next time I go, I'm going to visit Hershey Gardens plus I'm staying at one of their hotels and soaking in a chocolate bath!

More to come about the rest our east coast business/vacation trip! A little Fairfax, VA, Washington D.C. and a small trip to the Washington D.C. LDS Temple!

This sign on the factory tour building explains that it's a free tour. I was expecting to see 'real' chocolate being made in a 'real' factory. Nope. Not gonna happen. The whole thing was a fake tour.
We are now entering Hershey's Chocolate World! Inside is the free factory tour, shopping, eateries, a 3-D movie etc. Plus the theme park is right next to this building below.

Something To Think About Saturday

Paper & elements by Vera Lim.

Time to get my house in order.

A Brand New Year

The 2010 Mutual theme for LDS youth is......

“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9)."

Each ward will receive a dvd entitled, " A Brand New Year: 2010 Youth Celebration"

The DVD is a special resource being prepared to strengthen youth and enhance Young Men and Young Women activities planned for 2010. I believe it's mostly youth speaking and testifying about what they have learned and how following the standards have strengthened them. Learn more about the dvd here.

I love this! I wish we had special DVD's to introduce the theme when I was a leader in YW. Sometimes I think the youth need to see that a lot of effort and prayer goes in to the themes. After all, it's what the Lord wants the youth to know, study and live right? What they learn is an armour of sort. Things to protect them inside and out throughout their lives. This theme will help them realize that everywhere they go, Heavenly Father goes with them and will not abandon them. I hope they listen to this counsel, because at one time or another, we all feel alone. It helps to know that we don't actually have to feel that way.

Just my 2 cents :)

Something To Think About Saturday

Paper by Stacey's Scraps

Ribbon & button elements by C.W. Pickett & Co.

Trailer Park elements by Shabby Miss Jenn Designs

I'm not saying that my vacation was a failure by the above quote. It was actually quite fun (sometimes). But don't all vacations have some sort of discomfort? Whether it be the heat, bugs, family squabbles or too much "going & doing" crammed into one day. There are usually 'downs' to go with the 'ups' right?

I'll be blogging about the vacation/ business trip we took last week as soon as I can. First, I have to get some kids off to school and learn the new online Quickbooks. Plus all of my other responsibilities that life demands. After that, I can get back to the fun stuff....blogging, digi-scrapping, etc!

Something To Think About Saturday

Something To Think About Saturday

Something To Think About Saturday

Elements by Maelia Design & Jamie Dell Scraps. Paper by Maelia Designs.

I Heart This

My daughter, Jillian, left this comment on the Nauvoo Temple Facebook page.




Jill Weihl >>>Nauvoo Temple: Our stake went to Nauvoo for our Youth Conference..I went already twice before..but this time was soo much more spiritual.We got to go into the temple, as our "familes"--youth and a married couple.For being Sixteen, i never felt a more spirtual experience, it was like I was in the jail while the prophet was murdered..I love being a member, although I have trials, I know that pioneers made the temple for a reason..-Jillian. Muskegon,MI.
Yesterday at 11:04pm · Comment · Like

Sometimes I really heart Facebook.

Something To Think About Saturday

Paper by Helly

Elements by Carolina Pessoa & Maelia Designs

Pick up your feet people!

Give-A-Way

Well, I guess the give-a-way will be put on hold since I see only one person is interested! I suppose no one likes free stuff. Pffft.

Edit: Ok, so I'm thinking maybe tucking information about a freebie into a Try It Tuesday post is easily missed??

So here goes again....

I'm toying with the idea of a GIVE-A-WAY! There would have to be rules of course. I can't possibly send something that needs to be frozen to Iowa. Should I join the bandwagon and do this?

There Is Beauty All Around...

I had Jillian take pictures of some interesting things going on in our yard this season.

I love this white Veronica plant...but who is that visitor?? My in-laws bought me this plant when we first moved into our house 7 years ago. They even helped me plant it as well as several others. It's been white for the full 7 years until now. All I can think of is that seeds must have blown and I DO have a purple Veronica. BUT, the purple is really far away from the white. Waaaay across the yard. And why only 1 stem that is purple? I don't know, but I'll enjoy the show while it lasts.


I love pansies and I usually see them growing in the cracks of my sidewalk each year. But this year, they really went to town! I have them all over. I don't have the heart to get rid of them just because they aren't in the actual garden. They are beauteous no matter where they put down their roots!

Ok, not a garden photo, but a cute one anyway. Ava climbed up in the computer chair and took a little snooze. She doesn't look too comfortable does she?!

Jillian also took this one while on a boat on Lake Michigan over the 4th of July weekend. I'm not a fan of summer, but I am a total fan of a view like this!