Happiness is Homemade

Official Move...

2010-08-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

I'm making my official move over to Mommy Tools. I'd love to see you over there! I will be posting pretty much the same things. But hopefully once my family moves in a few weeks...I'll be able to post more projects because I'll have to totally start from scratch with home decor. Thanks for visiting...and hope to see you soon at Mommy Tools!

Cutting machine giveaway

2010-08-02T00:04:00.000-07:00

If I tell you about this giveaway...you have to let me borrow your winnings, if you win!!!
Amy, at The Idea Room is having an AWSOME giveaway! One lucky winner will win a Silhouette cutting machine! Go check out her blog for the details, here.

Unplugging the T.V.

2010-08-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am unplugging our T.V. I'm writing this post mostly out of sadness and discust. I have spiritual music playing right now (Hilary Weeks on Pandora.com), and I just scrubbed all the dishes, and wiped down all my kitchen cabinets. I think I felt like I needed to clean something after seeing what I did on the television. I'm not naive, or ignorant of the horrible things of this world. But I can choose what I allow into my home. My home needs to be a sancuary for my family. So, for now, my t.v. is being turned off.

I'm saddened at the horrific producers out there who can produce such vile shows. I was just watching an action-drama, and out of the blue they have to throw these things in. Now, I did see the "adult contect" disclamer at the beginning...so it's my fault for watching it in the first place, right???

I need to do better at protecting the spirit in our home. And when I allow those ugly things into my home...the peaceful spirit I wish to invite can decide to leave. And I don't want it to leave. I can feel when it's gone.

I love watching good movies, and movies with my children...there's a lot of good ones out there for sure. But I think we'll be taking a break for a while, and finding other things to do to consume our time. My children just might find out there's a life out there beyond t.v. and video games in the process!

Miss Mustard Seed's giveaway!

2010-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Miss Mustard seed is celebrating her 2000th follower with a fabulous giveaway! Go check it out and leave a comment for a chance to win here.

Pinkalicious Party

2010-07-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

My daughters were invited to a Pinkalicious birthday party. They had so much fun. Upon arriving they were each given a pair of fairy wings, a tutu, and a cute flower clip. They got to decorate their own princess crowns, and wands. (And I don't know why this is all underlined and highlihted!...my blog is doing strange things lately...it's kind of annoying...)

Tinkering around

2010-07-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the lapse in my posts lately.
I've been having a lot of fun with this little guy...

And sending this little one off to kindergarten...

(yes, I know it's still July...but we have year-round school schedules here)

And I FINALLY sold my piano. (sniff, sniff)

Don't you love it when your furniture leaves indentations in the carpet?

I learned a little trick with a fork though.

Gently scrape over the indentation with the fork, until the carpet "fluffs" back to shape. Then vacume over it again. It may take a couple days of walking over it too, to let the padding underneath relax.

I would NOT reccomend doing this on Berber carpet though. Only on the type shown in the photo.

Also, I've been tinkering around with a new blog site, Mommy Tools. I'll be switching over to it within a couple of weeks. I'm not so good with computer graphics, so I was so happy to have the help of T.J. over at Sugar and Spice HERE!

Let me know what you think of my new blog page! There's absolutely nothing on it yet. And I need to add a profile picture I think. But I'm excited to start it in a couple weeks! It's fun having my own button, header, labels, etc. Woo Hoo!!!

Visit the new site here at http://www.mommytools.blogspot.com/.

Happy 4th of July!!!

2010-07-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

I'm Back!

2010-06-29T11:32:00.000-07:00

I've been gone for a while visiting family. We stayed at my parents home in AZ. I sometimes forget how HOT it can get during the summer. But my parents always manage to mantain a beautiful yard.
Take a look at their flower garden...

And here's some of their vegetable garden...

They use netting to protect their veggies from the quail and other birds. I thought this was a pretty cool idea. They just have to pull the front of the netting up to have access, and then clamp it back down when their done.

One of the highlights of their yard was this mother dove that made a nest in their hanging plant...

If you look closer, you can see her little babies!

We all had fun watching them grow while we were there.

My husband and I flew out of Phoenix to Colorado for a few days, and by the time we returned to my parents home, the little baby birds had already flown out of the nest. They were still sticking around the yard for a while, and one of them even flew back up to the hanging basket nest.

Here's a peak at what we enjoyed while in Colorado....

Colorado will be our new home, and we are so excited! We will be moving in a few months. My husband will be finishing his residency program here in California...then on to the fresh clean air of the Colorado Rocky mountains!

Forgiveness

2010-06-13T23:21:00.000-07:00

My hormones have been doing crazy things lately. I've been grumpy, and moody,... super happy, then back to moody again.
The other day I was especially hard on my kids. I snapped before it was bedtime, and yelled at them. When I went to bed myself I started feeling horrible for the way I treated them. I told my husband that I felt so bad for yelling at them. He suggested I go tell them that. So after a few minutes of thinking of how I could possibly right this wrong, I went into my daughters room. All 3 of them were asleep. I woke up the oldest and appoligized, and told her that I loved her more than anything in the world. She said it was O.K., and asked if we were still going to Disneyland. (She's been wanting to go for so long now).
Then I went into my boys room. I told them that I felt so bad for yelling, and that I will try to not ever do that again. I told them that I loved them so much. Then I left the room feeling so ashamed. As I walked down the hallway towards the kitchen, my second eldest son ran up to me and threw his arms around me. We stood their hugging for a couple minutes and I couldn't hold back the tears. I kissed him on the head, told him that I loved him, and sent him back to bed. Then my oldest son snuck up behind me and gave me a big hug too. He's almost as tall as I am now. He's growing so fast!
I love my kids so much. They forgave me so easily. I feel so blessed to have such wonderful children. The power of forgiveness is real. I am so thankful for it. The power of the atonement is real. I would be nothing without it. I've had to teach myself to relove my daily imperfections almost immediatley and not let things fester, or become forgotten. I don't want anything to come between me and the Lord. It's a true blessing to be forgiven of things, and also to be able to forgive others.

(In His Light, by Greg Olsen)

2010-06-09T15:13:00.000-07:00

After having company over a couple weeks ago, I've been dreaming of a table like this...

Our little farmhouse-style table only seats six comfortably. We have 8 people in our family now, so wouldn't something like this be just perfect?...

With a house full of kids, sometimes I feel like this at dinner time...

An extra special thing would be if I could clap my hands like Dumbledore, and a perfect dinner would magically appear!

Recipe FLOP

2010-06-04T21:47:00.000-07:00

In an effort to eat better, I've been looking through my recipe books, and trying to figure out what will work with our family. I found a crockpot recipe for Chicken Flourentine Soup. It sounded so good that I hauled my 3 youngest kiddos to the grocery store that very morning. I was so excited to try out this new found recipe. I even made homemade wheat bread to go along with it! AND brownies for desert (that was more for the kids....you believe me right?)
Well, after my 4-year-old saw was was brewing in the crockpot she said...
"Mom, I don't think I'll like that."
Then I said, "Well, if you eat all your soup, then you can have a brownie."
Then Emily replied, "Well, how about we have the brownies first? Some people have desert first you know!"

Here's a photo of the soup...

Appetizing, isn't it???

So....as we were sitting down getting ready to eat, Emily looked over at Ariana and said, "This is what poop is made out of!"

Normally if my kids have something negative to say about the dinner I just made I give them the evil eye. But I couldn't contain myself! I burst out laughing, and told them to just try it. "It's new recipe day", I told them.

Needless to say, it wasn't very good at all. I had to eat it with a LOT of homemade bread. This recipe "flop" will not be entering my recipe file any time soon.

A Happy Weekend!

2010-06-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

Do you love taking pictures, but totally AVOID having your own photo taken??? Well, I hate having my picture taken. I think it's because I feel extra large in my body, and don't need the constant reminder in a photo. But I don't want to forget the sweet memories of my life. Like this past weekend...

My husband had his graduation ceremony! Yeah! But he still has one more quarter to go, so we can't completely celebrate just yet...(my boys were mad in this photo, because they couldn't have a piece of cake....long story).

This is me, baby Aaron, Tye, my mom, and my dad

Both of our parents drove over from Arizona. It was so nice to have them here!

Then after graduation we were able to bless our baby which made it extra special.

We will be traveling soon to look at places to live when he graduates, and I'll be meeting his future staff.

So I've set my mind on losing some weight, and getting back into shape! Most days I can barely get one thing crossed off my list. But I never thought I would have to make a list like this...

That's right...

I have to now remind myself to do these things. I think most mothers do, actually! At least while they have a newborn.

So...my new goal is to lose 40 pounds. I am trying to defeat 5 pounds at a time.

My mother has Type 2 diabetes. It's been very difficult for her, but she is managing it well now, and she looks so amazing every time I see her. I think we both have similar body types, so I'm trying to lose this weight for my own health.

Bare with me here. I'm about to tell you my weight! This is so I can be accountable and have it in writing...

O.K...

as of right now I weigh...

172.8 pounds.

I know us women always seem to want to lose weight. Why do we torture ourselves with this? (Or maybe it's just me!) I'm not going on any crazy diet. I'm just going to remove certain foods, and portion control. One of my secret pet peaves is when people who are trying to lose weight are constantly talking about "healthy" food, and how everyone should eat like them.

Anyways, until I lose my 40 pounds...

I will not try to avoid cameras anymore, and try to embrace the moments I am living!

Jewelry Giveaway!

2010-05-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this so precious!!!

Visit Traci at Beneath My Heart, HERE, to see how you can win a gift certificate from Chantelle Nicole Designs!

Thankful Thursday...Good-bye Piano

2010-05-19T22:51:00.000-07:00

I've put my piano up for sale...(sigh...).

We'll be moving hopefully by the end of the summer, so I didn't want to move our piano again. It's extremely heavy! But, oh, how I will miss it! I bought it at a college sale when they were selling all the students practice pianos. It has served me well. I've taught many private lessons on it. I'm thankful for my parents asking that I take "just one more year" of lessons whenever I wanted to quit. It wasn't until about my 9th grade school year that I finally enjoyed playing the piano. Practicing was actually fun for the most part. My brothers would get so mad at me if I practiced in the mornings before school started!

My first piano that I bought was a black baby grand....and I LOVED IT! It was old, and nobody was buying it from the music store at the time. We knew the owner of the store, so the price was very cheap for us. But we had to adventually sell it, because it wouldn't fit in our new home.

Fast forward about 10 years, and now I'm selling this piano...

I know it's not much to look at...

But it has such a great tone! And it has been...loved...by my kids. Well, it's had Hotwheel cars run across it, forts made under it, dinosaur nests built on it...you get the picture.

It's a far cry from one of these...

But maybe I'll have another baby in the future! A baby grand, that is!

After all...you can build a bigger fort under one of these!

Mother's Day Salad

2010-05-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

I've been gone for a while! Well, not literally... but I've been away from my blog for a while. It's taking me a while to establish any sort of routine with the new baby. Six kids seems like a LOT more than the 5 I had a few weeks ago! I'm now trying to eat a bit healthier, and watch my portion sizes. Aparently eating a large bowl of cereal every night before bed isn't a good idea! I gained quite a bit of weight during this pregnancy, so I'm trying to get my energy back.

Here's one of my favorite salads to make. And my husband even likes it too! He asked me today if we had any of those "clusters" to put on his salad. I had no idea what he was talking about! But then I realized he wanted those sugared nuts that I make.

This salad is so simple, but chock full of flavor!

I don't have a name for it...so I'll just call it my Mother's Day Salad.

~Spring Mix greens

~fresh berries (any kind will taste good, even dried cranberries)

~feta cheese

~sugared walnuts (or almonds)

~cubed cooked chicken breast (optional)

~rasberry vinegarette

To make the sugared nuts (or "clusters", as my husband calls them), simply poor about 1/2 cup of chopped nuts into a small, medium hot skillet, then add about 1/3 cup of granulated sugar over the top of them. Stir constantly for a few minutes, until all the sugar has "cooked". You won't be able to see any more white color from the sugar.

Here's my beautiful mother and our new arrival, Aaron.

She was able to come to our home and help out for a few days after he was born. It was so nice having her here. I love you Mom! We miss you already!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Baby Shower Booties

2010-04-22T12:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to share the CUTEST little baby shower idea! Traci from Beneath My Heart shows us how her aunt made these adorable bootie favors HERE.
Many of you probably already follow her blog, but if you don't, check her out. You will fall in love with her writing style and decor!

You'll be amazed at how simple these are to put together!

Thankful Thursdays--My Newest Crush

2010-04-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

He's here!!! My little guy, Aaron, arrived safe and sound last weekend. So much to be thankful for!

Here are 2 of my crushes.

And in the midst of all of this my hubby is studying for boards. What a trooper!

We both feel this will be our last baby. It's a bit strange to say, and feel that. It makes me want to treasure each and every step of our children's lives even more.

This year has and will bring many changes in our lives.

New baby, graduation (FINALLY), new job, new state, new home, new schools for kids, new friends, etc.

So far we have the new baby, and graduation in a few months...but we don't know where all those other "new" things will take us. We don't know where we'll end up yet.

If only I had a crystal ball. Hmmmm.....maybe I could craft one up! That could be my next project! ;)

Here's to all the "new things" in our lives!

(I'll also be linking this post up to Heart and Home here for her Gratitude Wednesdays.)

Diaper Cake

2010-04-10T17:42:00.000-07:00

Look what my friend gave me today! Isn't it so cute?

She put wooden BBQ skewers threw the top, and down through the bottom to help hold it together.

If you type in "diaper cake" in a search engine, and click on "images", you'll get to see so many amazing diaper cake ideas!

I walked around Target today, and I think I'll go on walk later tonight. We need to get things moving along with this little guy!

Still Waiting...

2010-04-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

I'm still waiting patiently for the baby to arrive! Yesterday I shampooed my boys bedroom carpet, and made a book shelf for one of my friends baby showers.
Yes, I'm due tomorrow, and I made a shelf! That's how easy it was. I'm sure many of you know about Knock Off Wood. Here is the post from Knock Off Wood with directions for the shelf that made. I totally forgot to take a picture! And now it's too late because I dropped off the gift last night (I was too tired to stay for the baby shower). I must warn you...do not visit Ana's site at Knock Off Wood untill your kids are in bed, and you have plenty of time! You will be hooked! I have so many projects that I want to make, but we will be moving the end of this summer, so I'm holding off until AFTER we move.

I was able to attend my friends bridal shower a couple days ago. I bought her a pitcher that she had registered for, and filled it with flowers from our yard. We're lacking in the funds department right now, so even though the pitcher was super cheap (it had gone on clearance!) I wanted to spruce it up a bit.

Well, hopefully next time I post I will have a cute little baby boy to show off!

Ta, Ta, for Now!

He Lives

2010-04-03T08:20:00.000-07:00

Have a great Easter weekend everyone! Hope you enjoy this short 2 minute video. I know that the Lord lives, and has been resurected. I know he lives, and is aware of our every need. He loves each and everyone of us.

Happy Easter!

He Lives (2 minute video)

Thankful Thursday (traditional recipes)

2010-04-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

My family has many traditional recipes that have been passed on from generation to generation. One of my favorites has always been Old Fashioned Golden Chicken Pie. Maybe it was the way my mom would lattice the top of the pie. I'm grateful for recipes that can be handed down. It creates another special bond with my grandma, and my mother. And I can pass these recipes down to my children too!

I also love my mom's Feather Light Rolls. They are SO yummy! She would make them for the holidays, and the fresh roll smell would always bring back a flood of memories.

I've also taken on one of my husbands family food traditions of spiral ham and cheese gravy. It really is so good!
Here's what our Easter dinner will be:

Spiral ham
Mashed potatoes
Cheese gravy
asparagus
fruit salad

And for desert...I think we'll have carrot cake.

In the meantime, here's the recipe for Old Fashioned Golden Chicken Pie:

2 C cubed chicken (cooked)
1 T. flour
1 C. sliced carrots
1 C. chopped onions
1/4 C. sliced celery
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 C. butter or margarine
1 can Golden Mushroon soup (Cambell's)
Pastry for 2 pie crusts

Toss chicken with flour. In saucepan, cook carrots, onions, and celery with thyme and pepper in butter until tender. Stir in soup, chiken mix. Pour into 9" pastry-lined pie pan. Roll out remaining pastry; cut into 1/2 inch strips. Lattice top of pie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 min., or until crust is lightly browned. Serve with gravy.

**Note** I like to do the prep work for this ahead of time. By chopping the veggies and cooking the chicken, then putting them in ziploc bags, it makes it so much faster when it's time to make dinner!

Feather Light Rolls:

1 pkg. yeast
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/3 C warm water
1 C. scalded milk
1/2 C butter
1/2 C sugar
3 beaten eggs
3/4 tsp. salt
4-5 C flour

Dissolve yeast and 1 T. sugar in 1/3 C warm water. Add butter to scalded milk and allow to melt. Add rest of sugar, salt, and eggs to milk mixture then combine with the yast mixture in a mixing bowl.
Add flour (enough to make soft dough). Do not knead. Cover and let rise about 4 hours. Then divide dough in half, and roll out 2 big circles. Spread with soft butter, then cut into crescent pieces (like a pizza). Roll up rolls and place onto cookie sheets. Let rise again. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Use a pizza cutter.

Diaper Storage Solution

2010-03-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

With just 11 days left, I figured I better organize the diaper situation. There's nothing worse when a newborn explodes in his pants, and you're searching for a diaper! We'll have 2 in diapers, so I wanted to create some sort of changing station. We don't really have a nursery room, so the shelf in our bedroom will have to do for now.

I found these baskets today for $4.00 each at Walmart.

I just painted the pieces of wood that I already had, drilled a couple of holes, stuck them together with wood glue,...and attached it to the basket with some twine.

The baby boy is still nameless! We'll figure out his name after he's born (hopefully!).

I'd love to create a surfing/beachy decor for our boys room. I'm guessing all 3 of our boys will share a room when we move this fall.

So in the near future I'll be creating some surf boards! And the little dudes diaper basket might get a coat of blue spray paint.

Week Long of Fun.

2010-03-27T22:46:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted here. My hubby had a week off of school, so we've been trying to have some good family time. Well, as much as we can while I'm 9 months pregnant!

I think some of the funnest memories from my childhood are when we went places that didn't cost much money. We would go on picnics early in the morning out into the Arizona desert (while it was still cool outside). We also would go camping a lot for our family vacations.

This week we headed to a nearby stream and let the kids play. The only cost was the parking pass.

We also went to the park a lot, which of course, didn't cost a penny.

We still have our Disneyland Annual Passes so we headed over to Cal. Adventure for a few hours. We stayed in one area, so I didn't have to walk much.

One of the days we had a campout in our backyard.

Smore's and all!

Here's me in all my 9 months of glory! Aren't I LOVELY??? (treadmill, here I come!)

Do you have a favorite past time? I'd love to hear! When you get together with your siblings, what are the vacations you most remember and treasure?

This week was limited for us, simply because of the pregnancy...and no money...but I think it turned out fun for us all!

Easter Wreath

2010-03-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from the Crafty Sisters tutorial here.
They made some super cute Easter wreaths. So I tried one, and holy moly...it took a bit longer than I thought (but I'm wondering if that's because I'm 9 months prego, and tired!). I love Easter time!

I had the wreath and spanish moss already. So I didn't spend a penny. Painting the eggs took more time than I thought, but it was worth it. I cut off some twigs from my tree. The twigs on the ground were too stiff to bend the way I wanted, so I just snipped off some from the tree, and they were nice and bendy. :)

New Baby Tag Winner

2010-03-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

So, I had to pick another winner, because the first winner never responded. I went to Random.org, and it generated commenter number 3.

Cambrie, you are now the lucky winner! I'll get these to you A.S.A.P.!

Here's what Cambrie said:
I love to give cute tiny shoes. Nothing is cuter than a tiny pair of shoes. Oh, and for a girl hair bows are fun

Thankful Thursday...odds and ends

2010-03-18T13:08:00.000-07:00

This week has been pretty crazy. But things around the house can get even crazier when your children use up all of your dish soap on the trampoline. It is getting warmer outside, and they decided to spray the trampoline, and make bubbles at the same time. So for a few days, I was without any dishsoap. Needless to say, our dishes piled up pretty good.
And we forgot to put out the garbage barrels on the trash day...so we had overflowing trash for a week.

So I was SO happy when the gargage man came yesterday. And I was SO happy when I finally remembered to buy some more dishsoap! We have so many modern conveniences these days. What would we do if they just stopped working, or disappeared? Things like running water, toothpaste, DISHSOAP, etc. I love camping...but only for so long.
So that's my rambling for today! Bye!

The Tender Mercies of the Lord (video)

2010-03-14T08:59:00.000-07:00

The Tender Mercies of the Lord

We had some dear friends over last night for dinner. They shared with us their struggles and trials that have come over them throughout the years. They have finally overcome many of their trials, and are so happy right now. This video reminds me of all the tender mercies the Lord has given them throughout their lives.

Large Tulip Painting

2010-03-13T12:11:00.000-08:00

I LOVE really large paintings, and wanted to have a big spring one above my fireplace.

So I started with some toungue and groove wood, and attached them together with some wood glue and screws with extra wood slats for support.

I banged up the front a bit with a hammer to distress the wood.

Next, I painted the front with some antique white acrylic craft paint.

Then I attempted some tulips (to match my tulip pot I made here) with some more craft paint.

When my painting was dry, I brushed on some glaze to "antique" it up a bit, then wiped it off with a damp rag, until I got the effect I wanted. I got the glaze from Lowe's.

Here's the finished result! I wish I could paint the fireplace mantel too, but we're in a rental.

Happiness is Homemade!!!

I'll be linking this up to Funky Junk Interiors SNS here!

Twice Remembered's Make Your Monday here.

and Cottage Instincts Make it for Monday here.

Baby Gift Tag Winner!

2010-03-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

And the winner is commenter number 8! (generated from Random.org).

Patricia P. said...

"So cute. I have a young friend from church who is expecting. I want to make some things for her, and the tags would be perfect."

Patricia P., send me an email with your mailing info and I'll get these out to you! If I don't hear from you within 1 week, I'll pick another winner.

Thanks for all your comments! They really mean a lot! More giveaways to come!

Thankful Thursdays (quote)

2010-03-11T09:03:00.000-08:00

"...Robert W. Woodruff, a prominent business leader of a former time, toured the United States giving a lecture which he entitled “A Capsule Course in Human Relations.” In his message, he said that the two most important words in the English language are these: “Thank you.”
Gracias, danke, merci—whatever language is spoken, “thank you” frequently expressed will cheer your spirit, broaden your friendships, and lift your lives to a higher pathway as you journey toward perfection. There is a simplicity—even a sincerity—when “thank you” is spoken...."

Thomas S. Monson, "The Profound Power of Gratitude," Ensign, Sep 2005, 2-8

Cheesecake Tarts

2010-03-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

Place a Nilla Wafer inside each paper cup.

(Don't mind my stained muffin tins!)

Fill about 2/3 full with filling.

After baking, let completely cool. The tops will dip down a bit. But that's O.K., becuase it actually creates a nice spot for the topping.

You can fill them with any fruit you like. Or even try a drizzle of chocolate!

Cheesecake Tarts

2, 8oz packages of cream cheese

3/4 C Sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Nabisco Nilla Wafers

~Put 1 vanilla wafer in each cupcake paper. Mix cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs and lemon juice. Mix. Fill papers 2/3 full. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool, then fill with canned pie filling or fresh fruit.

Makes about 20.

You can serve with the papers on, or you can remove them before serving.

Note: You can also use this recipe for a 9 inch pie pan. Just use a graham cracker crust, and the cooking time may be a bit longer.

Enjoy!

Spring Flower Pot

2010-03-08T14:28:00.000-08:00

It was about time to change up my fireplace mantel. So I started with this terra cotta pot.

First, I painted it.

Then, I used my Sharpie magic marker to write some words in cursive. I wrote words like...flower...spring...plant...

Next, I sanded over it a bit. I thought about rubbing some dirt on it too, but then decided not to. I was happy with this look as it was.

In go some fake flowers, with my real little beauty in the background.

I hotglued some spanish moss on, and she's done!

Go take a look at some more fun March projects at Beneath My Heart here.

Traci is having her first linky party...and there are some FABULOUS ideas out there!

Baby Gift Tag Giveaway!

2010-03-07T17:30:00.000-08:00

This week will start my 9th month of pregnancy! So in celebration of my little guy almost being here, I'd like to give away some cute little gift tags!

I have so many friends that are expecting right now! It's nice to have gift tags on hand when I'm preparing a cute baby gift.

The winner will receive 3 pink and 3 blue tags.

~For a chance to win, just leave a comment and let me know what your favorite baby gifts are to give, or to receive!

~If you would like 2 chances, then become a follower of my blog, and let me know in a separate comment.

We think this will be our last child, so I'm trying to soak up every last moment of this pregnancy...but I wouldn't mind if he came a little bit early!!!

I'll announce the winner on Thursday night.

Good luck!!!

Thankful Thursdays (gentle reminders)

2010-03-04T10:35:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for gentle reminders of the beautiful things on this earth.

One time when rushing out the door, I noticed a weed growing in our pavement. In my mind I was thinking, I better take care of that soon, or weeds will start growing on our lawn too.

(This is just an image off the internet, but this is exactly what it looked like.)

Then my son (3-years-old at the time) said, "Look Mommy! A flower!"

It took me a minute to figure out that he was referring to this weed. I smiled at him and said, "Yes, that is a flower."

And here's some beautiful flowers we are noticing from our little peach tree!

And another beautiful thing....

My daughter just learned how to ride a two wheeler! Yeah!

(just had to throw this one in)

Have a great day!!!

Blog Banners for Dummies

2010-02-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

There has to be a book called Blog Banners for Dummies! Right? Oh, well. I'll just have to settle with what I've got for now. So I put up a photo of some orange blossoms. If anyone lives where there are orange trees, you know what I mean when I say how LOVELY the orange blossom smell is when they are in bloom. Picture acres of orange trees with the scent of countless orange blossoms filling the air. My little sister is moving back east in the heart of all the snow, so I know how much she will miss the sweet scent of orange blossoms. When I lived in a snowy climate for a while, that was one of the things I really missed from living in Arizona. I will attempt to paint a picture for her in the coming months. So I will start to post my painting progress soon!

My Freaky Header

2010-02-26T08:58:00.000-08:00

O.K., I'm throwing in the towl for now. Does anyone have a quick fix for my header??? I have to move on to my daily errands! I just can't figure out how to put different lettering, and center it! AAAHHH!

walk away...walk away....

Bisquit Bears

2010-02-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

When my daughter was in kindergarten last year, one of the parents brought bisquit bears for all the kids. I thought they were so cute! She made hers with refrigerated bisquit dough. I don't always have bisquit dough on hand, so I decided to make a simple bisquit recipe from scratch. Then I drizzled a powdered sugar glaze over the top, and added raisins for the eyes and nose. My kids loved them!

I think next time we'll have the kids make their own creatures and see what they come up with!

Thankful Thursdays (prayer)

2010-02-25T09:36:00.000-08:00

I just wrote a really lengthy post, but decided to delete it. I thought it was sounding to "preachy", and that's not my intention at all.
So here's a more simplified version.
Today I am thankful for prayer. The fact that we can pray any time of the day for guidance and comfort is so amazing to me. Last night I needed comfort. I needed to know things would be O.K. As I prayed I felt like I was venting and letting all my emotions out. But afterwards, I felt a great peace. Things will work out, and fall into place the way they should, as I try to do what is right and good, even though I am so flawed.
I could go on and give so many examples of my ansered prayers, but I won't. Each prayer is so personal and sacred. Many times my prayers are not answered the way I want them to be. I just know that it is real. It's not something that I take for granted.
So for what it's worth, remember that there is communication beyond cell phones, texting, emails, and facebook. Remember to pray.

Afterschool Snack S.O.S!

2010-02-24T15:02:00.000-08:00

I always love the look on my kids faces when they walk in the door from a long day at school, and they smell the aroma of freshly baked cookies. They rush into the kitchen and for some reason, the world is a better place! Of course I don't make cookies all the time. Maybe once every other week.
But one of my HAPPY things is Cake Mix Cookies. They are so quick to make, so I try to always have a box of cake mix on hand for those quickly needed treats. One box will make 3 dozen cookies. Just the perfect amount for my family.

Cake Mix Cookies:

1 box of cake mix (any flavor)

2 eggs

1/2 C vegt. oil

2 Tbsp. water

Mix all ingredients together and drop by small spoonful into a bowl of sugar. Roll around, then place on a cookie sheet. (You don't have to roll it in sugar. You can just put it directly onto the cookie sheet)

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

These are great plain, or with frosting!

You can add ingredients, such as chocolate chips, nuts, coconut, etc.

Lucky to be with You!

2010-02-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

I got the inspiration for this from Make it Sparkly Mama HERE. She has great ideas, and her blog is so fun to look through. So I attempted my own little St. Patty's Day decoration by using things I already have, since I was without a car today.

The pictures are pretty self explanitory as to how I made it.

I don't have a Cricket machine YET, so I had to make my own stencils by tracing big letters off the computer screen onto cardstock.

I used my scroll saw to cut out the shamrock.

I sprayed a little Elmer's craft spray adhesive to the back of my stencils, and then used a metalic gold spray paint.

I attached the shamrock with a little wood glue and a couple of nails.

With the addition of the shamrock, it actually helps the whole thing stand up on it's own.

The flash on my camera is making the gold paint EXTRA shiny!

There! My first St. Patrick's Day decor! Aren't I so LUCKY???

I'll be linking this up to Craftaholics Anonymous here

New Chore Chart!

2010-02-22T14:44:00.000-08:00

My other chore chart just wasn't big enough. So in comes my 20"x24" chort chart!

This was the 'before' picture from Goodwill.

I sanded down the wood to take the varnish off.

Then Emily helped me with the painting...

And the distressing (more sanding)...

Then I used the cardboard from the framed picture and wrapped some fabric that I had around it. Duct tape worked just fine to hold on the fabric in the back. I also had to make sure the glass was cleaned really well so the vinyl would stick. The Goodwill find was pretty dirty and dusty.

And thanks to my sister for the vinyl lettering! I'm not sure if I'm in love with the fabric. But it will have to do for now.

(I'll be linking this on Twice Remembered, for Make Your Monday Week.)

Example-of-the-Believers

2010-02-21T08:57:00.000-08:00

Example-of-the-Believers

I wanted to share this video. I'm trying to teach my children to be kind to everyone they come in contact with. To recognize others needs, and lift them up during their trials. I thought this was a good example of highschool students recognizing the wish of another fellow student.
Have a great Sabbath Day!

Reawakening Some Frames

2010-02-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

My littlest girl actually slept in this morning until 9:30! She usually wakes up at least twice each night. So after checking, and re-checking on little Katlyn, I decided to change up some picture frames. In an effort to simplify and organize my home this year, the little decor that I have could use some updating too! I went from ho-hum oak brown to some distressed blackness. I think it freshens the frames up a bit.

Christmas in February!

2010-02-18T12:13:00.000-08:00

This past Christmas was wonderful...but stressful too. I felt like our kids didn't really get into the true Spirit of Christmas. Probably mostly my fault, because I was so worried about how we would afford gifts for them. So this year, I told myself I would simplify and do more of a "homemade" Christmas. I want the kids to think of others needs and wants, instead of their own. We'll have them draw each others names, so they can be thinking of something to make for that person. Hopefully this will take their minds off of "Mom, for Christmas I REALLY want....." You know what I'm talking about.

In the meantime, last week while at Goodwill, I snatched up these (still in the box!)...

Then I got the idea to make this for each one...

Now...how does this tie into making my kids feel the true meaning of Christmas you ask?

Well, I have 3 little girls. And my 2 older boys are perfectly capable of building these doll beds. So I'll cut out 2 more patterns, and let them build and paint them. This will be their "homemade" gift for their sisters. My boys love building things too, so this will be extra special for them.

This bed will fit any 18" doll. It's so hard for me to hide gifts from my kids! But I'll have to force myself to wait until Christmas with these! But I'm excited to have a LESS STRESSFUL holiday season this year. And my boys will be super excited to give their handmade gifts to their sisters!

Come see some more DIY projects from other bloggers at Funky Junk Interiors SNS Linkey here.

Paper Crafting Girls Night

2010-02-16T22:30:00.000-08:00

We had a little papercrafting activity at our church tonight. I had the gals bring something to demonstrate if they wanted. It was fun seeing the combination of great ideas!

Unfortunately the batteries died in my camera (even though I recharged them for about 3 hours just before!), so I wasn't able to get all the pictures I wanted.

Here's Summer showing us her adorable Shutter Card. It is so much fun to look at!

And here is a deceptively easy card to make. It looks so intricate, but Bonnie Joe's instructions were very simple. So I think I can even give this a try. She even said we all could borrow her amazing paper tools.

Here's some more fun ideas that were shown to us. I'm thinking I need to make some cute metal tags now!

Thanks to all the wonderful sisters that shared their talents and ideas with us! And again, I'm sorry I don't have more pictures, but apparently my "rechargeable" batteries have a smaller shelf life than I thought.

Stationary/Card Box

2010-02-16T22:08:00.000-08:00

This would be cute for a teacher, don't you think? I think I'll print out "Mrs. Tappert" and put it on the apple, or on the front of the box. The possiblities are endless for the color combinations and ribbon you could use for something like this.

I used 3 different colors, raffia, a glue stick, and a wooden apple cutout (29 cents at the craft store).

Cut a 12x12 piece of cardstock in half.

Score the sides and bottoms at 1 1/2 inches, then fold in.

You can shorten the length if you want, but the 1 1/2 inches on the sides and bottom is a good measurment for this. Anything smaller than that, and it has a hard time standing up.

Snip the bottom corners only, up 1 1/2 inches.

Cut out some coordinating paper to decorate the front of your box.

I like to sand the edges of my paper.

If you want to sand the edges of your paper, it is best to have cardstock with a white core, or white on the opposite side.

I used my puffy sticky dots to attach the paper to the front.

Glue the tabs to the inside of the bottom flap.

Glue the two box walls together.

Attach a cute ribbon, or raffia, around the box.

Trace around the wooden shape, cut, and glue to the apple.

Sand around the edges of the apple and attach to the box with sticky dots, or hot glue.

Now all I need to do is make some cute cards or stationary to go on the inside, and give it to a wonderful teacher!

Happy Box Making!

Blue on Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T23:09:00.000-08:00

I had to drop my hubby off at the airport at 4:30 this MORNING. Why are there still cars on the road at 4:30 A. freakin' M.??? Can you tell I'm a little grumpy from lack of sleep? Well, needless to say, it's hard having the love of my life away from me. Especially on Valentine's Day. But we get to pick him up tomorrow! Yeah! My kids don't have school tomorrow either, so we'll make a big sign to welcome daddy home.

But for now, I'll surf around in blogland, and visit my favorite sites...and dream of all the wonderful Goodwill finds that will beckon me on my next visit!

I just spent about an hour of fun looking at all the great linkeys on Make it for Mondays from Cottage Instincts here. One of my favorites was these cute little birdy makeovers found here.

Thankful Thursday...apple peeler!

2010-02-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

Today I'm thankful for my WONDERFUL apple peeler! My parents gave it to me for my birthday last year, and I LOVE it! It has been so much fun, especially for my kids. They love to eat the spiraled apples, and none of it goes to waste.

The apple spirals are what my kids love for an after school snack!

Instant apple slices for my apple crisp!

For a 9x13 pan, I use 5 Granny Smith apples.

Here it is with the apple crisp topping, just before it goes in the oven.

I don't have any photos of my recent apple crisp after it came out of the oven, because it always gets eaten way too fast in my family!

But here's my recipe:

5 Granny Smith apples (peeled and sliced)

1 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C all purpose flour

3/4 C oats (regular, or quick cooking)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 C butter (at room temp.)

~Arrange the apple slices in a 9x13 greased pan.

~Combine the rest of the ingredients together to make the crumb topping. Sprinkle on top.

~Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes

It tastes great by itself, and it tastes even better with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream on top!

Enjoy!

Not so perfect fingernails

2010-02-10T08:44:00.000-08:00

When I'm off to church, I will often look down at my hands and think..."Oh, my fingernails look awful!...I wish I had painted them or something." I often refer to my hands as "man hands." Then one day I was telling my mom about my pretty hand dilema, and she then emailed me this wonderful quote from Sister Hinckley, which always makes me feel better. Even when I drive to church with my 'man hands.'

"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.

I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."

~Marjorie Pay Hinkley

Valentine Tutorial

2010-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give each of my kids a box of chocolates for Valentine's Day. These $1.00 heart shaped chocolate boxes are the perfect size for them. I think they each have 4 or 5 "fancy" chocolates in them.

My idea was to dress them up a bit, and make them more personable.

So I cut out a heart from cardstock and glued it on the top.

I printed out little Valentine sayings in different fonts. Then I cut out a heart shape.

I distressed the red heart paper by lightly rubbing my black ink pad on the edges.

Then I made a tag for each of my kids.

I put a puffy "pop dot" on the back of the tags, and them stuck them on the chocolate boxes.

I found the silky ribbon at Walmart for 37 cents a yard! I bought 4 yards, and it was just the right amount for my 5 little Valentines.

Cute Birthday Card

2010-02-06T20:41:00.000-08:00

I'm in charge of our February R.S. activity, and I decided to have a "show and tell" with paper crafting. Sooo...I needed to make some posters for the hallways, and I found these super cute cards to go on them. I used to LOVE making cards.

I said "used to" because I haven't really had time to sit without interuption and make cards or do scrapbooking. But I decided that I just need to make some more cards and fill up my stock pile again!

So I've included instructions on how to make this. You'll have to excuse my mommy hands. I'm could REALLY use a manicure. But alas, it will have to wait another year!

First, take a normal letter envelope. Seal it. Then cut it in half.

Cut the top corners.

Fold the front flap down.

Attach cute paper to the front (you can do the back too if you want, but it's not neccessary).

I just used a glue stick.

Glue on coordinating paper to the flaps. I glued down the bottom flap.

Cut out coordinating paper for the inside tag. Make sure you have it at the length you want for it to stick out of the top (see very top photo). Cut the top corners. Punch a hole in the top.

I wanted to make the hole stand out a little more, so I made an additional hole in some blue paper. (I don't have any grommets or fancy stuff like that! So I have to improvise!)

I also don't have any fancy circle cutters....(sigh), so I traced a circle and cut around it with my fancy schmancy scissors!

I printed off "Happy Birthday!", traced a circle, and cut it out.

Next, I decided to ink up the edges of the yellow papers, and the Happy Birthday.

I love the distressed/antiquey look!

I glued this baby to a blue circle.

Then I glued it to the yellow circle, added some more paper on top of the yellow tag, and put some raffia through the tag hole.

I LOVE these Pop Dots! They are a definite must! I put on on the back of the yellow circle to give it more dimension.

I added some raffia around the outside too, and tucked the knot under the circles.

Wouldn't this look so cute on top of a birthday present?

I think this would bring a smile to anyones face.

This is definitely homemade happiness!

Thankful Thursday...Belated!

2010-02-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

So, where did the week go? We've dealing with bad colds over here all week. But this morning we went to Costco in the rain. Just me and Tye, and our girls. It was kind of nice going when they first opened.
I'm thankful for my kids. They are healthy and vibrant. Energetic. I can't believe we are about to have 6!

Menu Monday!

2010-02-01T15:04:00.000-08:00

Don't we all, at one point or another, wish we had our own personal chef? Oh, I could be so healthy! But alas, I have to fend for myself, plus feed a houseful of 7 people each day.

Something that has really helped me in the kitchen is having my menu list. By keeping it on the refrigerator, I can refer to it while I'm making my grocery list.

I've sectioned it off by dinners, side dishes, and breakfasts. Lunch doesn't count, because I don't really need to "plan" on making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for my 2 youngest, and my other kids eat at school most of the time. And I try to make enough dinner for my husband to have leftovers for luch the next day. Anyways, this is what works for me...for now.

It's really easy for my brain to freeze, with no thought process going on at all (especially while I'm pregnant!)So having this list helps me especially during these times.

If I don't make up a grocery list, then I end up spending way too much money, and food tends to get wasted.

So first, I get a piece of paper and fold it in half. Then I list my menu items for at least 7 days on the right hand side.

Next, I begin with the top dinner choice, and decide if I need any of those ingredients. For example, I already have the chicken and BBQ sauce. But I'm out of fruit. So I'll put down the fruit I want to get on the left side of the paper.

Then I go down the list. I already have all the ingredients for chicken enchiladas and shredded lettuce. So I'll move on to the next menu item, which is taco salad. I need olives and sour cream.

I write down the items according to my "pattern" in the store. For example, the sour cream goes towards the bottom of the list, because I get my dairy products almost last. The fruit goes on the top of the list, because I always start in the produce section.

Then I continue down my menu list on the right hand side, and fill in the ingredients I need on the left hand side. I also always remember to get the essentials (milk, eggs, butter, bread, milk, and even more milk).

This may seem like a crazy thing to blog about, but trust me, it's something I've actually had to learn to do. My mom would do something similar with a dinner calendar that she always had. I now understand the reasons behind it!

Also, one more thing....

I'll write on the calendar what we're having for dinner each day. That way, I'll remember to take the frozen chicken out the night before, or put things in the crockpot in the morning. (Oh, I LOVE the crockpot! Especially when I know it's going to be a totally crazy day!)

Have fun planning your menus!!!

Thankful Thursdays

2010-01-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

Is it Thursday already? I remember last year at this time my husband said this last year of schooling would go by fast. I think he is right. At times I am so anxious for him to be done with school. I look at the younger couples in my church with only one or two children, and they are just beginning their journey through dental or medical school. It makes me stop and ponder of all the trials we have been through. But it also makes me remember all the wonderful times we have had with our children growing up in different areas. We have moved so many times, and met so many people. If we could start all over again, I think Tye would have started his schooling earlier. But we've grown so much along the way. Maybe we wouldn't have learned certain life lessons otherwise.

So today, here is what I'm thankful for:

1. Friendships we've made throughout these difficult years...(here's a shout out to our friends in Tempe, Queen Creek, Williams Campus, Arcadia, and Temple City).
2. My camera, which helps me remember all the happy memories!
3. And I'm thankful that we're in Tye's last year of school! Woo Hoo!!!
4. Oh, and I'm thankful that my son can make cookies for our family, when this prego woman is just too tired!

Quiet Books

2010-01-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

I bought a package of picture cards with images of Christ, by Greg Olsen, a long time ago. Today I finally lamenated them. I wanted something simple that my kids could flip through during church to help them be reverent. I also laminated a simple chore chart to hang on my fridge. Lakeshore Learning Center only charges 39 cents per foot of lamination. So it was like 80 cents total today!

After cutting them all out, I punched a hole in the corners, and put a clip on it. And there you go. Something simple and compact to keep in my overly-stuffed diaper bag.

I also made this simple ABC book with a cheap photo album. This is also nice for church, or when we're waiting in a doctor's office.

Stamped Jewlery Giveaway

2010-01-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite blogs, Beneath My Heart, is doing a stamped jewlery giveaway. Go here and check it out! The giveaway is for a $40 gift certificate for Queen Bee Designs. But hurry, because it ends at midnight on Thursday!

Furniture Re-do

2010-01-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

If I could spend all day refinishing wooden furniture, I would! But this will be slow going until my kids are back in school next week. I was given 2 of these side tables about 6 years ago by a friend (she didn't want them anymore). So now I have an itch to paint them. My stud-muffin thinks wood should not be painted over if it has a good grain showing through. This is a project I need to just do, and hope he likes the end result!

So with the help of my kiddos on one of our very rainy days last week, we started sanding away!

My idea: I was thinking of replacing the glass top with wood, and then painting the whole thing black and distressing it. Then I would paint a checker board on the top, so we can play checkers of course! I saw this idea on a blog that I came across, and loved it! (I can't remember the blog it was on. I'll have to try to find it when I post my final result).

But now I can't decide if I want to paint it white, and add an antique glaze, or if I should just paint it black and distress it a little. Decisions, decisions!

Thankful Thursdays (my hubby)

2010-01-21T15:14:00.000-08:00

Today as I was trying to think of things I was thankful for, it was a little difficult. I know...what happened to counting my blessings??? (I blame it on my empty brain while I'm 7 months pregnant!)

But then Tye came home from a doctor's appointment this morning. He was feeling like calling in sick. He was in a lot of pain. But he didn't call in sick. He went back to school. Back to the clinic so he could take care of his patients.

I think back on all the years he has been in school. Many of his fellow classmates, while earning his bachelors degree, would ask him how he did it. How did he go to school full time, AND work full time? It was the same in dental school. How did he get through it with a wife and 4 kids at the time? And now he's in his residency program with his 6th child on the way. How does he do it?

Well, I really don't have an answer either. But somehow he manages. Somehow he is able to keep the family together, and be such a great father and husband.

So today, and every day, I'm thankful for my wonderful husband. My best friend.

Only 7 more months of school, honey. But we've been enjoying the journey together.

I love you!

Love At Home

2010-01-16T22:33:00.000-08:00

We had our adult Stake Conference at our church tonight. The opening song that we all sang together was Love at Home. When everyone started to sing it, the Spirit could be felt so strongly. It is such a beautiful song. It's one of my favorite hymns. So I would like to share the words here, as this is truely a song that brings me much happiness.

Love at Home

by John Hugh McNaughton (1829-1891)

There is beauty all around

When there's love at home;

There is joy in every sound

When there's love at home.

Peace and plenty here abide,

Smiling sweet on every side.

Time doth softly, sweetly glide

When there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home;

Time doth softly, sweetly glide

When there's love at home.

In the cottage there is joy

When there's love at home;

Hate and envy never annoy

When there's love at home.

Roses bloom beneath our feet;

All the earth's a garden sweet,

Making life a bliss complete

When there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home;

Making life a bliss complete

When there's love at home.

Kindly heaven smiles above

When there's love at home;

All the world is filled with love

When there's love at home.

Sweeter sings the brooklet by;

Brighter beams the azure sky.

Oh, there's One who smiles on high

When there's love at home.

Love at home, love at home;

Oh, there's One who smiles on high

When there's love at home.

This photo was taken last year on Mother's Day. My kids all picked flowers from our rose bushes. They were so sweet. They are my sweet little angels.

Thankful Thursdays (windchimes)

2010-01-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

My blogging friend, Bren, would occasionally post things she is thankful for on Thursdays. By doing this, she caused me to reflect on things I am thankful for each week. So, if it is O.K. with you, Bren, I would like to start my own Thankful Thursdays.

To be thankful for the things in my life brings me happiness. Are you ever sad when you think of things you are thankful for???

So today, I would like to be thankful for my windchimes! Yes, last night (all through the night), outside our bedroom window we heard the beautiful sound of our windchimes. It was so windy! Along with the wind blowing in the trees, we could also here things being knocked over in our backyard.

But the beautiful sound of the windchimes brought me back to living in Arizona. My parents used to have a few windchimes hanging on their backyard porch. When they blew in the wind it would bring a ting of excitement, because that meant a possibility of cooler weather. I would look forward to the monsoon season, which was around the end of July. It was so exciting to recieve any kind of rain in The Valley of the Sun!

Here in California, where we are, it rains a little bit more, but not much. However, next week we are expecting rain for several days. So the excitement begins!

Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy

2010-01-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

What makes a person happy? Is it the things surrounding them? Is it the amount of money in the bank? Is it the sweet laughter of a child? Can happiness be given?
So many people have the desire to be happy. I often wonder why they aren't happy already. What is stopping them from being happy? I am definately no expert on happiness, but I do know that happiness cannot be bought (well, maybe only temporarily with a chocolate ice-cream cone!).
"Happiness is Homemade" is a phrase that has really started to grow on me. No matter what one's circumstance may be, there is always something to be grateful for. There is always something to lighten the spirit of the soul. I have my moments of trial and struggle. Everyone does. But how do I carry myself through those trials? I have memories of dark times, and I realize that during those times I wasn't focusing on what truely inspires me and brings joy to my life. So this blog will be dedicated to those inspirations of what can add to the joy, peace, and happiness in my life.

My parents gave me a book called Finding Peace, Happiness, and Joy by Richard G. Scott. This book has definately contributed to many answered prayers. It has helped me put things into perspective in times when I couldn't think clearly. So thank you Mom and Dad for this book. I will always treasure it.