Cute Ideas

I haven't been the best this year with Christmas spirit.  I wish I had gotten more caught up in it.  (at least this year I am almost ready!)  Here are some cute ideas I found out there.  I am definitely going to use some of these in the future.

Way cute snowglobe card holders.

Such cute pillows,  you could make some with coordinating colors for the holidays.

Loving this idea to go with hot chocolate for neighbor gifts.

5 awesome ways to wrap a gift card!

Awesome homemade ornaments.

Loving this wreath! It wouldn't be too hard to make.

These look so so yummy

If you know me at all, then you know I LOVE to wrap presents.  (It is probably one of my favorite things about Christmas)  I love how these presents are wrapped.  I think they turned out adorable.

Findings and Decisions

FINDINGS
This awesome band, The Avett Brothers. I am so in love with them. I love the harmony and song writing, it just moves me. Check out their site.






DECISIONS

Well it has taken me a long time to make this decision.  Are you ready?

Here we go!!

I like Toms shoes

Well some of you may already like the style of these shoes.  It took me awhile, the shape of the toe is really different but I have decided that I like it.  I really like the charity aspect of the business.  They also have some way cute patterns.  Here are some of my favorites.

Cute huh?!!

A Quilt for Canyon

I don't know if you guys remember this post.  I promised I would post pictures of adorable Canyon's quilt.  I have to say that this was my first attempt at triangles.  It was stressful but I loved how it turned out.  I think it is so little boy and I love that.  I hope he gets a lot of use out of it.  He is so cute!! Definitely love the little guy.

Baby Canyon with Uncle Mike

Isn't he adorable!!! (He is 7 months now and still just as adorable!)

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

This past sunday I taught a lesson on gratitude and came across this video.  I used it and the girls loved it, they were laughing and cracking up.  I absolutely LOVE this video. I think it is really important to be grateful for even the little things. Enjoy!!

Trust

Let me first tell you that I love my life.  I have a great husband who is AMAZING.  We are both blessed with jobs, we have wonderful family and friends.  Overall I have a great life.  Now let me tell you this, in my life some things have not turned out the way I thought they would.  By now Mike and I thought that we would have a kid or two, we would be in our dream jobs, and things would be going smoothly.  Obviously God had another plan for us.  Lately I have been struggling with stepping back and letting Him lead me.  It is hard to let go of these ideas that you have for your life and except what is reality.  Don't get me wrong I believe that my Heavenly Father won't lead me astray, I know this with all my heart.  I know that He has a plan for me.  It is just hard to let go of some of the things you want in the moment. 

I found a quote by President Thomas S. Monson, he said "The future is as bright as your faith."  If we have faith in God and work hard toward our goals, the future is bright.  I know that I will be blessed with the things I need and want as long as I have faith and trust in God. 

My brother is in Arizona on his mission.  It is neat to hear the stories he tells about conversion and these wonderful people who are putting their trust in God.  It is inspiring and helps me to do the same.

Halloween Puppy and Party

We had an awesome Halloween (saturday) party.  It was a lot of fun.  Mike made this awesome chili that has 3 different kinds of meat in it.  It tasted so good!! I made pumpkin bread bowls.  Then with dessert Mike made hot apple cider with shrunken heads floating in it.  On top of it all I dressed up Alice.  She looked so cute.  (she was also very mad at me!)  We got a ton of trick or treaters!! I hope everyone had a great Halloween.  Ours was so much fun

I finally finished my table runner from like a year ago.

Look how much she loved her costume!! It looks like she wants to wear it forever and ever!

.

2

My puppy turned 2 yesterday. I can't believe it has already been that long since we got her. She is definitely a part of our family. (yes we are lose lame people that spoil their dog too much!) Here are a few pictures of how much Alice has changed!!

 

Pumpkins!!

Hooray for October!!

Pumpkin carving

Leaves changing

Awesome Halloween decorations

Fall weather

Orange

Candy

Cute trick or treaters

Tis the Season

Tis the season for wasting my life away watching television.  I know this is totally lame and you can judge me all you want, but I do love when all my wonderful TV show start up again.  I am so grateful for the invention called a DVR.  I couldn't keep up with anything if it weren't for this wonderful little machine.  Don't get me wrong, I don't sit around all day watching TV, there are a million things to do around my house.  I will admit that I usually end up doing the dishes or folding laundry (not very efficiently) while enjoying my latest show.  (life is to be enjoyed right?) 

Don't even bring up the H word!!

I don't know about you but I am terrible at housework!! I am always behind.  I have tried a million different schedules to keep on top of it, including cleaning a room a day, and just cleaning whatever I see first.  Needless to say nothing has worked. 

One of my friends has an awesome blog, The Modern Hive.  I am always checking it to find out what great ideas she has come up with lately.  Somehow I missed THIS great post,  but luckily when I was talking to her about my dilemma she told me to check out this book called The Creation Plan.

It is this great book written in the 80's.  I haven't found the book yet but there is a great summary HERE.  Just a quick outline, it uses the creation of the world to help you outline your schedule for the week.  For example Tuesday is laundry, hence the day water was created.  There are certain things that you need to do everyday, then there are things that are assigned to Mondays, Tuesdays, etc.  Then there are chores that don't have to be done as frequently so they are assigned to the first week, second week, etc.  Here is how I wrote my schedule up.  For now I wrote it on a white board so I can change days around and find out what works for me.  I also added a spot at the bottom of the board for IDEAS and PROJECTS.  That way I can keep track of everything.  I might come up with a cuter version later. 

I have only been doing this schedule for about a week know, and am definitely in love with it.  I have had to modify it a little bit because I work full time.  The main thing I love about this system is it focuses on guilt free homemaking.  GUILT FREE what is that, right?  I also like how it gives you time to work on your own projects and have a little of me/creative time.  Everyone should check this out.  I might even end up buying the book! 

 Any ideas on a cute way to make a more permanent schedule?