LOVE List

Have you ever had one of those days where you find things that are truly lovely.

Moments that spark joy

Here were a few of mine...

Lunch with a new friend
Looking at lovely white baptism dresses with my Mini B. and pinning them to her board.
Seeing God's hand in the details of my life.
This beautiful living room set up, below
The voice of my sister who is in Colorado and coming to visit tomorrow
My other sister and her true concern for my family
Talking to my Mom
A text from my dear friend and the banner she sent me hanging on my mantel.

Life is good

This is from Four Chairs Furniture...I am in love with it.  Isn't it lovely.

Monday Musings

I have read this story several times and it always is something I need to be reminded of.  I hope you will take a few minutes to read it. We all are creating things that go unseen and unoticed by anyone other than God.  And yet why is that not enough, to know that the creater of all beauty and light see's our creations and not only notices but is honored by our efforts.  http://powerofmoms.com/2012/07/the-invisible-woman/

Listening to the Postive-Week 2

I have had one of those weeks that every time I turn around I hear this silly voice in my head telling me "You can't" or "It's not worth it" or "I deserve this treat" . I hear this voice the most when I am striving for good things in my life. Usually at the beginning when making changes are really, really difficult. I found this quote and it is sooo true.
I went to a Health Evening once and the speaker talked about turning that voice around. For instance saying, "I am smarter and stronger than that cookie." or "I deserve to be healthy." instead of "I deserve that dessert."

There is really something to the power of positive thinking and positive talk. This week as you strive for a healthier and more powerful you, try kicking out the liar thoughts and replacing them with some truth.
"You can do hard things."
"You are strong."
"You deserve to be Happy and Healthy."
"You deserve to feel great in your skin and clothes."

Then make the choices that will lead you to those goals. Good luck this week beautiful women.

March Madness Health Fest Begins...Motivation Monday

My sisters and I are having a March Madness Health Fest. We are each contributing an item to a Relaxation/Health Basket and then each day we can earn points for eating vegetables, drinking water, sleeping 7-8 hours, and working on our personal health goals. Whoever has the most points at the end of the month gets the basket.

Each Monday I will be posting a Motivational Thought for all of us. This week I had to put this picture up:I'm not sure if it is actual motivation. But the point of all of this is to feel good in our skin, to feel like the top picture even if we don't look like it all the time. Being healthy isn't about being skinny it is about feeling great. Feeling healthy, feeling good about ourselves. When I eat healthy I feel good. When I get enough sleep I am happier. When I am exercising I feel powerful. Even if I don't always look fantastic, I start to believe that I do. So here's to feeling good in our skin and to loving our bodies enough to truly care for them.

And to anyone else who might actually read this blog I challenge you to find a couple of friends, a sister, a brother or even a Mother -in Law, but find someone to start a March Madness Group with.

And to my girls Good luck this week, I know we are going to ROCK it.

Snowy Sunday Morning.

My kids have been sick this week and we have been busy helping some friends with various things, plus we have been De-junking like crazy. All in all it has built up a culmination of chaos in our home. I am behind it seems in everything and my house looks like it has imploded.

I lay in bed at 6:30 am willing the alarm clock to turn back time just one more hour, since my head was throbbing and I longed for just a little more sleep. Lil' Monkey at some point had made his way into our room, and was cuddled up beside me. He is my cuddle and I find that I want to just cuddle him and keep him close and young.

When I was a new mother I read everything I could about sleeping, feeding, and parenting in general and stressed myself out on a regular basis about all the things I wasn't doing right. When Clutch Powers or Mini Boden would come in to our room in the middle of the night, we usually let them stay out of pure exhaustion, but I tried not to cuddle them to much, because I was so fearful of letting them get out of a sleep rotation. They both sleep fine now, so fine in fact that they no longer come into our rooms and I wonder if I missed an opportunity somehow to cuddle them a little more. I still hear the statements from those books in my head, but with Logan I have chosen to disregard them and whether that is the reason he is my cuddly one or maybe just because it is part of him. I try to tune out what every one else says and just enjoy a precious moment with my little one.

So I lay in bed this snowy Sunday, holding my little one's hand and feeling content to let time slip by for a few minutes. To not rush to my next meeting, or appointment. To not get up and frantically try and clean the disaster I knew was waiting me downstairs. But to just be in the moment with my little one who will grow up too quickly and no longer need me in this capacity.
I find at least for me that it is in these moments when I rely on what I think is best instead of what others think or expect, that I truly find peace as a mother.

I find that I am happy as a mother. There will be time to pick up toys today and that will happen because order balances out my soul. But for this moment I wanted to live in that moment and hold Lil' Monkeys's little hand that keeps growing, and hear his breathing and know that I was being a good mother.

Loving Downton Abbey

Almost seventeen years ago, my sister introduced me and the other women in my family to a wonderful show called "Pride and Prejudice" - the Colin Firth version. From the moment I finished that beautiful rendition of the Jane Austen classic, I have been hooked on BBC and Masterpiece Theater productions. I am a total and complete BBC and Masterpiece geek and proud of it. A few weeks ago my sister (same one) told me she was hooked on a new Masterpiece production called Downton Abbey. Over the next few weeks I realized that I was one of the only people not in the know.

I have spent wonderful moments folding laundry and cooking dinner with my new friends from Downton Abbey, and I can't wait till next week when the newest episode comes out. Check out the website here. Plus Dame Maggie Smith is in it, how could you go wrong. She is just brilliant.

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year! I love the New Year. I love getting rid of all the merry making and going stark, clean and minimalistic. I love the hope of spring eventually. The promise of change. I am a theme girl. A good theme helps me to focus and direct myself. I have been trying to come up with a good theme for 2012. Something that rhymes or is catchy. Nothing has come to me. Then looking through the paper and ad's today I saw the theme for the Young Women in our church. "Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations." D&C 115:3. If it is good for the YW why not for me. And although it was super difficult for me to arise this morning for 9 am church. I have found my theme. I love that there is action involved. First we have to get up, then we have to shine forth. That means not being sullen or fearful. Shining is bright, hopeful and full of light. The light of God.

Today Mr. M talked in church. He talked about looking upward instead of sideways. He told the Max Lucado story "You Are Special" about the Wemmicks who put stars or dots on each other depending on how good or bad they are perceived by others. It is only when we turn to the Master and realize that we were created to just be ourselves when we focus on what the Master thinks more than on what others think that we are truly able to let the praises and critiques of others mean little to who we really are. It is in that moment that we are truly able to Arise and shine Forth.

May you all have a Bright and Joyous New Year!

Catching the Christmas Spirit

I feel like time is running so quickly. It barely feels like we were trick or treating and now I am hanging Christmas stockings. Everything feels so rushed and always a bit crazy this time of year.

Tonight for Family Home Evening we read a little poem from the new Friend magazine. It talked about how we try not to catch sickness' this time of year, but we should try to catch the "Spirit of Christmas." As easy as it sounds, it is really much more difficult in the world we live in.

My kids are home off-track the entire month and our first real day home today, was a mess of crying, "I'm bored", fighting, light-saber duels and huge toy pile ups and it all ended with me yelling and screaming for everyone to be nice to one another. Not so much the spirit I was hoping for. But tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes and I am hoping that if we can catch a little bit of the spirit each day, maybe we will have it in full force by the time the celebrations begin.

We are planning some fun things to do as a family. Some secret Santa gifts, baking cookies for Primary teachers and neighbors, and doing things as a family to catch the spirit of Christmas.
I hope I will be able to report that we caught a great big dose of the full force of Christmas and came down with a great case of the "I feel so happy" by the time the last gift is opened.

So here's to a great year of catching the right things in our life, the spirit of giving, of love and of peace on earth. I would settle for peace in my home especially between my two young Jedi's in training. Even if it is just for a few minutes of each day. A girl can hope.

Halloween Decor

I know it is after Halloween, but I wanted to get pictures of this fun Halloween Decor. I put together the picture with wrapping paper and words printed from the computer.


I used black and white beans for filler and a glitter skull from the dollar store.

I found the pumpkin at the thrift store, put scrapbook paper in a clear vase and the crow came from the dollar store.


This is our countdown to Halloween. A frame from Michael's painted black with scrap book paper and a small wooden clip.


Than Mantel...I love the black/white and green theme. It was perfectly frightening.

Family Room Update

When you live in a small house you have to constantly be coming up with ways to keep things in order. We have to use spaces for multiple purposes and get creative. I want our family room to look nice but also to feel kid friendly since it is also the kids play room. It has been difficult for me to do both. Here is my latest attempt. I found these magnet boards on a super good sale at Roberts last Black Tuesday. I finally was able to get them painted this past month. I love the colors and that the kids have a place to put their art work and other important papers.



I love the fabric and color of the frames. The Paint color is Ivy Leaf (Krylon) The flash cards I picked up at the Chicks Store last year. Love that the math one equals my family. 3+2 =5.
Then I finally decided to use my coffee filter wreath in the middle and the frames I got from Mr. M's Mom. She had pictures of her kids in them years ago. They were perfect to put silhouettes representing my kids in. I cut them out with my Silhouette cutter. I just found one that was an older boy, a girl and a little boy.They make me so happy. I love looking at this wall. I love the colors and I love that it is coming together. Hope you are having a wonderful Tuesday. I am loving September sunshine

Remind Me....My Romance Story

In a few weeks I will have been married to Mr. M for 10 years, and I will have known him for sixteen. When you know and live with someone that long you know the good, the bad and the ugly about each other. You know how to push each others buttons for good and for bad. We have most definitely had our ups and downs. More ups than down's. We have fought and then made up, and then fought again, but we always make up and I always know I am loved even if we strongly disagree with each other.

When we were married I knew things would be difficult, I had already been in one failed marriage and knew it wasn't always bliss and roses, but I also knew Mr. M and knew we would always ultimately be committed to making one another happy. There are days however that I have thought, "Why did I think we were compatible? What were we thinking, we are so different? Over the past few weeks I have found a book and a song that have triggered in me the thoughts of why I love to be married to Mr. M.

I read a book review in the newspaper for "The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels a Love Story" By Ree Drummond. Ree is a blogger and in her book she tells about her unlikely love story with her now husband whom she calls The Marlboro Man. Always looking for a new book, I put my name on the hold list at the library and finally was able to read it last week. It was fun and insightful, but these are the things I really learned.

I forget sometimes in the middle of homework, laundry, potty training and life who I am and the reasons I fell in love with Mr. M.
He probably feels the same way

Remembering the reasons why I fell in love help me to see the reality of who Mr. M and I really are.
It would be a good thing to write out my love story with him and read it again and again.

Love often starts out as a quick burning firework. But real romance is a constantly burning flame that you have to give fuel to in order to keep it burning. Sometimes it starts to burn out and that is why we both have to be working on our relationship and reminding one another why we love each other, that is the fuel that keeps it burning.

I think that's why I'm loving the song above by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley called
"Remind Me"

If you haven't written out your love story, it might be a good exercise in Reminding Yourself why you fell in love to begin with.

Hope you have a lovely day.

A Perfectly Lovely September Evening

Have you ever had a moment of loveliness? A perfect moment where you feel inside your soul the loveliness around you. I sat on the trampoline tonight with MiniBoden, at twilight as the horizon with darkness pushing the sun to sleep, filled with a last burst of glory into a burnt orange against a blue grey sky. We jumped and giggled and breathed in the perfect air of September, with its hint of coolness and change. A perfectly lovely September Evening spent with this little person, the same one who teaches me how to be daring and how to be true to myself.

I'm Looking Forward to....

Visiting my sister's booth at the Salt Lake Farmer's Market Saturday. Come check out her booth and all the other vendors. Yummy food and a fun atmosphere.



Watching the 2011 version of Jane Eyre, several times....Just came out on Netflix and Redbox this week.




Reading Sarah M. Eden's newest book Seeking Persephone. I have loved her other two and just picked this one up today. The girl who sold it to me said it was like Jane Austen telling Beauty and the Beast.

Hope you have fun plans for the weekend.

Daisy Chick

September Happiness

I have happy feet...I finally went and picked up my red Tom's. Love, love, love them. They make me happy.Plus I love that I also bought a pair of shoes for a child in need somewhere else in the world. Check out Tom's One for One Movement.

I'm loving grey Nail Polish. It looks so super cute on my fingers. Love, love, love it.

I love to work out on the elliptical and watch something fun. For the last few weeks I haven't had anything to watch and lets just say my motivation hasn't been so great. Well as I flipped through the instant's on Netflix the other day I found a show that I had watched years ago. Like 11 years ago. During the super long, difficult summer of my divorce. My sisters were totally into this show and we spent many Saturday's watching episodes they had recorded onto Video's. It is a fun guilty pleasure. X-Files meets 90210 kind of. But fun to watch and work out to. I am 2 for 2 this week in working out and looking forward to getting up and watching a fun show pulls me up out of bed. So thank you Roswell.

What's bringing you September Happiness.

Em

Decorating on a Dime... Sports Themed Room

My good friend's little boy loves balls. She has been doing his room in a sports theme. The other day while I was looking at scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby I found this awesome vintage ball paper. I knew I had to get it and do something for his room. I found these wood frames with mats at Family Dollar for $2 for the large, $1.80 for the long one, and $1 for the small ones at the Dollar Store. The paper was $0.44 a sheet. I cut the letters out on my silhouette cutter. I love how his name one turned out.

Isn't this so cute....

Here are the small ones.



Didn't they turn out cute. Most of all he Loved them.

Decorating on a Dime and a Dollar

I love decorating. But I am on a really tight budget too. I think this works as an advantage to engaging my creativity. I also realize my kids are learning how to have beautiful things but be thrifty too. We just finished Mini Boden's bedroom re-do and she and I decided to change the color of her desk and chairs. I let her pick. She went out to the garage and rummaged through the spray paint and decided on metallic chairs, and a Watermelon Pink table. We picked up this table and chair set at IKEA last year for $24.00 They are just natural wood color out of the box. I think they are super darling with the color added.


The chairs look like metal ones. I also had to cover them with a clear Krylon seal spray, because the metallic especially kept rubbing off. I am moving them into her room today. Super cute huh?

I have been needing a new Living Room Rug for awhile. My regular one is completely shredded on the edges. I keep cutting back, but I have been saving for a rug and looking for awhile. I found for $90 that I thought would work, and have been putting money away for it. Then a few weeks ago I went to Lowe's with my sis, on a project we are working on. We found the most amazing clearance items and I decided it wouldn't hurt to take a stroll through the rugs. Most of which are out of my budget right now. I was so glad I looked. I found this beautiful thing for $25. Yep that is right 25 buckaroo's. I almost did a happy dance in the aisle. I brought it home and I AM IN LOVE with it. It is super soft and makes me feel sooooo happy. What do you think?





I was at the Dollar Store the other day and found these great fall flowers and greenery. I thought it would be so stunning in some of my crocks. Take a look at our new fall additions.

I am loving the colors and feel like they add a lot to our little Family Room. What are you decorating for a Dime and a Dollar? I would love to hear.

August Decorating

As we sit in the middle of August the end of summer and approaching fall, I am in the mood for change. I think I always feel this way as fall approaches. It is my favorite time of year and I love the transformation the earth makes to prepare for winter. It is as if God gives us one beautiful blast of color and splendor before we embark on the stark coldness of winter days. Here are a few of my fun changes.

My fun new front door wreath:

The twine covered wreath was all over blog land awhile ago, and I made one, burned my fingers so badly on hot glue and will never attempt one again. The wreath was too small for my door so I went a scavenger hunt around my house. I love this fabric I picked up at Jo-Ann's and thought it's color's were perfect for that summer to fall transition time. I ruffled the fabric and some muslin fabric on my sewing machine. Then just hot glued them onto the back of the wreath. I love it. It makes me fee so happy.


I found this plant stand for $1 at yard sale, painted it with Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze. I found the metal tin at DI awhile ago for about 50 cents. I have all these yellow flowers from the flower decorations from last year's Gratitude Gathering and wallah. I think it is bright, happy and full of the last bit of summer sunshine.

Next up is the red mantel. I love the red mantel and change it frequently. Currently this is what it looks like. The red rock's are from our trip to St. George this past year...I love that I can look up and see those every day. I love this cute owl. He is going to be used at Hedwig in our upcoming Halloween Harry Potter party, but for now I liked him so much I decided to have him perch on my mantle.
My family room is a work in progress. I'm not sure what to do with this wall. I love the new pictures with this super cute fabric. It makes me happy. It needs something in the middle. Not sure what yet. So this is the beginning. I will post when I have more inspiration.

or how about this one. I love this picture. It is a paint by number my Dad did when he was a little kid. It has to go somewhere in my house. Trying it out here.

And these are my new pillows. I made the blue one and green one below were made out of two dish towels I found at the Dollar Store. I thought the colors worked perfect.

So I found this darling blog called Dear Lillie.
I love her style and the Jane Austen themed rooms. I decided to add a few Jane Austen accents to my bedroom. I found this silver lamp at Walmart for $4.99. I loved the silver on it. It is actually plastic and was in the Dorm type section. The shade I picked up at Ross for $3.99. It is simple and has a thin brown detailing. The picture frame says: "There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart." - Jane Austen. I also picked up the green at Tai Pain for $1.00 and the little pot for $2.00 I think. It just makes me happy. The journal's underneath are my kid's journal's that I keep with things about them.


Our wedding photo, on a piece of muslin. I wrapped burlap around the vase and put our wedding date on it. The handkerchief under the flowers was my Nan's.
These books were a birthday gift from my sister. They are some of the work's of Louisa May Alcott. And the sand castle was a graduation gift from my sister too. This little display reminds me that she believes in me.
I had to add a silhouette, but wasn't sure where to add one. So I made these and put them on these mirrors. The shell's are from my honeymoon in Florida 10 years ago. This one is my side...the girl silhouette.
This is Mr. M's side. The shelves are plastic and I picked them up at the Dollar Store a few years ago. Painted them red, then cream and sanded. Don't you love them.Mr. M. Doesn't like a lot of decorative things on his side. So I just put a picture of our family and a quote.

Here's the whole bedroom. Can you see my favorite fabric. I love the yellow, brown and red together. It is so inviting and makes me feel warm and cozy.Hope you are having a wonderful August. We have brilliant thunderstorms and big rain drops right now. A perfect day to curl up with a good book.

Happy Day.

Em