For Friends in the Family

This past week, I've had a lot of opportunity to spend time with my family.  My mom had a layover in Salt Lake, so I got to see her for about 2 hours. The next day, I went to my brother's house to play games. Yesterday, I went to visit my aunt for the evening, and i get to spend all day today with my wonderful husband and daughter!  To add extra icing on the cake, my sister who has been living in Kansas for the past 2 years is moving back to Utah in just a couple of weeks!

I just can't express how wonderful it is to have family that I have friendships with. As I listen to stories of other families, where siblings dot ever talk or get together unless it's a holiday or a tragic emergency, I realize how blessed I am. Growing up, my brothers were always there for me. I am proud to say that I considered them my best friends for many many years, and they are still at the top of my chart (just after my husband). 

I also greatly appreciate the friendship my sister and I have. I can't wait to be closer in distance to have opportunity to grow even closer as friends. :)

I am also so thankful for loving parent, grandparents, aunts and uncles. It meant a lot to me that my mom chose the flight she did so that she could see us even for the 2 hours. What a blessing it is to know how much he loves me. I am also grateful for my uncle and aunt who have been surrogate parents for me when my own have been far away. What a wonderful blessing to know that when I need someone, they will always be there. 

Last, but not least, I am grateful for MY family: my husband and my daughter. What special blessings of joy they are in my life. I am thankful not only for the love, but for the friendship we share. How much fun it is to be first ad foremost friends with my spouse. I don't know what I'd do if he wasn't at my side in all things. I also can't wait to grow a friendship with my daughter as she grows everyday. 

All in all, I love and greatly appreciate my family. Love you all tons! Xoxo

Happy Hauntings!

So, I know that I'm a lot behind on posting this Halloween stuff, but I just couldn't leave it out because it was just too fun!

For the day before Halloween, my Mommy Group had a little Halloween part. Thanks to all my lovely mommies who helped make this such a cute night!  Ready for our Halloween fun?!

Stuffed Jack'O'Lanterns

View the original pin here.

Filling:  Spanish Rice
I have seen these filled with other things, but this is the way I've seen the most, so this is what I did.

Fry 1/2 lb bacon, drain on paper towel and set aside.  Brown 1 lb hamburger and drain.  Add 1.2 small onion chopped and 1 chopped green pepper.  Saute.  Add 2 cups instant rice, 2 cups of water and 2 cans tomato sauce.  When liquid is absorbed and rice cooked, crumble bacon in and mix through.

Make Spanish Rice as above, but omit the peppers and add 3/4 cup corn.  stuff mixture into 6-8 peppers that have had the tops cut off and and seeds removed.  Top with cheese , over and bake at 350 degrees fro 1 hour.  Test peppers to see if soft, then serve.

For Jack'O'Lanterns, cut a face out at the same time as removing seeds.

7 Layer Spider Web

View the original pin here.

the dip is really easy.   Simply layer the following:

Refried Beans

Sour Cream

Salsa (or just tomatoes if you don't like the spice)

Cheese

Guacamole

Olives

Green Onions

I then put extra sour cream in a ziploc bag and piped out the spider web.  The Spider and Flies and just cut up olives.  Easy, yet yummy.

Mummy Dogs

View the original pin here.

Wrap hotdogs in crescent roll dough.  (I use the canned Pillsbury stuff).  Cook according to roll instructions.

Banana Ghosts

View the original pin here.

Cut the bananas in half and add chocolate chip eyes.  I used M&Ms because I didn't have a bag of chips on hand, but I would rather have used the chips because the color bled too quickly as you can see.

Deviled Spider Eggs and Pumpkins

View the original pin here and here.

Hard boil eggs.  Cut in half and remove yolk.  Mash yolks with mayo, mustard, salt, and pepper to taste.  Pipe into eggs (again, I used the ziploc method).  Sprinkle with paprika.

for spiders, I used cut up olives.  For pumpkins, I used food coloring and green onions for the stems.

Cheesy Broomsticks

View the original pin here.

Cut String Cheese to the length desired.  splice one end (making sure not to go all the way through).  Carefully insert a pretzel to the other side (again trying not to split it).  Tie up with sting or green onion stems.

The Gift of Tongues

I had a very good friend of mine, Maria, tell me the other day about her nephew's surgery. The little boy was born with the connection between his tongue and his mouth too short (pardon the plainness, I don't know the words and will probably add then in later). Now, because of this, the little boy had a really hard time being able to latch on to eat. So, at only a few weeks of age, he underwent a small surgery in which that connection was clipped in order to allow more movement of the tongue. 

By the way that Maria explains it, he is now healed and happily enjoying discovering the new abilities of his tongue. Isn't it always adorable to watch when babies discover their tongue? How much fun it must be for this child to have such a discovery after knowing the limits of before.

So, for this weeks blessing, I am grateful for the literal gift of tongues. :)  Our tongues do so many amazing things while doing even more small things while we're not looking. 

How would it be to have the tongue restricted like this little boy? Granted, he had never known any different, but the effects it had on him were huge. First of all, he was starving. I think I take plain and simply the ability to swallow for granted. It just happens, but not without that strong tongue muscle. 

Now, how about talking? I don't know of a verbal language that doesn't involve using the tongue. Not that communication is impossible without speech, but it sure is rather a convenient blessing. I quite possibly talk too much and some would probably appreciate if my tongue were held in a little more, but what a blessing it is to speak, to express oneself at will. 

Our tongues can do so many amazing things and move in so many amazing ways. Think if the rest of your body could more as diversely and freely as the tongue can! There's a reason babies find this body part to be so fascinating. And the fact that we can control it is even more impressive. 

Overall, I am so thankful for the blessing of the wondrous blessing of a miraculously working body. I am thankful that I have a healthy, functioning body. Some problems, such as this little boy's tongue, are correctable, but others are things you have to live with. I am thankful for the blessing of modern medicines and practices. What a miracle this is to that family. 

However, some bodily problems are not correctable in this life. So, i am also thankful for the blessing of the resurrection. What a joyous day it will be in the day of the resurrection when our bodies are made perfect! I was born with a minimal-at-best, practically non-existent sense of smell. I got a minor taste of what it will be like to smell all the time when I was pregnant. What an amazing blessing to know that those who have physical struggles, much much worse than my lack of smell, will have these limitation "clipped" as the little boy's tongue and be given the freedom of function. I am so very thankful for my Lord and Savior who suffered for me so that I can look forward to such a day. 

I will use the blessing of my tongue to praise him all my days!

Stength in the Navel

This week, I feel the need to thank my Heavenly Father for the blessing of Health.  I think I am never as thankful for my health as I am when I am sick.  On that note, I have been sick all week, my husband was sick last week, and now my daughter is starting to show the same symptoms.  I am thankful that The Lord has blessed so many amazing minds to make amazing discoveries in the world of medicine.  Whatever would I do without NyQuil?!  I am also thankful for the healing powers of the natural world.  On top of special thinks like essential oils and vitamin pills, I'm so grateful for Water.  It's amazing what a difference good hydration can make!  I am also just amazed at the miraculous functions of the human body.  The plain and simple fact that my body is designed to combat sickness is incredible!  What amazing wisdom and knowledge The Lord has to have designed such a miraculous body.  All in all, I am thankful that The Lord has blessed my body to be able to grow stronger and healthier day by day.

Princess Crown Bow Holder

So, I have always wanted one of the super cute little girl bow holders that looks like the a ballerina. I love how the bows clip onto the skirt. However, I looked and looked and looked and yet couldn't find anything I liked to represent the torso of the ballerina. :p I decided that maybe I would look for other alternatives. I found this super cute wooden crown at Michael's Craft Store for like $1. What a deal, right?!  It wasn't what I was looking for, but it was super cute. 

So then, I was given a bag of extra craft supplies from my friend Lisa. Inside was the super cute pink ribbon and tons of rhinestones. Thanks, Lisa!

So, I just painted the crown, hot glued the ribbons and stones on. Super simple to do, but it sure turned out cute!

And yet, there's room to grow!

Blessing of the Week

I decided that I need to show my God a lot more appreciation for the little things. Every week, I will thanks him for a different item that has been a blessing that week. 

This week, I am thankful for music. 

What a great strength can be drawn from nothing more than notes strung together. The sweet spirit that touches my soul is such a blessing. It's so amazing to me to see how The Lord can reach me and inspire me through the simplicity of words and the gentleness of a tune. I thank Him for His gentle, teaching guidance and for the blessing of speaking through music. 

The Love Of My Savior

I was listening to my music today when a new song played. It was "Even When" by Hilary Weeks. What a beautiful piece!  I just love her music! What an inspiration!

So the chorus to the song goes as follows:

He loves me still, 

he loves me through 

me loves me

Even while, even when.

He loves me anyway, 

in spite of and more than. 

When I sip, when I fall, and let go

Even when I should hold on,

He loves me still, 

he loves still,

And something tells me 

he always will. 

This song literally swept me off my feet. I was changing my daughter's diaper when I suddenly began to sob. It just overwhelmed me. However, though the song was beautiful and brought a wonderful spirit, it was not the song alone that left me in tears. 

As I listened to the song, I started to think of my savior and his everlasting love for me. I thought about how he suffered for me. I thought of what his suffering means for me, how he took MY sins and MY suffering. Then, there was a line in the song that spoke about how he suffered for us anyway and either way. I thought for a moment about timing. Christ made his sacrifice so long ago.  His bleeding in the garden was thousands of years ago. And then, when he was lifted upon the cross, he told The Father that the work was done. The work for me was done so many years ago. His love for me is unconditional. He will not pick and choose the sins he is willing to pay for. He will not get to me and say "I just can't do it anymore."  Oh, My Father! The work is done! Even before I was born, he suffered for me. My Savior bought me with his blood before I could even sin! He will not leave me alone. The work is done, there is no conditions on his end. 

What a wonderful blessing to know that my Savior loved me so much that he sacrificed for me. Oh, that I might better use and appreciate this miraculous blessing!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude for My Savior and the work he did for me. 

I pray that when we are weak, when we fall, and even when, that we can remember his love for us. I pray for the strength to utilize his magnificent blessing of repentance. May we never forget his open arms. 

I will praise His name forever!

Never forget that you are loved!