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Hey There!  Today we’re going to delve into the question… What do I give my wife, or girlfriend, or mom, or special lady for Christmas for under $50?  I have 7 ideas for the BEST GIFTS FOR WOMEN and they are all broken up in categories like beauty, music, or sports to help guide you in the right direction.

#1  HAIR

My very favorite hair item is the Revlon one step hairdryer.  It’s fun, useful, and produces amazing results! 

I’ve done multiple reviews and tutorials on this bad boy on my YouTube Channel so check those out!

I feel like this hairdryer is something any woman with shoulder-length hair or longer would love to have.  This brush part on the top is too big for ladies with short hair.  

I would say beginners and experts would both like this hairdryer as it eliminates the need to round brush which many women typically hate or aren’t good at.  This makes you an expert and makes your hair so smooth, silky, and finished looking.

It’s also an amazon wish list top pick and is usually around $50 but during the holidays, you can often find it on sale for an additional $20 off either on Amazon or at places like Bed Bath and Beyond or Target. 

*I will actually be giving away a free brand new Revlon One Step Hairdryer in the video above – free hairdryer and free shipping and everything!   

#2 MAKEUP

I have a set of inexpensive makeup items for the makeup gift category that seem high end when you use them.

First is the Maybeline Matte About Town Eye shadow palette.  I like it because pretty much any woman can pull off neutral eye shadow.  You can give the palette as a stocking stuffer or make it a set by pairing it with a few other items like this inexpensive makeup brush set.  I’ve literally had these brushes for 5+ years and I like them better than their more expensive counterparts.  Also is this – It’s the best waterproof mascara out there – I can’t say enough good things about this because it doesn’t bleed down your eyes at all – under any circumstances.  I’ve never had a waterproof mascara this consistent.  Also, if you want to add one more item, This is the most awesome eyelash curler I’ve ever had.  This one is the tweezerman eyelash curler and is a workhorse to make your eyelashes look longer and overall fantastic.  All of these together are around $50 which is a great deal for makeup of this quality.  If you take out the mascara, the set would be around $30. 

#3 SKINCARE

A jade roller is perfect to massage the fine lines and wrinkles out of your face and to get your facial lotion to really sink in.  It plumps up the skin making it look invigorated and is great to do every morning and night for your skin health.  Pair it with a microfiber face cloth set and Neutrogena hyaluronic acid facial lotion and your girl will love her gift!  These 3 items are only $35. Add on a face exfoliator for another $5 you can make all of these things into a kit for around $40.

#4 Music

This one is a little more than $50, it’s $56.  But it comes with a case, so that’s worth it right?

I think a ukulele for a lady who loves music would be a very sweet and thoughtful gift.  Plus, if you’re musical you can pick up the ukulele very quickly (like in a day or two).  I’ve had this uke for a few years now and it’s very portable and fun to play.  You can take it and play it anywhere.  It’s especially fun to play in our church’s children’s singing time.  The kids love it! You can tune it by using an app on your phone.  A nice addition might be a strap to carry it around and also for holding it while you play.

I think this is just a fun all around gift and you don’t exactly have to be musical for this to be a great gift either.  I think anyone could learn how to play it!  

#5 COOKING

For those of you that don’t know what this is, it’s an Instant Pot and I think the Instant Pot is probably on the top of my list of most fun and useful tools in the kitchen.  I use it several times a week and it’s super easy and also super versatile.  You can make yogurt, rice, meat, egg bites, desserts….  So many delicious things you can make in this thing.  Plus after you get it, you can get rid of your rice cooker to make space for it.  It’s $50 on Amazon right now.  I’ve never seen the price so low, so jump on your chance to get it like 70% off!  There are tons of Instant Pot recipe videos on YouTube and the cooking possibilities are endless. 

#6 SPORTY LADIES

I have been loving my chirp wheel for after sports and workouts to stretch out my back and neck muscles but it’s about $70 for one or $140 for 3 different sizes.  There’s a great alternative here that’s $30.  My husband likes to roll out after a tough day at work so it’s not just for the ladies.  It’s very relaxing and useful to have around.  It can also be used for yoga routines which many sporty ladies do to recover from their respective sports.

#7 SLEEPY MOMS

I don’t know a mom out there who wouldn’t love this weighted blanket.  I think it would be a very thoughtful gift that shows your wife and the mother of your children that you value her sleep time and want to help improve it.  I bought this one and the size is 60×80 and it’s 20 pounds (even though I’m under the weight limit for that weight because I found the lighter ones too light).  It was $37 when I bought it but I noticed the price went up to $50 recently. Hopefully it goes back down! Weighted blankets help me to get relaxed earlier, sleep deeper and better.  I suffer from anxiety and especially anxiety about sleeping and this has helped me a lot.  I was worried blankets like this would be hot but I haven’t noticed a problem at all but I don’t use them with other blankets because I get too tangled up with the weight of the blanket with other blankets.  Does that make sense?  You could pair this blanket with a sleep mask or audio sleep headphones if you wish. 

That’s it for our 7 fun gift ideas for your wife!  I hope you found the perfect gift! Let us know if you have any questions.

Be sure to enter the giveaway on YouTube!

Continue reading]]> Disneyland’s Bibbity Bobbity Bootique

Pretty much any Disneyland visit will give your family chances to meet Disney princesses, but do you have a little girl who loves to play princess, herself? Guess what! At Disneyland’s Bibbity Bobbity Bootique, your little princess can get her very own princess makeover from her very own fairy godmother. (For princes, or princesses who’d rather wield a sword than a tiara, knight packages from well-trained coachmen are also available.)

Kaylee tried two different makeover packages, on two different trips. We had so much fun! She loved getting the princess treatment, and her fairy godmothers really made the experience special. Click below to see her first makeover.

Or see her second, more elaborate makeover below.

Think this might be an experience you want your little princess (or prince, or knight) to have? You can see a listing of what’s available, what’s included, and how much the experience will cost here. Be sure to reserve a spot early, though. This is not something you can just go visit day-of. To get the date and time you want, you should make your reservation at least 60 days before your visit.

Magical Makeover DIY’s

This part of the post contains a few links to related products on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.

If you are pretty sure you would need your own personal fairy godmother to afford a makeover at Disneyland, don’t despair! Think of my videos of Kaylee and the linked listings as a magical wishing well of ideas. With some basic supplies and a healthy dose of creativity, you can create a magical makeover for your little one right at home.

Choose where you’ll do the makeover, then set the scene with something like this.

If you’re doing the makeover in a bathroom, just attach it over your regular shower curtain. If you’re using another room, you can put it up carefully with thumbtacks or tape. Be sure to use something like masking tape or painter’s tape to prevent damage to your walls.

Need a comfy gown for your princess?

A fancy tiara?

A hairpiece?

Or perhaps a sword and shield that won’t damage furniture or siblings?

Try the ones I’ve linked! With a few magical extras and some hair and makeup products you have at home, add your own time and creativity to make a magical makeover experience!

Continue reading]]> It’s no secret that I love to cook.  I know cookbooks are a little outdated (everyone uses Google these days, right?).  I guess I’m an old school nerd because I love to flip through cookbooks and see the colorful pages and, well, touch them.  I think they look so pretty on the shelf and I love to look at these in my kitchen to help inspire me.

Before I go into the list, I must say I’m an immensely simple person (don’t tell my husband, he won’t believe you!).  My taste in cookbooks reflects that style.  I like simple recipes that are fast to make and healthy.  I know some people really like to make fancy dinners.  Not me.  Nope.  Keep in mind that I love simplicity with this list of favorite cookbooks.

Here’s my Top 10 Cookbooks

NUMBER 10

This should be everyone’s first cookbook.  It’s an updated classic and still many seasoned cook’s favorite book. It goes through all of the basics of cooking in depth and has amazing go-to recipes in it.  It would make a fabulous wedding gift or would be perfect for that college student that is just starting out.

NUMBER 9

A friend mentioned to me (thanks Janna!) that this was Deseret Book’s top selling book for this week.  I like how the recipes are broken down into seasons (Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall).  And I love the colors, pictures, and simplicity of the recipes in this cookbook.

NUMBER 8

I love this cookbook for entertaining.  The recipes are timeless, interesting, and innovative.  I don’t use this cookbook on a daily basis, but I do get it out for special occasions.

NUMBER 7

If you read my blog, you know I have a ‘thing’ for food preservation.  I even have a bigger thing for Mason jars.  I think they are just lovely and I use them pretty much every day for different uses.  I love that this cook shows how to preserve in small amounts, which is a necessity for the modern cook.

NUMBER 6

If you’re looking for easy birthday ideas for kids OR for a great way to spend an afternoon cooking with your children, I highly recommend this cook book.  It’s chocked full of easy recipes that even teens can make and they look like you’ve spent all day on them.  I also recommend the companion cookbook “What’s new Cupcake?”

NUMBER 5

Another great family cookbook is this Williams Sonoma “Cooking Together Cookbook”.  I love any excuse to spend time with my kids and they all like to help cook.

NUMBER 4

I love being able to plan my dinners in the morning (when I have lots of energy) and have them cook long and slow and be ready in the evening (when I’m exhausted and tempted to serve cereal for dinner).  To top it off, I really adore Stephanie O’dea’s sense of humor.

NUMBER 3

My husband got me this book as a gift and it’s a wonderful cookbook full of everything you could ever think of to make.  This would make a wonderful gift for anyone just starting out on their own.

NUMBER 2

A friend showed me this cookbook at her home and I just fell in love (it was one of her favorites too).  I like the simplicity and how versatile this cookbook is.  The cover isn’t very exciting, but what is inside definitely is!

NUMBER 1

This is my very favorite cookbook.  I love the photos of every dish.  I love the family photos that are incorporated into the cookbook.  I love Rue Drummon’s honest style and practical recipes.  This cookbook is very colorful and so fun to look through and read.

Continue reading]]> A few weeks before the Ward Christmas Party, my husband and I were asked to be in charge as an assignment (not a calling) by our Bishop.  Our budget was initially $500, but when we priced things out, we saw we might need a little more and ended up spending around $600.  We would be on a Disneyland vacation the week before and getting back the night before the party.  To top it off, there was a funeral the afternoon of the party so we weren’t able to set up until 3 and the party started at 5.  We needed some serious help!

We planned on about 230 people and I think about 220 showed up.  This was my second time planning the ward Christmas party, so I knew what to expect (a lot or work and a lot of fun!)

The theme was “Let Him in” and we really wanted people to invite their neighbors and to feel the Christmas Spirit.  There were a few new faces and 2 sets of missionaries were also there.  I really wanted the colors to be bright because the stake cultural hall is so dreary and brown.  We went with bright red and white.  Hopefully this post will make your Christmas party a little easier!

We personally asked people to help with certain aspects of the party.  We asked some friends to help because we couldn’t do everything on our own!

1. Food – A dear friend of mine was in charge of all the food and food sign up sheets. She called and reminded everyone what they were bringing as well. We served ham (provided by the ward), homemade rolls (a lady in our ward made all of them – the ward provided the ingredients), cheesy potatoes (provided by members), salad and dressing (provided by the ward), water, and cookies for dessert (provided by the ward members).  Because of the simplicity of the food, we were able to make FOUR lines for people to go through and people got their food within 10 minutes!  Some notes on the food:  for 230 people we needed  60 pounds of ham, 15-20 cheesy potato 9×13 pans, 300 rolls, 12 sticks of margarine, 20 people bringing at least 1 dozen cookies or brownies, 2 Costco bags of Salad, 4 salad dressings, and 3 large glass beverage dispensers with strawberries and mint.
2. Gym Decorations – I was in charge of the decorations and asked on facebook if anyone had some old Christmas trees they weren’t going to use.  Several people had those and garlands they donated or let us borrow.  I just used a white sheet for the tree skirts. I made the 80 wall decorations using colorful wrapping paper I bought at Hobby Lobby (see the concept below in the photo).  Each circle needs 2 fans folded together and stapled. I made a lot of different sizes, but the best ones turned out to be 10×10 papers to begin with.  My whole family made these for several weeks! I hole punched the top and tied sewing thread in a loop and hung them with a push pin on the canvas around the perimeter of the gym.  I also got this and we made some beautiful card-stock snowflakes for the walls near the food.  We made a Merry Christmas banner to string across the stage.  I also purchased 2 dozen red and white helium balloons to put on either side of the stage.
3. Ceiling Decorations – The Young Women made snowflakes and attached fishing wire and a paperclip then we secured them to jute twine.  We had initially planned to hang them from the ceiling with tape or from hooks going from each basketball hoop, but it didn’t work out, so we strung them up above the stage and in the back of the gym.  It looked awesome!
4. Handouts –  A lady in our ward made the “Let Him In” key handouts.  Here is a printable for those.  We purchased the keys for those handouts here.  Hobby Lobby also had the keys, but they were much more expensive.  We made 60 handouts, one for each family.
5. Table Decorations – A lady in our ward made the awesome table decorations.  The striped tablecloths we bought can be found here or on Oriental Trading. I had to buy 3 rolls, but only used 2 1/2 for 20 long 6 foot (I think) tables.  And straws can be found here.  We set the tables before the party.  There was another awesome lady in our ward that made doily decorations for the tables as well. She donated all of the supplies for them.
6. Activities for the kids – A lady in our ward wrapped large priority mail boxes with bright red and white wrapping paper and put 2 on each row of tables.  Inside were some activities to do for the kids like coloring and a nativity sticker kit purchased at Hobby Lobby. They also doubled as centerpieces that weren’t too high to talk over.
7. Program – My husband was in charge of the program and decided to do a Nativity play, some congregational singing, and asked some talented people in our ward to play instruments and sing.  Our family has a set of nativity costumes, but you could get by with using robes and sheets or ask around and see if anyone in your ward has costumes.  He asked a couple in our ward to organize some primary children at the party, give them parts, and help them do the play.  Another member of our ward was the narrator and we had the congregational singing during the nativity play.  My husband printed out the words to the songs and put them on the tables.  Make sure you have a microphone (our gym has a sound system hookup in it), music stand, and piano.
8. Set up – We asked about 10 people to help us set up and almost 30 showed up.  It was a testimony to me of “angels among us”.  I know sometimes the Lord sends people to help us when we really need it and boy did we really need it!  We got done setting up about 5 minutes before it started.
9. Media – We had a poster set up in the foyer for a few weeks before the party, we also had quarter sheet flyers that we put with the sacrament meeting program the Sunday before.  We put an announcement in the newsletter and Sunday program as well as had it announced in all of the auxiliaries.
10. We made an announcement to plea for help taking down and cleaning up and lots of people stayed and helped.  I think we were done cleaning up in about 45 minutes.  We gave away almost all of the decorations so there was nearly nothing to bring home.

Here’s a brief video of the decorations and layout of our party.  Everyone needed to see the stage so we had 5 rows of 5 tables.  We had tables set up on the far left for desserts and the far right for the main course (2 rows of 2 tables so we had 4 lines going for the food).  Then a separate round table for water.

I had several comments that the party was very organized (it had started and was finished in one hour!).  I think everyone had a lot of fun and got to socialize and feel the Spirit.  The room looked really spectacular too.

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As a follow up to my last post about how to prioritize your life, I am explaining some of my reasoning for choosing which priorities I want to focus on first in my life.  I am generally the kind of person that is ALWAYS busy and I have a hard time slowing down and enjoying life.  I am spread so thin, I feel like I don’t really get the important things done in favor of things that are less important.  I don’t want to make these goals “another thing to do”, but I really want to base my life on them and let the other things go.

I identify with this quote by Julie B. Beck, “If we spend too much time on the nice to do things and the distractions, we won’t be aligned. We have necessary things to do, things we were sent here to earth to do, and if we prioritize correctly and line up behind the Lord, we can have full confidence, that He will make us his people, He will protect us, and care for us. We can havew confidence in His promises.”

I am trying to put first things first in this order:

RELATIONSHIPS

Specifically I am trying to make more time in my life to listen to my kids and to do things together as a family (simple things – not necessarily things that are really expensive).  We have done several activities together this week like art projects, playing outside, going to a museum, and just talking.

I would like to spend more time with my husband, besides watching our favorite TV shows.  We used to go out weekly on a date and now I can’t remember the last time we have had any alone time.  I would like to reconnect on some levels to have a closer relationship.  We have been married 15 years and sometimes it takes time and effort even in adult relationships.

There are other relationships I would like to put some attention to: mainly making new friends and keeping old friends.  I have some friends from high school and college that I deeply love and keep up with on facebook, but I feel like that is not quite enough.  It’s time to give some effort to letter writing, gift giving, and personal contact!

HEALTH

I have had significant struggles with my health over the last 7 years.  I have overcome many of them through clean eating and living, but there is always room to improve.  There are two things I would like to improve on and those are:

First, eating fresh food.  We have totally revamped our food storage to be long-term so that we don’t need to eat packaged and canned foods anymore.  I enjoy preparing food, and I want it to be REAL food.  If I can’t make it from scratch, I won’t make it.  I like simple food and I don’t plan to be cooking all day long or anything that remotely resembles a lot of work.  My husband and i have worked together to make this happen on a smaller scale.  I make a hot breakfast and green smoothie for breakfast and he makes a salad for us for lunch.  It has worked out splendidly.

In the summer, I grow a large organic garden and most of our food is picked and then eaten the same day.  It saves a lot of time to not have to go to the store very often and it helps us to eat the freshest fruits and vegetables possible.

Second, I need to get outside in the sun and exercise.  I feel so much better after I have done gardening or walking/hiking.  I want to make this more of a priority every day.  My kids love it too, so why not do it together?  I bought my kids real gardening tools in their size and teach them how to grow their own food and design and plant beautiful flowers.  There’s something life-affirming about sustaining and appreciating our food and the flowers and trees that keep us alive (literally!).

I would also benefit from consistent yoga.  I get pretty stiff and that helps a lot.

SPIRITUALITY

Let’s face it, I’m lazy when it comes to putting in the effort it takes to really be spiritually fulfilled.  Honestly, I do what I have to do to get by, and that’s it.  I am embarrassed to say that, and maybe I am being a little hard on myself, but I would like to improve.  I want to pray twice a day and at mealtimes, read several chapters in my scriptures daily (as well as meaningful family scripture study), read the Sunday School and Relief Society Lessons each week, and the Ensign each month.  On top of that, make it a priority to get to the Temple once a month and do more with my calling. Does that seem like a lot?  I am already doing some of that now, but my attitude could improve.  I feel on top of the world when I am actually doing these things on a regular basis.

FUN

Wny did I add fun to this list?  I spend so much time being serious and not taking time to do fun things and it’s a major downer and makes my life seem like… well, dreary.  I am actually getting a little emotional writing this because it’s an area I need improvement on.  Sometimes, it’s ok to let things go and just have fun.  The other day, my kids and I were listening to Pandora and the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” came on and we spontaneously belted out the words and dancied around the house.  It was so much fun and a memory that we will all treasure as it doesn’t happen as much as it should at our home.

I have signed up for a few yearly memberships in our city to help me remember to get out and have fun.  One is to a local water park and fun center, the other is to a theatre, and the last is to a local museum.

We have also started up a monthly game night with some friends which has been time away from the daily grind in which we can just let go, laugh, and have lots of fun!

EDUCATION

I am a person who loves to learn.  I love reading and learning new skills and talents.  I recently took a free class on bee-keeping.  I don’t want to keep bees, I just wanted to learn how to do it.

The other day, we got to learn about how water gets from the Provo River to our sinks.  It was fascinating and learning about it helped us meet a new friend as well as sparked an interested in touring our local water treatment plant.  Things I didn’t even think I wanted to learn about are sometimes really exciting.

The other day, I learned about how to make a video using a green screen from YouTube.  That was awesome, and I never knew how to do that before and now I do and it’s really easy!

I love to learn from reading the children’s scripture readers, it helps me read the scriptures in a new way.

I also like to learn new songs.  We are learning the story of “Wicked” right now and I am learning the songs from the Broadway play and reading the script.  It’s fun!

As I iron out these priorities, I am quick to notice that they all work together in a symbiotic way.  They seem to compliment each other nicely and hopefully care simplicity and wisdom much more than my currently daily life does.  How great life would be if we only did what was most important and let the little stuff go.  I know I won’t be perfect, but I will be trying to bring peach through prioritizing.

Continue reading]]> For those of you who read my blog and don’t know me personally, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or Mormon).  We have “callings” in our Church which is basically a prayerfully inspired job to do.  As members of this Church, we all work together to help it run effectively and we do this by working in our various un-paid callings.  We do this because we love Jesus Christ, we love each other, and we get blessings in our lives for serving in the Church.

In addition to my Ward Family History Consultant calling, I was just called as the LDS Stake Primary Music Leader in my Orem, Utah Stake.  I am so incredibly excited as this is my first Stake Calling.   I am a little freaked out as I have always had this mental block about leading music.  There’s a hard wire disconnect in the brain/hand area…  I have no rhythm (ask my husband!), and my arm waving needs serious work.  Alas, another calling to help me grow spiritually as well as temporally and to help me learn a new skill.  Horray for getting out of my comfort zone.  I do love music and children with all of my heart and hope to convey that love to the people I work with.

The Stake Primary President and I met and I was given a big file box of materials that has VHS (yes, real VHS) tapes and other outdated manuals and teaching supplies from the previous music leader.  It was probably handed down to many over the years.  My husband and I had a good chuckle about the supplies in the box! I am a TOTAL minimalist, so I took it upon myself to make that box officially outdated and to put all of the resources here in one easy place.

The 5 W’s of the Stake Primary Music Leader

WHO do you report to?

You report to the Stake Primary President.  You should be included in the Stake Primary Presidency meeting as needed.

WHAT does the Stake Primary Music Leader Do?

According to LDS.org, the stake music leader:

1. Gives instruction at the yearly Primary Leadership training (i.e. you teach a class for the music leaders in the wards at the yearly leadership meeting).
2. Gives instruction to ward Primary Presidencies, music leaders, and pianists about the music in their ward.
3. Organizes a stake children’s choir.  This can be left open to interpretation!

WHERE does the Stake Primary Music Leader serve?

She serves and works closely with the Ward Music Leaders in her stake.  This would require visits to see what the wards are doing and how they can be supported.  She will help new Ward Music Leaders get started in their callings.

WHEN does she serve?

We have 10 wards in our Stake and I would like to do at least 2 visits to each Primary per year.  This would require about 2 visits per month (some months would only require 1 visit).  I was thinking it might be nice to attend their yearly Primary Program if possible.  Since I will attend my own Ward and the Primaries in our Stake can potentially start at different times, this will require some phone calls and some creative calendaring.

WHY is she doing this?

Good question!  She is doing this because she wants to see each Ward Primary Music Program reach it’s potential.  She is doing this because she wants to support the Ward Primary Music Leader.  She is doing this to help children learn and love music and to increase their faith in the Savior Jesus Christ through song.

“Music can help you draw closer to your
Heavenly Father. It can be used to educate,
edify, inspire, and unite.”

—Thomas S. Monson

Resources for the Stake Primary Music Leader

This (also from LDS.org) lays out the Primary Music Program and is a fantastic resource for teaching you how to teach others in regards to music.

The theme for Primary in 2014 is, “Families are Forever“.  We have a lot of material to work with this year and a new song to learn.

Here is a beautiful video of the new song titled, “The Family is of God,” by Matthew Neeley.

Find great ideas for using music in Primary here. Examples: have a child play prelude music on his instrument of choice, have the child echo you, point out when the Holy Ghost is present.

Here’s a conducting course if you are unsure about how to conduct music.

Here are some videos the Church has made about music leadership training.

The following are things I am interested in implementing by inspiration:

1. A weekly or monthly children’s choir practice at the Stake Center (maybe giving children a chance to solo or play instruments or even learn sign language) resulting in a performance at the end of the year maybe.
2. A photo or video slideshow of the primaries with close ups of the children to be displayed at Stake Conference if they are singing this year.
3. A card sent to the Music Leader and the pianist after a visit to compliment them on what they are doing fantastic at.
4. Compile a list of things I love from each ward’s Primary Program.

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Every November I find myself in a mad dash to do something cute for our family’s Christmas cards and every year I end up doing the same old boring thing.  But not this year!  This year I am planning ahead and doing something fun, different, and interesting.  And… the kids are going to help me do it!

Here are some things I found on Pinterest. Follow us on Pinterest to find these and other great family-friendly ideas.

This adorable Reindeer Card is made using your children’s fingerprints, a little art work, and some googlie eyes. Isn’t it adorable?

I think it would be really fun to do photos of each family member individually with photo booth props.  That’s something you don’t see every day.  You can find some cute photo booth props here on Amazon.com.

I always wonder what to do with all of those extra buttons that come with blouses I buy.  This is such a great idea and would be a fun thing to do together as a family.  These could even be fun Thank you cards for the kids to make for after Christmas.

Tee hee.  I guess you could do this with a green screen and it would probably take some help from Mom and Dad, but isn’t this idea so fun? Here are some more fun ideas from their website.

I love love love this newborn inspired Christmas Tree card.  I think this is the only year we will be able to make one of these cards, so we better get to it!  We have a 3 month old baby and his toes are so cute.  I would love to document them on our Christmas cards this year!  This little piggy went to market…..

Continue reading]]> My sister in law recommended a restaurant / bakery to us when we were visiting Seattle.  She knows our family is gluten and dairy free and Seattle really caters to our dietary lifestyle a lot more than Utah does!  The restaurant she suggested was called Flying Apron. Boy was she right, we loved it!

Everything in the Flying Apron Cafe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.  I can’t even tell you what it means to me to go into a restaurant and be able to eat ANYTHING I want off of the menu.  Usually, there is only one thing on a menu that I can have when I go to a “regular” restaurant, so this was like heaven, dessert heaven!  I thought the prices were reasonable and the food was really tasty.

The people that worked there were incredibly nice and helpful as well.  They even let me video their secret recipe for dairy free Italian sodas.  See that video and the recipe (which I have since used at home several times) at the bottom of the post.  Also notice that the Italian Soda is also sugar free (as long as you use a sugar free flavor syrup).  I have also used 100% fruit juices in the Italian sodas I have made at home and they are really delicious.

Also check out the Flying Apron’s events.  They have a family game night and a live music night.  We were not there for an event, but they look really fun!

We tried out a lot of different things while we were there so I could give an honest review.  We had the kale salad, sweet potato curry pie, tomato basil soup, and shepherds pie.  Everything was really tasty, but the sweet potato curry was the absolute favorite and the one that everyone at our table liked the best.

For desserts we had the sugar cookies, lemon poppyseed muffin, pumpkin muffin, chocolate muffin, apricot jam thumb print cookie, cinnamon roll, etc.  All the desserts were really good.  If you don’t like anything they sell, they have a 100% satisfaction guaranteed and they will give you something else.  I didn’t prefer the pumpkin muffin and they gave me a chocolate one instead that I liked much better. They also have a 50% off on day old desserts.  I am not a big fan of day old gluten free desserts, so those weren’t my favorite.  I would suggest the fresh desserts.  I wish I would have tried the cake, what was I thinking?!  I will have to go back again next time we visit the Seattle area.

 Here is a video of the restaurant itself and what food they offer

Here is another video from the Flying Apron on how to make a gluten free dairy free Italian Soda

Italian Soda Recipe

2 T. flavoring of your choice (caramel was used in the video)

1 cup sparkling water

1/4 cup of coconut milk

1/4 cup ice

Stir well, or blend in a blender.  My Blendtec makes a mean Italian Soda!

If you have any questions please post a comment and I would be happy to answer as soon as I can!

Continue reading]]> Being a mom this fourth time around has made me really thankful for what I have and how I’ve changed and evolved as a Mom over the past 12 years.  It has also helped me to not sweat the small stuff (ok… those of you who know me are chuckling at this… So I’m not perfect at it, but I’m trying) and to enjoy the little things and little people in life.  Each milestone and everything they are going through right now is special to me.

I’ve been asked many times if I’m “done having kids”.  I’m not sure how to answer that because I love the kids I have and am never “done” having them in my life.  Do I wish to have more children?  Yes, always.  My kids are my greatest blessing in life and I can’t imagine my life without them.  The more the merrier.  I just hope my body can keep up with all of this fun!

Here’s a list of 101 things I wish I had known the first time around and am coming to know the fourth time around.  Some are funny (but real) and some are serious.  Please feel free to add any that you might have to the list by posting a comment at the end of this post.

Being a Mom 101

1. My body can create a person.  That’s amazing!

2. I’d rather snuggle with my sleeping baby than do just about anything else.

3. I sound just like my Mother did when I scold my children (even though I swore I would be different).

“All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That’s his”.

-Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

4. Covering up boy babies boy parts while changing their diaper is a REALLY good idea.

5. I will never get everything done that I want to in a day.

6. I need and appreciate my own mom more than I ever thought

7. My house is never “really” clean, and that’s ok.

8. Your own sleeping baby is just about the cutest thing you’ve ever seen… ever.  You’d sacrifice your own sleep just to watch him sleep a little longer.

“There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

9. I won’t be a perfect mother.

10. I will never be able to use the bathroom without someone beating down the door and asking when I will be out.

11.  Somehow I will be able to listen and respond to all 4 kids talking to me at the same time.

12.  There’s almost nothing that compares to a Mother’s bond with her child and the comfort he feels when she is near.

“Don’t stand unmoving outside the door of a crying baby whose only desire is to touch you. Go to your baby. Go to your baby a million times. Demonstrate that people can be trusted, that the environment can be trusted, that we live in a benign universe.”

–  Peggy O’Mar

13. Whining needs a volume control.

14. Being a stay at home Mom is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

15. Being a working Mom is a lot harder than I thought it would be.

16. Being a work at home Mom is a lot harder than I though it would be.

“The phrase ‘working mother’ is redundant.”

-Jane Sellman

17. I secretly find myself rocking out to kids songs {loudly} when my children have left the car.  I won’t admit to it if anyone were to ask.

18.  My prayers are much more meaningful

19.  I lose track of the time, half of the time I don’t even know what month it is!

20.  I don’t know why I bother giving my kids names, I never call them the right one anyway.

21. Somehow my prayers have much more meaning when I am praying for my children’s well-being above my own.

“I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.” 

-Abraham Lincoln

22. Criticize my child, and you will see my wrath.

23. Laundry is futile.

24. I’m convinced the alarm clock must be wrong every time it goes off.

25. As soon as I change my baby’s diaper, he will poop out.

26. My husband helps with all math homework.  My kids don’t even bother to ask me.

27. My child is the cutest child in existence

“Don’t ever tell the mother of a newborn that her baby’s smile is just gas.” 

-Jill Woodhu

28.  When my kids have a question, they will always ask me, even if my husband is also in the room (except if it’s about math).

29.  Holidays are much more fun

30.  I should record myself saying, “Shut the door” and nail it permanently to every exterior door in our house, never to be removed.

31.  I will never be a sound sleeper again.

32.  The phrase I love you is never used too much.

“Mother is a verb, not a noun.” 

 -Proverb

33.  Somehow you know exactly what to say when you child asks you, “Where do babies come from?” for the first time.

34.  That awkward moment when your child realizes you don’t know everything.

35.  You can cook dinner, hold the baby, unload the dishwasher, and talk on the phone all at the same time.

36.  Your neighbors see you in your pajamas for a week straight and don’t think a thing of it.

37.  You know your own baby’s cry and he knows your voice.

“How beautifully everything is arranged by Nature; as soon as a child enters the world, it finds a mother ready to take care of it.” 

-Jules Michelet

38. Babies get white tongues, and it’s nothing to worry about.

39. Your child will want to read the same book over and over until you and she both have it memorized.

40. After the kids go to bed, the good snacks come out.

41. Time outs should be for Mom’s too.

42. Nothing exemplifies intolerance more than a boy who wants to date your daughter.

It’s not easy being a mother.  If it were easy, fathers would do it. 

~From the television show The Golden Girls

43. I really do mean to exercise.

44.  I’d rather go through labor 100 times than be pregnant once.

45.  It’s fun to explore and see thing through a child’s innocent eyes.

46.  Putting on a swimsuit isn’t really that much fun anymore.

47.  God gave us children to teach us what love really means.

Because I feel that in the heavens above
The angels, whispering one to another,
Can find among their burning tears of love,
None so devotional as that of “Mother,”
Therefore, by that dear name I have long called you,
You who are more than mother unto me.
-Edgar Allan Poe.

48.  Getting anywhere on time is impossible.

49.  Strollers take up the whole trunk.

50.  When girl babies pee in the bathtub you can’t see it, therefore, you don’t know.  When boy babies pee in the bathtub, they can aim it just right so that you have to take a bath too.

51.  You don’t judge the Mom in line in front of you at the grocery store because she has chocolate in her teeth, because you can totally relate.

52. You can no longer fit in your high school clothes, but either can your husband, so they cancel each other out.

“The beauty of my body is not measured by the size of the clothes it can fit into, but by the stories that it tells. I have a belly and hips that say, “We grew a child in here,” and breasts that say, “We nourished life.” My hands, with bitten nails and a writer’s callus, say, “We create amazing things,”
-Sarah, from I Am Beautiful: A Celebration of Women in Their Own Words

53. Your kid is the smartest in the class.

54.  Kid stuff is really expensive.

55.  Kids will come running from any room in the house if you ask if they want a treat, but ask them to do their chores when they are sitting right next to you and they will claim they “didn’t hear you”.

56. There’s this weird competition thing that goes on between Mom’s.  I’m not sure what it is or why, but when you are a Mom, you’ll understand.

“Before becoming a mother I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: love them, especially when they least deserve to be loved.”
-Kate Samperi

57. God is in the details.

58. An uninterrupted shower is a luxury.

59. Pick your battles wisely.

60.  Your best blouse is never safe when there’s a baby around.

61.  Always choose the nap over work… always….

62.  Mother’s intuition is real.

“Women do not have to sacrifice personhood if they are mothers. They do not have to sacrifice motherhood in order to be persons. Liberation was meant to expand women’s opportunities, not to limit them. The self-esteem that has been found in new pursuits can also be found in mothering.”

—Elaine Heffner

63. You love your husband so much more every time you see him being a great father

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”

– Author Unknown

64. Kids say really funny things, especially to your inlaws.

65. Enjoy every moment and don’t sweat the small stuff.

66.  Nesting is a strange phenomenon that only Moms or Moms to be can truly understand.  Warn your husband now!

67.  Infant carseats are heavier than the infant.

“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”

— Phyllis Diller

68. Alzheimers disease doesn’t seem all that impossible.  With everything you have going on, you can’t even remember your own kids’ names.

69. Your infant will pull your hair out every time you pick him up.

70.  You are infinitely more thankful for your own Mom.

-Abraham Lincoln Quote

71.  If there is something breakable in your house, your kids will break it.

72.  You love your kids more than anything.

73.  Your kid will throw up on you, poo on you, pee on you, and talk back to you and you will still love her.

“A baby is an alimentary canal with a loud voice at one end a no responsibility at the other.”

– Ronald Reagan

74.  You talk in a different tone of voice to each kid.

75.  Amazon.com has me under their little finger because I prefer to get my merchandise under my front mat, than I do carting 4 children to Walmart.

76. You have to bring snacks and drinks where ever you go.

77.  Someone will ask, “Are we there yet” every 10 minutes when you travel anywhere as a family.

78.  Babies really do eat, sleep, spit up, and poop all day.

“People who say they sleep like babies usually don’t have them”.

– Leo J. Burke

79.  Libraries and Story Time at libraries are the greatest inventions for modern Moms.

80.  You have to say I’m sorry lots of times when you’re a Mom.

81.  Whenever you tell yourself you would never let your kid stand up in the shopping cart like the Mom in front of you in line, you turn your back for a second, and your kid launches himself out of the shopping cart and breaks a limb.  It’s something about Murphy.

82. You get really good at saying “uh huh” when your kids say anything to you.

“First you have to teach a child to talk, then you have to teach it to be quiet.”

– Prochnow

83.  There are no child carriers that don’t hurt your back.

84.  There is pain and then there is step on a Lego pain!

85.   Piano lessons pay off big time when your child fills your home with beautiful music for the first time.

“You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance.”

– Franklin P. Jones

86.   Finger paints are fun all over again.

87.  When you have a kindergartener, you learn that everything you need to know really did learn in kindergarten,

88.  When you become a Mom, you automatically know 2 languages, English, and Baby.

89.  You scream and jump up and down the first time your baby takes a step and everyone else just thinks your weird.

 “We find delight in the beauty and happiness of children that makes the heart too big for the body.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

90. Enjoy the little things.

91.  Don’t wish for them to grow up too fast,t hey do that on their own, enjoy every moment and every stage.

92.  Turn off the TV and listen to your kids.

93.  Even when you’re tired, listen to your kids when they want to talk.

94. Don’t be afraid to apologize to your kids.

95.  Model good behavior.  It’s pretty hard to teach your kids to do something you don’t do yourself.

“Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.”

-Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

96.  Don’t waste your time on things that do not matter, spend it with your kids.

97.  Even though I’m exhausted and want to sleep more than anything, when my baby wakes up at 3am, I still love cuddling with him.

98.  I love it when sticky fingers reach up to hold my hand.

99.  I hesitate to wash the mirror on the back of my door because your adorable fingerprints are on it.

100.  Hearing you giggle with your brothers and sisters is the sweetest sound!

101.  I have never and will never regret choosing to have a family instead of wealth, fame, the perfect job, the ability to travel the world or anything else.  You are my world, my life, and everything I have ever wanted.

You are the trip I did not take;

You are the pearls I cannot buy;

You are my blue Italian lake;

You are my piece of foreign sky.

-Anne Campbell (taken from this LDS Grandma’s post.)