Oh how He loves YOU

Made this for my home - what a great reminder.

Easter is Coming!

Thank you all for your kind and supportive words! Especially those of you who emailed with your experiences. Having kids is challenging for sure, but it's nice to know that I'm no the only mother that is challenged!! (I knew that before, but it's nice to be reminded) - it's also nice to be reminded of how many people care!

I wanted to share this with you all! A FREE Easter Printable ( or any day of the year printable )

Just right click on the picture and save it - it's a high resolution file. It's sized for an 8x10. Just please comment and let me know you love it if you've decided to use it!

Christ the Lord is indeed Risen. Alleluia.

I'll see you later this week!
xo

It's no secret...

...that I LOVE a good chalkboard!! Heck - I think I'm even daring to paint a whole wall black in my kids room just to get the look! (and hours of endless creativity)

I sat down tonight while my children and nieces watched Ice Age and finally figured out a printable for my favorite quote of all time. Lots and lots of people say it, but I got it from my mom.

This is sized for an 11 x 14 and I recently scored a frame that will be PERRR-FECT from my local thrift store. SCORE! I already know where this baby is going up in my house and am STOKED about having the constant reminder!! (in multiple places in my home...)

Be Happy! Life is Good!!

St. Patty's Day Printable

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner.... are you ready for it?? I know I'm not!!!! Gotta go get this baby printed!!!!

Strive for Success!!

Newest Printable

I mean, come on Maila, I sleep through the night for you!!

I'm Grateful...

... for inspiring and comforting quotes. Especially when I'm feeling like I'm going through a hard time.

 

P.S. I'm sorry for all the Debby Downer posts lately... but this is my blog and I use it as a journal so there's bound to be a couple things in there every once and a while. Hopefully not too many. I'm hoping that I'll feel better after a much needed trip to see my mom this week! I need a good cry, fattening ice cream, the movie White Christmas and some cuddle time with my momma. That always makes everything better.

:)

Stake Conference & Babies

This Sunday was Stake Conference and it was so wonderful! I heard so many things that I needed to hear! I can't even remember the names of everyone that spoke but I was trying to pay more attention to what they were saying! It's been a rough go the last couples of days, so today was just the day that I needed!!! So grateful for my church!!

Also... I photographed a baby shower yesterday! It was wonderful! They had it at the church and it looked like a reception more than anything! You could tell there was a million hours of work poured into it! I love seeing someone's hard work all come together! It was beautiful! The mom and dad were glowing!! LOVE seeing that!!

  

You'll have to wait until I'm done editing them all to see, but just trust that it was AMAZING!! Seriously. 

Happy Sunday everybody!!

I'm Grateful...

Be advised - feelings are about to be expressed...

 I've been feeling a little weird lately. I feel like I'm generally a good judge of character, but lately I feel like I've been so wrong on so many levels - it's a little disheartening. I feel like I'm a good person, a genuinely good person. I've got my quirks (my sarcasm is sometimes ill-timed) but I generally care about people. I thought that people knew that. Maybe I don't do as good a job as I thought showing it, but lately, I feel like I've been sucked into this deep dark pit that just keeps swirling me around and I feel like I'm suffocating. I've felt personally and professionally attacked. Multiple times. It's hard for me to understand some people's mentalities when they do things like that because I don't think I could. Why can't people just be happy for other people?? Seriously. With everything that's been happening to me, and around me, I feel like I've just been on a sinking ship. I hate that feeling. It makes me doubt myself, and my integrity and my ability to help other people.

So tonight as I was searching quotes for self-esteem, I came across this little gem and made a printable for my home...

I love this, but hate the thought that I've been the reason that I've been feeling so down and defeated. 
I guess the point of this super peppy post is to just say: I don't care what people say or think about me. People will always hate. Unhappy people will always find a reason and a way to be unhappy. And that's NOT MY PROBLEM.  

I know who I am, those who love me know who I am and my Heavenly Father knows who I am. And that is ALL I need.

Basically, all I really wanted to say what that I'm grateful for the people that love me, and support me and stand up for me, and encourage me to be exactly who I am. Whether I know them, or not. 

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Now that that's out of the way - whew. - I did have a lovely photoshoot that I was really excited about (until all this junk hit the fan - but it's still exciting for me)!! This lady is being featured in a big article and she chose me to take her headshots for her! Exciting things!!

I'll let you know when her article comes out so you can read it!!

 

Sorry for the overbearing of my soul...but sometimes you just need to let it out.
bleh.
 

I'm Grateful...

...for good friends, obedient children, disposable diapers, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Kyle and I babysat today from 10am to 5pm. Both are good friends, and both had adorable, well behaved, obedient children. Babysitting is much more fun for us when all that comes together!!

Also... I'll leave you with my newest printable! - would be ADORABLE in a nursery I think!!
Enjoy!

I'm Grateful...

...for friendly reminders. My sweet friend Camille wanted me to make her some printables and I just ADORE the quotes that she gave me.

This one, is so applicable to me. Kyle and I don't have almost anything figured out, but we still have to move forward. It especially touches my heart when I think about this summer and everything that happened with my sweet little family, and how we had no idea what would happen, but we just had to move forward. You always have to move forward.

Thanks, darling - for being my friend, and being so wise!!

P.S. Camille, please come visit me! I'm only 12 hours away!!!

I'm Grateful...

...for simple reminders that help me try to be better. This Sunday, the talks were exactly what I needed to hear.

Was your Sunday everything you needed it to be?

It can be kind of a scary thing to do...

Be Different

I know, I know.. posting more than once today but you'll get over it.

It's been such a good day for me today!! I thought I'd leave you all with this little reminder!

It's my newest printable.. I think I'll put it in Maila's room...

Printable Rampage!!

I went on a printable making rampage...I keep seeing all these gorgeous printables that say all these wonderful things and I thought I'd give it a shot... I've made a few lately... This "Home Sweet Home" is new for my family room! I printed it as a 16x20 and put it in an IKEA frame so it looks AWESOME! It's big and makes a statement... Home should be sweet after all, right??

8x10 or 16x20 Print

 Also... remember this post?? Well I picked a winner!! Most of the answers I got were #2 and #5... so I combined them! I LOVE LOVE love it!! What do you think??

 

It looks adorable in their room! I love it!

I also made this printable for my sweet friend and her new baby... you can read her amazing story here...

 This one is for my bedroom... my mom saw one like this and pointed it out to me and I fell in love! 

Max is a boys boy and loves anything cars, trains, trucks, planes... so I made him this little lovely for his room...

I made this one for Maila... but I'm not sure I'm crazy about it... It couldn't get it to look quite right... but I don't know why...

See, I told you a printable rampage! I've gone CRAZY!!! 

If you pin, or save one of these images to use yourself... please leave me a comment and let me know which one so I know which ones are worth something to someone :)

If you want me to design one for you... leave a comment or email me :)

P.S. Our couch got here!! I LOVE it!! But you'll see a more detailed post on that later... just enjoy this sneek with a precious girly and a gorgeous couch!!

 

Help me decide!!

Help!! I'm so lost... I want a cute alphabet printable for Max & Maila's room but I can't decide which one I want...... I know I want it green, and maybe simple?? Maybe not?? Bleh. So confused.

What's your vote?? Help me decide!!

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4

Option 5

New Printable

I love Elder Uchtdorf. He is so full of wisdom and beautiful words. I made this simple, simple printable for myself and thought I'd share it with you. SUPER SUPER simple people, but I still love it.

It's sized for a 12x18 print... don't ask why the awkward size, I have a special place for this...

Mission Printable in Max & Maila's room

I'm so happy that people are reading my blog and leaving comments!! It makes my day!! I had someone ask me yesterday where I got Max's "I Hope they Call me on a Mission" Printable as seen in this picture...

Truth is, I created it. I wanted something for his room and that's what I came up with! and I LOVE it!! It's a constant reminder (maybe not yet for him) but for what I need to be preparing him for already...

Do you want it???

Here's where you can get it ...

For now... here are the versions that are up on my website they are $5.00 per print and you can download and print as many times as you want:

THESE ARE SIZED FOR AN 8x10 PRINT

Light Blue & Black Font

Light Gray & Black Font

Light Gray & Lime Font

Light Gray & Red Font

Light Gray & Turquoise Font

Yellow & Black Font

For the one I put in Max's room... I made that special for him... It's a 16x20 size. Lime Green map with Black Font... 

All of these are also $5.00 and can be downloaded and printed as much as you'd like... 

Those can be found here...

Here are some examples of what versions I have for those... they can all have the child's name, or not have it... These all have Max's name..

Blue

Red

Tan

Turquoise

Like I said, obviously I have a green one too.. these can be made in literally ANY color!! 

I love them. What about you??

My Chicago Home - Master Bedroom - Before

Things have been crazy in my life lately (see here) - so I haven't had a lot of time to decorate. But I've found as I've slowly been finishing my kitchen, that when my house is decorated and organized and CLEAN, the hubs and I, and especially our kiddos feel so much better. So, I'm making decorating and organizing my house a priority!! (plus... it's fun!)

A happy house is a house where everything has a place...

Unfortunately, our master bedroom is not the retreat that my hubs and I need it to be after a LONG year in 2012, and after long days at home and at dental school. We need our master bedroom to be a place where we can escape and reconnect - away from diapers, and baby toys and clutter. The hubs especially hates clutter!!

So, here is our master bedroom now ... I have LOTS of ideas and already pretty much know exactly how it's changing... it might just take me a while to get it the way I want it. But for now - here's what we're living in...

Bleh. It already looks like a NOT relaxing room.

There's nothing inviting about the entrance to our room!!

Yellow dresser complete with bulky TV and Disney movies

My lamp that was re done sits in the corner

Ikea floating shelf - TOO messy - TOO unorganized

My too big - ugly desk with all the exposed cords!

 Check out that "awesome" painting above my bed! $30.00 thrift store find but I've got a BIG makeover planned for it!

The ottoman at the foot of my bed - also needs a makeover

 

Sheer drapery panels make this room feel SO much lighter!! I love them!

a close up of the painting above my bed - like I said - BIG plans for it!

Sheer panels - and the bathroom door from my room

Sign on the wall at the foot of my bed

Printable that I created

back of bedroom door - I need to find another way to store these

cluttered, over sized, dirty, ugly, desk

cluttered, disorganized shelf

wall opposite my bed - 4 sliding closet doors and the en suite bathroom door

That's it for now, but big changes are coming!! Part of decorating is decision making, which can take a long time. I want to be absolutely sure, that whatever I do in here, helps the hubs and I unwind after a long day, and reconnect with each other... in the most ways possible :)

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Want my "Life Story" Printable?? You can get it here --- Just right click on the picture and save the file - It's a high resolution JPEG image - sized for an 8x10... Enjoy!