Thankful for my Niche

My thankful post is a little late - but I've thought about it a lot lately, so I hope you'll find a bit to be grateful for within it, too.

I'm grateful for not being perfect. 

While this might not be something we're in love with all the time, recently I've come to appreciate this fact. You see, I've spent the last little while looking at others and their amazing talents. I started to feel a bit down. I can't do that, I'm not as good at this, etc. [enter tiny portion of self-doubt] That's a pretty normal cycle for all of us to go through, I think.

Then gratitude stepped in.

I have to say that I'm thankful for people who are willing to share their talents. Whether its through blogging, picturesque inspiration, or great recipes that they've contributed, I am thankful that I get to learn from them. I learn more about beautifying my home; more about whipping up edible morsels; more about capturing the joy in the moment. 

I am very grateful for the gift of "self" that others contribute to a selfish world.

Through those gifts of "self," I believe that we come to know ourselves just that much better. I still stress about not decorating my home to Martha's standards, but I am grateful for affordable housing + sturdy cinder block walls + limited space. I'm grateful to be young and daring. I'm grateful to have a spouse that encourages my every attempt. I'm grateful for free furniture from in-laws, friends, and the dumpster [haha]. I'm grateful that my marriage started out as humbly as it has. I'm grateful for those who've picked us up along the way, and shown us their faith through kind acts. I'm grateful for being able to still learn - I'm so grateful that I don't have to have it "all-together" yet. And, I'm grateful for those who have gone before, I'm grateful for those who are traveling with us along this road, and I cannot wait to help those that find themselves where we once were.

Its going to be a good ride. 

The Wish List....

 This bed...

 

The brown boots....

 

The BOSCH!

 

Kate's White coat. Seriously, I love it!

Buckeyes!

[peanut-butter + chocolate = heaven]

It all started out with a trip to Smitten Kitchen + a BOSCH.

Pretty sure I love that site more than life.

She featured these delicious treats a while back!

This is how you feel after eating more than 2.

Gloriously swirly! They're my new fav for Christmas treats!

Seriously, so easy, so divine!

You should check out the link, and try them out!

I'm excited to give these away for Christmas presents to the neighbors this year!

What are you going to make for holiday treats!?

Thank you Smitten Kitchen.

You are the staple of my kitchen.

I cannot wait to buy the cookbook!

+

Thank you Jenny & Andrew Shadel!

I definitely BOSCHed it today!

Heaven, indeed!

ps: when I made these a 2nd time [aka the last half of the batch] I used milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet. I think I'll use semi-sweet from now on :)

Christmas Cards + Thank You Dilemma

So, I have a dilemma that I'll start out with. Its a bit swirly, so read it and feel free to share advice!

When Tyler and I were married, we flew out that same night on a red-eye to Atlanta, and then after a 5 hr layover, flew to the Virgin Islands [haha, I know]. Then, after a week in paradise, we flew straight to DE, spent 2 days there, and flew straight back for my first day of classes.

When our family helped move the presents from the receptions to Ty's parents house, the cards were all mixed up. So, unless the gift came with a packing slip, we never knew who got us what.

I've been debating on what to do for a while. I really wanted to thank people not only for the gifts that they gave us [because we never would have made it through our first year of marriage without them], but especially for the gifts of "self" that they gave us throughout the years. Seriously, I never would have made it through my teenage years without the people in my home ward, my college experiences, and of course, my YW leaders. How do you thank someone for that type of gift without being cheesy?!

Well, I've composed a Thank-You card that expresses that. We really wanted to use a wedding photo, but b/c our original photos [sucked] weren't delivered until Nov of that year, and I cried over them, I couldn't send them out. Now that Jalene, bless her heart, has given us beautiful wedding photos, I have the poem over-layed on a photo, making a card. I'm thinking postcard, but I do want to thank the people whose cards remained attached [Mrs. Swift for the beautiful glassware, Wade Haus + family for my favorite dishes, and Aunt Sue for the beautiful china from BBB, etc]. So, maybe a 2 panel card for those who I know gave me specific gifts, and postcards for the general thank-yous?

Now, there's nothing that I can really do about it. I feel like its better to be generally grateful than never grateful at all. So, I'd like to send them out during the holiday season [bc its soon, and I've already waited a billion and a half years to do it].

What do you think???

And, while you're musing over that, here's a great promo! Shutterfly is giving away 50 free Christmas cards for bloggers! Click here for the info! I'm so excited, because I've never sent Christmas cards and these are actually dang cute.

 Here are the options they sent me in an email:

·         holiday cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards

·         Christmas photo cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards

·         calendars to http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars/desk-calendars

·         personalized mugs to http://www.shutterfly.com/photo-gifts/photo-mugs

·         birthday cards to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/birthday-cards-stationery

·         Christmas invitations to http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations 

·         Choose your favorite product from our Cards & Stationery pag

This is my favorite today:

I would upload all of my pictures, but its slightly odd in the sense that you can only upload JPEG, not JPG files, which means I'd have to "re-save" all of my pictures to JPEG. So, be aware of that when you try and upload pictures! [I cooked my chicken a little too long today b/c of this craziness...go figure.]


Check out the deal, and send your advice my way!!!!

Enjoy :]

Sounds of the Day

She is my entire playlist today. Enjoy!

ps: I think my Thank-You cards are in the final stages of construction...from my WEDDING.

Sounding Off - HP

 [image from yahoo.com]

Ok.

For those of you who are all jazzed about the new HP movie I just have a poll I would like you to take, considering the following information:

-There is a nude scene. Not one, but TWO.

-Harry in one (that kid is so into that right now; broadway, etc.), and he and Hermionie in another.

-Those parts, obviously, aren't in the books.

Now I'm all angry. I loved the books and want them as unadulterated [yes, I meant it] as possible. Boo. Really? Do all good things have to be ruined with some 'new-modern-twist?' What if I liked it the way it was?

Someone will undoubtedly say, "Well, its not like its full-frontal nudity!" Regardless, its lame. I was mad in every single HP movie up to this point because they left out the best lines, funny situations, etc. I know you can't write every single line into the movie, but I have the books memorized, for Pete's sake. What else is a girl to do?!

So, I want to know. What will you do!?
[and, if you don't feel comfortable sounding off via comments, just vote! --- see r-hand side of blog]

ps: try and keep your comments PG. haha

Thanks Rach!

Rachel posted her famously easy headband tutorial! And I stinkin' love it! I hate headbands b/c they kill my brain! Esp right behind my ears.

Now, pain-free, easy-peasy headbands are here!!!!!!!!

Click here to enjoy the masterpiece!

ps: i used interfacing b/c i didn't have any felt. works great :)

T-shirts + quilting = need advice!

Random musings have led me to this thought:

I love t-shirts. Seriously. I cannot get enough of them. Not the cutesey ones that you can wear out to dinner. I mean the ones you work out in, mow the lawn in, clean your house in [enter my activity this morning]. So, I have acquired quite a few, and have loved them to the end of their existence. Almost. I also have t-shirts that are WAY too big for you to wear [insert every t-shirt given at BYU-I activities] and Tyler has a bunch too.

So, I want to make a t-shirt quilt. Except that I'm a pattern person. With no pattern.

My mother-in-law let me borrow her sewing machine and it comes with a quilting-pedal foot. Its pretty rad looking. I need to have a project that takes a few minutes longer than the others, and now that its snowy [etc], I would love to start this!

Anyone have advice?!

A-Pick-Me-Up

    

Gives me chills every time. 

Tyler bought me his 1st album for Valentines' Day when we were dating. 

This week, I'll be spending time at Primary Children's Hospital in SLC. 

My friend's 5mo. old little girl has just been diagnosed with leukemia. 

On Friday, I'll help and hold her in my arms. 

If you could spare a moment to pray for the LeBarca family, that would be tremendous. 

I'm planning on making a "Care-Kit" for my friend, 

so if you have any suggestions [candy, dvds, games, etc]

that would be fun for a hospital visit/extended stay, 

please leave me a message. 

Enjoy the video. 

Then, make someone else's day by sharing a

pick-me-up with them.

Smiles and hugs are appropriate :)

Thank you.