Eleven Months Already

Zoie turned 11 months on the 26th of August. I can't believe she is already there. She has grown up so much in the last month.

Here is what Zoie has learned this last month:

• Standing up all by herself (doesn't need to grab something to help her stand now)
• Can wave her hand and say Hi and knows what it means. Its cute everytime we go down the stairs or she sees a car on our walks she waves and says "Hi" LOVE IT!
• WALKING!!! ALL OVER THE PLACE. Its so much and it was very exciting watching her try and getting. She loves to walk now.
• Gives kisses when I tell her too. Most of her kisses go to her baby doll though, some come to mom and dad:)
• I learned she understands better when we show her what we are doing. She learned to be soft on others faces and body, (hasn't perfected it yet), but I would be soft to her baby doll and then she would repeat what I did.
• Almost sleeping through the night, gets up once a night.
• Loves cheese and pretzels

Those are just a few that I can think of. She is growing up so much and I am so proud of all she has been learning, before I know it, she'll be running around like crazy.

Such a cutie pie

Wall Decor

The last few days I have been busy doing a project, that I have been wanting to do for a while now. I finally buckled down and got myself started. I can't remember where I got the idea from, but here is my lastest craftiness. :)

I took a stationary box, shoe box lid and baby food jar holder and painted them white and then did various designs in yellow as you can tell and then hung them all up in the living room. Added a little bit more color and life to the room. Don't you think?

Baby food Jar holder

These two were the stationary box

This is the shoe box lid.

I think it just looks good next to the TV and window.

Now go give it a try and share with me what you've come up with. I think this will be lots of fun and the best part is... its cheap and easy and looks GREAT!!!

A Walking Bug

Have you ever seen a bug walk? :) hehe.... Yesterday Zoie took her first steps and we are so proud of her and very excited. Today I was able to catch it on video.

Staying STRONG in the STORMS of Life

Life will always be difficult and challenging. I receive great blessings when I am diligent in studying the scriptures through challenging times in my life. For this reason, I thought I would share a video and a talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, called The Blessings of Scripture. Hopefully by watching this video and reading his talk that I have linked to, will help you out with whatever trial you are facing and/or give you a better desire and determination to take President Monson's challenge to READ the Book of Mormon.

I know there is great power that we can receive through studying the scriptures. Not only do we receive great power, but we receive amazing blessings that in turn help us with our trials and challenges we face. I am grateful for the scriptures and for the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know Joseph Smith translate plates, so I may have the knowledge of the gospel. It is because of the scriptures that I know Jesus Christ lives and blesses me and my family. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Hand & Foot Scrub

My volleyball girls have been working hard the last two in a half weeks with 3 hour practices Mondays through Fridays. We have a four scrimmage games today and our first home game on Monday. The girls are going to be so tired after today and I thought I would do something nice for them. I want them to relax this weekend and prepare for their first home game Monday. So to help them relax and prepare I made them so Lime Hand & Foot Scrub. I got the idea from HERE

I mod podge some scrapbook paper around the baby food jars and the lids.

Then tied a yellow ribbon around it.

It was so much to fun make.

I tried some and am in love. My hands are so soft!!

Hilarious

So Zoie is quite the funny little girl. She laughs at the most weirdest things, for example, the other day I took my hair-tie and flicked it up into the air and she busted out laughing. It was HILARIOUS!! I caught it on video. Hope this brings a smile to your day. Sorry you can't see her face very well in the beginning.

Staying STRONG in the STORMS of Life

Have you ever wondered "Why is this happening to me?" "Why now?" "Why me?" I definitely do at times. Well, guess what?! Today is the day you will hopefully have an answer to those questions that seem to add extra stress into your life and a desire to search and study it out for yourself.

Elder Kent F. Richards gave a talk in the April 2011 General Conference that can give us answers to those questions and help us to understand those purposes. His talk is titled, "The Atonement Covers All Pain". In his talk we learn that we experience pains, have difficult trials, and have feelings of sorrow, to help us for life in this world and the life hereafter. I know it is difficult to see the good, the blessings, in all those situations, but with faith and trust in the Lord our eyes will be opened to the outpouring of blessings the Lord so graciously bestows upon each and every one of us.

An important lesson I learned when reading this talk has given me the desire to understand my pains, my trials, my sorrows, and all the "Why Me's." This is the lesson learned. Jesus Christ CHOSE to experience pain, have trials and have feelings of sorrow. He did so to better understand each and every one of US. He CHOSE to learn from His personal experiences, as must we, so as to understand Him, the purposes of mortality, and our eternal purposes in the life to come. Therefore, we must come unto Him with a sincere heart and ask for his help and guidance in our troubling times. The truth of this is found in 2 Nephi 9:21 and Hebrews 4:16

He suffereth the pains of all men, yea, the pains of every living creating, both men, women, and children.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I know it is hard to understand the "Why Me's," but it only draws each one of us closer to our Father in Heaven, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and to our families. I know that the Atonement does in fact cover all pain and is real. I know that when I go to my Father in prayer with a sincere heart and ask forgiveness, I am forgiven. I know that to be true because of the willingness of the Saviors atoning sacrifice. The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true and is an everlasting blessing in my life and my family's life. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Frame Makeover

I have been meaning to do a project all week long, but have been so busy with volleyball practices and life. Today I finally made myself sit down and work on a project today. Its nothing fancy or big, but it sure does lighten up the wall a bit.

I had these two small black frames with leaves we collected last fall in them, and figured I should do something else with the frames. And I did. What do you think? It was so much fun to be crafty again. It kind of relaxes me and puts me at ease with all the stresses of life.

They are now painted yellow!!! I'm in love with yellow right now.

This one has a fabric orange pattern

This one has a fabric torquoise with white designs that you can't see

Staying STRONG in the STORMS of Life

In Relief Society today we talked about President Thomas S. Monson's conference talk Finding Joy in the Journey. I believe once we take the time to find the JOY in our life's journey we come to accept and understand the trials and challenges that are placed before us.

A most recent trail that my husband and I are going through has been hard to find that JOY in our life. My husband, Ryan graduated from college in April and ever since has been trying to land a full-time job that he enjoys and knows he can uplift, edify and do a good cause for those people he associates with. He has not found one yet and its very frustrating. He has had applied for many positions, gone in for many interviews and even gone in for second interviews (that's suppose to be a good thing right?!). In the end it always came down to him and someone else, and they gave it to the other person, because they had more experience. HELLO! You can't get experience unless you get the job. So our life has been hard and it would be nice not to have to worry about the daily expenses life requires. But then I always remind myself of this saying:

"I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it."

Is not that true?! Life is not always easy, but once we can take the time out of our busy day, sit down, and find the JOY in our journey is when we can see the blessings and say "Yes, it was worth it!"

She is our JOY.

The Lord is going to give us trials, if He didn't how else can we know the feeling of true JOY!

"And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy... yea your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am...." (3 Nephi 28:10).

I am grateful for the JOY I have found in my trials and challenges. I know Ryan will find a job that not only brings JOY to him and and our family but to all those he comes in contact with. I know the Lord is there to help me find that JOY in life. I know the only way to truly understand the fulness of JOY is to put Jesus Christ first, then to serve Others, and then to spirtiually, physically, and edify Yourself. The church is ture and the power of the Lord is real and of this I bear my testimony and witness in His name, even Jesus Christ, Amen.

Look at My Toes

This morning Zoie and I were watching Thumbelina and she let me clip her fingernails and toenails and then I decided I should paint her toenails since she was sitting so still for me. So I did and they look great. I was surprised to see that she would let me as I was painting them, but she just starred at them and smiled. They look so cute on her. Oh we are going to have so much fun with different colors.

Oh Cigar Boxes

I know I got you thinking about this post with that title, right?! Well... Ryan has been such a great husband and has helped me stay crafty and creative. While I was gone visiting my family in June he brought home some cigar boxes from work. He thought I would be able to do something crafty with them. Such a supportive husband!

Here is one that I decided to do something with the other night. I didn't know what to use it for at first, but I just mod podge some scrapbook paper to it and then decided to use it for all of Zoie's hair-ties, clips, ribbons, bow etc. Works out pretty well.

Neat huh?!

Well, that is as creative as my mind is working at the moment with these cigar boxes. I have two more of these boxes and my creative side is not thinking of any cool, neat, ideas.

With that being said I need some help from you to get my creative juices flowing agian. So my question for you today is, what are some cool and neat ideas to do with these boxes? What would you do with them?

Have a great Tuesday everyone! Thanks for stopping by.