Tender Mercies

My blessings and providers of tender mercies

My day today is, not so good. Not terrible, horrible, or bad, but just no good. A yucky day. We all have those don't we? If you don't, please share your recipe for success. I think we could all use that recipe and would use it often.

It started out with a bad night. I have eczema on my hands in a horrible way. Six months and nothing I have tried has helped it. Well, something I did or ate yesterday broke them out in a whole new, horribly, itchy oozing rash. Sorry for the gorey details. So, needless to say, I didn't sleep last night. I was up in tears, trying not to scratch them and tossing on the couch.

And then this morning, my kids started fighting and it just escalated from there. I sent my poor 2nd grader off to school with a not so happy feeling in his heart, I'm sure. I might run down to the school, just to give him a hug, I feel so bad.

BIG SIGH! Life happens. I'm sure it won't be the last time I yell at my kids. But I am also trying to remember that they are just kids.

It's a good thing Heavenly Father loves me. I am so grateful for his tender mercies. He know what I need and what can help me. I am so grateful for that. I read this article this morning, and was in tears. We are indeed blessed and loved.

(I promise that at some point, we will get back to posting fun, happy stuff! Crafts and mommy things! I promise!! Don't give up on us!)

What is your Word??

I read an inspiring post, that hit home for me. It was written last year, in regards to New Years Resolutions. We all have resolutions don't we? I have atleast one that is the same, every year. LOSE WEIGHT! I lost 50 lbs. last year and it was AWESOME, but there is still work to be done there. But the idea of this post was to pick a word, that you wanted to define your year.

A word to define your year. There are so many to chose from. Some of the words I am tossing around are Believe, Faith, Hope, Love, Simplify, and Peace. Any one of those words would leave us inspired in our daily life, if we were to keep it in our thoughts constantly.

I have really had a hard time picking a word or phrase that fits me. I had an experience the other day, that helped me to decide what my phrae would be. I had the opportunity to attend the temple with the youth in our ward and one of the things they talked to the youth about was being still. How that we go to the temple and leave our phones and worldly cares behind, we can just be still and feel the spirit. I was quite emotional, as what was said, seemed to be directed right at me.

I thought about that all week and my phrase for this new year is "Be Still." Not just be still by attending the temple more often, but to allow myself time each day to Be Still. I go a millions miles a minute and so this will be hard for me, but I feel like I need that time to revive spiritualy and emotionally each day. Twenty minutes each day when I just sit and meditate, maybe read. My own time to be still.

We'll see how it goes. I hope I can implement that into my life. I think it will make me a better wife and a mother. I hope it does. There is alway's room for improvement. What is your word, that you would choose? Take some time to think about it and get back to me.....

Girls Camp ~ HELP PLEASE

I am an advisor in the Young Women's program in my ward. I went to girls camp last year and had a blast!! First time I had been as an adult and also the first time since I was a 14. Can you believe that? I know I missed out on a lot. Anyway, I guess I am the assistant camp director also! And it's ward girls camp, not stake!!! We are planning everything!!! So I need your help. Give me all your great ideas for girls camp. What have you seen done that works and what doesn't. What is your favorite girls camp meal? (I am kind of in charge of food) Has anyone ever done Camp bucks and how well did that work for you? What activites have you done that created unity within your ward? Any and all advice and ideas will be appreciated.

Our theme is "It's a Jungle out There." Now go crazy and let me know your ideas!!!!

New Mormanad Video

I thought this was darling! My friend, Andie sent it to me and I had to share it with all of you.

Our Favorite LDS websites

***The Enrichment Cottage Link works now***


I love the Internet. I love blogging, because it is an outlet to the outside world. I also love that it allows women the opportunity to connect across oceans and continents. I love that we are able to share ideas on being mothers and life lessons!

While these websites are aimed at those of us, who share the LDS faith, they are full of great ideas on teaching Christian based values, such as friendship, respect, kindness and just about anything else that you could think of. Mandee and I wanted to share a few of our favorites. You can click on any of the buttons, to link directly to the sight!



If you don't know about Sugardoodle, I must ask, where have you been hiding? I visit Sugardoodle every day! I am in the Young Women's in our ward and I use it constantly for that and I also use if for primary talks, family home evenings, visiting teaching handouts, you name it. What an awesome sight!!



Family Home Evening in a Snap is a new find and one that is full of great ideas for family home evening. It's like your part of a FHE group, but all the work is done for you. We did an awesome FHE on Testimony last night that we got from this sight! It's definitely one to check out.



Chocolate on my Cranium is a great place to find, FHE ideas.


Laugh out loud, pee your pants kind of funny!! We are a peculiar people, aren't we?? But it makes life interesting!



Ah Stephanie and Courtney! For some reason, I can't get Courtney's button to work, so you'll just have to click on her name. I love these two ladies. They inspire me and make me laugh. I wish they were my neighbors!

Just Around This Corner, Laurel Christensen is AWESOME! She inspires me, makes me laugh and just a great read! Check her out!

There are so many websites, that it would be hard to name them all! Here are a few more that we visit on a regular basis to get ideas for callings, for FHE, and so much more!

Enrichment Cottage
Mormon Share
The Idea Door
LDS Splash

Do you have favorites, that we missed? Please leave us a comment and hook us up with your favorite blogs.

Conversation Cards

I found this great new site!! It's called LDS Activity Day Ideas. What great idea's. I look at it often, looking for ideas even for Young Women's. Click to here to print!

Who Do You Love, FHE

We did a really fun family home evening this week. I cut out a ton of colored hearts and we talked about what it means to love someone. Then I had the kids draw a picture of or write on the hearts all the people they loved. They had so much fun! I then took them and hung them up in our living room where we will leave them until Valentine's day is over, that way the kids can remember all the people they love!! We have Grandma & Grandpa's, cousins, aunts & uncles, friends, and even grandpa's dog. It was super easy and super fun!

Real Hero Posters - Book of Mormon Heroe's

This is the coolest thing I have seen in ages!! My friend, Nicole called me tonight and told me to go check it out the web sight, Real Hero Posters. They have 12 amazing posters which feature hero's from the Book of Mormon. Each poster has a scriptural reference to go along with the picture. I am in awe at how cool these posters are! I love this top picture. It's called Daughters in the Wilderness. How often do you hear about the women in the Book of Mormon? I think I am going to have to order some of these. Go check them out. They are absolutely amazing!

I need your advice....

First of all, we haven't dropped off the face of the planet. Both Mandee and I have just been very busy with our everyday lives. Not to say that we aren't always busy, but it just seems that time slips by and life is really busy in spurts. I promise to be back and posting soon!!

But first, I need some advice. I am the Beehive advisor in my ward. We have a great group of girls. This past Sunday the entire presidency was released and so was an advisor and our secretary. Four of these beautiful and wonderful women had been in for over 2 years, so there is a lot of emotional attachment for everyone. I was retained along with another advisor and one member of the presidency was also extended the call back as the 2nd counselor, so whew, very little change for the Beehives. However, we will miss our friends very much!

So my question is, any ideas for handling such a change? There were several very emotional girls on Sunday and some emotional leaders!! As one of the surviving leaders, I want to do everything I can to make this transition a positive one for the girls. I'm that friendly face that they are comfortable with so I need to help keep things rolling smoothly. Any ideas?? Any advice you can give will be much appreciated.

In the meantime check out these sweet talkers, candy bar wrappers. This is what we were going to do for our young women's birthday's. Maybe we still will, who knows?