Think Spray Paint

I always see such eye-catching colors on different pieces of furniture such as wicker, metal, wood, etc. I always think... where do they find such cute pieces of furniture in such great colors. Nine out of ten times it is because they have spray painted it.

I always forget to think about that easy solution called spray paint. I need to start remembering that almost anything ugly and plain can be turned into a cute piece of furniture with a nice layer of spray paint.

For instance I say this metal desk on craigslist for $50. Of course it is industrial and wouldn't look good in my house. But with a can of pink spray paint, this ugly thing would be so darn cute. Now, I didn't buy it (I don't really have room for it), but it reminding me... always think spray paint as an easy solution for cute!

last of the Utah photos

here are more photos of our last days at the cabin! Enjoy.

I wish I could

Many of you have shown interest in purchasing my Disney ABC's, but unfortunately I can not sell them. I was told by a Disney lawyer that for copyright reasons (characters, name, etc) that I can not sell these Disney ABC cards. Which is so sad to me, because I think they are so great (if I do say so myself :-). So, alas, they will just have to be gifts. Once I figure out printing I will let you know and maybe I can give them to you as "gifts" and you can just pay for the cost of the cards. We will see... I will keep you posted.

Holiday Candy Buffet

I just had to share this eye-catching candy buffet from who else but Martha Stewart. What a great way to kick off the month of October!

Pottery Barn for Less

I love when I get Pottery Barn style without paying Pottery Barn prices. I saw this lamp in the catalog and fell in love with it, but of course wasn't going to spend $200 for it.

Then the other day I was on the Target website and lo and behold... almost the exact same lamp for about 75% off. How awesome is that. So, I order it and now it sits so lovely in my work room.

Honestly, it is almost an exact replica. If I haven't said it before "I love Target"

The Happiest ABC's

Awhile back, I talked about creating my own Disney ABCs cards. All year, I have been taking photos of different characters at Disneyland and have finally completed my personal Disney ABC's. I am so happy with how they turned out. It just brings a smile to my face. (probably because the photos bring back fun memories). I just need to find a place to print them out as flashcards and I have got myself a great birthday gift for kids.

I have a few ideas about printing, but if anyone knows of a place to print out flashcard-like prints that would be very helpful. HINT: you can click on the image to make it bigger.

Color Theory for Kids

Here are a few fun ideas that you can do with your children to teach them about colors. How red and blue make purple or yellow and blue make green. Such clever ideas and not messy too.. how great is that!

Cornstarch clay and Ziploc Paints.

Young Women's Lesson 34 - Avoiding Dishonesty

OPENING OBJECT LESSON:

Have a volunteer come to the front of the room and have her sit in a chair. ask the class to name different ways we are tempted to be dishonest. for each response, wrap string around the volunteer. (Possible responses include lying, cheating, deceiving, not making the best use of time, violation of traffic laws, not giving a day’s work for a day’s pay, not paying financial obligations, not telling the whole truth.)

Explain to them that you can see see that when you are dishonest it is easy to become trapped.

QUESTION:
What does it mean to be honest?

Most people think it is telling the truth or not telling a lie. That is the true, but there is more to “honesty” than that. But let’s start with telling the truth.

Ask each girl to give a definition of a lie. Then compare your definitions to Elder Marvin J. Ashton's: "A lie is any communication given to another with the intent to deceive." (Conference Report, April 1982, p. 10). Discuss Elder Ashton's definition. Explain that we can effectively communicate a lie without ever speaking a word. A nod of the head or just keeping silent can deceive.

Read or tell the story "The Boy Who Cried Wolf".

Note: This may be Aesop's most famous fable, and for a good reason. The fastest way to lose what we call our "good character" is to lose our honesty.

OBJECT LESSON:
I bought the pre-made rice crispy treats and opened them and replaced them with sponges. I let the girls open them and then we talked about how they felt to be deceived. How they felt when they were expecting a nice treat but got a sponge

That is how others feel when we are deceptive to them. But sometime the feeling is much worse if the deceiving is more extreme. Rumors, lies, allowing people to talk badly without speaking up. When we deceive people by telling lies or half-truths, or rumors, etc… not only does it hurt them, but it hurts our own reputation… just like The Boy Who Cried Wolf.


HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE BEING HONEST?
Elder Marvin J. Ashton has given us a guide by which we can determine whether something is honest. Simply ask yourself: “ ‘Is it right? Is it true?’ not ‘Is it expedient, satisfactory, convenient, or profitable?’ ” Then follow your honest answer. (In Conference Report, Apr. 1982, p. 13; or Ensign, May 1982, p. 11.)

Write the following two questions on the chalkboard: “Is it right? Is it true?”

QUOTE: Pres. Hinckley – The 6 Be’s. One of them is BE TRUE!
Be true to your own convictions. You know what is right, and you know what is wrong. You know when you are doing the proper thing. You know when you are giving strength to the right cause.

SCRIPTURE:
Mormon, speaking of the converted Lamanites who were known as the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, wrote: “And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end” (Alma 27:27; emphasis added).

ANOTHER SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLE OF HONESTY:
Jesus told the truth - Tell the story found in Mark 14:53–65. Explain that the soldiers took Jesus to the home of the Jewish high priest, where the Jewish leaders asked him many questions. Read aloud from Mark 14:61 one of the questions they asked him: “Art thou the Christ?” Explain that Jesus knew that if he said he was the Christ, the special Son of Heavenly Father, the leaders would not let him go. Read aloud from Mark 14:62 what Jesus said when he answered the high priest: “And Jesus said, I am.” Point out that Jesus always told the truth, even when his life was in danger. Jesus wants us to tell the truth always, even when it is hard to do so.

Of the 10 Commandments, God gave us 4 commandments that center around being HONEST. Do you know which four fall under being honest?
1. Thou shalt not steal.
2. Thou shalt not commit adultery (cheating)
3. Thou shalt not bear false witness (lying)
4. Thou shalt not covet

REVIEW WHAT THESE THREE COMMANDMENTS MEAN. “Bear false witness”, “adultery” and “covet”.

CASE STUDIES:
Case Study 1 – Not steal

You have just made a new friend at school. You start hanging out at each other houses and start sharing clothes. Slowly, you start to realize that she keeps them for a long time, and when she returns them, they are often torn and dirty. How would this behavior affect your relationship with your new friend? If you were to do things like this, how would others’ opinions of you change?

Case Study 2 – Not bear false witness

Sally heard some unkind gossip about Carma. She knew the story was false but did not speak in Carma’s defense. How could Sally be considered dishonest? If Sally repeats the lie, how would she be affected? How would Carma be affected? How might Sally feel if she comes forth with the truth?

Case Study 3 – Not covet

Beth’s family never seems to have enough money for all the things she wants. Almost every day she asks her parents for something new that she has seen someone else enjoying. Because they will not provide everything she asks for, she is beginning to think of ways to obtain the things by herself. How can coveting lead to dishonesty? What might be the consequences of coveting in Beth’s life?

QUESTION:
What are some of the consequences of dishonesty?

• People do not trust you
• Conscience becomes dull
• Loss of reputation
• Damaged relationships with family members and friends
• Bad habits established
• Loss of respect
• Holy Ghost departs
• Self-respect lessens


ANOTHER STORY (if you have time):
We say we believe in being honest. My friend Kathy Smith told a true story of a young football player. This young man was the only member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the school team. The coach made fun of him, occasionally deriding him and making his life miserable. The young man loved the sport but decided not to put himself through the agony of being picked on any more. That coach just did not understand. No more football for him.

Halfway through the summer, this young man reconsidered, deciding to play his last year of high school football after all. When he went to the counter to pay the deposit for his gear, he hurriedly accepted the change he was given and shoved it in his pocket. When he got home and pulled the stuff out of his pockets, he was mortified to see that he had been given too much change -- five dollars too much. "Oh, great!" he said to himself. "If I take the money back, the coach will be in my face right off the bat. Forget it! I'll just keep the extra cash and save myself the problems."

He told his Mom what happened. Mom said, "Well, dear, I know you will do what you think is right." (Interesting how wise Moms can place the responsibility squarely on our shoulders, huh?) The next morning he returned to the counter and handed over the five dollars. "Yesterday you gave me too much change. I've come to return it."

The coach, standing in the background, punched his assistant in the arm. "Pay up!" he said. "I told you he would bring the money back! You owe me ten dollars! I told you he wouldn't keep that extra money!"

The young man almost fainted. He had been set up! Even though the coach had teased him and made fun from time to time, he figured this Mormon boy lived what he was taught. His standards would not allow him to be less than honest. What if the football player hadn't brought the money back??

Just like the wise man in the primary song, honesty is a building block for a strong house on a firm foundation. We will live better by living honestly.

And we may be the example to a lot of others, even when we are unaware! Fortunate for this young man, he did live as we say we believe. We believe in being honest!

THOUGHT QUESTION:

Ask the young women to look carefully at their own lives and decide whether there is something they need to stop doing today in order to be honest. Explain that we can each resolve today to be better throughout the rest of our lives.

CLOSING THE LESSON:

QUESTION:
Have any of you seen a trap or snare used with animals? What did it look like?

Explain that for centuries, men have used traps, snares, and pits to capture and possibly kill animals.

Have a mouse trap that is set. Take a cracker or something that will crumble when the trap goes off.

Satan also uses various types of traps, snares, and pits to capture us and eventually kill the influence of the Holy Spirit within us. One of his most common traps is dishonesty.
Then emphasize that surrendering to Satan's enticements can shatter our lives.
Usually, once we have nibbled we come back for more. Satan then has us caught in his traps.

Then as a handout give them a mouse trap with a piece of cardstock printed on it "Don't get caught in Satan's traps..."

QUOTE: Pres. Benson which reads: "You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible!!! Years of happiness can be lost in the foolish gratification of a momentary desire for pleasure. Satan would have you believe that happiness comes only as your surrender to his enticements, but one only needs to look at the shattered lives of those who violate God's laws to know why Satan is called the Father of Lies."

HANDOUT: I packaged up a mouse trap with a tag that says "don't get trapped" and two swiss cheese slices that say "is it right?" and "is it true".

A little about me

I liked these questions, to I thought I would answer them, just because :-)


Last Movie I Saw In A Movie Theater? The Dark Knight

What Book Are You Reading? It has been years since I have read a book, but I am actually reading one right now... a book about Walt Disney's life.

Favorite Board Game? Alhambra

Favorite Magazine? Martha Stewart Living

Favorite Smells? LoveSpell by Victoria Secret

Favorite Sounds? my girls giggling

Worst Feeling In The World? loneliness

First Thing You Think of When You Wake? Is Ella awake?

Favorite Fast Food Place? Cafe Rio

Future Child’s Name? Graham (that is if I can get Chris to agree and if we ever have a boy)

Finish This Statement—“If I Had a Lot of Money,” I'd give more away.

Do You Drive Fast? Yes, I am an impatient driver

Favorite place you have visited? Israel, New Zealand and Tonga

Storms—cool or scary? Cool - love them (probably because we never have them here).

What Was Your First Car? 1989 Nissan Pick-up Truck (my parents just sold it this week).

Favorite Drink? Diet Coke (caffeine free of course, but with caffeine is the best).

Finish This Statement—“If I Had the Time, I Would…” the list is too long. more projects, read again, mani and pedi, run, so many things.

Do You Eat the Stems on Broccoli? Yes

If You could Dye your Hair Any Other Color, What Would It Be? Red

Name All the Different Cities In Which You Have Lived. Evanston, IL. SLC, UT. Greenwood Village, CO. Stamford, CT. Boston, MA. Fresno, CA.

Favorite Sport to Watch? in my hubby's arms (I know mushy, but I dont' like sports, so I only do it when I am cuddling with him).

What’s Under Your Bed? carpet

Would You Like to Be Born As Yourself Again? Who else would I be. YES.

Morning Person or Night Owl? Night Owl (although that is disappearing) but definitely NOT morning person.

Over Easy or Sunny Side Up? scrabbled

Favorite Place to Relax? at my computer

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor? Almond Joy or Cinnamon

Take a step back

I realized that I never finished my report of our trip to Utah this summer. I still have some photos and memories I need to preserve.

We spent several days up at our family cabin by Sundance with my parents. There is nothing like being up in the mountains in the summer. We packed a lot into those few days. We took the ski-lift up to the top of the mountain at Sundance and walked around a bit. We took the Heber Creeper Train ride from Heber City to Provo Canyon. The girls loved it and we even got held up by cowboys in the middle of the train ride. (that was fun...although the guns were very loud).
We had s'mores of course and lounged out on the hammocks. We took a hike up the mountain on the Tree Bears Trail... Hannah just loved that. She hiked and hiked and hiked and didn't want to stop (A different Hannah from our hike in Bryce Canyon a couple weeks earlier). Daily walks with the grandpa and the wagon and walks to the playground. It was great to be able to take my children to one of my favorite places and where I played so many times as a child.

My Version of an autograph book

As you know by now, we love going to Disneyland. Every time we go, we see all the kids in line waiting for the characters to sign their autograph books. That got me thinking... what can I create that is like the autograph books (I love the idea), but more personal and individual.
I thought about it for a bit and here is what I came up with.

I took all the pictures I had of Hannah with all the characters over the last year. Most of the photos had Hannah in them. (There were just a few that didn't have Hannah, but they were still photos I took of the characters in the parade, so they were still unique.) I printed the pictures out on postcards from Moo. We got 20 postcards for $20. We then had the characters sign the back of the postcards.

The characters loved them. They got to see "themselves" with Hannah. They loved looking at the photos. And not just of themselves, but of the other characters. That is where Tigger saw Aurora and proclaimed his love. Eeyore loved looking through all of them as did Chip and Dale. Hannah loved every minute of it. She would see a character and say "Mom, we need to get them to sign my picture." It was an important objective each day at the park.

We got about half of them signed. So, yet another reason to return to Disneyland. We have to finish our quest!

Mutual Activities Roundup 3

This week, we had someone come and teach the girls how to do self portraits. The girls all created beautiful chalk drawings of themselves that we will be using for our YW in Excellence next month. I really wondered how well the girls would do with this activity. But they all loved it and did such a good job!

Now, for your ideas.

1) Worth Attacks

2) Alphabet Picnic

3) An Apple Festival. We had cute apple name tags with team names such as Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Gala, etc. We randomly split up the girls, boys, and leaders. We then rotated through five stations: 1)a round of the game Apples to Apples, 2) apple bowling with apples and 2 liter bottles filled up to the bottom of the wrapper, 3) apple spitting contest using sunflower seeds instead of apple seeds, 4) apple naming where they had to identify five different type of apples, 5)apple peeling where they had to peel the longest, continuous apple peel. Each winner at each game won an apple related prize: apple rings, caramel apple suckers, applesauce, sour apple bubblegum. For the finale one of the leaders created 4 beautiful caramel apples with white chocolate drizzles. 4 adult leaders were asked to do an apple eating contest. They bit into them and 2 got just what they thought, a yummy apple, the other 2were red onions. The youth laughed so hard and the leaders were good sports. We ended the evening with apple slices dipped in a chocolate fountain.

4) Drive-in Movie Night

As always, thanks for sharing your ideas.

The Endless Summer

I am so tired of hot weather. It is the end of September are we are in the mid-90's. Not fair. I am ready to wear jackets and long pants. I am ready to eat soup. I am ready to use the heater and not the AC. I am ready to be able to drive with the windows down and enjoy the cool breeze. I am ready for pumpkins and apples. I am ready for FALL!

Frilly and Fun

I don't know how I found Helen Dardik, but oh my goodness, I love her illustrations. I love the colors, the swirls, the frills and how much fun it all is. I had to share, just because!

More Princesses

Of course we had to stand in line to see the rest of the princesses. This time, we got to see two princesses we have never met... Pocahontas and Ariel. That was a treat too. here are the pictures with the princesses.

Young Women's Lesson 33 - Each Soul is Divine and Eternal

OBEJCT LESSON:

Re-wrap Candy Bars...Make some very pretty and some very unappealing. Ask the girls to each pick a package and hold on to it.

SCRIPTURE STORY:
In chapter 32 of Alma there are a group of Zormanites that have approached Alma because they are not allowed to worship in the synagogues that they helped build. They explain that the reason for this is because of the clothing they wore. There were "esteemed as filthiness" and "despised because of their poverty.

Refer to the picture of the young women.

What physical differences exist between these young women? Write responses on the left side of the chalkboard under the heading Differences: hair, eyes, skin color, facial features, dress.

Discuss how people sometimes respond in a negative way to those who are culturally, socially, physically, or racially different from them. Have the young women suggest some of these negative responses, and write them on the right side of the chalkboard under the heading Responses to Differences: discriminate, avoid, feel sorry for, fear, call names, ignore.

Explain that our reaction to others is often based on physical appearance (the wrapper of the candy bar). But the eternal spirit (the candy bar) is of infinite worth. Our treatment of any individual should be based on the knowledge that each, regardless of race or culture, is divine and eternal.

ANOTHER OBJECT LESSON:
I put a big dot label on each girl. The labels had written on them things like “un-popular”, “bookworm”, “shy”, “quirky”, “clumsy”. I asked each girl to come up to the front of class and explain how they viewed girls at school with these characteristics. Then after they had all thought about each girl’s label, I asked them to think about the way they treated these type of girls/boys. Were they nice or rude? Did they try to include them or ignore them? Were they one of these girls themselves?

Then I read the story “You are Special” by Max Lucado.

Distribute the pieces of paper containing the scripture references and the question. Make certain each class member has a copy of the scriptures. Instruct them to hold the paper until after the following story.

1. 1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

2. Matthew 25:40
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

3. Romans 12:10
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

4. Doctrine and Covenants 18:10
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;

STORY

Angela clenched the paper in her hand and walked home thoughtfully. Sister Bentley’s lesson on the worth of a soul had not been too different from most of her lessons. But something she had said had caused Angela to feel guilty.

Sister Bentley had said a lot about the danger of having exclusive groups of friends. She had talked about changing the word exclusive to inclusive and about including less-active people, shy people, and those who are from a different race or culture. Sister Bentley had sounded as if she thought teenagers ought to love everyone.

Surely Sister Bentley didn’t mean we were to include Mary, thought Angela. She was always so quiet and antisocial. And didn’t Sister Bentley know that Ingrid was a foreigner? No one could even understand her. Angela wondered if Sister Bentley had overheard her and her friends snickering at the clothes Julie had worn to church. Certainly everyone should be able to choose her own friends. Besides, some of the young women probably didn’t even want to participate in Church activities. Why should we even bother them, she thought.

As Angela pondered why the lesson had made her so uncomfortable, she became aware of the crumpled paper in her hand. That was it—those scriptures and that final question Sister Bentley had asked. The scriptures were very clear, and the question demanded an answer.


SCRIPTURES:
Ask the young women to find and read the scripture references on their slips of paper and then read the question.

• How do these scriptures make you feel about your actions toward others?

Explain that the Lord is the creator of all persons. He tells us in the scriptures that all his children are divine and eternal, and he wants us to love them without regard for their race, culture, or status.

ASK:

Ask the girls to think about ways they can be nicer to people.
How they can do more to be friends with people they see as different.
What can they do to view people as God views them?

FINISH OBJECT LESSON:
Have each girl open the package and they will all have the exact same candy bar inside.

THE POINT: to get across the message that no matter what the outside is like, if you look past the outer wrapper, we all have “the good stuff” inside. We are all daughters of our Heavenly Father born divine and eternal… each and every one of us.

BEAR TESTIMONY

Another Option to Framing

Awhile back I shared with you Tara Whitney's fantastic framing project. It is great and I wanted to do the same thing, but I have to admit that it makes me nervous. To buy all the frames, get the pictures printed and then decide if I really like it.

So, in the meantime, I have found a bit of a more simple and less expensive option. It isn't as fantastic, but it still can be great and I might be looking into something more like this.

I have yet to finalize and commit, but having more options is always a good thing. Someday I will do this!

More Dreams

We headed back to Disneyland and was approached by a cast member while waiting in line to see Pluto and Goofy. She asked if my girls like the princesses. Of course they do, are you kidding me. She continued to shower us with little goodies. She gave us more trading pins (score), she gave the girls a special Tinkerbell pin that you can only get from cast members and then to top it off, she gave Hannah a special meeting with some princesses.

We were to go to the Princess Fantasy area in the park and go to a specific location. Give the person the piece of paper we got from her and we would be lead to a secret location where we would have 5-10 mins to talk with two princess one on one. No other kids waiting their turns, no loud kids or families around, just Hannah and the princesses.

Hannah ran up to Sleeping Beauty and Jasmine and hugged them and you can tell that she was excited, but she was also star-struck, so there wasn't much conversation. I tried to help her with the questions and conversation, but a 4 1/2 year old isn't big on talking, mostly just smiling and hugging and being in their presence.

So, many things that go on at Disneyland... so much most of us don't even know about. But we got lucky that day to experience and enjoy one of them!

Dreams Kept Coming True

After we had breakfast with Minnie, we went to California Adventure and went on the new Toy Story Mania ride. It is a really fun ride, worth the wait. We hung out there for awhile and finally after a year of going to Disneyland each of us won a prize for the "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration. We won lanyards with Disney Trading Pins on them.

Okay, you might think, big deal (as did I). But apparently, trading pins is a big deal at Disneyland (you might notice most of the cast members wearing them around their necks). Well, the deal is you can trade any "official" Disney pin with any cast member and they have to trade with you. So, I went up to one and asked if I could look at his pins.... he had a great princess one, so I traded with him. Then Hannah wanted to trade with him and from that moment on we were hooked. We spent the rest of the day looking for pins and trading.

The funniest thing is I always looked at people with those pins and thought to myself, "what dorks. Why would anyone spend money on pins". Well, I have eaten my words... i am a dork. We bought pins and can't wait to go back to trade for more pins. It is a whole secret world there at Disneyland... beware joining in.