Wow it's time to write....

Ok it is time for me to write! I have been so crazy busy and I wanted to take a break from everything and just sit down and write. Yes the old fashion way, and no pictures this time. I just feel like writing today. So here I go....

I know we all get crazy busy at times but the little things truly do mean so much and they ARE important. I am so thankful for the beautiful family and friends I am blessed with! I want you to know you uplift, bring out the best in me and make me smile :) Our true loved ones are there to celebrate the good times and be there to hold our hand through the hard times. So we as women are blessed by both? YES absolutely! Think about a big important event. Do you notice who recognizes it, and does it mean a lot to you? Now think about when you are going through a hard time or just having a bad day... do we notice who is there to lift us up? These are the precious people in my life that I am thankful for and love so very much eternally! When I am having a hard day if I do something for someone else, I always feel better and it takes the focus off of me and onto the person I am serving. You never know something little you do may have a HUGE life changing effect! Let us all try daily to uplift and bring out the best in those we encounter. I have a strong belief in the power of positivity! When we are with someone positive you can feel the radiance beaming through them. A positive person will always build you up and strengthen your soul! Thank you to the amazing positive people that are a special part of my life! I love you and want you to know the little things you do truly ARE important to me!

Lots of love and hugs! Make it an incredible day :)

Spotlight of my Angel Mom...

Today I would like to spotlight my Angel Mom...

Here she is feeding me when I was one week old. The girl watching on the left is my sweet sister Ellen. You can see my spotlight of her by going here.

I am so thankful for my sweet Angel Mom! What a blessing she is and truly an Angel here on Earth.

My Dad took this picture of my Mom when she was younger. My Dad titled it, "Beautiful Rose of Spring". How cute and sweet! I agree with my Dad...she is beautiful! Not only on the outside but the inside too! My dear Angel Mom is so sweet and loving and a wonderful example to me and all! I am so very thankful and blessed to have such a precious Mom that I love with all my heart. Thank You Mom for all you are and all you do! ~I love you eternally~

Think Do Be Positive!

How is your attitude today? 
Is it negative? Is it positive? 
The difference between the two can have a profound effect on your life. Attitudes are contagious.  Are yours worth catching? Our lives become a series of habits over time, including our thinking process. You must begin each day with a choice about your attitude.

Life is too short to go about it grumpily, moaning, and complaining about how unfair it is.

Having a positive attitude helps us to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. It brings optimism into your life, and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking. 

A positive attitude leads to happiness and can change your whole life. If you look at the bright side of life, your whole life becomes filled with light. This light affects not only you and the way you look at the world, but also your whole environment and the people around you.

One thing that really helps me personally is to think of things on an Eternal Perspective. An Eternal Perspective makes every problem temporary, no matter how permanent it may seem right now.

I am thankful for all the awesome positive thoughts people share daily by clicking on my button I made below. They truly uplift me and make me smile :)

Let us all...

Choose to be happy

Look at the bright side of life

Choose to be and stay optimistic

Find reasons to smile more often 

Meditate on our blessings

Have faith in yourself and in our loving Heavenly Father and Savior

Associate yourself with happy people

Keep a daily gratitude journal

Give more hugs

Learn to master your thoughts
 

Read inspiring stories

Read inspiring quotes 

Learn concentration and meditation

Visualize only what you want to happen

Repeat affirmations that inspire and motivate you

Find something to laugh about

Make positive thinking a habit
Hope you all have a positive day!

Love and Hugs from me to you :)

Tonight for Dinner...

Crockpot Meatball Sandwiches

• 40 frozen fully cooked meatballs
• 26-oz. jar pasta sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 slices mozzarella cheese, sliced or shredded
• 6 buns toasted warmed or toasted
• top with grated parmesan cheese

These are always a huge hit at our house and they are really easy and yummy!

Now I am off to plan our family home evening for tonight...

Hope you are all having a very Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas 2010

Let us all think 
of His L♥ve and warmth
and share His Light this 
beautiful Christmas time!

Merry Christmas with
l♥ts of l♥ve
from our family to yours!

Pineapple Ham Casserole Recipe...

Since the kids are back in school now I have been looking for some new fast, easy, yummy dinner recipes! As I try them out I thought I would post the ones my family and I like. Tonight I made a Pineapple Ham Casserole. It was very easy and everyone loved it!

Pineapple Ham Casserole Recipe

4 Servings Prep: 15 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs or Ritz crackers
  

Directions

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. In a large skillet, saute celery in 1 tablespoon butter until tender. Stir in cream cheese and milk; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Add the noodles, ham, pineapple, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.
• Transfer to an ungreased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs or Ritz crackers. Sprinkle over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minute

This will also be listed as a comment under my Easy Recipes button here. Feel free to add your favorite fast, easy, yummy recipes that you and your family love! Love and Hugs to you all :)

Fast, Easy Yummy Recipes Button...

I have had such a positive response to my Positive Thoughts Button that I came up with on my Trying To Stay Calm site! So I thought it would be fun to come up with a button for this blog! As women, I know it's always great to try new fast, easy, yummy recipes. So this is a place when you can't think of what to make for dinner....

Ding Ding Ding... just come visit here and look through the comments for some great ideas :)

Thanks for visiting and please leave a recipe that your family has tried and all loves with us in a comment.

Make Time For You...

We have more to give and more energy when we make time for us!

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury!

Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.

Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.

Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, reading, spending time with friends or whatever you enjoy.

Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Exercise is also great to include in time for you. People who exercise regularly have more energy, maintain a healthy weight, and are happier since exercise improves your mood.

Try something new. When life feels like it is getting into a rut, it is merely an indication that you are ready to move into a new phase. To do this, you will need to explore new options for hobbies, studying and things that you enjoy that are uplifting.

To me even just soaking in a warm bath feels so good. It gives me a little quiet, calm time away from everything. I like to listen to relaxing music and light a candle also when I take a bath.

Let's all make time for us in our lives :)

What are some things you do to make time for you?

Sharing Is Important...

It's very important to share! This blog is a great place for us to share, uplift, encourage and bring out the best in each other! One way I think will help us to do that is to share. Good friends share. By talking, discussing, exchanging ideas, smiling, listening, laughing and crying together. We all have different gifts and strengths that we can share with each other. We can also share our love.

So with that said, this post is all about sharing!

Now here's the fun part...

Please leave a comment sharing something :)

Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Others...

Here are some thoughts on ways
to bring out the best in yourself
and others...

Become an instrument of inspiration! Your words, actions, energy, even your smallest thoughts will either promote or prevent the growth of those around you. Choose to be the type of person who inspires others to become better and brighter!

Speak as if others already radiate their potential. Instead of saying, "You would look great in that outfit if you did a few more lunges," say, "You look smashing in that outfit." Instead of saying, "You would have nailed that presentation if you had talked slower," say, "You did an awesome job on that presentation."

Praise generously and sincerely. Find admirable qualities, talent, wisdom, dedication in everybody around you and verbally acknowledge these talents on a regular basis.

Always make eye contact when you speak. It is inspiring when a person looks you directly in the eyes.

Treat yourself lightly. We all have weak spots. That's okay, it's part of being human. And you must not beat yourself up simply for being human. Treat yourself with a loving heart, speak kindly and take care of you. You cannot inspire others to greatness if you aren't also inspiring yourself to the same.

Human relations guru Dale Carnegie wrote, 'Become genuinely interested in other people.' When we are genuinely interested in others, really curious about them, they feel respected and valued.

As we show our interest, people tend to become more interesting, more creative, and more capable.

The simplest way to bring out the best in people is to hold an attitude of positive expectations.

Instead of looking for what's missing, or what's wrong with a person, we can re-frame our expectations to look for what's positive. The management phrase, 'Catch employees doing something right' captures the sense of this attitude.

Service is a great way to build ourselves and others up! You gain a special love for those you serve! During His ministry on the earth, Jesus Christ spent His time serving and helping others. True disciples of Jesus Christ do likewise. The Savior said, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).

I feel strongly that it is so very important to bring out the best in ourselves and others! To help strengthen testimonies, be positive, uplifting, supportive, complimentary and most importantly l♥ve!

Thank you my sweet friends for bringing out the best in me! I am thankful you are a part of my life and I l♥ve you all lots! {HUGS}

Friends are Forever...

I am so thankful for all of you my precious friends! Hope you have a blessed and beautiful day!
Love and Hugs :)

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. ~Marcel Proust
Broaden your friendships, and lift your lives to a higher pathway as you journey toward perfection. ~Thomas S. Monson

Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down. ~Oprah WinfreyIt's important to know that when one of us is down, it becomes the obligation of his friends to give him a lift. I hope that each of us will cultivate a sensitivity toward the feelings of others, and when encouragement is needed, make an effort to extend it. Be a friend, and you will have a friend. God be thanked for wonderful friends. ~Gordon B. Hinckley

My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me. ~Henry Ford
How grateful I am for the gospel and the assurance that even friendships are eternal. Sisters, we are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance.
~Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light. ~Helen Keller

A true friend is one who thinks you are a good egg even if you are half-cracked. ~Author Unknown

Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes.
~Joseph B. Wirthlin
I feel that friendship is a fundamental need of our world. I think in all of us there is a profound longing for friendship, a deep yearning for the satisfaction and security that close and lasting relationships can give. ~Joseph Smith

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.
~Douglas Pagels

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give.
~George MacDonald

Merry Christmas Sisters 2009...

The Reason for the Season...

I l♥ve this time of year and wanted to
share these beautiful videos with you all...

Happy Thanksgiving Sisters...

I am thankful for Sisterhood and each one of you! Thanks for being such sweet friends!

I hope you all have a beautiful, blessed and very Happy Thanksgiving! Lots of L♥ve and Hugs!

Photographic evidence of my new haircut...

I really don't like pictures of myself at all! But several of you have asked to see a picture of
my new haircut.
So here you go...

I had to cut it!

Hello Sisters ;)

I have been growing my hair long for a change. It was getting really long and looking well let's just say not so good! No bounce at all!
I couldn't take it anymore... so I got a hair cut today :)


I decided my hair just looks fuller and better on me shoulder length or shorter. Hope you are all doing well and having a wonderful weekend! ♥ HUGS ♥

Happy Halloween Sisters...

Let us uplift each other :)

Here is an award for all of you my uplifting friends :)

I am reading tonight and just got to a chapter
on friendship.
I wanted to share a few things I read that I really liked...


"Your alliances should add to your life, not subtract from it. They should bring increase to you mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. They should build you up, not tear you down; encourage and exhort you to grow, to dream, to flourish!"

So true... I l♥ve it! Let us all uplift each other!
Hope you all have a beautiful week! L♥ve and Hugs!

Sisterhood Spotlight...

Today my Spotlight is my precious friend Angela! Angela lives in Scotland and is such a blessing to me! Today I got these beautiful roses from her! She knows roses are my fav! Thank You so much my precious friend! Angela is always spoiling me and such a sweetheart! She also sent me this cute bear, some pink Scotland socks and a beautiful letter. I'm thankful for our close friendship Angela and want you to know I love you lots! What a blessing to have you as my Forever Friend! ♥ Hugs ♥

Thank You My Precious Friends...

I want to thank you all for your friendship, love and support! I'm so blessed and thankful to have such supportive, sweet friends! Thank you also for being patient and putting up with me & for l♥ving me just the way I am! A special thank you to my sweet friend Danyelle for helping me with the buttons I made and for teaching me some new things on my blogs! Hope you all have a super weekend!
♥ HUGS ♥

I hope you all...

Secret Sister...

I l♥ve to uplift and serve others! Who wants to join me in making someone smile? There is just something special about surprising someone with some love without them knowing who it is from :) Please leave comments of ideas you have to help us be secret sisters. I know that we will be blessed for serving others! I am excited to see what ideas we can come up with! I hope you all have a beautiful Sunday! ♥ HUGS ♥

Sisterhood is Awesome :)

I love Sister Hinckley!!! Here are some of her sayings that I share the same feelings on.... How grateful I am for the gospel and the assurance that even friendships are eternal. Sisters, we are all in this together. We need each other. Oh, how we need each other. It is a sociological fact that women need women. We need deep and satisfying and loyal friendships with each other. These friendships are a necessary source of sustenance.

This is so true! I was thinking today about how thankful I am for my sweet, precious friendships! You are all dear to me! What a blessing to know we have each other and that we can be there to strengthen, uplift, encourage, and laugh together!!! It truly blesses my life to be able to lean on Sisterhood! And believe me it is extra important to me since I live with a house full of boys :) Sisterhood is AWESOME!!

Sisterhood Spotlight...

Today my Sisterhood Spotlight is going to be my sweet Sister Ellen! She is my super duper pal! I look up to my big sister and love her lots! Look at the sweet smile she is giving me in this picture.

(I'm on the left and she's on the right). Ellen is always there for me and the first person to make me laugh instead of cry! She can turn a oh no moment into a I am going to pee my pants from laughing so hard moment! I love you Ellen with all my heart and I am so thankful for you and the closeness we share! Big Hugs to my super duper pal!

Sweet Sunbeams...

I teach the Sunbeams (3-4 year olds) at church on Sundays. There are a couple of the kids that will only come to me and no one else. Their sweet cute little smiles melt my heart each week. Today I am thankful for my sweet Sunbeams class! Hope you all have a beautiful Sunday! ♥ HUGS ♥

Welcome Sisters!

Welcome to my new Blog :) Since I live with all boys it is good to feel like I can write and have a connection with other women out there. Sisterhood is AWESOME and so important to me! Sisters are Eternal!