when a picture makes your day

last week was a good week in pictures.

I mean, you can have good hair days, I even declare some days good handwriting days, so why not a good picture day?

I decided to document one of my favorites in a layout, all for that one pic. it will probably make an appearance in the weekly project life layout too, but it was just so good, I decided that two showings for it would be just fine.

(supplies used: maggie holmes “styleboard” mini kit, template h, heritage paper, stitching from anna aspnes, tags and button from queen of quirk, arrow paperclip from sahlin studio, and the glitter from ikari designs.)

and the most awesome thing is that this ^^^ isn’t the only beautiful thing about life lately!

I have had so much energy, so much motivation, my list of things to-do is longer than I have time to accomplish.

I care about life!

I know (I KNOW) that my little corner of the world (at least my perception of it) has so vastly improved because of prayer. prayers of family, loved ones, caring friends, and my own.

it’s sweet..

president eyring spoke just to me (I swear!!!!) at women’s conference. it was aimed right. at. me. even better? I was able to get 3 tickets pretty much last minute for me and lynn and ash to be able to go to the conference center. (answered prayers again..)

I wish I had recorded ashley’s facial expression when I told her she would be in the same room as the prophet. think = priceless.

the only thing that could have possibly made that night better would have been if peyton were 8 and able to attend with us.

but let’s not hurry that along too much…

we also had conference weekend. there were great things that weekend, as there always are. again, I tell you, president eyring spoke right. to. me.

(I mean, you can think it was to you, but.. well…)

I am working on my studio and being just as ocd as ever about ever last detail.

my biggest problem?

committing where to put my table…

trying to hold back tears..

so things change.

babies grow, people die, time passes waaay too fast, and as women, we have hormones.

my hormones are at this very moment on the emotional up-swing.  it’s fabulous. 

(we are all thankful that I can step back and realize that it is hormones…)

so while I created these layouts earlier in the week, when my hormones were doing other things to my body, as I look at them now, I want to cry!!!

so we’ll get through this quickly…

first up is “grandpa’s chair” using goodies from liv, including her newest, brownbagger paper pack vol. 5.

I could NEVER get enough of her brownbagger papers…  NEVER.

(for full credits click on the layout.)

this second one is only four years old (ppffttt…), but this is what digital project life is so good for!!  catching up in a fast, easy, gorgeous way!

this layout I used becky’s “p” template (perfect for little peyton..), “honey” edition cards, “baby” paper,  stitching from anna aspnes, staples from liv, and that fun baker’s twine from splendid fiins.

okay..  so I am not going to look at these for at least another week, try to block out the fact that school will be starting again this month (aaaakkkk!!!!), and just try to do things that are fun, non-tear inducing.

this is going to be hard…

did I mention that it’s really the hormones fault?

some newness, some oldness, some awesomeness…

shall we start with the newness?

let us..

AC Digitals has some newness in store today:  Crate Paper -  Maggie Holmes collection.

perfection in softness, femininity, and fun.

I just love this photo of peyton, in fact, I have loved all of the photos of her that I took in this little sitting of sorts. 

she’s gorgeous.

(no, I am not biased.)

(papers and embellishments are from maggie holmes collection, tape frame from liv.edesigns, staples from design by dani, and stitching from anna aspnes.)

speaking of lovely things, father’s day was quite lovely.

this “merrill working seven days a week” thing was old the minute it started, and hasn’t gotten any newer or more exciting since then. 

I have been having a hard time with it, and he has too. 

yesterday wasn’t easy for either one of us.

I sat on our bench in sacrament meeting and fought back tears as the girls sang father’s day songs to me, while I sneakily (and perhaps a tad inappropriately) recorded them with my camera phone so I could send it to merrill.

I guess I should look at the positive, I was able to be there and record it.

nevertheless, it sucks that he is gone SO MUCH.

in other news, there will be some re-doing going on here, starting today.

meet the main bathroom:

this bathroom bugged me the second I saw it.

just what bugged me?

- the size

- that shelf thing behind the toilet

- the lack of storage

- the lack of light

- the lack of space

- the fact that the light IS NOT CENTERED OVER THE SINK.

(seriously, can’t plumbers and electricians just work together?)

- and it’s small.

(or did I mention that already?)

the main bathroom at the old house was spacious.  there was a lot of counter space, tons (TONS!!!! I tell you) of storage.  there was all of the space in that roomy vanity not to mention a FULL CLOSET.  everything had a home.  I was severely comfortable with that bathroom.

I mean, okay, it did have it’s faults..

the floor, no shower, the tile in the bathtub area, the floor..  but the size was awesome!  and all those other things could be fixed.

here, the size thing is not fixable.

we have also had our dear towels since I bought them when I was a senior in high school.  I loved them so much, had to have them for my future house, and they stayed packed away for two years..  I still do love them, well, the parts that aren’t dingy, stained, or fraying. 

the ducks have been with us since we bought our first house.  they were a gift from my mother-in-law, and we have loved them, but sadly, the whiteness of the towels isn’t what it used to be, and even sadder, the girls really aren’t into rubber ducks like they used to be (something about getting older I suppose).

the plan is to lighten, brighten, and simplify.

so, here’s the battle plan:

- remove that dang shelf

- paint the ceiling white

- replace baseboard with foamboard that will resist (RESIST!!!) water.  (unlike the MDF that is there and soaking up water like a sponge..)

- frame out the plain old contractor mirror with the same foamboard trim.

- add our new paint color to the walls

- board and batten the east wall

(I am more than a little excited about this part.)

- new shower curtain (buh-bye duckies!!)

- replace all towel bars with hooks

- all linens will be replaced with white which will mean that we will not have as many, which will also help on that whole “lack of storage” issue that exists.

I have started the day off right with a banana and a scotcheroo for breakfast, so I am more than ready to go.

(breakfast of champions I tell you.)

new release fun.

our family has started the habit of hiking. 

we have lofty goals of reaching ben lomond’s peak (15-ish miles, 9712 feet high) by summer’s end, so that means we have conditioning.

but we are having a blast while we are at it.

liv’s latest two releases are perfect for pictures from these activities, but, well, I had to do one of peyton. 

this girl asked me (like, she actually requested) to curl her hair one sunday morning.  she just looked so angelic.  I asked her to sit near the back door where I had some decent light streaming in and snapped a few of her.

this one uses liv’s latest “woodoodled” papers, and other goodies from her.

(click on layout for list of full credits.)

here’s liv’s “wooded” papers, see how perfect this works with all of our outdoors/hiking pix?

another new fun release is happening today at ac digitals:

“rad dad”

this is project life’s newest installment out just in time for father’s day and is on sale at 20% off!

so I am awesome (hence the new hashtag on instagram #suckyprocrastinator) and just got last year’s father’s day scrapped… 

what can I do…

(I would like to claim that it was waiting for this project life kit…)

#rationalization

also on this page:

liv’s cardstock

anna aspnes stitching

crystal wilkerson’s little “x” stitches

ali edwards heart (masked with liv’s cardstock)

and none of this would be possible without becky’s project life template “f”.

seeing double.

sometimes, creativity urges changes in more places than just one.

as I was playing with amy tangerine’s newest collection “yes please”, I was getting the itch to spring clean the blog and make things pretty.

funny how just a few tweaks to a layout can turn out to be a fun new header!

this spur of creative energy (also brought to you by a couple of extra minutes I was able to rub together..), has me desiring some fun new candid pix of the girls.

well, as soon as lynn gets over strep.

blah.

(my 2013 tax folder is fatter than it should be.  hello deductions!)

anyway, in case you didn’t notice the above newness, here you go:

papers, border bits, camera, arrow elements, stitched heart circle, and brushes for the hearts, arrow, and “wonderful” from ac digitals amy tangerine “yes please”.

paint brushes, kraft tape, frame, staple, and washi tape from liv.edesigns.

“x” stitches from crystal wilkerson.

circle stitches from anna aspnes.

lace (with a hue/saturation adjustment) from kitschy digitals.

only one more day of school left!!

freeeeeedoommmmmm!!!!

(yell it like william wallace..)

our plans for this summer currently consist of:

- keeping in the habit of a decent bedtime, and me (ahem..) getting up early.

- going to the library a lot.

- read-a-thons and treats.

- living by the pool in the sun.

- buying lots of sunscreen.

- washing loads of towels.

- playing in our almost totally fun and finished back yard.

- hiking.

- playing as a family every chance we get.

- quitting the whole pop thing..  and I will be sure to quit at least 6 times a week.

13

the beginning of this month, we celebrated 13 years of marriage.

I am still in a bit of shock..  thirteen?!

in some ways it just doesn’t seem like it’s been that long, but then, it is like I have always known merrill, I just can’t seem to remember life without him.

ac digitals released project life “wedding edition” today.

(it’s on sale at 20% off!!)

so what’s a girl to do?

scrap her 13th anniversary with it, that’s what!

the cards all come from project life “wedding edition”, the paper is from liv.edesigns, stitching from anna aspnes, metal letters and numbers are from sahlin studio, and the straight pin in the picture is from kitschy digitals (with a hue/saturation adjustment added, it was red).

and life goes on!

we are enjoying spring in utah, and if you know what that really means, it means that we are anxious to get out in the yard, to work and play, but the weather isn’t cooperating.

more fun stuff, I was interviewed for tiffany tillman’s website, simply tiffany studios, for my style in journaling.  it was pretty fun!  (and completely awesome.)  you can check it out here.

lucky charm

I have been holding onto this layout since november!!!

do you have any idea how hard it is to have something so fun, so wonderful, that you are dying to share it, but can’t?

welp, that has been me.

more than a little happy that this collection is finally  being released today!!

dear lizzy:  “lucky charm”

and guess what?  13 (yes, thirteen years as of last friday..) this ^^^ is still my happy place.

credits:

papers and embellishments- dear lizzy “lucky charm”

frame- liv.edesigns

staple and x stitch- crystal wilkerson

torn cardboard- katie pertiet

torn edge and stitching- anna aspnes

goodies from AC digitals.

march was not my friend.

march was crazy.

I am glad it is april!

new goodies from AC digitals:

Becky Higgins project life “seasons” mini-

other goodies used:

stitching from anna aspnes.

colored stitches, brown bag paper, and paint brush from liv.edesigns.

metal letters and hearts from karla dudley.

font: “pablo”.

also new today from american crafts, “hello sunshine”.

other goodies used:

paint brush from liv.edesigns.

staples and letters for “so” from design by dani.

cute little pink stitches from crystal wilkerson.

font: “pablo”.

and for fun..

pebbles “seen & noted”.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

staples from design by dani.

font: “my type of font”.

 

another just for fun one.

I snapped this picture yesterday as my pic of the day.  I am so happy it is finally sandal weather!!

(until next week..  this is what living in utah is like.)

can’t wait for greener grass.

pebbles “walnut grove”.

doily stamp from pebbles “country picnic”.

staple from design by dani.

stitches and frame from liv.edesigns.

font: “my type of font”.

I am ready for april..  I think.

not a pity party.

just a list of excuses for why I am behind two days. :/

merrill has a bad sinus infection, and by “bad” I mean horrendous. 

he started feeling it the end of last week, and by saturday, he was ready to go to the doctor. (!!!!!)  really.  this guy, asking to go to the doctor?  it MUST be bad.

too bad for him, the instacare had closed, he got to wait until the next morning.

two antibiotics, a prescription for loritab in hand, the kid was still struggling.

we have tried EVERYTHING.  by everything I mean EVERYTHING..  well, except for this one drink I found on pinterest.  we are not brave enough to try that.

(for the curious:  water, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, honey, and lemon.  in my experience, ingesting apple cider vinegar ends in vomit.)

we have tried just about every decongestant, steam, oils, reflexology, moist+heated washcloths, then graduated to a rice bag that we have been spritzing and heating.  the loritab didn’t help.  we have already gone through a bottle of advil.  neither of us have gotten a full night of sleep since…  thursday?

it’s awesome.

I really can’t stand to see him so sick.

but, I have accomplished a few things, and as time (and my new nursing schedule permit) I will post all of my accomplishments and fun finds.

for now, here’s two layouts brought to you by the goodness at AC Digitals.

first up is new product, “Dear Lizzy Spring”.

(you can get it on sale this week!)

other goodies on this page:

stitching- anna aspnes
frame- liv.edesigns
photo corner- splendid fiins
background paper- amy tangerine “ready set go”

 

this loveliness is from crate paper “fourteen”.

 

I had to laugh at myself while saving off this layout.  I have a lot (A LOT) of layouts titled “sisters”.

that’s what I get for having 3 girls.

also used on this page:

stitching- anna aspnes

buttons- crystal wilkerson

paint brush and brown paper for the letters- liv.edesigns

font- “burvetica thick nc”

chevron love!

let’s be honest..  these have been trendy for a while now, I have loved them all along, and I am not tired of them!!

liv has out, brand new today, some lovely shabby chevron papers.

two things I love: shabby & chevron.

(oohhhh!!  ooohhhh!!  and liv, of course.)

they are on sale this weekend!  I would go grab some…

(I also grabbed nancie rowe janitz crazy for chevrons 1 and crazy for chevrons 2 first thing this morning..  LOVE her stuff!!  and hello, it’s more chevron!)

here’s the layout I created with liv’s goodness:

(as always, click on layout for full list of credits and yada yada yada..)

the major things on my to-do list today:

- finish kitchen stools

- clean craft room

- play in craft room

- eliminate the “to mend” pile

- do taxes (blah!!)

- find blueing (this should be #1)

- wash pillows (banish the sickie germs!!!)

hope my day is as productive as yours…

floral lane and sketchbook

two of the newest additions to the ac digitals store today!!

first up:  pebbles “floral lane”.

so sweet and girly…

other goodies used:

brown bag paper:  liv.edesigns

yellow stitching (also adjusted to white for the buttons):  liv.edesigns

(with a hue/saturation adjustment to perk up the yellow a bit.)

white heart:  karla dudley

white stitching:  anna aspnes

buttons, epoxy hearts, and ric-rac:  dani mogstad

staple:  crystal wilkerson

font:  “firefly castle”

 

and here’s amy tangerine’s “sketchbook”.

I find it funny, that before I even signed on with ac digitals, I bought some of these goodies in the traditional form…  I knew I loved them before they were even digi!!

stitching:  anna aspnes

turquoise splatter brush, frame, and staple:  liv.edesigns

green misting brush:  splendid fiins

 

I have a certain 5 year old not feeling so hot today.

our day looks like laundry, some cleaning, and finishing up my new magnetic+chalk board wall.

(review on that fun to come soon.)

I am hoping to get to my craft room today, not only to craft, to clean, hopefully to start the chalkboard (notice the absence of magnet there?) and to play.  I found some heidi swapp goodies at michaels last week, I have been itching to play with them for DAYS.

some ac digitals love.

geez.  I feel like I have been out of it for a while!

I have been working away at project life.  it is a blast!! 

(more on that later..)

for now, here’s some good stuff from ac digitals:

this is all ac digitals “soho garden”.

well, except for the stitching..

stitching:  anna aspnes frames no. 3

the next two kits are on sale this week at ac digitals!!

go grab them!

this layout was mostly created with pebbles “with love”  new today in the store.

here are the exceptions:

chevron paper:  pebbles “walnut grove”

all stitching:  anna aspnes (circles no. 2, white no. 3, and frames no. 1)

frame:  katie pertiet “curled photo frames”

ric-rac:  splendid fiins “feedsack” elements pack 2

pink photo corner:  splendid fiins “feedsack” elements pack 1

twill ribbon:  katie pertiet

staple:  dani mogstad “chasing rainbows”

rhinestones:  dani mogstad “a lot like christmas”

date stamp:  liv.edesigns “needs + wants it’s a date stamp”

font:  “my type of font”

this is all ac digitals, “city park”.

well, with the exception of the stitching, again..

stitching:  anna aspnes (white 1, loops white 1)

AND liv’s brownbagger paper.

fonts:

“bebas neue”

“pea sugar noodles”

holiday cheer.

we had a wonderful christmas!! 

here’s just a few of those moments:

(links posted below each layout.)

the lights at ogden’s christmas village.

this song by mindy gledhill really speaks to me.  it is just how I feel about my kids growing SO fast!!  I also identify with it in the respect that I wish the christmas season would just.slow.down.

wood grain paper, snowflakes, and tabs from crate paper “peppermint”.

ric-rac and staple from dani mogstad.

stitching from anna aspnes (frame here and strip has been discontinued).

glitter sheet from shalin studio.

date stamp from liv.edesigns.

fonts:  “ostrich sans rounded” and “lobster two”

 

this one is priceless!!  these expressions were captured while they opened their main gift.  happy girls!!

paper, tab, and tape bits from crate paper “sleigh ride”.

glitter from sahlin studio.

staple from dani mogstad.

date stamp from liv.edesigns.

stitching from anna aspnes.

torn photo frame from anna aspnes.

fonts:  “bebas” and “pea snow”.

 

finally, here’s december at a glance, thanks to instagram!!

so many traditions and happenings pictured here:

- christmas eve wrapping party (a.k.a. no sleep for mom and dad.)

- sleeping around the tree on the 23rd

- wrapping sister gifts

- um, winter + utah = cold.  LOVE my seat warmer!!

- lights at temple square

- white chocolate peppermint m&ms (those had better be coming back next year!!!) #addicted

- seeing ‘the nutcracker” with my girls

- our elf christopher

- our book advent

- snow

- sugar cookies!!!

- my newest nativity

- favorite christmas carols

- stack o’ cards

- christmas village

papers, border, button and santa from dani mogstad.

staple from dani mogstad,

zig-zag stitching from anna aspnes.

circle stitching from anna aspnes.

vellum piece is actually a torn photo frame from anna aspnes with the opacity adjusted.

brown bag paper from liv.edesigns.

fonts:  “bebas” and “pea hilary marie”.

this layout is my last for the creative team at jessica sprague.  it has been a fun couple of years!!  it was a dream come true to be accepted as a part of this team.  I was scared to death to submit to the call, but thanks to the encouragement of one designer, I did it.  one of the happiest days of my digi life was when I got an email from her congratulating me.  I’ve made some wonderful friends and have learned so much!  thanks for all the good times ladies!  xox

many great scrappy things are happening for 2013.. 

I will stay on creating and loving all the goodness that is liv esteban (a.k.a liv.edesigns) at jessica sprague.

(yay!!!)

and I will also be creating and having way too much fun at ac digitals.

I also have MANY goals for the new year, and most of them are craft/scrap/photog related.  time to get back into an awesome routine and start to catch up!!

happy new year!!!

new project life “seafoam” edition.

I have already started mentally compiling my list of goals for the year 2013.

one of those goals is to actually remember to write 2013, not 2012, and when I do write 2012, to not say crap.

another goal is to start project life.

I (taking a deep breath…) am not caught up on all of my scrapbooking.

(huge exhale.)

I know. 

it is like a huge sin for me to not be caught up.

I am not sure if I can even admit just how far behind I am….

but I can say this:

while searching for a couple of specific pictures last week,  I was brought to a realization:  there are a lot (like A LOT) of pictures that have just been left for my hard drive to enjoy.  there are moments captured that I forgot about.  these need to be out and enjoyed. 

project life is so crazy cool, and there are many of my friends who inspire me with their project life layouts.  I just need to start. 

there are a few blog posts, even vlogs out there, that have inspired me further, and even reaffirmed my decision, that this is what I need to do.

you can rest assured, that I have a pinboard started for all things project life.  what would I do without pinterest?  I mean, really?!

pictures are already being organized on the hard drive…

excitement abounds!!

so, diving in head first, here is one for you, with the most brand-spanking new edition of a project life kit at that!!!

this is the seafoam edition, available today at ac digitals.

(psstt!!  you can get it on sale at 20% off until sunday.)

other elements used on this page include:

- becky higgins project life template “f”

- stitching from anna aspnes

- staple from dani mogstad

- date stamp from liv.edesigns

font:

“my type of font”

monday’s aren’t all that bad…

so I propose that we start this week off with some excitement!!
what do you think?
good, glad you agree.
I am not sure if it can get any more exciting than this little tidbit.
(and by “little tidbit”, I really mean HUGE AWESOME MOST EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT EVER!!!)

let me preface this by stating the fact that I own a few (ahem..) books of darling american crafts rub-ons.  I bought them by twos.  my fault for naming my kids what I did.  they all have letters in common, I need the rub-ons!! 

(yes, rub-ons are still relevant in my book..)
I also have a little stash of american crafts paper..  don’t judge the stuff that is old, and I just haven’t found a project “worthy” enough to use it on.

let’s not discuss the spools (capital S belongs on the end of that doosy) of ribbon I own. 

yowsa.  only three spools on those top two sections aren’t american crafts….
so it was kinda sorta a match made in heaven when I got an email (most exciting one in a long time) inviting me (ME!!!) to be on the american crafts creative team.
you heard me right. 
american crafts.
as of today, they have a site where you, lucky, lucky little you, can go and buy your favorite traditional goodies, digitized!!!

what do I mean by favorite goodies?
think:  becky higgins project life, american crafts, crate paper, pebbles, amy tan!!!
hop on over, sign up for the email list, grab a freebie,  buy stuff at 25% off, and have a chance at winning some AWESOME stuff!!
I have had the fun of playing with some of these products in advance…

here's one with the amy tangerine's "ready set go" kit.
(other elements: stitching- anna aspnes; "x" stitches and staples- crystal wilkerson; frame- kitschy digitals.)
a happy  monday indeed!!

playing catch-up is a great form of exercise.

so merrill is home.

(sigh.)

he has been home for a week, but I have been too busy enjoying his presence that I have not mentioned it.

we have already enjoyed our first halibut dinner.  delicious.

we were also thrust back into real life (i.e. work and the daily routine) rather quickly.

so while trying to be creative, take pictures, mother, cook, clean, organize (because fall puts me in the mood to de-clutter and visit the d.i.), prep. for a certain 8 year-old to be birthday+baptism, soccer, tumbling, and getting a new hotel ready to open, I have managed to have some fun.

I had an especially fun night last night while I cleaned-up the old hard drive on my computer.  organizing the c drive and the external hard drive seriously define what fun is to me.  I am a geek.  I did a little happy dance when I found a long lost (think almost 8 years long) video.  I also did another happy dance when I freed up about 100 gb on my c drive.

I have many projects to document, I allowed only a week of the two merrill was gone, to be depressed, then I got crafty.  they are quite cute, if I do say so myself.

so, you can sit back and be patient, enjoy these here posts as they come.

here’s the scrapbook layouts I got done in september:

(click on the image for the list of products and junk.)

I wanted to do a quick layout of all the snippets of memories from this year’s trip to lake powell, and that is what the journaling of this layout consists of, those little bits.

my favorite memories:

- merrill surprising me with a playlist for the drive that had old, sentimental songs on it.

- ashley jumping off the top of the houseboat!!!  (she is my dare-devil daughter.)

- staying in reflection canyon.  (gorgeous.)

here’s a layout featuring a quote that I have used before, and HAD to use again.  the picture told me to do it.

and, well, I will NEVER get tired of pictures of my girlies reading.

never.

ash was so excited to start moby dick.

scrappy doo.

here’s a few layouts I managed to complete last month.

as per usual, click on the layout for a full list of credits!

can you guess which one is my absolute favorite?

I will give you a clue:  it is the one that took me the most time to complete.

feeling scrappy.

I love pinterest for some good old inspiration, love blog hopping for the same reason.  there have been many things that have caught my eye, I have pinned them, totally planning on doing something with them sometime…

I finally crossed off a couple of those ideas last week.

#1 – wood grain.

now I have used it here and there, but I wanted to use it in a funkier way.  not in your traditional woodsy tones.

splendid fiins came out with another “knock-out” misting mask, and well, the rest is history:

(click on layouts for full cred.)

I have admired the look of title work cut from the main background paper, with a fun patterned paper placed behind, peeking through.

here’s me favorite example from elizabeth kartchner.

I mean, sure, you could get stickers, or cut the letters out of the patterned paper, but there is something about the look of it…

I can admit, that it took me awhile to get the drop shadows on this kraft background just right, and still, I look at it and wonder if it should be tweaked more…

I adjusted those darn drop shadows, merging layers, duplicating them, tweaking the shadows, multiplying and tweaking so many times, I lost track of how many times I did it!

my eyes, seriously, were on the verge of bleeding.

but that is what happens when you get passionate about an idea!

A little inspiration.

I do a lot at the computer.

(Page credits here.  You can download FREE template here.)

Edit pictures, digi scrapbook, blog, create other things digitally..  basically I spend a lot of time in Photoshop.

I have a few choices as to what I can do while I am doing that.  I can listen to music.  I can listen to the girls play.  I can sit in silence.  I can sing to myself.  Before the teenaged DVD player decided to be a grumpy teenager, I could listen to whatever movie (or “ooive” if you are three) the girls were watching, or I can talk on the phone..

I would rather not hear myself sing.  Really.  So that leaves  a few other options.

Around Christmas time, my mom shared a link on her Facebook page to a program on the Mormon Channel. 

Yup.  I am a LDS (aka “Mormon”) and quite happy with my life…

It was an interview with Ed and Lois Smart.  If you don’t remember, or just don’t know, their daughter was kidnapped from their Salt Lake City home in the middle of the night in May of 2000.  I was pregnant with Lynn, and my days were spent watching all the news I could about this horrible situation.  She was found, March of the next year.  Alive.

This interview was one of the first of the series “Enduring it Well”.  It was what got me hooked.

To listen to their story, what life was like while Elizabeth was missing all of those months was awe-inspiring.  I have listened to many of the interviews on that program since, have some to catch up on, and love what it does for me personally.

It gives me strength.  It gives me a positive way to spend my time here.

I have since become addicted (nearly) to another program “Conversations”.  LOVE the stories that are shared by so many. 

My favorite of all time (so far) is with Herbert Klopfer. He grew up in Nazi Germany.  His story gives me chills!!  His life was full of miracles throughout that time.  I dare you to listen to his interview and not cry..

Member or not, these stories will uplift and inspire.  They truly testify that there is a God, and He loves us all.

The coolest part, you can listen to them on your computer, or download them and listen to them wherever you want!  Makes other chores so much more enjoyable..

So while I try to fill my time doing good things, I also try to find ways to edify myself in the process.