Visiting Teaching - February 2012

I love the message for this month. Short, sweet, and to the point. Here is what I took from this month's message. It is our responsibility, all of us (as mothers, daughters, sisters, ecetera, ecetera), to work on strengthening the family unit. We are responsible for creating an environment in our home that embraces and welcomes Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. We are responsible for teaching our children, for setting a positive example, and for being a righteous influence for our family. We are not alone in this endeavor. As we learn and follow the doctrines of Christ, we can rely on Him for help and guidance.

That last part, learning to rely on the Lord for help and guidance, is {surprisingly} the most difficult thing for me to remember. Those who know me well know that I tend to do things on my own. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be independent and self-sufficient, but I need to remember that the Lord is always there and that if I turn to him in moments of weakness, or confusion, or (this is me being honest) when I feel completely inadequate/overwhelmed/inept at being a mother, He will help me.

For a full view of this month's Visiting Teaching message, click HERE.

For more reading material and ideas on strengthening families, you can visit HERE and HERE.

Want a copy of the handout card I made? You can download a PDF file HERE.

Happy Visiting Teaching!

Scrap Haps...

Wait, what?! Becky actually scrapped something?! I know, I know...it has been quite some time since I scrapped a page or two. My mojo pretty much disappeared after Baby #3 came into our lives and it is {just}finally starting to come back. Yay! Even though I do not plan to take on quite as many Creative Team commitments as I previously had (at least, not for the time being), there are some fun things I have planned that will hopefully keep me in the digiscrap loop and keep the creativity flowing.

First, there is a year-long A-Z Challenge hosted by Michelle Batton (one of my fave designers and digi friends) that I plan to participate in...even though the only thing I've completed so far is the cover page. Guess I better get scrapping to make up for the challenges I've missed, eh? Second, although I technically resigned from the FPD Site CT after having MacKenzie, I have been making the sales ads, banners, and product ads for the Designer Collabs that appear in the weekly newsletter and forums. This means that you may occasionally see a layout or two using some of the fantastic kits from the FPD shop.  Third, I DID reach out to one of my all time favorite designer, Sarah Jones, and ask if I could create some pages using her amazing kits. Luckily, she said YES, which means you should be seeing quite a few layouts featuring Sarah's creations. I am very excited and thankful that Sarah decided to let me create for her.

So, there you have it...the latest scrap haps for this little scrapper. On that note, here are the pages I have scrapped recently...I hope you enjoy!

A-Z Challenge Cover Page using Flutterby and Storyteller by Tracy Martin Scrapbook Designs

Warm Winter Days using Winterfrost Collab by Crossbone Cuts and WM squared Designs

2 To Love using Smitten, Imagine Me & You, and Saying I Love You by Sarah Jones Designs

Snow Beach Day using Blizzard Conditions and Woodsie Designer Kit by Sarah Jones Designs

Thanks for stopping by! Have a super scrappy day!

Finger-Licking GOOD...

Tonight we decided to eat dinner at one our all-time favorite places...Beach Pit BBQ. This place never disappoints...good food, great atmosphere, play area for the kids...happy smiles and full tummies all around!!

Thank you Beach Pit for giving me the night off from cooking!!

Sk8r GiRlz...

Aiden was feeling brave today and decided to pull out Doug's skateboard for some playtime. She's getting better at it...she's able to cruise and balance for a few seconds all on her own, without any help from me. Reilly wanted to jump in as well but didn't seem as comfortable on the board. Aiden was super sweet and offered to help Reilly out...it's the special little moments like today that just melt my heart. 

And what did the little one do while big sisters were skating and mom was busy snapping photos? She happily watched from her little bouncer in the doorway. Good time for everyone.

 

 

Happy Month O' Love...

I cannot say how excited I am that it's finally February. I love.love.love. the month of love. I mean, really...how can you not help but enjoy pinks and reds, hearts, hugs & kisses?! As a kid, I loved February because it meant we got daily visits from cupid (a.k.a. my mom) who would leave little treats/notes/surprises on our beds while we were at school. I have tried a few different variations of this with the girls, but I think this year I am going to simply do it old school - just like my mom did. I have a few ideas in mind (I'll blog about those later), but for right now I wanted to share some festive decorations ideas from my never-ending project to-do list...just to help get you in the mood for the month o' love...

So much inspiration from Paper Source...so little time. Just visit the site for some lovely ideas...

Not sure what I love most about this mantle...the teal backdrop, the yarn LOVE letters, the fun pink mirror, or the love letter garland across the top?! 

   

I love the different uses of pedestals/candlesticks. Definitely thinking of stopping by Goodwill this weekend.

Burlap. Stripes. Buttons...what's not to love?!

Such a cute card...so simple. So adorable. I just might have to make a few of these...

Although I am planning to make Valentine's for the girls (don't worry, I'll share them here if I do), I couldn't help but share these adorable FREE printables...grab them HERE

Burlap + rosettes + wreath = WinWinWin situation

 

 

Heart garland...so many different variations to this, but all of them are so, SO cute.

Delicious and cute...a perfect combination

And that's all for now! I would love to see what ideas/projects/inspiration are making your heart flutter this Valentine's season, so please feel free to share!!

In Review: January 2012...

It's hard to believe the first month of the new year has already ended...will things ever slow down?! Here are the highlights (and lowlights) of our January 2012:

Week One: 2012 started off with a stomach flu epidemic for our family...every single one of us got hit with it at some level. Not fun. We tried to stay up New Year's Eve, but I think we all ended up crashing at about 11:30. Aiden had a really bad fever that night and I was starting to come down with the symptoms...we were just too, too tired. Lightweights, I know. Doug and I should have been able to celebrate our 8th anniversary, but the day came and went without much ado, thanks again to the flu bug. I guess we'll just have to make it up next year with an extra special celebration. I thought the girls were in the clear so I sent them to school on the 2nd. After an hour and a half the school nurse called to say Reilly had thrown up on her way to recess...so, I made the executive decision to take both girls home and take a sick week just to make sure we were fully recovered before attempting to return to school.

Week 2: After having 3 weeks off from school (2 weeks of Christmas vacation + the sick week), Aiden and Reilly were more than ready to go back. They love their class, they adore their teacher, and they missed their friends. Aside from homework and make-up work, this week was filled with lots of after-school scooter rides and walks...a great way to release the pent-up energy from the previous week.

Week 3: Two wonderful things happened this week. First, Doug got to take a day off from work (thank you Martin Luther King, Jr.) and the girls and I absolutely LOVED having him home. Second, Aunt Becky, Uncle James, and baby Declan came out to visit us from Arizona. We had a great time hanging out, eating good food, visiting the beach, and simply enjoying their company.

Week 4: Probably not the most exciting week for us...Doug had a dentist appointment, I had a doctor's appointment and some labwork done, the girls had an appointment scheduled, but the doctor ended up having to reschedule at the last minute. Aiden and Reilly have been having a rough time with their asthma...the doc put us on a new medication that doesn't make them as hyper/jittery/anxious/off-the-wall-crazy (yay!!). Mac has also had some issues with wheezing/coughing...she's too young to be diagnosed with anything but we've had to do breathing treatments with her as well. Oh how I wish I could make this go away for my three little chickens.

Week 4 1/2: The girls went on a field trip with another kinder class to the Santa Ana Zoo. Aiden's favorite animal was the baby monkey she got to see...it had been born just the night before and she couldn't believe how small it was. Reilly was super stoked to see some peacocks...but she came home a little disappointed after getting to see only one, and that one "didn't even have his pretty tail feathers out...the tail just stayed there." The girls got to ride a school bus for the very first time; Aiden loved it but Reilly says she likes the seats on the city bus better. The girls also got to go a butterfly birthday party for a friend of theirs from church...they made bracelets and decorated butterfly wings...Aiden even ate the chocolate birthday cake without the slightest bit of hesitation! She is definitely starting to venture out from her "vanilla only" phase. We finished the month off by joining some friends for a delicious Sunday dinner at their home, and then two days later I met up with some of my friends from church for a wonderful night of potluck and bunco.

Pumped Up Kicks...

Little Miss Mac debuted her pink Chuck Taylors today (which were a total impulse buy a few months back but a definite steal at $6)...and while I know I am totally biased on this, I think she was the coolest looking baby around. We didn't go anywhere special, she had to tag along with me to some doctor's appointments, but the nurses and staff ooh'ed and ahh'ed over her all morning.

 

  

Simply put...she rocked the shoes.

She's Moving...

In her own little army-crawl, caterpillar-scoot, rolly-poly, squirmy-worm way, MacKenzie is moving around...she loves chasing after cables and cords and all sorts of things she shouldn't be going after (like Hugo the Dog). It might take her a bit to get started, but once she decides she wants to get moving, she gets moving.

Wait for it...just wait for it...

Bored-walk....

One of the benefits of living where we do is that we get the fun of taking spur-of-the-moment walks along the beach and pier, just like we did today...with Aunt Becky and Uncle James...on a lazy, slightly overcast Sunday afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What could be better than this?!