Join me in a new adventure!

Well ladies... after a long plane ride, lots of time on my knees in prayer, and supportive friends I have decided to embark on a new adventure. Please visit a new blog of mine here and JOIN ME!

Please pass on my new blog! I'd ♥ as much input as I can get!

around the house

I have been having fun fiddling around the house lately and thought I would share some pictures. We have an outside staircase that leads to a studio above the garage. Ever since we moved in, almost six years ago, we wanted to use under the stairs for storage.

In order to do that we needed to demo a wall in the garage. Well, the time has come!
Look at all of that space! D wanted to make it into a clubhouse.

Here are some spaces in the Bonus Room, which is like the kids family room.

I love these plates! They are from Marshall's at $2.99 a piece!

Have a Great Weekend!

new TWILIGHT trailer

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=44287812

I am having trouble posting the tailer, but click the link above. IT IS SO WORTH IT!

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General Conference~ Oct. 2008

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."

President Thomas S. Monson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Daddy & Me

There are a few things my dad loves...airplanes and sailboats are among them. When my dad visited recently and saw my aqua room and knew my birthday was upon us, he set out to make this for me!

The sparkle in his eyes, when he was pointing out all the details, was priceless.

Knowing he spent hours making it just right, for me, is humbling.

I will cherish it forever, just like I will cherish him.

My dad has always been thoughtful, especially at gift giving. One Christmas while I was away at college my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas. Since I was on a tight budget I was being practical and mentioned I was in need of some new undies. So on Christmas morning, among my gifts was a silver box with ribbon ( Nordstrom, my second favorite color box). When I opened it there were a handful of gorgeous, lace undies. My mom told me that my dad went out and bought them for me. I loved them but really did not feel that lacy ones were my style so asked if I could exchange them. Looking back this probably hurt my dad's feelings. So I went to the Nordstrom lingerie department to get some Fruit of the Loom ;) and the sweet lady said, "your credit is $250"!!!! My daddy bought me $250 of lacy underwear!!! I exchanged it for some undies... and a new jacket... and some shoes. The funny part of the story was the sweet lingerie lady giggled and said, "When your dad was here on Christmas Eve he told me these were for his daughter and I thought yeah right, they are for his girlfriend."

I'll never forget that my dad would do anything for me!

"it's the thought that counts"

If you are a woman, you have probably muttered these words too.

"It's the thought that counts"

I truly mean it! It is never about money, isn't it just effort that we want? To know that we are important in someone else's life?

Yesterday was my birthday & boy there were a lot of thoughtful people!

• 15 facebook birthday wishes
• 1 TWILIGHT ecard
• 1 blog shout out
• 1 blog tribute
• 5 birthday phone calls
• 1 surprise gift at my door
• 3 birthday emails
• 2 birthday texts
• 1 home cooked birthday dinner (my dad's rotisserie roast beef, my mom's handmade pasta & sauce)
• 1 made-from-scratch birthday cake (my mom again, she really is the original MARTHA)

There were a few moments that stood out in my day that truly melt my heart. Here is my gift from E, who is 10. It is a book titled, "The Wonderful Adventures of Super Mom!"

Another heart-melting moment was when D, my 7 year old, said the dinner prayer last night and said, " We are thankful for Grandma and Grandpa because without them my mom couldn't be my mom. I am thankful for my mom being born."

I have always been a daddy's girl. A post will follow that will elaborate on that. But for now, I will tell you that my dad put in hours on making my birthday gift perfect. It is so big, and made with his own hands, that we could not even get it home yet. I will cherish it forever! So, you will have to wait to find out what it is until we go and pick it up with the van.

Thank you to all for just thinking of me yesterday! It is all I could ask for!

Excitement in Blogland

There are two great giveaways that I found!

Click here for a neat personalized trick-or-treat bag for your favorite ghoul!

And if couture is more your thing, check out these too-die-for bags here!

I love the 1st of the month because it is "cottage of the month" time at the old painted cottage. Check here for some major inspiration. I jumped out of my chair to arrange something after I looked at this amazing home!

♥♥LOTS OF COOL STUFF GOING ON!♥♥