Style on Target

I usually steer clear of Target, NOT because I don't love it! It's just really hard for me to stay on budget there...extra things just always seem to creep into my cart! Like these below! Aren't they great?

What I do love though is when I find something that I need AND it has great style, two in one! I fell in love with these cleaning and household supplies below.

But beware! Many times they will tempt us with new products by putting them at a special price (like these this week). Then just when the product becomes essential to our being they put them at a really high regular price. It's happened to me so many times!

I can totally see these on an open shelf in my laundry room!

By far Mrs. Meyer's is my favorite cleaning product! I was estatic to see them on the shelf at my local Target. However, they did not supply my favorite scent, Geranium.

Thanks Target buyers for keeping things fresh!

A Time Out for Time Out For Me

I was able to go on a getaway for 26 hours with some friends.

It is great to be with the girls to laugh and to be silly, but the best part was the quiet moments of inspiration that are received when attending an event like this.

There were so many incredible moments, reminders, lessons and promptings but this woman below was, by far, the most amazing story of the entire day. Her name is Mariama Kallon. Despite the adversity she has faced she embodies the pure love of Christ and "joy in the journey". From her laugh to her countenance, her Spirit warmed me from head to toe.

"Raised in war-torn Sierra Leone, Mariama Kallon saw many things as a young girl that might fill a person with fear and hatred. Soon after witnessing the violent murders of parents and siblings and spending her youth fleeing from rebels, she was introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ and found hope in God and peace in a knowledge of eternal families. She was given a humanitarian kit by the Church, which became a treasured symbol of hope that she used to bless the lives of many as they again fled for their lives. After returning to her town, she was called on a mission to the Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission, and wept in gratitude to the Lord as she visited the place where her precious humanitarian kit was made. Today Mariama stands as an example of the divine purposes of humanitarian work and tells her story to numerous audiences, urging them to participate in this work. She currently resides and works in Salt Lake City, where she has attended LDS Business College."

picture and description from deseret book.com- her story is available here.

Some of the lessons I learned from her story...my life is so easy! When she wanted to learn the gospel of Jesus Christ she had to walk 3 miles each way! Who am I to complain about my minor inconveniences? I take for granted so many things including shampoo, shoes and my scriptures. Even though my trials may never be as severe as this sweet sister, the atonement that our Savior made is available to each of us. I hope I never forget the joy in her eyes and voice, despite what she had been through, and use that as an example of how I need to be!

There were also great presenters such as: John Bytheway, Ardeth Kapp, Emily Watts, Jill Manning, Amanda Dickinson and Emily Freeman.

"Homemade Oreos" are YUM!

This is my kind of dessert! Great presentation, easy and best of all SOOOO GOOD!

Start with a dark chocolate cake mix. I used "Triple Chocolate Fudge" by Betty Crocker. Combine cake mix with 2 eggs and 1/2 C oil. Mix well. A cookie scoop is the perfect size.
Bake on 350 degrees for 10 min.


Let cool.
Easy 5 min frosting- 4 cups of powdered sugar, 1 tsp CLEAR vanilla, 2 TBLS water, 1/2 C shortening, 1/2 C butter (soft)
Mix on medium for exactly 5 minutes.



Use your cookie scoop to put a dollop of frosting between two cookies and squish together.

Unbelievably good!

I just wouldn't listen!

A few years back when we were in the market for a garage freezer friends told me, "don't get a chest style...it is too hard to see what you have!"

And I just wouldn't listen!!!

So after a couple of years of digging, guessing and more digging I came up with a plan!

Above the freezer, out in the garage, I hung a whiteboard. I did inventory. Whenever I move something to the inside freezer, or cook it, I erase it from the board.

Some items (like frozen pizza) I even put a count buy it, when we use it I can just change the number. It is magnetized so I hung a paper for a shopping list. I then got a little OCD and used different colors for different categories; breakfast is orange, purple is pasta and bread and snacks, blue is meat.

Happy Organizing!

Back To School- Doodle Bug

Can you hardly believe it is that time? Our kids went back to school this week.

Whoever came up with this line of school supplies is brilliant!(available at Target)

We bought the Book Covers but there are also notebooks, binders, etc. They are made by Gartner and were reasonably priced.

I LOVED to doodle, I still do, so I just may sneak my daughter's text books to color a bit. How will you spend your back to school hours without your kids?

Up, up and Away

Hello Bloggers!

I just got back from a week in the beautiful mountains! I had the opportunity to serve at Young Women's Camp for the second year in a row. Here is a thought that occurred to me while I was there:

"I'm having so much fun at camp and I wonder if I should feel guilty or that I am doing it wrong because I am having such a blast. The Spirit reminded me that service brings joy. It's okay to feel joy when we serve. So...I will go forward and continue to serve and continue to have joy while I do it."

I will go back to being MIA because I am returning to the mountains, this time with my family...can Summer really be ending?

The Woman In the Orange Gia

I consider myself to be a fairly well-adjusted woman. I haven't really aspired to be someone else since my impressionable college years. However, the other day I was cruising along the main thoroughfaire of my town (in my "swagger wagon")

I pulled up next to this cute little Karmann Gia.

Even though antique two-seaters have always been on my favorite list, it was not just the car that caught my attention. It was the "whole package".

She wore a large rimmed straw, similar to this one.

Whisps of hair blew in the breeze of her partially rolled down window.

On the passenger seat sat an oversized straw basket purse resembling this one.

Was she headed to the farmer's market for fresh fruits and vegetables? Or was she on her daily errand for fresh bread from the boulangerie? Or maybe she was headed to the local flower mart for a bouquet of fresh flowers...

Of course she would soon return to her quaint beach cottage similar to this one.

For a split second I wished I was this woman. She has crossed my mind several times this week because she exhibited the certain joie de vivre I covet. To me, she was the whole package of what I desire to posess. And it had little to do with material items. One day, maybe sooner than later, I will have it!