Happy New Year 2015!

I posted this for New Year's last year, here's an updated printable.

As a New Year tradition my family spends a little time writing down our best parts of the year and make some goals for the upcoming one.  We put what we wrote in a time capsule and bring it out the next New Year to compare our years.  It's fun to see what my kids will write down and see how they've grown over the past year. This is a great way for kids to start becoming goal oriented, and as we all know...the best way to start a goal, is to write it down!

Happy 2015!!

download your .pdf here 

I Have Loved the Stars Too Fondly to Be Fearful of the Night

Whew!  It's been awhile!  Life can get away from us pretty quickly; I can't believe how fast the last few months have gone.  

I haven't posted for awhile for a couple of reasons.  First of all, my family is my priority.  Our life has been super busy and I haven't had much time to feel creative or sit down at my computer for more than a few minutes at a time.  Secondly, I have felt a little down lately.  I'm going to be completely candid here: I often struggle with feelings of inadequacy and depression.  Sometimes those feelings can become overwhelming and all-consuming.  Most people in my life don't know this about me, I have only confided in my closest friends and family.  It is really hard for me to admit this and be so vulnerable because I don't want to be pitied or looked at any differently.  But I think it can be healing to be a little vulnerable.  This is the main reason I started this blog...I try to get above these feelings and have a more positive outlook.

We all have trials and hard times in our lives.  Many times these trials will keep us from doing the things we love and aspire to. Awhile back my sister shared this quote with me.  She basically was just telling me she liked it and I didn't think much of it at the time, but recently I read the entire poem it came from and suddenly it became much more meaningful to me.  

click here for a free 8x10 printable

It comes from the poem The Old Astronomer and His Pupil by Sarah Williams.  I find the entire poem to be very inspiring, but my favorite lines are: 

"Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light;
I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."

This phrase has many meanings for me now.  It gives me hope--hope that even though I will experience bumps in the road, if I keep my priorities on the things I love and that I know matter, life will be beautiful (and the after-life glorious).  Besides, these trials make us stronger individuals.  We would never see the stars if it weren't for the darkness of night.

Kid President

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Kid President.  I think he's ADORABLE.  His "Pep Talk" is my favorite.   I can't watching it without laughing.  I love the message.  If you haven't seen this video from soul pancake...you've got to watch it.

I had a request for a kid president quote a while back (a LONG while back...sorry it took me so long).  I picked a few of my favorites.

click here for free 8x10

click here for free 8x10

click here for free 8x10

Watercolor Valentine Printables

Valentine's Day is rapidly approaching.  I can't believe how fast time can fly!  I'll be honest, Valentine's Day has never been one of my favorite holidays.  In fact, I think I loathed it in my teenage years. Back then I focused on the romantic part of Valentine's Day, and as I was scared to death of boys at that time, I didn't get much out of it.  But now I know better. Valentine's Day to me now is a celebration of love.  I often shy away from this word too, but we all know that everything good comes down to love.

Love is a complex and diverse word because there are so many types of love.  We love our partner, children, siblings, parents, friends, neighbors, God, we are even told to love our enemies.  But the love given to each of these individuals is different.   I love my husband differently than my kids and my friends differently than my siblings.  I love them all and each type of love is important.  And yet love is so simple.  We are all born with the ability and need to love and be loved.  To love is to serve, teach, respect, share, protect, listen, have compassion, be kind, forgive....etc.  It is the "great commandment"... it all comes down to love.  This Valentine's Day I want to focus on how I can better show my love to those around me.

Use these Valentine printable for your fabric projects, Valentine's card, wall hangings, or whatever your creative mind can imagine.  I am trying to make my own pillow out of one...I'll post it if it turns out.
HAPPY LOVE DAY!

 download free 8x10 alphabet printable here

download free 8x10 Be Mine printable here

download free 8x10 LOVE printable here

download free 8x10 xoxo printable here

The Family Proclamation

The Family: A Proclamation to the World was given to the LDS members in 1995 as a guide to the family unit.  This is the official position of the Mormon church on the family, marriage, and gender roles.  These teachings have been given to the Saints throughout the church's history, but here it can all be found in one place.  

I believe the family is one of the most important responsibilities we have in this life.  God placed us in family units to learn, grow, and love.  Unfortunately, the sacredness of the family is being neglected by many people these days.  This is a tool of the adversary.  I really believe that the breakdown of the family is one the biggest problems in our society today.  If we all had strong families, I believe there would be much less violence, poverty, disease, poor education, maybe even global warming (haha, ok, maybe not that).  But what I'm trying to say is that the breakdown of the family lies at the core of a lot of the issues our society faces.

If you read this proclamation you will see that it refers mainly to the traditional family of a mom and a dad with children.  I understand that because of death and other reasons beyond our control, this "traditional" family may not be possible.  The proclamation states "Disability, death or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation." A single parent may be raising the children, or even a grandparent; but the message still applies that a family should consist of love and righteousness.  

If you are not familiar with this statement, READ IT!  If you are familiar with it READ IT AGAIN!  It really is beautiful.  

You can find a coordinating printable of The Living Christ here.

*these files have been updated March 23, 2014 to correct a spelling error.  Thanks for your patience :)

download free 11x14 Proclamation - grey here

download free 11x14 Proclamation - navy here

download free 11x14 Proclamation - turquoise here