Friday, October 31, 2014

minted.

Can you believe that Christmas is less than 8 weeks away?
I've already started my shopping
& have been trying to decide on Christmas cards.
I know that if I don't start now, they may not get done.
In my opinion, seeing Christmas cards in the mailbox brings extra joy to the season.
I always love getting cards & letters in the mail
so why wouldn't everyone else, right?
Really though, a card beats junk mail any day! (;

I don't know if you've ever checked out minted.com,
but they have some super cute holiday photo cards right now
in addition to the other stationary, art, fabric & other things on the site!



Like I said, super cute!

Here's my problem...
I never know what to do with all of the cards at the end of the season.
I hate throwing them away,
especially if they're photo cards.
So I end up holding on to them.
I'm determined to find a better solution someday.

Anywho...
I was checking out Minted & came across these ornament cards:





Adorable right?
This totally solves my problem!
I can keep the cards & hang them on my tree every year!
I love the idea (:

But really though,
what do you do with cards when you get them?

xoxo
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This is a sponsored post for those of you that care to know,
but all thoughts are my own.
Promise.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Halloween Dinner: Chicken Parmesan Mummies

We had our Halloween dinner last night!
As tradition, we dimmed the lights to eat our spooky meal...


Chicken Parmesan Mummies
on a bed of baby bats (Farfalle pasta dyed gray while cooking)
with blood red sauce.
We also had Halloween shaped Parmesan garlic bread
& Halloween jello jigglers (:


I got the idea for the Chicken Parmesan Mummies from Somewhat Simple
although I ended up using crescent roll dough instead of biscuits.
It was super easy & so tasty!


Do you like having fun holiday meals?

Check out our other Halloween dinners:
Nightmare Before Christmas
Mummy Braided Chicken Roll

xoxo
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Monday, October 27, 2014

FHE: Holy Ghost - Halloween


Opening Song: Family Night

Opening Prayer


Lesson:
Halloween is this week.
What are some symbols you think of when you hear the word Halloween?
(Jack-o'-lanterns, black cats, witches, skeletons, ghosts, etc...)
Today we are going to talk about a ghost.
Not just any ghost though...
We're going to talk about the Holy Ghost.
The Holy Ghost is not a scary ghost.
Instead of being scary, it helps us when we're scared or afraid.
The Holy Ghost can comfort us.

Story:
Found in Behold Your Little Ones: Nursery Manual (Lesson 6)

The Holy Ghost has many names...
The comforter.
The Spirit.
The Spirit of the Lord.
The Spirit of God.
The still small voice.

The Holy Ghost is called the still small voice because he doesn't speak loudly.
He tells us things in a quiet voice or most often in a feeling.

How do you feel when you do something that is good?
How do you feel when you do something wrong?
He gives us a happy, warm feeling when something is right
& a bad or sad feeling when something is wrong.

The Holy Ghost will help us know what's right & what's wrong,
but we have to be willing to listen & choose the right.

First stanza of the poem 'Help from the Holy Ghost' by Erin Renouf Mylroie
I'm learning how to choose the right.
I'll do my best both day and night.
But when I'm not sure what to do,
The Holy Ghost will help me through.

Closing Song: The Holy Ghost

Closing Prayer

Activity: We watched The Nightmare Before Christmas,
but Casper would probably fit the theme better if you wanted to watch something (;

Treat: Banana Ghosts

xoxo
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Friday, October 24, 2014

Saturday Dishes - Halloween


This week's theme is:
Halloween

I can't believe that Halloween is less than a week away!
Do you have any fun traditions to share?
Feel free to share Halloween themed foods, parties, decor, or anything else that fits the theme!

If you have any family friendly costume ideas to share as well,
feel free to link them up at my Halloween Costume Party!
It's not much of a party at the moment
because I haven't had the time to promote it,
but it's all good...
My feelings are still intact.
I'll be adding a Sonic the Hedgehog costume later this week!
Anywho, let's talk about THIS linky!

If you're new to the party
welcome to Saturday Dishes
where every week is a new theme...
Your job is to post your recipes that coincide with that theme!
Easy peasy, right?

Don't have a recipe that goes with the theme?
No worries!
Just sit back, relax, enjoy the other posts,
& be sure to check out the index & upcoming themes
to see what you can post in future weeks!

Saturday Dishes is hosted by:
- Marissa @ Life is Fantasmic -
FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ SoundCloud

- Lisa @ Pebbles and Piggytails -
Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Google+ ♥ Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ Instagram

Check out our blogs & show us some love!
We love seeing new faces & new followers on our social media,
& comments make us smile (:

Last week's theme was Pumpkin & Squash.
There were so many wonderful recipes that I want to try!
Here were a few of my faves...

Pumpkin Eclairs from So Much To Make
Eclairs are so tasty! I could go for one of these right now. Or two. Or three...

Extra Thick Pumpkin Pancakes from Reveal Natural Health
I had pumpkin pancakes for breakfast the other day & have been wanting them ever since!

Mile High Pumpkin Pie Bars from Bitz & Giggles
These sound simply delectable!

Lisa's faves might be different than mine,
so don't forget to swing by her blog too! (;
Oh yeah...
& if you were featured
feel free to grab a button!

Life Is Fantasmic

Next week's theme is:
Family Recipes
so come back next week to share recipes that were passed to you from a family member!

Now on to the linky...
Link up your Halloween recipes, parties, traditions & ideas,
visit other posts,
& make new friends!

Keep spreading the word so we can see new faces at the party!
If you'd like to be a guest host send us an email so that we can get you on the calendar,
& let us know what themes you would like to see in the future.
We'd love to use your ideas!

By linking up at Saturday Dishes, you are giving permission for Life is Fantasmic & Pebbles and Piggytails to feature your posts with one image on social media with links back to you.


xoxo
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31 Days Update

Remember when I decided to try the #write31days challenge again?
Yeeeah...
I knew that I wouldn't be able to write every single day for 31 days.
I have the three cutest excuses ever though.

Little Dudeman

Little Princess

& Little Sunshine

I told you they were the cutest excuses ever! (;

Here's a few things that you can count on me posting sometime soon.
Most likely before the end of the year.
I would hope.

FHE:
The Holy Ghost
Emergency Preparedness (A Bug's Life)
Family History (The Tigger Movie)

RECIPES:
Chocolate Chili
Southwest Fondue

LDSconf:
Saturday Highlights
Sunday Highlights

MOPS:
MOMcon 2014 Highlights
Courage to be Honest

HALLOWEEN:
Dinner - Chicken Parmesan Mummies
Sonic the Hedgehog Costume

RANDOM:
Phone Vacation

xoxo
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Friday, October 17, 2014

Saturday Dishes - Pumpkin & Squash


This week's theme is:
Pumpkin & Squash

'Tis the season for pumpkin in all the things.
Share with us what you like to put your squash in!

If you're new to the party
welcome to Saturday Dishes
where every week is a new theme...
Your job is to post your recipes that coincide with that theme!
Easy peasy, right?

Don't have a recipe that goes with the theme?
No worries!
Just sit back, relax, enjoy the other posts,
& be sure to check out the index & upcoming themes
to see what you can post in future weeks!

Saturday Dishes is hosted by:
- Marissa @ Life is Fantasmic -
FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ SoundCloud

- Lisa @ Pebbles and Piggytails -
Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Google+ ♥ Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ Instagram

Check out our blogs & show us some love!
We love seeing new faces & new followers on our social media,
& comments make us smile (:

Last week's theme was Soups & Stews!
Here were a couple of my faves...

Uhm... Could this sound more YUM!?!

This chili looks like it would definitely warm you up on a chilly fall day.

Lisa's faves might be different than mine,
so don't forget to swing by her blog too! (;
Oh yeah...
& if you were featured
feel free to grab a button!

Life Is Fantasmic

Next week's theme is:
Halloween
so come back next week to share some spooky stuff!

Now on to the linky...
Link up plenty of Pumpkin & Squash recipes,
visit other posts,
& make new friends!

Keep spreading the word so we can see new faces at the party!
If you'd like to be a guest host send us an email so that we can get you on the calendar,
& let us know what themes you would like to see in the future.
We'd love to use your ideas!

By linking up at Saturday Dishes, you are giving permission for Life is Fantasmic & Pebbles and Piggytails to feature your posts with one image on social media with links back to you.


xoxo
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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Mormon Enchiladas


This dinner is super easy, tasty, & filling...
My grandparents had a friend whose parents were from the Mormon Colonies in Mexico.
They like to make stacked enchiladas out there, hence the name "Mormon" Enchiladas.
The friend made these for my grandparents many years ago,
who started making them for their children.
My dad & grandparents made them for us growing up,
& I introduced them to my husband & our kids.
We have all been enjoying them ever since!


Corn tortillas
Canned chili
Shredded cheese

You can do this one of two ways: Heat the chili prior to stacking or heat the whole thing in the microwave after it's stacked. I usually layer mine first, then just microwave it.

Layers go as follows: Tortilla, chili, cheese; tortilla, chili, cheese; tortilla, chili, cheese... Do this as many times as you'd like depending on how hungry you are. I usually stick to three tortillas high & top with sour cream. Enjoy!

xoxo
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Sunday, October 12, 2014

Postpartum Preeclampsia

If you missed Little Sunshine's birth story
but would like to read it first to make sense of this random illeism
you can find that post here.

Chapter Two: Postpartum Preeclampsia
The hospital required Little Sunshine & her mother to stay 48 hours after birth before being discharged,
because unlike the hospital in California
they wait until the baby is 48 hours old to do the newborn blood screening.

Her husband stayed at the hospital with her the first night
while her kids stayed at home with their family friend, Meg, & her two boys.
He had to leave the hospital at 5:30am to go watch the kids
since Meg had to get her boys to school & go to work.
They tried to find someone to watch the kids during the day
so that he could go back to the hospital
& keep his wife company while they enjoyed their new baby,
but they were unable to find someone.
He decided to take them to see 'Planes: Fire & Rescue'
at the movie theater as a daddy date,
then they all came to the hospital for a little while afterwards.
He stayed at home with them Wednesday night
since he was cold & uncomfortable at the hospital anyway.

As promised, Grampa stopped by the hospital on Thursday to meet the wee one
before heading home from his business trip
& the father-of-now-three brought the older kids with him that day
so they could see their grandfather before he had to go to the airport & fly home.
They stayed & visited for a while
& the young mama was glad to have their company.
She was also very excited that she & her new baby would be going home in just a few short hours.

A little bit before her father left,
she noticed some tightness in her chest & shortness of breath.
She found it peculiar,
but dismissed it because she had experienced a lot of that during the third trimester.
She began to notice a slight headache behind her eyes
& it was getting difficult for her to concentrate or focus.
The children were a little stir-crazy & were running all over the place
so she thought that perhaps that was why her focus was off a bit.
They said quick goodbyes & headed back to the house to get the other car
so that the wife & newborn could come home with them after the 48 hours was up.
Things continued to get worse after they left.
The mother began having heavy palpitations & a pain in the center of her chest with each one.
It was getting more & more difficult for her to concentrate.
She felt a lot of anxiety & got very lightheaded & dizzy.
She thought that maybe her blood pressure was low
so she pressed the call button.
When the nurse came in to check it
she was shocked to hear that it was waaay too high.
I can't remember exactly what it was since there was so much going on & I couldn't concentrate
but it was 180 something over something.
Not normal.
They called the OB in to check on her.
When the doctor arrived,
she asked the mother a bunch of questions
then ordered a CT scan with contrast...
STAT.
She wanted to rule out clots because of the chest pain, palpitations, blood pressure, & whatnot.
She also mentioned that they would not be discharged that day.
The bewildered mama called her husband in tears
& filled him in on everything that had happened after he left.
After the call, they took her to get the CT scan done.
The right side of her neck began hurting after they put the contrast dye in,
& it would continue to hurt for almost a week.
She had no clue as to why.
The results of her CT came back normal which was quite comforting,
so the OB came to the conclusion it was most likely postpartum preeclampsia that was causing the symptoms,
& they treated it as such.
The mother was moved back into a labor & delivery room
where she was placed on a magnesium sulfate drip for 24 hours,
accompanied with air circulation cuffs for her legs,
a pulse monitor on her toe,
& a blood pressure cuff that was checked hourly.
Little Sunshine was sent to the nursery for the night, except for feedings,
so that her mom could get adequate rest for a speedy recovery
& also because her mom was confined to the bed
aside from bathroom breaks when a nurse would unhook everything but the IV.
Halfway through the night she was sent back to a postpartum room
since all the babies in the area decided to be born right then.
The next morning, Little Sunshine's father drove her siblings to the hospital for a visit.
GrandBo & CiCi also drove up to see their new granddaughter, although they could only stay one day.
The mommy loved the company, but wished they were all home.
Her husband & other children felt the same way.
Little Princess even brought her mommy a 'get well soon' flower after a walk with CiCi.
It brightened her day immensely.


Her OB wanted to keep her there another night
for observation without the magnesium sulfate drip.
Her blood pressure was elevated a few times,
but not so high that it concerned the doctors.
It fluctuated all throughout the night,
her symptoms would come & go,
& she had a pretty big anxiety attack at one point
but when her doctor came in the next afternoon,
she was given the okay to go home.
GrandBo & CiCi came back to the hospital with her husband & kids
to pick up the mama & new baby
& to spend some time with them before they drove back to Tennessee.

A little while after they got home, her husband took their oldest two children to the airport to go pick up Nani.
It was really windy & stormy out & her flight was delayed.
As they were sitting in the cell phone lot waiting for her plane to land,
he was monitoring her flight on an app.
He watched the plane circle around a few times to wait out the storm,
then it eventually turned around & was headed towards Illinois.
It wasn't a very large plane so it needed to refuel before heading back to Indianapolis.
They decided to get some dinner while they waited,
then went back to the airport to pick her up once her flight landed
It was great having Nani at their home for the week.
The young mother continued to have symptoms periodically throughout the week,
but they were never as bad as they were at the hospital.
Her blood pressure was very inconsistent.
The systolic would range between 160 and 130
& the diastolic would range between 105 and 75.
By the end of the week it was back within normal range,
with the occasional spike around 140/90.
She enjoyed her mom's visit nonetheless
& appreciated the help with the kids while she was there.

Gramma came to visit a week later.
The mama was doing much better at this point.
Her blood pressure was completely normal
& her symptoms were mostly gone.
She was grateful for the company & help
as she adjusted to life with three kids,
but Gramma couldn't stay forever..
This meant no more visitors for a while,
& that she was on her own yet again.

Chapter 3 coming soon...
Three Kids

xoxo
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Friday, October 10, 2014

Saturday Dishes - Soups & Stews


This week's theme is:
Soups & Stews

The cooler autumn weather is perfect
for making warm soups & stews!
Share your soup, stew, & chili recipes this week.
If you're lucky, I may end up sharing our secret chocolate chili recipe soon...
Yes, you heard me right.
CHOCOLATE chili (:
Thoughts?

If you're new to the party
welcome to Saturday Dishes
where every week is a new theme...
Your job is to post your recipes that coincide with that theme!
Easy peasy, right?

Don't have a recipe that goes with the theme?
No worries!
Just sit back, relax, enjoy the other posts,
& be sure to check out the index & upcoming themes
to see what you can post in future weeks!

Saturday Dishes is hosted by:
- Marissa @ Life is Fantasmic -
FacebookTwitterGoogle+Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ SoundCloud

- Lisa @ Pebbles and Piggytails -
Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ Google+ ♥ Pinterest ♥ Bloglovin' ♥ Instagram

Check out our blogs & show us some love!
We love seeing new faces & new followers on our social media,
& comments make us smile (:

Last week's theme was Noodles!
Here were a couple of my faves...

Yum! All of these ingredients are always stocked at my house!

We're really trying to be more frugal & this sounds great!

Lisa's faves might be different than mine,
so don't forget to swing by her blog too! (;
Oh yeah...
& if you were featured
feel free to grab a button!

Life Is Fantasmic

Next week's theme is:
Pumpkin & Squash
so come back next week to share those awesome recipes!

Now on to the linky...
Link up your stupendous Soups & Stews,
visit other posts,
& make new friends!

Keep spreading the word so we can see new faces at the party!
If you'd like to be a guest host send us an email so that we can get you on the calendar,
& let us know what themes you would like to see in the future.
We'd love to use your ideas!

By linking up at Saturday Dishes, you are giving permission for Life is Fantasmic & Pebbles and Piggytails to feature your posts with one image on social media with links back to you.


xoxo
post signature

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Come and See - Meet the Mormons

The theme for MOPS this year is be you, bravely.
So this is me being me, bravely.

If you've been following my blog for a while
or checked out my church tab
you probably know that I am a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
That's right...
I'm a Mormon.


This past weekend was general conference #LDSconf
& I'll be sharing my highlights soon.
Basically a bunch of inspiring, uplifting, & thought provoking quotes...

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
had a special message directed to people who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
He addresses the following question in his talk:
"Why are Latter-Day Saints so eager to tell me about what they believe and to invite me to learn about their church?"

In short he says,
"When we invite you to attend church with us or to learn with the full-time missionaries,
we are not trying to sell you a product.
As members of the Church, we do not receive prizes or bonus points in a heavenly contest.
We are not seeking simply to increase the numerical size of the Church.
And most importantly, we are not attempting to coerce you to believe as we do.
We are inviting you to hear the restored truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ
so you can study, ponder, pray, and come to know for yourself
if the things we are sharing with you are true.

Some of you may respond, "But I already believe in Jesus and follow His teachings,"
or "I am not sure if God really exists."
Our invitations to you are not an attempt to diminish your religious tradition or life experience.
Bring all that you know is true, good, and praiseworthy--and test our message.
Just as Jesus beckoned two of His disciples to "come and see" (John 1:39),
so we urge you to come and see if the restored gospel of Jesus Christ enlarges and enriches that which you already believe to be true."

He goes on to share an experience involving two of his sons when they were little.
This story of brotherly kindness includes a lot of dish soap, a lot of ointment, and a lot of band-aids.
It helps describe why we are so eager to share our beliefs with those we meet.
I'll just let you read it (;

In part of his closing remarks,
"The invitations we extend to you to learn about and test our message grow out of the positive effects the gospel of Jesus Christ has had in our lives.
Sometimes we may be awkward or abrupt or even relentless in our attempts.
Our simple desire is to share with you the truths that are of greatest worth to us."

I encourage you to watch or read his entire talk since there is so much that I didn't share with you!

I'd also like to invite you to go watch 'Meet the Mormons' at a movie theater near you this weekend!

If you haven't heard of the movie here's what it's about...
It's a documentary that tells the stories of six Church members from around the world.
The Humanitarian
The Coach
The Fighter
The Bishop
The Mom
The Candy Bomber

Here's the official trailer:

From the official movie website:

"'Meet the Mormons' examines the very diverse lives of six devout members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filmed on location and across the globe, Meet the Mormons takes viewers on a journey into the day-to-day realities of individuals living in the U.S., Costa Rica, Nepal and beyond. From their individual passions to their daily struggles, each story paints a picture as rich and unique as the next while challenging the stereotypes that surround the Mormon faith."

"Regardless of their religious persuasion, viewers repeatedly find 'Meet the Mormons' to be entertaining, uplifting, and inspiring. It is meant to inform and to show people what members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are really like. Viewers have an opportunity--in a very real and personal way--to witness people striving to follow the Savior and to see the difference that makes in their lives. In addition, net proceeds from the film will be given to charity--specifically the American Red Cross."

With that being said...
Watch or read Elder David A. Bednar's talk when you get the chance,
& watch 'Meet the Mormons' this weekend!
If you have any questions about the church, feel free to ask me!
Just trying to share ointment & band-aids with you (:
{see Elder Bednar's talk to understand the reference}

xoxo
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