The season for giving

 This is the time of year to take advantage of the opportunities for giving and serving!

I thought I'd share a few links with you that may help you get some ideas:

 Afton Jean Charity

I posted about this yesterday.  It's a charity to raise money for a family who just lost their baby girl and still have to pay overwhelming medical and funeral costs.

Season of Service Guest Posts on My Junk Drawer

Everyday this week, Kristen has had a different blogger guest post service ideas.

Simply Enchanted - Make a Difference Monday

Every Monday Ashley has a linky part to invite everyone to post their ideas on how to make a difference.

Festival of Trees

Utah's annual Festival of Trees raises money to support Primary Children's Medical Center.  We've spent time there when Dalton was first born, so it's special place for us.

Heifer International

This is one of my favorite organizations!  You can purchase a flock of geese, or a water buffalo through their site, and the animal will be sent to a developing country and given to someone.  That person will then be taught how to care for the animal, how to use it, and how to breed it.  Then, when the animals reproduce, they are to give 2 away to a neighbor and teach them what they have learned.  It is about developing a sustainable way of life.  Their mission is to end hunger and poverty.  You can buy an animal in honor of someone you know as a gift.  Then, a certificate is issued to that person letting them know that in their honor, a dozen chickens (or whatever you choose) was donated to help end world hunger.  It's a very fun way to give a creative gift.  When I was at BYU and first heard about Heifer, I donated a flock of geese in honor of each of my grandparents and gave them the certificate as a Christmas gift.  They LOVED it!

Service Ideas

When I googled "service ideas for children" this was the most helpful website that I found.  It has some great ideas!

I hope this helps you get some great ideas for how to make this season count :)

I'd love to hear any ideas that you have as well.

Have a great weekend!

Afton Jean Charity

Since this is the season of giving, I wanted to try and help spread the word about a family that could use our help.  Kami from No Biggie delivered her baby girl at just 26 weeks.  One week later, Baby Afton passed away.  The funeral and hospital bills are overwhelming.  My heart hurts for this family and today, there is something we can do to help.

My cousin Brittany from Love Stitched has organized a charity to help the Bigler Family.

Here are some ways you can help:

1.  Today Groopdealz has offered to run a deal (without taking a percentage) so that all 100% of the money made can be given to the Afton Jean Charity.

Cheri from I am Momma Hear Me Roar has designed the print that will that will be selling on Groopdealz today for only $2!

2.  Brittany has set up a Big Cartel shop that is full of gorgeous, handmade items that were donated to help raise money.  All of the proceeds will go to the Afton Jean Charity.

You can go check it out at: aftonjeancharity.bigcartel.com.

3.  You can also help by either donating money to the Afton Jean Charity, or by donating a an item to be sold in the Big Cartel shop.

Let's see if we can unite together to make one family's heartbreak a little easier to bear...

What I Wore...Plaid

This is the new shirt I got for my birthday :)

I had high hopes for this outfit post because I felt like it looked good when I left in the morning.

But...after a morning of dropping Saxon off at preschool, errands, laundry, dishes, climbing under the Christmas tree to water it, picking up Saxon from school, off to meet Brittany for lunch...all in the middle of a huge windstorm...

This is what I looked like:

(I only included the better pictures...LOL...you should have seen the rest...)

Shirt: Nordstrom Sale $15

Flower clip: Love Stitched

Earrings: Love Stitched

I was especially excited to show off my hair (which now only looks wind-blown).

I can't ever pull off second day hair.  It always looks limp and greasy.

I wash my hair every day.

Then, I tried crimping it with Brittany's 3 barrel waver.

The next day...it looked pretty much the same.

So for the first time, I had decent second day hair.

I braided it and let some of the curls fall forward.

It looked pretty (until I stepped outside.)

I guess you're going to have to imagine it LOL :)

Christmas Card Hanger - Tutorial

I LOVE getting Christmas cards!

I love seeing how everyone's families are growing and how everyone is doing.

But every year, I run into the problem of "where to put them..."

They take over my counter, my fridge, and my whole kitchen.

This year I decided to make a Christmas Card Hanger:

1.   We started with a piece of leftover wood that we had that was 3 1/4 X 22 inches.

2.   I painted it brown first, then green.

3.   Then we distressed it.

4.  Then I used my silhouette to cut out the letters for "We BELIEVE".  I also found this cute Christmas tree on the silhouette images and decided to use it.

5.  Next I stenciled on the letters and the tree.  If you don't have a silhouette, or a cricut, you can just use stencil letters from the craft store.  Easier yet, try vinyl lettering :)  I was making this project at 1 a.m. and was wishing for vinyl lettering because it's so fast and easy. LOL.

6.  My husband drilled 3 tiny holes in the bottom corner of the board, and 3 more on the side corner.  He did this on each side.  

7.  Next we wrapped the wire through the bottom holes, and out the side holes.  Then we just folded it back behind the sign so the ends didn't stick out.  This way we don't have to worry about our wire falling out.  Then we attached a sawtooth hanger to the back.

8.  We draped the wire in 3 different levels so that we could hang as many Christmas cards as we want.

9.  I used little tiny clothes pins from Wal-mart to hang my Christmas cards up.

10.  Last, I just sit back and enjoy looking at all of my Christmas cards without having them take over my house.

What do you do with all of your Christmas cards?

I have a friend who hangs them on her Christmas tree...I thought that was pretty creative too :)

The 10 Best Days of My Life

 A few days ago, my friend Andi and I were talking about having babies.

Andi and I both love being pregnant, and LOVE giving birth.

Another friend was about to have a baby, and we were talking about how excited we were for her, and reminiscing about the birth of our children.  This conversation led into a conversation about some of the other "best days of our lives."

It was so much fun to re-live, through memories, some of my favorite days of my life.

It put me in such a great mood to remember how much I have to be thankful for, and how much I love my life.  Sometimes I get discouraged, and focus on the things that I wish were better, and easier.

I thought it would be fun to write a post on "The 10 Best Days of my Life."

The more I thought about it, the harder it became to narrow it down.

And the happier I was remembering the wonderful things that have happened in my life so far.

10 of my favorite days (or experiences) of my life:

1.  Romania

*A picture of me and some of my babies in one of the playrooms at the orphanage - Feb. 2001

 

While I was attending BYU, I participated in an international internship to Romania.  The three of us who were accepted into the program, went to Romania to work in an orphanage.  We had experiences that I had never dreamed possible, and I fell in love with the 14 babies that I was personally responsible for.  Some days were crazy, some were dangerous, many were heartbreaking, and every one was rewarding. 

2.  EUROPE

*Stephanie and I in Rome - May 2001

After our semester was over in Romania, my roommate Stephanie and I decided to go backpacking through Europe.  I was able to see places that I had only read about.  I spent hours in the Louvre soaking in the experience of standing in front of a masterpiece that I had studied in college.  We wandered some of the ruins of Rome and remembered that once upon a time, real people had lived and worked there.  There is something about uniting the past with the present that touches my soul. 

3.  BRAZIL

*Kristi and I standing on the border of Brazil and Uruguay - July 2003

 

 In 2002, I decided that I needed to serve a mission for my church.  I was called to serve in Porto Alegre, Brazil.  The days of my mission were by far some of the hardest days of my life.  Every day was challenging physically, emotionally, spiritually...  However, it turns out, that those are the days that made me grow the most.  And looking back, I am so grateful that I had days that pushed me past the limits of what I thought I was capable of.  As the days went on, every day became joyful.  Not because it got easier, but because I got stronger.  I loved it!

4.  BYU Graduation
*My mom and I on graduation day - April 2004 

 The day I graduated from BYU was so exciting for me!  My cousin Brittany did my hair and makeup.  My whole family came into town.  It wasn't graduation itself that was exciting, it was that I had accomplished one of my dreams...to graduate from BYU.  Not only did I graduate, but I had accomplished some of my other dreams along the way.  It was a little big bittersweet because it closed a chapter in my life that I had loved!


5.  The day that Nate proposed to me.
*Nate and I - November 2004

 When I got home from my mission, my friend Andi introduced me to Nate.  It seemed like everything just fell into place.  I feel like I've always know Nate.  Nate and I had talked about getting married, so I knew it was coming.  Yet, he still managed to surprise me.  Candles, rose petals, the ring...It was magical.  That night, the sunset turned the mountains pink.  I can still picture it.


6.  My Wedding Day
*March 19, 2005

My wedding day was everything that I hoped it would be.  I remember staying up all night the night before because I was so excited.  Brittany spent the night with me and we got up at 5:00 a.m. to start getting ready.  I spent an entire week stressing about the weather.  Please don't rain...please don't rain...please...Well, it rained.  But it turns out, it didn't ruin anything.  It was perfect.  I spent a lifetime dreaming about this day, months planning it, and it was over way too fast. 

7. Finding out that I was pregnant
*Nate and I at Disneyland on March 19, 2006

When Nate and I decided to start a family, I was nervous.  What if I couldn't have babies?  There was nothing I wanted more than to be a mom.  When the pregnancy test turned positive, I was elated.  I felt like I was walking on clouds for weeks.  I didn't even mind getting sick because it meant that I was having a baby!  For our one year anniversary, Nate and I went to Disneyland with my family.  I was 4 months pregnant with Saxon.

8.  The day that Saxon was born
*August 20, 2006

It was reminiscing about this day that started the whole conversation in the first place.  I stayed up all night anticipating my little one.  I laid in bed to feel him kick for the last night.  We got to the hospital early because we just couldn't wait.  Two of my best friends met me there.  I was only in labor for 8 hours.  Time seemed to fly because the moment that I had always dreamed of was finally here.  There is nothing like having your first baby.  The anticipation, the adrenaline, the excitement, etc.  Then, there is the crowning moment when they lay your new baby in your arms and your eyes meet his eyes.  Time stops, and for a moment, I felt like I could reach heaven.  He fills a place in your heart that you never knew existed.  He becomes your world.

9.  The day that Bridger was born
*July 31, 2008

Giving birth for the second time might be even more exciting than the first, because, I knew how wonderful it would be.  I had experienced it once already.  I knew what I had to look forward to.  I was only in labor for 3 hours, and before I knew it, I was the mom of 2 little boys.  I also love the following days in the hospital when I can lay there and soak up the time with my little one.  I couldn't take my eyes off of him.  I wanted to memorize every detail.  The shape of his little fingers and toes, his crazy hair, his smell, the sound of his cry, etc.  When Saxon came to visit, we let him hold baby Bridger.  He looked at him,  he smelled him, and then he licked him and said "This is a brother?"  LOL.

10.  The day that Dalton was born
*September 9, 2010

The entire time I was pregnant with Dalton, I felt connected to him.  I felt connected to his spirit.  When I held him for the first time, I felt like I had always known him.  My mom was there for Dalton's birth and that was special for me too.  We had a few scary experiences in the hospital with Dalton, but it made me all the more grateful to have him as a part of my life.  It is a little bit sad to me to think that the most amazing experiences in my life can only happen a limited number of times.  I want to treasure each and every moment with my kids because one day, they will grow up and move on.  I think I will always miss the time when they were all mine.  Through all of these experiences, I remember thinking "Wow...life doesn't get any better than this!"  When I became a mom, I knew with certainty, that this really was the best moment of my life.

Now, I have a challenge for you.

Write a list of the 10 best days of your life.

Just remembering them will brighten your day!

If you have a minute, comment and tell me about some of your favorite days.

I would love to hear about your life and what inspires you!

*Also, I'm guest posting today on Simply Enchanted come visit me over there as well :)

Giveaway - The Posh Daisy

 -GIVEAWAY CLOSED-

And the winner is:

#13 Ashley

who said "I follow the posh daisy too. :)".

Thank you so much to everyone who entered and to the Posh Daisy for such an AMAZING giveaway!!!

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I have got such a cool giveaway for you today...and just in time for Christmas shopping!

I'd like you to meet the girls behind The Posh Daisy:

 "Hi, we are Cerrisse and Dotti. We are mother and daughter and co-owners of the Posh Daisy were we create fun, chic headbands and jewelry. We live in Saint George Utah and love the rugged surroundings. Cerrisse married her best-friend and has a darling, busy, bundle of energy, son named Jaxon. Dotti married her high-school sweetheart and has five children and four grandchildren! She also moonlights for a non-profit housing developer when she isn’t creating new accessories. Cerrisse is a homemaker and is the driving force behind the Posh Daisy. Not only do we work together but spend a lot of time laughing! It doesn’t get any better than that."

These cute girls are giving away a $20 shop credit!

And...they have a coupon code to save 25% "DAISYLOVE".  

Do you have someone in mind that would love something from the Posh Daisy for Christmas?

Here's how to enter:

1.  Go to the Posh Daisy shop and tell me what your favorite item is...

2.  Become a follower of the Posh Daisy Blog

3.  Follow the Posh Daisy on Facebook

4.  Favorite the Posh Daisy on Etsy

5.  Follow Cait. Create the blog

6.  Follow Cait. Create. on Facebook

7.  Get my button

8.  Blog/Tweet/Facebook about this giveaway

Giveaway ends Thursday, December 8th at midnight.

Winner will be announced Friday, Dec. 9th.

Just for fun...my favorite is the bird necklace that looks like it's from the Hunger Games.  If you've read the Hunger Games, you'll know which one :)

The Spray Tan Party

Remember that I told you that last Saturday was my birthday?

Well, a group of my cousins all have a business together.   

A few weeks ago, they were looking online for ideas to do for a different cousin's birthday.  One of the things they came across was an at home spray tanning party.

They (being boys) thought it was the stupidest thing they had ever heard of.

So as a joke, my cousin said to me:

"Do you know what you want for your birthday?"

Me: "No."

"How about an spray tanning party, ha ha."

Me: "Seriously?  That sounds SO FUN!"

"Really?"

Ha ha, so what started out as a joke, because a spray tanning birthday party.

Everyone had a blast, and walked away nice and tan for the holidays :)

The instructions for the party were:

"No makeup, no lotion, wear sweats."

LOL

So here we are...in our sweats...without any makeup...but at least we're tan!

(Megan, Me, Leslie, Andi,

Chantelle, Joy, Brittany)

I've never had a spray tan before so I was a little nervous.

Hasn't everyone heard horror stories of someone turning bright orange?

Well, the girl that did it warned us that we would wake up the next morning looking like "Aunt Jemima."

I'm so glad she warned me because the next morning...oh my...I looked scary.

After I showered though, I loved it.

The only makeup I wore all day was mascara. 

She matched each of us with a custom color, so I looked like I had perfect skin for about a week :)  Even my dark circles under my eyes were gone because they were spray tanned LOL.

It was so fun.  SO FUN!  It was also fun just to have a girls' night.  They are so rare.

We ate Sweet Tooth Fairy Cupcakes and talked about blogs and life and kids and how we are should have spray tanning parties more often, ha ha.

It was the ultimate girls night and I loved it!

Has anyone else had a spray tan before?  What did you think?