It's Enough to be a Mother

For anyone who ever feels overwhelmed and underappreciated, please read this link.. This blogger is amazing and I love her take on things in this entry. I couldn't say it better myself. However, I could DO better at what it is saying. I'm not sure "no" is a word in my vocabulary. I may just have to start taking a foriegn language class in that.  It may be worth while!

Priesthood Preview Invitations

It's funny how different things go in waves. This last week, Primary has kept me busy and I haven't had time to read, but I found the cutest invitations for our Priesthood Preview. Check these out!!!

The original website they were featured on is Martha Stewart. You can get the instructions here.  Martha always has fantastic ideas, doesn't she? For our Priesthood Preview this year, we wanted the theme to be just the basics. So what better than a white shirt and tie? I used regular copy paper, so you can kind of see the words printed on the inside, but I still think they turned out adorable. Our color scheme was neutrals, so I made all of the ties pretty neutral colors, but I think any bright funky colored ties would be fun also. We are also cutting a sheet of copy paper in fourths and making smaller versions of these to use as place cards at the table for the dinner. I think they are great!

Peeps

Can I just say that this book was a HUGE disappointment. How can an author like Scott Westerfeld, who wrote the "Uglies" series, take the topic of vampirism and go so terribly wrong?!?!  I was excited to read this, and even more excited to finish it. However, if you are doing a research paper on parasites, this book might be a good reference. In my opinion, don't waste your time.

Rating:  25/100

Fabric Covered Tacks

A fun and inexpensive idea for teacher appreciation is fabric covered tacks. First, purchase a button cover kit. I got one at Wal-mart for just under $2. They look like this...

They come in several different sizes. Just pick the one you want. I used 3/4" ones and my extra-large thumb tacks fit perfectly on the back. Decide what fabric you would like one the front of the button. Cut a square of fabric that is about 2" X 2" for the size I used. It just needs to be big enough to wrap around the face of the button and tuck in the back. Use the button kit to press the back of the button on. Now, there is a small metal piece that sticks out the back of the button. I tried to use pliers to pull it out, but ended up with a sore finger and a band-aid. The easiest thing to do is just bend it down with some pliers so that the back of the button is flat. Use a hot glue gun to adhere the tack to the back of the button and... tadah! Cute fabric covered tacks for your teacher!

Trials

“May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, enough hope to make you happy.”

So many things have been happening to people I know lately that my heart is aching for those around me going through hard trials right now. I saw this quote and knew I wanted to post it. Sometimes I want to be superwoman and take away all of the hurt from those around me, and when I realize I can't, it frustrates me. I just need to remember that it is in the Lord's hands and he knows what we can handle and what needs to happen. I just hope I can be a good tool in his hands.

Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness

Yummy, fun series! If you like mystical stories set in the deep south, this series is for you! These books by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl captured my attention quickly. I am a huge fan of fantasy books, about faeries and vampires and such, and this book would fall into that category for sure. Except the creatures in this book are casters (witches to us laymen). I love when a book makes you feel like the things happening are totally possible in our current society. I also liked the relationship I felt with one of the main characters, Lena. I really related with her and it was easy to read about her relationships, or lack of, with people. The other main character is Ethan, and the story is told from his viewpoint. It is fun to read a book through the eyes of the boy for a change. Great books... read them both!

Matched

Just finished reading Matched by Ally Condie last night on the way home from Idaho. What a great book! I am super excited for her next book to come out. This book has an undertone similar to Hunger Games. It is nowhere near as graphic and intense as Hunger Games, but it is about a future society where people don't make choices themselves. The government or "Officials" decide where people live, what they eat, what they do for a career, and even who they are "Matched" with to be married. I feel like this book was just a really good introduction for her future books. This story could really go places, and this first book gives us just a nibble. It is a very clean book... no swearing and no bad love scenes. (However, for all you romatics, there is plenty of lovey dovey in the book :) ) This book is one I would recomend people to read. And I can't wait for the next book in the series.... Crossed. It comes out November 2011!