Full on Friday 10/16

You know what, it felt like Friday three times this week: Wednesday, yesterday, and today! But, at least, it is Friday now, finally!

Awesome Moments
1) Subbing at an awesome, technology driven college-prep high school chater. Now I want to teach there!

2) Having a date night with Justin in the middle of the week and going to the Temple, while mom watched Rhys all night.

3) Being able to go to the gym three times this week, and having two successful workouts while Rhys actually had fun at the daycare!

4) Watching my baby sister kick butt with her high school's marching band at the regional invitational at BYU. Their music was different songs about flying and air, including some excerpts from Wicked's "Defying Gravity." So, they had Newton's apple, clouds, flying capes, Da Vinci's flying machine, and in the last picture, you can't really tell, but the band is in the shape of an airplane, and the color guard in front is spinning propellers and the color guard in the back is waving cloud flags. They moved down the field like that and it was AWESOME! (My sister is the super short one.)

5) Watching all the Chopped episodes on Netflix with Justin, and "playing along". Once the basket ingredients are shown, we would pause and tell each other what we would do with them, then watch to see if our ideas were similar to any of the chefs'. We also thought this would make such a fun theme for a double-date, but where would we get a kitchen big enough for two couples cooking at the same time?

Grateful List
1) Being able to go to the temple and listen and pay attention to the words of the Initiatory. It was a nice boost and reminder to my testimony.

2) Rhys starting to get used to the daycare at Vasa Gym!

3) The opportunities I am getting for earning a little pocket change.

Awkward Moments
1) Rhys having a 2.5 hour nap and sleeping almost 13 hours at my mom's house whereas he only has an hour nap and sleeps 11 hours at night with us.

2) Getting behind on blogging and all that comes with it.

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Looking Forward To
- Many cool projects coming to a blog near you!
- Blogger Sleepover Soiree next weekend!

5 on Friday | Friday Favorites | High Five for FRIDAY | TGIF Hop | oh hey Friday

Full of Friday 10/2

** Don't forget to enter this giveaway for a free ebook on 31 devotionals for being more thankful.

I am so excited for this weekend! Justin, Rhys, and I will be spending it with my family, watching The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Semi-Annual General Conference. General Conference is held twice a year the first weekend of April and October. There are 4 different two-hour sessions between Saturday and Sunday (including one more Saturday evening for the priesthood holders) in which the general leaders of our world-wide church give talks, or sermons, about Christ, the Gospel, and different topics of spiritual edification. It is broadcast on BYUTV, but also streamed live on lds.org. It is a wonderfully uplifting weekend in which we can hear modern-day prophets, seers, and revelators speak through the Spirit of Christ. So, I am officially inviting you to check it out and be edified!

Via

Awesome Moments
1) Rhys climbed up a chain ladder on the playground all by himself...he is so talented, tenacious, and smart!
2) I got a new library book that I am absolutely loving: An American Bride in Kabul: A Memoir by: Phyllis Chesler.
3) I got frozen yogurt with Shannon from Shanndelier.
4) I won yet another giveaway!

Grateful List
1) All the scripture study that I've been doing and remember more often to say morning prayers.
2) Dad being willing to babysit Rhys while Justin and I went to a dinner date.
3) The naps I've been able to co-sleep with Rhys the past two days (since he's been sick and needed his Momma).
4) The opportunity to spend this weekend with my family.

Awkward Moments
1) Rhys waking up in the morning with already dried throwup all over his pajamas and crib. Poor boy threw up in the middle of the night. He has been sick the past two days.
2) An old man reading a newspaper at the library near me and my SAT student loudly "Hurumphing" as we were whispering and practicing SAT skills and strategies.

In Case You Missed It
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How We Wore It // Fall Transition
October 2015 Goals

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Looking Forward To
1) General Conference--duh!
2) Getting Rhys back on a solid schedule once he feels better.
3) Seriously taking to heart to lose these last 10 pounds of baby weight.

5 on Friday | Friday Favorites | High Five for FRIDAY | TGIF Hop | oh hey Friday

A Thankful Heart and Giveaway

** I received a free copy of the book from Cedar Fort Publishing in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As I've recently mentioned, I am focusing on gratitude to help bring myself closer to Christ. So I was very excited to be able to read this book.

Via

This book is set up with 31 teachings or devotionals to focus on gratitude. It has a quote from a general authority in the LDS Church, a small parable or lesson, scripture references, and an ending thought. Christensen says that you can read these one of two ways--straight through, or take one teaching a day. That is what I've decided to do--one a day. Every day, when I wake up, I read two chapters of scriptures (right now I just finished 2 Kings), and then I'll read one teaching from this book. So, to be honest, I'm not finished with it, but it has done wonders to help me begin each day with gratitude. I am also highlighting all the references in my scriptures as they have to do with gratitude. But, even in my personal scripture study, I'm noticing more and more verses of gratitude and thanksgiving. It truly is what Christ wants us to do. I've seen myself kneel and say morning prayers more often, and my evening prayers are more full of gratitude. It has really helped improve my mental and emotional health, as well as strengthen my testimony and faith in Christ and His Church. Whether you are Mormon or not, I strongly suggest this book to help in your study of gratitude and recognizing all of God's blessings in your life!

And, because Christensen (and I) want you to focus more on the blessings in your life, we are offering a free e-copy of this book. It will be a digital copy, not a hard or soft cover tangible book. But, that way, you can put it on your smart phone or tablet and take it to church with you or on the road!

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You can purchase the book here:

Barnes & Noble 

Find out more about the author here:

Website // Facebook // Instagram

What are you doing to be more grateful in your life and see His blessings?

Count Your Many Blessings

"Everything will work out on the Lord's time."

How many times have I heard this phrase in the past few months? Too many to count. Honestly, I began to hate that phrase. It wasn't helping my stress at all. My faith was diminishing. Not my faith in the Gospel, not my faith in the Church, not my faith in Christ, but my faith that everything will work out and the Lord will get us to where we need to be. 

It came to a head about two weeks ago...we had just been informed with some bad news about electives counting for Justin's major, not being approved for a house, and an interview job scam. I broke down and thought to myself, what are we doing wrong? We read scriptures, we pray, we go to the temple and church, we pay our tithing, we aren't sinning, and we are doing all in our power to help ourselves before depending on the Lord. Why weren't we being helped?

Then, about two hours later, I got a call from an agent saying we were approved for a townhome in Sandy and could we come in to sign the lease that week. We had a home for Rhys! Then, later that week, Justin gets a slew of interviews. Then, last week, we learned that Justin actually doesn't have to take a class, so that's less for him to worry about this term. Then, he got an interview with a bank that had wanted him months ago (to quit school and work for them full-time--wasn't gonna happen). And, this weekend, I got about $700 more on my teacher paycheck than expected--curriculum bonus, maybe?

Via

I think that it is God, especially with that first call two hours after the bad housing news, telling me, "I am here. I am helping you. Have more faith. It will work out on my time. You will get to where you need to be and everything will be fine. Trust in me and be grateful for what you do have."

I definitely am and have been. Justin and I have been so blessed in our marriage. There have been a few scary times, like last year when Justin went to the ER, and then last week when I went to the hospital. But, we've never been in dire need. We've never been in debt, we've never been desperate, we've never been without internet or food or a job or friends. We have a nice, quaint apartment with good quality hand-me-down furniture, family on both sides within an hour, steady jobs, great friends, and a pretty good savings account.

So, today I want to list all that I'm feeling thankful for.

- Finding a nice, two-bedroom townhome with a gorgeous kitchen

- Being able to work afternoons, part-time, starting in the fall

- Our savings account continuing to grow this summer

- Everything we've been given for Rhys, from parents, family, and friends

- The two amazing baby showers I've had with family and friends

- All the love and care our ward has shown us this past week--bringing dinner because of my stupid "modified bedrest" and being able to visit with them at my baby shower. I'm going to miss all of you!

- The hand-me-down furniture we are getting from my parents.

- All the interviews Justin has been getting (cross your fingers for this bank interview--it'd be a great job for us!)

- All the time I've been able to have with Justin this summer since I'm not working (last summer, I worked part-time and it was typically in the evening when Justin was home from school for the day)

- My parents and sister living so close to us to help take care of me last week

- Justin not having to take a class, which means less he has to stress about

- Being able to go to the temple two weeks ago

- Brooke for taking free maternity pictures

- An opportunity I may have for free newborn pictures

- Although it was scary, having an ultrasound while I was in the hospital to discover a potential health risk for Rhys (abdomen measuring small and kidneys working too hard--not life-threatening) so we know it'll be better for him to be born this week than wait any longer

- The feelings of peace and happiness the Lord has blessed Justin and I with the past few weeks

- All the support and friends I have IRL and through blogging

Via

Seriously, I can't say thank you to our friends, family, and Lord enough these past few weeks. And, I'm especially grateful for them for this week: moving and being induced! 

(So, I apologize if, for the next week and a half or so, I'm somewhat absent from social media... I don't know when we'll get internet hooked up in our new place and I don't know how long it'll take to give birth...)

Wish us luck!

And again, THANKS!