General Conference Prep

General conference is coming up next weekend! I am so excited for general conference this year and I have been prepping by doing a few different things. I figured I would share those things with you all.

1. Start Praying now!
Pray for the leaders and speakers. Pray for you and your family. Pray to receive direction, inspiration, and guidance. Prayer is amazing and I need to do more of it so I am starting on this one as well.

2. Ponder about your life and know your questions
Think about your stage in life, are you a student that just moved out for the first time? Are you thinking of purchasing your first home? Are you trying to decide to get married, have a baby, further your education etc. Are you wondering what else you can do to have your days seem more fulfilling? Maybe there is someone in your life you are concerned about and you are wondering how you can help them? Ponder about all of these questions and more in the next week or so. Write them down. Knowing your questions will allow you to try and listen for answers. When praying (step #1, you can pray about the specific questions).

3. Read your scriptures.
I have been doing a lot more of this lately (Another blog post coming soon). Right now I read whenever I feel my anxiety creeping up on me. Whenever I need a "break" as a mom (cause we all need those), I read a few verses in the Book of Mormon. It calms my spirit and really helps me to refocus on my child and our family. Along with reading the scriptures, I also read general conference talks from the previous session. So right now I am working through April 2017 conference talks. I found that I watch a lot of YouTube videos while doing chores like laundry and dishes through out the day. I have just replaced that with watching general conference talks. I feel the spirit more and it gives me some new insight on my challenges.

4. Attend the temple.
The temple is a source of peace for me. It's a place where I feel grounded in the gospel. Much of the gospel gives me anxiety as I think about deep doctrines and principles. The temple allows me to reconnect with God and to say hey I can do this. Just take it one day at a time. The temple also allows me to worship Heavenly Father in a way that I can't anywhere else. I know that I feel of His love there and I am encouraged to do better. Attending the temple before conference opens my heart up to what I need to hear.

5. Plan your weekend with Purpose.
Make sure you don't over plan your conference weekend. If you go on vacation (like us) make sure and plan your activities you do around conference times. Make sure you have a way to watch or listen to conference while you are out of town. Planning less activities makes it so you have more time to focus on the spirit and you aren't feeling like you have to get somewhere really fast.

What are ways you plan for general conference?
XO
Caitlin

Fall Bucket List

Decorate for Fall
Prep for General Conference
Grotto falls hike
Melon Days in Green River
General Conference in St. George
Zion's hikes in St. George
Preschool for Claire Tuesdays and Thursdays
Story time for Claire on Wednesdays
Sign up for the early literacy programs with Provo library
Figure out planner stuff
Pumpkin Patch
Corn Maze
Eat a Caramel Apple
Drive alpine loop
Drive nebo loop
Have a campfire in the canyon with friends
Fall family photos
Visit Grandpa Keith for his birthday
Halloween family costumes
Trick or Treating
Legacy Center Halloween extravaganza
Halloween party with friends
Decorate for Halloween
Go to a haunted house
Carve Pumpkins
Roast pumpkin seeds
Watch Hocus Pocus
Halloween Town 1,2, & 3
Twitches 1, 2
Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin
Read 3 books for September, October, and November.
Caribbean Cruise (already scheduled and booked for November)

What is on your bucket list for Fall?

Thanks for reading!
XO
Caitlin

Fall Decor

I put up my fall decor this weekend so I took some pictures and decided I should put it up on the blog! I'll post where I got everything from at the bottom of the pictures but hopefully you enjoy. I am so excited for fall and stay tuned for my fall bucket list post coming this week.

First we have my entry way table.

 The giant pumpkin on the bottom is from Hobby Lobby, as well as the Happy Harvest sign. The wood sign in the bin is from Michael's. The black candle holder is also from Michael's as well as the two pumpkins on top.

From there you see the piano and I put some pumpkins and then some flowers and candles on the right. The candle is from bath and body works and it is the leaves candle. Just a classic fall candle and I love it. The small burlap pumpkin on the holder is from the dollar tree as well as the flowers in the vase.

 From the piano you have my music shelf. The two wood signs are from Michael's. The leaf garlands from dollar tree and this candle is marshmallow fireside from Bath and Body Works. 

From there you see this book case (which I desperately need to organize). The flowers in the vase are from dollar tree as well as the pumpkins and the leaf garlands.

 The T.V. Stand has a white pumpkin from Michael's. Fall family pictures from last year in dollar tree frames. Some more dollar tree pumpkins and some leaf garlands.

My table centerpiece was a DIY I did with items from the dollar tree. The flowers are all from dollar tree as well as the burlap.

I love this little corner in my kitchen and the flowers and vase are from dollar tree, the pumpkin from Walmart and the candle is pumpkin cupcake from Bath and Body works.

I just love how cozy having this decor up makes our home feel and honestly it wasn't that much money. Dollar tree for the win!

XO
Caitlin

Claire's two year update:

Birth:
7 lbs 8 oz

19 inches long

Two Week Appointment:

8 lbs 8 oz 75%

20 inches long 75%

Two Month Appointment:

12 lbs 4 oz 75%

 21 inches long 75%

Four Month Appointment:
  16lbs 5oz  75%

25 inches long 75%

Six Month Appointment 

19 lbs 75%

27.5 inches long 95%

Nine Month Appointment

20lbs 3 oz 75%

28.5 inches long 75%

1 year appointment

22 lbs 0 oz 80%

31 inches long 95%

15 Month Appointment

23lbs 12 oz 50%

31 inches long 75%

18 Month Appointment

25lbs 4 oz 70%

33 inches long 80%

2 year update

27lbs 3 oz 75%

35 inches long 60%

Claire is now in size 2t/3t clothes (depending on the brand of course). She is in size 5 diapers and we are starting to potty train this month. She is so ready for potty training. She sleeps from 8pm to about 8:30am. She takes a 3 hour nap everyday. Her favorite foods are blueberries, chicken nuggets, and fruit snacks. She loves playing outside and since we have a house now we have been outside a lot. She loves reading books and building lego's. She can sing the ABC's, count to 10, and knows most of her colors. She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to voice her opinion. We got a puppy so she loves playing with Oreo.  She brings so much joy and light into our home. We are so blessed to have her.

XO

Caitlin

Claire's 2nd Birthday

August 22nd, 2015.

This sweet girl of mine came into my life. She made me a mommy! Now that sweet girl is 2.
For her party this year we did a Unicorn theme. I made a cute unicorn chalk invitation (can't show it here for privacy reasons). I found all the decorations at Target and Michaels.

 These are some cute photo booth props that Michaels had.

My sister made the amazing Unicorn cake! The hair looked so cool. We also had cupcakes for people with gold unicorn horns. 

 Zack and I got her this Anna dress for dress ups. She loves dress ups lately and now she has so many. She got so many wonderful presents but I think she just enjoyed being around people she loved the most.

We love you Claire!


XO
Caitlin