(This one is my favorite)
I took all these pictures by myself, they turned out pretty good! We sure do love her.
XO
Caitlin
PS Quilt is from www.littleunicorn.com
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Claire's Newborn Pictures
I took all these pictures by myself, they turned out pretty good! We sure do love her.
XO
Caitlin
PS Quilt is from www.littleunicorn.com
Thursday, December 4, 2014
My Advice for Sister Missionaries (really all missionaries)
I am sorry I didn't post yesterday! I have a really good reason. My little sister is turning 19 in March and just got her mission call for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am so excited for her to experience the joy that comes from a mission. I can't describe how I feel about my mission in words, all I can tell you is that it was the second best decision I have ever made in my life. The best decision was marrying Zack of course :)
I love all these girls. Each one of them helped me become a better person, more compassionate, more understanding and they taught me to truly enjoy life.
1. My first advice is as soon as you get your call, commit to being 100% obedient! I know this one is going to be the most difficult out of all the advice I have. But its going to be the one that will make you a better missionary. Before I left my stake president (leader in charge of LDS congregations in an area) committed me to being 100% obedient and I said I would do it. I tried my best at being obedient, but I still fell short of that goal. In the end I used my knowledge of Christ and the Atonement to help me become a better missionary and the more I tried the better I got at being 100% obedient, I wasn't perfect but I did my best and I have absolutely no regrets. If you can make a goal of being 100% obedient on your mission you too will walk away with no regrets. This means making sure your phone calls home are only 30 minutes if the hand book says 30 minutes, this means getting out of bed at 6:30 to exercise, this means taking only an hour lunch break and nothing more. I promise the more you work at being obedient the more you are able to have success.
2. Read the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and if you want a Free copy (for those reading who aren't LDS) you can get one here. The Book of Mormon is a book about relationships. It's about families who go through hard challenges, about brothers who are learning to get along, about couples learning to communicate. It's about men finding God and learning how they can come closer to Him. It's about people everywhere learning what Christ did for mankind and experience the love He has for His children. The Book of Mormon helps testify of Christ and helps show that He loves every single one of us. My advice for missionaries is to read The Book of Mormon every day. Don't miss a single day of reading it. This book will help you gain a different understanding of the gospel, of the work you are a part of and of the Savior Jesus Christ. Reading the book everyday with your investigators in mind will help you when you go to teach them, you will know what they need to hear and you will be able to help them understand the truths that are taught. The Book of Mormon is a powerful tool and I know that if you read it everyday it will help you become a better missionary.
3. Write in your journal every night. My mission was the one time I wrote in my journal every single day. I have never done that before or after but I am so grateful I did it then. I love reading through my journal, some stuff I wrote was all venting. That is totally okay, we all have days like that where we just vent. Other times I wrote about my testimony, the people I taught, my companions etc. I love reading my journal and I know my kids and grand kids will love reading my journal even more than I do. I hope you commit to writing in your journal every night.
4. Pray for your companion. This is important, I didn't learn this until half way through my mission. I am not the easiest person in the world to live with and I know my companions probably disliked the idea of having to be with me 24 hours 7 days a week. After I figured out that what I was doing wasn't working I started praying for my companion. It helped me see them in a different light, it helped me feel more love for them and it helped me be more conscious of how I was treating them. Now my companion's and I are really good friends. I go to them for advice and I know when I have kids I will definitely ask their advice because most of them are mom's now. I love them all dearly and I truly believe it's because I prayed for them. So if you aren't getting along, just remember to pray and hopefully things will get better.
5. Smile a lot. Have fun! This is going to be one of the best times of your life and it will be the best because you make it that way. Don't forget to smile and have fun.
I love my mission, I have way more pictures and a ton more memories but everyday was fun and I loved it so much.
XO
Caitlin
My Advice for Sister Missionaries!
I love all these girls. Each one of them helped me become a better person, more compassionate, more understanding and they taught me to truly enjoy life.
1. My first advice is as soon as you get your call, commit to being 100% obedient! I know this one is going to be the most difficult out of all the advice I have. But its going to be the one that will make you a better missionary. Before I left my stake president (leader in charge of LDS congregations in an area) committed me to being 100% obedient and I said I would do it. I tried my best at being obedient, but I still fell short of that goal. In the end I used my knowledge of Christ and the Atonement to help me become a better missionary and the more I tried the better I got at being 100% obedient, I wasn't perfect but I did my best and I have absolutely no regrets. If you can make a goal of being 100% obedient on your mission you too will walk away with no regrets. This means making sure your phone calls home are only 30 minutes if the hand book says 30 minutes, this means getting out of bed at 6:30 to exercise, this means taking only an hour lunch break and nothing more. I promise the more you work at being obedient the more you are able to have success.
2. Read the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and if you want a Free copy (for those reading who aren't LDS) you can get one here. The Book of Mormon is a book about relationships. It's about families who go through hard challenges, about brothers who are learning to get along, about couples learning to communicate. It's about men finding God and learning how they can come closer to Him. It's about people everywhere learning what Christ did for mankind and experience the love He has for His children. The Book of Mormon helps testify of Christ and helps show that He loves every single one of us. My advice for missionaries is to read The Book of Mormon every day. Don't miss a single day of reading it. This book will help you gain a different understanding of the gospel, of the work you are a part of and of the Savior Jesus Christ. Reading the book everyday with your investigators in mind will help you when you go to teach them, you will know what they need to hear and you will be able to help them understand the truths that are taught. The Book of Mormon is a powerful tool and I know that if you read it everyday it will help you become a better missionary.
3. Write in your journal every night. My mission was the one time I wrote in my journal every single day. I have never done that before or after but I am so grateful I did it then. I love reading through my journal, some stuff I wrote was all venting. That is totally okay, we all have days like that where we just vent. Other times I wrote about my testimony, the people I taught, my companions etc. I love reading my journal and I know my kids and grand kids will love reading my journal even more than I do. I hope you commit to writing in your journal every night.
4. Pray for your companion. This is important, I didn't learn this until half way through my mission. I am not the easiest person in the world to live with and I know my companions probably disliked the idea of having to be with me 24 hours 7 days a week. After I figured out that what I was doing wasn't working I started praying for my companion. It helped me see them in a different light, it helped me feel more love for them and it helped me be more conscious of how I was treating them. Now my companion's and I are really good friends. I go to them for advice and I know when I have kids I will definitely ask their advice because most of them are mom's now. I love them all dearly and I truly believe it's because I prayed for them. So if you aren't getting along, just remember to pray and hopefully things will get better.
5. Smile a lot. Have fun! This is going to be one of the best times of your life and it will be the best because you make it that way. Don't forget to smile and have fun.
I love my mission, I have way more pictures and a ton more memories but everyday was fun and I loved it so much.
XO
Caitlin
Monday, November 24, 2014
God is on your side!
Hey guys!
Today I couldn't really think of anything to blog about. I mean I have a lot of ideas, I just need to get pictures and other content ready for them. I decided I would share what I have been thinking about a lot this week. I have been re-reading general conference talks and came across this quote:
"I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.
In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
I really have needed this reminder lately. God is on our side, we don't have to fight through everything by ourselves and we have Him to help us. I am grateful that I have this knowledge and I love sharing it with others.
Remember God is on your side!!
XO
Caitlin
Today I couldn't really think of anything to blog about. I mean I have a lot of ideas, I just need to get pictures and other content ready for them. I decided I would share what I have been thinking about a lot this week. I have been re-reading general conference talks and came across this quote:
"I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.
In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.
I really have needed this reminder lately. God is on our side, we don't have to fight through everything by ourselves and we have Him to help us. I am grateful that I have this knowledge and I love sharing it with others.
Remember God is on your side!!
XO
Caitlin
You can kind of see the temple there in the background, past Zack's crazy face. Can't wait to go see the lights again this year!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Home Management Binder!
Happy Wednesday Everyone! As promised I am here to deliver my Monday, Wednesday, Friday posts. I have been working on a lot of blog stuff today and almost forgot to post. That would have been embarrassing. But I am here with a home management binder walk through. This is what I use to keep our house organized, it includes our budget, media inventory, cleaning schedule etc. Its a great tool to have and I can't wait to get to filling out the pages. Lets Dive In!!!
As you see above the cover is clear and its pretty sturdy. I also invested in the Arc punch because it allows me to really use this system to its fullest. I can tear out the pages as I go, fill them out, then put them back in. I also add our bank statements from the previous month for budgeting purposes. Its like a filo fax, only 8 x 11 size and much more accessible for me.
This is my cover page, I got it from the etsy shop iheartorganizing. These printables are by Jen and she has great home binder printables as well as planners you can print off at home. Go check it out.
So behind the cover page, which I put in a sheet protector that I just used my arc punch to punch, I have this pocket folder. These are from staples here in packs of two, and are really handy to store my pay stubs for the year, receipts, pens, etc. They come pre-punched as well.
The next page is this special dates calendar, Jen has one in her shop that was mentioned above that I have in another calendar but this one I got from another etsy shop. They all serve the same purpose so it doesn't really matter which one you have. I just liked these colors. Zack wrote in our birthdays already, it was kind of cute, that was the first thing he did with the notebook when I showed it to him.
Next is the most used section! The budget. I printed off these pages for the rest of 2014, I put this binder together in August so I had 5 months in here. Page 1 has categories for rent, utilities, savings, income, food, clothing. Page two has these categories you see above, and page three has columns for Personal items, medications, free budget, eye glasses, cosmetics, toiletries, printer ink/paper etc. The vertical columns are for budget, actual, difference and comments. I love this system. I am just someone who writes things down and this really works for me, as I mentioned before I print off our bank statements from the previous months, highlight items in the certain columns and use that to put in our actual column. It really helps me to see where my money is going. Last month I was shocked to find out I spent around $500.00 on items that are completely unnecessary, this month I have a plan to really save that money and get back on track. These printables help me with that.
I made these myself but I know Jen has a very similar layout in her Etsy shop. If you would like mine specifically I can make those available as well. Let me know in the comments.
Page 3 of the budget worksheets.
Now behind those budget sheets I have the password tracker, there are a lot of websites that I go to and this helps me keep track of all the passwords. I pay the majority of my bills online so this is handy to keep in the budget section.
The next section is the media inventory section. I use this to keep track of our DVD's (I'm a movie collector), books, video games, etc. Anything media related goes here, we have a lot of STUFF :)
Behind the full inventory list is a checkout system. That way I can keep track if I let my family borrow books or movies for different things and I can bug them if I don't get it back.
The next tab houses this cleaning checklist. I like that I can write what needs to be done in these time frames, then I refer to it to make sure that the cleaning has been accomplished in our house. Even though we live in an apartment right now its still important to clean it.
The next section houses this important info printable. Again from Jen's shop, all of the above mentioned printables can be found there as well. This one has information for doctors numbers, banking information, etc. Its handy to have it all written down for future use.
The next section is this gift giving plan, and then a party planning printable. I don't host many parties but I do like to use this guide to plan out gifts, especially during this time of year.
The next tab is cooking information, its a master list of our favorite recipes and another list for recipes to try. I was keeping this information in the back of my planner but it grew to be a really long list so it was better used here. The nice thing about these printables is that I can print them out as I need them, right now I have three in there, in the future I can get more and add it in as I go.
Last section is for the Master To DO lists. I always have a running to do list of things I basically need to do everyday, this helps me so I don't have to write those out every single day. Instead I can get this laminated and use a white board marker.
And the end, I have more of those zip pockes and a folder pocket in the back and some pages for blog organization.
I love this system. It really helps to keep me organized. I use it everyday and I would be lost without it. Thanks so much for reading and let me know in the comments if you have any questions or want to see more details of something.
XO
Caitlin
The system I am using for the binder is the ARC system by Staples. I got the clear organizer for this project and I love it because I could choose or design my own over.
As you see above the cover is clear and its pretty sturdy. I also invested in the Arc punch because it allows me to really use this system to its fullest. I can tear out the pages as I go, fill them out, then put them back in. I also add our bank statements from the previous month for budgeting purposes. Its like a filo fax, only 8 x 11 size and much more accessible for me.
This is my cover page, I got it from the etsy shop iheartorganizing. These printables are by Jen and she has great home binder printables as well as planners you can print off at home. Go check it out.
So behind the cover page, which I put in a sheet protector that I just used my arc punch to punch, I have this pocket folder. These are from staples here in packs of two, and are really handy to store my pay stubs for the year, receipts, pens, etc. They come pre-punched as well.
Behind the pocket folder I have a zipped folder, this holds stamps, stickers, anything like that sort of thing that I want to keep safe. I also got them pre-punched at staples here. They also come in packs of two.
The next page is this special dates calendar, Jen has one in her shop that was mentioned above that I have in another calendar but this one I got from another etsy shop. They all serve the same purpose so it doesn't really matter which one you have. I just liked these colors. Zack wrote in our birthdays already, it was kind of cute, that was the first thing he did with the notebook when I showed it to him.
Next is the most used section! The budget. I printed off these pages for the rest of 2014, I put this binder together in August so I had 5 months in here. Page 1 has categories for rent, utilities, savings, income, food, clothing. Page two has these categories you see above, and page three has columns for Personal items, medications, free budget, eye glasses, cosmetics, toiletries, printer ink/paper etc. The vertical columns are for budget, actual, difference and comments. I love this system. I am just someone who writes things down and this really works for me, as I mentioned before I print off our bank statements from the previous months, highlight items in the certain columns and use that to put in our actual column. It really helps me to see where my money is going. Last month I was shocked to find out I spent around $500.00 on items that are completely unnecessary, this month I have a plan to really save that money and get back on track. These printables help me with that.
I made these myself but I know Jen has a very similar layout in her Etsy shop. If you would like mine specifically I can make those available as well. Let me know in the comments.
Page 3 of the budget worksheets.
Now behind those budget sheets I have the password tracker, there are a lot of websites that I go to and this helps me keep track of all the passwords. I pay the majority of my bills online so this is handy to keep in the budget section.
The next section is the media inventory section. I use this to keep track of our DVD's (I'm a movie collector), books, video games, etc. Anything media related goes here, we have a lot of STUFF :)
Behind the full inventory list is a checkout system. That way I can keep track if I let my family borrow books or movies for different things and I can bug them if I don't get it back.
The next tab houses this cleaning checklist. I like that I can write what needs to be done in these time frames, then I refer to it to make sure that the cleaning has been accomplished in our house. Even though we live in an apartment right now its still important to clean it.
The next section is this gift giving plan, and then a party planning printable. I don't host many parties but I do like to use this guide to plan out gifts, especially during this time of year.
The next tab is cooking information, its a master list of our favorite recipes and another list for recipes to try. I was keeping this information in the back of my planner but it grew to be a really long list so it was better used here. The nice thing about these printables is that I can print them out as I need them, right now I have three in there, in the future I can get more and add it in as I go.
Last section is for the Master To DO lists. I always have a running to do list of things I basically need to do everyday, this helps me so I don't have to write those out every single day. Instead I can get this laminated and use a white board marker.
Oops I forgot one section is for car maintennce. I use this tracker to help be on top of when our cars get updates and when its time to change something in the future. I printed two off one for my car and one for Zack's
And the end, I have more of those zip pockes and a folder pocket in the back and some pages for blog organization.
I love this system. It really helps to keep me organized. I use it everyday and I would be lost without it. Thanks so much for reading and let me know in the comments if you have any questions or want to see more details of something.
XO
Caitlin
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Why I disagree with the popular article "Marriage isn't for you"...
Yesterday I went into Deseret Book and saw this little thing on one of the shelves:
I wanted to throw something at it. I get why this idea is so popular, even if I don't like it. Seth Smith (the Author) describes marriage as being for the one you love, being for your future children, etc. It's a good image to paint, a marriage that isn't for you, it reminds you that you are supposed to be selfless and thinking about others happiness above your own. But I have different feelings about it.
In my awesome, fun, rockin' marriage, Zack and I have an equal amount of selfishness and selflessness. Let me explain.
When we go to a restaurant I usually order salmon (its my favorite) and Zack usually orders Steak. We have different personalities. I like steak but love salmon. Zack hates salmon and loves steak. This is how our marriage works. I realize that without him our partnership wouldn't work, without him being level headed our marriage would constantly blow up in flames due to my short fuse. Without him things just wouldn't work. Without him I would never get to try those few bites of steak because I always order Salmon.
Marrying Zack was the best thing I did for me so I think that Marriage is for you and its for the one you love.
Zack has made me a better person, he has taught me to let go of things in my past, forgive and forget. He's taught me to remember that people aren't always judging me, or gossiping about me, they usually have better things to do.
Zack has made me feel and be aware of how much God loves me, because Zack loves me no matter what I do. Even if I don't look cute, or I 'm super grumpy in the morning (which always happen).
Zack was the one there to help me when I had a miscarriage
Zack is the one there to hold me tight when I have nightmares all night.
Zack is the one working hard all day so I have a comfortable life.
Zack completes me.
I wouldn't have gotten married if I didn't benefit from the situation, and I feel that a lot of agree. I wouldn't have gotten married if I wasn't going to be happy. Zack gives that to me, complete happiness.
Zack completes me.
I wouldn't have gotten married if I didn't benefit from the situation, and I feel that a lot of agree. I wouldn't have gotten married if I wasn't going to be happy. Zack gives that to me, complete happiness.
Maybe I am just being selfish but I know Zack would write a list just like this for me.
So you see, my marriage was as much for me as it was for Zack. Together we make it a selfless relationship.
It's okay if you don't think you are ready for marriage, don't feel guilty about that. Marriage is a huge, life altering decision. My advice in that situation would be to think about what would life be like if your boyfriend or girlfriend wasn't there anymore. Would you be happy? Would you be longing for them to be with you? Other questions to ask: Will this person make me grow? Will this person love me unconditionally? Will I love this person unconditionally? Will this person work through problems or run away? All good things to think about when considering getting married.
I think that Marriage is a two-way street. Each of you has to give 100% to your marriage. It's not for one person to give 100 and another to give 50 but both of you have to actively participate to make it work.
I probably never would have married if I didn't know that I would be happier in the end, or had some benefits in the future. I have had to put a lot of dreams on hold for the time being because I have a family now (it may just be Zack but it's still a family). So remember, Marriage IS for you and its for the one you love. Don't believe anything different.
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It's okay if you don't think you are ready for marriage, don't feel guilty about that. Marriage is a huge, life altering decision. My advice in that situation would be to think about what would life be like if your boyfriend or girlfriend wasn't there anymore. Would you be happy? Would you be longing for them to be with you? Other questions to ask: Will this person make me grow? Will this person love me unconditionally? Will I love this person unconditionally? Will this person work through problems or run away? All good things to think about when considering getting married.
I think that Marriage is a two-way street. Each of you has to give 100% to your marriage. It's not for one person to give 100 and another to give 50 but both of you have to actively participate to make it work.
I probably never would have married if I didn't know that I would be happier in the end, or had some benefits in the future. I have had to put a lot of dreams on hold for the time being because I have a family now (it may just be Zack but it's still a family). So remember, Marriage IS for you and its for the one you love. Don't believe anything different.
XO
Caitlin
P.S. If you don't agree with me on this that's okay, also if you think I am super selfish that's okay too. Maybe I am :)
Monday, August 11, 2014
Weekly Catch Up
Well this week has been one wild ride. Zack and I were able to go camping for a little bit, get away and just have fun. I also branched out in my makeup comfort zone and tried an awesome blue eye shadow look.
Here are the pictures from this last week:
Here are the pictures from this last week:
Wicked cause I forgot to post pictures last week about the play. These are the jeans I talked about in my plus size style post which you can find here. I really do like them and they make my legs look extra long. This is also my motivating before picture as I start my workout and diet plan today! More on that of course later.
All details about my wedding ring. The band is really the most special to me, it means a lot because Zack bought it for me when he had no money and he sacrificed a lot in order to get it for me. The ring itself is gorgeous and is a Green Amethyst. I love it. Its unique yet pretty at the same time, just like me. (That's what Zack told me anyway)
A photo of me and my blue eye shadow. How I achieved this look was I applied ELF smudge pot in "Hit the town" all over my lid. Then on the center part of the lid I added Mercury from Makeup Geek eye shadows. Then as my brow bone highlight and to brighten up the inner corner I added Shimma Shimma from Makeup Geek. For my gloss I used maybelline's color whisper in Bare to Be Bold as my lipstick and on top of that I used Nyx's butter Gloss in Creme Brule. Loved the combo and how it turned out, the blue actually worked out great for my hooded eyes and made my brown eyes really stand out.
And finally some photos from our camping trip:
It was a fun week but I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend at home and we are finally going to go see Guardian's of the Galaxy. I seriously can not wait! I am so excited.
XO
Caitlin
