are you with me?.....

"tis the season to be....."

As I am sitting here listening to Christmas music, 
my mind turns to why I love this holiday season.

There are many reasons why the holiday's are so special. 
And each of us have special feelings 
towards Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Instead of doing a sister highlight 
 I thought it would be fun if you highlighted yourself.

And what I mean by that is....
I have a challenge.
Lets start of this Holiday Season right!
with GRATITUDE.

What do you think of when you hear the word....

THANKFUL...

Have you ever thought about what you are thankful for?
I mean really thought about it in a very sincere way.

I am sure you have heard about 

doing a gratitude journal...

It can change the way we see our world around us.

It can actually change your life.

In fact it can change you in ways 
you never thought was possible.
Would you give it a try?

I even bought a special journal just to begin!!


Every day you can write what ever you are thankful for. 
What are your GRATEFUL for today?
What happened in my day that I saw the 
Hand of the Lord in my life?

Below are some prompts to help you begin....
I do feel so deeply that we can have a wondrous holiday season if we but look outside of ourselves.... 
see what blessings the Lord has bestowed down upon each of us.
I think we would be amazed...

Positive Thoughts Prompts

{from simplyfreshdesigns.com}

“Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with Faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.” Gordon B. Hinckley

*How has God blessed me today?

* I am a strong, positive, healthy loving woman of faith.

• Today I seek Peace.

• When times are hard, I will righteously hang on.
• I will prepare for tomorrow by working today.
• Today I will use my energy to improve someone’s life. 

• “Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.”
• I will be grateful for this day.
• Everything is going to be okay. Breathe. Smile.
• Laughter is good for my health.
• Practice makes progress.
• Today I will practice using my calm voice.


• There is always HOPE.
• Kindness inspires Kindness.
• Today I will do what is right, not what is easy.
• I am strong and can do hard things.
• Always be nicer than you feel.
• Keep Moving Forward!
• Today I will think of others & serve!
• Onward ever Onward.


• “The Lord is my light, then why should I fear?”
• These times are hard, but they will pass.
• Today I will stop holding on to what hurts and make room for forgiveness.
• Recite a scripture.
• “Arise & Shine Forth.”
• I teach others by my attitude.


• “It is better to look up!” Thomas S. Monson 
• Hum a hymn.
• Today I will thank someone.
• I am meant to be brave.
• The Lord is aware of me.
• Today I will give the gift of time!
• Live in Faith!


• I Am loved
*In all things it is better to HOPE than to despair" - Von Goethe
*What makes me smile?
*My Faith is bigger than my fear.
*I will let my JOY rise to the surface
*Take a big breathe...think of someone I love.
*I am grateful for.....
*Listen to peaceful music.
*I am thankful for small successes in my home.

• “Give me this mountain. Give me these challenges.” - Spencer W. Kimball 
  
• Today I will slow down and enjoy the moment.
  
• Listen to happy tunes.
  
• God is in the details of my life.
  
• There is always something to be grateful for. 
• “We traveled on, Trusting in God.” Susannah Stone Lloyd
  
• I become what I focus on.
  
• Stuff some faith under that bonnet and double knot it.
  
• To be happy, don’t do what you like; Like what you do!
  
• I am a problem solver... not a complainer.
  
• Today I will listen to the quietest whispers of my heart.
  
• Be Kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
  
• “For God hath not given us the Spirit of Fear; but of POWER,
  and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.” 2 Timothy 1:7
  
• Life is beautiful.
  
• I believe in the power of my thoughts.
  
• Pray for optimism.
  
• Hard things make me Stronger.
  
• Today I will Forgive.
  
• “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.”
  
• Today I will be gentle with myself and others.
  
• I am Blessed! 

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE BEAUTIFUL BLESSING IN MY LIFE!

Here are just a few of those blessings....

picture style...

My amazing hubby!

I adore him!

He is my everything...

Love you my Hunk of Love!

My son, Zac and daughter, Mattie who are both serving LDS missions!

Love them deeply!

I think we should bottle their happy juice! Look at those smiles!

Love you Elder and Sister Watts!

My beautiful Kell

She is so giving.... full of heart!

Love you Kellers!

My sweet Mollie! So full of life!

Love you Molls!

Can anyone say....I LOVE SON-IN-LAWS!

This incredible young man showed up at our door 2 an 1/2 years ago and I had no idea how 

he would change our family!

He is the most genuine, giving man I have ever met!

We are very blessed!

This is one of my favorite pictures of my grandson, Boston.

He is traveling to see his grandparents in Uruguay. Those ear phones are a hoot!

I love being a "grandmother." That is the very best word... like in forever!

My sweet family! 

Kenzie, Brent and Boston!

Love you guys!!!!

My sweet sisters.... Oh how I love them!!!

They are my rock!

 My Yummy Dad and sisters!

My Dad fights hard for his family! 

It is his life! 

Nothing more important to him.

I love you Dad!

FAMILY!!!!

There is nothing better in the whole world! 

Family Is everything!

My mother knows how to make you feel so special!

Just look at that table! She works so hard to bring a wonderful spirit in her home.

Love you momma!

And our newest adventure....

I am so grateful that we can do this together with family!

I have no doubt that the Lord was in this cabin purchase...

what a gift!

I love my scriptures!

They heal me.

They give peace and help me to understand what I need to be doing.

They are my foundation!

And we each have been given a wonderful gift!

Our Savior Jesus Christ!

He loves us...

He weeps with us!

He rejoices with us!

He is our ultimate healer and gift to us all!!

I know that each of us have many blessings.... what are yours?

Write them down! 

Let take this challenge...and see the difference 

it can make in our individual lives. 

I bet December 25th will have more meaning...

Lets do it!

Spread His Light!

SPREAD YOUR LIGHT!

Loves!

#2

Sister Scribble

 Sister Bonnie D. Parkin noted that gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle.

Gratitude indeed illuminates the fact that we are surrounded by God's miracles.

Living in gratitude, we develop a keen sense of the extraordinary in the ordinary.

 

Wonders, miracles, and acts of kindness can be found in each moment of our lives.

Recognize your Blessing Basket!

Acknowledge blessings to yourself, to you Heavenly Father, and to your family.

-Simple Things by Lori Nawyn

 

 

Wishing all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Loves and Hugs to all!

CABIN "fever"

The last four weeks

for our family has been a wild whirlwind!

We've been blogging and posting quite a bit about the recent purchase of a property in Bear Lake County

http://www.bearlakeranchhouse.com/

The property is located at the

 base of Emigration Canyon in Southeastern Idaho,

and this past weekend

was our first "sleepover." 

It was time to get to work!
#wealsofeltold #creeksandcricks

We cleaned every nook and cranny

and were able to start to get to know our

new cabin that we 

will call our 2nd home for 

many many years to come.

There are five families involved with the purchase

and although it might seem kinda "cray cray"

and impossible to work together...we are doing it!

We are making it happen! #giveandtake

A few pictures to share the progress.....

Our first official Walker Family Properties Meeting!  Our white board "notes" on making project decisions

(don't let the mice notation scare ya! we got it handled! ha ha... The cabin is in the mountains ya know....)

Time to make those decisions happen!

80 Towels...boom.

 Boxed up Sheets and Towels ready to make the trip..

Packing it up!

Making the Drive --- Beautiful 

Winter Wonderland Emigration Canyon!

SAFE ARRIVAL..... of our cute Sissy #4

With Precious Cargo!

Beautiful New Queen Mattresses......and we were able to try them out for a night!  LOVED THEM!

Making the journey to their new homes

 All put together and ready for GUESTS (well kinda.....)

Your Sister Circle DAD 

installing those washer and dryer beauties!

The Kitchen --- BEFORE pictures (we will keep you in suspense for the AFTER pictures.  We don't even know the outcome yet!  ha.)

 FIRST THING to GO! -- Goodbye Sunflowers!

PREPing for new PAINT!  OOOOOH la la.....

 Sissy's #3, #5 and #1 gettin' their cleaning ON! #ohmyback

 

It's staring to come together.....and this was only the first work weekend with plenty more to come!  It will be so fun to have these before pictures to compare.  Won't it?

 What a wonderful way to start and end a weekend!

 LOVE YOU SISTERS!

We're feeling the CABIN "Fever"

Sister #1 out!

SISTER HIGHLIGHTS!!!

IT IS FRIDAY!!

 SISTER HIGHLIGHT DAY!!!!

We have one great lady for you!!!!

What is your full name? 

Kristine Capener Godfrey

 {love boating...:}

What is your Instagram user name?

 bigtallhorses

Where do you live?

 North Ogden 

{Autumn, Annie Ba-Nannie and Kristine)

What is your favorite treat?

 Cookies and Dr. Pepper

Heels or Nikes?

 Nikes although usually I like to wear my running shoes- 

{side note I kinda hate going barefoot even I summer- weird I know. Probably because my kids love Popsicles and I hate sticking to the floor :}

Tell us 5 things that are in your purse right now!

 Dr.Pepper, vitamins and ibuprofen, eyeliner and mascara- I usually put my make up on at work 

Tell us one of your unique talents? (funny, nerdy, artistic, embarrassing, anything!)

oh man! I'm really really good at eating cookies and making people feel good about themselves. I like laughing and being around smart people too. I love snowboarding and waterskiing. And collecting junky stuff- I hate the mall and love harbor freight.

What is your favorite quote?

It is kind of long but this not only touched me- it shoved me over..."the world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity." Margaret D. Nadauld

Tell us one person that inspires you and why? 

Tomorrow is my 16 anniversary so I have to say my husband. He is my rock- he stands by me and makes me stand taller because he lifts me up every day. He folds laundry for crying out loud. I can't say enough good about him. And I love my dog she makes me happy hahaha

Please feel free to tell us anything you feel like sharing!  And please give us any feedback or ideas you have for our circle!!

I just love glancing through Instagram or facebook and seeing all the great you ladies are spreading all over the world for good- your struggles and survivals help and lift us all- you are brave for putting it all out there.

 WE LOVE YOU KRISTINE!!!

SO GLAD YOU ARE A PART OF THIS WORLD WIDE SISTERHOOD!

Sister Scribble

Today, give thanks to the little miracles in your life.

 And for the fact that God ALWAYs leads us to where we need to be.

 

Love you Sisters!!

just forgive......

I have had some interesting experiences with forgiveness.

I believe it is a really powerful principle.

It can help us heal.

I believe that sometimes our physical pains and sorrows are trapped within us...

past or present.

We are a spiritual being with a physical body. 

A wonderful man named Bruce R. McConkie has said, 

" The Book of Life is the record of the acts of man as such record is written in their own body. 

It is the record engraved in the very bones, sinews and flesh of the mortal body. 

That is, every thought, word and deed has an effect on the human body. 

All these leave their marks, marks which can be read by Him who is Eternal 

as easily as the words in a book can be read."

I have loved that statement from him for many years. 

It has helped me through some tough times.

 I believe we trap words, thoughts, deeds, 
and acts of others in us. 

Words are real and tangible. 

Feelings become part of us - our emotions.

I know people think that words do not have that much power, but they do! 

WORDS CREATE OUR LIVES!

WE WERE CREATED BY THE WORD OF GOD!

Our very thoughts show us the person who we have chosen to be.

I want to share something that can be a very powerful tool in your life.

And share a story to prove it.

I believe that we need to forgive.

and not just once or twice but multiple times
 a day if necessary.

Here is how it works!

It is easy!

3 simple steps...

STEP 1:

FORGIVE.

And you have to say it in the present tense.

I FORGIVE       so and so for such and such    . 

Now this also includes yourself, situations, feelings, etc.

Examples:

I forgive myself for being angry at my neighbor for.....

I forgive myself for yelling at my children and feeling overwhelmed with life.

I forgive myself for trying to be perfect.

OK

Now you can write everything down!

WRITE IT ALL DOWN

then after you have written down everything 
and everyone including yourself that 
needs forgiving,

then you can move on to the next step

STEP 2:

GRATITIUDE

We are asked to be grateful in all things and that includes the people we need to forgive.

We can express gratitude for all of the situations, people, ourselves, etc to our Heavenly Father because these experiences are here to teach and help us grow.... if we choose to let them!

so how we say this is....

I AM GRATEFUL for the lessons that I have learned from___________.

One last step!

STEP 3:

It is said in one sentence!

I PRAISE GOD FOR IT ALL!

We are giving praise and gratitude to our heavenly Father for the gift 

of forgiveness which is part of the atonement. 

STORY TIME:

Our Annie Ba-nannie had a really bad toothache. She even called the dentist to get an appointment because she thought she needed a root canal. We were just about ready to leave for Women's Conference and she was in terrible pain. She couldn't get into the dentist for about a week. So she went to women's conference barely able to speak and only eating soft foods. 

After we were there for about 1/2 a day, I asked Annie to try out this simple formula. Try forgiving and see what happens. She didn't think she had too many to forgive. But as she thought about it her list got pretty long. After lunch we were walking to Jamba to get a yummy drink and she said she felt coolness in her cheek near the tooth that was hurting. She said she felt the heaviness begin to leave. 

That night, it wasn't much better so I said maybe there are some people you have forgotten. She said no... I got everybody. So I mentioned this person and that person and you could see by her face and tone of her voice that maybe there could be a need for forgiveness there. 

By the morning her toothache was GONE!!

COMPLETELY GONE!!

She has never had to go to the dentist to have that tooth fixed.

To me that is the miracle of forgiveness!!

POWERFUL!

TRY IT FOR YOURSELF!

You never know what could happen!

Here is to a happier life!

xoxo

Kim (#2)

SISSY HIGHLIGHTS!!!

IT'S FRIDAYYYYYY!!!
{totes sang that}

Are you ready to meet some seriously FANTASTIC SISTERS???

LET'S DO THIS!!

FIRST UP...

MEET BRITTANY!!

{Well that's ADORABLE right off the bat...and hello baby!!}

What is your full name?

Brittany Ann Higham, (High-am, not Hig-ham)

I got married over a year ago and it still looks and sounds weird to me. I love it though!!!

What is your Instagram user name?

I cant lie, I had to look this up: @Brittshigham 

Where do you live?

currently living in the city between the mountains, Cottonwood Heights Utah

Heels or Nikes?

-I'm a wear heels when I think I look pretty until I try to walk, then I'm a wish I would have brought my nikes with me kind of girl. 

Tell us 5 things that are in your purse right now! 

My purse just became my diaper bag 3 weeks ago. Hello Lady Lyla! So I have diapers (tiny newborn preemie diapers, so freakin CUTE!), butt cream AND a spare onesie just in case we have a blow out. 

Tell us one of your unique talents?

I'm the BEST procrastinator in the world! I feel pretty good about it. I also can write a paper for school under pressure because of my awesome ability to procrastinate. Just ask my husband. 

What is your favorite quote?

-“Faith in God includes Faith in God's timing.” Neal A. Maxwell, I  Love this! There is always those times when you need God RIGHT NOW and for some reason he has other things to do. I try to remember this on a daily basis. I have faith, I just need to have faith in his timing. He knows when I need things. {LOVE IT!!}

Tell us one person that inspires you and why?

My husband inspires me everyday. He's what I like to call "adorkable". {bwhahahaha} From day one he has supported me through all my rough patches.  Through my pregnancy, there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't tell me I was beautiful. That helped when I felt like a giant whale. He truly is my "ARMY HERO MAN". I can't believe I spent almost 30 years without him! Thinking of my life without him is awful. It brings me to tears to think of what my life would have been without him. He is my strength. Plus he gave me an awesome, beautiful little girl

Please feel free to tell us anything you feel like sharing!  And please give us any feedback or ideas you have for our circle!!

So there you have it. I'm a little....a lot crazy. 

I've been through tough times when the church and all its teachings meant nothing to me. Now I cant get enough of it. I learned who and what I wanted to be in my rebellious stage. I'm so grateful for the atonement. Without it, I would be one sorry young lady. {AMEN!}

Thank you guys for doing this blog. Most days its exactly what I need; a good laugh and a good cry. Ya'll are amazing!!

She's ADORKABLE!!! HA!

Thanks so much Brittany for sharing with us!!

You are so great!!

OK AND NEXT!!!

Meet ALISHA!!!

{well hello there.....}

What is your full name?

Alisha Yamasaki Barber

What is your Instagram user name?

@Aliyambar

Where do you live?

Brigham City, Utah

What is your favorite treat?

ALL the treats are my favorite. It's kind of a problem.

Heels or Nikes?

Nikes all the way. I wish Nike would make some heels though

Tell us 5 things that are in your purse right now! 

I actually don't carry a purse. But I should.I guess.

{WHAT!!??? I wanna know how to do this!!}

Tell us one of your unique talents?

I don't use an alarm clock of any kind.I have an internal one that I "set" and I even have a snooze button. 

And... my hands.

Look at the palms of your hands...seriously. .. Look at your hands. I'll wait. ..

See how there's TWO distinct lines NOT connected near your fingers? I don't have that.I have one solid very distinct line all the way across. I check and check people's hands and have never come across a solid liner yet. I don't know why or how I even noticed this. But it's weird. But it's gotta mean something right???

Ok... wow. Maybe leave that part out...only not maybe. Leave that part out. {NOPE! Its too cute}

What is your favorite quote?

(I really LOVE quotes)
"Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent"
-Eleanor Roosevelt

{FANTASTIC}

Tell us one person that inspires you and why?

My mom and grandma. Incredible amazing STRONG women who have endured so much with all the grace and class in the world. Truly aaaamazing.ok that's two... sorry. I'm a rebel like that.

Please feel free to tell us anything you feel like sharing!  And please give us any feedback or ideas you have for our circle!!

And my feed back is that you guys rock! Thanks for the lift and thanks for keepin' it real y'all!

AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU ALISHA FOR SHARING WITH US!!

You are amazing!!!

GOSH WE LOVE FRIDAYS!!

XOXOXOXOXO

#hugstimesfive