A bit of thanksgiving {free printable}

  Have you ever stopped to take a look at your life? Have you really noticed how much you have to be grateful for? When I stop to think about my life, I am dumbfounded by all the blessings I've received. Not all of them are huge, or even that noticeable if you aren't paying attention. If you've followed my blog for awhile, you'll remember one of our greatest blessings & miracles. November 2009 was a good month for Sharon. Every milestone that she meets, every time she does something new, I'm reminded what a miracle it is that she is simply alive, let alone that she is healthy & happy!
  Another part of my life for which I am extremely grateful is my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For me, it isn't just a Sunday church, where you go and worship & then come home & forget about it until next week. The gospel is a part of my every day life. From family prayer & scripture study, to simple service opportunities, to going to the temple & doing family history research, the gospel is part of my life & changes me for the better.
  I'm grateful for the miracle of modern medicine, for changing leaves in fall, for kind neighbors, for messy living rooms (because, you know, we live here), for my amazing family & so much more! November is often a month where we give thanks & show gratitude to friends, family, & sometimes complete strangers. Hopefully we can carry that attitude of gratitude throughout the rest of the year. Say "thank you," give hugs, send letters, & simply be kind. Everyone could use a little more encouragement & a little less criticism. So, here's a little reminder that you can download & print out. Go {here} for the leaf one, & {here} for the glittler one.

Family Scripture {Free Printable}

  During the last General Conference, I had the thought that we should start to memorize a scripture every month as a family. The first scripture that we chose was 3 Nephi 18:19-20 & I was amazed at how quickly our 4-year-old was able to memorize it. She was awesome! Even after we chose a new scripture for the month of November, she still wanted to say the old one. I asked if she remembered it & she was able to recite it from memory completely on her own. Children are amazing! So, for November, we wanted to choose a scripture that had a focus on giving thanks, you know, since Thanksgiving is coming up. We've chosen Alma 37:37 which reads: "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day."
  I decided to make a cute print of the scripture to hang on our wall for the month to help us memorize it. I thought I'd share, just in case you might like a print as well. I sized it for an 11x14 & printed it at Costco for less than $3. My husband is going to make a frame for it, & we'll switch it out every month for whichever new scripture we choose. I think I'll also make up a set for the 13 Articles of Faith, since Sharon is encouraged to memorize one of them each month in Primary.
  So here's a preview of the print, but you can get the full resolution print for free, by going {here}. Enjoy!

Halloween 2013