Please stop texting while driving!!!

I received this email a little while ago and thought that I would share it. The pictures are pretty heart braking, but I think that it is important that this families story is heard. We HAVE to be more cautious when we are driving, life's depend on it!! Imagine how we would feel if this was our precious son or daughter. I truly feel horrible for both of the parties involved in this tragic accident, I of course can't even imagine how painful all of this must be for the family of the precious 3 year old boy, but I also feel for the teen who caused this accident, imagine what pain and grief she must be enduring as well. I pray that everyone involved will be able to heal from this and show Christlike love towards one another. I also pray that each person that reads this will have their eyes opened as mine have been to the dangers of using your cell phone while driving, I know that I will definitely be much more careful while driving after hearing about this accident.



































View News Story-
http://www.keyetv.com/content/news/topnews/story/Austin-child-criticially-hurt-in-suspected/O8Jq3hXQLUOTPN6BVJkYTw.cspx

the ELF on the shelf

I saw this cute elf on my friend Tara's blog yesterday and I HAD TO HAVE IT!! Isn't he cute? I wasn't sure where this little elf was available for purchase, so I did some google searching and found my very own little elf on ebay. I CAN'T WAIT for him to get here in a few days.

SO here is the reason that I am so excited about this little elf...

I have been pulling the 'Santa Clause' card quit a bit lately when it comes to disciplining my two very darling, but DRAMATIC daughters. Court and I have been telling them that Santa knows when you are NAUGHTY and he knows when you are NICE. AND when these girls are being NAUGHTY we threaten to give Old St. Nick a call. It was working for the first few days of the holiday season, but the effect is beginning to ware off a bit. TODAY I told them that we have a VERY special visitor from the North Pole coming to our house to stay until Christmas Eve. They were of course THRILLED with that idea!! So this little elf will be hanging out around the house in various places keeping an eye on them to make sure they are being good and are staying on Santa's nice list. Each night when they go to sleep he will travel back to the North Pole to report to Santa Clause and let him know how they behaved that day. THEN the next morning he will be hiding in a new spot in our house and they will have to find him!!

Christmas takes on a whole new level of fun when you have children. I love getting to experience Christmas from a child's perspective. The holidays are magical no matter what age you are, but they are extra special when you have your very own little one's to celebrate with.

I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for his example and his amazing gift of the Atonement that he freely gave to the world. I am grateful for this wonderful season of giving where we get to celebrate his incredible life.

I would love for others to share their Holiday Traditions with me!!!! We are still working on making our own traditions with our kids so I would love to hear what other people do. I would especially love some ideas on how to have a Christ centered Christmas.

Some of our favorite things to do during the holidays are to make a Ginger bread house together as a family, bake cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve, make home-made decorations for the kids Christmas tree, and the girls and I go on a mommy daughter date with their friends and their mom's to a children's nutcracker.

If you have a great tradition you would like to share please email me @sharemystory.brittany@gmail.com, send pictures too if you have them:)

Thou Shalt Not Covet... (ummmm, I'm in trouble:-)

I LOVE shopping for clothes for my kids!! They are like my little dolls that I get to dress up. As of right now I am currently COVETING some seriously cute outfits. The girls really don't need any clothes, BUT my cute friends mom sent me a 30% off friends and family coupon for Gap this weekend, it would be RUDE if I didn't use it, RIGHT:)???

I WANT these for my 3 yr. old-
(Leg Warmers)

Oh and I LOVE these...
(they went on sale today:)


I WANT THIS for little man...


AND I WANT, WANT, WANT this for my 6 year old, it is not at Gap however, so I can't get it on sale. I guess I will have to wait until it goes on clearance, buy it a size too big and save it for next year:)


ps- In reguards to my previous post, My cousin's sweet little guy is doing much better! He TRULY is a MIRACLE:)

Please Pray!

My sweet cousin Megan's little boy is in the hospital in very critical condition. This darling little boy was born VERY prematurely and has overcome so many odds, he truly is a miracle!! Please pray for him that he can pull through, they need another miracle!!

DAVID & MEGAN- We love you so much and are going to be praying and fasting for your little guy and your family.

Fortune Cookie

Saturday my hubby and I spent the whole day cleaning out the garage, the cars, cleaning our house etc... It was a long day, but it felt good to get everything CLEAN!! I am happier when things are clean:). Well by dinner time we were pretty much pooped and neither one of us wanted to cook. So we packed up the kidlets in the car and headed out to pick up some Chinese food. Once we got the food home the girls opened up their fortune cookies before we even started dishing up (They think it is funny to hear what the message inside their fortune cookies have to say).

Here is what mine said:

"Don't worry about the stock market. Invest in the family."

At first I just kind of chuckled and thought to myself, 'well that is fitting given our countries current economic situation'. As the night went on I started to think more about what this fortune of mine had to say, realizing that it was exactly what my Father In Heaven wanted me to hear and be reminded of right now.

Recently I have felt a little down about some things and haven't really been able to get out of this funk (for lack of a better word:) that I am in. I have been stressed about financial matters (among other things). I have NOT been INVESTING IN MY FAMILY the way I should. I have let worldly things, 'the stock market' get in the way of my eternal perspective. I wish that I handled trials better, I wish that I always turned first to the Lord in my time of need, but for some reason it is something I struggle with. It's like I know what I need to do, but I have the hardest time JUST DOING IT!

I am so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who, though despite my stubborn nature, is always ever so gently reminding me of how much I am loved. I am grateful for my personal relationship with my Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ.

It sounds so silly, but that little fortune cookie was just what I needed. I needed to be reminded that if I will put my trust in the Lord, if I will forget about all of the worldly things and focus on my ETERNAL FAMILY, then the Lord WILL take care of the rest. He can not help me until I have a willing heart and am willing to turn my life over to him completely.

love-


If you would like to learn more about my families faith, click HERE

ps- I would love to hear more insperational stories, please email them to me @ sharemystory.brittany@gmail.com

WOW, this is impressive!!

A good friend of mine recently shared some coupon shopping tips with me. I have never been a coupon shopper, but after hearing about how much money you can save if you put in a little work before you hit the grocery store I have totally been SOLD on the idea of coupon shopping!! The sad truth is that part of the reason I didn't want to use coupons is because I thought it would be embarrassing to have a 100 coupons at the check out register. Well I'm over that because I would rather shop smart and save money, who cares if I have a 100 coupons:).

You NEED to check out this blog, http://www.jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com This women is a single mom with three daughters and she seriously knows how to get some bang for the buck!! She has some GREAT ideas on saving SERIOUS money on groceries (she only spends $800 per year- TOTAL)!! One of the things I like best about her philosophy is that she 'Stockpiles', when something is on sale for cheap (she even gets LOTS of things for FREE), she buys a TON of it. This is such a great way to build up your food storage!! She also does once a month cooking, which I love!! I have been doing freezer meal cooking (once a month cooking) for a couple months now and it is GREAT. For a week straight I cooked like a mad women and froze all of my meals. I haven't cooked since the middle of August and I should be able to make it through the end of this month with out making anymore meals:)

Here are a few more helpful sites that my friend shared with me-
www.notlivingwithout.blogspot.com
www.thegrocerygame.com - I really like this one so far, it is very helpful in getting started!
www.couponmom.com
www.mommysavers.com

*** My goal for November is to spend ONLY $250 on groceries, baby items, and household items. This is going to be a HUGE challenge for me. I normally spend somewhere between $600-$700 a month on all of these items. I thought that I knew how to shop frugally, I do most of my shopping at Super Walmart, Sam's Club, and Costco, I buy lots of store brand items, and I don't buy junk (ok-occasionally on the weekends:)- no soda, no candy, no ice cream, no chips, etc... When I found out about this women's blog and that she only spends $800 in a year and I spend close to that in a month, I KNEW that I needed to figure out how she was doing it and go for it!! SO I am still pretty clueless, but I am learning more and more everyday!! Just the other day I went to the store for ONLY things I needed, I did some searching online first to look for coupons and then when I got to the store I only bought the items that were on sale, my total came to $25 and after coupons I only spent $17 out of pocket. I was SO EXCITED, I saved $8!

If anyone out there has any advise on this subject, I would LOVE to hear it!!

A Powerful Message!

The Test
President Boyd K. Packer
President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles


Neither mobbings nor the army could turn the Saints aside from what they knew to be true.

It is my purpose to show that in troubled times the Lord has always prepared a safe way ahead. We live in those “perilous times” which the Apostle Paul prophesied would come in the last days.1 If we are to be safe individually, as families, and secure as a church, it will be through “obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”2

On July 24, 1849, the Saints had been in the valley two years to the day. They finally were free from years of mobbing and persecution. That called for a great celebration.

Just a few years earlier under dreadful conditions, the Prophet Joseph Smith suffered in Liberty Jail for months while the mobs drove the Saints from their homes. The words liberty and jail do not fit together very well.

Joseph called out:

“O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place?

“How long shall thy hand be stayed, and thine eye, yea thy pure eye, behold from the eternal heavens the wrongs of thy people and of thy servants, and thine ear be penetrated with their cries?”3

The Prophet Joseph Smith had earlier sought direction, and the Lord told the Saints to seek redress from the judges, the governor, and then the president.4

Their appeals to the judges failed. During his life, Joseph Smith was summoned to court over 200 times on all kinds of trumped-up charges. He was never convicted.

When they sought redress from Governor Boggs of Missouri, he issued a proclamation: “The Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good.”5 That unleashed untold brutality and wickedness.

They appealed to President Martin Van Buren of the United States, who told them, “Your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you.”6

I will read the final paragraphs of their third petition addressed to the Congress of the United States:

“The afflictions of your memorialists have already been overwhelming, too much for humanity, too much for American citizens to endure without complaint. We have groaned under the iron hand of tyranny and oppression these many years. We have been robbed of our property to the amount of two millions of dollars. We have been hunted as the wild beasts of the forest. We have seen our aged fathers who fought in the Revolution, and our innocent children, alike slaughtered by our persecutors. We have seen the fair daughters of American citizens insulted and abused in the most inhuman manner, and finally, we have seen fifteen thousand souls, men, women, and children, driven by force of arms, during the severities of winter, from their sacred homes and firesides, to a land of strangers, penniless and unprotected. Under all these afflicting circumstances, we imploringly stretch forth our hands towards the highest councils of our nation, and humbly appeal to the illustrious Senators and Representatives of a great and free people for redress and protection.

“Hear! O hear the petitioning voice of many thousands of American citizens who now groan in exile . . . ! Hear! O hear the weeping and bitter lamentations of widows and orphans, whose husbands and fathers have been cruelly martyred in the land where the proud eagle . . . floats! Let it not be recorded in the archives of the nations, that . . . exiles sought protection and redress at your hands, but sought it in vain. It is in your power to save us, our wives, and our children, from a repetition of the bloodthirsty scenes of Missouri, and thus greatly relieve the fears of a persecuted and injured people, and your petitioners will ever pray.”7

There was no pity, and they were turned away.

In 1844, while under the avowed protection of Governor Thomas Ford of Illinois, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were shot to death in Carthage Jail. Words cannot express the brutality and suffering the Saints had endured.

Now on this 24th of July in 1849, free at last from the mobbings, they planned to celebrate.8

Everything the Saints owned would come across a thousand miles (1,600 km) of desert by handcart or covered wagon. It would be 20 more years before the railroad came as far as Salt Lake City. With almost nothing to work with, they determined that the celebration would be a grand expression of their feelings.

They built a bowery on Temple Square. They erected a flagpole 104 feet (32 m) tall. They made an enormous national flag 65 feet (20 m) in length and unfurled it at the top of this liberty pole.

It may seem puzzling, incredible almost beyond belief, that for the theme of this first celebration they chose patriotism and loyalty to that same government which had rejected and failed to assist them. What could they have been thinking of? If you can understand why, you will understand the power of the teachings of Christ.

Their brass band played as President Brigham Young led a grand procession to Temple Square. He was followed by the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy.

Then followed 24 young men dressed in white pants; black coats; white scarves on their right shoulders; coronets, or crowns, on their heads; and a sheathed sword at their left sides. In their right hand, of all things, each carried a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The Declaration of Independence was read by one of those young men.

Next came 24 young women dressed in white, blue scarves on their right shoulders and white roses on their heads. Each carried a Bible and a Book of Mormon.

Almost but not quite as amazing as their choice of patriotism for a theme was what came next: 24 aged sires (as they were called) led by patriarch Isaac Morley. They were known as the Silver Greys—all 60 years of age or older. Each carried a staff painted red with white ribbon floating at the top. One carried the Stars and Stripes. These men were a symbol of the priesthood, which was “from the beginning before the world was”9 and had been restored in this dispensation.

The Saints knew that the Lord had told them to be “subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”10 That commandment, revealed then, is true now of our members in every nation. We are to be law-abiding, worthy citizens.

The Lord told them, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose.”11

And in another verse, the Lord told them that “it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another.”12 They were therefore antislavery. This was a very sore spot with the settlers in Missouri.

And so on that day of celebration in 1849, “Elder Phineas Richards came forward in behalf of the twenty-four aged sires, and read their loyal and patriotic address.”13 He spoke of the need for them to teach patriotism to their children and to love and honor freedom. After he briefly recited the perils that they had come through, he said:

“Brethren and friends, we who have lived to three-score years, have beheld the government of the United States in its glory, and know that the outrageous cruelties we have suffered proceeded from a corrupted and degenerate administration, while the pure principles of our boasted Constitution remain unchanged. . . .

“. . . As we have inherited the spirit of liberty and the fire of patriotism from our fathers, so let them descend [unchanged] to our posterity.”14

One would think that, compelled by force of human nature, the Saints would seek revenge, but something much stronger than human nature prevailed.

The Apostle Paul explained:

“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. . . .

“. . . We have the mind of Christ.”15

That Spirit defined those early members of the Church as followers of Christ.

If you can understand a people so long-suffering, so tolerant, so forgiving, so Christian after what they had suffered, you will have unlocked the key to what a Latter-day Saint is. Rather than being consumed with revenge, they were anchored to revelation. Their course was set by the teachings still found today in the Old and the New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price.

If you can understand why they would celebrate as they did, you can understand why we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, in the principles of the gospel.

The Book of Mormon teaches, “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.”16

And so today in these strangely perilous times, in the true Church of Jesus Christ17 we teach and live the principles of His gospel.

Three things about that 1849 commemoration were both symbolic and prophetic: first, that the young men carried the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence; next, that each young woman carried the Bible and the Book of Mormon; and finally, that the old men—the Silver Greys—were honored in the parade.

After the program they had a feast at makeshift tables. Several hundred gold-rush travelers and 60 Indians were invited to join them.

Then they went back to work.

President Young had said, “If the people of the United States will let us alone for ten years we will ask no odds of them.”18

Eight years to the day after the 1849 celebration, the Saints were in Big Cottonwood Canyon to celebrate another 24th of July. Four horsemen rode in to report that an army 2,500 soldiers strong was on the plains. The army of the United States, commanded by Colonel Albert Sydney Johnston, was ordered by President James Buchanan to crush a nonexistent Mormon rebellion.

The Saints broke camp and headed for home to prepare their defenses. Rather than flee, this time President Young declared, “We have transgressed no law, and we have no occasion to do so, neither do we intend to; but as for any nation’s coming to destroy this people, God Almighty being my helper, they cannot come here.”19

My great-grandparents buried a child on the trail from Far West, when they were driven to Nauvoo, and another at Winter Quarters, when they were driven west.

Another great-grandmother, a teenager, was pushing a handcart along the south banks of the Platte River. They sang:

We’ll find the place which God for us prepared,
Far away in the West,
Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid;
There the Saints will be blessed.20

Across the river they could see the sun glinting on the weapons of the soldiers of the army.21

In St. Louis my great-grandmother bought a little enameled pin of the American flag. She wore it on her dress for the rest of her life.

Neither mobbings nor the army could turn the Saints aside from what they knew to be true. A settlement was negotiated, and the Utah War (later called Buchanan’s Blunder) was over.

We are guided by the same revelations and led by a prophet. When the Prophet Joseph Smith died, another took his place. The order of succession continues today.

Six months ago at general conference, Thomas S. Monson was sustained as the 16th President of the Church, just five months before his 81st birthday. He succeeded President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died in his 98th year.

The senior leaders of the Church will virtually always be seasoned by decades of preparation.

President Monson is ideally suited for the challenges of our day. He is sustained by two counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles—all prophets, seers, and revelators.

That same Lucifer who was cast out of our Father’s presence is still at work. He, with the angels who followed him, will trouble the work of the Lord and destroy it if he can.

But we will stay on course. We will anchor ourselves as families and as a church to these principles and ordinances. Whatever tests lie ahead, and they will be many, we must remain faithful and true.

I bear witness of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, that They live, that Thomas S. Monson is called of God by prophecy.

“The standard of truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing” (History of the Church, 4:540). Today the sun never sets on congregations of the Latter-day Saints. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Money Saving Tips?

Does anyone have any great money saving tips? With all that is going on in the economy right now I know that many of us have 'money' on our minds. Court and I are trying our best to live more frugally, but even just the basics for a family of five can get pretty costly. I have always been a bargain shopper, I love to get something for a great price, but usually that means I end up buying more than I should because it was on sale. Are any of you coupon grocery shoppers? This is not something I am good at, but I am willing to try it out if someone could give me some tips:).

*MONEY SAVING TIP*
T-mobile now offers a home phone line, Court and I are going to switch our home phone to them, it has unlimited nation wide long distance, voice mail, caller id, etc... and only costs $10 per month. We are paying $30 for the exact same thing through Time Warner. I don't know if other cell phone companies are offering this too but it doesn't hurt to find out:)

A Mothers Love

I received this email about a beautiful story of a mothers love and desire to remember her daughters life that ended tragically at a young age...


Brittany,

I've commented on your blog before concerning Sheye Rosemeyer... However, I wanted to share another blog with you that has helped me learn alot. I don't know this family at all. I just happened upon her blog as I did Sheye's. I have found this story to be so inspirational, sad, enlightening and empowering. I thought it was the perfect kind of thing for a blog like yours. Anyway, just thought I would pass it along. Thank you for being such a positive light in a world that tends to focus on such negative things. I really appreciate all you do!

Here's the address: http://www.rememberingnatalie.blogspot.com

Addiction Recovery Program

I recently recieved this email about the LDS Addiction Recovery program, this is an amazing program that is available to ANYONE who is in need of help!


I am a missionary for the LDS Church Addiction Recovery program under the direction of LDS Family Services. Many people don’t know about this program unless for some reason they have had the misfortune to have to be referred to it. I say misfortune only because that means that their life has been touched by their own addiction or the addiction of another who is close to them. I want everyone to know that there is hope and healing from addictions. This program is free and available to anyone even if they are not a member of the LDS Church. Everyday there are meetings all over the United States and the world for that matter to help people get on their way to recovery. I live in Utah and serve in the Sandy, Utah area. My husband and I do English as well as Spanish meetings. It is my hope and desire that anyone who reads this message, who is in need of help that they go to LDS.org and look under Home and Family, then look under Marriage, family and individual counseling, and then Addiction recovery program. You will find a downloadable manual as well as a list of where all the meetings are held and the times .In the manual the introduction will give you an overview of the purpose of the Addiction Recovery program. Then just go to the meeting. It is for those who are addicted to just about everything including Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs, Pornography, Food disorders, Anger, and those are only the tip of the iceburg. This program can help just about anyone who has a desire to rid themselves of addiction and put their hands in the capable hands of the Lord. There is hope and there is healing, and only you can take the first step to get help. It is up to you. Think about it and if you need the help, just go and there will be people waiting for you to teach you the 12 steps to healing your wounded body and soul.

Thanks,
Katie

Defend the family!!!

I got an email today from a friend of mine with a video clip about the consequences if the bill for same sex marriages passes. (Click HERE to watch the video) I literally felt sick after watching it, just the thought of what our precious children will face in this life is terrifying!! If something like what happened in this video clip were to happen at my daughters school I will be forced to either home school her(something I'm not sure I am capable of:) or would have to find a way to send her to a private school. I find it absolutely NO coincidence that in the General Relief Society meeting for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints last weekend that Julie Beck the General Relief Society President spoke about DEFENDING THE FAMILY!! To echo Sister Becks talk, it is up to US, as women and mothers to increase our FAITH, strengthen our HOMES, and remain FAITHFUL to the LORD. Our homes need to be SANCTUARIES from this scary and evil world that we live in. It is so easy to get busy and forget to do things, please don't forget to REGISTER TO VOTE, and come November CALIFORNIANS make sure to vote AGAINST same sex marriage!!

PLEASE PASS THIS VIDEO CLIP ALONG, Everyone we know needs to see it, it is up to us to protect our children and families!!

PRAY

Pray for THIS family, they need our prayers more than ever!!

This women's story of a tragic loss is truly touching. She has one of the most amazing testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation. You can read more about it at www.adailyscoop.blogspot.com

Amazing Grace

I came across this story from a family members blog and was just so impressed with the parents upbeat attitude and incredible faith in dealing with the challenges of having a baby born with a very serious heart defect. This story is so touching and so powerful to see how the Lord blesses us with his tender Mercy's.
Go to http://www.toshander.blogspot.comto read more about this amazing little girl

Date Night Ideas Anyone???

Well, I am still hoping to get some great stories from all of you out there to post on here, but until then, does anyone have any fun date night ideas? My handsome hubby and I are SERIOUSLY struggling in the 'FUN' date night category. His idea of a great date is ALWAYS, dinner & a movie. BORING- I want to go out and do something FUN, where we can spend time with each other and actually talk. So he always asks me, 'well what do you want to do then'? Problem is, I don't know what to go do. Got any good ideas?

Inspiration

Hello, my name is Brittany and I have started this blog because I want there to be a place where people can go to share their stories with all of us. I feel so strongly that we each have a very important reason for being here on this earth and that we have the ability to learn so much from one another. I have been touched by others stories through their blogs and each has taught me so much (links are on the side bar), despite the fact that I do not know all of them personally, their willingness to share their trials and their joys, have helped me to put my life into better perspective. Each of these families stories are truly touching. My hope is that this blog will honor them for allowing all of us to be touched by their powerful messages.

I would love to hear about who and what inspires you. Please contact me via email @ sharemystory.brittany@gmail.com



My three darling children and wonderful husband inspire me. They make life sweeter, I can not imagine life without them! Marriage and motherhood are so much harder than I ever anticipated. I had this fairy tale dreamed up inside my head as a youth that being married and becoming a mother would be perfect. Amazing and wonderful those things are, but perfect they are not. I think part of what makes marriage and motherhood so incredible is that you have to work so hard at each of them. We always appreciate things more when we have to work hard for them. Although many of the trials that I have endured in my life have sometimes seemed like too much for me to bare, I am grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for allowing me to experience those trials. Our trials, while still extremely difficult help us to grow. Through the trials I have faced in my life I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father, closer to The Savior Jesus Christ, and closer to the companionship of the Holy Ghost (Click on 'Truth Restored' on the side bar to learn more about our loving Heavenly Fathers plan for each of us, about The Savior, and The Holy Ghost) . My marriage has grown through the trails that my husband and I have faced together. My husband and I are closer to one another, have a deeper connection, and are more in tune with each other because of our trials. I am GRATEFUL for my trials.
After a long hard day of being a stay at home mom, seeing my children cuddled up together sleeping makes it all worth it!!