I just opened my own Etsy shop!  You have to go check it out!   I plan to add more items later, but for now it is where I will sell my watercolor portraits.   Please tell your friends about it.  There is no better advertising than  word-of-mouth.  Tell me what you think.... I need suggestions for the banner.   Something bright, I think.
www.etsy.com/uniquefamilyportrait

Happy Valentine's Day!

   
Another school year's pictures!

We didn't purchase school pictures last year because we thought we could go and take them ourselves with my schmancy camera.  Did we actually do that?        No.
So this year we let the professionals do it. As I was taking down the pictures from two years ago and replaced them with the current year, I was amazed at how BIG they all are!   I realized, I don't have any "wee littles" any more.
I-guy admantly claims he is a BIG KID until he wants to suck his thumb. Then, of course, he is our BABY BOY.
B is in Kindergarten and wants to make her own decisions, regardless of the consequences. Though she gets doubly frustrated when things don't turn out the way she had thought.
S is a Second grader and has been invited to test for the ALL program at his school. It is an advanced learning program and I think Mom is more nervous about it than he is.  His school teacher says academically, he's ready for it.  Her only hesitation is that he takes too much time to complete his work for the accelerated program, although she says she'll work with him this year so that won't be a concern!
Z is a fifth grader.  She is struggling, I think, to find where she belongs as she grows and develops more of her own personality. She wants to be accepted but has yet to find the definitive line between accepted behavior at home (what we've taught) and at school (what her friends/peers).

I guess it's all part of growing up.

Dog Days

The last two posts were to help me teach some of the Activity Day girls in my ward. I am one that if I don't write out every last word of what I want to say.... it doesn't get said in a presentation like this.  So I apologize for the weirdness, especially in the second post. But there was madness behind my reasoning.  Or wait.......  (I know how the saying goes).

Life is starting to get busy again. The dog days of summer have almost come to an end. My kids are so excited for school to start. It isn't because they're bored at home...They really do want to start the school year with new teachers and classmates.
As I was registering B for Kindergarten(!!!!) One of my favorite teachers pulled me aside and said, "S has the meanest teacher in the school for his teacher this year!"  I looked at her to see if she was serious.  IT WILL BE HER!!!!!   Oh!  I'm so excited for S.  I haven't told him yet, because I want to see his reaction when the teacher/class lists are posted on Monday of next week. Plus he won't have to wait to know what friends will be in his class this way either.
I just hope Z gets an equally FABULOUS teacher.  If her fourth grade teacher could just move up with her... I think I would eternally sing his praises.  He was so good for Z this last year. He encouraged her and inspired her confidence.  There still were struggles, but what a difference from her third grade teacher!

So glad for teachers who love, teach and inspire their students to be the best they can.     I know it's the parents' responsibility to create a strong foundation, but I have seen what a difference a great teacher, who loves their students and has a genuine interest in them can do!!!

Life is busy, but good.
I need to remember that sometimes.

Review

http://alcazarcannon.blogspot.com/2011/10/hair-hair-everywhere-hair.html

You Were Born To Be A QUEEN!

   

Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the President of the Young Women organization shared a video I'd like to show you that I hope you'll pay close attention to.
 
http://broadcast2.lds.org/mormon-messages-for-youth/2012-01-009-deep-beauty-1000k-eng.mp4?download=true
Young women, look into the mirror of eternity. Remember who you are! See yourself as our Heavenly Father sees you. You are elect. You are of noble birth. Don’t compromise your divine inheritance. You were born to be a queen.

Because we are all daughters of our Father in Heaven, we are born to be queens!  What do you think of when you picture a queen?  I think of someone who is regal, majestic. I also think of Esther who was an example to her people and the people of her kingdom.

In your Faith in God booklets you make a promise as part of completing that program: (Do you have your booklets with you?  Turn to the back.) http://www.lds.org/manual/faith-in-god-for-girls/my-gospel-standards?lang=eng  The fourth and fifth items from the bottom are very important!  What does it say?
I promise....

I will keep my mind and body sacred and pure, and I will not partake of things that are harmful to me.

I will dress modestly to show respect for Heavenly Father and myself.

I want you to know that Heavenly Father loves you SO MUCH~  He's set guidelines for us to follow so we may become QUEENS!

I love Almond Joys.  How many of you do too? What is the best part of the Almond Joy???....the Almond! How can we then relate that to us? Like an Almond Joy, we have The Spirit that our Heavenly Father gave us that can stand out and be the best part of who we are. But like the Almond in the candy bar, (Pull the almond off and eat it) it can be very easy to lose that spirit that is such a vital part of who we are.  We will many times be examples to those around us. Where have you been an example of what the Lord wants you to do?

 What does it mean to be Modest?

• “Modesty is an attitude of humility and decency in dress, grooming, language, and behavior. If you are modest, you do not draw undue attention to yourself. Instead, you seek to ‘glorify God in your body, and in your spirit’ (1 Corinthians 6:20; see also verse 19)” (True to the Faith, 106).

How can I know if what I am wearing is appropriate?

• “If you are unsure about whether your dress or grooming is modest, ask yourself, ‘Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?’ ” (True to the Faith, 106).

Besides wearing modest clothing, what other standards are there for personal dress & grooming?

• “In addition to avoiding clothing that is revealing, you should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. In dress, grooming, and manners, always be neat and clean, never sloppy or inappropriately casual. Do not disfigure yourself with tattoos or body piercings. If you are a woman and you desire to have your ears pierced, wear only one pair of modest earrings” (True to the Faith, 107).
  Sister Patten will talk more about how you should dress modestly the next Activity Day.   I wanted to focus on how we can be modest in the styles we choose for our hair, nails, etc.
  Take a look at these pictures:
     
   Haven't they done a good job?????
  
  
  
  What about these?
   
  (http://www.beauty-advices.com/useful-teen-makeup-tips/)
  
  
  I'll admit, I used some pretty extreme examples. But I wanted you to see how clean the second set look compared to the first.
  When I was twelve, my mom took me to the mall and had a family friend who worked as a makeup artist, show me how to apply makeup.  One of the best things she showed me was something like this:
  

 She then recommended some colors that were right for me and did one side of my face and let me try on the other.



These charts are fun because you can try different looks on paper before you try them on yourself!

 

I think we all know how to care for our hair, but one of the things I have more requests for as a stylist is how to style hair.
Where you will be starting school soon it can sometimes be fun to try new styles. Here are a few that I do often....  
              





I don't think a lot of us think about our hands being modest. Do you?

      


Again, it's extreme.  But we don't have to have a french manicure to be modest. We can still have a little fun:



 

       
Just so long as we follow: In dress, grooming, and manners, always be neat and clean, never sloppy or inappropriately casual. Do not disfigure yourself....and avoid extremes.


I want you to know we are daughters of our Heavenly Father and we are truly Queens-In-Training!  I love you and hope that if you have questions you come ask me or one of your other leaders!
Let's have some fun!   Fingernail Polish is here if you want to do each others manicure or I can show you a few hairstyles.

I did it!!!!

I just finished setting up my website for my watercolor portraits!  I can't wait to get started.....  I keep checking back in to see if anyone has visited the site (uniquefamilyportrait.com) even though it's 4:00 AM!!!!!  And I know no one in their right mind would be up at this hour!!!!  Did I mention my website yet???  UNIQUEFAMILYPORTRAIT.COM   Oh!  I did already?  Well then, what are you reading this for??????  Go check it OUT!!!!

Chore cards from Heritage maker and a little revamp....

  

In January I went to a Heritage Makers party and although I liked what I saw, I've never been much for scrapbooking.  I didn't think I'd ever use the account that was created for me just by signing in as a guest at the party, but figured, why not?

We've been trying to figure out a way to keep our house cleaner and not have it be so overwhelming (for me).  So I started to look more seriously (AGAIN!) at chore charts and then had a brilliant idea!!!!  Heritage Makers has playing cards which are completely customizable!!!   I could make high quality, durable chore cards for my family and not have to worry about buying all the tools necessary for scrapbooking just to have it turn out wonky..... and NOT in a good way.

I'm excited to use them.  Heck!  I may even return to Heritage Makers and create something I've had on the back burner for our wedding anniversary this year!     OH, by the way. In case you're wondering.......... No Heritage Makers did not sponsor this post. :)







I've also had a bulletin board since I was a teenager.  I used to keep my favorite comic strips, young women sayings, etc. on it.  But since I've been married, I don't think it's seen much use. Although it's collected a lot of dust!

As I was browsing Pintrest, (HA!  Who just 'browses'?) I came across a bulletin board that had been covered in fabric and divided with ribbon and placed at the family's central station.  It looked chique (really cool, in portuguese)!

 So I bought 5/8 yard fabric and a couple yards of ribbon to see if I could match it for our family.
I don't know if I'll be successful, but if it works for our chore board..... I'm happy.

I'll post pics of it once it's finished.    I know you're looking forward to it, I know I am!