I am a MOTHER

This is an inspiring WONDERFUL book {perfect time to get/give for Mother's Day}.

Jane Clayson Johnson was a news anchor woman who gave up a 6 figure job to stay home with her 2 children. I know not all woman can do that because we all have different circumstances to challenge us but what an example of the sacrifice a mother can make for her children.

I'm thankful for this great reminder that teaches me that our role as a mother is truely divine. We MATTER and what we do can help shape our children into the people they are to be.

Pin It Pin It

GIFTS You've Given Me

I made this for my Mom to not only let her know what she has instilled in me, but to thank her for giving me these wonderful gifts.
I took a board book from the second hand store and altered it with paper{just cut the paper to fit each page and double stick tape it down}.


Gift 1:the Gospel


Gift 2: Comfort


Gift 3: Great memories


Gift 4: Value of Work


Gift 5: Traditions


Gift 6: to Create


Gift 7: Organization

What gifts do others give to you that enrich your life? It might be nice to let them know! Pin It

Being a {REAL} Mom

As part of my goals this summer I need to read a new book each week. Well, after I started reading this wonderful book(found @ Deseret Book but good deal here), I realized this one is a "work"book. This lady is amazing!


She breaks down 12 simple things we can do as mothers to be better[and more REAL] & to help our children be happy. Each Secret takes 21 days to form the habit of doing. So in the next 8 months or so I hope to accomplish having a greater perspective. I know it was meant for me right now. Lately I've been informing our children of ways they can change & do things. Nothing has really changed. Then after reading this book, its actually ME who needs to change so they will want to change & be happy.

I'm only on the first Secret & I've already had a few trials to put this secret to use. I'm grateful to have a notebook (my "Ponder Pad" as Carlene Tanner would say)to write down my thoughts/challenges/feelings.

I love Good Books that motivate you to act! Pin It

Publish a Group Cookbook

Have you ever been in charge of putting together a WARD COOKBOOK (ward or other big group)? Or as a fundraiser for the PTA? These things are not an easy feat. In fact, friends in my last ward on the cookbook committee, said it was so time-consuming that they'd never want to be in charge of that kind of project again.

I want to let you all know that doing a ward (or group) cookbook has gotten a whole lot easier, and less time-consuming for the committee! And it is a wonderful fundraising opportunity for the PTA or other organization you're involved in. The PTA did this as a fundraiser for my children's school this year, and that is how I found out the easy way to do a group cookbook.

After shopping them out and comparing the different cookbook websites online, I decided to go with MORRIS PRESS COOKBOOKS (the same company that our PTA went with).

The most wonderful thing about this company is that everyone in your group/family/organization can contribute and submit their own recipes THEMSELVES! It takes HOURS of work OFF the ones in charge!!

It's super easy to get started. Go to their website and order a FREE starter kit. They will take you step-by-easy-step into this fun project!

Here's my 2-cents worth of advice
(if this is a ward cookbook)...
-Have a small committee. We had just 2 of us- myself as chairperson and another as co-chair. (The RS presidency were committee members, but just for moral support and insight- not expected to do anything.) Designate your responsibilities. (I was in charge of getting people excited about the cookbook, emailing them information, and proofing recipes. Brenda was in charge of passing around the sign-up sheets, making the spreadsheet, collecting the money, and sending in the final order after we filled out the form together.)
-Start with a sign-up sheet for names, email addresses and phone numbers (for those wanting to contribute and/or participate). This will give you their permission to contact them in regards to this project. With that list, start a spreadsheet that you can update and send back and forth between you and the co-chair.
-Email me at TheCreativeHomemaker at gmail dot com if you would like to see the message I typed up and clipart I used to introduce this project to our RS.
-Make sure you clearly explain exactly how you would like everyone to label their measurements. ie: "Please follow the guideline examples given in 'Typensave'." or "Please use 'T' for Tablespoon and 't' for teaspoon." and so on. (This is something I did not do and wish I had. It would've saved me a lot of time in the proofing process!)
-Proof the recipes every few days when you have a second here and there. I waited and did them all at once. Exhausting!

We were able to get 200+ cookbooks with 400 recipes for about $5 each. It's been a success! The money has been collected (the hard part), Brenda and I are alive and well, the order is in, and we are anxiously awaiting our books!!
*Please Note: In our church, these are NOT (and should not be) used as a fundraiser. This is simply a fun, unifying opportunity for our ward relief society. I think every ward needs a ward cookbook every once in a while!

Pin It

Great BOOK!

I have been borrowing these books from our Library from this author. She is amazing at writing. I'm having a hard time putting these books down. [I even take it in the car and when there is a red light I see how much I can read. I can read almost a page and a half. I think that's a good use of time].
They're set around the 1890's. Even though its fiction, there's history, inspiration & romance. Its fun to be in a different "world" at times but how things have changed.


Anyone else read any good books like these?
Pin It

A Question for Moms of School-Aged Kids

Do any of you moms out there have a child(ren) who absolutely HATES to read?? I do. And I worry!

I've never been much of an avid reader, myself. But I read the Twilight series, no problem! (Couldn't put those books down to save my life!)

I have a 10 yr/old boy that just will NOT pick UP a book to save his life. It's as if he thinks books are some kind of a poisonous serpent that he cannot touch. I've read to him his whole life, and he loves being read to. He just refuses to read on his OWN.

After reading Twilight with no problem, I've been thinking that just maybe if my son had some books that were just as captivating to boys his age as Twilight was for me... Just maybe he would enjoy reading on his own??

Please!! I need suggestions, ideas, anything!! Please leave a comment if you can help!! Pin It

Books I'm Excted About {Concerning Marriage and Family}

For Marriage, I like these books...

What I'm focusing on right NOW, as a parent...

A couple of my kids are old enough for the "Big Talk", so for the past several months I've been searching for the best advice and help from experienced parents that share my same values. I want to go about this vital teaching step properly and carefully. So I will share with you what I found in my quest, starting with this book by Laura Brotherson. The last 3 chapters talk about how to prepare and teach children about sex in a safe, healthy way.

Laura refers her readers to this book, by Linda and Richard Eyre; and I found it to be a perfect addition to Laura's last 3 chapters.

The Eyres then refer their readers to this children's book (as a great tool to use in the "Big Talk").

And I love and trust Brad Wilcox. My friend has this book and says it is fantastic (for the kids).

One of the best parenting books (in my opinion)...

And some that I'd like to get...

Of course the best family manuals I have in my home are...

Do YOU have any good ones to recommend?? PLEASE SHARE!!

Pin It

A Book Worth Reading for Parents!

Hello Creative Homemaker Friends! I have been very "hit-n-miss" with my posting, especially lately... I've been working a temporary part-time job for the past 6 weeks, and there seems to never be enough hours in a day for extra stuff. I'm just not beautifully organized like Heather is. Which is okay. We all have our strengths/weaknesses.

I've had to really pay attention to prioritization lately, and one of my biggest priorities right now is to teach my oldest child the "facts of life". {{sci-fi music please}} I've been meaning to do it for a couple of years now. (At least, my parents gave me "the talk" at about age 9.)

But these days we need to be talking to our kids much earlier on! I really wanted to be prepared and know how to do it the RIGHT way. (Not that my mom did it wrong, but I was pretty horrified to hit puberty! And sex was always protrayed by most adults [from my young perspective] as something bad, embarrassing, forbidden, wrong, awkward, etc.) Eventhough I'm sure the intentions were that of love and protection!

So guess what?? I found the answers... on the pages of THIS book...

I'd heard this book was a "must have" for parents, so I hurried to get a copy. And YES!! Definately a MUST-HAVE!! In fact, the other day I was reading it while waiting for my son at an appt. and just had to show it to a mom sitting next to me. She was SO impressed and appreciative that she was planning to pick up a copy for herself! Pin It

{Picture/Work} Book Scriptures

I 've been taking a wonderful parenting class and the teacher referred to the scriptures as a "workbook". I have written in the margins but usually with not enough room to write my thoughts. I wanted to take it a step further. I love pictures because they can describe something so well with very few words or not any at all.
I went to Seagull Book Store and got some pictures. I told the cashier what I was doing and she mentioned that she did something similar(on her mission) but with pictures from the Ensigns. So needless to say I went home and looked thru my magazines and found more pictures.


1-I just covered the front of the picture with contact paper.


2-This picture came out of the Ensign so I covered the back with label stickers so I could write any notes or thoughts in the empty space.


3-After buying these "who's your hero" mini cards(which are amazing), I wanted to put these in my scriptures but found they were too thick so I copied them on white paper and gave the originals to my kids.


4-Use a glue stick along the spine of the picture to be put in the spine of your scriptures.


5-These were quotes I put in my scriptures in seminary in High School (with a glue stick-still there 14 years later) and I love them. I do enjoy reading and pondering but now even more with pictures and writeable space.


Just another thing: as I study I have a "scripture journal"(simple notebook inspired by Becky). I write the reference down and then I write down any thoughts or questions that come to mind. I hope to have many of these journals Pin It

Personalized Book of Mormons

Can you tell I love to personalize things? I think it makes each family member feel so special. In our family we read the scriptures in the evening before the kids go to bed. We keep them in the living room for easy access. We read 1 page (each of us reading about 2 verses) and it seems to be just enough to keep attention while yet, still being uplifted. So we all know who's is who's we personalized our Book of Mormons.

Just hold all the pages together and use stamps to stamp family members name(and any other designs).

Since we only read 1 page sometimes we forget what side we are on so I made these bookmarks with our Family Mission Statement and whatever side the Statement is facing, is the side we need to read. This has saved us so many times. {Not that its a bad thing to read read the same page}. At the bottom of the bookmark we each signed it and put our "pinky" print. (we do "pinky promises") Pin It

Books to Have in Your Collection!

I had a gift card and used it to buy these wonderful relationship books. They have fun quotes, wonderful relationship basics and examples of how to apply them. Its nice to have extra information to keep the love going.
Book 1: "The 100 Simple Secrets of Great Relationships" By David Niven

Book 2: "What Happy Couples Do" By Carol J. Bruess, & Anna D.H. Kudak Pin It

A Perfect Time to Strengthen Your Marriage + A Drawing!

I'd like to show you one of my favorite books... (even though I don't love to read) I have this book and love it, and want to get the audio version!

What's totally fabulous (to me) is that I personally know the author, Laura Brotherson. She's the most darling person, and I am SO grateful to know her and to be a partaker of her amazing professional insight! She has changed so many lives and aided in strengthening millions of marriages, including my own.

Not only has Laura written this fabulous book, she also has audio talks on CD and downloadable audio presentations!

There is also a Valentine's Special going on right now! If you order Laura's book, or any one of her audio downloads or CD's, you will also get a free talk on CD- Love 101- Learning to Love More Meaningfully!

Now, are you ready to enter the annual Valentine's Day drawing for a free one-night stay at the Anniversary Inn? Head over to Laura's blog right now and send in your couple photo, along with your "How We Met" story by Valentine's Day. Easy-Peasy- and you could be the lucky winner! I just sent mine in, and I'm crossing my fingers!

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for Laura's Straight Talk about Strengthening Marriage Newsletter. So enlightening... I highly recommend it! Pin It

Love Languages

Have you read this book, The Five Love Languages? I know it has saved and/or strengthened millions of marriages, including several of my personal friends'. Though I have not yet read the book (because I'm not a huge book reader), I have still learned what my love language is as well as my husband and children's.

The author, Dr. Gary Chapman has written several other relationship-strengthening books as well, that are based on the five love languages. Click here if you would like to take a 30 second quiz to discover your love language.

I hereby challenge all of us to assess and find out yours and your husband's (and/or children's) love languages this week, then make a stronger effort to find ways to communicate to them by using their language. Then let's see what happens to our marriages and family relationships by the weekend! Pin It

Take Time for Romance

In lew of Valentine's day coming up, this is the perfect time to spice things up with your man! I found this website a year or 2 ago while looking for some creative Valentine's Day ideas to do for my man. I actually have some of this guy's eBooks and have really enjoyed them. I love this book pictured below. (Just click on the book to find out more.)

I personally know that one of the biggest tools to keeping your marriage strong and alive, amidst all the stresses we face, is to keep the flame burning with regular physical intimacy and date nights. Life, careers and children can keep us so busy that we forget to kindle the fire with our spouse. Michael Webb, "The Romantic" is so creative and has a tons of fantastic ideas of how we can strengthen our relationship with our spouse. I'm glad I found him.

Pin It

Christmas Tradition- Twelve Days of Christmas

Some girlfriends told me about this book, The Twelve Days of Christmas by Betty Van Orden. A few of them are following the ideas in this book for a more meaningful Christmas. I don't have a copy, but I did read through it pretty good recently while at Seagull Book. It's awesome!! Betty Van Orden wrote this book after her kids were grown and raising their own families. These are the things she does for her kids to share with her grandchildren. She has different themes to choose from inside the book. You'll just have to go and check it out. It is found at Seugull Book, Deseret Book, Amazon.com, and I'm sure it's probably also at Barnes and Noble and Borders. Pin It

Friday Faves on Tuesday- Christmas Books

These
are just a handful
of the books that
we keep under our Christmas tree
to be read during "Around the Christmas Tree"
and all throughout Christmas time.
This last one by Glenn Beck is new this year. Glenn was here in my town last night, and we got to go to his Christmas Sweater concert! It was incredible. This book is so moving and inspirational!

There are many more Christmas books and stories that are so wonderful. What are your faves? Pin It

New Christmas Book

Every year we get a new Christmas book to add to our collection. This year things are a bit tight, so I went looking for a cute book that didn't cost too much. I found this one at Seagull Book here in town for $1.99!! And it's a very cute one too! The story is really sweet and the illustrations are beautiful. It was a great find! I wrapped it up and put it under the tree so the kids could unwrap their new book and we could read it for "Around the Christmas Tree" (a tradition I'll tell about on Friday). Pin It