Mormon Bloggers

When I began this blog, my intention was to strengthen women in their familiarity with financial matters. I feel women often overlook their inherent economic power and sell themselves short when it comes to handling and generating money. I have watched many people come and go through this blog. Some thought they needed to be LDS for this blog to be applicable to them. In effort to reach more  Read More →

So Justin got an iPhone. I’m not sure how I feel about it, and clearly, haven’t really figured out how to take a consistent looking photo yet from this jumble of different looks, but I must admit it is extremely convenient for picture taking. The hubsters and I had a lovely weekend at the cabin with our friends. We watched scary movies, ate caramel apples, and had a little Halloween carnival put on by our friend Julie (she is so amazing)! For Halloween, we played it really tame, and went and got yummy drinks with and watched an extremely disturbing movie with Brad and Julie. But I did dress up for work! It is essentially a condition of employment at my company. Ten points if you can guess what I was! -Heather  Read More →

Throughout the ages man has had the ability to tame various wild animals. He has also been blessed with the knowledge and ability to control such things as fire, electricity, the atom, and great machines such as airplanes as they glide through the air, and large ships as they cut through the waters, directing each of them in the way they are to go. However, he has not necessarily been successful in learning how to tame and control his own tongue. As the old addage says, “First we think it, and then we say it.” Therefore, it becomes necessary to feed our minds with wholesome and useful information in order to be able to control what we say. “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3: 7-8). James also exhorts us, referring to the tongue, “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith... Read the rest of this entry »

It was Franklin D. Richards who once said, “Life is God’s greatest gift to man, and what we do with our life is our gift to God.” (CR, April 1971, p. 38.) Stephen L. Richards taught, “Life is a mission and not a career.” (Quoted by Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 1988, p. 54.) And it was President Boyd K. Packer who taught, “No matter what citizenship or race, whether male or female, no matter what occupation, no matter your education, regardless of the generation in which one lives, life is a homeward journey for all of us, back to the presence of God in his celestial kingdom.” (Ensign, May 1987, p. 24.) On Friday evening, 17 October 1958, at approximately 10:17 PM, a baby boy was born to John Wallace Brown and Frances Mae Harmon. He would become the second child born to the proud young parents, as John was only 23 years of age, and Frances had just barely turned 21 years of age on 24 September 1958. Having already begun raising a now one year old son, these young, but still... Read the rest of this entry »

The word “service” can be defined as the action of helping or doing work for someone. “Service” can also be defined as someone’s contribution to the welfare of others. After a long and perhaps arduous week at work and studying in the classroom, most people treasure their weekends as time for themselves to relax, unwind and do some of the things that they enjoy doing. Rendering service to someone and without receiving monetary compensation, or at the very least, some sort of personal recognition, is one of the last things that they wish to consider during their time off. However, on Saturday, 17 September 2011, as part of a worldwide effort, and under the direction of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that is exactly what some 250 members from the various Wards and Branches that comprise the Annapolis Maryland Stake did as they rendered a ‘Day of Service’ to their communities and to members in need. Devoting some 625 man-hours,... Read the rest of this entry »

Because Nick’s family is from the New Orleans area and it would be difficult for all of our family and friends to gather to one central location, we decided to have two receptions. It was so much fun being able to get all dressed up twice, eat cake twice and try all sorts of fun traditions. Since we got married in the Seattle Temple, we had our Washington reception first. We had it at Tibbetts Creek Manor in Issaquah. It was beautiful and the perfect amount of space. Plenty of room to get dressed upstairs, and party downstairs. There was also a gorgeous back yard with a tented deck and plenty of blooms. My parents had worked to plan the perfect reception and decorations and with the help of my sisters, aunts and uncles it all came together. So I hope you enjoy seeing what it looked like. And, as a note, our colors were pink and brown. The driveway to the house was lined with trees and white paper lanterns. In the entry way, three of my bridal photos were set up, along with the guestbook,... Read the rest of this entry »

In June I got my bridal photos done by Joshua Jean Photography. We started out at the Woodland Park Rose Garden just outside of the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. There weren’t many flowers blooming yet, but the garden was beautiful.              In looking at other women’s bridal and wedding photos, I loved the up close pictures of their shoes, and sometimes even their sneakers. Using that as an inspiration, I brought my pointe shoes. We really lucked out when it came to the weather. It had been raining all day, but thankfully, the rain stopped right as the shoot began.   Several minutes into the shoot the sun even started to shine though the clouds.   Next, we went over to the University of Washington campus. I wanted some older fashioned brick buildings in some of my pictures.   The dress and veil are from Abella Bridal in Provo, Utah. I loved it from the moment that I tried it on. My hair was done... Read the rest of this entry »

US Daily News Posted 22 August 2011 by Candace E. Salima, Contributor, US Daily Review Apparently, because I don’t whine and cry and use my poverty stricken childhood as an excuse to be a failure in life, I am mistaken for a woman who has lived a charmed life, even born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Nothing could be farther from the truth, but I’m still not going to dwell on it. It does me no good, other than give me the impetus to live my life as my mother did. Although we had very little growing up, that was not the focus my mother chose to have. Instead, she taught us to read, write and speak proficiently before we ever entered kindergarten. Instead of focusing on how little food was on the table, my mother chose to fill the dinner table with laughter and love. And although she worked full-time, as did my biological father, she always took time to read to us every night, first from the James Herriott series, and then the scriptures.  Read the full article at US Daily... Read the rest of this entry »

image via Pinterest Well not ‘you’ meaning anyone in particular. I just mean to say that there has been a lot on my mind of late.  One of Justin’s younger cousins passed away this week. He has been sick, and in pain for a long time, so in many ways it is nice to know that he doesn’t have to deal with that pain anymore, but it isn’t always as easy for the people left behind. I haven’t known Andrew for very long, but he was one of the purest, sweetest persons I have ever had the opportunity to meet. To know him was to love him, and have him love you. People like Andrew are so special.  It is beautiful and amazing to me how the passing of a person always seems to produce a reevaluation of ones life, and how that life is lived. It forces people to take a much needed stop from the mundane and endless progression of the day to day and think about someone who has impacted their life, and the things that are really important.  In many ways, life never... Read the rest of this entry »

What matters most to you? A question of importance that we all should reflect on. After watching this video, share … Continue reading »  Read More →

I passed a billboard with Jennifer Aniston, her long, tan legs stretch across the board. Next to that cottage-chesseless, tan, sculptued thigh, is a bottle of Smart Water.  I wanted that water.  No, I wanted that thigh.  But it was probably photo shopped and air-brushed, right? Right? And then I got to thinking, how can water be smart?  And if there is smart water, I’ve probably been drinking dumb water.  And then I had an epiphany: Nobody cares about my legs.  You never think about my legs, do you?  And if you saw me in a swimsuit you wouldn’t lay awake at night thinking about it. Would you? Why do I obsess about these things?  Stretch marks on thighs, which I started getting during my third pregnancy, are like those mother pins my son fastens to my shirt at pack meeting only they are permanent and don’t get lost in the washing machine.  The scar where... Read the rest of this entry »

The other night, I was feeling in my being if I had more time, I could get more sleep and then I could wake up and exercise and have more energy. If I had more time, I could get the garden in. I could clear out the garage, I could clean up the basement. If I had more time, I could write on the blog, I could write my brother, I could finish reading these books. As I was feeling this, the  Read More →