family temple night

for the first time in a very long time, dougs parents came to the temple tonight! it was so wonderful to have them there with us and we are so grateful that we were able to go as a family. there is not all that long to go now until dominque will come home and join us... i can hardly wait to go altogether as a family. it's only this year that i've had that opportunity with my family and i am excited to think it will happen with both of our immediate families before the year is out. 

i am so grateful for the temple, for the blessings that the gospel brings and for the blessings of eternal families ♥

aren't we attractive! hahaha

temples are a beacon

it's been almost 2 years since our little family ventured to samoa to visit my parents while they served their mission there. it was an incredible experience that we won't forget in a hurry... the sounds, the smells, the food, the heat... but their solid belief in god, every where we went was what really blew me away. loving the lord is like breathing to them. everyone believes in god there. 

it feels like i took a million photos of this beautiful building, which is a beacon in apia. people constantly give directions using the temple as a reference point because everyone, latter-day saint or not, knows where it is and where it stands for 

that's what i am trying hard to do, make the temple the centre of my life and something i can use to get and give directions ♥

"temples are more than stone and mortar. they are filled with faith and fasting. they are built of trials and testimonies. they are sanctified by sacrifice and service" - thomas s monson (from a talk the holy temple: a beacon to the world)

fill your life with light

i love this quote so much... recently in one of the relief society lessons i did, there was a suggestion of how to guard your home and your family from the dangers of the world. it was quite simply to "fill your life with light!" i have tried so hard to do that, to surround myself with good things... and to surround these little people with good things - or just to surround myself with them!

being a parent can be so hard, especially when you are trying to make sure your children are learning and growing, but learning the good things. there are so many things in todays world that they can pick up so easily and so quickly if i turn my back for even a second... so i need to be trying twice as hard to fill my life with light, to make sure i do the same for them.

train up a child in the way that he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it

-proverbs 22:6

besties mega barn date

i went on a date with my best friend to the mega barn yesterday. it's been so long since we had time with just the two of us... but seeing as just the two of us doesn't exist anymore anyway since we had kids... off we went with our little boys. of course it goes without saying that they whined and messed about and (in my case) ran about the place but we had a good time. i got an awesome haul (i've not had a bad day at the barn yet, must be a good sign that i need to keep going on a regular basis) and we laughed and chatted and just generally had an awesome time! plus we may have even eaten hungry jacks on the way home, which is not something we do everyday and probably haven't done since we were teenagers... perfect bestie date. let's do this more often! ♥

on another note, same topic... how amazing is this lamp and shade that mum picked up as two separate pieces at her local opshop which now has pride of place in my room. on both sides... because there were two! the chances are so slim of something so glorious, but it happened and i am loving it. thanks mama!

christmas in july: vt style

years and years ago when doug and i first moved into dianella ward, i remember my friend speaking with great pride about her grandmother and her 100% visiting teaching record. it was at that very moment that i decided i wanted that too and have tried hard to make it happen, so i am also always scanning blogs, instagram and pinterest for awesome ideas to make it fun. so far, so good...

this time however, i grabbed a few packets of candy canes the week after christmas and stashed them for seven months (yes they were still not past their expiry date) just to give them to the girls i visit teach for a christmas in july treat. what was even better, was that someone i know was having a clean out and gave me these epic christmas plastic cups just in time.

merry christmas in july peeps! ♥

baby marlee's blessing day ❤️

our friends baby marlee was blessed today. isn't she perfect! 

surrounded by family and friends, her father mark gave her the most wonderful blessing with beautiful promises for her life to come

baby marlee with her mum and grandmothers

look at that widdle face!

baby m with her doting dad

we love you vinnies! ♥

my top 10 op-shop tips

my current favourite opshop is the good sammys mega barn in canning vale (44 bannister road if you are lucky enough to be a perth native!) and my mum and i hit it up earlier this week and got a pretty epic haul. their clothes are priced by the kilo (weird yet excellent) and we got 96 pieces of clothing between us for $82, woop woop. this pic is just my share.

it is no secret to anyone that knows me that i love to opshop... i'm forever being asked for tips of where to go and how to find the good stuff - so here is my 10 best tips to getting the best of the opshop and the best of your day!

1. take cash. always take cash, because not all the opshops are going to be equipped with modern technology like paypass and often it's the best (and cheapest!) ones, hello local parish opshops!

2. do not wear those awesome zip up boots you love, or lace up shoes or anything difficult that could make the day harder than it is. wear a simple dress or jeans and a tshirt, with flats, no laces, no zips, there's no time!

3. take baby wipes or hand sanistiser or something to clean your hands (this should have been my number one tip!) and clean them whenever you leave an opshop. things are not always clean and ew, germs!

4. check that the zips work in whatever it is you are buying. the number of times i have gotten home and realised a zip didn't work (a total of one, before i realised i needed to check them everytime)

5. take a friend! your mum, your best friend, but never someone who is the same size as you! this person must not be able to find something perfect in your size that they want, that just wouldn't be right! they are there as a wing man, to find something and say ooooh i love this, but it's your size. you get me?

6. dig. dig and dig some more. do not be afraid to do so. the best bargains are those that have not yet been uncovered... the ones that were waiting there for you!  so what if your hands get a little dirty? you have hand sanitiser! (see tip 3)

7. go country! they have the cheapies! low rent (normally out the back of a church) and brimming with bargains and "fill a bag for x amount of dollars" days

8. don't take your kids! hahaha. if you can find a sitter, run, opshop and be merry. let the grandparents enjoy them for the day

9. if it's super cheap and amazing and cannot be left there but isn't your size, think of someone that it will fit! the possibilities are endless

10. smile and chat to the volunteers. chances are if the items are not pre marked with a price, your dazzling smile will knock off a few dollars from your total

but most important, have fun! i'll be thinking of you all next time i'm grabbing the bargains! ♥