Saturday Blog Hop

     

Blue Nile Jewelry Giveaway!

 Hello everyone! I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I can't believe Thanksgiving has come and gone and now Christmas is just right around the corner!  Just 25 days! I cannot believe it!
Today I am so excited to show you this lovely branch necklace that I am styling. Don't you love it?!?! This sterling silver necklace is chic, unique and so delicate looking. I wore it out yesterday shopping and a few people commented it on asking me where I got it.  If you love this necklace as much as I do, then today is your lucky day!   Not only did Blue Nile send me one, but two necklaces! One could be yours!   

  

   Necklace: Blue Nile

   Sunglasses: T.J. Maxx

   Sweater Dress/Leggings: Ross

   Boots: ALDO

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Turning The Tide

Two entrepreneurs saw an opportunity where everyone else saw trash, transforming discarded tuna skins into stunning leather goods. In this short video, it explores the fascinating world of Etsy shop Khogy, which aims to inspire environmental action with accessories made from local waste materials in Sri Lanka. Khogy’s founders, Jenny and Caroline, are committed environmentalists and entrepreneurs. When they learned of the millions of tons of fish skins discarded every year by the fishing industry, they saw an opportunity. By reclaiming tuna skins, tanning them, and transforming them into a unique collection of leather accessories, they are creating objects that share a powerful story about the world we live in.

Be Glamorous, Be Beautiful

Prom season is just around the corner,one of the most important parts is dancing,then what kind of dress should you wear? From magazines or TV shows, sometimes you could get inspirations about the strong fashion trends. One of them is the bold bright color pattern dress,which contains a lot of strong blue and purples,naturally,it will make you catch every one's eye; soft pinks, ivories, greens, which will definitely express a sweet kind of statement and they flatter almost everyone.

Prom is a very special night for high school students,but dresses can be so expensive. There are some organizations out there which will offer scholarships and they would be happy to donate. There are also so many girls that may not get an opportunity to go to prom. It would be so wonderful for girls who have attended a prom to help the girls who could not afford to go to prom. All of the dresses will have a popular size to offer, however every size should be perfect,and every girl should be able to purchase a beautiful dress. There are different styles to choose from. A-line, ball gown, or you could add a belt or other accessories to really make the dress pop. Another popular style and color is black and white dresses. The most popular are princess dresses which contain beautiful beading details at the top of the dress or all the way to the bottom too. Prom is sometimes one of the most important events in a young women's life,all of it will start with the dress. Halter Prom Dresses would be charming for all age groups, which are extremely popular this year.  For a lot of junior school proms,the less expensive prom dresses will be better.Some dresses could be both for a  junior and senior prom. With Prom approaching fast, the best thing to start doing now is try on as many dresses as possible. Clothing always looks so much different when tried on than what it looks like on the hanger. Be patient. You will find one that looks perfect and one that you will love!

You want to look and feel like a star. So find your perfect dress and go out there and shine! 

Sunglasses During the Wintertime

I moved to Arizona a little over 4 years ago. I love everything about Arizona.  People always ask me: "Isn't it way too hot in the summertime? I don't think I  could deal with the heat!" It's honestly not that bad. I mean yes, its HOT, but that is what a/c, lakes, and pools are for right??? I remember I can to visit my friend in July of 2009 when it was pushing 115. Call me crazy, but that is when  I decided to go home pack up and move out here from Oregon (the rainy state). What I mostly love about Arizona is the sunny is ALWAYS shining. Well not  every day of the year. We do get some rain too which is nice, but for the most  part, the sun is always out which means that I am always wearing sunglasses.
Since moving to Arizona, I have never owned so many pairs of sunglasses!  I feel like I have a different pair of sunglasses for every month! Most of the time I purchase my sunglasses at Ross, Marshalls, or TJ Maxx. Lately I have been  looking online to see whats out there too. Bonlook has some a great selection and their prices are very reasonable for the quality that you get. Most of the  problem that I have when I buy sunglasses is I don't feel like they protect my  eyes from the sun very well.  All of Bonlook's sunglasses are guaranteed to  have a high-quality of UV protection to makes sure that your little peepers are protected at all times. Below is my list of favorites from Bonlook. Check 'em out!

These red ones are great for the Holidays!

Which ones are your favorite??

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Riley

Blog

About Me:

 I am a fifth year senior at Utah State where I claim that I am a full blooded Aggie on game days so take that for what it's worth. I am crawling my way through my last semester at USU to finish my Secondary Education program with an emphasis in English and History. While pursuing my degree I also perfected the art of the arm/leg pop/head tilt while involved in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. My blog is a random mix of my mostly failed craft attempts, my rants about how much I love Old Navy, funny excerpts from my life and some serious posts about life and the Gospel!

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope is what gets me through my dark days! Hope that I will understand what Heavenly Father wants me to take away from these harder experiences and hope is that I will use my agency to come closer to Him!

I hope that I will be blessed with service and missionary opportunities. I have spent most my life avoiding these two topics but now that I am older I am starting to appreciate how crucial each of these things are.

How do I live my faith?

I feel that I live my faith differently than others do because I was raised in a mostly non-LDS family. I live my faith very quietly but sincerely. I am a huge believer in what is sometimes considered the "little things" such as reading your scriptures daily, saying your prayers and going to church. I pray for missionary opportunities. Sometimes that does not necessarily mean inviting someone to church but it could be sending a card to someone who needs a pick-me-up. I love this Gospel because of the happiness it has brought to my life!

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If you are interested in being featured for I Am a Mormon Monday, please contact me asap so I can 
add you to the list! Right now I am booked through February 2014. bostonksox@gmail.com

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Madeline from PS My Name is Madeline

Blog // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest 

Hello everyone!! My name is Madeline and I love over at PS My Name is Madeline

My blog is about all of the silly details of my life. The little moments that might have been overlooked if I wasn't taking the time to notice them. I love recording the simple times, because looking back they always seem to be the most beautiful. Writing about the small things reminds me how beautiful my life is, and how lucky I am to be living it. 

What is hope and what do you hope for?

To me, hope is a choice. I can choose to hope for things, or I can choose to despair about things. So many times, our lives seem to take opposite paths to the ones we planned for ourselves. We're constantly changing lanes, and taking exits whether we wanted to or not! I choose to always have hope, so that I don't let the hard times get me down. My hope lets me know that there is truly always a light at the end of the tunnel. I am aware that each life change has something brilliant in store for me, and I am always seeking for that. Hope allows me to be a positive person, and without that, life wouldn't be nearly such a grand adventure.

How I live my faith

I live my faith daily,  in the small ways. It's a bit like my blog! The small moments are often more noteworthy than the big ones. I have a constant prayer in my heart that I will be able to do the things I need to do during the day. I am aware of my Heavenly Father's hand in my life at all times. I know that everything good that happens to me is from him, as well as everything bad. In fact, knowing that makes the bad things not seem so terrible at all! Nothing seems to big when I know the Lord is on my side. I choose to live my faith daily, because it's wonderful to see the ways I am blessed.

Thank you so much Kimberly for having me!

We Are Stewards, Not Owners

God never intended for us to struggle financially our entire lives. There are seasons of struggle, however, that we all go through. Whether we’re just young and naive, or we’re a bit older and perhaps undisciplined with our finances, it’s not uncommon for people to find themselves in financial distress.

EVERYTHING that we have is a gift from God. That’s the very first and overriding principle we have to recognize. We have a tendency to act like we “earned” things, but that’s not the truth. Without the time, talents and providence of God, we wouldn't have anything! Everything belongs to God. He simply allows us the great privilege of caring for it. One of the best ways we can do that is to be thankful and not be wasteful.

Jesus taught in Matthew 25 that God will put us through “tests” to see if we can handle greater blessings.

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness.’" (Matthew 25:21)

God isn’t going to release new blessings into our lives until we first learn to manage the ones He’s already provided us.

Aswe learn to be better stewards with what we have, God will, little by little, give us more. When we start using the resources we have to bless others and bring glory and honor to Him, he’ll bless you with more so that His glory can multiply!

Here are 4 principles that we have followed.  I promise that you will see your financial borders begin to expand:

1.     Work for it.

It’s not likely that God is going to drop a huge financial windfall in your lap while you’re sitting on the couch watching TV. Neither are you going to become financially successful if you live carelessly and pray for God to “clean up” your financial mistakes. Being financially successful takes hard work!

A lot of people want today what it took their parents years to get. They’re just not patient or diligent enough to put in the same kind of effort over time that their parents did. They end up making poor investments, trying to get rich quick, or go into debt to get things they can’t afford.

God wants us to live with excellence and integrity. Meaning that we give a good day’s work for a good day’s pay, and that we try as best we can to live within our means.

Work is good for us and it's a gift from God to be able to have jobs to allow us to afford the things we need for our families.  It also gives us a sense of purpose and accomplishment, and is a form of service to others. If we’re obedient and work with integrity, God will bless our work. (Deuteronomy 28:8)

2.     Give Generously

The BEST way to be happy in this life is to be a blessing towards other people. Serving others brings true happiness. (Mosiah 2:17)

That’s true of how we spend our time and certainly true of how we spend our money. 

It’s definitely something I've experienced over and over again: the more you give away, the more you’ll be blessed. When God asks us to give our money away in the form of tithing or other contributions, He’s not trying to take something away from us. He is just simply giving us the opportunity to be a part of what He’s doing to meet the needs of others. 

Whatever we give up now will come back to us one-hundred-fold in this lifetime (Mark 10:29-30). I often ask God to help me to live more generously and to put people in my path that I can help..and He does just that. Every single time

3.     Save

It’s extremely important that we are prepared for unexpected expenses, like flat tires, house repairs or medical bills. When we have savings set aside for these emergencies, it will help us avoid going into debt and getting stressed out.

About a year ago, Josh and I started a year supply and little by little, we have been adding to our stock pile. We now have a year or more worth of food in our pantry just in case we need it. My sister-in-law had a huge stock pile and her husband unexpectedly got laid off. With her, her husband and five kiddos, what do you think they lived off of for 3 months? Their year supply of food.

I have also trained myself to coupon and it's amazing the amount you save when you put a little time and effort into it. I follow a few couponing websites that post what is on sale or for FREE, watch for whats on sale and then go and buy it. 

I have prayed time and time again for God to help us be more wise and responsible with our money and to help us find ways to save. It's so amazing the answers and the direction that He has given me! He is so good!

God’s promises he will send blessings on your storehouse (Deuteronomy 28:8). God wants us to trust and expect Him to fulfill His promises our lives.

4.     Spend

Here’s the awesome part! Yes, we need to spend some of our money.  

Here are a few simple tips for spending money:

·         Know what you have. Make sure that you’re balancing your account and have a budget prepared so that you know what is coming in and what’s going out.

·         Don’t buy what you don’t need. The quickest way to debt is convincing ourselves that “wants” are “needs.” If you obviously don’t need something and it’s not in your budget to afford it, then be bold enough not to buy it. I know this one is hard, but you can do it!

·         Don’t buy with what you don’t have. Credit cards aren't a bad thing, but if you can’t control what you spend with them, then using them is a bad idea. A general rule for using credit cards is to only spend what you can pay off at the end of the month. The interest on consumer debt can quickly get out of control.

·         Pay debts off immediately. Living debt-free gives us the flexibility to live more generously and more abundantly. I have always been taught to start with the smallest debt and work your way to the biggest ones.

Money doesn't have to be a source of stress in our lives. If we start managing our financial resources in godly ways, they can be sources of tremendous blessings, both for us and for others.

What I'm Lovin' On Groopdealz

I just wanted to share some of my favorite Groopdealz items with you.
Check them out when you get a chance. They sell out pretty fast!   

Holiday Leggings

Genuine Leather Stone/Stud Wrap Watch

Chalkboard Labels

Luxurious Dolman Aztec Cardigan

Beautiful Rhinestone & Faux Pearl Necklace

Courage.

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”Being brave does not mean I am not afraid.  Being brave means acting in faith.”  I know that many of you out there are struggling, including myself, having a really hard time dealing with all the trials and burdens that are placed upon your back.  I pray that you will each find the bravery you need to have the faith in the Lord to sustain you.

I repeatedly have been comforted and directed by many scriptures,  but there is one section of the Book of Mormon that absolutely has been my joy to refer to in time of need and to share with others who are hurting, weeping, distraught, bewildered, and weary. It is found in Mosiah 24 when the children of God cried out because their afflictions were so great and Amulon put guards over the people to watch them so that anyone found calling upon God to help them would be put to death. The account tells us that the people didn't raise their voices to the Lord their God. Instead they poured out their hearts to God, and he knew the thoughts of their hearts.

“And the voice of the Lord came to them in their terrible times, and they heard his voice, telling them to be of good comfort and to lift up their heads for he was mindful of them."

‘And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. And…the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.’ (Mosiah 24:14-15)

Adversity? Who needs it? Everyone, because adversity well handled is really blessings in disguise

Read the book of Esther

About Time

Get ready to fall in love all over again — with About Time
Starring Rachel McAdams & Domhnall Gleeson,  About Time  is a film from Richard Curtis, the creator of Love Actually, Notting Hill, and Four Weddings and a Funeral. It’s a story of a young man whose gift allows him to go back and relive any moment of his life. But instead of making every single moment perfect, he learns that life and love are most extraordinary when you embrace all of their imperfections.  Hmmm.. I think I might be planning a girls night to see this!   Have you seen this? How is it?    

I Am a Mormon Monday: Meet Dani

Blog  // Twitter // Pinterest // Instagram // Tumblr

About Me:

My name is Dani, I am currently a student studying public relations. I started "Walking on Sunshine" after my freshman year of college. I was obsessed with reading blogs like Hey Natalie Jean and Love Taza and I aspired to be like the women who write them. Although I wasn't anywhere near being a mom, I wanted to write about my passions and dreams through my interesting college experiences. My blog has been an outlet of creativity. On Mondays, I write about my thoughts and things I've been pondering. On Tuesdays, I try to write positive posts for my readers so they can have a "walking on sunshine" kind of day. On Wednesdays, I share what I'm wishing for. (Clothes, accessories, shoes, etc..) I would like to work in the fashion industry one day...Fashion PR to be exact. Thursdays, I share my favorite music playlist, and on Friday I share links that I think my readers would love to see. Walking on Sunshine is like a memoir of adventures, downfalls, and aspirations. P.S. My blog will soon be overtaken by the love of my life Tyler, seeing as we are going to be married in December and want to turn the blog into something we do together. Stop by, read, have a good laugh, and smile. 

What is hope and what do you hope for?

Hope is having the faith to carry on during hard times. It's discovering who you are as a child of God in a world that tries to tell you who you ought to be. Hope is trying to make the world a better place with service, kindness, and acceptance to everyone around you. I have found hope in the darkest of places where I have felt inadequate to my peers, in those moments I have had small glimpses that I am of infinite worth and that there is so much in store for me. I hope to be happy and live a happy life. I hope to impact others for good. And I also hope to travel with Tyler, eat good food, meet beautiful people, and experience the beauties of life despite trials and bumps in the road. 

How do you live your faith? 

I look for opportunities to serve and help other people, whether it be by my blog posts or physical acts of service. I love living by Christ's example...to forgive others and to reach out to those that might not have anyone. Every day I choose to be a better person and to be the person God wants me to become. 

Thank you so much for having me Kimberly!!!

IT'S PHOTO BOOTH TIME!!

A few weeks back, my best friend Paola and I managed the  photo booth for a wedding at the Scottsdale Marriott It was so much fun. I love working with my bestie!  The $150 tip that we got was pretty nice too ;)
Grab a prop and strike a pose!!!!!!!    

Imperfect...a Poem Written by Me

I have flaws

I make mistakes

I struggle

I'm imperfect

I am chaotic at times

I get emotional 

I have doubts

I am imperfect

I have regrets

I have hit breaking points

I experience heartache

I am imperfect

I have cried myself to sleep

I have fallen to my knees

I have felt like giving up 

I am imperfect

But...

I am enough just as I am. I 

can embrace all of my 

imperfections

and be made complete in Him.

I am a beautifully broken,

perfectly imperfect person

who is loved by a perfect God!!

We ALL go through through struggles, trials, obstacles, we 

cry, we doubt, we have regrets, we hit breaking points where

we feel like we just aren't enough or we can't go on any longer.

My message to you today is...

YOU are enough 

YOU do matter

YOU are perfect in His eyes...

and that IS enough

I hope that you all have a blessed Wednesday.

Classic Cars

 Over the weekend, my friend Ayesha and I got to work at a fun 50's Festival at Keystone Montessori School in Phoenix. There were rides, classic cars, oldies music, food, and games. All the ladies were dressed in big dresses, poodles skirts and cat eye glasses, while the men wore white tees, jeans and WAY too much gel in their hair. I honestly felt like I was behind the scenes of the movie GREASE. The backdrop for our photo booth were these two amazing classic cars. We were busy the entire time we were there. I secretly wish I lived in the 50's!