Oliver's Room

I've been itching to do something with those four white walls in Oliver's room since we moved in! Decorating was not in the budget so I had to get creative! I think it's starting to come together really cute! It started last weekend I got the idea to print out some pictures of the Disney Cars, cars! I found some awesome ones! I printed a couple out on our computer and they looked so cute that this week I decided to print out a ton more! I mounted them on card stock to add color and to save money because frames were also not in the budget! :) I also got the idea to put up some "road signs" on the wall. I was racking my brain trying to think of what to do and then I remembered I had a ton of scrapbook paper and lettering and I really don't scrapbook anymore! I had the perfect letters they look like tire marks! So cute! Anyway, so I created a bunch of road signs and stuck them up on the wall! Then I used the scraps of checkered fabric from the blanket my mom and I made him a few months ago for the border on the wall! I also added a stop light just for fun! I think it turned out really cute! I am happy with it! And I've only spent $6.22!! It's not amazing but good enough for a two year old who will probably get into something different soon and I won't have to worry about having spent millions of dollars on his room! :)

Oliver keeps dragging us into his room and saying "ta da" and then pointing out and naming every car on his wall! I love it! I think he likes it!

No Time For Flashcards

Okay, I have a new obsession! I founds this blog No Time For Flashcards (the link is in the right column under Some of my favorite sites). It rocks. I think the lady used to be a preschool teacher. She has amazing craft ideas to do with your kids. I'm always trying to think of new things to do with Oliver. This site is amazing! Love it!!!

Pleasant Sunday's Gospel ABC's Book

I frequently check out this blog Pleasant Sunday she has GREAT ideas to keep your kids occupied at church and at home on Sundays! My absolute favorite is this AMAZING book she did. It's a Gospel ABC book! I love it! I have saved it to my computer and am trying to decided if I want to order it hardcover like she did or just have it printed out and put it into a scrapbook or something. Anyway, it rocks and for those of you with little ones I think you'll love it too!!

B A L A N C E

I've been thinking a lot these first 11 days of 2010 about what I want to accomplish more than anything. I don't really believe in making New Year's Resolutions because like most people I always break them and don't want to set myself up for failure. But one thing I've been thinking a lot about is balance.

Last Thursday we had an amazing relief society meeting. It was several speakers who were teaching us how we can fill our cups this year! All of the topics touched me. One was on journal writing, one was on fitness and one was on finding balance. I kept having the same thing come to my mind throughout the balance talk and decided that this was the whispering of the spirit teaching me what I need to work on this year. I don't have a terribly hard time finding balance in my life for the most part. I don't feel too overwhelmed with taking care of Oliver and keeping up the house etc. What kept coming to my mind is a different kind of balance. Some of you may know this and some may not. I have left Oliver very few times in his 2 years of life. Short trips to the grocery store are pretty much it. Mostly because since we've been in Arizona we haven't had many friends and Berto was working nights so I didn't have much of a reason to. I can see how my marriage could be much better if we had an evening out away from Oliver from time to time. I can also see how I would feel rejuvinated by taking a couple of hours for myself every now and then. This is a big step for me. My goal with balance is to have a more balanced life by getting a baby sitter and going out to dinner with my husband or going to a movie for myself.

I've already taken a step in the right direction. My mom and I went to see New Moon last friday! (loved it by the way) And had a great time.. AND Oliver survived 4 hours without me! This is going to be a work in progress for me but I am aware of it and it is my goal to help me be a better wife and mom by finding this balance in my life!

Canyon Lake

Yesterday we took a spur of the moment drive up to Canyon Lake! We had never been and it was quite cute! We didn't stay long but took a couple of pictures! There was a nice lady wearing a Wisconsin Badgers sweatshirt with her two horses. I struck up a conversation (of course because everything Wisconsin is near and dear to my heart). I found out she was from Janesville! Her and her husband are snow birds out here! She was nice enough to let Oliver pet her horse! He was beyond thrilled! It was a fun afternoon! It ended with my mom and I FINALLY seeing New Moon! Loved it by the way!

Happy New Year 2010!!!

I'm not one for making New Year's Resolutions. I ALWAYS end up breaking them just like everyone else does. So I just don't usually set them! This year is much the same.
I am looking forward to a better year in 2010! Berto is going to graduate in May of this year. And we are very close to paying off all of our debt which is an amazing feeling that not everyone will completely understand!
My hope for this year is that we accomplish the few little goals we've had most of our marriage which is to be debt free and get a little closer to buying our own home. 2010 will definitely bring the former and will push us a little nearer to the latter!
We're also hoping to be able to grow our family in 2010! That is something we've both wanted for quite a long time but feel like right now is the time for us! (This isn't an announcement by the way we're not expecting yet!)
I have high hopes for 2010 and hope that the hard lessons we've faced in 2009 can be behind us and we can move forward with faith and receive the blessing we need!

We wish the best year for all of our friends and family! Happy New Year! God Bless you ALL!!

Love,
Berto, Elizabeth and Oliver

Happy 33rd Honey!

Today is my sweet husbands 33rd birthday! I am such a lucky girl to have such a sweet and hard working hubby! I love you Berto!! This is going to be a great year for you... especially in May when your hard work will pay off and you GRADUATE!!!!! I love this man!

We celebrated his birthday last night at his parents house! His mom was feeling up to and asked if she could make tamales! (YUM!!) So we went over to their house and had a great time with them and our friends Pedro and Crystal! I made the birthday cake which was a Tres Leches cake Berto's favorite! It was a fun night! I hope he had a great time too!

Christmas 2009

I know I'm a little delayed... but we had a lovely Christmas here at home. It was quiet and humble... again... but those are sometimes the best memories. My sister Lianna came to visit for four days and Oliver LOVED every minute she was here and is still asking for her on a daily basis. It was a good Christmas. On Christmas Eve we spent a few hours with Berto's parents in the afternoon. It was just spending time with them and they had a few presents for Oliver. Berto's mom had a big Chemo treatment the Tuesday before Christmas so it was very low key and ended early so we didn't wear her out too much. On Christmas Eve, evening we had dinner with our good friends Jenn and Sasa! It was a great time with great company. Then on Christmas day we just lounged around the house, ate yummy dinner with my mom and sister and the in the evening we went to the Mesa Temple to walk around and enjoy the lights!

All in all it was a great Christmas and I have enjoyed reading about all of your families Christmas' too!

My Closer to Christ Posts

Okay, for those of you who had been reading my blog I just wanted to say that I didn't totally fizzle out on my reading... just on my posting! :) lol... I felt like I just didn't have enough time to really get the studying that I wanted to and get everything posted. SO I decided not to worry about posting everything and I just have been studying. Sorry!