Highlights from #tfc365thankfuldays

I have loved doing the #tfc365thankfuldays project. Somedays, I've been a bad mood and I don't want to find anything to be thankful for. Other days, I've just been lazy and didn't make time to post something. I just wanted to share a few of the ones I loved so far. I have seen the difference in my life, will you start finding something to be thankful for everyday?

January 3, 2015 | day 3- I'm thankful for my gramie who instilled a love of the old classics, like The Music Man, by saying watch the first five minutes and if you don't like it we'll turn it off. I only asked to turn off one movie! #tfc365thankfuldays #themusicman #goodnightmysomeone #onegrecianurn

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Jan 3, 2015 at 8:38pm EST

January 7, 2015 | day 7- so thankful for amazing people like @katarina91096 in my life! She made me this super awesome scarf that I got to wear in Harry Potter world! #tfc365thankfuldays #caldwellsandmurphysdoorlando

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Jan 7, 2015 at 8:38pm EST

January 15, 2014 | day 15- I'm thankful for apps that brighten even the dullest of classes! #tfc365thankfuldays #thisisnteventhebestone #dubsmashusa

A video posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Jan 15, 2015 at 10:24pm EST

January 23, 2015 | day 23- I'm so, so thankful for the opportunity I had to support my brother this morning at his regional competition for Skills USA! The bus never picked them up, so he got there an hour late, caught up to the other kids in no time, and then placed second! He gets to compete at state in a few of months! I love the kid so much and I'm so proud of him! #tfc365thankfuldays #skillsusa #skillsusageorgia

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Jan 23, 2015 at 11:32pm EST

February 9, 2015 | day 40- I'm thankful for this little girl and the crazy love she brings to my life! Is she not adorable cheering on our @byucougars!! And Cayle was so excited for her! Look out for her in a few years @byucheer! #nannyellie #ryneerynryn #cayleewhalee #tfc365thankfuldays #gocougars #byu #byucougars #isitfootballseasonyet #byucheer

A video posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Feb 9, 2015 at 11:26pm EST

February 20, 2015 | day 51- I'm thankful for monthly sleepovers with this gang! Cully loved playing with my wand. Does he not look adorable? And Coryn just wanted to cuddle while we watched Toy Story That Time Forgot, I'll never say no to cuddles. #nannyellie #cullywhully #ryneerynryn #tfc365thankfuldays

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Feb 20, 2015 at 11:42pm EST

February 23, 2015 | day 54- I'm thankful for talents. I designed these flyers for youth conference. We sent them out to about 24 units to share with their youth. I saw it hanging in a ward yesterday and it stopped me in my tracks. I was so excited it was there! My work hanging there. I can't really describe it. I know going into graphic design is what i'm meant to do. #geekingout #tfc365thankfuldays

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Feb 23, 2015 at 1:49pm EST

February 27, 2015 | day 58- I'm thankful I get to see this little boy grow up. He's discovered taking pictures on phones and loves to take pictures of himself and sometimes other things. It's the cutest! Did I mention these aren't even all the pictures he took? Love the kid! #tfc365thankfuldays #nannyellie #cayleewhalee

A photo posted by Ellie Murphy (@murphy_ellie) on Feb 27, 2015 at 10:29pm EST

How to Play Human Hungry Hippos

So no doubt you've seen the video below by now. (Click play, I'll wait)

I was instantly obsessed with wanting to play it. We almost made it happen for a Stake Youth Activity, but then we realized we'd be on carpet. :( I got in contact with the creator, Tanner Nielsen, and got all the details!

I've asked Tanner to share it all with you. So here's Tanner-

Hi everybody! It was really easy. So all you need is: 
4 furniture dollies 
4 couch cushions (to put on the dolly to make it more comfortable) 
4 ropes 
like... 200 balloons (because they get popped) 
4 helmets 
4 laundry baskets (we found ours at Walmart for like 90 cents a piece) 
Masking tape (you will use the tape to make perimeters in the 4 corners of the room) 

Rules are simple 
- You cannot leave your assigned corner 
- You must use your basket facing down 
- You must wear a helmet
And maybe just a couple warnings not to run your fingers over, and keep the rope away from your feet. We had 2 injuries. 1 rope burn to the foot. 1 rope to the neck (wasn't as bad as it sounds).

At first we tried running the game until all the balloons were gone, but it was better when we used 2 minute intervals.

I don't know if you can tell in the video, but there were also some small balls in the game, and we used those as extra points.

1point for every balloon 
5 points for ever ball
We had a running total for every team, and after everyone in the team had participated we did a grand total for the victor.


I want to say thank you to Tanner for sharing everything with us today! Hope y'all love playing! And be sure to take a minute to pin the image below so you can find the instructions later and so others can find it too!

My oldest best friend is HOME!!

Y'all I've been waiting 18 months for yesterday! Well, I've been waiting a little longer than that, I've been waiting since she got her mission call. I just couldn't imagine my life with out her and 18 months was going to be a long time. We've known each other since my first sunday in the Bradley Park Branch, or as the locals call it "The OTTC" which stands for The Only True, True Church. It was coined by a dear old man who has already joined the party upstairs and I'm a little jealous, but that's besides the point.

That first sunday I wore the best lands end dress that had a gardening pattern, that dress was the bomb! I loved that dress, I gave it away one day cause my young womens leaders made me so a girl would come to church, she never came back and I never forgave them. Okay, I did but I never gave away any of my dresses again. And again, besides the point. Riley wore some super fancy white dress that made me not like her. Her brother, Ian, wore a tux. I thought they were rich and snobby and I wanted nothing to do with them. That first impression couldn't have been farther from the truth. They were average and super nice.

My mom and her mom became fast friends, which meant our whole families became friends. We hung out all. the. time! We used to do this thing where we would hide in each other's cars when it was time to go. Our parents would try to get us to say goodbye and when the other was nowhere to be found they'd figure out and make us get out of the car. I'm pretty sure we never got away with it.

I remember this one summer when we pretty much spent the entire time at each other's houses. Like a couple days at my house and when she finally had to go home, I'd go with her and spend a couple days and then it would be back to my house. That was the best summer ever!

We weren't without our fights though, there were sometimes when we wouldn't talk for days. Like I would have been okay not talking to her ever again, then I would miss her or she'd miss me and we'd call each other and it'd all be back to normal. A couple months ago she sent me a card, on the front it said "I'm glad we locked down our friendship during childhood, since meeting each other today would be a total disaster." It's totally the truth though.

18 months ago, I sat in a room waiting for her to be given a blessing and set apart as a missionary. And then after realizing there'd been a mistake in scheduling, running over to the Stake President's house. It was so amazing to see my best friend transform into a set apart servant of the Lord.

I've hated her being on the other side of the country for 18 months but man I've loved her serving the Lord on the other side of the country for 18 months. I've loved seeing her testimony grown. I'm so proud of the woman she's become. I wouldn't have missed her getting off the plane last night for anything in the world! Love you Riley! Have since for forever, and always will!

This I Believe

I believe a lot of things, some things I'm really love - like the gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out what I believe by clicking on the "I'm a Mormon" box over in the sidebar! Other things, I might be a little embarrassed about, like if I'm under the covers, I'm totally safe.

This I Believe was a five-minute CBS Radio Network program hosted by journalist Edward R. Murrow from 1951 to 1955. Then a half-hour European version of This I Believe ran from 1956 to 1958 over Radio Luxembourg. Now it's home is National Public Radio, NPR. There's also a This I Believe website, thisibelive.org. I recommend going over and reading some of the essays, I've really liked the ones I've read.

In my english class we're asked to write an This I Believe essay. This is mine.

Dancing It Out

I believe in dancing it out. I believe it helps work through emotions in a way nothing else can.       

I don’t remember what happened at my first dance class, but I remember the feelings it gave me. I felt like I belonged. I felt beautiful in my brand new ballet shoes, tights, skirt, and leotard with my hair in a bun. I felt like I was actually good at something. As the weeks went on I loved learning a new routine. Mastering routines made me feel accomplished. I loved performing on stage. I loved everything about it, even the pre-show butterflies. I loved dance so much I was certified by the Royal Academy of Dancing. It was the best day of my life.

Soon after my certification my life changed, and dancing took a back seat for more important family things. My parents adopted three boys from Russia who became the siblings I had prayed for, for years. My dad got a new job and we moved across the country.  I was adjusting to a new life and didn’t make organized dance a priority. Three years after our move, my brother died in a one-car accident. I never bothered finding a new dance studio once things finally settled down. Eventually I forgot how much joy dancing had brought me, since I had buried it so deep down inside of me.

It wasn’t until I was watching Grey’s Anatomy that I remembered. I know, remembering while watching a medical drama is strange. But when Cristina got Meredith to dance it out after a hard day, I felt myself connect to them. That day had been exhausting. I was a junior with few to no friends. It was made abundantly clear to me when I was not invited to hang out with all the other Mormon kids at my school before a football game. To top it off, I was having a hard time understanding what we were learning in chemistry. Sure, I hadn’t lost a patient or seen the man I loved going home with his wife, but somehow it was like we were all on the same crappy level. I felt like Cristina got me, she and Meredith understood me, when she said, “Mer, you just need to dance it out. It’ll make everything okay.”

Sometimes, life is too hard to write or talk or sing about. But you don’t have to say anything when you dance it out. You just put on a good song and dance. It doesn’t have to be pretty; it just needs to get you moving. Dancing is like exercise; it releases endorphins and makes you happy. For that moment you are happy and you forget what is weighing you down. When you finally come back to reality, you can deal with whatever may be troubling you with more control. More times than not, when I put on a song and dance it out, everything comes into focus and I don’t feel overwhelmed or angry, or even sad anymore. Instead, I feel determined. I know that I can get through whatever is coming my way. That is why I believe in dancing it out.

from MerylFox94

Frosty Voxbox Review

Disclaimer: I was sent these items to review, but all opinions are my own.

Did you watch my unboxing video? I loved trying to create a stop motion video, can't wait to try another one soon. Watch it below!

So I have two top favorites! The first being the EcoTools brush. I got the Sleek and Shine Finisher Hair Brush. I was hesitant at first because I hadn't used a hairbrush in years. (I comb my hair, but I just hadn't used hairbrushes.) I thought I would give it a try. It usually took me about 10 minutes to blow dry my hair so that I could straighten it. Using the EcoTools Sleek and Shine Finisher Hair Brush took me less than 5 minutes to dry my hair! I've used it every day since! Y'all buy this bad boy!

Buy it? Definitely!

available at target or on the EcoTools website

The second thing I love the most is Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover! I've been a loyal user of another brand but their eye makeup remover has always bothered me. It says it's oil-free but it leaves something oil-like behind and it always leaves me a little blinded for a moment. When I got Rimmel's I thought why not?  I was hooked after the first use. Rimmel Gentle Eye Makeup Remover leaves my eyes cleaner faster and not oil-like! I'm hooked for life!

Buy it? Definitely!

available at cvs, rite aid, target, walgreens, and walmart

They also sent me a second Rimmel London product. I got the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in black. It' available in 10 colors, and I totally want to try brown. I love this stuff y'all! It was easy to apply, and didn't streak or cause a mess. I loved the way it looked too! The only thing I didn't absolutely love was it was a little difficult to take off, but ya give and ya take. 

Buy it? yes

available at cvs, rite aid, target, walgreens, and walmart

They sent me a full-size bottle of McCormick's Gourmet Thyme. The bottle was beautiful and made it look clean and inviting - like it was saying "Cook with me!" The bottle had a new design, which the graphic designer in me loved it! And bonus - it was all natural! It tasted good and was fresh! Pick it up at your local market. 

Buy it? yes

available at your local market

I'm not a huge fan of tea so I had my brother, who loves it, review this and the Fruit Vine Bites for me. He was excited about Celestial Seasonings Candy Cane Lane Decaf Green Tea because he loves their brand. He felt let down after he drank it. It didn't taste good he said, it was too sweet and they should just stick to their other flavors.

Buy it? pass

available seasonally at local markets

I got a lipstick, NYC Expert Last Lip Color in Sugar Plum to be exact. I loved the lipstick feeling and how it lasted but I wasn't a fan of the color on me, but it looked good on a friend of mine.

Buy it? In a different color

available at cvs, duane read, family dollar,
 kmart, target, and walmart

When I asked my brother to try the Fruit Vines Bites, his friends were over so they all tried them. We got the Strawberry flavored ones. Drumroll please...they all loved them! They thought they were great and the only thing they wished there were more. 

Buy it? yes

available at your local market

Besides the coupons, the last thing in my box was No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serum. The smell wasn't that great, but it wasn't bad. I didn't love the way it felt on my skin but after a bit, I was fine. I didn't have enough to really see a difference, and even though they sent me a coupon my small college budget can't really afford it. But I say if you've got the money, spend it!

Buy it? yes

available on their website

Running Out of Time | Book Review

Running Out of Time was one of my favorite books as a 5th grader. So you can probably already tell, I definitely recommend the book - but let me tell you why!

Jessie, the heroin of the book, and her family live in an 1840 village. Only the adults know that the year is really 1996, the kids are living in ignorance. When Clifton Village started they were told they would be able to leave and go as they liked, have modern medicine and be able to tell the kids when they reached a certain age. Now none of that happens and diphtheria has come to Clifton Village. 

When protesting by posting quarantine signs doesn't work and Jessie's little sister, Katie, gets sick something has to happen. Jessie's mom sends her to get help.

Y'all this book stands the test of time, and I loved re-reading it last week. So pick it up and read it by yourself or with your kids!

Read it: yes!

I'm almost finished with a series I'll review next month and need some suggestions of books to read. What's one book you can't live without or you love reading to the kids in your life? Tell me a little bit about the book and why! If I pick your book I'll include your comment on my post and link to your blog!

The Best Baby Shower Ever

I started this post and never got around to it last year, I was always putting off loading the pictures from my camera to my computer. Well, sometime between then and now they were loaded onto the computer but have since disappeared. All I have is this one that I managed to save from a text message.

I remember the first time I met Keri. The elders serving in my ward took me with them to teach her husband about our church. She was such a happy person. I loved her instantly! Then a couple months later we found out Keri was pregnant! I was so excited for her.

My mom and I threw a baby shower for her with a couple people from our church, so as not to overwhelm her! It was so low key, at one of Columbus's favorite restaurants-El Vaquero. Keri's nursery colors are red and pink which was perfect because we waited til after Valentine's day to buy all the supplies. We got all our supplies on sale.

prep before the big party

We got a package of adorable red with white heart straws, some adorable pink cards in a couple different designs, some Valentine's pens, some red and pink ribbon, and lots of red and pink candy.

We had it all waiting at each seat. We used the cards to have each person write a note to the cute baby girl and/or advice to Keri. We tied it up with a cute ribbon and attached a pen. We used all the candy to make gift bags since we were having it at a restaurant, we wanted everyone to go away with a little something. The waiter was a little slow bringing out the waters for us to put the straws in so we just put them in the bags.

We ate yummy mexican food and then Keri opened her presents. It was so fun to celebrate Keri with some great people! And now Little Baby Ruthie is gonna be a big sister to what is going to be an adorable little...brother! How cute are the invites I designed for their gender reveal party with family?

So excited to meet the little tyke!

The Best Love Letter I've Ever Written

My English class is all about writing essays. I've learned a lot by writing them and it felt like such a waste to work so hard to only show them to a couple people. So I'm gonna post them here. The first one was a love letter. I was not excited about it at first. What single girl, who's never been in love wants to write a love letter. Then I actually read the directions and realized we were supposed to write about an inanimate object. I picked books.

what little girl didn't dream about this being her own as a little girl?

Every Love Story is Beautiful but ours is my Favorite

Dear Book,

I remember the moment when I knew I loved you. You were sharing a story of a magical land with wizards and witches, evil dominating but good triumphing, family and love. I stayed up late to spend time with you, my old neighbor saw my light on late and told my parents. I didn’t even mind getting in trouble. That’s when I knew I would do anything to spend time with you.

I was nervous after that story, would I still love you or would this be a one-time thing? Had I fallen too much, too quickly? Before then I felt we were like the young Odette and Derek from The Swan Princess, pushed together but resenting each other for it. My mom loved you, and thought we would be a good match but I didn’t like you or any of the stories you tried to share with me. My teachers tried to pair us together and even that didn’t work. I will forever be grateful for our friend, Craig, setting us up with that first story.

            I got better at hiding the signs of time spent together as our relationship grew. I made curtains for my window so my old neighbor wouldn’t see. I started using that lamp that sat on my nightstand collecting dust. I started playing my music while I read the stories you shared (since at the time I played music to fall asleep). To this day I can’t listen to Clay Aiken’s Measure of a Man CD and not think of the beginning of our relationship.

            I love holding you in my hands and feeling you share each story through your pages, into my hands and then my heart. Each time you regenerate and bring me a new story I love you more. Belle said it best: “[You take me to] far off places, [with] daring sword fights, magic spells and a prince in disguise.” You take me from my humdrum life to places beyond my wildest dreams. I’m better having been with you, you expand my mind and vocabulary like no one or thing has. We have become like the adult Odette and Derek, loving each whatever the future may hold. You will forever be my first and deepest love!

With all my love, Ellie

What inanimate object would you write a love letter to? Share a paragraph of it below!