I have tried the past two nights to get a bunch of pictures scanned so that I could update my blog with my next entry from my trip. However, for some reason, my computer and my printer do not want to cooperate. I keep getting an "Error occurred communicating with the scanning device..." error when I try to scan. I have gone through all of the "fix it tips" that are recommended and still my scanner refuses to scan for me. Stubborn thing. (If anyone has any ideas as to what the problem might be, I am open to suggestions. LOL!) So...until I get that all figgered out, I thought I would share my visiting teaching "Happy Thing" for April! I know I'm a little late getting it posted this month, but considering how much has been going on, I'm thrilled to be getting it posted WITHIN the month of April. LOL! As soon as I saw these absolutely ADORABLE antiqued metal bird-feeders at Roberts Crafts, I knew I HAD to get them for my visiting teaching ladies this month. They are so fun!!!! The coordinate with a whole line of absolutely CUTE CUTE CUTE yard stakes, etc. (which you will see more of soon) and they were a MUST-BUY! I loved them so much that I had to get one for myself as well. I picked out the three above for my ladies and then sat there LITERALLY for almost 30 more minutes deciding which one I wanted for myself. I finally settled on the green one in the center with the sunflowers. I can't WAIT to hang it out on my tree. YAY!
Since this month's visiting teaching message focused on marriage, I decided to tie in the cute flower bird feeders with a cute and corny "Strive hard every day to make your marriage "Blossom"!" LOL! Hey...it works, right? Then, below, I just shared one of my favorite excerpts from this month's message. They turned out really cute and my ladies absolutely LOVED them!!! FUN, FUN, FUN! I have to admit, I went from Super VT all the way to Slacker VT for a few months of this year. NO MORE! I got a little overwhelmed, but am not happy that my visiting teaching was one of the things that was pushed to the back burner the past few months. That should not...and will not happen again. I love visiting teaching and look forward to it every month. It is such an incredible opportunity to be able to visit such wonderful sisters and get to know them better. Visiting teaching is a seriously divine concept....a way for us to get to know each other, look out for each other, serve each other and become united. I truly believe that if we had 100% visiting teaching all over the world, there would not be a woman in the world who didn't feel loved and accepted. It is an awesome awesome thing!!!!! LOVE IT!
Oh my goodness. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your attitude about Visiting Teaching. Would you be able to fit in a speaking engagement on this very issue in our ward RS? LOL! You are such an awesome example. Love the bird feeders! I need to find out if this store delivers to the Great White North.
Posted by: Lynn C. | April 22, 2008 at 11:47 PM
Heather here is a little tip that might work. Then again, it might not, but it is worth a try. When you get that message, press okay or whatever it is that you need to close the message and unplug the USB connection to your PC and plug it in again. Of course, that is if your scanner is connected via USB. I'm not sure why, but this has worked for me on occasion...good luck with it no matter what.
Posted by: Pamela | April 23, 2008 at 04:56 AM
Would you PLEASE be my VT? lol! So funny though...I saw these at Roberts two weeks ago and fell in LOVE with them! Especially the red one that looks like a Gerber Daisy...my fav flower!!! We are both so busy in our lives, but it continues to amaze me how similar we are! Hope all is well. I'm off for a girls weekend to Washington tomorrow!!! YEAH!!! So excited! Have a great weekend.
Posted by: Shelica | April 23, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Love those feeders. Super cute. I am with you on Visiting teaching. How great would it be if every women in this church was visited every month. the thing is EVERY women needs visit taught, whether or not from the outside they look like they are doing great, or if they are the RS president(or something), they need that feeling of being loved and taught too!! Happy Spring!!
Posted by: Kristyn | April 23, 2008 at 09:14 AM
Heather this is why I love you! I may just have to "lift" your idea for your V.T. tag. I have been looking/trying to think of something cute! Love your creativity!
I wish I was more "techy" but I am useless where the scanner is concerned. Good luck!
P.S. Good to see you posting again. You were missed:)
Posted by: Cherie | April 23, 2008 at 10:24 AM
I feel the same way about visiting teaching. I love it, and it is so worthwhile and is a blessing to women. I just wish more women would catch the spirit of it. Loved the bird houses. I like to give something with the lesson too. For anyone that might find it hard to get out until the end of the month this is something I learned from my very first VT partner. Put in on your calendar for the same day of every month. Like the 2nd Tues. That way nothing gets in the way, and you already are planning it. That works so good for me. :) (if I don't do that the end of the month sneaks up on me)
Posted by: Dawn | April 23, 2008 at 10:37 AM
what a darling idea! I LOVE your creativity!
Posted by: Hilary | April 23, 2008 at 12:57 PM
I LOVE visiting teaching too, even though we manage to miss the odd month, mainly through bad planning. One of the women I visiting teach is our Stake President's wife (she herself teaches early morning seminary at her home and then feeds all the students breakfast before they head to school!). I feel that this sister and her husband give so much to us in their Ward and Stake that maybe I can give a little back by doing my visiting teaching. They give so much of themselves to others that they need feeding too. It's easy to forget that. Thanks for your reminder of the importance of this great program!
Posted by: Joanne | April 23, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Love your visiting teaching "Happy Thing"!! I also love the V.T. program, it is truly inspired. Like I always say, wish you were my V.T. :-)
Have a happy day!
Posted by: Tracy | April 23, 2008 at 04:26 PM
great idea! I need to get my VT done this month too. I'm going to 100% this year! We'll see!
Posted by: autumn | April 23, 2008 at 05:30 PM
seriously Heather, I want you to be my visiting teacher! You always have the cutest things.. Darling and as usual extremely creative.
okay, so here's my two cents..growing up in a non-member household, I was always silently reaching out for a bit of what the "members" seemed to have. It was the little things like a friend inviting me to activities and seeing how the ward knew each other that made a big impact on my life and kept me coming back for more. So when I became an Active member at the ripe old age of 25 it was very hard for me to keep going because I still felt like an outsider. I was also going through a divorce and was trying to raise my two very young daughters all by myself. My first Visiting teacher was definitely inspired. she knew when to "drop by" and she knew exactly what to say when I needed encouragement. There were times when I was struggling with everything on my plate and She would stop by to bring me a card. When you're that low, something as small as a card can really change your life. She had 5 kids at home including 4 month old twins so I knew that she was a very busy person, but knowing that I meant enough to her to take time out of that busy schedule of hers and sit with me and sincerely get to know me even if only 15 minutes a month, really taught me alot about giving , loving, and supporting those around us. I don't think she knows how much she taught me, or how much those brief encounters meant to me. There are so many woman out there that are struggling and we don't even know it. If we ALL knew how much 15 minutes might mean to someone then maybe more of us would get out there.
I wonder if you even know how much you've changed someones life.
Thank you for being so genuine, and thank you for the inspiration.
Gosh, I feel like I need to hug you!
Posted by: Jessica | April 23, 2008 at 08:50 PM
Darling! What a fun VT you are! i am sure your girls look forward to your visit & treats each month. Thanks for sharing!
Raimi
Posted by: Raimi | April 23, 2008 at 11:39 PM
I hope you don't mind, but I copied this idea and gave it to 2 of my gals that I VT. I checked your blog on Wednesday night, saw this, and ran right out to Roberts the next day and bought 2 of them. My gals were dying at how cute they are! I actually have been eyeing these flower birdhouses and Roberts for weeks now, I'm so excited to have found something so cute to do with them. You are an AMAZING person and I so love checking in on you and your blog each week!
Posted by: Jen H. | April 25, 2008 at 11:24 PM
HEATHER...I had to copy your idea....but I used the cute little flower magnets from Rod-Works...(I think they must be from the same company as your flowers in the photo)
Thanks for the great ideas!
Posted by: Terry Oler | April 28, 2008 at 12:20 PM