I can be a "Light unto the World" Come Follow Me activity and website changes

I need to apologize for disappearing on you.  It was not my intention to just walk away for so long without saying anything but I could not find the right words.  I needed time to think and sit with this decision before I shared it with you. Honestly I'm not really sure what this blog will look like in regards to Come Follow Me activities.  I did know I needed to take a break and have come to realize stepping back is the best thing for me and my family.  

Here are a few things I do know: 

• I will not be posting the same quantity of activities in a post but the quality will be same. 
• They will remain free. 
• There will be no promise of a schedule and I will not even guarantee I will be posting every week. However I will share any activities or ideas I am using for my family. This may come in one post or a couple throughout the week.  Basically I'm not committing to anything as I work to figure out the details haha. 
• These posts will be shared by topic and not by reading for the week.  This will help in the future if you would like to search past topics for a current lesson.  I have been doing this for a few years so there are tons of ideas on pretty much every topic.  I'll be spending the next few months going back and labeling past posts with topics to make searching for ideas much easier. I will also be updating the Come Follow Me pages with the list of topics and not dates/reading schedule. New posts with then be automatically linked up by topic when it's ready.  I'll keep you updated on this project.

My only plan is to get back to why I started my blog in the first place. That is to help others as I share my passions..new and old. If you read my intro on the side of my page it says "Here you'll find crafts and tutorials, kids crafts & activities, thrifty decorating, family life, and whatever else comes our way in our "cozy red cottage." I really feel pulled to share more of a variety of ideas as our family goes through life.  We've had a really busy year with some hard things (some we are still navigating through) and this is my way of allowing myself grace without deadlines and the freedom to create, giving my attention to my family, and being able to keep going with this blog that I love so much without it feeling like one more thing on my to-do list.  It's been a long road for me to reach this place of being able to walk away from what has been working and helping so many of you. Hopefully it will still be a place you find useful and will want to hang out.  I appreciate all of you so much and I'm so thankful everyday for your kind messages and that you take the time to stop by my little spot on the internet.  This has been an amazing and unexpected experience and I look forward to seeing where this takes me and my family. 

Make sure to follow me on Instagram (I will be more active there) and facebook for additional ideas and post updates. My goal is to start sending out weekly emails with post updates as well.

If you made it this far I have a surprise for you!  I created a fun activity based on this week's Come follow Me lesson that we will be doing tonight for Family Night. We are reading D&C 102-105 this week and I am focusing on the scripture D&C 103:9. We will be taking about what it means to be a "Light unto the World." The plan is to watch one of the "Light the World" videos (here or here). Ask how can we "light the world" this week? To help answer this question we are going to go on a hunt for our lightbulb ideas.  Have your family (or class) close their eyes as you hide the lightbulbs around the room.  Have everyone open their eyes and search for the lightbulbs.  When one is found share and discuss with the group.  I did not add words so the images can spark your own ideas.  When all of the pictures are found, spend a few minutes drawing or writing 5 things you will do to be a "light unto the world" this week.  Draw 1 idea on each lightbulb.  Display in your room so you can refer to it during the week. *Bonus idea: If it's dark enough turn out the lights during your hunt and use flashlights to find the lightbulb cards. Your kids will love it!

Download the free Printables Here

Additional ideas for being a light and a peacemaker here

Thanks so much for stopping by!