I am still a fledgling when it comes to blogging so I cut myself some slack when it comes to things like buttons and ease of navigation on my blog. I thought I had most of the basics covered. I discovered cool free backgrounds and templates at places like The Cutest Blog on the Block, The Background Fairy, and Hot Bliggity Blog.
I even figured out how to add one (Thanks Cuteset Blog on the Block!). I added music cause I thought, how fancy! I added links to causes that I care about. And even some that I don't. I added a whole list of blogs that I LOVE to frequent.
I eventually figured out how to add some of their buttons onto my blog. But only by saving the picture in my files and adding a "picture" widget to my blog layout. Those links listed under the button for easy buttoning are way beyond my skill! Now that I'm thinking about it..maybe you add an html widget and paste it in there. I will have to try that sometime...
Which brings me back to what is probably basic blogger knowledge. Pages. You know in the list where you can check your stats and your settings or your google ad-sense? Yeah those Pages. I seriously did not understand them.
Then I had a lightbulb moment while on another blog. They are the tabs I see at the top of almost every blog to make the navigation easier!! Hurrah!!
I will work on adding them soon, but since this is such a new/small blog I'm not even sure what to add! I'll be browsing all of my favorite blogs for ideas. Here's a "Thanks!" in advance for paving the way!
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
How to Peel a Kiwi
A few days back I sent an informative e-mail to a friend about some free online courses I found. Here's the link in case anyone is interested - Academic Earth. So an hour or so later I get this as a reply -
Thx for sharing...also do u know how to cut a kiwi? ill explain later......have a good night
I cracked up. She is hilarious. Her husband is also hilarious and thinking of starting a blog. It would be amazing if they did that. You should all leave a message and tell her it needs to happen. You won't regret it...I assure you they will have you rolling around in stitches!
I did not a clue how to cut a kiwi. I don't think I've ever even tried one. But being the super-sleuth that I am...nowhere near as great as this husband who found his nannies lost keys, however...I searched the internet to find a tutorial. Here is the e-mail that I sent back to her -
Thx for sharing...also do u know how to cut a kiwi? ill explain later......have a good night
I cracked up. She is hilarious. Her husband is also hilarious and thinking of starting a blog. It would be amazing if they did that. You should all leave a message and tell her it needs to happen. You won't regret it...I assure you they will have you rolling around in stitches!
I did not a clue how to cut a kiwi. I don't think I've ever even tried one. But being the super-sleuth that I am...nowhere near as great as this husband who found his nannies lost keys, however...I searched the internet to find a tutorial. Here is the e-mail that I sent back to her -
Lol no I don't. But I bet you
could find it online. And since I suggested that I decided to go
searching after I wrote that sentence. Here is a how to for getting the
kiwi out of its skin! Your e-mail may end up in a blog post. It made
me laugh!
And since I am incredibly awesome I forgot to put the link in the e-mail. This is not the first time I've done this to her. In fact I wonder how she puts up with me sometimes with the link-per-e-mail-ratio I have going.
Lol I am so bad at sending you links!!! What is it with me?!
At least I eventually remembered, right? That's what counts! Or so I tell myself...
If anyone needs to find a good tutorial on how to peel a kiwi give it a look! There's also a few other helpful hints on that site that I'm excited to check out (like the one on avocados...just in case I'm doing it wrong...cause you never know with me!).
Friday, January 27, 2012
Pinterest is my Mommy-crack of choice
Hi. My name is Heather and I'm addicted to Pinterest.
Phew! Ok, now that we have that out of the way I can go on to tell you how to tell if you are addicted (like me!).
You know your addicted to Pinterest when...
1) When you can't log into your account for a few days (or are too lazy to start up the computer..ahem...not that that is ever the case with me) one of the first things you want to do is browse through the new feed of pins. After checking your e-mail of course to see if you have new followers!
2) When multiple people post the same thing 20 times you become irritated and then decide it might be worth a look. And then you re-pin it.
3) You log in to find a recipe or a craft and end up glued to the screen for an hour (or 3...)
4) When your kids are yelling at you to do something you find yourself repeating "Ok hold on.", " In just a minute!", "I'm almost done...", "Is Caillou over already?" for the next 20 minutes to an hour. Depending on how demanding the small ones are and how long you've already been pinning that session.
5) You know when you get to the bottom of the page and it says "See more pins" your brain is telling you "No more!! NOOOOO MOORE!" but you just can't help but keep clicking it anyway.
6) When people have 86 followers, are following 354 people and have zero pins you wonder what the hell they're doing on Pinterest.
7) You pin things knowing you have no real intention of ever actually creating/cooking/building/etc it. (This is also known as the "Ohhh it's sparkly" disorder, which encompasses any and all things capable of making us say things like "Ohhhhh" even if it is an awesome Cabinet-door-turned-desk for the little ones)
8) You have to keep creating new boards to encompass your ever broadening collection of pins.
Well I hope that was helpful to some of you. Unfortunately I have no steps for anyone to help curb their addiction. Probably the best thing to do is not start. But I couldn't tell you not to try pinterest. After all I am an addict and must share it with the world!! So give it a shot, but if you become addicted you can't say I didn't warn you!
Phew! Ok, now that we have that out of the way I can go on to tell you how to tell if you are addicted (like me!).
You know your addicted to Pinterest when...
1) When you can't log into your account for a few days (or are too lazy to start up the computer..ahem...not that that is ever the case with me) one of the first things you want to do is browse through the new feed of pins. After checking your e-mail of course to see if you have new followers!
2) When multiple people post the same thing 20 times you become irritated and then decide it might be worth a look. And then you re-pin it.
3) You log in to find a recipe or a craft and end up glued to the screen for an hour (or 3...)
4) When your kids are yelling at you to do something you find yourself repeating "Ok hold on.", " In just a minute!", "I'm almost done...", "Is Caillou over already?" for the next 20 minutes to an hour. Depending on how demanding the small ones are and how long you've already been pinning that session.
5) You know when you get to the bottom of the page and it says "See more pins" your brain is telling you "No more!! NOOOOO MOORE!" but you just can't help but keep clicking it anyway.
6) When people have 86 followers, are following 354 people and have zero pins you wonder what the hell they're doing on Pinterest.
7) You pin things knowing you have no real intention of ever actually creating/cooking/building/etc it. (This is also known as the "Ohhh it's sparkly" disorder, which encompasses any and all things capable of making us say things like "Ohhhhh" even if it is an awesome Cabinet-door-turned-desk for the little ones)
8) You have to keep creating new boards to encompass your ever broadening collection of pins.
Well I hope that was helpful to some of you. Unfortunately I have no steps for anyone to help curb their addiction. Probably the best thing to do is not start. But I couldn't tell you not to try pinterest. After all I am an addict and must share it with the world!! So give it a shot, but if you become addicted you can't say I didn't warn you!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
How much do you like the cats?
My husband went to the Dr last Wednesday for a cold that just didn't seem to be moving on. He had a bad cough for a little over 2 weeks and finally decided he needed some help of the prescribed sort! It was a last minute appointment, they squeezed us in the same day we called, we were thrilled!
We also had dinner plans with some friends that evening so we all got ready and went along to the Dr. apt. (at 3:15pm) and figured we're be good to go and at our friends house by 4:30-5pm. I mentioned this is a tiny town, right? It takes us all of 10 minutes to get to the Dr.'s office from our house, maybe 15 mins if there's a bit of traffic. So we get there on time and sign in. Missy plays in the kiddie area with some other kids (I'm hoping she doesn't get sick from them while she's playing since she had just gotten over her double ear infection!) while we wait to be called back.
We wait for an hour. That has NEVER happened at this clinic! I couldn't believe it! But we were finally taken back, so that's a good sign right?
Apparently not this time. By this point it was 4:30 and Missy was cranky-pants! That's what I call her when she's being fussy or irritable. She thinks it's funny. Except when she's actually cranky. So this particualr instance she was really cranky! She was hungry and I hadn't packed a snack, she was thirsty and I hadn't brought her a sippy, she wanted to run around and play with the blood pressure cuffs and I didn't want to be liable for any issues she might create, so she was told NO. Too many times. It was full on war.
So I broke out the new and awesomely amazing IPod Touch that I got for Christmas which Missy loves and worships. It is my number 1 fail-proof method to calming her down and keeping her entertained while shopping, waiting or long car rides.
Miss Cranky Pants was beyond my fail-proof IPod method. This was not something I was going to be able to fix without food or a change of scenery. So I hauled her screaming butt to the car and we waited for Daddy out there. She had the run of the vehicle and took full advantage, which appeased her during the last 30 minutes of our wait. Phew!
Daddy finally gets into the car and hands me his paperwork for a prescription and the Dr.'s notes and instructions. In the 10 minutes the Dr was in the room with Hubby, Hubby went over his whole life's battle with allergies to, we don't know what to, but of something, and blamed it on the cats. So he got an extra prescription for allergies on top of the one for his cough, which is what he went in for.
This is how I found out e blamed our cats - I read the Patient Recommendations (because I'm a good wife who will nag him to do what's best) and found this in the middle of the paragraph -
"Consider how much you like the indoor cats."
I had to laugh. That has got to be the best advice he could have ever hoped to recieve, considering his dislike of our two cats. And also I laughed because the cats are not going anywhere, allergic or not. In that regard I'm a terrible wife. But I think he'll live. He might sneeze a bit now and then, but he'll live ;)
We also had dinner plans with some friends that evening so we all got ready and went along to the Dr. apt. (at 3:15pm) and figured we're be good to go and at our friends house by 4:30-5pm. I mentioned this is a tiny town, right? It takes us all of 10 minutes to get to the Dr.'s office from our house, maybe 15 mins if there's a bit of traffic. So we get there on time and sign in. Missy plays in the kiddie area with some other kids (I'm hoping she doesn't get sick from them while she's playing since she had just gotten over her double ear infection!) while we wait to be called back.
We wait for an hour. That has NEVER happened at this clinic! I couldn't believe it! But we were finally taken back, so that's a good sign right?
Apparently not this time. By this point it was 4:30 and Missy was cranky-pants! That's what I call her when she's being fussy or irritable. She thinks it's funny. Except when she's actually cranky. So this particualr instance she was really cranky! She was hungry and I hadn't packed a snack, she was thirsty and I hadn't brought her a sippy, she wanted to run around and play with the blood pressure cuffs and I didn't want to be liable for any issues she might create, so she was told NO. Too many times. It was full on war.
So I broke out the new and awesomely amazing IPod Touch that I got for Christmas which Missy loves and worships. It is my number 1 fail-proof method to calming her down and keeping her entertained while shopping, waiting or long car rides.
Miss Cranky Pants was beyond my fail-proof IPod method. This was not something I was going to be able to fix without food or a change of scenery. So I hauled her screaming butt to the car and we waited for Daddy out there. She had the run of the vehicle and took full advantage, which appeased her during the last 30 minutes of our wait. Phew!
Daddy finally gets into the car and hands me his paperwork for a prescription and the Dr.'s notes and instructions. In the 10 minutes the Dr was in the room with Hubby, Hubby went over his whole life's battle with allergies to, we don't know what to, but of something, and blamed it on the cats. So he got an extra prescription for allergies on top of the one for his cough, which is what he went in for.
This is how I found out e blamed our cats - I read the Patient Recommendations (because I'm a good wife who will nag him to do what's best) and found this in the middle of the paragraph -
"Consider how much you like the indoor cats."
I had to laugh. That has got to be the best advice he could have ever hoped to recieve, considering his dislike of our two cats. And also I laughed because the cats are not going anywhere, allergic or not. In that regard I'm a terrible wife. But I think he'll live. He might sneeze a bit now and then, but he'll live ;)
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Daddy Needs a Kitty
The other day Missy and I were lounging on my bed while Daddy played his video games and it occurred to her that there are 3 of us and only 2 cats! She did a run down for me so I would be sure not to miss a thing. It went something like this:
Missy - "Oh no! Daddy need a kitty cat! (There's) One for Missy an one fer Momma but not one for Daddy! We havta get one for Daddy!"
Mommy - "Daddy needs his very own kitty cat?"
Missy - "Yeah. We need ta fin one fer Daddy!"
She was completely serious and sooo upset to find that Daddy did not, in fact, have his very own kitty cat. It was so adorable and sweet that she wanted him to be included and have his own furry pet, and so we went to inform him of his need of a kitten.
Daddy was shocked when we told him that this was a necessity! We sold it hard, but Daddy just wasn't taking the bait. Apparently he did not need his very own cute and cuddly kitty cat. Missy wasn't thrilled to learn that her Daddy wasn't interested in adopting one for himself, but she accepted his explanation well enough and went about her business.
It amazes me how completely selfless and giving she can be when she's not so preoccupied with all of her own wants and toys. But then again, that's a majority of us at any age!
Missy - "Oh no! Daddy need a kitty cat! (There's) One for Missy an one fer Momma but not one for Daddy! We havta get one for Daddy!"
Mommy - "Daddy needs his very own kitty cat?"
Missy - "Yeah. We need ta fin one fer Daddy!"
She was completely serious and sooo upset to find that Daddy did not, in fact, have his very own kitty cat. It was so adorable and sweet that she wanted him to be included and have his own furry pet, and so we went to inform him of his need of a kitten.
Daddy was shocked when we told him that this was a necessity! We sold it hard, but Daddy just wasn't taking the bait. Apparently he did not need his very own cute and cuddly kitty cat. Missy wasn't thrilled to learn that her Daddy wasn't interested in adopting one for himself, but she accepted his explanation well enough and went about her business.
It amazes me how completely selfless and giving she can be when she's not so preoccupied with all of her own wants and toys. But then again, that's a majority of us at any age!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Snag A Camera Giveaway : Enter to Win a Nikon D700 or Canon 5D MKII plus lens
Enter here to win your choice of a Nikon D700 (body only, which means no lens) or Canon 5D MKII plus a 85 1.8 lens! A second prize of a $100 amazon gift card will also be awarded if you post the link on your blog, Pinterest or Stumble Upon.
I just entered and if you click on my link to get to the website it will increase my number of entries! And if you spread the word like I'm doing, it will increase your odds too!! Goodluck!!
I also added a banner you can click on (located under the picture of hubby and Missy) which will also take you directly to the Snag A Camera Giveaway!
(This is not a paid promotion, and I'm not doing this because of anything other than I would LOVE to win such a nice camera and if I can't win then I would still LOVE to see you win!! I seriously jumped around like a jack-rabbit when I found this giveaway - it's something I've been looking to get myself for a while now! Yay for opportunitues! Now go make your opportunity happen, too!)
I just entered and if you click on my link to get to the website it will increase my number of entries! And if you spread the word like I'm doing, it will increase your odds too!! Goodluck!!
I also added a banner you can click on (located under the picture of hubby and Missy) which will also take you directly to the Snag A Camera Giveaway!
(This is not a paid promotion, and I'm not doing this because of anything other than I would LOVE to win such a nice camera and if I can't win then I would still LOVE to see you win!! I seriously jumped around like a jack-rabbit when I found this giveaway - it's something I've been looking to get myself for a while now! Yay for opportunitues! Now go make your opportunity happen, too!)
Avocado Sauce
In an effort to beat my endometriosis I have decided to go on a vegetarian diet. But forever. Not like a diet where you lose 10 pounds and then YAY I can eat chocolate again...but one that I have to rearrange my lifestyle and keep it up! So far, it's going really well. There are so many times that I think this is ridiculously hard but it's really only hard because I make it hard. Like going to a restaurant and you know you LOVE their chicken tenders or philly cheese steak subs...yummmm!
And then remembering you can't have those...uhg! Your mind comes screeching to a halt when it remembers that.
But it's only getting easier to remember what is off limits and adjusting to finding things that suit me now.
Finding things that suit the whole family, however, not so easy!
Which brings me to the point of this post. My avocado sauce for noodles! Also an inspiration from Pinterest.
You can find the original recipe here - Avocado Alfredo
I used 2 Avocados (which I actually forgot to picture...how could I forget the avocados????), basil, salt (not pictured), pepper, garlic, onion, and lime juice (from the plastic squeezable lime) for the sauce and then noodles and butter to add to them once they were strained. I like things like corn and tomatoes in my guacamole and even though this is supposed to be like an alfredo sauce I went ahead and wanted to add those in. The frozen corn was boiled and strained with the noodles. The tomatoes were a complete afterthought and were canned chopped tomatoes that I squeezed the juice out of and then plopped into the completed sauce.
This is not the best picture I had, but it was the only one that would cooperate and load right side up! Curse my limited knowledge of making things do what I want!
I chopped up the onion (about 1/4th would be good)and scooped out the avocado (2 ripe) then added them to a mixing bowl with the garlic (heaping teaspoons worth for me), basil (shake shake shake! but really it was about 2 teaspoons), lime juice(I added too much of this, so I would say only add 1 teaspoon and then you can add more if need be) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then we blended away!
It was a little more pureed than I intended, but it was a good saucey consistency. You can see I've added the tomatoes (just a few because they were canned and I didn't think it would really have the same flavor).
Add to your noodles!
And then remembering you can't have those...uhg! Your mind comes screeching to a halt when it remembers that.
But it's only getting easier to remember what is off limits and adjusting to finding things that suit me now.
Finding things that suit the whole family, however, not so easy!
Which brings me to the point of this post. My avocado sauce for noodles! Also an inspiration from Pinterest.
You can find the original recipe here - Avocado Alfredo
I used 2 Avocados (which I actually forgot to picture...how could I forget the avocados????), basil, salt (not pictured), pepper, garlic, onion, and lime juice (from the plastic squeezable lime) for the sauce and then noodles and butter to add to them once they were strained. I like things like corn and tomatoes in my guacamole and even though this is supposed to be like an alfredo sauce I went ahead and wanted to add those in. The frozen corn was boiled and strained with the noodles. The tomatoes were a complete afterthought and were canned chopped tomatoes that I squeezed the juice out of and then plopped into the completed sauce.
I chopped up the onion (about 1/4th would be good)and scooped out the avocado (2 ripe) then added them to a mixing bowl with the garlic (heaping teaspoons worth for me), basil (shake shake shake! but really it was about 2 teaspoons), lime juice(I added too much of this, so I would say only add 1 teaspoon and then you can add more if need be) and a pinch of salt and pepper. Then we blended away!
It was a little more pureed than I intended, but it was a good saucey consistency. You can see I've added the tomatoes (just a few because they were canned and I didn't think it would really have the same flavor).
Add to your noodles!
Bah for bad camera quality...and awful photography skills for this recipe!
It was a good meal and I would absolutely make it again, but Hubby and Missy were not as thrilled to have even seen this sit in front of their faces. At first Missy was excited by "green sauce" but decided after a few bites it just wasn't for her. But, at least she tried!
My version is altered from the original posters recipe, so you might try hers (it looks way more appetizing than mine does) and hopefully you will love it! If you love avocados, you will probably love this recipe!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Missing Lauren
There really don't seem to be many updates on this case (in the papers or online) but I wanted to post a reminder just in case anyone is out there reading this. Please keep your eyes open. She's been missing since November 21st 2011 so I'm sure most people are thinking if she hasn't been found by now she's probably dead. I can't argue with that, but if there is any chance that she is alive, and I believe until they find her body there is a chance, then it can only be of help to keep your eyes peeled for this girl!
Here is a link to the facebook page dedicated to finding her : Help find Lauren Smith
Thanks for any help you're able to provide, whether it be spreading the word, keeping an eye out or submitting a helpful tip for the police.
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