Aunt Beckie

Me and my adorable "no name yet" nephew! I'm a Aunt for the second time......yippie!
It's amazing the love you feel for someone you've only know for an hour :)
Makes me ever so slightly baby hungry.
That is until my kids get home at 3:30 from school...lol (just kidding)

Introducing a new blog of mine!

I am so excited to introduce my new blog to you guys!

You're Invited is dedicated to all things party.....here you will find ideas for birthdays, showers, weddings and much more! I will post some of my ideas as well as those from fabulous people in blog party land!

So head on over and let me know what you think!
(remember...it's a work in progress)

Why? Why? Why?

Thanks again to Joy for blog swappin with me yesterday!



FYI: I am battling the strep throat and it's KICKING MY BUTT!
I hardly ever get sick so this is driving me insane!
And for someone who never gets sick, couldn't I be eased into it with like a flu or something? Seriously.
Needless to say, I will be MIA from this blog for a couple of days.....maybe just maybe I can muster up the strength to do the Featured Friends Friday.
We will see.
Now I'm off to drink my Theraflu, watch LMN and suck on my $3.00 throat numbing suckers....yep you heard right...$3.00 a sucker!

***Don't forget to check out the featured blog on the top of the left sidebar***

I am trendy?!

I am back from my short blogging break! We had family visiting to celebrate my grandpa's 80th birthday! And Mother's Day was great too...let's just say last week was pure craziness.

How thrilled am I to have received my first blog award from Leslie over at Night Owl Crafting!
Leslie and I did our first blog hop last Wednesday, which was so much fun....go check her out!

So here's my award...


LOVE IT!
To receive this award you have to promise to share this with 10 other BLOGS that you think are Trendy too! Easy peasy.

Just post about your award in your blog

List your Top 10 Trendy Blogs

Share with them

Leave a link to the Trendy Blog Button

Tell them they need to give this award out to 10 as well.

So here are my Top Ten picks...(blogs that I can't go a day without reading :)

The ladies over at Crush (adorable blog)
The sisters at Eighteen25
Brandy over at Home Sweet Home
Anj at Multi Purpose Wings
Jan at The Simpler Life
Michele at The Scrap Shoppe
Brittany at Love Stitched
Mindy at The Twisted Copycat
Kimbo at A Girl and a Glue Gun
Angie at A Bushel and a Peck

I hope you all have fun checking out these fabulous blogs.
Also if you see your blog here please follow the rules as not to break the chain
and pass it along!

Come back later for On the Menu Monday....

I'm a space cadet!

OH MY WORD!

I totally spaced Ta-dah Tuesday linky party!

I told you I was losing it...(refer to post below)

So if you stopped by today expecting to link up, I'm sorry :)

Do come back tomorrow though....I have a super cute idea to show you all!

Would love to know what you think!

I have to say, I really LOVE blogging and meeting new friends out there in blogland! I have noticed my followers have grown and I just want to say thank you and "what's up?" :) I have been in a bit of a rut as far as everything and need to get out before the rut gets bigger and deeper! Blogging, crafting, mommying, laundry, cleaning....I'm not the only one right? Where's my energy? I think it's the lack of Dr. Pepper running through my veins. I haven't had one since January 1st and I have never wanted one more! Ahhhh...my Diet Pepsi will have to do. Ok, enough of my rambling...

So I put myself out there with my Ta-dah Tuesday linky party and I'm diggin it! How about you? Would you be interested in doing blog swaps? I would love to get some of your input as far as this blog goes....so please, pretty please vote and or leave me a comment and let me know!

So THANK YOU MUCH if you voted and onto On the Menu Monday even though it's 9:45 pm :)

Four Cheese Ravioli with Herb Oil

I found this recipe in Woman's Day magazine. Click on the picture to get the recipe!

In a rut?

I have been in a project rut. Not quite sure what my problem is....maybe it's all the crappy weather we've been having. And the fact that I finally have a yard ready so that I can actually plant my shrubs and trees and flowers and all that fun stuff, but it rains :(
Anyway, I'm gonna whip out my book of a thousand of ideas from blogland and get to work.

And I have a few ideas rolling around my head as far as my bloggity blog goes.
Check back on Monday because I will need your imput!

Alrighty, I'm off to enjoy the movie Earth with my girls.....hope you all have a fun and fabulous weekend!

GLEE!

Is anyone else even remotely as excited to see this tonight as I am?

I never got into the season last year, but I saw them perform on Oprah last week (that woman can get people to do almost anything I think) and I was hooked. Next thing ya know I'm signing up for Netflix so I can watch the episodes. But only getting one disc at a time was driving me nuts so my sweet hubby bought me the season. I watched it over the weekend and now I'm counting down the hours until it's on tonight after American Idol....am I a geek or what?!
Am I alone in this obsession?

Also, thanks to those who have linked up so far on my first ever linky party!
Check it out below!

Ta Da Tuesday happening tomorrow!

It's happening! I have fallen victim to Mr. Linky. I am going to do my first linky party.....TOMORROW! I am pretty excited about it too. So I hope all of you will check back tomorrow and link up your creative ideas or ways you have saved money! This is a great way to get yourself out there and make new blogging friends!



Also, check out my On the Menu Monday post below....Porcupine Meatballs!

Who wants to party?

I am so curious to know what you all think of my new header! Diggin it? Hating it? Wish I would go back to the old header?

Please let me know what you think! Be honest, you won't hurt my feelings....ok maybe a little...lol!

Also, I'm positive many of you know what a linky party is right? I would LOVE to try out my first party, but I'm scared that I would get like 2 links and be totally bummed out. Would you all help me out and join a party?

Please leave a comment because I would love to hear what you think!

chchchchanges :)

Please ignore the psycho changes you may see tonight on this blog header.
I'm trying a few things to see if I wanna change it!

Thanks!

Eclipse

Thought some of you would enjoy this...Ahhhhhhh

A must read

For all of you who use coupons and have been judged because of it or for those of you who are scared to use coupons or better yet people that get annoyed with people that use coupons....please read this post written by the fabulous lady over at Coupon Gal!

Things that annoy me

Sorry. I feel a slight need to vent or rather allow some insight (because I really am in a good mood), but let you know a little more about me and what drives me boonkers. Sometimes it just feels good to let it out.....ya know? so....

- Empty toilet paper rolls....still on the roll! Arrrggghhh...I mean, take the time to put a new roll on while your SITTING there. What else do you have to do?

- Words like ointment, moist, artsyfartsin, yogurt, crisp :) make me cringe. And my family feels the need to use these words as much as possible.

- Drivers that don't use their blinker....can't read your mind people!

- Texting. I just DON'T get it. In the time it takes to text a conversation among two people, you could have called them and been done a lot sooner.

- Previews before movies. Don't really know why. I either paid for or rented the movie and would just like to get to it.

- When your standing in a really long grocery line and a new line opens up and the person behind you goes for the new line. Really? It's just rude don't you think. Next in line people, next in line should go first.

- Women food hoarders. I say women because my shopping experience has only involved them. I get that it's a good deal and you want to feed your family and all, but are you seriously going to use all 50 boxes of granola bars in the next month and a half before they go on sale again? It's called Coupon Common Courtesy :)

- Blue Tooths. I get the need for them, but when your out in public and someone is walking towards you and talking and you can't see the black thing shoved in their ear, naturally you assume they are talking to you. So you try to talk back and realize they aren't talking to you and they give you this "what is your problem" look and you feel like a total idiot and want to crawl under a hole and die. Not that this has happen to me, I'm just sayin....that's what I've heard. lol

- Weird products to buy on tv or anywhere for that matter. Sorry to anyone who may have purchased these things.
bumbit
snuggie
chia pet
shake weight
aqua globes

So I'm done. Rambling about my daily "drive me nuts' "! Thanks for listening. I am curious about yours. So please leave a comment and let it be know :)

I love Vegas (for the most part)

I've been having LOTS of fun here over the weekend (this would explain my slacking in the blog world)....will be back on Monday after some much needed sleep!
And boy do I have some stories to tell.

And HELLO! to my new followers! That's so fun to see!!!!

Happy Monday! and a new winner!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines Day! Can you believe the month is half gone?

So, a few things to talk about here. First, are any of you fellow bloggers out there having this problem. Every time I hit enter while writing posts it automatically double spaces my lines! Arrrrggghhh! It is beyond frustrating! I've tried everything, so if anyone has any suggestions I would LOVE the help!

Now on to the next item of business.
The winner of the Luck block set never contacted me :( so I needed to pick a new winner. And that winner is...

Staci of Craftify It! She said,

"I have seen a variety of the pendant necklaces, but yours have unique characteristics that I just LOVE & have never seen before! The LUCK blocks are ADORABLE!!!
I'm also a new follower! I love finding fun new blogs!"

Thanks Staci! Email me your address and I will get these out to you pronto!

Ok and finally....lately I have been really into finding and trying new and yummy recipes and trying to expand my families cookbook. Well I found this fabulous recipe over at Little Birdie Secrets (their button is on the left sidebar...so check em out) and it is super healthy, easy and delicious!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 Chicken Breasts, diced
Cook in a skillet with a little bit of oil.

When the chicken is done add the following:
1/4 c green onions dices
1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
2-3 Tbsp soy sauce
cilantro to taste

Stir in and cook for a few more minutes. When done place in lettuce and serve with peanut sauce.







Let me know if you try it and what you think! Makes a great lunch or for dinner serve it over some rice....Ahhhh.

So how about this....every Monday plan on a new recipe post from me! I'll try it, or try it on my family (hehehe) and if it passes the "Keep It or Delete It" vote, I'll post about it! Maybe I can help a little bit on building your recipe files!

poor computer

Been dealing with this...

Hope to be back super soon :(

Helping the People of Haiti

Many are aware of the horrible state that Haiti is in.
It is a shocking and sad situation.
Given the state of the "lovely" economy, I know many people feel like they can't help. But if everyone donated just one dollar? That would add up to many and help out in a way we would not even think possible. Did you know that 80% of Haitians don't even have access to clean water?

How to help the people of Haiti
1. American Red Cross
2. UNICEF
3. The Salvation Army

These websites are trustworthy and secure.
Be cautious when donating. Unfortunately there are people who take advantage of others in a time of need so just keep that in mind when you receive emails or text messages to donate.

Ask yourself the question...If something like this were to happen to me and my family would I be prepared? I did. And sadly the answer is no. How scary. This has caused me to get back on track with my food storage and emergency preparedness......(that's the plan anyway).....so if an emergency happens we don't have to run up to my mom's and mooch off of her. So if you see more posts about couponing, filling up that food storage, and emergency prepardness, don't be surprised!

:)

A definite must see...

Loved it! Loved it!

New uses for old things

I found a great article at msn.com about 50 new things to do with old things.....here are some of what they suggested. For the article go here!

Protect your camera while traveling in a soap container.

Apply cooking spray to your snow shovel to avoid snow buildup.

Use a flatiron to get in between the buttons on a nice shirt.

A tissue box is a great thing to use to store your plastic grocery bags.

The game of Twister would make an adorable birthday tablecloth!

An empty matchbox filled with needles, threads and safety pins
make an instant travel sewing kit.

Use candy lifesavers for a cute candle holder.

Lemons rubbed on a cutting board remove smells left behind and also get rid of the stains.
Also use them on your steel sink to make it shine then throw the rest of the lemon in the disposal to make it smell fresh!

Rubber bands around a glass can help your little one get a better grip.

Use a baster to make watering your plants easy.

Collecting coasters from your travels would make cute gifts tags.

The bristles of a toothbrush are a great way to clean up your corn.

Use computer pads and hot pads!

Use bobby pins to hold your pleats in place while you iron.