Windows Writer and Scrapbooking Your Blog

So…more exciting news I have discovered about using Windows Writer.  I was in the process of cleaning out old pictures and files in my computer today and came across a file called “My Weblog Posts”.  I had no idea what is was and almost deleted it.  When I clicked on it, it had all the posts I have created using Windows Writer in a neat little folder…all organized.  So, evidently each time I post it automatically saves that post in a Document that is ready to PRINT!!!!  All the pictures, fonts and backgrounds are laid out exactly how they appear on my blog and all I have to do is push the print button.

Do you know what this means?  Do you care what this means?  

Well, if you remember my old, old post about Scrapbooking Your Blog.  This means that the bulk of this long process is now done for me.  The most tedious part of  scrapbooking my blog was copying and pasting EACH…INDIVIDUAL…POST!  Ugh!

So, If you don’t have a Mac (I think I am the only person on the planet who does not own a Mac – so this information will probably only make me excited.  You Mac users probably have a magic button on your computer that prints out your blog and it pops out of your computer screen already made into a bound book.)  and you use your blog for memory sake and want to scrapbook your blog each year, than using Windows Writer is a MUST! 

Yippeeee!

My Funny Little Colton

Excuse me while I ramble a little about my sweet little Colton. This little guy is one funny boy. He is the spice that our boring little family needed. He definitely keeps us on our toes...he is so active and NEVER stops! WHEW! Sometimes I wonder why God didn't give him to me when I was younger and had more energy? :) I used to think that kids were the way they were because of how well the parents did raising them. While I still believe this to be true, I now realize that some things are out of your control and your children can have completely different personalities and behaviors. I guess I knew this before, but now I REALLY know it from experience. I used to think that Adam was so good and quiet in restaurants when he was a toddler because Mark and I were such good parents. HAAAA! I now realize that Adam was just a quiet kid by nature.

Here is a video of Colton's latest trick. He packs his food in his mouth as fast as he can...using both hands.

Then he will sit there with this look on his face because he has too much food in his mouth and cant chew it all.

On the verge of choking. I typically will then have to reach my fingers in his mouth and clear out all the soggy food! UCK. I am learning to put one piece of food on his tray at a time.

A little side note about the high chair in the pictures above. This clever invention has preserved my sanity. Colton is so active that in order for him to sit he has to be harnessed in. A simple lap strap will not do for him. He will not sit in those wooden high chairs they have in restaurants and when we put him in them he instantly figures out how to unhook the little belt and will stand on the high chair seat (or grocery cart when shopping) and say over and over "sit down...sit down" because he knows this is what we say to him when he does it. I guess he figures he will go ahead and correct himself since he knows it is coming. This will go on and on and obviously results in a nice enjoyable meal for everyone. :) So, we got this.
This high chair folds up like a umbrella stroller and we just keep it in our van so we can have it on hand all the time. It is also nice because it has its own tray and sits a little lower than most tables, so Colton cant reach our food and try to destroy it. Which is another one of his favorite things to do. Without fail we always have at least 2 or 3 people come to our table and ask us where we got it. So I thought I would pass it on and let all you mommies of HIGH ENERGY toddlers know that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this product!

And just to keep it real...Here are some classic Colton pictures.

It is against my better judgement to post the next picture. I should be too embarrassed. But like I said...Keepin it real! Check out that sweet TV (circa 1980). And do you think he could be sitting any closer? Oh and nothing like PJ's still on in the afternoon. PLEASE nominate me for Mother Of The Year! :)

So, in light of these pictures. I think I am going to start a new series called "Keepin it Real". Maybe it will be a weekly post that will include a picture of something I would normally be embarrassed to share with the world. Like my favorite junk drawer...who am I kidding there is more than one junk drawer in this house. Or a picture of my hair when I wake up in the morning. What do you think? Any of you want to participate in "Keepin it Real" day? Does anyone even read this blog????? :)

WHY!!??

I don't know what I was thinking! I have never shopped black Friday...EVER. But for some reason I felt the need to go to Old Navy at 3 am this morning (like I need another $5 polar fleece jacket) and then over to Target. This was my first and last time to shop black Friday. I can check it off my list of things to never do again. The crowds were crazy and the lines were miles long. I am seriously lucky to be alive. Insanity! I was able to snag a special deal on a certain requested Christmas item for a little boy who has been very good this year, so I guess it was worth it...kind of.

Hair Update:

Don't you hate it when you put up your pre lit, piece of junk Christmas tree and this happens?

I think we have a few bulbs out. I seriously want to take this thing and throw it in the street. We usually get a real tree, but I tried to pull this thing out of the attic and make it work this year. Mistake.

A Moment Of Silence Please

Only those of you who have known my husband for a long time will truly be able appreciate this post.

I am sad to report that the "Ohio Hog" has finally bit the dust. (Please insert your moment of silence here for our dear friend that has served us well...RIP) This beauty has been Mark's sole form of transportation for the past 14 years! That is right...since his college days! He was determined to drive her till she died (Yes, he is VERY frugal) and even joked with Adam that he would pass it on to him one day. Honestly, I thought and hoped this day would come years ago...but oh no...this pretty lady just kept hanging on. The red paint had faded so much that she had turned an almost pink color. Real nice.

I cant say that I share the same sadness felt by Mark and Adam for this timely passing. This truck holds alot of fun memories for both of them and was even featured as the backdrop for our 2006 Redneck Christmas Card! Oh Yeah! (picture was taken in the dead heat of summer and Adam had on snow boots, cowboy hat, no shirt and a plastic sword - love it)
However, I am giddy with excitement because Mark has now taken over driving my old car so I got a new mini van!!!! WHOO HOO! Livin large! And by "new", I mean new to us, but old to someone else who didn't want her anymore! :)
You would think I got a fancy sports car or something...I am so excited! Never thought I would have or like a mini van, but I do.

Coverplay...why didnt I think of that?

Have you ever watched someone come out with a great invention and wondered "Why didnt I think of that"? This happened to me Sunday night while watching Shark Tank (the new show on ABC where inventors pitch their ideas to possible investors) most of the ideas and inventions are a little kooky, but these 2 sassy, cute lady's came out to pitch their wonderful idea. A SLIPCOVER FOR A PACK & PLAY!!!!

Seriously, how many times have you laid your sweet baby down in a nasty hotel pack in play and wondered where that thing had been before you got it. Or you have an old pack and play that is a little worn out from previous children . Or your old pack & play was for a girl and now you need to use it for a boy. Well, CoverPlay has invented a slipcover that fits most pack and play's (port a crib, play yard...whatever you call them) and they are in the cutest fabrics too! You can take them off and wash them...take them with you when staying at a hotel...keep them on you pack and play at home and be able to wash it when it gets dirty as opposed to letting your baby fester in the germs! :) Check out the video here.

I just ordered this one for myself.

I think they sell them at target, but I got mine on ebay for $28 so you might want to check there first. Just thought I would pass it on in case you are interested. Dang it, why didnt I think of this!?

A Little This and That

Is it me or has there been a lull in the blogging community? I am not finding many inspiring things to blog about lately (other than my sweet boys) but I hope we all get back into the groove soon. :) I miss all the blogging excitement and daily posts! For lack of anything better to post, I will leave you with some recent projects.

I wanted to do something special with the photos we had taken at the hospital, so I made this photo charm necklace with a personalized inscription on the back.

Then I thought about possibly selling these in the shop and wanted to try out some other styles and options and got a little carried away.

I love both of these pictures...and love that I can wear them on a necklace now.

Some of you may have seen this post on Carolina Clipper (hope she doesn't mind me mentioning her?) After seeing her post, I decided to give Vista Print a try and get some FREE stuff. (you can see her link to find out all the details) I received my order and let me just say that I am IMPRESSED. The quality of these cards are excellent...really thick papers and good print quality. All I had to pay for was shipping...here is what I got for a total of $11.17 shipping)
250 business cards...FREE!
10 note cards for Adam to use for birthday cards...FREE
10 folded note cards with envelopes for Colton...FREE

100 postcards for out family. I have already used these for gift tags and thank you notes. 100 cards for FREE people! I paid extra for envelopes for these.

Another 100 note cards that I got with a Christmas design. I thought these would be perfect for Christmas gift tags. Since there are 100, I think I will be set for a few years.

I also got 280 return address labels, but I wont post a picture since it has my address printed on them and I dont want any crazy people tracking me down! :)

This site is mainly for business type designs, so you really have to think out of the box for how you can customize them for your family. Now that I got my first order my mind is racing with all the different options.

- I am going to get some more business cards with just our name on them and use for gift tags.

- I just discovered you can upload photos for a SMALL fee and use the photo as your design...HELLO...Christmas Photo Post Cards...100 for almost free!

- Personalized teacher gifts. You could have them say "A note from Mrs. ___" and she could use them for notes to send home to parents. They had a cute design with a school bus.

Like I said, Carolina Clipper has the details...but I basically just went to the Vista Print site and signed up for an account and then I started getting emails almost every other day with the advertised FREE items. I recommend getting several items in one order so your shipping will be combined. OK, just thought I should pass it on and let you know I highly recommend!

You MUST Try These!

*Warning - this post is from a fat pregnant lady who only thinks about food.*

OK, I was never a Bojangles fan and we have only been there maybe one time in the past 5 years. However, my sister Noel & BIL told us about these incredible BO BERRY BISCUITS they discovered there. While we were up at the lake this weekend we went out to get some for breakfast. INCREDIBLE is all I can say. I cant even begin to describe them. They may sound like a simple blueberry biscuit, but don't fool yourself. They make them fresh each time you order them so they are served hot from the oven. They are great for breakfast or dessert. I actually just had Mark bring some home from work today and I told Noel her job is to bring me some in the hospital. As if I really need them!

I found this recipe online for Bo Berry Biscuits. I have not tried it as I would much rather go to the drive thru and get mine. But some of you might want to try it out.

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Random Confession About Spellcheck

OK, I am going to go ahead and state what has probably become obvious to most of you who read my blog. I am horrible at spelling and even worse at punctuation. I skipped college and went to beauty school people...what do you expect! I am sure my husband is mortified every time he reads my blog because he is a English teacher and notices every little mistake and I have had my sisters point our several mistakes for me in the past. Like when I meant to write that I was a "loser mom" the other day but had put "looser"! I am also embarrassed to say that I did not even notice that there was a spellcheck button on blogger posting until a few months into my blogging. When I look back at my first few posts I am mortified to see how many mistakes there are.

I am saying all this because I have now become so stressed out when commenting on other people's blogs, because there is no spellcheck when you comment. I am sure almost all my comments I leave on your blogs are filled with horrible mistakes and you probably wonder if I even passed 8th grade. I told Mark the other day to forget college, I need to go back and do high school over again. So I just wanted to put this disclaimer out there so that you will all know that I do recognize this problem and I am aware of it. Please just ignore all the mistakes I make when commenting on your blogs and don't make fun of me behind my back! :)

Pregnancy Can Be Weird

...randomness that might not interest you...

I don't really remember having any weird pregnancy symptoms or cravings when I was pregnant with Adam. Maybe I did have them, but it has just been so long ago I have forgotten. But this pregnancy has been so different and it seems I keep having these weird symptoms and cravings that I don't even realize are related to the pregnancy till I google them and find out they are quite common.

For example...A few weeks ago my teeth had become so sensitive. It wasn't just one tooth but every tooth in my head and especially my 2 front teeth. They felt like they were made of glass and were shattering. It got so bad that if I even opened my mouth to breath in air, the air hitting my teeth would be so painful and would make my teeth feel like they were falling out or breaking. CRAZY, I know! I was in so much pain and was ready to call the dentist because I thought something was seriously wrong. Then Mark came in and said he had googled it and found out that it was a pregnancy symptom. Who Knew?! Once I started drinking more milk, the problem went away.I am not a big candy or chocolate person in my normal life, but the pregnancy has turned that around. I cant get enough chocolate and sweets. It is out of control, but I just crave it all the time. It is also not helping with the weight gain situation. Wonderful! And, my latest pregnancy craving and must have is...

Thats right. Ice! I am obsessed with crunching on ice. There is nothing more annoying than listening to someone chew or crunch on something, especially ice. And I know it must be annoying to the people around me, but I cant help it. I could crunch on ice all day. I was at work on Monday just crunching away all day and then realized that the poor girls in the cubicles next to me probably wanted to strangle me. Sorry Sally, Heather & Christa! :) I cant help it.

I have even narrowed it down to my favorite ice to crunch. SONIC! They have the best ice. It is the little crushed pellet ice. Perfect! I order a limeade, but I don't even care about the flavor...I really just want the ice. Do you think they would charge me for just a cup of ice? I might try that next time to avoid paying for a drink I don't want, just so I can get the ice.

*Update*

I just found this article about other people that like to crunch on sonic ice. It seems it is so popular they sell it by the bag! Oh my! You know where I will be tomorrow.

You will also notice in my comments that "Nurse Betty" has advised me that chewing ice could be a sign of anemia. I googled it and it seems to be true. Hmmm. Better check on that.

Can somebody help me?

Like many of you, I started blogging as a way to document what is going on in our lives and to replace having to scrapbook, which I hate doing. But I am having trouble turning my blog into a scrapbook. I have been working with the Blurb website, but was surprised to see that it does not download your posts in the same format it appears on your blog. My pictures will not appear in the order they were on my blog and I basically have to reformat everything, which is like posting all the information all over again. This would take hours and days. Do any of you know if there is an easier way to turn your blog into a scrapbook where it will appear in its normal format? Please let me know and suggestions and advice! :)

Sweetheart, Sweetie or Honey!

**Warning** When I am pregnant I do not think rationally and things that would normally never bother me will really irritate me! Allow me to vent!

This morning after dropping my son off at school, I decided to go through the drive thru at Burger King to get some french toast sticks. (side note - I never go to BK! But the baby had a random craving and I had to take care of it) As the young man (probably in his teens or very early 20's) opened the window, he said 'Here you go sweetheart". Then I gave him my money and he handed me the change and he said "Thanks Sweetie! Have a nice day". This is not the first time I have noticed this happening. There was one time when a 16 or 17 year old girl was checking me out at CVS and called me sweetie. Or the time a very young waitress called me Honey. I realize we live in good ol Virginia, where southern hospitality and red neck livin is alive and well. Dont get me wrong, I love it and love the friendliness we have around here. But something just gripes me about a little teeny bopper calling me Sweetheart, Sweetie or Honey! I guess there are worse things they could be calling me and maybe I should be happy they are not calling me Ma'am, Mom (I know that is Donna's favorite), Lady, Woman! I just feel like the only people that should call me Sweetheart, Sweetie or Honey is my husband, parents or someone at least 20 years older than me!This post is further proof that my life has not been too exciting lately and I dont have anything better to blog about than my trip to BK! Sad!

God Bless America...and Sarah Palin!

I know I am a little late to post about the McCain/Palin 08 hoopla this week. Most of you blogging friends were right on top of things and showing your support on your Blogs immediately. However, I must admit that it took me a while to get on board with the Palin choice (GASP!). My sisters can tell you about the almost heated discussions we got into over the Labor day weekend :) But rest assured that after her speech the other night and the events over this past week, I am now on board 100% and ashamed that I questioned her for one second. I know we have all watched this footage a million times, but in honor of Palin (and as a way to say I am sorry) I thought I would post this clip of the highlights from her speech. I am all of the sudden pumped up about this election. My yard will be littered with McCain/Palin signs and bumper stickers all over the back of my car.