Giveaway Time! My Memories Digital Scrapbooking

************This giveaway is now closed*********************

Congratulations to Tanya H!  She is the winner of the MyMemories Giveaway.  Thank you to everyone that stopped by and entered.

It's Giveaway Time again!  Woohoo!



I've had digital scrapbooking on my "to-do" list for quite some time.  I've checked out various programs but never got into the swing of it all.  I was offered a chance to try out My Memories Digital Scrapbooking software to see if it was something I wanted to share with my readers.  So pay attention all three of you!

The software is very easy to use and there are is a huge library of kits and add-ons available in their online store.  I made this scrapbook page within a few minutes.

If you remember, those pictures were the PicMonkey edits I made a few months ago.  When I found this background paper in the Outdoor Play kit by Lindsay Jane, I knew it would make a great page with these pictures.  Again, this is my very first project I've ever completed with any digital scrapbooking software.  It might seem pretty basic to some that have been doing pages, manually or digitally, for some time but I think for the first time out, it is very pretty.  I can't wait to have it printed out.  I might frame it instead of putting it in a book.  I can't wait to make more.

And you can make more than just scrapbook pages.  You could create your own Facebook timeline header for those of us that are trapped in that huge timesuck.  And MyMemories also offers a variety of custom gifts that you can create and have printed for you like prints, wall clings, tiles, apparel and so many other items.

And if you are really into digital scrapbooking, you can join the MyMemories Design Club.  For $5.99 per month you receive 5 kits every month, access to new kits 30 days before regular shoppers, and 5% off everything in the store for your first year of membership.  There are also free videos and tutorials to help you learn to create beautiful pages with the software on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/MyMemoriesSuite

MyMemories has offered to give my readers a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store ($20 value!)  To take advantage of the $10 discount, use this code at checkout:  STMMMS98980

Also, one lucky reader will win a download of the software for themselves!  To enter, simply go to the MyMemories site and tell me in the comments below which kit is your favorite.  Also check out ways to earn bonus entries.  Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



**Disclaimer:  I was given a free copy of the MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking software and $10 free to use in their online store to test the software for my opinions in this review.

The First Day of Pre-K (sob, sniffle)

Today was the first day of Pre-K in our house.

Yes, I know.  In my mind, she just learned to walk and now you're telling me she's in Pre-K.  You jest.

You don't jest?  Well, I'd prefer the jesting because this alternative is too crazy for me to wrap my mind around.

Yesterday I went to the Meet the Teachers orientation and I kept thinking "we aren't old enough to be here".  

Sadly, I am mistaken.  I just kept hugging her all day yesterday.  I think it got on her nerves.  Too bad.

And this morning dropping her off, she says to me, "I can get out of the car and go in by myself".

Oh, no.  No, no, no.  No, you can't, Missy!  I MUST walk you in myself.  That's my job.  We can do the drop and roll tomorrow morning but today is my day and I'm walking you in.  That's what I said in my head. What I said to her was "But honey, I have to get out and help you get all your supplies inside.  You don't want to tote all this yourself, do you?"

"Okay, Mommy."

Whew.  That was close.

I made it in with no tears.  She made it in with huge smiles.  Traitor.

Bean ran up to her new teacher and gave her a rose she picked off our rose bush.  Then she was ready to wash her hands and take her seat.

HOLD UP!

Um, where is Mommy's hug and kisses?

Then she's skipping off to begin her life as a Pre-K student and I rush back to my car.

All along the way I was told "Good morning", "have a great day".  I just wanted to get in the car.  No chit chat today.

I got in and started crying.  And that's okay because I guess that's what I'm supposed to do.  That's a Mom thing.

But I knew that while I was crying that my baby girl is growing up too fast, I knew that she was in her class smiling and enjoying herself and being excited to be a big girl.

And that's the way it should be.

We are very proud of you, Baby Bean.  We love you very much.  

Updating Bean's Decor

I think about a year ago, maybe two, who's counting...I posted a picture of this table and chairs one of my bosses gave me to have for Bean.  I knew immediately I wanted to re-do them.  I mean if you like the art-school-student-on-a-drunken-binge look, hey these were made for you.

I, however, am not a fan of such a look.

So I went and bought some paint at the lovely Home Depot.  That was almost a year ago.

So if we are following along the timeline of this project, we got the table and chairs two years ago, bought the paint a year ago, and now I have finally decided this look has to go!

So I pulled the table out onto the back porch, right next to The Redneck Pool, and started sanding.  By hand.  My hands.  Using sandpaper.  Whodathunkit?

This is what I got so far.

So I've gotten rid of the shiny surface along with the fact that all my fingernails have now be sanded down too.  I stopped because I had to make dinner and frankly, I wasn't sure what the next step was.  I figured I needed to get all the sanded stuff off but.....?  Yeah, what's the right way?  I emailed a friend to make sure I was proceeding correctly.  I also tried to call and text Hubz.  He couldn't be arsed.  Evidently he does not understand the urgency of this craft project.  Men.

Then since I was outside for probably the first time all summer and we all know I'm made of sugar, rainbows and lollipops, a mosquito bit me.  On the eyelid.  Who does that?  All of this creamy jiggly whiteness available to it and it goes for the eyelid.  Ass.

So I had had enough.  Crafting was done for the day.

So my next step is to sand the chairs and then dust everything off and wet it all down a little.

And apply bug spray.

I'll keep you updated as long as my interest stays on this project.  If it doesn't, forget you ever read this.

DIY: Redneck Pool

I thought I'd share this extremely helpful tutorial we came up with on beating the summer heat.

We do not have a pool.  We are not encumbered with monetary gains sufficient enough for such a recreational accessory.  (Like that? I used all the big words I could and I hope I used them all correctly.)

Yep, we be broke.

So when it's hot outside and you be broke like us, you have to invent ways to cool off.

Enter my brand new DIY idea - THE REDNECK POOL.

Here's what you need for such an undertaking of these magnanimous proportions.  (I'm going with that but I might not have used all those words correctly.  Such is life.)

1)  Galvanized tub - this one may or may not normally be used to wash our beloved doggies in.  If you don't see any problem with that, then yes, we use it to wash the dogs.  If you think it's gross, we've never washed a single animal in there and we never would.

2)  Water.

3)  Willing test participant.

Throw them all together.  Mix thoroughly.

Voila!

THE REDNECK POOL is born!

Enjoy the remaining days of summer!

An Ollie Update.

I've tried several times to take some pictures of Ollie that we could share here and give you all an update on his progress since having parvo.  When he sees me with the camera or my phone, he comes running and tries to attack the lens with his tongue.

I was able to get these shots this weekend of Bean and Ollie.  Bean was nursing a sunburned face in Mommy and Daddy's bed with some Cheez-It crackers.  Ollie was trying to help her with those crackers.

(Don't tell Hubz we all had crackers in the bed.  He gets a little upset.  Fuddy duddy.)

Ollie has bounced right back.  He is solid as a rock now.  Solid muscle.  And he's gained his weight back plus a little more.

She did what???

Everyday Bean comes home from her pre-PreK class with a note on how she behaved that day, if she ate well, and if she took a nap.  Yesterday when I picked her up, she gave me those puppy dog eyes and said "Mommy, I have to show you sumpfing."

This sentence is always a toss up on how it will end.  But it wasn't looking too good at that moment.

She opens her folder and hands me her sheet and says "I got a yellow today".

This is what the sheet said.

If you have wonky eyesight, here's a transcript:

"Bean had a fun day on our water slide today but after when she was changing with a friend she got upset with her and put her hairbow in the toilet."

Uh huh.

What, pray-tell oh parenting gods, am I supposed to do with that???

I clarified that it was another little girl's hairbow that was put in the toilet and it was.  Whew.  I'm sorry, don't mean to offend anyone but...ick.

Then she gave me more info.  "Mommy there was pee pee in the toilet too."

Oh goody.  Real nice, kid.

I asked what the other little girl had done to her to cause this reaction.  She said the other little girl slapped her.  This was not substantiated by the teacher this morning so I'll have to talk to her more about that.  The teacher did say that once Bean had realized what she did and that the hairbow was floating in with the pee, that she could tell she felt really badly and apologized to the little girl.

So now Bean and I have decided that this weekend we will get the little girl a new hairbow - pee free.

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Still four!

Bean wants you all to know that she's still four.