Tackle It Tuesday {Pantry}

It’s been awhile since I’ve added a post for “tackle it Tuesday.” I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been tackling very much lately. But I must’ve gotten a jolt of energy (or guilt, one of the two) over the weekend because I actually got some de-cluttering accomplished. Yay for me!

I pulled all the junk out of our pantry and reorganized. I got rid of all the empty plastic containers that I had been saving for who knows what. I tossed a bunch of old magazines and stuff. I even cleared off the floor so that we can actually walk into the pantry instead of reaching for things. Here are the before and after photos. The before doesn’t really justify just how cluttered the pantry was because I didn’t think about taking the photo until after I started clearing things out.

I also did a lot of cleaning in our office. Whenever I would walk in there I’d tense up because of all the clutter that was strewn all over the table in there. It’s amazing how much more relaxed I am now when I step into the room. I forgot to take before pictures, so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Did you tackle something this week? Why not share? Just go here to link up.

“Love Bug” Epiphany

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and couldn’t figure out why, or even what the title of the song was? This happened to me last week when I woke up one morning with a tune humming in my brain. I could hum the tune, but didn’t know the words. It sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't figure out where I knew it from.

This same song was taunting me on a TV commercial advertising a “Kidz Bopish” type CD with a remake of this song.

Then it hit me! My epiphany. While I was watching the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards with the monkeys on Saturday evening and saw the Jonas Brothers. It had to be one of their songs! So today I hunted for it and found it on Project Playlist. That would be “Love Bug,” the first song on my list (as of the writing of this post). Whew! what a relief! The mystery was really “bugging” me (pun intended).

Friend Makin’ Mondays {Share}

This is my first week participating in “Friend Makin’ Monday.” The purpose is to make new friends (what else?). Today Kasey is asking us to share ten things we absolutely cannot live without. I’m never good at this because I don’t think about these things until I’m actually using them. I guess I’m sort of an “out of sight, out of mind” type of person. I’ll give it my best shout, though. So here goes…

Ten things I absolutely cannot live without, and why:

1. Coffee! I could probably live without it, but it wouldn’t be pretty. Nah, who am I kidding? I can’t live without it! Here’s a picture of a sign I took in Forza Coffee one day to illustrate.

2. My iPhone. Ever since I got it in March it’s become an extension of my body. Pretty sad, really. It’s my timer, alarm, secretary, mp3 player, emergency camera. I even use it as a phone once in awhile too.

3. My iPod. If you’re a regular visitor to my blog you know that I’ve been on a Twilight whirlwind for the past week. I started listening to the series last week Sunday. As of this post I’m currently listening to the fourth and final book, Breaking Dawn. My iPod makes doing mundane chores around the house a lot more bearable. Here’s another photo that portrays four things on my list. See, there’s my iPhone and my iPod. And that brings me to…

4. My DVR, which is what that little remote to the right side of the picture controls. I'm such a couch potato that I usually have more than one show that I like to watch in the same time slots. I hate it when that happens! I've grown fond of watching the recordings so that I can skip the commercials.

5. Chocolate. Yes, I’m a chocoholic. I keep a stash of chocolate chips in the freezer at all times for when I get those cravings. Which is pretty much always.

6. My laptop. Without it I wouldn’t be able to blog, or satisfy my other addiction…digital scrapbooking.

7. My pink Sony CyberShot camera. It’s yet another extension of my body that goes wherever I go. I take pictures of things with scrapbooker eyes. Which means I pretty much take pictures of everything and sometimes get funny looks from people in the process.

8. My Bible. Okay, I’ll have to admit that I should be needing this item more than anything else on my list, or in general. I’m working on it.

9. Shoe inserts. I have horrible feet that probably stems from not wearing shoes while growing up. I grew up in Hawaii, what do you expect? We wear nothing but slippers there. I even have bunions (I know, not a pretty visual) that can be pretty painful if I don’t use my shoe inserts for support.

10. And last but not least (and I kind of got this one from Kasey and had to laugh when I read it), my Mary Kay mineral foundation. I just started using it about two weeks ago and like it a lot more than the Maybelline brand I had been using. The MK brand is silkier, and smoother.

So that’s my list in a coconut shell. There are probably other things that could go on this list, but I just can't think of them right now. Besides, I had to limit it to ten anyway.

If you’re a blogger and would like to make friends, head on over to Kasey’s blog here to participate in “Friend Makin’ Monday.”

Saturday Photo Hunt {Hands}

This was a quick one that I pulled out of a hat. I didn’t find out until this morning what the theme was, so I pretty much scrambled. I picked this photo of Picasso’s little hand resting on mine. Boy has he grown since then!

I used a quick little pre-made layout by ScrapKitchen Designs which was made using a kit called “The Village Market” featured here on The Daily Digi.

If you’re playing “Photo Hunt,” I’d love to see your hands.

In Twilight Mode

So, I got my Twilight DVD on Saturday morning and borrowed the Twilight soundtrack from the library on Monday. I was pleasantly surprised that the soundtrack is actually good. I need to get a copy for myself. I think listening to the CD added to my movie watching experience when I was finally able to watch the DVD on Monday.

I didn’t turn on the commentator feature because I just wanted to concentrate on the storyline at first. In all honesty, I was a little disappointed with the movie when I saw it in the theater, but the second time around (even with the countless interruptions) was a lot more enjoyable. The background music didn’t seem as cheesy, and (thanks to the CD) I even recognized most of it. When I watch the movie, for the third time, I’ll turn on the comments to see what Catherine, Rob, and Kristen have to say about the scenes.

On Sunday I also started listening to the Twilight audiobook. I walked around the house with my iPod while doing cleaning and other miscellaneous things around the house. On Tuesday I started listening to the New Moon audiobook. I’m reaching the end, then I’ll start listening to Eclipse, followed by Breaking Dawn. I have to refresh my memory before our next book club meeting when we wrap up the Twilight series (that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it).

As I’m listening to the books I’m trying to picture some of the scenes on the big screen. I’m wondering how the book will be interpreted and tweaked to fit into a two hour time slot. I’m hoping that Jacob (Taylor Lautner) will be able to stay true to his character in the book and toss his obvious wig for the movie. That really bugged me.

Anyway, I should be back to reality in about a week, when I’m done with my Twilight fix.

Things I Love Thursday {Windows Live Writer}

This is my very first “TILT” post, so I hope I’m doing it right. I love the very thing that I’m using to post to my blog, Windows Live Writer. I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago and have been using it ever since. It makes my blogging life so much simpler. I can see exactly how my post will look (background and all) live, while I’m typing.

I can insert and tweak my photos just the way I want it. For instance, I can resize my photo, then add a drop shadow, and watermark, then tilt it if I want. I just can’t do these things if I’m inserting a photo from flickr, for some reason. If there is a way, I haven’t figured it out yet.

I can add photo albums like this one from our visit to the radio station.

View Full Album

I could even insert videos, if I had any to insert. I don’t know how I survived without WLW.

Visit The Diaper Diaries here if you’d like to see more “Things I Love Thursday” posts.

Scouts Tour Radio Station

Today the Tiger Cubs toured a local radio station for one of their “go see it” requirements. With the current pace of technology advancement I was curious to see the equipment that is used to broadcast music.

Gone are the days of turntables and fumbling to get the next song ready. Now they use high tech computers with playlists prepared the day before, all ready to go. The music could technically play all day on auto-pilot. So what do the DJ's of today do, other than give tours? Well, they give away free tickets to local events. Like the upcoming wine tasting event. But I digress.

Take a look at all that equipment behind the glass. That’s what makes the radio station tick. It’s even contained in it’s own air conditioned room.

And here is the DJ’s seat (that’s DJ Chris there on the left). He showed us what the switches on the panel do, and how they work.

It was pretty exciting for the boys to see DJ Chris at work, and on the air. I was a little nervous when he told us to stay quiet. Luckily, my phone alarm didn’t go off until five minutes later. Oops, didn’t think about silencing my phone because I didn’t think he’d be going on air with a room full of kids. I like living on the edge.

And here’s Picasso with a photo opp. He’s sporting a genuine pair of professional DJ headphones.

They had fun, and the adults had some questions answered too.

The only thing left for Picasso to do is attend a sporting event, then he’ll be eligible for his Tiger patch.

Wordless Wednesday {Hawaiian Sunrise}

I recently came across a box of photos that were taken before (way before) digital cameras, and scanned some as a backup. Here’s one of my favorites that was probably taken in the late 80s. It’s a Hawaiian sunrise. You can see the silhouette of Chinaman’s Hat at the bottom right.

I yelled at a gangster in line at the bank because my family thinks I’m stupid anyway.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been tagged, so I thought I’d play along. Besides, I couldn’t stop laughing at the result.

Today I was tagged by Colleen over at The Princess and the Monkey (another monkey blog…woo hoo). So here it is…

What you’re supposed to do: Type out the sentence you end up with in the TITLE of your blog post and tag your friends.

1. Pick the month you were born:
January———-I kicked
February———I loved
March————I karate chopped
April—————I licked
May—————I jumped on
June—————I smelled
July—————-I did the Macarena With
August————I had lunch with
September——I danced with
October———-I sang to
November——-I yelled at
December——-I ran over

2. Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1———-a birdbath
2———-a monster
3———-a phone
4———-a fork
5———-a snowman
6———-a gangster
7———-my mobile phone
8———-my dog
9———-my best friends’ boyfriend
10———-my neighbour
11———-my science teacher
12———-a banana
13———-a fireman
14———-a stuffed animal
15———-a goat
16———-a pickle
17———-your mom
18———-a spoon
19——— - a smurf
20———-a baseball bat
21———-a ninja
22———-Chuck Norris
23———-a noodle
24———-a squirrel
25———-a football player
26———-my sister
27———-my brother
28———-an iPod
29———-a surfer
30———-a homeless guy
31———-a llama

3. What is the last number of the year you were born:
1————- In my car
2 ————- On your car
3 —————- In a hole
4 —————- Under your bed
5 —————- Riding a Motorcycle
6 ————- sliding down a hill
7 ————- in an elevator
8————— at the dinner table
9 ———— In line at the bank
0 ———— in your bathroom

4. Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White————-because I’m cool like that
Black————-because that’s how I roll.
Pink—————-because I’m NOT crazy.
Red—————-because the voices told me to.
Blue—————-because I’m sexy and I do what I want
Green————-because I think I need some serious help.
Purple————-because I’m AWESOME!
Gray—————because Big Bird said to and he’s my leader.
Yellow————because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars
Orange————because my family thinks I’m stupid anyway.
Brown————-because I can.
Other—————because I’m a Ninja!
None—————because I can’t control myself!

“I yelled at a gangster in line at the bank because my family thinks I’m stupid anyway.”

I thought this was extra funny for myself since back in the day when I had an actual paying job, it was as a bank teller for fourteen years!

If you want to try it, too, here are the rules:
Place the award logo on your blog.
Nominate 10 other blogs which show “Attitude and/or Gratitude”.
Link to the nominees on your blog post.
Comment on their blog that you have nominated them.
Share the love and link to the person who nominated you.

I tag:

Mighty M

Ali

Nateandjakesmom

Joyce and Norm

I Got Mine!

Yes, I got me some Twilight to go! Got to Best Buy shortly after they opened at 10:00 in the AM and got my copy of the double disc set. I haven’t watched it yet, but just knowing I can, whenever I want, is good enough for me.

Saturday Photo Hunt {Yellow}

Here’s my photo hunt post on Hawaiian Time. I’ve been out all day, busy hunting for yellow things. I found a few items to shoot while shopping at IKEA.

Is that enough yellow for you? If you’d like to see more, visit tnchick here. Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Spring, E Komo Mai!

My calendar says that today is the first day of Spring, but the weather says something else. Like, “nyah, nyah, you’re still having Winter cold air.” Okay, it’s not that bad, but still not Spring enough for me.

So, come on in and make yourself comfortable. Poor yourself a cup of coffee or tea. I even have some freshly baked chocolate chip scones for you.

I’ll be killing two birds with one scone, I mean stone (guess I got too much scone on the brain). I’m posting for two different memes that I participate in regularly.

This week at An Island Life, Kailani’s question is…

“If you could be an expert at anything, what would it be?”

I thought that was going to be an easy question to answer. I spend a lot of time surfing the web, visiting blogs and shops of many, many talented scrapbook designers (and I may download a freebie or two, or a million along the way). They are just so awesome and I wish I had the expertise that they have. I want to be able to design my own scrapbook elements too. But I’m still learning. Some day. Slow and steady wins the race.

The other thing I’d like to be an expert at is parenting. Yes, parenting. I’ve been one for over seventeen years and still can’t make heads or tails of it. Sure, I’ve made improvements over the years, making a few tweaks here and there, but I’ve come to the conclusion that you’ve either got it (you’re born with the natural ability) or you don’t (you suck have to work hard at it). I fall into the latter category. My biggest problem is that I lose my cool react when I should be responding. Always difficult for me.

So, my question of the week is…um, well, I didn’t really think of one. Well, how about this…

“What are your plans for the first days of Spring?”

And here’s my “Company Girl” portion of my post. I have a busy weekend ahead of me, not because it’s Spring, but just by chance.

 

The monkeys will be spending tonight at their cousin’s house to help him celebrate his birthday. They’re very excited about that. I’ve been holding it over their little monkey heads as leverage to do what they’re told to do. It worked well, for about five seconds. They’re just strong willed little creatures.

 

While they’re gone, I’ll be attending a Stampin’ Up party at a friend’s house. I’m more of a digital craft type of person because I just don’t have the storage space for “things,” and because I’m just addicted to digital scrapping, but you never can tell. I love crafts in general. It’s always fun to see what other crafters have to offer and get ideas. The social aspect of the demonstration is always fun too.

 

Then tomorrow I’ll be heading up North for a farewell luncheon for a family that’s moving back to Hawaii. It’s going to be at an Asian Buffet restaurant. I’ll try to have some self control and not over do it on the food. I hate buffets.

 

And finally, on Sunday we’ll be heading down South for another eating event. We’ll be celebrating the birthday of Daddy’s aunt at a restaurant. I think that all bets are off with my diet for the weekend. But anyway…

 

If you’d like to see more “Aloha Friday” answers then post your question on your blog and link up with Kailani here. Or if you’d like to enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation with the other Company Girls then visit Rachel here. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a great Springy weekend!

 

 

Boys That Bite {Book Review}

I first heard about Boys That Bite while listening to an interview that the Manic Mommies had with author Mari Mancusi about a month ago.

While this book was originally published in 2006, it seems to have found its way, along with many other vampire novels, back to bookshelves since the Twilight series phenomenon.

Yes, this is another vampire book, about the Blood Coven, with a funny, candid sort of flavor. As I started reading this novel, I found myself riveted. I couldn’t put it down. Kind of the same symptom I had while reading the Twilight series.

It was fast reading because it felt like I was having a conversation with a girlfriend. The author writes the book in the first person and makes you feel as if the main character is talking directly to you. I was laughing at the side remarks and sarcasm of the storyteller.

So what is the gist of the novel? It’s about sixteen year old identical twin sisters named Rayne and Sunshine. One is into the Goth scene and aspires to become a vampire, while the other is a goodie two shoes, can do no wrong type of girl. Can you tell which one is which by their names?

Anyway, there’s a case of mistaken identity and the wrong sister is turned into a vampire by a hunky Orlando Bloom type, one thousand year old vampire. There IS a way to reverse the transformation, but it won’t be easy.

That’s all I’m going to say, other than I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book, Stake That!, followed by Girls That Growl, to see what happens next.

Cub Scout Catch-Up

Is it Thursday already? I was supposed to post this entry on Tuesday, the day after hosting the Tiger Scouts Den Meeting. Oh well, better late than never.

We signed up at the beginning of the season to host this weeks meeting. You wouldn’t believe how excited Picasso was about having his friends come over to his house for a change. You would think it was Christmas, or something. He was actually waiting by the window, watching for our first guests to arrive.

He was also looking forward to snack time. Since the next day was St. Patrick’s Day we went with that theme and bought cupcakes and cookies with green frosting. It was a hit, for sure!

But I’m getting ahead of myself. We had the actual meeting and projects before snack.

The boys learned how to sew on a button, sort of. But first, the fundamentals. They had to identify the tools they were working with: thread, needle, button, and fabric. Here’s Picasso threading his first needle.

And here he is with his sewn on button.

Then we learned about money. They identified the different coins and their respective values. Then we practiced adding the money up to the amount they would need to purchase an item. Of course, if they were really making a purchase, coins just wouldn’t cut it.

At the conclusion of the meeting we sugared up the scouts and sent them on their merry way.

SOOC Sunday {3.15.09}

Last weeks letter of the week was “R,” so the kids in Einstein’s preschool class was assigned to bring a rock to paint.

Since Daddy was off from work that day I gave him the task of finding a rock out in our yard. This is what he found, and Einstein was all for it. This isn’t a rock, it’s a boulder! Now it’s a colorful, pretty boulder.

If you'd like to see more photos "straight out of camera" go here.

My Son, The Jedi

Oh, I’m so proud of my eldest son [insert sarcasm]. Yesterday when he got off the school bus he informed me, with much enthusiasm, that he made it into the Jedi Squad with his little first grader friends. I’d never heard of such a thing, except on TV.

He passed the test. He raced one of the faster boys on the squad and beat him. He’s starting at the bottom of the totem pole as a Padwan, or Trooper, or whatever. I’m not even sure Picasso knows. And his goal is to become a Jedi Knight. While I kept my serious face, trying to show interest in all the excitement, I wanted to laugh out loud. He was serious as a heart attack!

I remember when I was in grade school (a long, long time ago). We’d play hopscotch, or pole tag. I guess those games are too old school for today’s generation.

Saturday Photo Hunt {Four}

This is one of our addictions guilty pleasures, so when we saw the price reduction at Wal Mart we bought four cans for our reserve. You know, for those late night cravings when you feel like eating something salty and spicy. Nacho chips and Jalapeno Cheddar dip will do the trick all the time. Sometimes I like to eat the dip with Lay's Original chips. The saltier the better.

If you’d like to participate in the photo hunt or would like to see more four photos go here. Feel free to leave your link below too. I'd love to see your photo hunt finds.

Happy Friday the 13th…Again

Two months in a row. When was the last time that’s happened? How weird.

It’s Aloha Friday again. I remember the good old days while I was still living in Hawaii where this phrase was common place. It means it’s the end of the week. Time to wind down and get ready to have a fun weekend. Right now I’m wishing I was in Hawaii just so I can defrost.

Kailani’s question over at An Island Life is . . .

What do you think about Chris Brown removing his name from the ballot of the Kids Choice Awards?

I don’t know all the details behind this story, so I couldn’t really answer this question intelligently. But if he’s making bad choices and being a negative role model for the kids that look up to him then I think it’s probably good that he’s not on the ballot. We don’t want our kids getting the wrong message.

And my question of the week is…

Are you superstitious?

Well, it is the second month in a row that has a Friday the 13th. I know some people would really freak about it. I’m not one of those people. I guess the number 13 holds some significance just like the number 7 is significant in the bible, but I’m not superstitious that way.

There are other things that I’m superstitious about at times. Like opening an umbrella inside, or walking under ladders, but not Friday the 13th.

If you’d like to participate or see other answers visit Kailani here.

Weekend Wrap-Up

I just wanted to check in to assure you that I didn’t fall off the face of the earth. It’s been a crazy weekend. Our weather has been crazy too. What else can you call it when we get sunshine, rain, sleet, snow, more sunshine, then more snow within an hour?

Friday was my day to be classroom helper in Picasso’s first grade class. That’s always fun [insert sarcasm]. I’m volunteering out of the goodness of my heart because I know that the teacher is spread thin between 26 students. I know that I don’t have the gift to work with young children, but I do my best.

I’m usually working with a group of four kids. They take turns reading a story then answer the questions. Some of them are needier than others. But I grin and bare it. After this year, I’ll be retiring from volunteering. Maybe I’ll even take on a paying job.

Saturday morning was MY turn to be the student. I’m the newest member of the Video Ministry Team at my church. It was day two of training. I think it was more play than work because I really enjoy doing it.

I’m basically learning (on an iMac, my favorite part) how to project things on the wall during the Sunday service (I always wondered how it was done). This means being there while the worship team rehearses so that we can prepare the lyrics and add backgrounds (this is the creative part) and do any tweaking as the worship team switches things up. (It's kind of fun to see behind the scenes of a production.)Eventually, I’ll be taking full reign on the weekends that I’m assigned to “video duty.” This day is quickly approaching.

The monkeys received a very excellent surprise on Saturday. Well, it wasn’t really a surprise since they were expecting it, but they received it sooner than they thought. Their Super Mario Galaxy game for the Wii arrived. They were engrossed for a couple of hours (Or maybe longer. I lost track). Here’s the Amazon smile on the box it arrived in.

Which reminds me of MY new game for my DS; Million Heir. This is the game that I kept encouraging the boys to get because I thought they’d have fun. It involves solving a mystery of the missing “Phil T. Rich.” You have to sharpen your honing skills and find hidden things in the pictures.

When I got the game for myself I enjoyed it for a couple of hours and have been finding it difficult to get my hands on it since. The monkeys and their daddy are putting in more time on the game than I am. Go figure.

Then yesterday Daddy pulled his usual rabbit out of a hat when I sent him to the store to get a few items. He somehow feels compelled to pick up a few things because it’s “only a dollar” or because he thought I’d enjoy it. Well, the boys and I DID enjoy the Hershey’s solid chocolate treats(they were devoured by the end of the day), but I definitely did NOT need the calories. Okay, I really should show more appreciation because he meant well. But my waste line is not happy this morning.

Other than going to church and Awana on Sunday, that’s pretty much our weekend in a coconut shell. I hope everyone is in good health and has a great week.

Manic Monday {03.09.09}

What would you do with an extra hour each day?

What do I always do? Anything related to digital scrapbooking. Whether it’s downloading supplies, taking pictures, editing pictures, or doing an actual layout.

Do you wear a watch? If so, tell us about it. If not, how do you keep track of time?

Definitely! I’ve been using the same Citizen watch for the past decade. It’s difficult for me to go through the day without my watch on. I’m just lost without it. I know the younger kids just check their cell phones for the time, but that doesn’t work for me.

If it was possible, would you want to know how many days you had left to live?

Naw. I just live one day at a time. We should all be living like the present day is our last day. I know it’s easier said than done, but you just never know what could happen at any given moment. Today could be my last day for all I know. I’m just going with the flow.

That's all for now. If you want to play and answer today's questions go here. You can also see what other people had to say.

Four Down, One to Go

Well, I think that’s right. Over the past year we’ve spent a small fortune on dental work for the monkeys. Picasso needed more extensive work and had his done first. His work took priority, you could say. Last week he had his semi-annual exam and is still cavity free.

Today was Einstein’s third or fourth visit for dental work. It was a lot less painful for me since we are now with a new dental provider (GEHA). We now actually HAVE coverage. So instead of a three digit bill, we’re down to two digits. I only wish we knew about GEHA before dishing out a couple thousand dollars. But, like the saying goes, “Hind sight is 20/20.”

Here’s Einstein holding his slinky from the treasure chest. I’ll give him a day before it’s tangled beyond repair.

As promised, we stopped at Jamba Juice after his appointment. We did this after Picasso’s first appointment of his series, and the monkeys have come to expect it ever since. It’s sort of a trade off for the discomfort they feel. They can’t stand that numbness. Plus, they can’t eat anything for a few hours anyway.

As I type this, he’s still playing with his slinky. So far he’s put either end on each ear to be his ear muffs. He’s stretched it really high to make it taller than him. He’s even done the traditional slink down the stairs.

Swapped Jeans

When I discovered that boys are rough on their jeans (Picasso would constantly come home from school with holes in the knees of his jeans), I decided to try something proactive.

When we went shopping for school clothes this year I made it a point to get Picasso’s jeans from Sears so that I could put their Kids Advantage program to the test.

If your kids’ clothes gets worn out before they outgrow them then Sears will replace it with the same style and size. I was a little skeptical at first, but it didn’t cost anything to sign up, so I did.

Yesterday I was very happy that I did. Picasso came home with these torn jeans …

So we took a little drive to Sears and swapped them for a brand new pair …

It was very simple, not involved at all. I just picked out a pair of jeans that was the same style, color, and (most importantly) size. I took it, along with the torn pair, to the cashier. She did her thing with the register, and we walked out with a new pair of jeans. I was very impressed.

If you have boys who are rough on their clothes, the Sears Kids Advantage program is a must. It’s what I’m thankful for today.

Windows Live Writer

I just downloaded Windows Live Writer here. It looked like an interesting tool so use for blog posts, so I’m giving it a try.

The first test I’ll put the program to is inserting a photo.

Okay, that worked well. Except I couldn’t figure out how to tilt the photo and use the other actions. It does the basics, anyway. Here’s a picture of the monkeys. Einstein is watching Picasso play either “SpongeBob, Drawn to Life,” or “Kirby.”

Well, so far I think I’m liking this tool. Two thumbs up from me.

Technorati Tags: Reviews

{FREE} Bamboo Craft

OMG! This is such an exciting giveaway. I just learned about tablets about a month ago and was surprised at how expensive they're NOT. I knew I had to have one (some day). When I read Kayla's post about her giveaway I got so excited! She's generously giving away a Bamboo Craft with tons of extra goodies!

From what I can tell about the Bamboo Craft it looks like a tool that takes digital scrapbooking to a whole new level. I love the idea of being able to just draw something free hand or even add my own handwriting to a project. I also have visions of letting my two little monkeys have a go at it to draw digital artwork for Mom to add to projects, or just to preserve their art. Right now they love to draw on their white boards, and I usually snap a quick picture. I know, it's so primitive, but it's the best I can do with what I have.

If you're interested in entering to win a FREE Bamboo Craft on Digiscrap101 you can go here to learn more. You won't want to miss this one!