Saturday, February 19, 2011

Highlighted Weekend Links-- Share Your Best Post!

Happy Saturday! I hope you'll pop in to link up YOUR best post of the week at my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. Open for new links until Sunday at 10 pm (ET).

All kinds of posts are welcome: We have recipes, home remedies, room makeovers, crafts, fashion advice, and more! The code for the button is at the end of this post.

If you haven't yet, please be sure to visit some of the other links from the party and say a quick howdy to those who have taken the time to visit you. That's how a good blog party works--lots of participation. Otherwise we just have a bunch of stagnant links, and that's no fun for anyone!

I'll be around later to leave a comment on each link, but I thought I'd share a few that caught my eye:

~I told Jocelyn I'm going to have to buy bigger pants if I try her cupcakes recipes. Check out these Nutter Butter Cupcakes!


~Dani compared God's grace to a Designer Handbag, and it made perfect sense to me.

~Janna made Silhouette Lily Pads for her kids. Inspired!

~Sarah made Boutonnieres. Like, herself. I was really impressed!

So, what did you have up your sleeve this week? Come by and share it with us! Be sure to check out some of the other bloggers' work too.
Weekend Bloggy Reading


*Are you planning on stopping by on Monday (9 am, ET) for the very first I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter linky party? You can click the button below to find out the details, but it will be a spot for bloggers to link up projects, tips, and tricks that are related to their Silhouette/Cricut/Sizzix/Cuttlebug, etc. machines. Anything die-cutting related! If you don't own a machine, but have a neat stenciling or transfer project, that's fair game too.
I Heart My Crafty Cutter


**I also wanted to tell you guys about an awesome President's Day Sale from Silhouette. From now through the 24th, new subscriptions to the online shop can be purchased for 20% off when you use the code PRESIDENT. If you're working on a project for Monday's "I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter" linky party, this might come in handy. Click the button below to shop, and use the code SERENITY for all other purchases!
Silhouette Electronic Cutting Tool

Have a great weekend! I'm off for some fun with my girlies.

Friday, February 18, 2011

::Weekend Bloggy Reading:: Link Up!

Welcome to Weekend Bloggy Reading. I hope you'll link up your best post of the week today!

All kinds of posts are welcome--recipes, crafts, funny stories, home decor, etc.; but please do not link to Etsy shops, businesses, etc. (I have a Sponsors section, if you'd like to Advertise with me.)


Here are a few of my faves from this week:
sources listed below

~The Nester put things in perspective with Keeping House.

~Cassie worked on a Kids' Art Center.

~Kate blogged about learning Balance as her blog turned two this Tuesday.

~Melissa created a Bathroom Gallery Wall and included a beautiful quote from one of my favorite childhood book series.

~Julia asked her readers, "How Happy is Your House?"

~Beckie created a beautiful, custom Backgammon Game using leftover Melissa and Doug boxes!

~And me?
My blog Celebrated a birthday and I offered some encouragement to new bloggers. I had a crafty feature over at The CSI Project on Monday, which I was really excited about. On Monday, I shared about a beautiful Valentine's Brunch that a friend hosted last weekend. I gave you guys a recipe for Cowboy Soup on Tuesday, and on Wednesday I Yelled at My Daffodils. Good week!




Time to link up your best post of the week (please take the time to include a link-back or my party button and visit some of the other participants!)
Here's the button code if you'd prefer to use that rather than a link-back:
Weekend Bloggy Reading






Party is open until 10 pm (ET) on Sunday night.

I am pleased to report that we have no plans for the weekend. I need to catch up on laundry, and I really want to read a book. Like, a real book...the kind with long paragraphs and no pictures!

{What are you up to this weekend?}

Thursday, February 17, 2011

On My Blog's Birthday--Encouragement for You

Although this blog has really only been active for about two years, it was exactly three years ago today that I sat down and wrote my first blog post.


I was living in a haze of new-baby-in-the-house fatigue, combined with the fact that I was also mothering the world's most active two year old. I was exhausted, but also slightly aghast over the fact that I had a lot to say, but no one to really say it to. So I created a quick blog, no fancy background or banner, and wrote my very first post.

And then I pretty much forgot about my blog for the better part of a year.

It wasn't until I started reading other blogs and saw how much fun they seemed to be having that I was really hooked. I knew I wanted to put my words, thoughts, experiences, and projects out there for others to see. I wanted feedback. I wanted interaction.

This is where my encouragement to new bloggers comes in.

Most bloggers don't wake up and find that their Followers list leaped to 1500 members while they were alseep or that they went to cook breakfast and had 300 people subscribe to their site. Please don't stress if you're a new blogger and you're discouraged by the numbers you see out there. Good things come to those who wait!

Some bloggers are truly shining stars; their work gets featured all over Blogland, and their blogs seem to explode overnight.

Most bloggers start small and build their blogs slowly and steadily, relationship by relationship, post by post. By interacting with other members of the blogging community and setting goals for myself in terms of consistency, I've been able to grow my blog from 1 or 2 original Followers (not even my mom read my blog!) to where I am now.

My blog is still tiny. A speck under a microscope in comparison with some of my favorite "mega-bloggers" out there. I won't ever be the biggest or the best or the funniest or the most talented. But that's okay.

I'm grateful for each and every single person who clicked that "Follow" button on my right sidebar over the past two years. It means more to me than you probably know. This blog doesn't fit into a traditional niche, so that anyone at all would care to continually click back over here to read what I have to say is immensely humbling as I think about it today. Thank you.

738 posts later, I'm still loving sharing with you all. I appreciate those of you who take the time to comment and let me know what you think. Your words uplift me and make me smile. They encourage me to keep posting!

I'm going to include my first post here...I think it's pretty neat that my original intent of finding a place to share what's on my mind hasn't changed.
********************************************************
Look, Ma, I'm Bloggin'

My very first entry. Maybe you're wondering why a stay-at-home mom with a two year old and a newborn would take the time to post on a blog. When you stay at home all day with two little ones, it's hard to find an audience to discuss your ideas on politics, literature (yes, I am counting chick-lit and Cottage Living because that is all I have time to read these days!), current events, home life, and more!

It seems like most of my discussions involve a two year old and include stimulating topics such as Elmo, crackers, baby dolls, Elmo, doggies, juice, and did I say Elmo? My husband, bless his heart, isn't much of a conversationalist. I like to talk. Period. Although we share the same religious and political views, most of his free time is spent with his butt plastered to our leather couch and his eyes glued to the TV, so having a meaningful conversation when he is just off of work is sort of a lost cause. I've learned to wait until after he has finished watching The History Channel or Fox News before I make an effort to engage him. This blog is my attempt to branch out a little before insanity takes over. 

As Frank Costanza would say, "Serenity Now."

***********************************************************

Here's to another fabulous year and some more Serenity Now! I hope you'll be here to share it with me.

*Come back tomorrow to link up your best post of the week to Weekend Bloggy Reading:
Weekend Bloggy Reading


**Don't forget that Monday morning begins our first "I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter" linky party for all of your tips, tricks, and projects that are Silhouette/Cricut/Sizzix/Cuttlebug, etc. related. Anything pertaining to die cutting or die cutting machines (or even stenciling) is welcome! Click the button below for details.
I Heart My Crafty Cutter

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

They're Baaaack! (Sort Of)

{cue creepy Poltergeist music here}


I love my "host of golden daffodils" (name that poem for 100 points!), but I am continually frustrated year after year by their lack of ability to gauge the season.

I want to stuff them back into the ground and yell, "Um, hi? It's February, guys. It's probably going to snow again, and then we'll all look stupid. I'm the chick talking to her daffodil bulbs that sprout too early, and you'll be frozen."

They were originally planted in a nice straight line across the front of my flower bed, in a manner most pleasing to my Type A control freak sensibilities. It irks me that they didn't stay in line. They decided to not only sprout up whichever way they pleased, but also to multiply.

Overachievers.

Party Box Design Winner!

The winner of the Giveaway from Party Box Design is:

Nicole from Life in Progress! Nicole, please email me by Friday at 5 pm so I can get you hooked up with your prize from Party Box Design.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Cowboy Soup

Whether you've been out roping cattle all day or herding small humans like I do, coming up with a decent meal at the end of the day can be tough...especially when the cattle kids and husband are getting hungry and cranky and whiney and really annoying and you just want them all to go to bed so you can watch The Bachelor.

My Aunt Linda gave me a recipe for Cowboy Soup several years ago. I'm not sure why it's called "Cowboy Soup," but since she lives in Texas and Texans know everything there is to know about cowboys (right?!), I decided to go with it.

I love the simplicity of this recipe! I haven't found an easier "throw-it-together" meal in awhile.

Ingredients:

(Wow, so I bet you can't tell I bought the ingredients at Wal-Mart, can you?!)
  • 1 can red beans
  • 1 can pinto beans
  • 1 can ranch style beans
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can hominy
  • 1 can stewed tomatoes
  • 1 can rotel tomatoes
  • 1 pkg. taco seasoning
  • 1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix
  • 1 pound ground beef

(Note: Sometimes I have a hard time finding ranch style beans. I also couldn't find rotel or stewed tomatoes. That WM stinks. I improvise with this soup and use whatever I think might taste good.)

Instructions:
Brown the ground beef. Drain and add all the ingredients to a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer until cooked through. (15 to 20 minutes)

{Warning: bad photo. That's what happens when you photograph your food at 8 pm}



I like to sprinkle some cheddar cheese on my soup after dishing it out. Served with a side of warm cornbread, this is a great cold weather meal!

*Come and join Soup-a-Palooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish, sponsored by Bush's BeansHip HostessPillsbury, and Westminster Crackers.  Also linked to Tasty Tuesday.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Girlfriends' Valentine Brunch (and a Crafty Feature!)

Valentine's Day doesn't always have to be about smoochy lovey dovey romance. Sometimes it can be about showing your friends and family that you care about them! My friend Heather hosted a beautiful Valentine's brunch for a few girls from our MOPS group on Saturday, and I just had to share it with you today.

I was expecting maybe some donut holes and coffee, but Heather really went all out! My camera card was acting up, and I can't find the photo of the table with the cute lollipop and chocolate favors, but this one's not too bad:

I make my Chocolate Croissants with chocolate chips, but Heather uses Nutella and crunched up heath bits...and they are ah-mazing! Right out of the oven too...yum!

She also served a really tasty egg and sausage breakfast casserole that had little bites of apple in it. I'll have to see if she'll share the recipe with me.

Because my camera card decided it hates me, apparently I also lost the shots of the beautiful little yogurt parfaits (chocolate granola on top!) and the pretty flower centerpieces. (I hate you, stupid camera card, and I don't even care if it's Valentine's Day!)

It wouldn't be a brunch without refreshing beverages. Heather served sparkling juices paired with OJ...a very nice little mocktail. And it's never a party without caffeine. I brought my espresso machine and played barrista for awhile. Y'all know I make a mean Cafe Mocha!

We loaded our plates high, and stuffed our faces with croissants, casserole, fresh fruit, and yogurt parfaits.



(Fyi, I enjoy being the photographer because it guarantees there will be no photos of me featured here)

We followed brunch in the family room, swapping wedding photos to ooh and ahh over!

(So, I lied. The girl in the veil on the top of the silver and black album is me.)


All too soon it was time to head back to life, back to reality. But this pretty little break was exactly what I needed to refresh and recharge before taking on the rest of the day with the bebes.

As I write this, I have no idea what Valentine's Day in our house will bring. T is working late tonight, and his usual holiday plan of attack is to frantically run up and down the aisles of the nearest Target or Wal-Mart with my sister on speaker phone, trying to find something I won't hate.

I had to share the card I found for T because I know it will make you laugh:

Something I don't deserve is a feature over at The CSI Project! I am tickled PINK (in honor of Valentine's Day) that the girls over there invited me to share a project today.


If you'd like to see how I made this Ruffle Flower Stretch Headband and Matching Bag, please head over to The CSI Project! This week's challenge is Accessories.

I would be sooooo grateful if you'd leave me some comment love over there today!

And, if you're visiting from CSI, welcome! I'd love to have you join me for the I {Heart} My Crafty Cutter party on the 21st. Please feel free to click around the blog and make yourself at home!

{Happy Valentine's Day! Are you doing anything special today?}

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