Friday Favorite

Wow...it's been a while.
I've gotten myself involved in other projects that have taken my time away from mombling, BUT, I just discovered a really cool site...and it's FREE!
And...to top it all off I figured out how to make my own button for my blog!  YIPEE!
So, I thought I would share the knowledge:

First, you've got to check out this site.  Picnik is a photo editing site, and it's awesome!  I just tried it for the first time today.  I've been trying to learn how to do things with Photoshop, but I'm not that technically savvy, so I think Picnik will be a good option until I can really learn how to use Photoshop.

(Had to say that first, because I used Picnik to create the image for my button)

Now, on to button making:
I must admit that I did not figure any of this out on my own...I stumbled some great directions on another blog, so basically, I'll be reiterating what she has said...but I will add a couple of hints that she left out of her post...

1.  Create an image for your button (whether in Photoshop, PS Elements, Picnik, etc.)  The image should be about 125 pixels x 125 pixels...a little bigger or smaller is fine, but generally speaking 125 pixels is a good size.

To make your button original, try using digi-scrapbook paper.  I uploaded some free digi-scrap paper to the Picnik site and then embellished a little bit to create my button.  Check out this blog for a little more direction on actually using Picnik to create your button.

2.  Once you've created your image, you need to upload it to a photo sharing site like Flickr or Photobucket or something like that so that you can get a URL for the image.

3.  Step 1 and 2 done, now you just need to get your button onto your blog (the following directions are taken from A Heart For Home Blog, and will include a text box so that people can copy & paste your button into their blog)  SO.....

In Blogger under Layout, choose to add a gadget. Choose HTML/Javascript. In the title box, type something like "Get My Button". Now simply copy and paste the code below into the text box. Replace the colored information with your blog's information and your button's web address (for more information on how to get a web address for your button click here). Save and position the button where you want it. Save your changes and view your blog.

*Sorry everyone...it wouldn't let me post the code properly (see, I told you I wasn't smart enough to figure out how to do code on my own), so go here to get the code!

**The image web address can be found at whatever site you uploaded your image to (Flickr, Photobucket, etc.)

The result should look something like this (with your own image obviously)...

<center><a href="http://featuringfamily.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4295252155_b31ee91879_o.jpg" /></a></center>

Now, go have fun creating your own button so that everyone can link to your blog!

Giveaway

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'm doing my very first giveaway on my other blog:

featuringfamily.blogspot.com

Head on over to win a 6x6 Christmas tile!

A Beautiful New Book

Just thought I'd share with you all a beautiful new book from the photographer of "Reflections of Christ", Mark Mabry. Don't know if it's out in stores yet, but it looks just as beautiful as the first. It is titled, "Another Testament of Christ" and apparently if you read Mark Mabry's introduction to the book it makes it even better.

Enjoy!

So I'm saying this for the umpteenth time now, but.....it's been FOREVER!!!

Life has just been hectic, and crazy, and chaotic for the last few weeks, and since I'm just a glutton for punishment I've decided to try my hand at yet another blog. I've actually started this one in conjunction with my latest venture...Heritage Makers. It will be a blog where you (if you'd like to come visit me there...please!) and my clients can see what I've been creating with Heritage Makers products, as well as get ideas for fun...sometimes crafty...definitely easy...projects for you to do. I'm still in the process of figuring out exactly how I want to do everything, but I'm also planning on posting my own storybooking ideas...or notes for storybooks for my kiddies, just in case they might be of some benefit to someone else. Of course a lot of the stuff will have to do with Heritage Makers, but please don't feel like you can't visit me if you don't want to do anything with Heritage Makers. (Of course, if you do think that you might be interested in something with HM that's just bonus hockey for me....but definitely not a requirement to check out the blog.) As I was trying to say before: this is an idea blog...very similar to my ideas (or lack thereof) that have been on this blog. Hopefully you'll find something fun or useful or both on the blog....so, please follow me over to (drumroll please...) The Featuring Family Blog.

Just as a note: Although I haven't been very good at it lately, I will still continue to post on mombles. Just be patient with me!

Monday Mom-blings

Just a few random questions today. Feel free to enlighten me if you so choose!

Why is it that....

...your children wait until you're on the phone to ask you for something???

...the flowers in the yard finally start looking good only days before it's supposed to freeze??

...you can go without food any other day but fast Sunday???

...and speaking of fast Sunday, why can't it be more like it's name...FAST??

...you never notice that hole or stain on your clothes until you get out in public???

...children can't possibly keep a room clean for more than 5 min.??

...the kiddies always have to wait until you have a cart full of groceries at the store to decide they need to pee???

Joy In the Journey Week 7

Read and mark Exodus 25:8. Our homes can be like the temple. Today do one thing to make your home feel more like the temple. Examples: listen only to appropriate music, speak in a soft voice, express your love to your family, study the scriptures. As you fast tomorrow, consider asking the Lord to guide you this month on your spiritual journey.

I got this little story in the mail today, and it made me stop and think....

Too Busy

By Ron Mehel

I'll never forget the day I looked out of our living room and saw Mark, our youngest, walking home from school in the driving rain. Mark was in third grade and was allowed to ride his bike to grade school located right within our subdivision. I happened to be home early that day, and I was sitting in an easy chair by the window. I looked outside at the pouring rain and saw my boy in the distance, trudging his way through the downpour. His clothing was absolutely drenched and his hair was platered against his head. I opened the door for him, and he looked up at me with a little smile, his face red from the cold.

"Hi Dad!" he said. "You're home early."

"Hi son" I replied. "You're soaked to the skin."

"Yeah, I know."

"Umm, Mark, you know, if you'd ride your bike you'd get home faster. You wouldn't get so wet."

He looked at me rather sheepishly as rivulets of rain streamed from his hair down across his face. "I know, Dad."

I was puzzled. "Well, son, if you know, why in the world didn't you do it?"

Then he hung his head just a bit, and it hit me. Boy, did I feel like crawling under a table and hiding for a while. He had told me several times before that his bike had a flat tire. He had asked me, "Dad, could you please fix it for me?"

"Sure son," I'd promised him. "Don't worry. I'll get after it right awa." But I never did. I'd forgotten all about it.

As he stood there in the entryway, dripping and shivering, he could have said, "I couldn't ride my bike today because someone promised me he'd fix it and never did." he would have had every right to say that. But he didn't. What he did say remains printed indelibly on this dad's hear.

"Aw Dad, I know how busy you are and everything, and - I just didn't want to bother you with it again."

I thought, "Son, your dad isn't too busy; he's just too selfish."

For me, the bike tire was no big deal; just one more thing on a long "to do" list. But for Mark, it meant more than transportation. It meant more than a long walk home in the rain. It meant trusting his father to keep his promises.

Monday Mom-blings

My-oh-my, where does the time go?

Days seem to fly by at the speed of light, and I am perpetually playing catch-up. Most days I'm just trying to remember what day it is, let alone figure out who has what going on where. Craziness! Anybody else feeling the same way?

So...Jackee brought up a good point on her FB page the other day, and being me, I figured I would just reiterate it here because: 1. I really don't have anything else on my mind, and 2. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. Jackee's pet peeve...spelling. Spell it right or it means something totally different. Now, you've got to keep in mind that she is a writer, and as such, spelling is kind of a big thing to her, however, she makes a good point. Spelling and grammatical errors drive me nuts two. (Did you catch that? Ha! I did it on purpose... just to make a point.) TOO...not two. Same word, different meaning...can't use it in the same context. O.K., so that's a pretty obvious error, but it illustrates the point.

Oh yeah...one more thing. We went to one of the Direct Buy open house things over the weekend. I just wanted to see what it was...plus it was a good excuse to leave the kids at home and go on a date with Kenny. (Sad, I know...but you do what you've got to do.) So, we sat there and listened to their whole presentation and were really impressed. They almost had us...UNTIL they put the stipulation in that one of their rules is that you will only be given one chance to buy their membership. Basically you had to fork over all your money right then and there or you would never be given the opportunity again. Hello??? They wanted us to fork over $6500 bucks (well technically they had a few different payment plan options) in order to become a member of their business. Maybe I'm just a money horde, but who makes a decision to spend that much money in the span of an hour? I take forever to think about the little purchases let alone the big purchases. Needless to say, we passed on our opportunity to become members...and then I wrote them a pleasant little e-mail telling them that because of their business plan/philosophy, they missed out on the opportunity to do business with me. Oh well!

Lastly:

Joy in the Journey Week 6

President Monson admits he is a "show-a-holic." In his talk, he shares a quote from "The Music Man:" "You pile enough tomorrows, and you'll find you've collected a lot of empty yesterdays." Plan to attend a worthwhile musical (too short of notice), or rent one to watch.