life

I'm not sure the right words. The last 3 days have been, well, challenging. On Friday morning I learned news of the sudden, unexpected passing of my stepbrother. Only a few years older than me. Far too soon. My heart just breaks for his wife and daughters. I've personally rotated between grief and calm shock. It hasn't fully sunk in and probably won't until the service tomorrow. Yesterday was an under the weather day in our house. I wasn't feeling...

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How to Make a Cookbook

Have a few favorite recipes? How about family recipes? There are plenty of ways to save them from index cards in a box to jotted in a notebook. But what about a way to save them and share them? That's where Blurb comes in. With Blurb's help, you can create a cookbook in minutes and print as many copies as you want. Print one for yourself, one for your best friend, one for your mom (hint: Mother's day isn't that far off), one for your child as a new...

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DIY Tiling Class

Quiet for a week or close to it (I had a post on MiCH last Wednesday). It wasn't intentional. Just a LOT going on. Good stuff. All to come soon. One great part of the week I can share - a friend and I took a "Do-It-Herself" class at Home Depot to learn about tiling. As part of our kitchen remodel, I want a tile backsplash and have been debating whether or not we should do it ourselves. Neither Trent nor I have ever done tile work before and I'll...

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Lego KidsFest 2014: the layout

Two years ago, we had the opportunity to attend our first Lego KidsFest. When we heard it was returning to Raleigh and knowing we had a Lego obsessed son, Trent bought tickets for the 3 of us to attend again. To say Dylan had a blast was an understatement. Just yesterday morning he was once again studying the event pamphlet and talking about the different areas and what he wants to do next. Still trying to help him understand it was a one time event....

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Friday Freebie: DIY Disney Stroller Tag Template

Last fall I shared details on the Stroller Tag I made for our last trip to Walt Disney World. I was asked about a template and had been meaning to create one. This month's Friday Freebie is the DIY Disney Stroller Tag. It's free for personal use only and your download will include two .psd files. One features the name side and is ready to edit with your family name and, if you choose, add the resort/hotel name and trip month/year at the bottom. (Note:...

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3 Simple Steps to Block Users on Pinterest

Did you know you can block other users on Pinterest now? I found out by chance when Pinterest started rolling out "Related Pins" amidst the regular feed. You know - the pins that are from people you don't follow at all. Simply suggestions based on other things you typically pin or like. I get the need to slip in an ad and make a little money for a service that is totally free to me, but I also don't want to see all of them. Specifically, there...

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Mabel's Labels: 40% Spring Spectacular Sale

FTC Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. It may seem early to think about the new school year, but as Dylan will be in a year round school, his first day of class will be in July! And, in a larger class and overall school than preschool, I'm sure some of his items are bound to get lost which is why I was excited to see Mabel's Labels is currently having...

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Simple Kids Build Car Repair

Going to either Lowe's for Build and Grow or Home Depot for Kids Workshop is a highly requested weekend activity here these days. Dylan knows exactly where to go and the basics, so he has his apron ready at the door when it's time to leave. We now have a lot of these builds. They are all quite cool and fun. But there has been a common issue with most - particularly the cars. The stickers seem to loose their adhesiveness and peel right off. I...

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