dabbling in blog design

I've been blogging since August 2008 and I love it! It's a great way for me to stay up-to-date with everything. Every year I've printed out my blog into book form, and then refer back to it later for our scrapbooks and family albums.

With my blog, I always like changing my backgrounds and font colors, etc. according to holiday or color scheme or whatever. But I've always been interested in learning MORE about this whole "world". So I registered for this class  "Bloom Your Blog: Beginning Blog Design". I love the whole Jessica Sprague website and I've taken some of the digital scrapbooking classes, Photoshop Basics, etc. classes on there, along with shopping at her digital shop (which can be dangerous!).  ;) More on that to come another time...

Here's the Class Synopsis for the "Bloom Your Blog" Class:
In this video-based course, you'll learn how to create a cohesive look and feel for your blog, and how to use Photoshop to create the "bits & pieces" that every blog needs. You'll learn how to:

• Identify the basic vocabulary of web design
• Use brainstorming, mood boards, and worksheets to design a cohesive look and feel for your blog
• Set up your blog with a simple, flexible template you can customize
• Create a new blog header
• Create a custom background, and the bits-and-pieces that every blog needs
• Perform basic edits on photos
• Create a watermark
• Integrate widgets into your blog
• Create ads and blog badges to share your blog with others
• And so much more!

This class was a lot of fun! I didn't do everything she taught in class (like add a button to connect to my Pinterest or Facebook accounts, etc.), but I made a lot of other great changes.

1. I modified/tinted my own background and made my own header (that was a big TA-DAH moment for myself. Really tickled about it.)
2. I learned more about adjusting widths of the columns, and learning a little bit of the technical side of things, although I think I'd actually like to go in MORE depth to learn even more about it.

Call me a computer nerd, but it's kinda fun for me. Takes me back to 7th grade in Dr. Moore's computer class when I first dabbled in computer design and computer code. (I haven't thought about that class...probably since 7th grade, but this experience brought it back.)

Overall, it was a fun experience. I like learning this kind of stuff! Another great thing about these classes is that they're available to you forever and ever to refer back to and take again. ;) Pretty cool.

PS: I've you automatically get my blog updates and don't actually see the WHOLE blog, click here and see what it looks like.

crockpot mac & cheese

I don't know how it is that this recipe hasn't made it to my blog before! This is a family favorite! I've been making it for over a year now. I guess I've always thought "Oh yeah, I use that recipe all the time. I must've blogged about it before." Well, I finally checked to make sure and it was NO where to be found on here! I take this to our family gatherings and it's a big hit every time! Write this one down! Perfect for your summer BBQs and you don't have to heat up the house for it!

(uber-cheesy) Crockpot Mac & Cheese

Ingredients:
1 lb. rotini or noodle of choice, cooked according to package directions (I prefer rotini because there are so many places for the cheesy goodness to hide)
Slow cooker plastic liner** A MUST- can you imagine cleaning this dish without a liner? What a sticky mess!

Cheese sauce:
1 stick of butter
1 can (14 oz.) evaporated milk
1 can Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 slices swiss cheese
3 slices American cheese
1 lb (yellow) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 t. salt
3/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. nutmeg

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, place slow cooker liner over slow cooker insert. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add milk, cheddar cheese soup, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Bring to a boil briefly (you don't want it to burn on the bottom), then remove from heat and stir in cheeses.
4. Pour cheese sauce over noodles. Stir to combine, then transfer to lined slow cooker.Cook on low 2-3 hours.
5. OR pour into a greased 9x13 pan, cover with foil and bake @ 350* for 30+ minutes.

This is a DEFINITE crowd pleaser AND it warms up really nice the next day- just drizzle a little water before you heat it up and sauce is just as creamy as the 1st serving!

what's cookin?

Here's some of what's been cookin' in our kitchen the past month or so. Enjoy!

Baked Spaghetti
Italian Sausage & Mushroom Bake
Roasted Asparagus
Slow-cooker 20 Garlic Chicken
Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu
Mozzarella Ham Stromboli
Strawberry Cupcakes
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken
Pizza Pull-apart Bread - I modified the original recipe and it was an EPIC FAILURE! :P I hate it when dinner turns out like this. I will not be trying this again, even with the original recipe. PASS!
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Taco Soup
Baked Ravioli
Pizza Hut Pan Pizza
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
Baked Ziti
Sugar Cookie Bars

our helping hands

{4.27.13}
Last weekend our whole family to able to help in a service project at a local state park. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we had a wonderful time. We were able to work alongside our COUSINS and friends from church! It was a great time!

Here's cousin I and Jackson near their big pile of sticks. Our job was to pick up the off-shoots & sticks that our other helpers cut off from the bases and bottoms of the trees. We also helped put mulch around some newly planted trees.

These boys were HAPPY to be where they were! (The inside story: They were trying to make the BIGGEST pile of sticks because they were pretending there was a HUGE prize for the winner. We'd have a pile near the tree we were working on, but they insisted on carrying their sticks BACK to THEIR pile, so they could build it bigger. They kept doing this until their pile was almost out of sight, then they were convinced they needed to start ANOTHER pile. They made about 3 of these big piles.)

I had to get a shot of the back because these vests are so cool! Really! I also love that you can tell how SMALL these boys are that are helping. Pretty cool.

Here are their big sisters HAPPILY at work and building their own pile.

Elisabeth thought it was pretty funny that she got to put this BIG BRANCH in the pile and it's BIGGER THAN SHE IS! "Take a picture!" she said.

The kids worked really hard for about 2 hours before we had to stop for a little snack.

After about 3 1/2 hours of good work, the kids were exhausted and we were finally done, so we got to have our picnic lunch by the playground! Jackson picked Swiss Rolls & Capri Suns for our special treats for the day.

Levi RE-discovered that he LOVES watermelon! He ate 2 or 3 pieces of it!

It was a wonderful sunny day and it felt great to work and be outside all together! Let's do this again!

The final headcount for our service project was 340 people and we clocked over 2000 hours of service! We were all stationed according to our ages and abilities and spread over 8+ areas of the park. Some of the other work our fellow workers did was to: fix/re-install lampposts, paint benches in the amphitheater, paint signs & posts, outfit a horsetrail, and the list goes on and on and we got almost all of it done!  How wonderful!

For more information click here.

prom hair do

{3.30.13}
One of our favorite babysitters asked ME if I'd do her hair for Prom. !!! She said Alivia's hair was always cute for church and she didn't really care what I did with it.

We had a practice run the week before, and it was a good thing. I got off to a rocky start. :/ But we pushed through and were happy with the results.

I looked at The Small Things Blog for some inspiration. I used ideas mostly from her fancy side pony tail, and some more ideas from her Sideways French Twist. She has a cool blog with great "how-to" videos. I'll be checking those out again.

Notes for myself for the future:
After I did the half up flip over in the middle, I took small sections from each side, twisted them and pinned them over the middle piece. I put the rest of the hair in a low, side pony tail, wrapped the ponytail elastic with a piece of her hair and pinned it in place. Then I sprayed and curled her hair and pinned it above the ponytail base to make a faux bun. Sprayed wispies like crazy and added her cool feather hair piece. She looked beautiful all dolled up!

sugar cookie bars

When it comes to my cookies, I'm not all about meticulously beautiful. I prefer easy and DELICIOUS! So, you can see why I'd think making sugar cookies is a LOT of work. You have to roll them all out and cut them, and after they're done baking and cooling, you still have to frost them and decorate them too! It's just hard for me to sit still doing that same thing for so long, especially since I don't actually LIKE to do it. :/ This recipe solves all these issues, AND it's delicious! Hooray!

Picture from Real Mom Kitchen

SUGAR COOKIE BARS

Cookie:
1 cup butter; room temp.
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and frost.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

Directions:
Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk! Spread over cooled cookie bars.

Sources:
I used the bar cookie recipe from Real Mom Kitchen and the frosting recipe (using cream cheese addition & shortening omission- eww) from The Girl Who Ate Everything. I'm really pleased with how well they turned out! They really "hit the spot" on my rainy day today. ;)

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza

Thank you Pinterest! Another great find from Six Sisters' Stuff

I wasn't sure if this single batch would be enough for our whole family to get full on, but this crust is really filling, so we even ended up with leftovers! I'll add this to the Friday night Pizza rotation. :)

Homemade Pizza Hut Original Pan Pizza Recipe:

Makes three 9" pizzas

Pizza Dough:

1 1/3 cup warm water (105 degrees F)
1/4 cup non-fat dry milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 t.)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (for dough)

Directions:

1. Put yeast, sugar, salt, and dry milk in a large bowl. Add water and stir to mix well. Allow to sit for two minutes. Add oil and stir again. Add flour and stir until dough forms and flour is absorbed.
2.  Turn out on to a flat surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Divide dough into three balls. In three 9" cake pans, put 3 Tbl. of oil in each making sure it is spread evenly. Using a rolling pin, roll out each dough ball to about a 9" circle. Place in cake pans.
3. Spray the outer edge of dough with cooking spray. Cover with a plate. Place in warm area and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Sauce:
1 can (8 ounce size) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dry oregano
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt\

Directions:

1. Combine tomato sauce, oregano, marjoram, basil and garlic salt.

Other Ingredients:
Mozzarella cheese, shredded (2-3 cups)
Desired toppings 
9 Tbl. vegetable oil (3 Tbl. per pan, or less if preferred) vegetable oil spray
Butter flavored cooking spray

Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
2. Spoon 1/3 cup sauce on dough and spread to within 1" of edge. Distribute 1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese on sauce. Place toppings of your choice in this order: pepperoni or ham, vegetables, meats (cooked ground sausage or beef). Top with 1/2 c. mozzarella cheese (or as much as you prefer). Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown (between 10-15 minutes).

(Recipe from CDKitchen)