Day 31

I can't believe I made it an entire month without missing a single day! I love this sweet, pudding-faced boy so much. Spencer sat down to enjoy a cup of pudding and didn't notice Huddy sneaking around the corner. Next thing we know, Hud has a handful of pudding and this was the result...

Free Photo Postcard

I love this freebie! It is actually one of my all time favorites. I tried it earlier this month when the freebie option was for 10 photo postcards and all of my recipients truly enjoyed the gift of an adorable picture of Huddy arriving in their mailbox. This site is super simple to use and the end product is wonderful quality. Each of my recipients received this sweet smile in their mailboxes.

How does it work?

You simply upload 1 Free Photo Postcards. You can select pictures from your cellphone or your computer. I chose the computer option, because my cell phone at the time did not produce print quality photos. After uploading your photo, you can then add a 250 character message for your recipient. Despite the fact the website is www.cellphonepostcards.com, you do not have to enter your cell number or even use your phone at all.

This is a great way to surprise and brighten someone's day :)

Ready to get started?

Go to Cell Phone Postcards. Click on the green “Get One Free!” button to get started. Registration is completely free and no billing information is required to try out this great product.

Day 30

Who knew keeping a commitment such as a 365 photo project would be so hard...ok I did, but still I am trying so hard to not miss a day. I once again never managed to take any pictures on my camera today. A leaky washing machine and stubborn dryer pretty much filled my day. Either way, I managed to snap this super adorable picture of Hudson. Lately, every time he eats lunch, he falls asleep in his highchair.

Maybelline Freebie

Maybelline Fit Me Makeup

"FLAWLESS LETS THE REAL YOU COME THROUGH 
BEYOND MATCHING: FRESH, BREATHING, NATURAL SKIN"

I have seen advertisements for Maybelline's new line of Fit Me cosmetics, however I have not tried any of the products yet. I am not a huge fan of foundation, I actually can't stand the way it feels on my face. I wear it from time to time but not everyday. My other biggest complaint is that the shade always seems either too light or too dark for my skin tone. The new line from Maybelline introduces 18 different shades, so that users will be able to find a better match, and consequently have a more natural look. I am willing to try this one, and a sample is the perfect place to start.

Go here to request your free sample of Maybelline FitMe Makeup.

Thank you Penny Pinchin' Mom!

If you want more information on this product you can check it out on Maybelline's website.

Day 29

I love watching my two favorite boys play! Huddy loves for his daddy to throw him up in the air. He also loves to terrorize his daddy by trying to stick his "stinky-piggies" in his mouth.

Day 28

Today was a very busy day around the house! Unfortunately, my big nice camera just never made its way into the day. So today you are receiving a photo from my new cellphone. I am in love with this cookie recipe. I have been experimenting with changes/additions here and there and I think I have finally found the best mix.

Peanut Butter and Honey No-Bake Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 3 cups instant oatmeal, or more as needed
• 2 Tbsp Cocoa (I added this to the original recipe)

Directions

1. Combine the butter, milk, white sugar, brown sugar, cocoa and honey in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a rapid boil for 90 seconds. Stir the salt and peanut butter into the mixture and remove immediately from the heat. Add the oatmeal quickly and mix to combine. Make sure the texture is thick with a little bit of sauce, but not too much sauce. If needed add extra oatmeal.
2. Drop rounded spoonfuls of the dough 2 inches apart onto aluminum foil or waxed paper; allow to sit 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Original recipe can be found here

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Peanut-Butter-and-Honey-No-Bake-Cookies/Detail.aspx

Day 27

Hudson loves the playground! This is by far our favorite playground because it is always clean and never crowded. Huddy specifically loves the slides, he has recently learned how to slide down on his own. My favorite part of going to the playground is definitely watching Spencer play with Hudson. He is the best Daddy. He runs with Huddy (or chases), he climbs the steps, he crosses all the bridges, and of course goes down the big slide. I think that is his favorite part of the day, Spencer that is...and Hudson.

Day 26

My new phone arrived today! I have been eagerly waiting to try out the camera. Unlike my Blackberry Curve, the Droid X boasts a 8 mega pixel camera. This is a substantial improvement in my mobile photography capabilities. The quality definitely impresses me, but of course is nothing compared to my Canon Rebel.

Freebies for Me

I love freebies! There is always something exciting about opening your mailbox and receiving tons of little gifts. Each day I am on the lookout for freebies that catch my attention, spark my interest, and leave me anxiously checking the mailbox each day for their arrival.

Steps to follow for successful freebie sign ups

One.

Setup a new email. Do not use your everyday email for freebies, your inbox will be flooded with unwanted emails. However, setting up an email that is just for freebies and coupons, is a great way to organize all of your savings into one neat inbox. I also make sure to check this email regularly and delete everything I don't need.

Two.
Check the source of your freebie. If it sounds too good to be true, trust your instincts. I only sign up for freebies from companies I know and trust.

Three.
Keep your eye out. Most great freebies show up and disappear before you can click your mouse. Remember, you aren't the only one wanting to score these amazing deals. Find a blogger you enjoy that gives updates on all freebies, I use Freebies 4 Mom. Following an avid deal watcher will give you the greatest advance and news on upcoming deals.

Four.
Keyword, freebies are free. Do not ever pay anything for a freebie, not even shipping. A true freebie does not require payment and be leery of any that do as this could be a scam for your credit card info.

Five.

According to Freebies 4 Mom, do not sign up for "trials". She says, "If you see the word “trial” then stop. Just don’t do it! I don’t recommend doing any free trials, because a free trial means you will be billed. Yes, they say you can cancel at anytime but many things can happen which will result in you still getting a bill. You typically see free trials for magazines. Don’t do free trials, there are lots of free samples of magazines available."

These are just some basic tips, if you would like to know more, I suggest reading "Be a Smart Freebie Finder".

Today's Freebies

Photo Courtesy of ASPCA.org

My favorite freebie for today is the Free Pet Safety Pack from the ASPCA.

"Help keep your pets safe with a free pet safety pack from the ASPCA! In the event of an emergency, our pet rescue window decal alerts rescue personnel that pets are inside your home. The safety pack also includes an ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center magnet—a great way to keep the APCC's toll-free emergency number and website address handy in case your pets get into something they shouldn’t!"- ASPCA.org

Want one for you sweet animals? Sign Up Here.

Is this really work?

I love my job.

I couldn't have picked a better major in college

 or a better career path to follow.

After spending two wonderful years mostly working on websites (check out UnlocktheWeb), I have been enjoying the past couple of months exploring more of a print style. The newest project I am working on incorporates my love of print layouts with the convenience of the click of a mouse.

"Chiropractic Patient Care is the industry’s newest and most unique

media platform for patient retention and education. "



So you ask..what is my job? After receiving an article, I am able to creatively dive into it. Each article brings out a different feeling and vibe. My favorite part is deciding on the creative display for the title. I treat each one almost as a logo, choosing a font is the best part (look for an upcoming blog concerning typography, which I adore). From there, I choose photos to go with the article. Once the articles are completed, I take the magazine into an amazing program and turn it into a magazine. Users are able to flip the pages, zoom in on specific elements, search the entire document, and print off a copy.

Samples from past editions

Each cover is unique to the edition and the doctor or client who purchases a subscription. I really enjoy this process of turning a magazine into a tool for a specific client, each one is the same and different at the same time.

---

Logo Love

January brought the excited addition of two new magazines. I was so excited to be work on these from the very start. I love working on logos, it is probably my favorite part of being a graphic designer. I really enjoying working the concepts of logos for the three new magazines. One of which, might be my all time favorite logo design.

 

---

I am looking forward to exploring new design concepts

and watching this company grow.

Want to see more?

You can check out the current editions of all three magazines here:

Chiropractic Patient Care

Chiro Innovations

Massage Health

Day 25

One of the best parts of working from home...having time to bake cakes! Luckily for me, my husband's favorite cake is also a simple yellow cake with milk chocolate icing. After icing this one, I felt like Huddy needed to represented as well, so I decorated it with his favorite cookies, fudge iced animal cookies.

Day 24

I love these baby blue eyes!

Day 23

Finally! It is 1:15 am on technically Day 24, but I am determined to post Day 23. This weekend was amazing. Spencer and I took a night and celebrated our upcoming anniversary. Due to his work schedule we will not be able to celebrate on the actual day, so this weekend just seemed to work for us. There is a blog to come with details of the night and some new favorites acquired from this one night trip to Huntsville, AL. Here is a sneak peek...the view from our window.

Oh, Day 23...how did you get pushed so far down on my to-do list?

Day 23 will be arriving shortly, probably after midnight and several other things I must do. However, being behind on things was completely worth my trip this weekend.

Day 22

Day 21

Huddy loves to nap on his Daddy :)

Day 20

I am in love with Huddy's new hat. For the past couple of months I have been trying to win a giveaway of a hat just like this. Unfortunately, I just seem to never win one. I was super excited when I learned that my friend Kat has been knitting. I sent her a picture of the adorable hat and to my surprise just a couple of days later, she stopped by with one for Hudson. He LOVES it. He actually treats it more like a stuffed animal, he cuddles it, he hugs it, and when it goes on his head he runs around like crazy. I tried and tried to get a good picture of him wearing it. Apparently, it just makes him too wild.

I couldn't help myself, I had to try it on!

Thank you Kat :)

Day 19

Boyd is one lazy pup. I had no clue just how much of his day he spends napping. This seems to be his favorite napping spot, on the top of the chair.

Deal of the Day

I know we are ALL always looking for a great deal and this one is just that! You can purchase a $20 Amazon.com card for $10. There is under 24hrs left on this, so hurry and get yours before they run out. I plan on pairing this with my cards I am going to redeem from swagbucks. Nothing like free purchases :)

Click Here to Redeem Your Card!

If you haven't signed up for swabucks yet, you can do that here...

Thank you Penny Pinchin' Mom!

Day 18

Keep Me Photography by Sherry Hodge

I feel like I never win anything! I am constantly playing sweeps and entering giveaways. However, I never win. This week I finally won one and I am super excited about it! I won a free photo session with Keep Me Photography by Sherry Hodge. Sherry shot the pictures of our wedding and I was super pleased with the results. Through various conversations I respect her love of the art of photography and not simply the financial gains of being a photographer. I am looking forward to letting her take some shots of Huddy. I am constantly taking pictures of him, but I would love to see another perspective of him.

Here are my favorite shots from my wedding/bridal pictures. When I scheduled my event, I explained to her that I could really care less about posed shots. I am more about capturing the moments, she did a perfect job of executing what I wanted.

One
I love this picture. If you know each of these guys, it captures each of their personalities perfectly. Some look more serious, while others look like they are holding back a laugh.

Two

I like the moment that this shot caught. It was a really sweet moment and the picture turned out perfect.



Three

I like the color balance here. The flowers are displayed beautifully and the focus is dead on.

Four 

This series of pictures is probably hands down my favorite shots of the entire wedding weekend. The series captured my emotion and Spencer's personality perfectly.

FIVE

I do not like having my picture made. I prefer to be behind the lens, capturing the moment from my perspective. However, I was really pleased with my bridal shots. This one in fact is one of my very favorite shots of myself. I could have cared less about picking out a wedding gown, it just wasn't that important to me. However, I adored the sash I chose. It was perfect, it was me. These shots and the location chosen by Sherry made the perfect scene and was definitely what I was looking for.



Day 17

While I was updating my blog I happened to glance over at this adorable scene taking part of the other side of my chair. Huddy loves Boyd!



Day 16

Nothing like curling up on the couch with your three favorite magazines, coupon binder, and menu plan for the following week. I love these three magazines.

Family Circle

I thoroughly enjoy the stories in this magazine. There are tons of tips for saving for your family, fun with you family, and overall as the title implies family things.

Southern Living

I was so excited to receive a subscription to this magazine for Christmas. I have been eagerly waiting for its arrival every month at my Granny's house for the past couple of years. There are so many things I adore about this magazine. I can spend hours staring at the beautiful homes, amazing decor selections, and the wonderful recipes.

All You

If you are looking for savings, this magazine is the way to go. It is packed full of coupons every month. I also love the recipe section, it breaks down each recipe by cost per serving. I am especially looking forward to the March issue, I will have my biggest saving to date featured in my favorite magazine!

Day 15

My sweet Benjamin Boyd. I love this cuddly pup so much. I have to admit that I love him more than most people. He is loyal and a great listener. He has no idea he is a dog though, he is pretty sure he is human. I adopted Boyd almost 6 years ago from a very old breeder in the country outside of Boaz. The old man opened the cage and Boyd was the first one out. My brother said I should have went for the lazy one that didn't even get up, but I chose the wild, hyper puppy instead. He cried the entire way home, even through a roadblock. He is my first real love and a super important part of my life.

Day 14

Blue loves to climb the baby/puppy gate. He is jumping in this picture and has learned how to hang on the side of the gate to peek into the kitchen.

Day 13

Day 12

I LOVE Huddy's new boots! He loves them too. As soon as I put them on he ran all around the livingroom, he danced in them, and he stomped in them. He had a full conversation with Blue about something outside. I think he is wanting to go out and play in his new boots, but it is definitely too cold today.

Day 11

I will be honest, today I have not had time to play with my camera. I have taken one picture and it was of Huddy. I love the strength I can see in my baby boy, even after such a horrible thing to endure.

Day 10

My snow baby, or ice baby. Unfortunately, we did not really get any snow, just a layer of ice. I was actually hoping for a little bit of snow because Hudson has never had a chance to play in the snow. He napped Christmas day away and missed all that fun. Last year we received a decent dusting in Oxford, but he was too little to really play in it yet. We bundled up and headed to the backyard today, for a lesson on the word "cold". We touched all the ice on the trees and said the word cold or as Huddy kept saying "ooooooo". I had a tough time choosing a picture, so today I offer you with two pictures.

I tried to capture one of Hudson's grins, but he was too curious.

He did not like the ice on his fingers.



if you've got the money

My Paw-Paw has been on my mind a lot the past few days. He is currently in the hospital and unfortunately due to Hudson being sick and the winter weather approaching the state, we haven't been able to travel and visit him. I was blessed with being able to spend my last summer before starting school with my Paw-Paw. I was 5 and the memories I made that summer have never left me. Every day we would load up in his truck and head out for some type of adventure. These adventures consisted of:

1. The Farmer's Market in Guntersville and of course feeding the ducks
2. Checking out tractors. We drove everywhere looking at tractors, John Deere only though. My Paw-Paw is a John Deere man and would refuse to look at anything else. I have no actual memories of my Paw-Paw ever owning a tractor though, just his lawn mower.
3. Stopping in to see my mom at work for milkshake money. Then we headed to BeeGees for a handmade milkshake, I ordered strawberry, but he always got pineapple.

 But perhaps the best part of the summer, Willie Nelson. My Paw-Paw loves Willie. He had a cassette that I am not completely sure how we didn't wear out that summer. We would listen to it everyday from beginning to end. My Paw-Paw would belt out the words as if nobody could hear him. For those of you that know my Paw-Paw, he has never been much of a singer, but always puts his entire heart (and voice) into it. It was hard to watch my Paw-Paw's truck be sold a few months ago, but I am hoping that my Granny still has that cassette somewhere.

This song has always stuck out to me, I can still close my eyes and see my Paw-Paw singing every word.

Day 9

Everyone should have the opportunity to share a breakfast with Hudson. It is by far his favorite meal of the day. Today he enjoyed a mixed fruit cup and fruit loops. He loves to stack his fruit loops and then smash them in the fruit cup. Don't worry, he also uses the juice from the cup as his own personal hair gel. I love this picture, it captures the wonderful personality that I get to spend everyday loving.

Day 8

I love this sweet puppy so much! This is Blue, or as we call him Blue Regard, or Boo-Boo. He is a 3.5 year old double-dapple miniature dachshund. Don't tell him though, he is convinced he is a beagle like his big brother Boyd. We rescued Blue from a pet store in Birmingham, his strange eyes immediately caught our attention. He has one blue eye and one green eye. This pup loves to cuddle and to have his belly rubbed. He is loyal and a protector.

I'm dreaming of...

I am dreaming of cookbooks. As I mentioned in a previous blog my Granny has an amazing cookbook collection. I would love to someday have a collection as expansive as hers. Of course she has a few years on me, but as you flip through the pages of her collection you can really see the love she has put into it over the years. Perhaps my favorite part of browsing her books is finding her little bookmarks. I always happen upon them and the tattered edges always cause me to smile. I know these pages have captured her attention, more than once.

My collection is still very small, actually incredibly small, I only have two cookbooks. This isn't a new interest for me, but it is an interest that I am just now beginning to explore. As a mom and a wife, I love cooking for my boys. It brings joy to my heart to watch them smile as I pull a pan of cookies out of the oven.

I am going to share with you my favorite cookbook, The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook by Erin Chase. I seriously love this book. It is packed full of tips on how to save on your shopping trips, use coupons wisely, and overall how to effectively set a menu for your family.

(photo courtesy of http://www.5dollardinners.com)

Here is my challenge to you. If you are reading my blog and you love cookbooks, leave me a comment of your favorite cookbook. I am excited about starting my cookbook collection. I am only 24 and by the time I am my Granny's age, I hope to have a collection like hers. That gives me a little over 50 years of collecting.

Day 7

I love this guy so much! He is my bestfriend and my better half. He is always there when you need a smile or a good laugh. I can't express how much he makes me happy and how much joy he brings to my life. Not to mention, he is a pretty awesome daddy to Huddy too.



**UPDATE

Shortly after adding the previous picture I glanced over and realized this is what makes me truly happy. I love watching these two cuddle after a long day. Today is worthy of two pictures, especially when the second picture is this sweet.