Pardon Our Dust

I am trying to make some changes on the ol' blog, but it is taking some time. I have no idea how it looks on other computers, but I hope it looks okay. Have you ever thought something looked okay on your computer and then opened it up and found a hot mess on another one? And then all you can think is, "Great...people think I meant it to look like this?" I have, but that's probably why the majority of people think I'm a little off.

Anyways, hopefully I'll have everything figured out and back to normal soon. In other news I found the perfect tree skirt and stockings at Hobby Lobby today. Now I just have to wait until they go on sale. Because everyone knows if you buy something at Hobby Lobby for full price you are either desperate or lack the will power to wait and come back to get it later. I have been guilty of both.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Rhonda (my mom) the Chicken says congrats to...Sarah Sherman! I'll bring you your stuff, Sarah! Congrats! Thanks everyone for participating. It was fun to see who all entered. I'll do it again soon!

The McLife Turns 100!

This blog is getting old. This is my 100th post. It's kind of like the 100th episode of a television show, but with a lot less publicity.

I did figure I needed to celebrate in style, so in true blog fashion I am hosting my first giveaway! Why, do you ask? Because all the cool kids do it. And I have always thought it would be fun to do one. And my blog is old now and it can do whatever it wants.

So without further ado...I present the Amanda's Favorite Things Giveaway!

1. Wooden Hope Sign...I love me some wooden signs. They can be hung on the wall, they can sit on an easel, they even look good leaned up against a wall...the possibilities are endless.


2. Pride and Prejudice DVD...Best movie ever. Enough said. Watch it yourself and find out.


3. Books...How can a librarian have a favorite things list and not put books on it? These are two of my favorite authors.


4. Reusable Shopping Bag...Because there really isn't any excuse not to use them. Unless you forget them in your car...again (not that that ever happens to me).


4. Spring Sign...It's green (fave color), glittery (love it!), and it is a seasonal decoration (obsessed!).


Just leave a comment on this post by this Saturday to be entered to win (I'll tell you how to get ahold of me when I announce the winner Sunday). Since I am assuming that all of about 3 people will enter to win, it is likely that I will just be able to deliver the goods to you in person. If you live far away, though, I will mail it to you. So, let the Amanda's Favorite Things Giveaway commence. You know you're excited.

Blog Stuff

UPDATE: Nelle, it is kind of hard to see all the steps. Once you are done with your scrapblog, you have to publish it. Once you publish it, you can go to File up at the top and click on export as JPEG. This should let you save it to your computer!

Yes. I am still here. Not much to say these days. Same old same old. I did have one thing to report. Someone asked me recently about how I did my blog. In the past, I created everything using Photoshop (time consuming!) and free digital scrapbooking materials I found online. This time, though, I decided to add some pictures, and I didn't want to take the time to create anything. I used Scrapblog to create my header. Check it out...it's so easy!

Give Me Some Food!

Well...since two people have now tagged me to show my 4th picture in my 4th folder, I guess it's time. Here it is:


I did not take this picture, but when Jessica e-mailed it to me I apparently thought it was hysterical and saved it. This is Caleb at his GiGi's house. He found the Kix. Caleb and I share a passion for foraging for food. That's why we are friends.

Blog Stalking

So I was out celebrating my birthday with the McDonoughs the other night when it happened: I saw someone I blog stalk. This is a person who I have absolutely NO connection to in the real world. We don't go to the same church, we don't live in the same town. She is a friend of a friend whose blog I started reading and just can't stop. So, she walked into Mi Cocina and I thought..."I know her!" The problem is, I don't. I couldn't say, "Hey! I know you! How's life? Did you get your haircut?" Because then I would be less of a blog stalker and more of a real stalker. And that would be weird.

Twitter

You may have noticed that there is a sidebar on my blog now called "The Daily Ramble." After much encouragement from Mike, I have finally signed up for a Twitter account. Twitter is fun, because you can update on the go through your cell phone, on the Internet, or whatever (whatever being whatever crazy media I don't know about). For instance, if you and your friends all signed up, you could send out a message about the guy with crazy hair that you just saw and everyone would get it and be able to respond.

I am mainly using it right now because I like to write random things without creating a whole new blog...I think it's great that Twitter can connect to your blog! When I get a fun new phone, I'll be able to take pictures and put them up right away if I just HAVE to post right then. Until then, enjoy my daily ramblings. Or don't, but if they annoy you just don't tell me.

I am living in a virtual world and I am a virtual girl...

I have a problem. I am addicted to my virtual life. I mean, I have always enjoyed perusing the Internet, and "Google" became a verb to me long ago. I completed an entire Master's degree online, and completed entire group projects through the computer with people in different states. My real problem, though, began when I got my laptop. I can sit for hours on end watching TV and checking Facebook, my e-mail, and (my new found obsession) reading people's blogs. I even find myself worrying about how I am going to keep up with all my online responsibilities: posting on my blog, Facebook, and keeping my pictures current on Shutterfly. Yes...these are the things that I worry about. There are people in famine all over the world, but my inability to decide whether to post pictures just to my blog or to Facebook too is what keeps me up at night. Sheesh.

Now, though, I find myself in all new techie territory. Last week, I purchased a Wii Fit. It is so fun! Well, I mean, if you count being weighed and measured as fun. The thing is smarter than I am, although it's attitude is starting to get on my nerves. If that thing tells me that I seem a little shaky one more time I am going to give it a piece of my mind (and I think it might just understand me). Then there's the "oh" sound it makes when I step on. Like, "oh, I wasn't expecting you to weigh that much." I feel like it's mocking me, but I'm sure it's for my own good. Despite these features, though, it really is an amazing piece of technology. You can do yoga, boxing, hula hooping (if only you were a fly on the wall in my house), and you can even run through a virtual park. When my trainer took the day off and another trainer showed up in her place, I knew I was in a whole new league of video game.

The Fabulous World of Blogging

Alright, people, here we go. It is finally time for the McDonough family to enter into the vast and time-consuming world of blogging. Stay tuned for tales from our crazy beautiful life!