Today is Simon's birthday!
When we first decided to sell our chinchilla, Bruce, and get a new pet, we were looking for an animal to be at it's core a companion animal. Well, we got Simon. He may not always be the most kind and loving cat, and I think I've sacrificed more flesh to his wrath than the ancient Greeks, but I am incredibly grateful for him.
He has his moments of sweetness, and these are growing. If nothing else, he has made it much more bearable to be home these past weeks. He's entertaining and engaging and keeps me on my toes. While he might not be the most amiable pet, he is still my little furry companion.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Season of Gratitude
I think what I am most grateful for right now is having a goal. I'm going to be at Art Walk this Thursday with some friends from school and I've been working to get items ready. I've also been working on inventorying the items that we already have for the future gaming/comic shop. I'm also hoping to start writing my first book soon. I'm just not sure which idea I want to focus on... Either way, I'm glad to have something to do. I'd love a paying a job, but at least I'm keeping busy!
Review: Buddy Fruits
I found these cute little things in the produce section at Wal-mart. At first I was surprised at the appearance in said store, but then I was intrigued. I decided to buy a couple of packs to try, at 88 cents a piece it wasn't too much of an investment.
Buddy Fruits Pure Fruit Bites are gummy fruit snacks which count as a serving of fruit! They're made by Buddy Fruits and under 100 calories a pack, a decent little snack. On the package it tells you exactly which fruits went into your package of gummies. There's no additives, dyes, preservatives, dairy, and if I remember correctly they are also gluten-free. This makes them seem like quite the awesome treat, especially for kids with food sensitivities or those who seek to keep a natural diet.
They come in four flavors: orange, apple, raspberry, and pomegranate & acai. Philip and I tried the orange and apple flavors. I preferred the orange, he preferred the apple. I noticed that they had a little bit of an aftertaste, similar to what you usually get from health food type snacks. Philip pinpointed that it was from the lemon which is often used as a natural preservative.
Other than that little bit of an after taste, I liked them. I think they would be great for kids, especially if you start them on these instead of the conventional gummy candies. They might not replace my gummy worms, but they've got a good chance of ending up in my shopping cart again.
You can find more information on this and link over to the company's other products here. The company also makes fruit smoothies and pure blended fruit in drinkable containers.
I chose to review this product without incentive from the producing company.
Buddy Fruits Pure Fruit Bites are gummy fruit snacks which count as a serving of fruit! They're made by Buddy Fruits and under 100 calories a pack, a decent little snack. On the package it tells you exactly which fruits went into your package of gummies. There's no additives, dyes, preservatives, dairy, and if I remember correctly they are also gluten-free. This makes them seem like quite the awesome treat, especially for kids with food sensitivities or those who seek to keep a natural diet.
They come in four flavors: orange, apple, raspberry, and pomegranate & acai. Philip and I tried the orange and apple flavors. I preferred the orange, he preferred the apple. I noticed that they had a little bit of an aftertaste, similar to what you usually get from health food type snacks. Philip pinpointed that it was from the lemon which is often used as a natural preservative.
Other than that little bit of an after taste, I liked them. I think they would be great for kids, especially if you start them on these instead of the conventional gummy candies. They might not replace my gummy worms, but they've got a good chance of ending up in my shopping cart again.
You can find more information on this and link over to the company's other products here. The company also makes fruit smoothies and pure blended fruit in drinkable containers.
I chose to review this product without incentive from the producing company.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Season of Gratitude
So, found out today that my mom will most likely get to visit for Christmas! This will be the first Christmas we've spent together since I got married... That means the first Christmas since 2005! I'm excited. I love Christmas and this is just going to make it that much better. Now let's start praying for Christmas snow, just not so much as to cancel flights. ;)
Review: My Memories Scrapbooking Suite
I was offered a free copy of this software to try out and see what I thought. It's taken me a while to write the review because I wanted to really play around with it and make sure I knew what I was talking about. My Memories Suite is an application that allows you to make digital scrapbooks.
This scrapbooking software is actually quite easy to use, for the most part. I'm not a big scrapbooker, but I really enjoyed how easy it was to drag and drop pictures into the templates. Also, the site emails out newsletters with the occasional free paper package to add to your collection. You can buy additional templates and papers from the site as well.
You can then export your scrapbooks into video or podcast form or print them. You can add music and narration as well as all the little bows and buttons that you can do in a physical scrapbook.
To get used to the software I made two different scrapbooks (more than I've made in real life).
Here's the first one I made:
This scrapbooking software is actually quite easy to use, for the most part. I'm not a big scrapbooker, but I really enjoyed how easy it was to drag and drop pictures into the templates. Also, the site emails out newsletters with the occasional free paper package to add to your collection. You can buy additional templates and papers from the site as well.
You can then export your scrapbooks into video or podcast form or print them. You can add music and narration as well as all the little bows and buttons that you can do in a physical scrapbook.
To get used to the software I made two different scrapbooks (more than I've made in real life).
Here's the first one I made:
The second one I made was of pictures of our wedding and honeymoon:
Here are the problems I ran into:
When I first tried to download a paper pack, it took me forever to find it. Once I did however, it made a lot more sense and was easy to do afterwards.
The other issue I had was with adding music. The tutorial on their blog says you can just select the iTunes file and add it as background music, but if you're on a Mac, the iTunes file isn't one of the formats that they accept for background music.
One more that you're likely to notice: They give you ample "journal" space, but when you transfer the scrapbook to video format, you can only have 10 seconds per page, no more. So if you're a long-winded blogger, you won't be able to read it all.
Also, I just realized that the movie version (what I've posted) doesn't actually show each page for 10 seconds like I asked it to. Don't know how to fix that, but I'll let you know if I figure it out.
Overall, I really liked the scrapbook software, and I would probably use it again. I think it can be great for sharing important photos and memories with family and friends. I can see how this would be a great option for those with children and family that live a long way away.
Want to try it out for yourself? You can win a FREE copy of this software! Simply go to http://www.mymemories.com/ and tell me which template would fit your next scrapbooking project! A winner will be chosen at random at the end of the month!
Can't wait until the end of the month? Use the code: STMMMS38016 for a $10 discount on your very own copy of this software!
I was given a free copy of this software to review but did not promise a positive review.
Etsy Update
In case you were wondering what was going on in the shop, here's a little update on what's new, coming, and featured!
New:
Thanks so much for your support! I look forward to helping you check off your Christmas list!
New:
- The rope toy is posted in the shop. This adorable toy is great for all your feline friends. (link)
- I've posted several pieces of bee soap in various scents. These come gift wrapped! (link)
- I've also posted some smaller soaps such as the soap discs and the yellow crown. (link)
- New juggling bags in a lovely purple pattern are now available. These unique toys are great for teaching motor skills and game play to young children! (link)
Coming:
- I've just finished a beautiful nursery yellow scarf. This scarf is warm and comfortable and sure to brighten up those chilly winter days ahead!
- I'm working on some relaxation pillows for those with trouble sleeping.
- I'm also making some new cat toys, perfect for filling your furry one's stocking this Christmas!
- Be on the look out also for prayer pillows. These unique pillows have a pocket for tucking in your prayers at night. Give your concerns to God to help achieve a good night's sleep!
- New juggling bags are also coming as well as pin cushions for you sewing types.
Featured:
Here are some great treasuries by other etsians featuring yours truly!
Thanks so much for your support! I look forward to helping you check off your Christmas list!
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Season of Gratitude
Today God has flooded my life with things for which to be grateful. Blessings upon blessing have fallen from the skies! My heart is drenched in thanksgiving. Yes people, it has finally rained in Abilene!
We've been in a drought for quite some time and although one storm won't fix it, it's a nice start. It's the first really big storm since the winter and I think my soul needed the clouds.
On a side note, I think this is probably the first really big storm that Simon remembers. He's a little freaked out. He's going from running around playing to pinning his ears back and attacking the lamp. I've had my fair share of bites this morning too. Hopefully he can learn to love the rain like I do.
We've been in a drought for quite some time and although one storm won't fix it, it's a nice start. It's the first really big storm since the winter and I think my soul needed the clouds.
On a side note, I think this is probably the first really big storm that Simon remembers. He's a little freaked out. He's going from running around playing to pinning his ears back and attacking the lamp. I've had my fair share of bites this morning too. Hopefully he can learn to love the rain like I do.
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