What a Difference

What a difference ONE year makes.

- same Grandma with a Yankees visor (Go Yankees!)
- same 4th of July Parade
- same bleachers
- same striped shirt...well almost, one was a onesie. (I love stripes.)
- same right shoulder
- same tired baby boy

The Difference...one year.

A Perennial Garden

I just love perennials, they come back year after year, 'multiplying and replenishing the earth' (and my yard) for FREE! When we first put our yard in, my sweet Aunt Sherry invited me up to her home to get a bunch of starts from her yard. I loved it! Now I have starts to share.

Hey family/friends/neighbors and those I know IRL, if you would like any starts from my yard, drop me a line, I would love to share with you.

Thanks Anonymous!

Wow, who knew that posting bigger pics with blogger could be even easier.

Thanks Anonymous!

Now, who said Anonymous wasn't nice?!

On The Summer Menu

Ella Good. It's Hella Good! Dreamsicle: icecream on bottom, cream on top. It's smooth like snow. Thanks Miss Natalie Hill.


Sanpellegrino Limonata. It's light and refreshing and available at a Costco near you me...hopefully you. Thanks Miss Emily Frame, it's delightful.

One more title to add to my job description: Backyard Food Stylist.


Rainer Cherries. Yum. They remind me of that little stand on the side of the road on our way out to Cannon Beach, Oregon.

What's on your summer menu?

I Heart Alex P. Keaton

I have a thing for Michael J since his days on Family Ties. Even though I am not a fan of billboards, I do love these ads, and I was thrilled to see his face on my drive home. What a spirit.

How To Post Bigger Pictures In Blogger

I have had a bunch of emails asking how to post larger images with blogger. As a time saver, I thought I would give the "HOW TO" right here so that I don't have to repeat myself. I hope it's helpful to you.





Above I have the same image uploaded two different ways.
The difference:
- The first image was uploaded directly to blogger choosing the large size option.
- The second one was uploaded first to Flickr then to Blogger.

Here is how I do it to make them bigger:

1. Upload the image to Flickr. (You could also use Photobucket or Picasa Web Albums.)
2. Click on All Sizes for the image.
3. Choose the size: Large or Original.
4. Then right click on the image and choose COPY IMAGE LOCATION.
5. Then paste the image URL into the image upload with blogger. Choosing the one on the right, labeled: Add an image from the web.



6. From there, I usually Edit the HTML sizes of the width and height. This is where it gets a little complicated (I know what you are thinking..."I have to do MATH?!"). It really isn't that bad. Take the small number divide by the big number then multiple the answer by 800 or 900. ( I like my images around 800px X 500px.

Here is an example:
681px / 1024px = 0.665 * 800 = 532.03
From there, you will change the width to 532.03px and the height to 800px. Your image sizes will not always be the same size depending on how you have cropped the image to begin with, but you need to make sure you do not change the image proportion.



Before you try it out, here are some things to be aware of:
- Be sure to choose a blog template that allows the space needed for larger images, such as Minima Stretch.
- Images found from the web (meaning ones that you haven't taken) usually will be too small to be uploaded this way. I only use this method for images that I have taken.
- If you don't want to have to open a Photobucket or Flickr account, you can find where your current blogger images are being stored in Picasa and try this same method using your existing account.

Good luck posting bigger...it's no biggie!

Sheila

I met sweet Sheila (aka Pedaling) IRL way back here after we first met online. We have been blog buddies now for about a year and a half. She invited me up to her beautiful home for a laid back summer bbq in her back yard, in exchange for a little blog help. It was my privilege. Her family and beautiful home were just as charming as I had imagined. It was great to meet Krista too (and little Sid)while she happened to be in town.

-I love that through this crazy medium you can make and keep friends that you never would have otherwise crossed paths with.
-I love that even though I avoid the political scene that we can all still get along.
-I love that they thought it was funny when I noticed one of her 6 wasn't there. (What sort of Blog Buddy would I be?!)
-I love that pool in the back yard...yeah, that pool.
-I love blog buddies. Thanks Sheila!

M-I-C-K-E-Y

I think I might have gone a bit Mickey shaped over board at the Disney Souvey shop. But hey, everyone needs Mickey shaped pancake mold, cookie cutter and egg rings...riight?!
yeah, whatever. (Tiffany - I think now I really am part Disney. HA!)

Hey neighbors! If you need anything Mickey shaped, I'm your girl.


The main reason for this purchase was to recreate these. They are the best at Disneyland. I would love to say that mine turned out just the same, but I'll be honest, they were sub par. But hey, they look pretty. That's all that matters here on the old blog. And by golly kids liked them.


Oh yeah, I can't leave out the mess.

ps. I labeled this post Yum-O, cuz I really don't want to start a new label: Yuck-O, unless it becomes a trend, then I might have to.

a Tiffany Sandwich

...way better than a PB & J.

Especially when you throw in 8 diet cokes with lime, 27 pictures, a big bowl of salted edamame and five hours with two of my favorite dailies: Mindi and Tiffany. I love these two!

Thanks Ladies for a fabulous night! ...and to think if this night hadn't happened, these two never would have known about Michael Jackson or how to pronounce pseudo correctly.

You betcha, girls.

iBlog

iBlog to tell our story

iBlog to make new friends and keep the old

iBlog to archive all that I love: people, places and things

iBlog to share a great recipe

iBlog to have a creative outlet

iBlog because who else will make sure I look okay in all these pictures?

iBlog to stay current

iBlog because I'm a people person ;)

iBlog to make you laugh (still one of my favorites)

iBlog to LOL - (see min 2:42)

iBlog to make you cry (with my ugly cry)

iBlog to justify all the pictures that I take

iBlog to share a how to - I love a good DIY.

iBlog to say THANK YOU for reading, commenting & emailing

iBlog for 2 years. Two years this week, Monday July 6th to be exact.

Happy Blogiversary!

Now it's your turn, Why do... uBlog?

See The Beauty in Ugly

I have an ugly secret. Well, if you're my neighbor, it's no secret. As of last week, these graced my front yard. Gorgeous, right?! Since it rained most of June, I let things go a bit... a bit too long.


Here's the beauty in the ugly. Here are some pictures of our tulips this last Spring that I never got around to posting. This was their 4th year in the ground and I was surprised to see them looking this good, because tulips lose their beauty each year. I think the main reason they looked like this is because I let them get real ugly, ugly-ugly. You gotta love the word ugly - Ugg-lay. ;)


Even with the ugly going on, we managed to win a 'major award' from the city, along with a 25$ gift card to our local nursery. So I packed up the troops to pick out some pretties to fill up the spot.



I love yard therapy.

The 4th... in pictures

ps. Thanks to all those who linked to the how to shoot fireworks post! If you tried it out, leave a link here so I can see all the fun you had.

A Great 4th - 2009

I hope you all had a great 4th. It was beautiful here (wasn't it?), I can't remember a 4th where I didn't just sweat...it was so nice! Our fourth was packed full of all the f words... I mean words that start with the letter f: food, family, friends, fireworks and fun. This is just the first of way too many pics headed your way.

Happy 4th!

Have a nice, safe holiday weekend including a little Lee Greenwood and Whitney Houston on the playlist.

The Beach....ahhhh

If I could go back right now and relive any one day of this trip, it would be our day at the beach. I wish we had more time to just sit. and take it in.


I didn't want to bother anyone to take our picture, er I mean pictures...let's be honest here (I like options). So I brought the good old tripod and remote.