Wordless Wednesday: Poofy Pet!

Mattie gets brushed daily and this is what she looks like afterwards...poofy!  We had to start putting a clip in her hair so she can see too.  We're loving being able to see her cute little eyes :-)

 

 

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Zucchini Scramble

Our zucchinis have started coming!  I'm still waiting for the overabundance that we usually have, but for now I'm enjoying them as they come.  This is a new favorite dish that I came across last year and could eat it daily I like it SO much!  Delicious!  (It helps me use up eggs too!)

Zucchini Scramble:
*2 to 3 small zucchini (about 1 lb), sliced (I use 2 medium)
*1 medium onion, chopped
*2 Tbsp butter
*salt and pepper to taste
 *6 to 8 eggs, beaten
*1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I use 1 cup)

In a skillet, saute zucchini and onion in butter until tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the eggs; cook and stir until set.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Remove from the heat; cover until cheese melts.  Yield 4-6 servings.

I linked up at Delicious Dish Tuesday and What's Cooking Wednesday:

 

Storing & Finding Legos Made Fun & Easy with BOX4BLOX! Review & GIVEAWAY! (8/7)

*Disclosure:  I received a BOX4BLOX to help facilitate my review.  I was not compensated for this post in any other way and all opinions are my own.

Blake absolutely LOVES creating things with Legos!  He has many of the affordable Lego sets that are fire related in the Lego City collection...along with several other random Lego sets.  With all the Legos in one little container, sometimes it can take longer than we'd like to make things due to the time it takes to find all those tiny little pieces!

That's where the BOX4BLOX has become a HUGE help for us!  Not only is cleaning up more fun, but finding the little Legos is SO much easier because BOX4BLOX automatically sorts the Legos.  We no longer have to dig through the box for hours, or make a huge mess by dumping the Legos on the floor, to find the right one. 

Blake also seems to enjoy making his own creations more now.  He usually enlists my help while following directions to make what came with the set, but when I'm not available he makes all sorts of random fun things.  Since we've had the BOX4BLOX, he can find what he wants and has really taken off with his own creations!

Take a second to watch the video to see how the BOX4BLOX works:



If you watched the video, you notice that they say to try to put the smaller pieces through first and leave the large ones for last.  We discovered that this part is very important if you want it to sort correctly, because the large pieces keep the smaller ones from being sorted.  I'd have to say this was the only downfall of the BOX4BLOX, because I never think that much when I'm cleaning.  LOL!  The video also mentions you can tip and shake it here and there to help the smaller pieces make it to their destinations...a big help when you're not paying attention to those bigger pieces while cleaning. :-)

I highly recommend BOX4BLOX to anyone who wants to save time and energy cleaning up and building with Legos! :-)

Buy it!: BOX4BLOX can be purchased on amazon.com for $39.95 with FREE Super Saver Shipping. 



GIVEAWAY:

Congrats to comment #10, noreen!

One of my readers is going to win their very own BOX4BLOX!

To enter to win, please leave a comment below telling me about the Lego lover in your life. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I can contact you if you're the winner!

Extra Entries:
(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)

*Like BOX4BLOX on facebook.  (For every 250 likes, they'll give away a FREE Box4Blox!)

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Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.
 

Get the New, Life-changing book, "Open"! Blog App and GIVEAWAY! (8/7)

*Disclosure: I was provided with the following information to share with my readers in promotion of Thomas Nelson. I will be provided with a copy of "Open" for this post.
Get inspired and energized with this new, life-changing book, Open, by Craig Gross, available now wherever books and eBooks are sold.

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How would getting more "open" benefit YOU in your life and relationships?

Hear why Craig believes this message of "openness" for FAMILIES is so important:
"Open" is for families because "Open" is for everyone. Yes, accountability is helpful for individuals; it can help men become better husbands and fathers and women become better wives and mothers, and accountability can help young believers grow into a more mature faith. But beyond showing the individual benefits of accountability, "Open" shows that an honest, forgiving, caring, consistent, and respectful dialogue within a group dynamic--including families--serves only to make that group stronger and closer together. Your family relationships are forever and will outlast all others--why not make them open? - Craig Gross, author of Open

About the author:
Craig Gross is an author, speaker, pastor, and revolutionary. He shot to prominence in 2002 when he founded the website XXXchurch.com. Craig is the author of nine books. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with his wife, Jeanette, and their two children, Nolan and Elise.

Endorsements Received for Craig Gross's book, Open:
"I don't say this often, but this book is a must read." Jefferson Bethke

"Open is one of the most relative and practical books on accountability I've ever read. Craig takes many routes, through stories from pop culture and his personal journey to help lead you to a life thats Open." Josh McCown NFL Journeyman
 
Special Offer:
**For anyone who preorders the book via ThomasNelson.com before the street date of July 30, Thomas Nelson are also offering a special freebie pack. Visit ThomasNelson.com to learn more**


GIVEAWAY:

Congrats to comment #8, kmcgrew213!

One of my readers is going to win a signed copy of Craig Gross's new book, "Open"!

To enter to win, please leave a comment below telling me your results from the "How Open are You?" quiz in the Blog App. Please be sure to leave your e-mail address, so that I can contact you if you're the winner!

Extra Entries:
(1 extra entry per method. Leave a comment for each.)
*Subscribe to my blog in the upper left hand corner.
*Follow me through Google Friend Connect
*Follow me on twitter.
*Tweet this giveaway and leave the URL in your comment
*Follow me on Pinterest

*Pin an image from this post to one of your boards

*Leave a comment on a non-giveaway post and let me know which post.

Open to U.S. residents 18 years and older. Giveaway will end Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 at 11:59 EST. Winner will be chosen shortly after and contacted via e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond otherwise I will have to choose a new winner.

Milk Jug Clothespin Holder

 

I had noticed a while ago that my old clothespin holder, that came from my parents', was starting to fall apart and I was going to need a new one.  Well, it lasted about a month after that, then this happened:

So, I started working at making a new one!  First I washed out a milk jug, then filled it with water and stuck it in the freezer.

 Once it was froze, I drew lines, with a permanent marker, for the slit to hang the jug on the line...

 ...and the hole to put the clothespins in.  (The lines may have went on easier before it was frozen...it was tough drawing the lines through the frost.)

 I then used a utility knife and cut along all the lines. 
Once the lines were mostly cut, I stuck the milk jug in a grassy spot in the sun for the ice to melt.

 After the ice melted, I finished cutting a couple spots I missed...

 ...then covered the edges of the opening with duct tape to prevent any sharp edges from catching me when I reached in.  I think it'll also help it hold up longer....but if not, it sure is an inexpensive, quick little project to do again!

 FYI:  The last milk jug clothespin holder was around for YEARS.  I've had it for probably seven years and my parents used it for several before then.

 

As I already mentioned, this is super simple and quick to do.  I love that I was able to reuse the milk jug for something super useful.  (I do laundry every other day and also hang up the kids' swim stuff often through the summer.)  I also love how easily it stores!  The fabric clothespin holders would flop around, but this sits up solid and straight.  The handle on it makes it super easy to grab quickly on the way out the door to the clothesline too!