My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software Giveaway!

I recently had the chance to try out a really cool digital scrapbooking software from My Memories.  I was really excited to try it since I used to love to scrapbook, but haven't found the time for it in years.  I've wanted to try digital scrapbooking for a while now, but the chance just never really came up.  So when My Memories contacted me about trying their digital scrapbooking software I jumped at the chance.

One of the things that I don't like about regular scrapbooking is the time it takes to drag everything out.  It seems like you have to carve out a huge chunk of time to devote to scrapbooking once the mess is out.  And if you're like me, you just don't have the time to do that, not if you want sleep anyways.  And if I were to attempt to scrapbook with my children awake, that would just be another disaster all in itself.  Plus I just can't be creative under that kind of pressure.

With My Memories digital scrapbooking software though, it was so easy to work on projects when I just had a few minutes to spare here and there.  The software was really easy to learn and it was a lot of fun to see the different creative possibilities.  I also really like that you can create things other than just scrapbook pages.  I made some really fun printables for the munchkins rooms, some tags for the Christmas goodie plates we make each year and Ella's birthday invitations (which, by the way, turned out so cute!!!).

So I promise I'm not telling you all of this just to rub it in.  They want to give one of my lucky readers a free copy of their software as well.  Yay!!!  I promise you will love it.  There are so many free paper and embellishment options that come with the scrapbooking software, plus they have a whole online store with really cute paper packs and layouts that you can purchase for really reasonable prices.

Now don't worry if you aren't the lucky winner, because they are also giving you a coupon code for a $10 discount off the purchase of My Memories Suite Scrapbook software, plus a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store.  So to purchase your own digital scrapbooking software use my coupon code upon checkout: STMMMS17573

So, here's what you've got to do to be entered in this giveaway.

1. Go to the MyMemories.com website, find a favorite paper pack or layout and then come back here and leave a comment telling me which one your favorite is.
2. Follow my blog.
3. Spread the word about this giveaway via Facebook.
4. Spread the word about this giveaway with a blog post of your own linking back to my blog.

Don't forget to leave a separate comment for each entry.  Entries will be accepted through Sunday, October 2nd.  I will draw a winner on Monday morning and let you know if you've won.  Please leave your email address in your comment so that I can get a hold of the lucky winner.

Sunday Inspiration

"The more you trust and rely upon the spirit, the greater your capacity to create."

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

It's That Time Of Year Again

Canning season is in full swing here in my neck of the woods.  Unfortunately, I've been sick the last two weeks and haven't done anymore than seven measly jars of spaghetti sauce (one of which broke while in the pressure canner and another that we've already eaten), but I plan on doing more if I ever get healthy again.  I've got more sauce to do, hopefully I'll get some more peaches done this year, I'd also really like to do some apple pie filling just because I think it would be fun.  Some salsa would be great too since we practically drink salsa around here.  And, I'd really like to get some pear-apple sauce made again.  I made it once a couple of years ago and the kids LOVED it.

 I was really glad it was a clean break and that it didn't shatter and also that it broke while sealed up in the canner, cause otherwise that would have been a really awful mess to clean up.

Yum!

Introducing...

I've been thinking for a while now that this little ol' blog of mine needs some freshening up.  See, when I first started this blog I just wanted to start blogging and while I tried to think of a clever and witty name, it just never came to me.  So I just put down what kept coming to me, which happened to be Home Sweet Home, although I've never really been happy with that.  Anywho... I'm finally ready to change that.
So, here we go.  Drum roll please... Introducing... The Simple Life.  Maybe this is my subconscious way of simplifying my crazy, stressful and insanely busy life.  But, whatever it is, I like it.  So, what do you think?

End of Summer Camping Trip

For Labor Day weekend we decided that we were in need of some serious family time.  So we loaded everyone up and headed to one of our favorite campgrounds at Bear Lake.  We left Friday afternoon and stayed through Tuesday morning.  We had a great time and most importantly we got to relax as a family. Just a heads up... there are a lot of pictures in this post.

 Cameron was helping me pack :)

 Woof Woof doubles as a travel pillow

 On Saturday we went into Idaho and found a fun little park that the kiddos loved.

 There was even a very large sprinkler going that they had lots of fun running in.

 We also toured the Paris Tabernacle in Paris, Idaho.

 We did a little swimming too... not a whole lot of pictures... I didn't remember until we were done swimming.

 We went into Logan one day to get sleeping bags for the kids because it was sooo cold at night even with a down comforter, heavy fleece blankets, thermal jammies and the Mr. Buddy tent heater.  It was so cold at night, but beautiful during the day.  Anyways we drove around a little bit and I found this house that I loved and wanted to buy.  It was gorgeous inside... at least what I could see peeking in the windows.

 We had a lot of fun roasting marshmallows and telling spooky stories around the campfire.  We also did a little night "hike" around camp.  The first night we tried this and the kids were too freaked out.  But, the second time they had their glow sticks to keep those monsters away.

 This vest was way too small on Cameron, but we had to try it on since it was Andrew's when he was little.

 Playing hide and seek

 The vest fit Ashlynn much better.  She wasn't too happy.

 Much better.  Just give her brother's milk.

 We had lots of fun renting this family bike thing.

 The kids loved the rolled hay bales

 And the cows

 We also spent quite a bit of time at the playground.

 Andrew and the kids enjoyed this fire show a little too much.  We really were safe even though it doesn't look that way. :)

 The last night there it started raining just after we got our campfire going, so we spent the night in the tent eating cereal for dinner and playing with glow sticks.

 They loved their new sleeping bags.

We didn't go to the lake at all since the day we were going to try and find a beach the weather didn't cooperate.  Plus the lake is so full right now that there aren't really any beaches. 

How'd I Do... August Goals

Well August didn't end up being as productive as I was hoping.  For the first half of the month I felt like I was trying to get sick so I spent most of my days just lounging around trying not to get sick.  And then life just got really busy.  It seems that life will never slow down again.  So let's recap here...

Homemaking -

Paint the toy room - Fail

Hang shelves in master bathroom - Fail

Organize the storage room - I did manage to get this done a couple of days ago.

Clean out the pantry - Fail

Finish decorating the living room - It's as done as it's gonna get for now.  

Cooking -

Try three new recipes - Done.  Stuffed Taco Shells, Chicken Enchilada Soup, Cheesy Chicken Lasagna.

Have a freezer cooking day - I didn't quite have a full day, but I stocked the freezer with ground beef, taco meat, sloppy joe mix and some meatballs.

Have a freezer "baking" day - Again not a full day, but I did make a large batch of some delicious chocolate chip banana bread.

Make a monthly menu using stuff we already have - Done.

Mothering -

Have more outdoor activities - I tried to play outside more with the munchkins, but this month has been so hot.  The munchkins haven't even wanted to play outside.

Take a daily walk - We walked everyday for the most part. :)  We did miss a couple days, but that's alright.

Creating -

Sew nursery curtains - Fail

Make shelves for master bathroom - Fail

Financing -

Stay in budget this month... eek, this will be hard - I went over a tiny bit, but just a tiny bit.

Enriching -

Blog three times a week - I did really good until the end of the month, but in all fairness there just hasn't really been anything to blog about the last week and a half.

Read a book - I actually read a couple of books and I started on another one.

Holy schmolly... I can't believe it's already September.  Where has this year gone!?!  Well, here we go...

Homemaking -

Paint toy room

Hang shelves in master bathroom

Cooking -

Try three new recipes

Organize online recipes

Organize/purge recipe box/binders

Mothering -

Patience... especially with a certain two year old

Take the munchkins camping

Take the munchkins to the aquarium

Do an art project with Cameron

Creating -

Start working on Ella and Cameron's Halloween costumes

Financing -

Plan my budget for the month... I have lots to fit in this month

Enriching -

Personal scripture study

Find some alone time each week

Go get pedi's with the girls