my blog redesign

Last week I went crazy on Etsy and bought new blog designs for three of my blogs. I love them all but am now constantly checking out what new designs are up. These premade templates are definitely the way to go. You pick out which design you want, pay for it and send your title to the designer. They email you the files and either upload it for you or give you instructions to do it yourself. So simple and voila instant blog.

My blog about everything in general: just denise

(Design from Dream Like Magic)


My blog for my obsession with food, cooking and recipes: addicted to recipes

(Design from Erin Bradley Designs)


My blog/scrapbook for my niece and nephews: life with the Blomquist Triplets

(Design by Simply Fab Blog)

{note the header is off a smidgen but enough to drive me batty -- ugh!}

iPad vs. Kindle

Have you been considering whether to get a Kindle or an iPad? Since I'm the type of person who throws my opinion around, let me just help you out here with some pros and cons:

iPad Pros:
* you will use it more than you use your laptop
* you can load up your photos directly, edit and post to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or your blog
* you can watch movies and television shows (ABC has an app to watch their programs free)
* Kindle app that synchs with your Kindle or iPhone
* can read in the dark

Kindle Pros:
* light weight
* instant download of books
* case has book light so you can read at night

Ah forget the pros and cons. Get them both. They are each worth it.

Sam Moon

If you are a purse fanatic like me, I hope to high heaven there is a Sam Moon close to you.


Late last year we finally got one in our neck of the woods. Every day on my way to work I would see the sign that said what day they would be opening. Having never been to one I was curious but didn't feel the urgent need to be one of the first ones at the store.

So I waited about a month to go and when I walked in, it was like a light from above was shining down on me. Pure Bliss. I had never seen so many fake, cheap purses all in one place in my life.

Now I am a girl who likes my cheap faux purses. I lived for the times I would take a trip to New York because I knew at some point I would be making a stop at one of the street vendors and buying a purse (or two).

One trip, after a meeting I said good-bye to a co-worker and made my way to the corner to check out the purses. I ended up buying four (not all were for me of course) and didn't have any money left for a cab to get back to the hotel. Or any cash to get to the burger place that was on my list of the top 20 burger places to try, much less the money to buy a burger. So I called my boss and asked if she was hungry -- I asked her if she could swing by and pick me up as I was just a few blocks away from this awesome burger place we had to try. She did and laughed when she saw the trash bag full of purses. It was even funnier having to go through the airport with that trash bag because the purses wouldn't all fit in my luggage.

I have found my purse Mecca in Sam Moon and have allotted a monthly shopping trip to my budget. If you haven't been to one yet, run to your nearest Sam Moon.

iPhone Valentine

How stinking cute is this Valentine craft printout from Living Locurto?

It is so easy too -- just print it out on color paper, trim and place around a candy hearts package. Make sure to tape it with double-stick tape and voilà cuteness in a box.

I first came across Living Locurto at the Bloggy Boot Camp in Austin last October and have loved her blog ever since. She always has the cutest things ever.

Check her out for photography tips, cute crafts and all around goodness.

I fell off the wagon....the Weight Watchers wagon

I have some serious issues. There are times when I do great at tracking my Weight Watchers points then there are times, like the last month, where I want to eat everything known to man and don't track to top it off. Christmas was especially bad food wise because I ate too much of everything I baked.

Well today was my day of reckoning and I went in to weigh in and.....by the way, if you didn't know this was the beginning of a new year, all you had to do was go to a Weight Watchers meeting and see the three long lines of people waiting to register. It is NEVER like that at meetings. I wonder how long people will stay at it?

Anyway, back to my weight....I knew I was going to gain weight for the month I was off the wagon but even I was shocked at the number. And there is no way I'm putting that number out here in print. I will say that it was more than 2 lbs and less that 7 lbs. I guess those cookies do add up. Back to tracking.

What is in these cookies?

I baked a lot of cookies this past Christmas and had several favorites but whenever I am jonesing for a cookie I always go to my little Pillsbury doughboy for salvation.

Those ready to bake cookies are Awesome!!! I don't know what they put in those cookies to make them so yummy but if I wasn't on Weight Watchers I would eat an entire box by myself. Oh who am I kidding -- I ate about a dozen last night.

I made the last of the stash I had from the holidays last night but what to my wondering eyes should I see at the store today?

Yes, their Valentines selection of cookies is already out there. And yes I bought a couple of boxes.

If you haven't tasted these you have got to give them a try. Simply the best.

** Pics from the Pillsbsury website **

Damn you, auto correct!

We've all had them. An awkward auto correct on your iPhone. Some are hilarious and some are just downright embarrassing. This DYAC website has some funny as heck autocorrects that will make you cry from laughing so hard.

Here are some examples just to get you to head on over there.....









** Pics from DYAC **

OWN -- the new Oprah Winfrey Network

When I first heard Oprah was going to have her own channel, I thought "seriously?!". What more could she have to say that she hasn't already shared on her show?

I'm glad there was a full day of college football and nothing good on the Food Channel on New Year's Day or else I probably would not have given her new channel a chance. I sat through her Guide to OWN and thought this could be interesting. The Behind the Scenes shows were enough to make me want to watch as I am nosey enough to be interested in what goes on with the staff.

But then I watched her All Stars show with Dr. Oz, Suze Orman and Dr. Phil and I knew I was hooked on this channel. These three powerhouses answered viewer questions and just made the two-hour show fly by. I hope this is a weekly show for OWN as I may have some questions to ask.

Another show I am looking forward to watching on OWN is the Gayle King radio show. I've always adored Gayle and thought she has so much to offer on TV. She is the one who got me on to the hamburger list after all.

** Pics from the OWN website **

I {love} my Amazon Kindle

So I bought myself an Amazon Kindle for Christmas this year and absolutely love it!

I would say I don't know if I will ever buy another paper book again, but alas I did just that last week. There are certain books I will always buy in hard copy because I plan on reading those when I am old, frail and have nothing else to do. But now my first preference for purchasing books will be via Kindle. Hell, knowing me I will buy them in hard copy, Kindle and Audible. And I love that I can read the same book on my iPhone or iPad and it syncs location so I am on the same page no matter which device I use to read. They also offer so many free books via Kindle from the classics to current books as a promotion. Who doesn't love free stuff!

I thought the fact that it doesn't have a backlight to read in bed would be a fault, but since I bought a sleek little cover with a built-in book light that is not a concern.

Another concern was the battery but I find that it lasts quite a long time. And since I don't use my iPhone to read as much anymore, it saves the iPhone battery too. Bonus!

As you might have surmised, I am very happy with my latest electronics purchase!

** Pics from Amazon **

Welcome 2011

As I've written before, I don't normally write out New Year's resolutions because I don't stick to them. And coming up with New Year's Goals as I did in 2010 wasn't much different.

So I'm not doing either. BUT, I'm going to make some observations of life that I hope to improve on in 2011.

{family}
We lost a dear Aunt on December 27 - my dad's sister Tia Nono - and this brought to mind again that we don't see each other as a family as often as we should. Tia was in a nursing home for year's and because it hurt me to see her in there I didn't visit her often. I kept up with how she was doing because my mother was her primary guardian and she saw her often. At her funeral I saw family members I hadn't seen in years. This isn't how we should see family and especially shouldn't see someone only if it's pleasant for you. I'm not going to let so much time go by before seeing my family again.

{health}
I have been on and off Weight Watchers all year. I do great for a while then go weeks of chowing down on anything I can get my hands on. Since Thanksgiving I have been eating like it's going out of style. Next week is my day of reckoning on the scale. Eek! I'm going to get a handle on this emotional and binge eating and recognize why I do both. Also going to stop coming up with excuses to not work out. And continue my healthy cooking including posting recipes on my food blog.

{opportunities}
I am not traveling for work any longer as I am now doing Internet marketing at my job. But that doesn't mean I can't go traveling on my own. I'm going to look for new places to visit and take advantage of opportunities given to me to expand my horizons.

May you all have a wonderful and joyous 2011.

Christmas 2010 in Pictures

Most of my Christmas activities included baking goodies for everyone.

{Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme}

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme

TodaysMama (link to: http://bit.ly/tmwishlist) and GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What is your holiday wish for your family?
That we are all happy and healthy for many more years to come.

2. What is your Christmas morning tradition?
Watching the kids attack their stockings.



3. If you could ask Santa for one, completely decadent wish for yourself, what would it be?
An all-expenses paid month long trip to Spain.



4. How do you make the holidays special without spending any money?
I have the kids bake sweets with me and make gingerbread houses.



5. What games did you play with your family growing up?
Monopoly. I love that game.


6. What holiday tradition have you carried on from your own childhood?
We always used to be allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and the kids continue that tradition.


7. Where would you go for a Christmas-away-from-home trip?
Skiing in Vermont -- at an Inn like in White Christmas.


8. Check out GameStop (link to: http://bit.ly/gamestop10) and tell us, what are the three top items on your GameStop Wish List this year?
Kinect


Wii NASCAR game


Special edition DS


To enter, link to your Mama’s Holiday Wish List post using the Mister Linky box below.

BUT WAIT. Did you think we were done? Oh, you must not know us at all.

We have another stockpile of gifts from GameStop that you can enter to win with our extra entry options.

Runner Up #1 will receive a XBox 360 250 GB with Kinect and a $250 GameStop gift card.
Runner Up #2 will receive a Nintendo Red DSi XL Bundle and a $250 GameStop gift card.
Runner Up #3 will receive a Nintendo Red Wii Bundle and a $250 GameStop gift card.
Extra Entry Options include:

“Like” Gamestop on Facebook
Follow @gamestop on Twitter
Head back to the tippy-top of this post and hit that “Retweet” button.


The deadline to post your meme and comment is Friday, December 10th (same deadline applies for extra entry methods).

* For an example of a Mama’s Holiday Wish List entry post CLICK HERE.

All I want for Christmas.....

Did you ever going rifling through your parents closets when you were a kid hoping to find your Christmas presents? Come on -- you know you did! Well, I did. And I got caught red-handed one year.

I can still remember that purple purse that I begged and begged my parents for months leading up to Christmas.


One day my parents left the house to go shopping, so me being the sneaky gal that I am, pulled up a chair to my parents closet and ransacked it trying to find that purse. I was so into the search that I didn't even hear my mom coming back in the house. Not until she walked in the room and saw me hugging, I mean admiring that beautiful purple purse.

She was so disappointed in me -- but deep down she knew I was going to do it or else she wouldn't have set me up like that. And I fell for it hook, line and sinker. And that beautiful purple purse, returned to the store never to be seen again.

At least that's how I remember the story. But in reality they may have given me a red purse and my sister the beautiful purple purse. Just imagine where my life would be now if I had that purple purse. I'd probably be living in Paris as a fashion designer with my own label -- Just Denise!

And the moral of the story kids -- if you're going to go snooping, make certain the parents leave the house, turn the corner and are gone for at least 5 minutes before proceeding.

** Note: I am positive that beautiful purple purse looked nothing like the one pictured but that's the only stylish purple purse I could find online.

Childhood memories

Do you have a smell that takes you back to your childhood? Some of mine are Anise, Kool-a-Ped (don't ask) and hamburgers. Not just any hamburgers mind you....but Wesley's hamburgers.


Back in the day, or as some might call it -- Middle School, we were allowed to go off-campus for lunch. We would probably walk around six blocks to Wesley's Grocery Store and head to the back of the store to where Wesley was butchering meat and put in our order for one of his burgers. You would sometimes even find a line of kids waiting for burgers. He would put them in his little toaster (microwave) and then hand it to you still in its plastic wrapper. Then you would open it up and that smell would hit you. Yum!!

Over the years I've thought about those burgers but never thought I'd find it again. Well....

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Yes!! I've found Wesley's burgers disguised as, of all things, Weight Watchers Mini Cheeseburgers.


The smell, the taste, the size -- it's all the same. Who knew all those years ago I was on a Weight Watchers plan?

Ok so now back to that walking six blocks to get lunch. Seriously? What were our parents and the school board thinking? There are psychos out there. Not to mention bad drivers.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1: aka HP7

I abhor being like everyone else and will fight to not get sucked into going with the popular trends. Rushing to see a movie on the first day of release? No thank you....unless it's Toy Story 3. But not wanting to be like everyone else usually comes to bite me in the you-know-where because I am like everyone else and end up loving what is popular. Maybe there is a reason it is popular. Hmmm that's a different post to consider.

Anyway, I was not a Harry Potter fan for the longest time and it wasn't until my niece Sydni wanted a HP theme for her 10th birthday party this year that I even paid attention to this HP phenomenon. I had to do some research for the party, of course, or how else are you going to snazz it up. That didn't get me though. It was actually seeing the first movie on the big screen at the party that I was sucked in. And that led to a HP marathon the following weekend and the rest is history.

My favorite character, besides Harry, Hermione and Ron of course, is the most adorable house elf Dobby. How can you not fall in love with that little goblin. Especially the way he says Harry Potter.


I was so psyched for this latest movie and almost took the whole day off to go see the movie but that would just be, well, weird....unless it's Toy Story 3.


So I took off half a day, rested and went with the kids to go see the late movie. We were all so excited and when the movie FINALLY started Sydni even sat forward in her chair with her hands on her knees in anticipation.


The movie did not disappoint. It was so good and had people laughing (Bill don't look at me I'm hideous). People were running, literally running, to the bathroom so they wouldn't miss anything. Now I didn't go that far but I did power walk to the potty and had to body check a couple of people trying to clean up. There were some gasps (huge and I mean a HUGE snake makes an appearance) and some hands thrown up in front of my, I mean some peoples faces. There was also some fashion mixed in -- I'd like to request a beaded bag like Hermione has in the movie. Homegirl knows how to pack a purse.

And there were tears watching the movie. Lots of tears. I won't give it away but I will say that one of my favorite "little" characters is taken out by an evil witch. I was so glad my nephew Jacob was there by me because he hugged and petted me the whole time I cried. Such a sweet boy. (and thanks sis for telling him to do it because it did help.)


There was anger. How are you going to have me pay $3.50 for a box of M&Ms and give me less than I would if I bought a bag at the corner store? You're just asking me to sneak in candy so I accept.

And there was intrigue. At the conclusion people were saying "You've got to be kidding me!!!" You have to see the movie to learn what happens. And if you want someone to go with you, call me. I'll even take off work to go. I can't wait to see Part Deux.

What else am I missing by not following these popular trends? I might even read these books. Then maybe the Twilight series. Who knows, I might even break down and buy an Atari some day.

Royal Wedding

Prince William and his long-time girlfriend Kate Middleton are getting hitched. I'm not ashamed to admit I am looking forward to this wedding.


The day Prince William's mom, Princess Diana, got married is a day I will always have in my mind. As a youngen I got up so early just to sit there and watch the nuptials. I am looking forward to waking my 10 year-old niece to watch this one with me.


And who can ever forget that dress?


Being young and impressionable I wanted a dress, and especially a train just like that.


Hopefully Wills and Kate's marriage will fair better than his parents. That royal family needs some marital happiness. It works out in all my historical romance novels so why not in real life?