Whatcha Gonna Do With All That Junk-- Bathroom Edition

We moved this summer.

Remember that?

Well, while I LOVE my new house, storage is not its forte', so to speak.

This is especially problematic in the 'master' bath.

I use that term lightly because it's not actually connected to the bedroom, but it's the one Lee and I use while the girls share the other one.

And when we moved it, the only storage in this bathroom was one cabinet under the sink.

Boo on that.

So, here's what I did.

I went to Dirt Cheap.

Can I just say I LOVE Dirt Cheap?

I especially love ours because almost everything in it is from Target.

And while I'm all for second hand stores, all of Dirt Cheap's merchandise is brand spankin' new.

And I found this little beauty:

It's from Target, and usually sells for $69.99.

I however, paid $11.99 for mine, fresh in the box and in perfect condition.

I then paired it with some of these:

I found them at Hobby Lobby on sale and paid less than $20 for all four.

So, for under $35, which is essentially less than half of what the shelf alone should have cost,

I have this:

I love how MUCH stuff I cram into it....

and I love how we use this bucket on top for towel storage.

The shelves are all different sizes, which is great.

And the shelves are really tall, which is nice for bigger items.

And just in case you're wondering, here's a breakdown of my baskets:

What are some of your storage ideas?

I'd love to see where you keep all your goodies....

Here's hoping your weekend is wonderful.

Mine is being filled with finishing Libby's reading fair project with her and taking up her Halloween costume.

More to come on both of these projects next week.

Wherever you are, I hope there's candy corn and good company.

Happy weekend to you and you and you.

Is My Dog the Only One.....

If I didn't know better, I'd swear he wakes up every day and asks himself,

"Hmmmm.....what can I chew up today?"

He barks... a lot....

....drinks straight from the toilet while his water bowl sits untouched.....

....he hogs the couch......

....and while he sometimes drive us t-totally crazy....

...he really is kinda cute.....

...and a big ole' wuss at the heart of him.

Here's hoping you've had an amazing week.

Mine has been busy, busy, busy.

And next week will probably be the same if not worse.

You????

The Girl Really Gets It

When I got home from work yesterday, there was a package waiting at my doorstep.

Last week I ordered two copies of Kisses From Katie, the book about the life of Katie Davis, who gave up her life in America and traded it for a life serving orphans in Uganda.

While I'm not quite finished with the book, the one thing I can say for sure is

THE GIRL GETS IT.

 In her book, Katie talks very clearly about living for God and how nothing on Earth is more important than serving him; I'd say that Katie's one very smart cookie.

And while there are MANY inspiring passages,
the first one that reallyhit home with me was this (pgs. 6-7):

I can't explain in words the love I felt for these children or why I felt it. I think many people would have looked at them and seen only their filthy clothes, the ringworm on their heads, or the mucus that ended up in a crust around their nostrils. They would have looked around at the dormitories of the orphanage with its smooth, hard cement floor where rats and cockroaches made themselves at home and been a bit disgusted. By the grace of God, though, I didn't see these things.

The truth is, I saw myself in those little faces. I looked at them and felt this love that was unimaginable and knew that this is the way God sees me. The children would run to me with gifts of stones or dirt and I saw myself, filthy and broken, offering my life to the God of the universe and begging Him to make it into something beautiful.

I can't explain the joy that the messages in these pages is bringing to my heart. I can simply encourage you to see for yourself how God has used Katie to make a difference and how she so willing accepted.

And while I'd love to stay and chat, I've been itching all day to finish it.

**Are you reading it too? If so, I'd LOVE to hear which lines have spoken to you....**

Girls Night.....In

Here's hoping......

.....your Friday night....

......is as tasty as ours.

It's the Little Things

Today I was home sick.

Yuck, yuck, yuck.

And when I got out to pick up Libby from school, even though I felt t-totally crummy, I picked up two peppermint hot chocolates before meeting her to celebrate the first day of cold.

To me, it's moments such as this that being a part of a family is all about. It's taking something little, something ordinary and making it special that makes the best kind of memory.

Agreed?

What sorts of memory making have you been doing lately?

Note: This picture was taken with my cell phone. Not too shabby if I do say so myself.

Here's hoping you don't ache from head to toe and that you are staying nice and toasty.

As Happy As Hollyn in Her Minnie Mouse Shirt

Seriously, my kid LOVES Minnie Mouse. While I don't get into characters all that much, there's no way I could deny the look on her face when she sees her beloved Minne. Oh. my. word. We're talking true L-O-V-E here, folks.

Here are some things that are attempting to make me as happy lately as Hollyn's Minnie Mouse shirt makes her:

*Last week was homecoming, and Libby was one cute rockstar.

*Friday night's football game was fun for all but mostly for Hollyn, whose fence stance had me laughing like no other.

* 'Kisses From Katie' has finally been released, and I CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on a copy.

* Nutella Snack Packs-- Love, Love, Love.

*The fact that Christmas will be here before we know it...and I've already bought five presents!

* The fact that this is my screen decor at work. It just makes me smile, you know?

What's making you extra happy this week?

Here's hoping your Tuesday was t-totally awesome.



The Low Down on Blogging and a Call for Questions

I don't know about you, but I don't know many bloggers in real life. Sad, I know.  In fact, most of my close friends can't imagine ever starting a blog and don't know what they could possibly have to say and how they'd possibly find time to post. (Which by the way is pish posh in my opinion.) And when I was first starting out in the blog world, I had no one to go to with questions or for advice concerning blogging.

While I am by no means a professional blogger, I have learned a thing or two about how this whole blog thing works, and today I wanted to take a minute to answer some of the questions that I continually get asked about blogging.

1. Is it time consuming?

It depends entirely on you. Writing and coming up with ideas is very easy for me, so to me no, it's not time consuming to write and upload my posts; 90% of the time I am just writing about and documenting the life I am already living.  However, it can be awfully tempting to browse other people's blogs and spend hours oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over their newest craft or latest recipe or oober cute children. Just like anything else, you make time for what it important to you, and if blogging is something you desire to try, I think it's safe to say that in the time you spend watching one TV show each night, you could have written a post. The choice is yours.

2. How do you find things to say?

Well, in case you've noticed, I talk about lots of different things here on my blog, from my family to food, activities, etc. In order to blog about your life, you have to be out living it. But I believe that everyone has a story to tell; it's just about being comfortable and confident enough to do so.

3. What does it mean to follow a blog?

Following is a very nice way to show the writer of the blog that you like what he or she has to say. If you read a blog daily or even a few times a week, you should follow it. The more followers a blog has, the more likely it is to get to offer giveaways, grow to gain sponsorship, etc, and the better the writer will feel because when someone follows your blog, it's safe to assume they like what they see.

4. Do I have to have a blog in order to follow?

Of course not! You can follow via e-mail or feed subscription to places like Google Reader. If you DO have a blog, then any blog you follow will automatically show up on your homepage when it's updating, putting all your favorite blogs in one place. You can choose to follow publicly (where people can see you're following) or privately (where people can't see you're following).

5. Should I leave comments on blogs?

That's up to you, but I will say that it's always nice to hear someone likes something you have done or relates to something you have said. Comments are like compliments, and who doesn't enjoy a nice pat on the back every now and then? And if you're trying to grow your blog, commenting is often a nice way to get followers, as many people will often follow you back if you take time to comment on their blog.

6. Have you ever received a nasty or rude comment?

Thankfully, no. All of my comments have been positive and nice thus far; however, I'm sure it's bound to happen eventually, and I know some bloggers have lots of trouble with this. However, as a blogger you have the option of accepting or not accepting comments from anonymous readers. While I do accept comments from anonymous readers (this allows people without a blog to comment more easily), I do have to approve all comments before they appear on my blog. This is not because I fear the all-dreaded negative comment, but rather because certain information such as my last name and the city in which I live is not something I put on my blog, and if a friend accidentally mentions one of those things in a comment, I can catch it before it's made public knowledge.

Plus, my take on negative comments is this:
We all each entitled to our own opinions. Do I always agree with everything other bloggers say? No. Therefore, it's foolish for me to assume that everyone will agree with everything I say.

7. Do all bloggers make money, and can you make money as a blogger?

Yes, it is entirely possible to make money as a blogger. However, it's rare that family blogs (which is what I consider my blog to be for the most part) gain sponsorship in that they usually only apply to a certain market of readers. While I would love for my blog to bring in some extra dinero each month, I realize that not everyone is interested in reading about my kiddos and what I crafted or listened to or watched or read last week. But some blogs do make it big in the blog world, specifically those blogs which target mass audiences, and I could not be happier for them.

8. What is some advice you'd give to new bloggers?

Well, if you do your research you'll hear the same few tips repeated in a variety of ways:

-try to post often, as readers will get bored if you keep them waiting too long between posts.

-try to include pictures whenever possible, as people like something pretty to look at while reading.

-the more professional your blog looks, the more seriously your readers will take you. If you're only blogging for your mom and family, then you will probably be perfectly content with a free template that you can download. However, if blogging is going to be a serious hobby for you, you may want to look into getting your background custom made so that it has a more personal feel.

- choose a catchy title or name for your blog, specifically one that represents what you plan to talk about on your blog. This is something I wish people had told me before I chose mine-- what happens if we ever have a son? Lee, Me, and the Girls won't really apply anymore, you know?
-don't be afraid to be real and honest. I find that the blogs I most enjoy are the ones where the author is real and writes in such a way that I feel I can personally connect with him or her.

9. What's the point/ why do you enjoy it so much?

I think there are many reasons why people blog. For me, it started as a way to document the adventures of my growing family and has since grown into the hobby I most enjoy. I love having an avenue where I can express myself, an excuse to write, and a place where I can share thoughts and ideas. I often find myself referring to my blog for recipes we love or what we were doing this time last year. I don't keep a journal; I do blog, and I love, love, love it.


10. How many hits do you usually get each day?

Well, usually I average about 750-1200, but lately it's been more like 2500-3200. Thanks for the boost, Pinterest. :)

I hope this has helped answer any questions you may have....if not, please ask. I'll answer any questions I get via comments in the comment section, so if you ask a question please check back soon for a response. Or, you can always e-mail questions to me at mccallald@yahoo.com. Speaking of questions, is there anything you want to know or see more of? Any questions about me or my family? Anything you want more details on? Send those my way too, and I'll see what I can.

Here's hoping your Wednesday doesn't feel like a Monday, like mine has all. day. long.

On that note, here's a picture of me and Rachel (aka El Ray Ray).
 It makes me happy, and today calls for something happy. 

Don't be jealous of our 'staches, mkay?