With 9 people living in our house, you can only begin to imagine the number of dishes that are done in a single day. Our dishwasher runs a minimum of 3 times a day: After breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner. If we have company over and make an especially large meal, or if we spend some time baking treats for family or friends, then even more loads of dishes are done.

I’ve used Cascade for years, simply because it works. In fact, it is the only product I will use in my dishwasher. I have tried other products, but I’d find myself washing the same dishes over and over again. With Cascade, I run them through the dishwasher once, and they come out sparkling clean! No film or food particles left on the dishes at all.

I recently switched to Cascade Platinum Pacs – before I was even aware of this campaign. I love them so much that it’s now the only thing I will use in my dishwasher.

Why?

Well, for several reasons:

1. I’ve noticed that not only are my dishes sparkling clean, but the inside of my dishwasher is too! All the little parts and gadgets are getting cleaned every time I run a load of dishes.
2. If by some chance I forget to wash a dish one night, I don’t need to pre-wash it by hand or soak it for hours before putting it in the dishwasher. These fantastic little pacs pack a mean punch and dissolve even the toughest stuck-on food.
3. Works fantastic on every type of dish – whether it’s plastic, glass, or even cookie sheets, they come out fantastically clean.
4. Uses the grease fighting power of Dawn for those tough stuck-on foods.
5. If I run out of a rinse aid (which I’m notorious for doing!), I don’t have to worry. The Cascade Platinum Pacs are strong enough to get my dishes clean the first time – every time!

Overall, I am super impressed with Cascade Platinum Pacs, and even if I wasn’t asked to put up a post about them, they would still be the only dishwasher detergent I’d use every single time. I’ve found something that works – and works well – for my large family, and I won’t be switching to anything else.

Cascade Platinum Pacs are now available at your local retail stores, mass merchandisers, and grocery stores, and are available in Fresh and Lemon Burst scents. The MSRP for the 14 count of Cascade Platinum is $4.29, 23 count for $6.69, and 43 count for $12.49. In my opinion, they are worth every penny!

To learn more about Cascade products that are available, please check out the Cascade website.

I also encourage you to engage with Cascade on Facebook, and you definitely want to check out the #MyPlatinum Instagram contest.

Thank you, Cascade for the opportunity to tell my readers about new Cascade Platinum.

Ok, here we go… it’s that time again! Time for another weekly roundup of giveaways.

Add your link to this linky for more entries in your giveaways, scroll through the linky to find lots of fabulous giveaways to enter, or just discover new blogs that you’re sure to get hooked on.

Also be sure to come back to this post throughout the week and check to see the new giveaways added to the linky. People come by all week long, so you don’t want to miss your chance to get more entries in your giveaways. And you certainly don’t want to miss your chance to win some really awesome prizes!

Ready? Set. Leave your links here:

I saw a pin on pinterest to something similar, but it was a dead link. No free printable to be found. (And the date on the image was from 2011, so I would have had to fix it anyway.)

So, I decided to make up my own printable and share it with my lovely readers. And I didn’t put a year on it, just a space to put your child’s age, so you can do this year after year and see how much their answers change.

To get your free printable, just click on the image below and you’ll be taken to the pdf file. Just print out however many copies you need and start asking your kids to fill them out. (Or help the younger ones.) And don’t worry – the copyright mark won’t be anywhere on the printable. I want these to be a genuine keepsake their Dad holds on to forever.

I am planning on having each of my kids (that are old enough) fill one out. Then, each year we will do it again. Every copy will be stored in a very special book that hubby can go back to and look at any time he needs a pick me up.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.

Idea taken from this pin, but I couldn’t find a printable on the site.

On Sunday, we’ll celebrate Father’s Day. But Sunday also happens to be PapPaw’s birthday. PapPaw is a very, very special man around here. You see, he married my husband’s mom a couple of years ago, and he has taken all of our kids under his wings as an amazing role model.

When I was thinking about what to make him, I couldn’t stop thinking about the Bible verse, Psalm 37:23 – “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

I decided to make a large plaque for him using this special Bible verse, and I am just thrilled with how it came out.

Tell me that isn’t adorable!

Here’s how easy it is to make.

First, here are the items that you’ll need:

• Plank of wood cut to size and stained (if desired).
• Modge Podge (I used the Satin.)
• White Paint (I used Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint.)
• Chalkboard style print. (See below for a free printable!)

For the wood, I went to Home Depot and got a four foot “one by twelve.” (Ask for that specifically.) They will then cut it to size for you at no cost. Note: I had them cut it so it was 3 feet long, but that’s because I had 7 footprints to fit on there. You may need one much smaller. Then, just bring it home and stain it any color you wish and then let it dry. (I used the Provincial shade of Varathane Wood Stain.)

Step One: Print out your Chalkboard Print and trim the edges off if needed. I’ve included mine as a free printable below. And here’s a link to “How to Make A Chalkboard Print” if you’re feeling adventurous and want to make up your own.

Just click on the image above, and it will take you to the PDF image. When you print it out, it will be an 8×10 in size, perfect for this project, or even for framing. And don’t worry – the Blessed Beyond Words copyright won’t show up on the printable.

Step 2: Decide where you want the print on your wood.

Step 3: Cover the area where the printable will go with Modge Podge.

Step 4: Lay the print over the Modge Podge, and smooth out all the wrinkles. (I used a soft burp rag to smooth mine out.)

Step 5: Paint your kids’ feet, and press them into place on the wood. (You can do oldest to youngest, or youngest to oldest – it’s up to you!) If you only have one child, you could paint both of their feet and put them side by side on the wood to look like footprints.

Step 6: Allow to dry.

Et Voila! You have a gorgeous one-of-a-kind Father’s Day gift for the man in your life.

You can also apply a coat of Modge Podge over the entire plaque once the footprints dry, but I was so impressed with how it looked that I opted not to add the extra coating.

To hang the finished plaque, I decided to include the Command Large Picture Hanging Strips. These are a great way to hang the plaque on the wall without damaging the wall.

I love the way this turned out so much that I’m already planning a return trip to Home Depot so I can make one for our living room.

If you make this project, I’d love to hear about it!

PS. The original idea came from THIS POST, however, I changed quite a bit and wanted to give it a more Biblical theme, so I changed it up a bit. However, credit is due where credit is due, and I’m appreciative of Shanty 2 Chic for putting up her tutorial! It sparked all sorts of creativity in me.

I absolutely love how it turned out, and you can download it as a free printable here: Easy Father’s Day Present – The Steps of a Good Man . (That link also shows you a cute Father’s Day Gift you can make with the print above.)

Right now, though, I want to teach you how to make your own chalkboard print. It’s so easy!

First, you need a chalkboard background.

What? You don’t have one?

Well, let me fix that!

Click on this picture to be taken to the full size version of the blank chalkboard background, then right click and save it to your computer:

The full size version of the background is an 8×10, perfect for printing and framing or using in dozens of different projects. And you can just print it on plain ol’ computer paper and get fantastic results.

You are going to want some creative chalkboard style fonts for your chalkboard print. Here are the fonts I used for the printable at the top of this post:

• Grutch Shaded (for the words the, of a, are, and by the)
• Return to Sender (for the words steps and ordered)
• Chalk Hand Lettering (for the words good man and LORD)
• A Song for Jennifer (for the reference, Psalm 37:23)

The fonts are all free from Dafont.com, and I’ve linked them all so you can find them quickly and easily.

Once you’ve downloaded and installed the fonts, open your blank chalk background in your photo editing program. (You can use Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, etc. It really doesn’t matter.)

Then, decide what you want to type, and start typing!

Play with your new fonts and try different combinations. You can also add in lines, wingdings, and dingbats for even more special touches. Let your creative juices flow!

If you like the solid line and dashed line combination I used on the print above, you can download it here:

That’s a transparent png file, so no worries about it not looking right with your chalkboard background. Just right click and save the image to your computer, and then add it as a new layer to your own chalkboard print.

You can also add it twice and flip one of them vertically to get it to appear upside down to kind of close the image.

Once you have your masterpiece designed, just print it onto regular computer paper, cut off the white edges, and frame it. (Or use it in an art project.)

If you decide to use this printable and make your own chalkboard print, I’d love to hear about it!

Disclaimer: I participated in an Ambassador Program on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Delta Faucets. I received a product sample and promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Recently, I posted that I am Excited to be a Delta Mom Ambassador and working with Delta Faucets.

In the last post, I told you all about my favorite features of the Delta In2ition Showerhead. We’ve been using it every single day, and every single day, I seem love it even more.

In this post, I’ve been asked to share with you how easy it is to install the Delta In2ition Showerhead. Rather than just put up a few pictures, I enlisted the help of my hubby, and together we’ve put together this short little video for you.

Please take a moment to watch:

As you can see, the video is only about a minute and forty seconds long. That means it took less than 2 minutes for us to install our gorgeous new showerhead. And it was SO easy! I honestly believe it’s the easiest part of any DIY project I’ve ever tackled.

If you want to see the professionals install it, here’s Delta’s official How to Install a Showerhead video. Believe me, it’s way more professional than my video is, and you’ll be able to see “officially” just how easy it is to install the Delta In2ition Showerhead.

Oh, and if you want to see the outtake video I referred to in the video above, you’ll just have to search my youtube channel and find it.

But, as you can clearly see: as long as you know what you are doing, you will have a beautiful, fully-functioning showerhead installed in just moments. And if you don’t know what you’re doing…. you’re probably me.

Thank you, Delta for the opportunity to showcase this beautiful showerhead. Once Hubby got it installed properly, it’s been perfect ever since. We adore our In2ition showerhead and will never go back to anything else. I can’t wait to get our bathroom remodel complete. It’s going to be amazing!

If you are looking for a beautiful showerhead and you love easy DIY projects, you definitely need to check out Delta’s In2ition line of showerheads. You’ll be so glad you did!

I also want to encourage you to connect with Delta in the following social media outlets:

• Delta Faucet on Facebook
• Delta Faucet on Twitter
• The Delta Faucet Youtube Channel
• Delta Faucet on Pinterest
• Delta Faucet on Instagram

Also be sure to enter the Ultimate Kitchen and Bath Faucet Giveaway from Delta Faucet.

This Father’s Day, Oreo wants to celebrate the Dads that go 364 days of the year without any fanfare or celebration. They simply do what they do because they love being a dad.

For creating this price, I will receive an Oreo Father’s Day package. I’ll be giving mine to my husband. He is such an amazing Dad. With 7 kids, he gives up so much of himself, never asking for anything in return. And since Oreo cookies are his very favorite, I know this will make his whole Father’s Day.

I’m sure you have a man in your life that deserves to be celebrated this Father’s Day. Maybe it’s your own dad who spent years putting up with all of your “independence.” Or how about your spouse or significant other who is there for your kids 24 hours a day, 7 days week… teaching them to ride bikes, bouncing them on his knee, or cheering them on at their t-ball game? Maybe you have a neighbor who is always playing outside with his kids – even in the rain? Have a brother that has a newborn? Or a cousin that just had triplets? Whatever the case may be, we all know someone who deserves to be honored this Father’s Day.

Oreo wants to hear from YOU about the man you want to celebrate this Father’s Day. Leave a comment on this blog post and let us know who deserves the title of a “Wonder”-ful Dad. Then, use the rafflecopter gadget below to enter to win an Oreo prize pack for that special man. (One lucky Blessed Beyond Words reader will receive a special OREO Father’s Day package— OREO cookies, a #1 Dad glass, and a grocery card for milk. This way the special dad in your life will be able twist, lick and dunk his OREO cookies in style.)

I also want to encourage you to connect with Oreo in the following ways:
– Oreo Website
– Oreo on Facebook
– Oreo on Twitter

This will be a quick giveaway, so that Dad can receive his gift in time for Father’s Day. The giveaway will end on Monday, June 10 at 11:59pm. Oreo will ship the winner their prize pack directly.

I can’t wait to hear your stories about the special men in the lives of my readers!

Disclaimer: This giveaway is sponsored by Oreo. I will receive an Oreo Father’s Day package (as described above) in exchange for my post. Opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. I am not being compensated in any other way for this post.

Do you love instagram? I do! I share at least one picture every day on there – sometimes even 2, 3, 4, or more pictures.

Some of my very favorite pictures that I have taken have been put on instagram. (You can see all my pictures here: Angie Vinez on Instagram)

One thing I would love to do is get my favorite instagram photos and compile them into a book. Then, I could quickly and easily show off my favorite pictures to friends and family, and have them safe and secure all in one place. It would be so great to make them every year and watch how the kids have grown and changed. (And hopefully how my iPhone shooting skills have improved as well.)

Right now, Blurb is having a special where you can get 15% off your order. So, what are you waiting for? Head on over and start creating your instagram book now!

Thanks for supporting Blessed Beyond Words by clicking the links in this post! You are appreciated!

Are you livng the good life?

Sure, there are risks everywhere. Things that we could let hold us back, and prevent us from living a better life. But, we don't live our life in fear. Sometimes we just have to look, have faith, and leap into the unknown.

My family took a huge risk when we moved from Ohio to Georgia. Talk about scary! We left behind family, friends, and everything we knew. We went from feeling secure to feeling unsure and unsteady. Yet, if we hadn't ever made that move, we wouldn't be living the amazing life we have right now. In our ten years of marriage, we have never been happier, and I know it's because we are living exactly where we are supposed to be.

My husband now has a great job that still allows him to spend time with his family. We've made some amazing friends, and our lives are feeling more complete and happier every day. Our kids couldn't be happier either. They've got a great school, great friends, and a huge yard to run around in all summer long.

I am so thankful we took that huge risk and moved down here. We have been so blessed because of it.

Now, Allstate wants to help you live the good life. They are one insurace company that works every day to help build good in their customers' lives. No more spreading fear and doubt, Allstate has changed all that. They want to see you succeed and celebrate the moments of contentment that you feel most every day.

Please take a moment and learn more about the Allstate Good Life and how it can change your life. I also hope that you'll take some time to leave a comment and tell me about your own good life stories by leaving a comment below.

Let's put aside the negativity and celebrate all that we have been given. Encourage those around you to reach out and grab the good life that's been set before them!

BIG mistake.

I think I ended up having about 4 helpings of that Grape Dessert. It was so amazing.

(At one point, my husband got up from the table to check on the kids, and I stole his grape dessert right off his plate! It is just that good.)

And when you find out just how easy it is to make, you’re going to want to make it all the time. Or at least whenever grapes go on sale at the grocery store. Those little babies can get expensive!

First, here’s a picture of the grape dessert and the ingredients you’ll need:

Now, here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• Large bag of Grapes (mine was just under 2 pounds)
• 7 oz. jar of Marshmallow Fluff (or Creme)
• 8 oz. container of whipped cream cheese

Directions

• Combine all ingredients and mix together until grapes are covered.
• Refrigerate for approximately 1 hour (if you can wait that long!). This is optional, but this tastes even better when it’s straight out of the fridge.
• Enjoy!!

I do wish I had gotten a bigger bag of grapes. The cream went a lot farther than I expected it to. I would have used at least 2.5 – 3 pounds of grapes with the same amount of marshmallow creme and cream cheese.

This is SO easy to make, and you will be the hit of every picnic, party, or snack time.

Let me know if you try it! I’d love to hear what you think.