Please join us as we take a stroll around the channel, you’ll find recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free. Have fun!

Take advantage of those last few berries still in season by making some Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Or pour yourself a tall glass of Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe, sounds refreshing!

Whip up some Rice Krispie Treats courtesy of Keeping the Castle

Throw in a cool refreshing dessert with your own Homemade Oreo Ice Cream from Chocolate Bytes

Enjoy some quick and Cool Summer Snacking from Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights has me in chocolate heaven, with her favorite brownies (you gotta check out the photo, it’s mouth watering yummy).

I absolutely love sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Kettle and Cup has a new spin on one of my old favorites.

Blogfabulous is serving up super easy, cool Hors’ devours for a hot summer.

Weary Parent has the recipe for Chocolate Puppy Chow, a fun snack for the kids.

Offbeat Homes is sharing some fun ideas to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps. Check them out if you’d like to have an offbeat picnic of your own.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck. I don’t know about you but, I’m always looking for ways to add a little green to my life.

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck.

If you have a hard time getting it together for your summer parties and picnics Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

If you want to give your party a new twist, or a fun theme check out 10 Summer party ideas.

Or add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - sounds like an interesting way to find out more about those around you.

I always grill my chicken on low, and spend quite a bit of time over the grill, so I’m excited to try Cyndi’s ideas for Grilling Chicken Fast.

Brewha-ha.com has some ideas for keeping your picnic simple, including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread (just don’t forget to BYOB)

You have to have something for the kids to do, so check out Play Library’s list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer entertainment.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper is super creative, she shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

Don’t forget the pets during your summer parties, they would enjoy some special summer treats too!

Quilting and Patchwork shares an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen at your summer party or barbecue…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune helps with the little ones in the family by providing tips to consider when taking your baby to a picnic.

Finally, when the party’s all planned, and the guests are all settled in, don’t forget to kick back, relax, enjoy the party, and have a cool delicious drink or two yourself.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

image: amazon

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That money you save on gas will get you a nice bottle or two…

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We have dealt with several minor issues. First, we completed a construction project inside the house that we are still cleaning up after. Then, our beloved black lab ate nails and had to have two surgeries to clean out his tummy (the first to try to get the nails out and the second to stitch him back up after the stitches came out).  Most recently, AJ and I have had strep throat in 100 degree heat. At least we have ice cream and popsicles.

So, what is a girl to do?

Stop howling and do something about it.

There are plenty of dog books and movies that I can relax with in the cool air conditioning. And, even better? My son can enjoy them with me, especially if I hand him a Popsicle for his throat.

My Life in Dog Years- Gary Paulsen: Paulsen writes candidly about his dogs and how human they are to him.

Shiloh - A fabulous coming of age story about a young boy who helps out a unfortunate dog.

I’ll Teach My Dog 100 Words - A little guy plans all the things he is going to teach his new dog. ..just like the title says. Pretty self-explanatory.

Love That Dog-One of Sharon Creech’s funniest books, Love that Dog is told all in free verse from a boy’s perspective. As a class assignment, he must write a poem and ends up writing this one, against his will. Poor kid.

Go, Dog. Go!- Similar to Dr. Seuss, this book offers a variety of colored dogs and silly phrases to keep little ons entertained and learning.

dog train- My mother gave this to AJ last Christmas and it’s still a little over his head, even the music. However, I love the creativity behind it. The book comes with a CD of doggie train music that has a edgy rock and roll kick. Rock on barkin’ dude.

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog!- The Pigeon finds a hot dog and wonders what it tastes like.

The Digging-Est Dog Duke learns to dig and dig he does! All over the town the dog digs and then he has to fix it all!

A dogs life, the autobiography of a stray, A Stray finds a new home and describes what it was like to live as a stray for so many years.

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Amy and Donna over at Crochetville have started a fun challenge.

It’s the 2008 Crochet Games of Ancient Greece Challenge.  It’s an invitation to challenge yourself to create a work of crochet that will be a challenge for you to complete from the opening to closing of the Olympic games in Bejing.

At first, I thought…. there is NO way on earth that I can do this… I am working to deadline on my new book, AND have projects to complete for SEVEN workshops that I am teaching in September at the Knit and Crochet Show in Portland OR.

Then… it hit me…. oho! I have a concept for a new butterfly shawl that has been stuck on my design wall for months! I want to get this done for Portland, so maybe this is the time to do it….

What the heck…. I think I’ll sign up for the challenge! Wish me luck!

I’ll let you know how it goes!

:o)

Image Source: Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright 

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As most of you know, the Guatemalan adoption system has been under scrutiny for some time because of it’s practices. There are rumors of baby stealing and baby buying, making Guatemala known as a “Baby Factory” country, one that Americans flock to for international adoptions.

Ana Escobar told a familiar story to officials on March 26, 2007.

The baby’s mother, Ana Escobar, said armed men locked her in a storage closet at the family’s shoe store north of Guatemala City and took the 6-month-old.

“When I got out, my daughter was gone,” she told the AP in an earlier interview about the case.

To find her daughter, Esther, she searched orphanages and hospitals. In May, she was waiting in the National Adoption Council’s offices and saw a toddler who looked like her daughter. She convinced officials to show her the girl’s papers and to take new DNA tests (they soon proved her kinship).

Mr Tecu said: “This is the first time that we’ve been able to show, with irrefutable evidence, that a stolen child was put up for adoption.”

He said officials would investigate the lawyers who handled the adoption, the doctor who signed earlier, falsified DNA tests and anyone else associated with the process.

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According to reports from CNN the baby, that was bought for $1000 (a lie), was released today.  I’m guessing early this morning. Police have stated the mother was indeed Kia Johnson, the body that was found inside the woman’s apartment.

source

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 In additon to the giveway on Quilting and Patchwork for the book What I Learned From God While Quilting, I have a giveaway on Alzheimer’s Notes.

  This giveaway for High Heels to Hormones (A Woman’s Guide to Spinal Care) was organized by my co-blogger, Liz Lewis.   She also featured a guest post by author Christine Lasich, MD : Three Tips for Avoiding Caretaker Injuries.

Check out these great giveaways at Quilting and Patchwork and Alzheimer’s Notes at the above links.

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Do you like book giveaways?  I’ll soon offer something in the way of a book for younger readers.  In the meantime, here are books offered on two of my other  blogs.

 *At  Alzheimer’s Notes there is a giveaway for  High Heels to Hormones (A Woman’s Guide to Spinal Care) by Dr. Christina Lasich.  (This drawing closes, tomorrow, Friday, July 25, at the end of the day.  Act quickly!)

*At Quilting and Patchwork there’s a random drawing for the book What I Learned From God While Quilting by Ruth McHaney Danner and Christine Bolley.  (Closes Thursday, July 31 at 11:59 PM eastern.)

Check out these great giveaways at Quilting and Patchwork and Alzheimer’s Notes at the above links.

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

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Over the past couple of weeks the recipe posts have been a little lame.  I know.  Sigh…and I have gotten several, YES! SEVERAL awards that I have not posted..but I will! I swear! I will!

We have had a lot going on here so I thought that I would update you and then you would understand why I have been a little more …hmm…relaxed than usual.

Well, you know about the Marriage Actually blog.  It isn’t that I have so much more time than anyone else..it is basically that since Marc lost his job (his boss felt that the wheel chair might mar the jewelery counters) after his disability our income comes largely from my writing.  So…I write.  And I love blogging so it is o.k..but sometimes, especially at the end of the month I have deadlines looming (gulp…Daring Bakers) and I spend more time writing than baking.  By the way, thanks to those of you who have visited and promoted  Marriage Actually on your blogs… I was so blessed to see your names over there in the comments and in the stats! :::happy sniff:::

But I have a secret that I haven’t shared.  Well, you see, I couldn’t because I wanted everything to be fer shur.

I am doing a cookbook. :) I have been contracted by Adams Publishing to do a cookie book that should come out sometime early next year. :::flushed with pride:::  I am very excited, but I have to have all of it done by….gulp…early September.

I also have been hired to do freelance writing here and there for Corporate Snobs and  HQ Wedding Favors.  I am still editing the Antiques channel for Love to Know as well as writing for several different channels there.  And, of course, still writing about homesteading and green issues on Hubpages.

I can tell you that this will do a lot to alleviate our financial stresses right now, God is good.

The tenant in our rental house is still there.  She moved but left some of her stuff in the house, so we changed the locks.  She told the police that  we had locked her out and the court ordered us to let her back in. Sigh.  We have until the 6th of August to find some money to bring the payments up to date or the mortgage company will foreclose.  I have no clue when this tenant will actually leave and at this point I am almost ready to let the mortgage company and the tenant hash it out and just walk away.  I won’t  do that without a fight though..I just don’t let go of things that easily. I know the God has a great plan, He has just not emailed me with the specifics yet. :)

Marc goes in to Waco in September to meet with a medical board about his disability.  The VA still has him rated at 20% even though he can only work very part time, is in constant pain, and uses a wheelchair.   We will be trying to figure out if they have an actual brain over there in Waco, so that is coming up too.

If you remember that my daughter and her husband and two kids moved in with us last December, it looks like they are moving into their own place.  Jon got a job two months ago and they have the money together to move.  This will be both happy and sad…they aren’t moving far but I am awfully used to having them around. :) On the other hand…I am not losing part of my family, I am gaining my sewing room back. :)

Then of course, there is the gardening.  I am having a losing battle with the weeds in my garden this year.  I planted heirloom corn and some weird bugs got into it..so that is a complete wash.

My house? Don’t ask.  If we get a good wind I am opening the front and the back doors and calling it dusted!

Busy? Who ME?

So, If my posts seem a little rushed, or I visit you less than normal, please know that I am still praying for you, thinking about you, and maybe even sneaking in a quiet visit…just not enough time to chat. :)

Image:Morguefile 

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Snowman Yule Log. Rolled up and ready to please, this cake alternates layers of moist white cake with chocolate butter crème. Its snowy coat is sweet Swiss crème with hand-iced touches. This scrumptious creation is truly magical—it requires a team of more than 30 people to make—but how many people it takes to eat is up to you! (1.25 lbs., $19.95)

Santa’s Deer Trio. Seems three of Santa’s nighttime helpers have stayed behind with a load of tasty friends: chocolate Santas and reindeer, Swiss crème snowman, candy canes and foiled chocolates. It’s ready to be gifted in a felt bag that stands 3” high. (5.5 oz., $23.95)

Snowman Cake.Handcrafted in the Swiss Colony bakery, this crowd-pleasing 7.5-pound cake is The Swiss Colony’s largest cake, reaching a lofty 9.5 inches tall! It starts with moist white cake at all levels. The fluffiest chocolate butter crème filling is then layered in the first three levels and rolled in with a top hat cake. Its snowy outer coat is luscious Swiss crème, the top hat covered in Swiss-blend darker chocolate. Hand-applied icing adds the festive touches! (7.5 lbs., $74.95)

^{(photos courtesy of The Swiss Colony)}

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Now, ScrapScene has put together a compilation of advices on how to get published. Hope this helps you achieve your dreams!

Nikala O’brien - “…always check your scrap magazines as to what they are looking for in future issues by reading the magazine or getting online. You may… have already created the perfect layout or you can scrap one to the theme they require. The more work you send them the more they’ll get to know your work and name. Another way of having your talent seen is to enter as many scrap comps as you can - who knows, maybe you could even win some goodies. Good luck and happy scrapping.”

Becky Heisler - “… submit to specific calls, your chances are much higher if you do that , than just submitting to a general call.

Also, I always keep track of when, where and what I submit so I never send repeats and I know which layouts are submitted where.

And, lastly… Do not give up ! Submit submit submit!”

Jen Martakis - “Be patient. You never know what the editors are looking for in a page. If yours is not chosen it may not be because it is “unpublishable”. It may simply be that they were looking for a certain color scheme.

Pay attention to the ’season’ you are submitting. Magazines aren’t usually looking for summer layouts to put in their October issue.

Submit crisp, clear, high quality photos/scans. Your project will speak for itself if it looks good. Make sure that you resize your photos so that they are viewable without having to ’scroll.’ I resize mine at 72 dpi and 500 pixels on the “longest” side.

Include journaling if it’s hard to read.

A detailed supply list is something they are always looking for.”

Allyson Bright Meyer - “I really think that there are 2 key things to keep in mind when trying to get published.

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Take a break from the garden, have a few friends over, show off those beautiful flowers, kick back, relax, and enjoy yourself.

Lifestyles is having a picnic, and you’re invited. We have everything you need to plan your next summer picnic, barbecue, or backyard celebration.

Please join us as we take a stroll around the channel, you’ll find recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free. Have fun!

Take advantage of those last few berries in your garden by making some Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Or grab some in season watermelon, and raspberries, and pour yourself a tall glass of Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe, sounds refreshing!

Whip up some Rice Krispie Treats courtesy of Keeping the Castle

Throw in a cool refreshing dessert with your own Homemade Oreo Ice Cream from Chocolate Bytes, because you have to have dessert! 

Enjoy some quick and Cool Summer Snacking from Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights has me in chocolate heaven, with her favorite brownies (You could combine it with the Oreo Ice Cream above for a complete chocolate overload).

I absolutely love sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Kettle and Cup has a new spin on one of my old favorites.

Blogfabulous is serving up super easy, cool Hors’ devours for a hot summer.

Weary Parent has the recipe for Chocolate Puppy Chow, a fun snack for the kids.

Offbeat Homes is sharing some fun ideas to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps. Check them out if you’d like to have an offbeat picnic of your own.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck. I don’t know about you but, I’m always looking for ways to add a little green to my life.  

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck.

If you have a hard time getting it together for your summer parties and picnics Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

If you want to give your party a new twist, or a fun theme check out 10 Summer party ideas.

Or add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics.

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - sounds like an interesting way to find out more about those around you.

I always grill my chicken on low, and spend quite a bit of time over the grill, so I’m excited to try Cyndi’s ideas for Grilling Chicken Fast. 

Brewha-ha.com has some ideas for keeping your picnic simple, including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread (just don’t forget to BYOB)

You have to have something for the kids to do, so check out Play Library’s list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer entertainment.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper is super creative, she shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

Don’t forget the pets during your summer parties, they would enjoy some special summer treats too!

Quilting and Patchwork shares an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen at your summer party or barbecue…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune helps with the little ones in the family by providing tips to consider when taking your baby to a picnic.

Finally, when the party’s all planned, and the guests are all settled in, don’t forget to kick back, relax, enjoy the party, and have a cool delicious drink or two yourself.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

(image: stock.exchg)

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Lifestyles is having a picnic, and you’re invited. We have everything you need to plan your next summer picnic, barbecue, or backyard celebration. Please join us as we take a stroll around the channel, you’ll find recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free. Have fun!

Take advantage of those last few berries still in season by making some Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch

Or pour yourself a tall glass of Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe, sounds refreshing!

Whip up some Rice Krispie Treats courtesy of Keeping the Castle

Throw in a cool refreshing dessert with your own Homemade Oreo Ice Cream from Chocolate Bytes

Enjoy some quick and Cool Summer Snacking from Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights  has me in chocolate heaven with her favorite brownies (you gotta check out the photo, it’s mouth watering yummy).

I gotta have my sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Kettle and Cup has a new spin on an old favorite.

Blogfabulous is serving up super easy, cool Hors’ devours for a hot summer.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a fun snack for the kids (especially if they’re like mine and usually think they’re a puppy).

Offbeat Homes is sharing some fun ideas to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps. Check them out if you’d like to have an offbeat picnic of your own.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

If you have a hard time getting it together for your summer parties and picnics Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

If you want to give your party a new twist check out 10 Summer party ideas.

Or add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - sounds like an interesting way to find out more about those around you.

I always grill my chicken on low, and spend quite a bit of time over the grill, so I’m excited to try Cyndi’s ideas for Grilling Chicken Fast. 

Brewha-ha.com has some ideas for keeping your picnic simple, including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread (just don’t forget to BYOB)

You have to have something for the kids to do, so check out Play Library’s list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer entertainment.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper is super creative, she shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

Don’t forget the pets during your summer parties, they would enjoy some special summer treats too!

Quilting and Patchwork shares an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen at your summer party or barbecue…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune helps with the little ones in the family by providing tips to consider when taking your baby to a picnic.

Finally, when the party’s all planned, and the guests are all settled in, don’t forget to kick back, relax, enjoy the party, and have a cool delicious drink or two yourself.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

(image: stock.exchg)

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- Contest Title
- Guidelines
- Contest Period and deadline
- Prize

Email your submissions to christine@b5media.com

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I think this is a cute idea as a wedding favor especially if you or your spouse-to-be (or both!) are a car enthusiasts! This is a wedding favor that makes a statement and shows your guests the things that you enjoy!

Product Description:

Before you drive away on that momentous day, drive ‘em wild with style and something sweet! Kate Aspen’s artistic flair and attention to detail has led to a wedding favor your guests will talk about at least as until the end of your honeymoon–and probably longer! Reminiscent of a vintage make and model, the Getaway Car Favor Box is a spectacular way to transport sweet treats to your reception tables. The aristocratic car, sleek and sophisticated in dramatic black with pink and white accents, features a pink heart as a hood ornament. The expandable, black roof is equally as charming as the two tin cans flying from the back of the car, tied right below the “Just Married” sign. Measuring 2″ h x 4 1/2 ” l x 1 1/4 ” w, the Getaway Car favors come in a set of 24. Easy assembly.

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I love a good summer picnic! The smell of the barbecue, the warm fresh air, and the kids running themselves ragged (perhaps the best part?).

This month, the Lifestyles channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - a good old fashioned summer picnic!

I think starting with dessert first is a fantastic idea:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

See what else is on the menu!

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly anything!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done, kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image: flickr]

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This month, the Lifestyles channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - a picnic!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly anything!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done, kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image: flickr]

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This month, the Lifestyles channel decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - a picnic!

Let’s start with dessert first!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade at All Holiday Cafe

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly anything!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done, kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

[image: flickr]

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I’m not sure if you’ve noticed about your own life, but one of the most constant things in my life is change. For a long time I resisted change. I didn’t like it, but finally began to see it was inevitable. Life is one change after another. There are surprises and the expected changes. There are slow changes and things that happen suddenly. There is always growth and most often beauty in my life after change.

Make a list of all the changes occurring in your life at this present moment. What changes are you hoping for? What kind of change don’t you want to see? Examine some older entries, even from the beginning of the journal you are currently writing. Look for subtle changes. Write about these. Are you happy to go with the flow on these changes or are you resisting the alterations you’ll need to make in your life?

I hope you enjoy this journal writing prompt and come to a place of acceptance about changes in your life. Please feel free to leave a comment in the section below.

Heather
Photo used with permission from Morguefile

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This month, Lifestyles decided to have a little fun with one of summer’s favorite pastimes - picnics. Keep these in mind for Labor Day or use them now for whatever holiday you’re celebrating.

As we take a stroll around the channel, you’ll find recipes, tips and a few laughs thrown in for free.

Let’s get going, while everything is still fresh.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch by Robust Cooking

Rice Krispie Treats at Keeping the Castle

Homemade Oreo Ice Cream at Chocolate Bytes

Cool Summer Snacking at Inside Motherhood

Baking Delights is bringing enough chocolate for everyone to catch a chocobuzz with her favorite brownies

Nothing like sweet tea on a hot, summer day…Wait..I taste lime..mint…is that a non-alcoholic Mojito?  Kettle and Cup has the answer.

Blogfabulous is serving up a super easy, keep your butt out of the hot kitchen solution to Hors’ devours.

Weary Parent is serving Chocolate Puppy Chow, a snack that’s bound to be popular with the kids

Offbeat Homes is sharing details on how to hold an offbeat picnic in four easy steps.

Tree Hugging Family shares 10 tips for an easy green picnic or green potluck

Just because you choose to live thrifty doesn’t mean you have to throw a thrifty picnic.  Simply Thrifty shares tips for an elegant and inexpensive potluck

What fun is a summer BBQ if you feel disorganized and in disarray?  Declutter It shares five tips to help you organize your summer BBQ.

10 Summer party ideas and themes for your next backyard barbecue, or potluck.

Add some backyard Olympic games to your next barbecue, in honor of the Summer Olympics

And speaking of games, Marriage Actually is bringing a fun game for the grownups.  Life Stories - a fun way to find out more about your spouse, friends and extended family.

Cyndi won’t go anyplace to picnic unless she can grill, but she doesn’t want to spend all day doing it.  Try her tips for Grilling Chicken Fast, and get a jumpstart on your next picnic!

Who says picnics have to be complicated affairs?  Keep it simple with cheeses, meats and homemade bread.  Brewha-ha.com has a few suggestions - including a recipe for Polish beer rye bread

Whether you’re having a picnic, a barbecue or just looking for a fun activity to do with your kids outside, Susan at PlayLibrary offers a list of 50 outdoor toys and games that are perfect for summer.

This time of year there are bugs everywhere, don’t forget to bring the bug repellent along with your favorite dish to your next cookout.

Christine at Mad Cropper not only shares her favourite winter or summer recipe but also shares that you can turn recipes into creative works of arts. Find out how!

And while you’re out having all the fun and good food you can handle, don’t forget your pets - they enjoy special summer treats too!

At Quilting and Patchwork enjoy an array of potluck foods and memories from the Food Bloggers.

You never know what medical emergency could happen while your are picnicking…Marye at Simply Home Remedies is bringing the antidote for nearly ANYTHING!

Eliza at Babylune provides a checklist of tips to consider when taking baby picnicking.

Finally, when it’s all said and done - perhaps you can kick back with a nice frozen beverage.  MomGadget prefers the Dominican Coco Loco

(image: stock.exchg)