Blue Skies and Mud Puddles

We've Moved!

2016-06-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

Finally! The new blog is up and running. If you get the chance, please hop over to... http://blueskiesandmudpuddles.com Don't forget to leave us a note! We love to hear from you!

Updates on Changes...

2016-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

(c) 2016 Jack McCallum All I can say is "Ugh!" You would think it would be a simple process to make changes to this blog, but apparently there is a world of complications involved. It looks the projected April 4th launch date of the new blog is going to have to be pushed back. On the bright side, it looks like it may only be pushed back a few days but I'm actually going to push it

Big Changes Are Coming...

2016-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

My apologies for being absent from the Blogosphere but there are big changes happening, and one of the places those changes are happening is this blog. I'm super excited to reveal all, but for now I'm concentrating on getting everything ready for launch. My projected "live" date for the new Blue Skies and Mud Puddles blog is April 4, 2016, but it is dependent on a few tweaks that need to

A Time for Thankfulness

2015-11-26T16:19:00.001-08:00

I know I and my family have a lot to be thankful for, and this holiday always is a warm reminder to make that thankfulness know. I hope all of you have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and that you spend it with those you hold near and dear. As for me, I'm skipping the shopping this weekend and focusing on family time.

Day at the Pumpkin Patch...

2015-10-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Family has been going through a rough patch lately (something I'll share a little later), so I decided that we would take a little trip to a Pumpkin Patch in the next county. It's a Pumpkin Patch we visit every year, and though we had discussed not going this year - I felt the Family was entitled to a fun day trip. Plus, what better way to pick out your pumpkins for the

Favorite Time of the Year...

2015-10-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

My family love to take a drive around the area we live in. We're lucky. We live in this wonderful area where there is the ocean, mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, streams, and lots of trees. And, at this time of the year, everything seems to be more alive. It is a feast for the senses. Colors are more vibrant; temperatures are crisper; every smells clean; and

Tee Shirt Designs

2015-10-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! Dawn has been bugging me to do something. She has been wanting to start her own business, so she and I sat down and talked about what it would look like. In the end, we decided on tee shirts and sweat shirts. Dawn is super excited, and she is filling a little notebook with ideas she has for future designs. It's nice to see her so enthusiastic about something

Happy Birthday, Dawn!

2015-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my little sister's birthday. Okay, let's face facts... She isn't "little" anymore. However, to me, she will always be my little sister. To you, she is Dawn. To me, she is Monkey. To you, I am Jack. To her, I am Frog. But, I digress... On this joyous occasion, I would like to share a sampling of the reasons why I am so very grateful for her birthday

School Supplies Season...

2015-08-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but when I was a kid I looked forward to the closing of summer. I didn't do it because I wanted to return to school (far from it), but I always knew that once August arrived - school supplies would be featured in the stores. I love school supplies. Some might call it an obsession, but I love stocking my office with different colored pens, 3-ring binders,

Craft Store Haul

2015-08-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

The other day I took the Fam to the craft store to pick up a few things. We had such a good time, that I thought I would take this opportunity to share what we bought. One of the first things we bought were these fabulous little tablets. We loved how colorful they were and the upbeat messages they carried. I could not believe the stores are already displaying

Bucket Garden Harvest

2015-08-10T00:00:00.001-07:00

This year the family planted a garden. We did it a little differently, though. We planted our little garden in buckets. You know the kind... those 5 gallon buckets you can buy at any home improvement store. We simply bought a bunch, I drilled holes in the bottom of them to allow for proper drainage, and we filled them with potting soil and planted little start plants

Recipe: Southwest Greek Salad

2015-08-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

One of the favorite dishes my family enjoys during those hot summer days is Mum's Southwest Greek Salad. We had it the other night, so I thought I would share the recipe with all of you. You'll need a can of black beans, a can of corn, sweet peppers, a Walla Walla onion, pine nuts, romaine lettuce, grape-sized yellow and red tomatoes. For the dressing, you'll need 1 tablespoon

Fontalicious Fun...

2015-08-05T00:00:00.000-07:00