The Ivy Twines

Free Printable Menu Planners

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:22:00 +0000

Wishing you all a very happy 2013! We've been busy organizing, cleaning, decluttering... and more organizing. I put together these fun printable menu planners to help with mealtimes around here, especially to limit trips to the store! :) Enjoy!!

The weekly menu plan:

The monthly menu plan:

If you have trouble downloading them, just let me know! Any special requests? I'm happy to at least try! Happy Friday all!!
(If you're looking for more planning printables, check out my free daily planner too!)

Joy to the World!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 02:34:00 +0000

... wonders of His love...

This Christmas we scaled back... a lot. We are currently undergoing a huge remodel of our kitchen, family room, and mud room/laundry room. Along with it, we have upgraded our original wiring and insulation, basically taking everything back to the bones and starting fresh.

Which is exciting and awesome, but made for some pretty bleak baking conditions. Normally I would be whipping up my favorites, along with goodies to bring along to friends and family, but this year I decided instead of focusing on what I couldn't be doing, I would focus on enjoying the season.

And I'm here to confess that despite what I may have believed, I survived the Christmas season without baking a ton, without delivering goodies, and yet keeping my Christmas spirit in tact. Instead of focusing on the hurrying and worrying, I was able to allow myself to slow down and truly enjoy the gifts of the season, especially the ones that weren't wrapped under the tree.

I learned a great lesson that will resonate through the new year: less is more. Simplicity may be a brand new buzz word, but it strikes a cord because so many of us are tired of the busy. 2013 seems like a good year to spread more joy, and less of the busy.

(and psst: the Redeemed collection is on a huge discount at DaySpring! Head over to score a super cute apron for only $15!!)

(Disclosure: I received a complementary Redeemed apron and Christmas devotional in exchange for sharing my story of our Christmas season. All opinions are my own and honest!)

New Oceanhouse Media iPad apps!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:56:00 +0000

With the holidays right around the corner, I thought I would highlight some of our favorite new Oceanhouse Media apps that are available!

Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! ($3.99)

We just LOVE Dr. Seuss in our house, so this classic is a great omBook that my kids really enjoy! Especially for my 5 year old, the vocabulary and highlighted words really enhance letter and sound learning. Plus this is just a really silly and fun story!

The Berenstain Bears go on a Ghost Walk ($3.99)

Again, authors that we just adore, in a format that is easy to use and super interactive! This omBook was obviously enjoyed this week of Halloween, but it's a cute "scary" story that helps take the creepy out of the Halloween holiday. This is also available in the Google Play store and the Amazon app store for Android!

Picture Me Trick or Treat ($1.99)

Such a simple but CUTE app that allows you to either take pictures or use pictures from your photo library to "try on" a variety of costumes! My girls' favorites are the scarecrow and the puppy! I love how they can choose which pictures to fill the book, and they have so much fun seeing us all in goofy costumes! This would be a great app for babies too! If you love the Halloween themed one, there is also more great Picture Me apps available!!

What Was I Scared Of? ($1.99)

Another Dr. Seuss favorite of ours! We love that you can record your own narration (Grandma read this for us and now we can listen to her every night!) and I love that the words zoom and help us practice letter recognition and sounds. Another super cute omBook!

The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin ($2.99)

Another app that is available on the Google and Android platforms, we just adore this sweet story that is about loving who you are! If you haven't read the tale of the square pumpkin, I highly recommend this! I love the illustrations too!

We also have downloaded the Dr. Seuss Bookshelf, which is a great way to organize your books in one place, and you can also easily find out about sales and new releases! There is also a newly released OMBookshelf that does the same thing with your favorite Berenstain Bear apps, Little Critter, and more from Oceanhouse Media! Both apps are free, too!

What are your favorite new apps?

Disclosure: In exchange for my honest and personal review of these apps, we received a complementary download from Oceanhouse Media.

Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 17:53:00 +0000

Although I love a beautiful autumn and celebrating Thanksgiving, choosing the perfect Christmas Cards is not too far off! Last year I was so incredibly pleased with my cards from Tiny Prints, especially since I ordered them last minute and still got them out for Christmas delivery, that I've been browsing their latest designs in search of my favorites!

So many options... like these cute ornament circles!

Or these fun rounded corner starry cards...

... maybe a more modern design...

...or these fun vintage letters, and the great square shape! (Tiny Prints offers a rectangle envelope to avoid extra shipping charges on the square designs!)

I love the folded designs too! I ordered some great folding ones last year, so I'm just picking through my favorites now! I love using Tiny Prints because you can save designs to your favorites, and then look them all over at the same time! Makes the business of choosing a Christmas card a breeze!

As always, keep up to date on the Tiny Prints special offers page, where you'll find all sorts of discounts just in time for holiday season!

Are you thinking up Christmas cards yet? :) Hmm... what to choose...

Keep up with the fabulous Tiny Prints:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/tinyprints

Instagram: Tiny Prints

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tinyprints

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/tiny_prints/

Google +: https://plus.google.com/+tinyprints/

Blog: http://blog.tinyprints.com/

This is a post sponsored by Tiny Prints. In exchange for my honest opinions, I will receive a promo code. As always, these opinions are my honest and own!

Get on track Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 14:50:00 +0000

Just love this quote by Will Rogers. It is especially motivating because we are on the eve of a pretty major remodel in our old ranch house, including replacing our super ancient diesel burning furnace. Any kind of progress is still progress!! :)

Enjoy a free printable for your weekend!! (Just click on the photo and download it in flickr.)

Life in the Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:32:00 +0000

I really think the beautiful thing about blogging is that there is amazing flexibility. Sure, it might not be the best for my "blog stats" to take a month off, but I am continually asking myself if that is why I blog, or if I write because I love to. It's because I love to. :) So, I thought I'd give you an idea of just how I fill my time off the computer... My garden! It is always a work in progress... which is why I really love spending my days outside. I've been slowly adding this gorgeous rock and keeping things watered, which is especially challenging with our summer drought. The raised beds house strawberries, a "salad bar", and raspberries. We have a great pumpkin patch growing with a handful of different varieties, and the forest behind the pumpkins is my crazy tomatoes. I started these from seeds this spring, and it has just been a banner year for them!

And although the tomatoes have really been the stars of the garden, I also had a nice crop of sugar snap peas, green beans, cucumbers, beets, radishes, watermelon, broccoli, brussel sprouts, eggplant, carrots, and peppers. We have had so much fun getting dirty in our garden this summer!
... and flower gardens are always fun to tame...
... and of course, enjoying Montana style recreation.

Hope you've had a lovely summer as well!!

Puppy Love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:22:00 +0000

There is nothing quite sweeter than a nice puppy. Indy is my sister's pup, and the kids and I just loved spending time with him! He was a little wary of swimming in the lake, but enjoyed playing with the little ones... especially when they had treats to share!

Check out other great pet photos at I Heart Faces!

More great iPad apps!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:27:00 +0000

We are about to take off for a summer trip to my parents', which means a 10 hour road trip to plan for! Both girls are pretty good about traveling, but I thought I would pick up a few more apps to keep us busy on the way! :) Here are some more kids iPad apps to check out too!

Franklin's Bubble Blaster {$.99} - The girls love this simple app that takes bubble popping to a new level! You can earn rewards and it's a perfect game especially for my 3 year old, who loves something quick and encouraging! We were able to test out this app thanks to Watch More TV Interactive {same creators of the Max and Ruby app we love!} and we are now wanting to download Franklin's Bumpy Buggy Race and the new Max and Ruby's Bunny Hop! Such a steal at $ .99!!

Toca Tea Party {$.99} - We finally jumped in and purchased this great app after seeing the high praises, and the girls really do love it! {they are playing it in the above picture} It allows for lots of creativity and they take turns pouring and serving each other -- it's really cute! AND a perfect way to take the fun of tea parties on the road, without the mess! :)

Toca Kitchen Monsters {free} - I'm kind of sold on the cute Toca apps after this cute little freebie. You basically are preparing and serving food for a couple of hungry monsters, and you get to see whether they like it, or spit it out! We think it's a pretty cute app!

Barbie Fashionistas {free} - I was a little skeptical, but I have to admit, my kids have had fun playing with it! My girls like changing the pets and switching out clothes, and then saving their outfits to the iPad. Nothing better than playing a little dress up!

My Little Pony: Ruckus Reader {free} - A cute little story, and the option to purchase more stories too. This one has a few games and matching puzzles, and I'm thinking we might purchase the special bundle just because I happen to love the cute interactive storybooks on the iPad! But for right now, they are having fun exploring this one!

PlaySquare {free for a limited time} - This is actually a pretty cool app that promises interactive tv. The first episode is a WordWorld one, which we happen to love, and it's really neat to explore and build the letters and words while you are watching the story unfold. We can't wait for more neat episodes!

Make A Scene: Farmyard {free for a limited time} - Good old sticker book fun! Super fun illustrations and a great quiet time activity! The girls are having so much fun creating play scenes and playing together too!

Team Umizoomi Math: Zoom into Numbers {$3.99} - Normally I wouldn't pay that much for an app, but I read the reviews and decided to test it out! I'm so glad I did. The girls are constantly coming back to play with this. Not only can you increase the levels when your child learns more, but it unlocks new games and has a goal, to collect stickers, to "beat" the game! We have had it for over 6 months and they still love it!

Angelina Ballerina's New Ballet Teacher {$2.99} - Tons of activities and fun packed into one app! I love interactive books, and also love when they have fun extras like puzzles, coloring, or videos! This one has them all! It is a cute story too!

The Monster at the End of this Book... starring Grover! {$3.99} - Another one of our favorites! This was a favorite of mine as a kid {obviously not in an iPad form back then!} and it's even more fun as an app! We also just purchased The Great Cookie Thief too, it was only $.99!!

Any great apps to share? I'm always looking for new ones!
Happy Monday!

Enjoying life...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:44:00 +0000

Sisters make summertime so sweet.

Check out the other enjoying life submissions at I Heart Faces, and enter your own!

Hebrews 12:1 Printable

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:04:00 +0000

Just a little encouragement to follow your path, whatever that may be. And follow it with purpose

Enjoy the holiday! :)

on the vine...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 24 Jun 2012 15:48:00 +0000

We have been so enjoying our busy little summer, complete with picnics, butterfly chasing, and lots of dirt under our fingernails. This pretty swallowtail butterfly visits us quite often, and we can tell because she is missing her tail on her left side! So fun to look for her everyday.
I hope you, too, have been having a lovely summer!
Some links in case you needed a little reading...

Design: Love this Comparision print - perfect for a sweet little frame, and in 6 different colors! {via How Joyful}Photography: Create your own Instagallery - are you on InstaGram? {via My Home Sweet Home}Homemade: DIY Rope Basket - we've got plenty of old rope around here from my team roper husband! :) {via i Heart Organizing}Inspiration: Building Strong Relationships with your Children - such a sweet reminder {via I Take Joy}

5 Simple Ways to Green your Clean

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:26:00 +0000

Come find my guest post article over at iDream of Clean!
Plus, a few printable labels for all your cleaning and organizing needs!

Happy Wednesday!! :)

Happy weekend!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:37:00 +0000

Happy Friday! There's so much to enjoy! :)

Design: Father's Day printable... so excited to do this with my girls! {via Kinzie's Kreations}
Photography: 20 Things about Posing... some great tips here even for a "momtog" like me! {via Photography Awesomesauce}
Homemade: Quinoa and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps... yum! {via keep your diet real}
Inspiration: Books Every Geek Should Read to Their Kids...love it! {via wired}

Books in May

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:04:00 +0000

I've been slacking on my reading, but it seems like once the wind dies down, the snow melts, and the weather is nice, I am itching to get out in my yard and gardens! Once I get things cleaned up, I usually read more, especially those sunny days playing outside with my girls.

Here is what I was reading in May:

1. A Heart Like His - Beth Moore - I have always loved the story of David, and this book takes you to the heart of that story, and why he was such a remarkable follower of God. I am a big Beth Moore fan, and have done many of her studies with my Bible Study Groups, and this book is a perfect addition to her work! I highly recommend this to anyone who is seeking to discover how and where to serve faithfully, this is it!

2. The Next Thing on My List - Jill Smolinski - This is a quick read that shares the story of a woman who carries out completing a list of 20 things after her friend, the author of the list, is killed in a car accident. It's a sweet read that may inspire you to create your very own list!

And that's it! Remember I said I was slacking a bit! :)

Any good book recommendations for the summer? Do share!

10 Yummy Rhubarb Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 May 2012 13:39:00 +0000

{image via Country Living}

Rhubarb is ripe and ready for cooking! It grows here like crazy, but I know not all areas of the country are so lucky! :) Here are some yummy recipes I'm trying this year:

Cinnamon-Sugar Rhubarb Cake - Taste of HomeRhubarb Fool - bon appetitRhubarb Crisp - Country LivingRhubarb Ginger Galette - Simply RecipesStrawberry-Rhubarb Crisp - Ezra Pound CakeRhubarb Razz Crunch - BabbleBig Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake - The Naptime ChefRhubarb Syrup - The KitchnStrawberry Rhubarb Jam - The Perfect PantryRhubarb Hazelnut Oatmeal Squares - The Naptime Chef

What are you cookin' up this week? What are your favorite rhubarb recipes?

snow and a happy weekend {on the vine}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 May 2012 15:28:00 +0000

Yes, snow. But after that million dollar rain I talked about last week, this is maybe considered a million dollar snow, because if you know any farmers/ranchers, the key to a good year is moisture. So we're staying tucked in this weekend and enjoying the quiet! A special thank you to the members of our armed forces and their families for their sacrifices. It is never forgotten.

How about you? Do you have any traditions for Memorial Day?

Design: Two free iPad/iPhone apps from Disney Junior: Jake's Never Land Pirate School and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Roadhouse Rally
Photography: Photography tips from experienced photographers {via Improve Photography}
Homemade: DIY Plant labels for your garden {via Flaming Petal}
Inspiration: 100 Free Things to do this Summer {via Digital Reflections}

Million dollar rain and a happy weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Last night we got what my husband considers a "million dollar rain" because of how dry it has been all spring, and our lack of snow cover this winter. Everything is greening up a bit, and that makes our cows and calves very happy!
I survived my first race. I was actually so excited, as I had set my goal time to be under 1 hour, and I finished in 50 minutes. My first 5 mile race was a success! I have a 10k the middle of June, and I'm hoping to get my splits down a bit into the 9 minute zone.
Some links for the weekend:

Design - Love this Choose Joy printable... finding some wall space for it today! {via Lil Blue Boo}
Photography - Want to make your own watermark in Photoshop? {via Mom.tog}
Homemade - No Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Squares... yum {via How Sweet It Is}
Inspiration - In regards to the TIME cover... the mommy war against the motherless child {via Rage against the Minivan}

Happy weekend all!!

3 Summer Beauty Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:40:00 +0000

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

With the signs of summer in full swing, I'm switching up my mornings to be a little faster, a little lighter, and the perfect mix of the hot trends and classic hot weather looks! We tend to spend the summers outside enjoying the nice weather, working in our garden and flower beds, at the local pool, or having picnics at the park with friends and family.

Here are my top 3 favorite summer beauty trends:

1. Sunscreen! It's always in season, right? My moisturizer (I like Aveeno's Positively Radiant) has SPF in it, and I always apply in the mornings. And for the rest of the body, we usually use a spray lotion like Banana Boat to quickly apply. It makes it easy to remember to reapply in the afternoon, too!
2. Playful nails. A quick search on Pinterest will generate thousands of fun and easy manicure ideas. We love to play beauty shop and experiment with different colors and combinations. My favorite colors this summer are mint green and a light purple. (I like Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet and Lacey Lilac.)
3. A good mascara. In keeping the beauty routine pretty simple, I like to sweep a coat of mascara on to kind of "finish my look." I tend to choose mascaras that are waterproof, not clumpy, and feel light on application. I've tried tons of mascaras, ranging in all sorts of prices, and my very favorite has to be Neutrogena's Healthy Lengths.

What are your beauty must haves for summer?

Cows and a race... happy weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Happy Friday! We're working cows today... such a fun and busy day! Then tomorrow, I'm running my first race this year, a 5 mile one! So excited. What are your plans for this lovely Mother's Day weekend?
Enjoy some great links for your weekend.

Design: Pretty Lovely Design's exclusive facebook freebies - you want these!! (via Pretty Lovely Design)
Photography: 10+ Tips for Photography People wearing Glasses - Great tips to avoid that glare! (via MCP Actions)
Handmade: Caramel Rice Krispies - perfect treat! Make these today! (via Stella B's Ktichen)
Inspiration: Decorating Truths from a 15 year old Boy - such a beautiful piece. (via The Nester)

Hey Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 08 May 2012 15:07:00 +0000

Three pretty ballerinas waiting patiently for their recital. They went on to do wonderful renditions of The Little Mermaid's "Kiss the Girl" and "Hit the Road, Jack". Adorable overload! Growing friendships is just about the sweetest thing to witness. It's important to have your girls!

Check out the other Hey Girl entries at I Heart Faces!

Happy Tuesday!

6 Tips for Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Anyone else have gardening on their mind? I'm so blessed with a huge yard, all the landscaping rock I could possibly want {Montana sandstone!}, readily available compost and well, manure, and lots of "gardening mentors" who offer me all sorts of plants to try. Here are 6 great ways to get inspired to start gardening, or garden more!
{my very weedy flower bed last year...}
1. Ask friends and family. Spring is a great time to spilt plants and transplant perennials. I've filled my flower beds with tons of freebies from friends and family who would probably otherwise be tossing them out. Plus, you get a bonus of using plant varieties that are highly likely to be zone hardy and grow well! You would be surprised at what you may receive; I wondered aloud about a strawberry that would work well in the mountains, and a week later I had over 50 strawberry plants from a friends' patch.
2. Know Your Zone. In a recent Better Homes and Gardens article, it explains the importance of understanding your planting zone and a handy zone calculator to help you build your gardens based on the correct zone. I'm currently in between zones 3-4, which means we get pretty cold, but not a ton of moisture. In fact, my last frost date for this summer is June 9th!
3. Try, try again. This is my gardening mantra, because I have found that lots of plants will work in a protected bed with nice soil, but they aren't quite ready for the rocky, windy area by my vegetable garden. And I still have yet to find a hydrangea that will winter. For me, that's part of the thrill of gardening that I learned from my grandfather.
4. Go local! I am lucky to have a fabulous nursery about 30 miles from our ranch, and a couple of really great greenhouses too. A local, zone-specific nursery is going to be a wonderful source of gardening information, and lots of people willing to help get you beautiful plants to your home. Check out websites, get on a newsletter list, and follow through social media; my very favorite nursery often offers great specials throughout the growing season!
5. Check online nurseries too. I tried this last year, just to say I tried it. I first ordered through Spring Hill Nursery, which has some mixed reviews online, but I was actually really happy with them. I am waiting a couple weeks to see if everything I ordered actually comes back, but for the most part, my early perennials look great! My favorite purchase was the Hardy Mum Collection! I also ordered from Direct Gardening, which was average. Everything was really cheap, but also came as bareroot as you can get. I would heartily suggest checking local first, but online is always worth a try if you can't find what you are looking for.
6. Involve the kids. My kids love to help in the garden, even if it is just digging for worms. There are lots of jobs that even toddlers can do, like watering the plants with a hose or watering can, that also can help with you with the load of gardening chores. Our very favorite is harvesting from our vegetable garden, as my girls would just eat peas off the vine, and my youngest even chomped on raw zucchini for a little treat.

How about some tips from you? I know there are some fabulous gardeners out there!!

I Love Montana {free printable}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:45:00 +0000

After I found this awesome printable from The Vintage Lemon, I was inspired to create my own version! (the MT download link wasn't working at the time)

{via The Vintage Lemon}

Over at The Vintage Lemon you can download blank copies of all the states (so cool!) and also different colors of the hearts, and create your own personalized state art! Head over and start creating!!

If you "heart Montana", feel free to download this one that I created, too!

Click here for the free download

Happy Thursday!!

On the Vine...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:12:00 +0000

A lovely week ahead starting with a beautiful, sunny, and not-too-windy Monday morning! I'm off to the garden to start digging. Have a happy week!

Design: All about protecting your online content. So much useful info here! {from Independent Fashion Bloggers}
Photography: Make your own Facebook Timeline photo! {From Home Stories A to Z}
Handmade: DIY Gardeners' Skin Care. Perfect! {from Camp Wanderer}
Inspiration: All about companion garden planting. Carrots and tomatoes?!? {from Earth Easy}

To Love and Be Loved {free printable}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Refreshing wisdom from Mother Teresa today:

download printable via Google Docs

Enjoy the free printable!

Big Horn Signs {personalized treat jar giveaway!}

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:03:00 +0000

How many of you are pet lovers? If you happen to love a sweet pup or cat, {or any animal for that matter} you simply must check out the custom treat jars from Big Horn Signs.

Aren't they great? {Leroy looks a little blue that his jar is empty}

Big Horn Signs offers more than just personalized glass treat jars though, like these awesome custom kitchen canister sets...

...and this great reclaimed pizza peel sign.

But what's most awesome about husband and wife team Kim and Jeremy, is their custom handpainted signs, reclaimed vintage pieces, and their old Western vibe. They are practically my neighbors here in Montana {as much as neighbors can be in the Big Sky Country}, and their style really captures the feel of the good ol' Wild West.

And seriously, Big Horn Signs' custom handpainted sign work is amazing. Oh, the possibilities: houses, cabins, man-caves, garages, restaurants, shops, displays... and the sign comes with the impeccable service from Kim and Jeremy.

And if they don't seem busy enough to you, they do custom vinyl lettering, truck and vehicle lettering, vinyl signs and banners, AND a sweet little shop called Beartooth Backyard where you can find all sorts of beadwork and goodies.

Leroy and I are SO excited to announce a fantastic giveaway from Big Horn Signs! One lucky reader will receive a large glass Personalized Treat Jar, perfect for anybody you happen to love!

{psst: if you must have one -- and I'm thinking you must -- Big Horn Signs is offering an exclusive discount for readers: IVYTWINES2012 for 15% off -- which makes these personalized jars less than $15!!}

to enter the Big Horn Signs giveaway, use the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{disclosure: All opinions are my honest and own. Big Horn Signs and the fantastic Kim provided me and my pup with a treat jar to review, along with a very special one for The Ivy Twines readers, too! Thanks Kim!!}