"How To" - - Blog Background and Blog Header - -

So, if you come here at all very often, you might've noticed that I gave my blog a little makeover.....Every once in a while, it is just required that I switch things up a little bit and it makes everything feel new and sparkly again (ok so maybe that is going overboard....??)

Since people always ask how to do stuff I figured I should start just walking things through so I took photos as I went...

Here are two, fairly quick and easy, "how to" tips for an easy change of pace....

How to change your blog background.....

Blogger has a bunch of preset backgrounds you can choose from but if you want to choose your own it's super simple.....

1. Go to your Blogger Template...

2. Click on Customize

3. Click on Backgrounds

4. Either choose a background option listed or upload any jpeg file that you'd like to use as your background (you can look through google images for tons of ideas or use your own photos too)

5. Save...you are done. Easy easy easy to switch out whenever you feel like a change!!


How to create a customized Blog Header....

I know there are a million and one ways to do this, but this is one of the simplest I've found (and it looks cute!)....it is a little more involved than the background, but you really don't need to switch it out very often so it's worth the extra effort...

1. Go to www.picmonkey.com

2. Click on Create a collage

3. Click on the Layout icon

4. Choose ducks in a row (it's irrelevant which 'duck' option you pick)

5. Now SAVE (it will save to your desktop) and give a name like emptyheader.jpg. You will need to find the file in a minute!

6. Close out (x in top right corner). You'll get back to the home page where you were at No.2. This time click on Edit a Photo

7. Now upload the emptyheader.jpg file you just made. Make sure you resize your file to fit your blog....900x300 is typical. (If you know your blog is wider you can go to about 1300ish and you can make it deeper if you'd like too!) Here is where you design your header. There are tons of options....you can create text, add images or upload your own photo. Whatever takes your fancy....go crazy:)

8. Now SAVE again and this time give the file a name that you can find to upload to your blog (something like; myblogheader.jpg)

9. OK breathe...almost done...

10. Go to your Blogger Template and this time click on Layout....

11. You should have a Header bar across the top. Click on edit. It will say Configure Header.

12. You have to type in your Blog Title....but then you need to click on add an image (upload your myblogheader.jpg file) and check the box that says "instead of title and description" and then SAVE...you are done!! Enjoy your fancy new Header:) 

You're Welcome!

Totally worth it....

Abbie has been babysitting and dog-sitting (and probably picking up every quarter she could find too), since Christmas and has saved every single penny with the goal of getting her very own iPad mini....

And finally on Friday she had made it!!

With her ziploc bag full of quarters and dollar bills and lots of jumping up and down, we headed over to the Apple Store (...and no we didn't even stop to brush her hair!!)

Big decision....black iPad or white iPad???

Now time to hand over the money.....did you ever see someone so happy to hand over all that hard earned cash???

TOTALLY worth it:)

On another note....I discovered these at Basha's last week....and I am a sucker for anything with coconut added..... and to tie the random photo into my post - yes, totally worth it:) 

......ok, maybe, just maybe i did have some (slight) remorse after the entire pack was gone in three days (I may, or may not, have eaten virtually every last one all by myself!!)

High Maintenance....

I went for a reflexology massage for the first time ever the other day. A friend called me out of the blue and asked me to go along with her....so what's a girl to do??

hello.....it was one hour of sheer indulgence!! Where has reflexology massage been all my life??

My friend, tells me she is going to help me become a more high maintenance wife....I'm sure Andrew is grateful:)

End of year...

A number of goings on in the last few weeks that needed a little shout out...

State Championship Volleyball game between our High School and their rival high school...of course we won....to the sound of a deafening roar...:)

YouTube Video Highland High WIN...last few minutes:)

Abbie's end of year Strings Concert...despite not being able to play for quite a few weeks due to her collar bone breakage (back here), she still made it through smiling all the way...

mountains of papers and other school junk...sorry,... 'important work' arriving home....including this one (hello who is teaching my child that chocolate is a want and not a need??!)

waiting in the longest line you've ever seen for tickets to my girl's end of year dance performance...seriously?? I was there 45 minutes. You'd have thought it was opening night for Twilight or something:)

And all kinds of end of year party's and goodbye's to teachers and friends that are undocumented, but grateful for awesome teachers who have helped each of my kids this past year and great friends who have made every day fun for them too:)

You may have noticed the lack of photos including my big boys....apparently once you can drive you are old and mature and no longer need photos taking of you....

Luckily for me, I mandate that my mother's day gift every year is a photo shoot of all my kids (looking cute, smiling willingly and no complaining)...so I have to cash in on that one this weekend:)

In the meantime, looking forward to the summer with dance recital and camps, days by the pool, dive team, EFY, Medical Summit, both boys away on different High Adventure camps, a trip to Lake Powell and a few visitors thrown in the mix too.....it's gonna be fun!!

more Hawaii...:)

Seriously so much to fit in...I'll try and get through it all without boring you all to death:)

With all the husbands busy with the rally, we managed to fit in some fun girls only time.....I have to document the "red chairs" as they were our designated meeting spot...

We met for breakfasts (oatmeal and more oatmeal...but doesn't it look delicious!!), lunches and dinners...of course we had to go to Duke's and have a little hula pie in there too!... and we won't even mention the varieties and quantities of chocolate covered macadamia nuts that were consumed....the fruit was amazing....is it possible to overdose on fruit??

but enough of the food, important as it is:)....we also managed to make it out on a hike to Manoa Falls....just beautiful...if a little muddy:))

And tried to squeeze in some beach time...with an attempt at paddleboarding (which I would have photos of...if I hadn't fallen in and landed on the reef, "requiring" a little TLC from the lifeguard:)

 And lets not forget the undocumented, and yet very relaxing moments chilling by the pool....:) We spent many therapeutic hours together laughing, crying (from laughing), and just enjoying being together. Friends are so good for the soul...

The rally days were amazing fun too....lots of entertainment, fun, more chocolate covered macadamia nuts to eat, and amazing people to meet!! We met with lovely people from the local charities that Forever were helping and it was inspiring to hear all the work they are doing. We also got to meet with Amy Purdy and her boyfriend Daniel. They were an awesome couple and Amy's story is just unbelievably uplifting and inspirational. If you haven't heard her speak, listen to her TED talk here. It's just under 10 mins that will give you a boost....

  

And of course there were more casual, crazier moments....including a game of volleyball, where, in our zeal to cheer for our home office team, we may or may not have attempted a human pyramid (can I reiterate that I grew up in England and there is absolutely zero chance that I have ever had any cheerleading experience!!!)

It was our wedding anniversary while we were away....17 years baby...and I woke up to find Andrew had been out early and carved a note in the sand....ahhhh:) Life isn't always easy, but I'm glad I get to muddle my way through with Andrew. He is amazing x

We all made it out for a last day at the beach...just a beautiful day...with a few more human pyramids involved:)

 Aloha Hawaii....until we meet again:))

(Disclaimer: a lot of the rally photos were taken by Sander Jurkiewicz...who is an awesome photographer!!)