Friday, March 23, 2012

Friday Favorite: iPad Apps

Here are some of my favorite iPad apps.


Hope these links work!
DirecTV- Awesome app. I can set the dvr to record from my iPad. Also, you can change the channel from it. You can watch tv in the app as well.
BlogPress-This is how I update my blog sometimes...if its just a quick post.
Google+- See your circles and streams.
The Weather Channel- You can add multiple cities to follow.
Kindle- Currently re-reading the Sookie Stackhouse (True Blood) books.
Pinterest- need I say more?
Noterize- I love this. I can download knitting patterns to this app and as I complete a row, I can highlight it. You can also write and make other kinds of notes directly on the page.I couldn't find the link online. Just go to the store and do a search.
Netflix-Great for lying in bed and watching tv shows/movies when hubby is watching something else on the tv.
Khan Academy-here and here
PS Express- simple photoshop app that allows basic editing of photos.
Get Glue- This app lets me check into tv shows/movies/topics/games, etc and earn virtual stickers & can request real ones once a month.
The Sims Freeplay- For some reason I like this app and play it often. They just recently added the ability for Sims to get married and have a baby!

What are your favorite iPad/iPhone apps???
~April

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Severe Weather Safety

With all of the crazy weather happening nowadays, we have been trying to be better prepared around here. So, I thought I would share ways for you to be prepared too!
We took a Storm Spotter Class the night before our last severe storms. Go here to see when there will be a class near you. Just click on your state.

Storm Shelter:
Not everyone has one or can afford a storm shelter. My brother has one we can use about 5 minutes away. However, if you can't purchase or build one yet, like us, then here are some basic things to do when severe storms are headed your way...particularly during a tornado warning.
  • Get into the most interior room (no windows) on the lowest floor of your home. We don't have an interior bathroom, so we choose one of two interior hallways.
  • Gather blankets, mattresses (air matress), pillows, etc to help shield you from any flying debris.
  • Helmets!!! (maybe even protective goggles). These can be bicycle helmets. Anything is better than nothing.
  • Have shoes on. If something happens, you probably won't be able to find them afterwards.
  • Be prepared by keeping an eye on the weather and watching radar if it is supposed to be bad. Most local news channels will stream radar on their website!
If you are outside:
  • Get into a ditch.
  • If there is no ditch, get as low as you can..flat on your stomach on the ground. Protect your head with your hands.
  • The idea is to get as low as possible incase of flying debris. Also, don't get near trees. They can be struck by lightning. If anything is taller than you, it can be struck.
  • If driving and can't get to a safe place, don't get under an overpass. The winds are much higher under there. Pull over, turn on flashers, and dont get out of the car.
Items to keep on hand for easy retrieval:
  • First Aid Kit- bandages (all sizes), alcohol swabs, pain medicine, etc
  • Bottled water- We wash and re-fill our 2ltr bottles. We have taken about a dozen to my broter's storm shelter about 5 minutes away. We also have them stashed throughout the house.
  • NOAA Weather Radio- try to get one that can run on power or batteries.
  • Snacks
  • Flashlights
  • Batteries- ALL sizes
  • Lockbox- For important papers, phones, etc. Ours is fire/water proof. We keep important papers and photos on an external hard drive that we purchased for under $100 at Wal-Mart.
  • Instructions to turn off the home utilities.
  • Anything else you would want with you.
  • We keep all of our items in a large plastic storage bin. My husband can easily grab it and throw it in the car if we have enough warning to get to my brother's shelter.
Video from FEMA:

Helpful Links:
Lots of great info here on this site.
SkyWarn has a spotter training class (we took it a few weeks ago! Free!)
NOAA
NWS-National Weather Service
Codes to program your NOAA Weather Radio
My post with link to info on making a 72-hour preparedness kit.

~April

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

What's In My Purse...

I thought this would be neat. To show you just what is in my purse! Too bad I didn't do it last week before I cleaned it out. Lol.
This purse was a gift from my mother for Christmas last year:


The goodies inside:
- wallet
- diaper and wipes
- video camera
- Tennessee sunglasses
- gum & candy
- hair clips
- shout wipe
- Tennessee earrings
- receipts
- mini post-it's & pens
- lipgloss, lipstick, and lip balm
-there is also usually my cell phone, keys, and a few toys for the kids.



Question: What is inside your purse?
~April

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Seriously not liking blogger right now.

After going through my posts and adding tags to them for easier searching...the posts I edited are GONE! The titles are still there, just no content! Blogger is pissing me off!


~April

Sunday, March 18, 2012

I love weekends!

Last weekend we had Eli's birthday party. And, for the second year in a row he wanted the dragon cake. He also wanted it blue, but...the store didn't have blue! Boo! So, it ended up green again. This cake may look like it took a while but I had it finished in an hour. It's all about how you cut the two round cakes. Eli loved it yet again. :-)
Peyton loves Spongebob. She calls him "bob grants" (bob pants). Lol.
How cute is she!?! Here she is modeling her new Tinkerbell gown.
Here's Landon & Eli. Don't they look soooo happy. Lol. I have no idea why they look so sad. They had been giggling while they were painting the pages. (Apparently my SIL didn't use a flash either...)
She was totally in her own world...
Peyton, Landon and Bristol Talladega playing outside in the dirt. Peyton loved it. And if you look close you can see that Landon doesn't have a cast on his arm! He just has a brace-type thing on for the next two weeks. Hoping to finally get this broken arm healed. (At the 3 week mark, one of his lower arm bones wasn't healing straight enough, so we went in on a Monday morning and had it re-straightened. It has now been 2 months with a cast/brace.) His poor arm was so dry when the cast came off, so we are keeping a good lotion on it. He really needs a good exfoliation when the brace finally comes off.
Hope you all had a great weekend!
~April

Friday, March 16, 2012

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. People are always pinning the neatest thing everyday. It's addictive!
Here are a few pins that I added recently.

How cute is this apron!

Source: etsy.com via April on Pinterest



I would love to re-do our master bathroom like this.


Yummy. Pizza in a jar.




Love this kitty bowl.

Source: piccsy.com via April on Pinterest



We have the perfect spot out back for one of these.

Source: google.com via April on Pinterest



I want this!


~April

Thursday, March 15, 2012

SwagBucks-How to Get Started


I had three nice long descriptive posts written about how to sign-up, earn & redeem Swag Bucks...apparently Blogger ate those posts! Grrr.

So, I have added a page at the top (with "Home" and "My Patterns") entitled "Swag Bucks" where you can find all the info in one place.

Happy Swagging!
~April

My First Poll

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

True Blood Cookbook

How cool is that! The True Blood cookbook should be out in the fall of this year! I can't wait to get myself a copy.
I found the info over on True-Blood.net

Here's the full press release:CHRONICLE BOOKS TO PUBLISH OFFICIAL COMPANION COOKBOOK TO SMASH-HIT HBO® SERIES TRUE BLOOD®
Take a Bite Out of the Bayou in Fall 2012

SAN FRANCISCO – March 13, 2012 – Chronicle Books and HBO are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of The True Blood Cookbook, by series creator Alan Ball (with Karen Sommer Shallett and Marcelle Bienvenu), expected in Fall 2012. The True Blood Cookbook will be filled with photos from the show’s four seasons, side stories, and authentic southern recipes for the local fare of the insatiable world of Bon Temps.
“Millions of fans agree there’s nothing more exciting on television than True Blood, and much of that fun comes from the witty and delicious symbolism food and drink brings to so many scenes,” said Christine Carswell, Chronicle Books’ Publisher. “The True Blood Cookbook will relish the flavors of the True Blood universe with plenty of authentic dish—both on the plate, and behind-the-scenes.”
“This book will be substantial, with recipes that capture the unique ambiance, dark humor, and complexity of characters that make up the magical and offbeat world of True Blood,” states Ball. “In other words, it will be a worthy of ‘Trubies’ everywhere.”
Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the True Blood takes place in Louisiana in the not-too-distant future, when vampires have come out of the coffin, thanks to the invention of mass-produced synthetic blood that means they no longer need humans as a nutritional source. The show follows the romance between waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), who can hear people’s thoughts, and her soul mate, 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer). Alan Ball (creator of the Emmy®- winning HBO series Six Feet Under®) created and executive produces the show, which is based on the best-selling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

~April

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Puss in Boots Movie

We recently bought & watched the Puss in Boots movie. It is a pretty good movie.

However, FYI for parents: While this is a children's movie, there are adult references. Example, in the opening sequence they show Puss coming out of a female cats home...after putting on his belt, hat, and boots trying not to wake her up.



Wednesday, March 7, 2012

WIP Wednesday

I am working on my first knitted cowl for the TrueBlood KAL. The pattern is Noble Cowl on Ravelry. The yarn I am using is Yarn Bee Diva Sequin in the Scottish Heather colorway. I am doing the cowl on a size 8 circular.
And just a quick tip. Stitch Markers are your friend on this pattern!!!





~April

Monday, March 5, 2012

Poor, Sick Baby Girl...

Storms...PIC HEAVY

Photos from our recent storms. Taken the day after our Storm SpotterClass! Talk about putting it into action.
This is one I took from our house. Look in the very center of the pic.



These were taken by various people around town.





















I have lots more but, those should show just how crazy it was around here!
~April