How to Add a Custom Blog Header

So I am pretty sure that I am not the only person on this planet who hates to pay for a service that you know good and well you could figure out how to do on your own with a little bit of "Googling". 

Now, here is where I am going to insert my disclaimer: I am by no means a computer genius [although sometimes I may consider myself to be a genius but it is never in the field of technology] with that being said you can go ahead and pretty much assume that I have found the easiest way to create a image blog header otherwise there would not be one up on my blog! 

This is pretty much how I feel about my computer at least once a million times a day!

I'm going to break this down into steps just to make it that much easier to follow:

Step 1: Download Pisaca 3 [it is free] and is what I used to create and edit my blog header. It is one of the more "navigator friendly" free photo editing programs. Plus, it is a Google program so it runs very well with Blogger. 

Step 2: Choose you're photos, I have made a blog header with one photo and also with four. The custom size ratio is not that different between the two. If you what to use just one picture as your header background then the size ratio will be 700 x 161, if you want to use four photos the ratio slightly changes to 600 x 161. For this post, let's assume your going to use four photos in your header image background. After you have chosen the photos, hold down the "Ctrl" and click on each photo to highlight them all at the same time. 

Step 3: While your four photos are still highlighted, go to the top and choose the option to "Create" then select "Picture Collage". You should now only just see the photos that you had selected on the screen. 

Step 4: On the left you will now see some setting options. Leave the defaulted "Picture Pile" it is the easiest one to work with. Go down to "Page Format" and in the drop down choose "Add Custom Ratio" a small box will appear and this is where  you will add either the 700 x 161 or the 600 x 161 depending on the photo count. Once you change the ratio you should notice that the photos will reconfigure on the screen. 

Step 5: Now that you have the correct size you can click on each photo to arrange them in the order you wish for them to lay, if you turn the mouse over the image if will straighten out the photo, also if you right click on a photo you can choose "Bring to Top" which is another way to rearrange the photos to lay the way you want them too. Try to arrange them where they completely fill up the size ratio that we selected.

Step 6: Once the photos are arranged to your liking then select on the left hand side under setting "Create Collage" this will now take you onto the editing portion where you can add text to your image.

Step 7: Under the edit option you should see a "Text" button. This will allow you to add your Blog title and any other text you want to appear on your header. You can choose your front, size, color and arrangement all from this edit option. Once you have completed you text you will select "Apply" under the left side edit menu to save the text to your image. 

Step 8: In order to add this to your blogger.com blog you need to first save the image as a png.file which it should automatically default to when you select the "Save As" function under the "File" drop down in the top left corner. 

Next, we need to add this masterpiece to you're Blog! It is super easy. here we go!

Step 1: Go to your Blogger Dashboard and select "design" to edit your Blog, once there choose the "Layout" option on the left hand side of the screen. Then in the middle of the screen you will see where your current blog title is listed, just to the right of that select the edit button. 

Step 2: Another window will open for the edit field. Select the "browse file" option and choose your saved Picasa header that you created, once you click on the save header it will automatically start to download the image.

Step 3: Now to select your placement, choose the option "Instead of title and description". Once you've selected that then hit save and it will upload your custom image header to your blog! It may take a minute or two to fully load and then save where you can preview it.

I hope this helps any other bloggers out there looking to customize they're blog without paying someone else to do it [although if you want to pay ME to do it for you...I totally will...just email me]! 

Next up on my list of  "things to learn to do myself with this blog"...figure out how to add those cute little gadget widget images on the left side of my posts. Yeah. This one might take me a while as it seems to be way more complicated then the header. But if I find an easier way I will definitely pass it along!

Birthday Bacon!

Not only has March brought us MORE COLD weather, but it also brings my husband's 31st birthday [30's are the new 20's...right? I hope.]. One thing you should know about my sweet, darling, light of my life hubs is that...he HATES getting gifts or being surprised! This is where we are perfectly matched for each other, because I LOVE to give gifts and plan surprises [you can probably guess how nervous he gets around Christmas and Birthday time. Not kidding he reminds me daily that he doesn't need anything or want me to spend any money on him]. He always says that there is "nothing" he needs. Well, everyone has a weakness...and boy do I know what that is for my love...BACON! Swear to God, it's like his kryptonite. [Mason has also developed the same weakness...must be a guy thing so I knew keeping Mason's sticky fingers out of this gift was going to be tricky].

So, my brilliant self has come up with the best Birthday present ever. Yes. ever. To complete this masterpiece of epic Birthday proportion you should also know that his second weakness is craft beers [the weirder the flavor the better].

Let's begin...

My idea began with a trip I was remembering down to Florida to visit some family, we stopped by the local Total Wine store [it was my husband's first experience in the store and let's just say the employees were probably worried we were going to set up camp as long as we were in there]. Fast forward two hours later and Vince has finally picked out his craft beers to try...one of which was called Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale [to me there is no appeal what so ever to try, but he seemed overly excited to get it in his belly].

Remembering how much he loved this beer [excuse me. crafted masterpiece] it made me start thinking about bacon...what could I do with bacon that he's never had before...hmmm...hmmm...

As you can probably imagine it took me a minute to come up with an idea and then I gave up and logged onto Pinterest. As always Pinterest saved the day...here is the awesome post that I found! Now of course I needed to make it my own so I decided to also incorporate the glazed doughnuts from the beer along with the chocolate covered bacon [yes. yes. I know. best wife ever right here people]! My plan was to use the glazed doughnuts as the "base" for my bacon "flowers" [can you picture where I'm going with this]. Of course what would be a Birthday present without a Birthday card...so to distract Mas [who is also in love with bacon] I put him to work on making Daddy's card [sometimes I am too smart for my own good].

I also decided to make a custom Birthday card for my love as pictured below. I know it is a little hard to read so here's what it says:

                          I love you, like a back alley hooker loves crack.
                     I love you, like a zombie loves brains.
                     I love you, like a fat kid loves cake.
                     I love you, like a fish loves water.
                     But most of all...

                     I love you, like a pig loves not being bacon!
                     Happy Birthday!
                     Your's Always,
                     Amazing #1 Wife

And now onto the good stuff...this is so much easier to explain with photos...so here we go!

Late night baking, anyone?

Just so you know my 4 year old almost shit a brick when he saw we were making something with his three favorite food groups...bacon. glazed doughnuts. chocolate.

Next...string that bacon up!

Make sure the bacon doesn't lay flat or it will start to stick to all the grease that runs off while baking [eewwww].

Than bake at 375 degrees until desired crispy-ness!

Yummo! This was the point where Mas said "I think it's done, let's just give it to him like this. Can I have some yet?"

Time to make the chocolate! Okay. Melt the chocolate is more accurate...

I used Baker's Semi-Sweet baking chocolate [two bars are needed and I had just enough chocolate to coat each piece of bacon nicely]!

Now the next part I have no pictures of because frankly my hand's were covered in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles [or as I like to refer to it....the happiest half hour of my day]. Plus, Mas was too busy trying to sneak off with the chocolate covered mixing spoon to take any pictures for me.

But it's pretty easy to explain, I just used a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the bacon until it was fully covered, then I held the bacon over a bowl and covered it in sprinkles. I put the bacon on fresh wax paper and then popped that bitch in the fridge to cool overnight!

Now onto the decorations!

Homemade Birthday sign...because I'm just that good.

I used three glazed doughnuts each as my "vase" then stuck the bacon right in the middle [it was surprisingly steady]! Then I pulled out the only drink to have with your chocolate covered bacon and glazed doughnuts...MORE glazed doughnuts and bacon in beer form of course!

Here are some more pictures of the finished product...again sorry for the shitty lighting.

So, that's it! Another birthday for the history books! My husband is so damn lucky I love him like I do...I mean so far I've already received THREE separate marriage proposals alone for this gift! Plus, as an added bonus Mas was on cloud nine at the thought of having breakfast this morning with daddy...so both boys happy and Nash...well he was a little annoyed that he didn't have enough teeth yet to go to town on the bacon but I'm sure daddy shared some of the glazed doughnuts with him.

Little Leprechauns!

Had such a great day with my sweet little leprechauns! Started the day off right with Mas scoring a goal at his soccer game then onto an amazing low country crawl-fish boil [Mas was in heaven] then some shopping and finally home for movie night: Rise of the Guardians! 

Shamrock #1

Shamrock #2

Nash also decided that he hated grass so much that he would walk to avoid touching it! It was so cute to see him walking around the soccer field! Of course he is still acting camera shy about it but hopefully soon I can sneak some video of him strolling around!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Love The Harris Family

Boy[s]...

Okay. Okay. Time for one of those mushy posts...I only do this because I hope one day my boys will read this and think, "uh, maybe Mom does love us even if she is hard on us sometimes"...at least that's what I hope!

It can sometimes be tricky with these boys...they can definitely give you a run for your money at times. But there are somethings that I truly hope they look back on and think "Yep, Mom and Dad taught me that". Values, morals, virtues...these things are not a dime a dozen as some may think. But if there is anything I want my boys to learn it is this...

My 25 things that I hope to instill...

1.) Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does.
2.) Kindness can never be overdone.
3.) Use your words. Express yourself [No one can read minds. No one should have to].
4.) Try not to become a man of success, but rather a man of value.
5.) Days without laughter are wasted.
6.) Promises are always worth keeping.
7.) You are not entitled to anything, it has to be earned.
8.) Get dirty [but NEVER underestimate the power of good hygiene].

9.) Apologizing takes strength. Be strong.
10.) If you are ever trying to convince yourself that you're right, then you're probably wrong.
11.) Never be ashamed of being a Mama's boy [the best men are].
12.) Cursing does not make you tough.

13.) Play fair, fight fair.
14.) Define yourself by your own attributes, not by what other people expect from you.
15.) Keep it in your pants [think with your head not with your...ahem].
16.) Learn to take care of yourself [laundry and cleaning does not do itself].
17.) Happiness is a choice.

18.) Play a sport. It will teach you how to win honorably, lose gracefully and respect authority.
19.) Use careful aim when you pee [somebody's got to clean that up].
20.) I will love whoever you choose to love. But choose wisely.
21.) Keep your pants up around you're waist, you are not a "thug" you are a white kid from a middle income family. Get over it.

22.)  Never beep a car horn to pick someone up, ever. 
23.) Good manners can open doors most would miss.
24.) Money does not buy happiness. [But Mommy & Daddy would like to be comfortable in our old age...hint hint].
25.) I will love you more than any women you will ever meet. Period.

Irish shenanigans...

Shenanigans - she.nan.i.gans ;mischef, prankishness, trickery, fun.

Yeah. That sounds about right. This is such a fun holiday which I am sure is exactly the way the Irish wanted it to be! My husband, being VERY Irish looks forward to this holiday and even wanted me to "hold out" last year on giving birth to Nash [original due date 03-08] until the 17th so that he could celebrate his birthday on St. Patrick's Day [we know how that all worked out]...

Here's what I know about this very shamrock-y holiday.
1. You get to drink green beer!
2. You wear green in some form or another.
3. Ummm...hmmm...yeah. That's all I got.

So, just because I've never really thought about it and now I'm curious I did a little reading on this Irish day and to my surprise...

The holiday was created to celebrate the patron saints of Ireland and the arrival of Christianity to Ireland, there is also Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol on this day. What. Wait. No alcohol? Yeah. Fail on that one! 

But it goes on to say that the holiday has evolved to include the celebration of the Irish cultures and traditions [now that makes sense...no wonder why nobody follows the "no alcohol" rule...]! Either way it is still a pretty awesome care-free holiday where you get to drink beer, laugh with friends, and even if your not 100% Irish [which I am not] for one day of out the year you can pretend to be!

             1)Old Navy Boys St. Patrick Shirt 2)Old Navy Baby St. Patrick Shirt 3)How to Make Green Beer! 4)Lucky Charm cupcakes

I leave you with my favorite Irish toast!

Here's to a long life and a merry one!

A cold beer and another one!

Oh and a sweet picture of the boys at the park...being well...best friends. 

Ready for Spring!

I don't know about the rest of you but I am sooooo ready for spring! Sunshine, blue skies, some greenery, fresh air...at this point just being able to go outside without freezing my ass off...would really be nice!

Easter is right around the corner and I haven't even begun to think about the baskets I want to put together for the boys. Not sure why but I have been so tired and behind the curve here lately...at least it feels that way. Maybe time is just going by too fast and I am having a hard time keeping up! 

For the past few years I have made Mason's Easter basket [it is such a waste of money to buy the pre-made one] and now this year I get to make two baskets! We decided that each boy would get one "big" item and then we'd filled the baskets with candy and small cheap toys [which for some reason Mas seems to enjoy more then the expensive ones]. We have several Easter egg hunts that we will be attending, I am really hoping that Nash will be walking on his own by then so he can go after his own eggs! I may even go as far as dressing the boys in the same outfits [I know. I know. I can't help it]. Just think of how cute the pictures will be....

In other Harris news...

Mason is officially done with his first basketball season...I'm not so sure he's the next Michael Jordan but he did have fun playing and towards the last few games he really did start to understand what he was suppose to be doing on the court. Not quite sure yet if he's going to play another season, but I am so proud that he got out there and tried his best! He really did play hard and it may be something he gets back into when he's a little older. 

Mas holding his first medal! So handsome.

With basketball now behind us we can focus on soccer [Mason's sport of choice at the moment]! Mas had his first game this last Saturday, it was about 10 below [or at least that is what it felt like]! I struggled to stay the entire game but poor Nash was just not having it [must be Mommy's Florida blood running through him] my poor peanut cried almost the entire game...he was just so cold. So, we are keeping our fingers crossed that this Saturday will be a warmer day!

Speaking of my peanut...

He had his one year check up/shots and he is totally living up to his nickname! He is only in the 5th percentile for his weight, coming in at 18 lbs and in the 10th percentile for height, measuring in at 28 inches. So as of now it appears he will be short and skinny...looks like Mommy will be purchasing a very strong multivitamin! 

Peanut!