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Lovin’ These Links

MeckMom — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 16:56:38 +0000

Wow. I went to gather all the photos from my facebook favorites and suddenly realized how long it’s been since my last update. I hope you guys have a few free minutes because there are tons of great links here.

Here are the sites featured on my facebook page in the last several weeks. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. If you do, don’t forget to leave comments for these incredibly talented, hard-working bloggers. We live for comments here in the blogosphere so share the love when you stop by these sites. (Remember to click the pink blog titles – not the pictures – to follow the link)

Etsy: Fall Down Tree

There’s something about this guy’s art that really grabs me. I love the expressions of the quirky creatures…they almost seem like they were plucked from the pages of a great picture book. I fully intend to buy some for my son’s new room.

Better After

Who doesn’t love a great makeover? This entire blog is devoted to before and afters brimming with inspiration.

Controlling My Chaos

Is menu planning a constant struggle? Check out this Mom’s low-cost magnetic solution.

Ambrosia Girl

These polaroid-inspired magnets are both functional and fun. I can’t wait to create a bunch and highlight some of our favorite family memories on the fridge.

Cute Girl Hairstyles

Do your daughters need some quick ‘n easy hairstyles for summer? The video tutorials on this site are a great place to start.

Etsy: The Home Centric

My cool gray sofa is looking little bare at the moment – it’s just aching for some color or sparkle to warm it up. I found this shop on Etsy and I’m totally coveting all the awesome (and inexpensive) pillow covers. If only she didn’t have so many to choose from.

We Love Indie

Know any stylish brides-to-be? This charming idea for a ‘guestbook’ beats the tacky feather pen and book sets by a mile. It would be fun to do for a baptism or graduation party too.

Always With Butter

Strawberries are in peak season now so I made gobs of strawberry freezer jam. Up next, these scrumptious shortcake cookies.

Friday’s Find: Delicious Diet Popsicles

MeckMom — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:26:23 +0000

The only thing better than finding a scrumptious new dessert is finding one that’s only 80 calories. I grabbed these weight watchers popsicles at the store last week and I’m totally hooked. They remind me of the raspberry Fannie Mae chocolates I used to sneak out of my Mom’s stash when I was little.

I’m generally not a fan of chocolate-covered ice cream stuff. The chocolate layer is always too thick and waxy tasting. In this case, the dark chocolate is thin and sorta crispy – making it the perfect compliment to the fluffy raspberry filling. Yum! If you’re looking for a sweet treat that won’t kill your calorie intake for the day these Weight Watcher pops will totally hit the spot.

While we’re on the topic, here’s a charming popsicle party link for you from Design Sponge. Wouldn’t this party concept be a fabulous ‘first day of summer’ backyard party? Just seeing all those bright colors and warm, sunny photos makes me crave summer. Keep your fingers crossed that these grey, slushy days will end soon. Have a great weekend, everyone.

Lovin’ These Links

MeckMom — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:55:57 +0000

Happy Monday, guys. I kicked my week off in true Eckersley style by waking up late and dropping my kids at the school doors well after the tardy bell. At least is was for a good cause (and by good I mean completely self-serving). I was up late into the night working on an all new version MeckMom.com. I can’t wait to show it to you. My handsome husband and I are still working out the kinks but it should be up soon. It better be, I’m not sure how many more tardies my kids can take.

So it’s that time again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page in the last week so, if you haven’t had a chance, you should check them out. If you liked them as much as I did, take a minute and let the content authors know. Bloggers love comments; so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Birthday Girl

I love the vintage cowboy look of this birthday party idea. Wouldn’t it be perfect for school fundraiser or a Primary pioneer day activity?

Dittle Dattle

Everyone needs closet organization – teenage boys are no exception. Check out this cool DIY closet tutorial. I thought the mirror was a particularly smart touch.

I Heart Organizing

I’m a sucker for a great organizing make-over. The laundry nook-turned-office area at the end of this post really wowed me.

Another Lunch

The incredibly cute, cold lunches on this site put my kids’ lunches to shame. Who could resist nibbling on that chubby cheese chicken?

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page, joining the like group at the bottom of my sidebar or by following this link and then clicking the ‘like’ button.

The Wanda Witch Party Roundup Post

MeckMom — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:16:36 +0000

I can tell it’s getting close by the emails coming in…that wonderful time of year when dozens of you readers anonymously invite all your friends to a big party and take on my favorite pseudonym…Wanda D. Witch.

I hosted my first Wanda Witch party 10 years ago and I’m still going strong. We’ve done variations of it in 4 different states. It’s been the source for new friendships and awesome memories we retell with friends to this day. But the benefits don’t end there. Some of my favorite family memories happened while my husband and I were out scouting for clue locations with our kids. Here’s a picture of them last year as we were scouring the hills of Branson, MO for a good spot to hide a clue (I was pregnant with #5 at the time).

I’ve hosted loads of parties over the years, but I can definitely say that this one is still my all-time favorite. If you’re looking for a way to kick up your Halloween status or build up your friendship base, this is definitely the party for you.

Several of you have mentioned in your emails that you’d like a quick refresher on the party concept – and that you’d like them all the steps & free printables in one place. So for today’s post, I’ll be offering links to all the Wanda Witch info. Remember, if you’re new to this party you’ll want to read the posts in order.

Wanda Witch: The Ultimate Halloween Party (intro to the party concept)

2008′s Wanda Witch Clever Clue Giveaway (loads of great clue ideas in the comment section)

Hosting the Wanda Witch Party the Second Time Around (how to host the party w/out the anonymity)

2009′s New Wanda Witch Clue Ideas and Party Fun (fun new party twists and clue ideas)

Wow, that’s a lot of posting. We hosted another successful party last Halloween and I can’t wait to share the details (and free printables) with you. I’ll be posting all about it next week.

Good luck out there, Wandas! I can’t wait to hear about your successes (I love it when you email me or send me links to your party recap blog posts).

*As a side note, if you have questions about certain aspects of the party please try to post them in the comments area of that particular post. Lots of you have similar issues, so if you ask in the comments area it’s easier for other Wanda’s to learn from my replies. Thanks!

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

MeckMom — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:33:51 +0000

It’s Monday again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page in the last two weeks so, if you haven’t had a chance, you should check them out. If you liked them as much as I did, take a minute and let the content authors know. Bloggers love comments; so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link and then clicking the ‘like’ button. Here are the links from the last two week…

Cooks Illustrated

I love Cooks Illustrated. It’s like the consumer reports for all things kitchen. I’ve been a subscriber to their video podcast for a long time but after perusing my Mom’s magazines I think I may subscribe to the print version as well. The fresh, corn-from-the-cob chowder I made last night was phenomenal.

eHow

Want to add a little sweet science to your kid’s last few weeks of summer? Try creating a few of these simple rock candy suckers from a sugar/water solution.

Sweet as a Candy

Don’t you just love looking at great photographs? This photo array of a dream Italian wedding was simply lovely. I especially love the one of the gown and the oh-so-charming gold shoes.

Young House Love

I love multi-functional rooms…particularly when they ooze a clean, relaxed, modern vibe. This guestroom/office/playroom is a great example.

One Charming Party

I’m not really into elaborate kid birthday parties myself, but this Wizard of Oz Party from One Charming Party was so lovely; I just had to share it with you.

Kick Off the Year in Style with a School Year’s Eve Party

MeckMom — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:26:05 +0000

There’s no avoiding it. The long, lazy days of summer are winding down. Soon my kids will be heading back to school and saying goodbye to late bedtimes and hanging out in their pj’s til noon. It’s a rough transition for the whole family so we like to kick things off with one last night of family fun before the school year begins. I call it our School Year’s Eve party.

Now before you give me too much credit you should know that I read about this idea on Cookie Magazine’s website a year or two ago. They recommended hosting a big neighborhood party the night before school begins and inviting all the local kids to celebrate (the picture above was submitted by one of their readers). As great as that idea was, the thought of creating banners, invitations, games and cute snacks sounded like way to much work for me. So, I opted to downsize the idea to include just our family.

Honestly, we really didn’t do anything extraordinary. We began with the usual night-before-school-starts stuff. We loaded up all their backpacks, packed their lunches, and set out their first-day-of-school clothes. Next, we feasted on a big breakfast dinner because my kids love pancakes and bacon more than just about anything. After that, I filled my big jetted tub with bubbles and let them each take a soak (usually my tub is off limits so this was a big treat).

Once they were scrubbed up, we popped a bag of popcorn and curled up on the couch for one last summer movie. During the movie I gave the girls manicures and drew a cool tattoo on my son’s arm – just for fun. Once the movie wrapped up, we shouted out a big “happy school year’s eve” and headed off to bed. I think this year I may take a few videos of the kids describing what they hope to accomplish in the coming year. Wouldn’t that be fun to look back on in years to come?

Like I said, it wasn’t fancy. It took absolutely no prep work and cost me nothing. It was just one more way to make some happy family memories before the school year (and all the schedules and stresses that come with it) begins. If your kids are heading off to school soon, you may want to give this easy family fun idea a try. Just thought I’d pass it on.

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

MeckMom — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:14:33 +0000

Ok, ok so I’m a liar. I really thought I would blog…I planned to blog…I took pictures of ideas in preparation for blogging…I just never got around to actually doing it. It’s not my fault, of course. You can blame it on my family. We’ve spent the last month out West hanging out with my fabulous family – hopping from house to house enjoying loads of quality time with some of my favorite people on earth. We’re still ‘on the road’ but we’ve settled for a few weeks with my parents in Utah so my posts should increase for a bit. I’m anxious to share all the great tips and tricks I’ve picked up during our travels. Sorry for the radio silence, folks. I’ll try to pick up the pace.

So it’s Monday again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page in the last several weeks so, if you haven’t had a chance, you should check them out. If you liked them as much as I did, take a minute and let the content authors know. Bloggers love comments; so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link and then clicking the Like button. Here are the links from last week…

The Purl Bee

With five kids in our house, we’ve seen a lot of loose teeth over the years. These simple tooth fairy bags would be a handy tool to have around.

Homemade By Jill

In our world, play dough is a disposable toy. That’s why I love finding a good home-made recipe. My kids and I used this one last week and it worked beautifully.

FilthWizardry

Do you have a little Star Wars fan at your house too? Check out this simple light saber tutorial.

The Crafting Chicks

Sugardoodle directed me to this clever idea for keeping track of your kids summer reading stash. I love the name cards that double as library card holders – so very smart.

Up Up Creative

Know any stylishly-simple brides-to-be? If so, you should send them over to this site for some gorgeous wedding invitation options. I absolutely adore her wedding stationery collection.

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

MeckMom — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:42:25 +0000

Well, it looks like we’re finally past the nasty colds at our house. My little guy’s RSV has subsided and we seem to be back on track. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we won’t run into any other illnesses for a while. Thanks for all the well wishes, everyone.

It’s Monday again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page last week so, if you haven’t had a chance yet, you should definitely check them out. If you liked them as much as I did you should take a minute and let the content authors know! Bloggers love comments – so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link. Here are the links from last week…

Sweet Designs: A Blog by Amy Atlas

If you love party planning like me you should take a few minute to browse the brilliant and beautiful ideas on this site.

The Kitchn

Craving a little bacon? Forget the greasy microwave method and try this oven baked option instead. My kids loved the crispy results.

Eighteen25

Share some Easter love with this fabulous and free Peeps topper printable. Those brightly-colored marshmallow confections have never looked better!

Sorry, I know I just posted about this site but I loved this idea for egging your neighbors too. Check it out. It has a great free printable as well.

Family Fun

April Fools Day is right around the corner. If you’re looking to hit your kids with a few surprises this year check out Family Fun’s collection of simple pranks.

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

MeckMom — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:19:54 +0000

Well, I survived the week – thanks in part to my awesome sister-in-law who flew all the way from Utah to meet our new little addition. She even managed to make phenomenal cake-batter french toast for the entire family before she took off for the airport today. Such a great way to start the week! I’ll have to get her to share the recipe with us on the blog someday – so scrumptious. Needless to say, she was a huge help and we’ll miss her terribly. We love you, Mary!

So, it’s Monday again. Time for a recap of a few fabulous ideas from around the web. All of these sites were featured on my Facebook fan page last week so, if you haven’t had a chance yet, you should definitely check them out. If you liked them as much as I did you should take a minute and let the content authors know! Bloggers love comments – so share the love when you stop by their sites.

Remember, if you’d like instant access to the links I love and a few other tips and tricks, you can sign up to be a follower on Facebook by clicking the Facebook icon at the top of the page or by following this link. Here are the links from last week…

Stubby Pencil Studio

As I mentioned in a previous post, my daughter Emily is a rock lover and a budding artist. This cute bag of vibrant rock crayons would be right up her artistic alley.

Family Fun

Looking for an easy way to add a little moonlight magic to your St. Patrick’s Day? Try this simple Family Fun tradition.

Hostess with the Mostess

I’m not big on sleepovers – we generally host ‘semi-sleepovers’ instead (where the guests show up in PJs and stay until 10pm). This “night owl” party would be great theme for my girls’ next get-together.

Bunco – One of My Favorite Family-Friendly, Grab’n'Go Games

MeckMom — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:31:57 +0000

This past New Year’s Eve I was hit with a party dilemma. We were hosting a big family party at our house and I needed a game that could be played by everyone – adults and kids. There are lots of games on the market that can be ‘played by all ages’ but I wanted something that could actually be enjoyed and possibly won by all ages. Finally, a few hours before the party, I remembered a fun dice game I had learned back in Ohio called Bunco. I’m sure some of you have heard of it.

They sell boxed Bunco games at Target and WalMart, but they’re catered to a very girls-night-out crowd (the dice are hot pink, for pity sake) and look pretty cheaply made. I was sure I could come up with something better so I ran to the dollar store and grabbed a few packs of dice, colorful pens (for scorekeeping), and some cheap prizes. I whipped up the scorecards on my computer while my husband set up some folding tables in the basement. In less than 20 minutes (and for about $12) our Bunco game was set up and ready to go – just in time for the guests to arrive.

Overall, the game was a big success. Since the game requires players to switch partners every round, there were tons of opportunities to mix; so every player got a chance to pair up with (and trash talk) every other player. Additionally, there’s really no strategy to Bunco (it’s an easy-to-learn, pure luck game) so my 6 year-old daughter had just as much chance of winning as her Grandpa did. In fact, it was my 8 year-old son Jack who beat us all and was promptly crowned the ‘King of New Years’. The effect was exactly what I was hoping for – a few hours of laughter and fun for adults and kids alike.

After the party, I started thinking about how many other ways I could use Bunco. For example, there are several new couples in our ward that I’m anxious to invite over and I think this game would be a great way to laugh and get acquainted. It would also be a fabulous mutual game – perfect for combined young men/young women activities because the partners get to switch all the time. And of course, it makes a fantastic girls night game. The group I was part of in Ohio had monthly Bunco nights – each month at a different house. It was a monthly get-away that we all looked forward to!

Some people think that Bunco is limiting because it’s traditionally only played with 12 people. However, we’ve played it with as few as 8 and as many as 24. You just need to adjust the number of game tables and teams per table to your specific number of players. You can even play with odd numbers if you play with a “ghost” (read the comments area for more details) or skip the ‘team’ idea completely and have everyone roll for their own points. Trust me, there are ways to make it work for any type of party. All you need is a group of energetic players and a Bunco Kit of your own and you’ll be good to go.

The good news is that now you don’t have to settle on that obnoxiously pink kit that’s available in the stores. I spent the last few days re-designing the Bunco Kit I hurriedly made on New Years and it’s now available in my Etsy shop. It’s colorful, coordinated, and perfect for any of the Bunco parties I described above. Best of all, it’s available in two forms – the ready-to-go pre-cut set (handmade by me) or a printable set (to be handmade by you). Whichever option you choose, you’ll have everything you need to get your party rolling in no time (sorry, I just couldn’t resist that pun).

I hope you guys love it as much as we did! Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions or if you come up with any other clever ways to use this great game. I’m always looking for new party ideas. Just thought I’d pass it on.

MeckMom.com » party

Lovin’ These Links

Friday’s Find: Delicious Diet Popsicles

Lovin’ These Links

The Wanda Witch Party Roundup Post

Wanda Witch: The Ultimate Halloween Party (intro to the party concept)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 1 (getting started)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 2 (making a plan)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 3 (finding clue locations)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 4 (create invitations)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 5 (gather supplies)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 6 (set up teams & plot locations)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 7 (create clues)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 8 (make trophies & send out captain instructions)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 9 (plan clue hunt agenda)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: Part 10 (day of the party to-dos)

Wanda Witch Party Plan: RSVP Troubles? (what to do if no one is RSVPing)

2008′s Wanda Witch Clever Clue Giveaway (loads of great clue ideas in the comment section)

Hosting the Wanda Witch Party the Second Time Around (how to host the party w/out the anonymity)

2009′s New Wanda Witch Clue Ideas and Party Fun (fun new party twists and clue ideas)

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

Kick Off the Year in Style with a School Year’s Eve Party

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

Lovin’ These Links – Monday’s Facebook Recap

Bunco – One of My Favorite Family-Friendly, Grab’n'Go Games