Think Big Photos Review

Think Big Photos is based in Denver, Colorado and provides AZA accredited Zoos and Aquariums technology that allows them to have an online photo store.  Similar to a snapfish and shutterfly. (Below are the Zoos they work with)  

The Zoos use the sites to help raise funds and spread their message.  The Zoos receive 25% of the proceeds.  Most AZA Accredited Zoos are nonprofits.  AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums spend nearly $90 million per year on conservation initiatives. In the last five years AZA has funded nearly 4,000 conservation projects in more than 100 countries.   Pretty cool!

Here are some of the sites.
http://www.zooatlantaphotos.org/site/
http://www.oaklandzoophotos.com/site/
http://www.cameronparkzoophotos.com/site/
http://www.knoxvillezoophotos.com/site/
http://www.louisvillezoophotos.com/site/
http://www.hoglezoophotos.com/site/
http://www.senecaparkzoophotos.com/site/
http://sedgwickcountyzoophotos.com/site/

You might like to know that as a 100% digital production facility, Think Big Photos is an environmentally friendly and sustainable choice for print production.  Fundamentally, traditional off-set facilities require more paper and more water then digital production facilities.  More over, digital production nearly eliminates the unspoken enviro-killer of traditional print facilities…. The chemical waste.

Are you like me and have tons of photos that need to be organized?

Be Creative! A photobook is the perfect way to preserve the special moments you have shared with those you love? Photobooks are super easy too!

For this review I got to make a photo book. I choose Hogle Zoo, because it’s a zoo that’s near me. It was so easy to make my book and I would say I had it done in less than an hour!

Each zoo website has several books styles and sizes to choose from. Once you pick your book style and size it takes you through loading your pictures. You can change how many you want on a page and you can adjust the size, you can even add some text. It was so fun to make my book.

I chose to make a book about our house for my grandkids. I included pictures of Chauncey and Sloan and pictures of my sweet hubby and me. It was so fun to put together. I started with a picture of our house from the outside and then I had pictures of all of us doing different things from the past year. It would be so easy to do any of the scrapbook theme books and they would make great gifts.

Use Discount code: ZOOPB5
for $5 off your purchase of $20 or more. (Excludes Shipping)

Be sure and stop by here and read about the two new chimps at the Oakland Zoo!

~I received a product sample in order to write my review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed are mine.

Missing Blogger Found In Maine!

                 

In case you’re wondering why I haven’t been posting much, I’m visiting my daughter in Maine. She’s the one with the cute purple hat on. That’s me on top with my eyes shut, and Sloan is the cutie on the bottom left (I had to leave her home).

I’m staying here with her family at their cute cottage in Maine and there is still lots of snow.

 

                          

This is my grandson Reese. He’s wearing the dragon jacket I made him for Christmas. I just added the teeth and eyes to the hood.

                                    

This is Amelia, she’s a sweetheart.

This is Jillian, she was the baby, but Jennie let her have her 2nd birthday in January! Don’t you just want to kiss those cheeks?

Sock Monkey Adventures and The Giveaway!

We took our Sock Monkey on all kinds of adventures while I was in Maine! Here he is checking out the view from the world's tallest bridge tower!

Jillian became pretty attached to Sock Monkey, she calls him Wow Wow.

Here he is climbing rocks with Reese!

And here is is with Amelia going for a little ride.

Be sure and stop by my giveaway where you could win your very own Sock Monkey! You can find all the details HERE!

Metamorphosis Monday, Sock Monkey and Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

I'm hooking up with Tea Rose Home Link Party so be sure and check out everyone's projects!



Today I'm linking up with Between Naps On The Porch for Metamorphosis Monday.




The fabric on the left is the fabric I bought at our local second hand store, D.I. The other fabric I found at Walmart.

These little skirts are what Jennie and I made out of the fabric.




I love the girls in these skirts!

Now for some more Sock Monkey Adventures, and The Sock Monkey Giveaway!


Jennie and the kids and I took Sock Monkey shopping the other day. This is Camden and there are lots of really fun little shops!

Sock Monkey got an easy ride in my purse! Notice my little helpers pushing the stroller!

Time for a water break! Sock Monkey doesn't even mind that it says dog water!


Time for lunch at Cappy's Chowder House! Sock Monkey and I ordered crab cakes!


Jillian dined in her stroller and Sock Monkey was there for her when she needed a little love!

~THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED~

Ok, now for the giveaway! Sabrina from Riyah~la Designs is offering one of my readers a sock monkey designed just for them! Sabrina hand sews these little guys and they are so nice and soft!

I had so much fun with this little guy! And so did Jillian my granddaughter. I ended up leaving him in Maine because Jillian fell in love with him and she named him Wow Wow! That's what she says when she sees him.

So, I know you'll love one of Sabrina's sock monkeys if you win!

So here's the rules for the Sock Monkey Giveaway~

This rule is mandatory! Go to Riyah~li Designs and pick out something else that you really like,
then come back here and tell me what you like in a comment.

Extra entries~

Follow my blog, if you already do or are just now following, just tell me in a comment.

Make Riyah~li Designs Etsy Shop a favorite, let me know you did it in a comment

Like me on Facebook (top left column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

Like Riyah~Li Designs on Facebook, let me know you did it in a comment.

Follow me via Networked blogs (top right hand column of my blog), let me know you did it in a comment.

This giveaway is open until Friday, May 28 at 6pm. Open to anyone in the U.S.





I wanted to make something with pasta for Jennie's birthday last week and she helped me come up with this yummy Italian style pasta. Jennie buys her herbs from World Spice, they are dried but fresher than what you get at the store so you might want to cut back the amounts of the spices and add more after the sauce is made. Herbs tend to lose their potency if they've sat on a shelf too long. You could also add browned hamburger instead of meatballs or just leave them out.

Italian Meatball Pasta Bake

3 cups dry penne pasta
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp dry thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
8oz tomato sauce
1 egg
1 cup mozzarella cheese
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
2 lb bag frozen meatballs

Cook pasta in salted water until just barely done. Don't overcook. Set aside.

Cook meatballs in the oven following package directions.

Melt butter in a saucepan and saute the garlic. Whisk in the flour, cook for a minute then the milk. Whisk and boil for at least 1 minute. Add spices. Stir in the tomato sauce. Add the egg to the noodles and toss it around till it coats all the noodles. Stir in the sauce, meat balls and mozzarella cheese.

Pour into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a small bowl mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the pasta. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes to crisp up the bread crumbs.

Maine Pictures and Beanie-dog Bundles

Ok, this is a great picture, huh? I know, I cut off my sweet hubby's head, oh well, I wanted a picture Jillian in this fun swing. This is at Belfast City Park, in Maine.

Here's Jennie pushing Amelia on the swing. She's such a good mom. This is Amelia's favorite park, and it has a beach!

Here's Reese swinging. He's wearing his new baseball cap. He's on a T~Ball team!





I've had this recipe for years and never made them. These are super easy and a great way to use up leftover hot dogs. The kids loved them. They would be good for a picnic or after school snack.


Beanie-dog Bundles

2 (8oz) tubes crescent rolls
2 cups chopped hot dogs (about 6)
1/2 re-fried beans
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375.

Unroll the crescent rolls and pinch two together to make a rectangle. Put in a muffin cup and do this with the remainder of the dough, you should have 8.

Heat the re-fried beans in the microwave (it makes it so much easier to mix up). In a bowl mix the chopped hot dogs, grated cheese and re-fried beans, add a dash of garlic powder. Divide this between the 8 crescent rolls. Wrap the dough over the tops and pinch to seal.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Serve with ketchup, mustard or barbecue sauce. I served them with salsa.

I'm going on vacation to Maine!

Do you see these cute little munchkins? Well, today is going to be a wonderful day, because my sweet hubby and I are flying to Maine to go visit! Yup, I get an all day date with my hubby and I get to go to my daughters! I'm so excited to see her new home and visit Maine. I won't actually get to see these cuties until tomorrow, because our plane gets in really late tonight.

I've decided to take Thursday's off from blogging, so you don't get a recipe today, but I do have something to share with you. You've got to go over to Dittle Dattle and learn how to use the Snipping Tool! Carrie has a great tutorial for it and she used my recipe to show you how it's done. It's a great way to save recipes and other useful information.

Be sure and stop by Sew Fun! She has a great giveaway going for some super cute pillows!

My Grandkids and Navajo Taco's

This is my grandson Reese! He has always loved to play with dirt. He likes to throw it up in the air and watch it land. He's out in my dads shop playing in the sawdust while my dad is working on some cabinets.



Isn't this a cool picture? Reese is having so much! I don't think my dad is even noticing what Reese is doing. Reese even swept up the sawdust to make his own pile!

This is such a great picture! He's making me want to play in the sawdust!


This little cutie is my granddaughter Jillian Carol. We call her Jillybean! Did you notice her middle name? This is the high chair that we've used for all our kids. It's fun using it for our grandkids now!

This is a really easy dinner to make. I used my leftover homemade chili, but you can use canned chili too. My family really enjoyed this dinner.

Navajo Tacos Navajo Fry Bread

4 cups flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying

Heat the oil in a frying pan. I put about 2 inches in.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs and milk and mix with a wooden spoon just until it comes together. Roll out half the dough as thin as you can get it, I rolled it about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. Cut into large squares. Pull the dough a little after you pick up a piece but don't pull so hard it gets a hole. Put it in the hot oil and let it turn golden brown, then flip with tongs and cook until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Now the fun part!

Chili, heated
Chopped lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Grated cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

Just put your Navajo Fry Bread on a plate and add your toppings.

Cherry Drop Cakes And My Daughter's Big Move and a Contest!

We went up to Washington a few days ago to pack up my daughter's family for their move to New Hampshire. This is my granddaughter Jillian playing with the tags on the air mattress.

This is Amelia trying on the sweater I had made for her a while back. Doesn't she look like a little pink lamb! She asked her mom when they get to go to "The Hampster" she meant New Hampshire!


This is Reese playing his dad's guitar.


This is my sweet hubby playing with the kids, they are in their pretend car driving to New Hampshire!

Here's my daughter's family next to their moving truck! We finally fit everything into their truck. My daughter is driving their car with the two girls while Jay has Reese in the big truck!


This is another cookie recipe from my Southern Living Cookie Cookbook. It's funny because this cookbook has no pictures, and I love pictures, and I'm trying the recipes with out them! But I do love to make cookies! These would be a good cookie to make for Christmas with maybe some frosting tinted with the cherry juice. I wanted to use up some cherries that were in the fridge. Those condiments have a way of taking over!

Cherry Drop Cakes

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 (3oz pkg) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8 1/2 oz) can crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl whisk the dry ingredients. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar for 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs and the extracts. Blend in the four mixture then the pineapple and cherries.

Drop with a cookie scoop onto cookie sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove to cookie cooling racks to cool.

Check out the giveaway at A Soft Place to Land!

Also check out Kristens Creations for another giveaway!