Blogging Extras

Some of you have asked me about Google Analytics and my Windows Live Writer.

Google Analytics is easy to use and so interesting to see where people are coming from to your site. This works with any website where you can copy and paste html code.

My Dabling in Digital blog has had visitors from Japan, China, Australia, Netherlands, Spain, Mexico. Its fun to see who found me through google, and see what keywords they used to find me and see how long they were on the site and what pages they looked at.

First click on this link to get Google Analytics

Log into your Google account (same as your blogger account) and follow the steps.

Then on your blog you just go to Layout>Add a Gadget (at the Bottom) and scroll down to choose HTML/JavaScript.

Then add the code that Google Analytics generated for you and your done.

Then you can see all kinds of information of who has been on your site and where their from and so much more.

I always just either go to google.com and log in and click on analytics from my account to see the reports or from your blogger dashboard you can also click 'Account' and it takes you to your google account.

When I post to my blog I use Windows Live Writer. It is a program that installs on your computer and I have a shortcut on my desktop, where I can blog from without even going to blogger.com or my blog and log in. I can draft a bunch of posts and post later. It is so handy. It makes blogging so much easier!

Click here to get Live Writer

ByShannon.com

I have been tweaking with my website and now it is a blog-site. I have finally got it set up (still tweaking) and have made my first post with more pictures of Bridger Dale Porter, my new nephew. So click here to see the post and click here to see a website gallery.

Thanks for looking!

I am an Aunt

Ryan and Emilee had their baby yesterday. I took LOTS of pictures. So here are a few!

Introducing:

Bridger Dale Porter

What's for Dinner?

Everyday about 4 o'clock I think oh I should go and start dinner...about an hour later I am getting hungry and so I decide ok GO AND START DINNER.

Then reality kicks in and I realize its too late to get meat out of the freezer, should have done that at lunch so it could thaw out. It's too late for a package crockpot meal, should have done that at breakfast, casseroles are too labor intensive at this point and will take too long, even baked potatoes are out of the question. (unless you want gross microwave ones)

So my choices are look in the fridge and realize most of everything needs to be thrown out, Spaghetti, or Grilled Cheese. Because yesterday was Mac n' Cheese, and the day before that was hot dogs, then my poor (hungry) husband is on his own. (because he won't eat that crap)

I have cookbooks, bought the "turbo cooker from a 800 number (that I promised if I got it I would cook, which I sold at our last garage sale after never using it for 6 years), tried software that generates the menu, recipes, and shopping list but nothing seems to work for me. And my poor family is starting to get really picky and skinny (well not really, but we are definitely not following the food triangle or whatever new shape they use now)

Then of course whenever I cook, which IS most every night, someone is usually not happy with their choice. Then there is the threats that they can't get down until they eat everything off their plate. But that doesn't ever really happen, then its reduced to 3 bites just to get them to shut-up and go somewhere else.

Somebody please say they have figured this out and tell me the secret!

Backyardigans Confession

I am making a confession..... I love the backyardigans.  Me and Maddie try to figure out the dance moves and see if we can keep up with them...lol The music and the dancing is so cute! The kids love it too....it is definitely the most watched on the DVR!

anyone else want to confess their favorite cartoon that you guiltily sit and watch with the kids instead of folding laundry?

Becoming our mothers, mother....

So the other day I caught myself mid-action becoming my grandmother. Have you ever had that experience before?

Times that you have noticed your becoming your mom, grandma, dad, etc ?

My Grandma is the sweetest thing and she pays attention to detail more than anyone I know. She goes overboard every Christmas, but every present was was given extreme thought. She is always the first person to help with anything for anybody. She is known for the best ribs and party food. (And lots of it. ) We know when we are getting together that we will be fed well. She is one of those that takes every bit of meat on the bone, saves left over Raman noodles and doesn't waste a thing.

She is 83 and still loves to babysit. And she has the most spunk of anyone I know..... (huge Jazz fan)

She is known for telling stories in full detail...more than we really need to know.

Like I said she is a detail person...

Well back to where I come in. The other day when I was having breakfast I usually will throw away the end of the bag of cereal. There might be enough for one more bowl, but the bag is taking up too much space in the cupboard so toss it right...well as of late thinking frugaly ( I think I just made that word up) I take the cereal and pour out what I can into my bowl without getting the crumbs... I grab a colander and proceed to lean over the garbage and sift out the crumbs so that I can get the few last whole pieces of cereal and I think to myself..."this is something that grandma would do."

No matter how much I try I know I will become a little of my mother, a little of my grandmother and the "Beers" gene lives on....forgive me honey!

Happy Birthday Melinda!

January is always a great month for me....Memories always come flowing back especially when Melinda's B-day rolls around. I always think of our past birthdays and how much fun we had when we were little.  This is a picture that I think of a lot when I think of us when we were little. I love this picture....

 

Well Melinda...sometimes I still can't believe that we are 29 with families of our own!  it's true we are growing up :) Happy Birthday!!!

 

Birthday Date

Me and my Dad had our Birthdays the first week of January so for our birthday gift we had a Birthday Date. We went to ifly and did the indoor skydiving. Which was so fun. I think after doing this I think maybe I could really skydive. The free fall was always the scary part (especially the not knowing) But after trying this out I think I could do it.

Then we went to Iggy's for dinner. It was fun to get to sit down with just me and my dad and talk. Then we did some shopping.  My mom doesn't like going to best buy with him, but I love that store so we did a little shopping there.

I had such a great time and my dad doesn't get out much so I think we will have to make this a monthly thing.

Digital Scrapbook Page

Here is a page I did last night of Jack and our first Snowman!

Happy New Year!