I'm Batman

What a great Photographer!

I have a high school friend who is also an excellent photographer.  I highly recommend his work.  Check it out...
http://photosbyboyd.zenfolio.com/p750273483/h60cf4fd#h25f16c9

Colored Powder Birthday Template

Free Printable Birthday Invitation Template
Click on Image to Save to Computer

How To Host The Perfect Birthday Party for a Teenager In 3 Easy Steps

I made my own colored powder and I bought some so I could see if there was a big difference.  The powder I made needed more color so I learned my lesson.  I am still convinced that I could save money by making my own, but next time I will add more food coloring to the powder.

What you will need:

Step 1.  Colored Powder
Step 2. Shaved Ice
Step 3. Glow in the Dark Bracelets

After the throwing was over everyone still had a lot of color on their hands so they rubbed it off on the birthday boy.

We hired a Shave Ice trailer to give out Hawaiian Shave Ice at the party.  It was a huge hit.

Friends, Colored Powder, Shaved Ice, what more could you want in a Party?

The Birthday Boy Loved the Super Sized Mixed Flavored Treat

As soon as it was dark, we got out the glow in the dark bracelets we had purchased from Oriental Trading Company.  Then we played dodge-ball with the bracelets.  You throw the bracelets at the opponent.   Even the little kids played this game.  It was so much fun!

How To Make Your Own Colored Powder

Mix cornstarch, water and food coloring in a kitchen aid until well blended.
Then pour into a baking dish and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.

The powder will dry into a very soft brick.
Blend it up to a fine powder in a blender or food processor.

Measure Powder into 1/2 cup portions and put in sandwich bags.

I used the fold over sandwich bags because they are 

so cheap and I have a sealer.

I put wrapping paper around a Cheetos box to store the colors in
so it would be easy for many hands to grab a bag and go quickly.

Feel Free to Copy and Print Recipe 

How to Host The Perfect Party for a Teenager

What Makes A Perfect Surprise Birthday Party For a 15 Year Old Boy
Of Course A Color War

Color Powder War

Shave Hawaiian Ice

Color Powder Everywhere

All The Fun is Played Out on a Sand Volleyball Court

Now You Are Talking
Extra Large Shaved Ice for the Birthday Boy

Thank You Hug For Mom

Time For a Break Before the Night Games Start

After Dark We Played Dodge Ball With Glow Bracelets.
The Laughter Didn't Stop All Night.

How to Host A Star Wars Themed Party

The Party Was On May 4th.  

May The Fourth Be With You!

I love Star Wars and there is nothing more fun than hosting a Star Wars party.  Dress up in your favorite Star Wars costume, and fix your hair Princess Leia Style.

Quote of the Day - Light

If you are not meant to have a midnight snack, then why is there a "Light" in the refrigerator?

Quote of the Day - Cinderella's Shoe

You Can't Help But Wonder?

Train Up a Child - Guest Post by Sara Westbrook

Thank you Sara for this wonderful guest post.

You are such an awesome writer and great sister!

I believe in quality time. As the youngest of nine children, time, with my parents, was often in short supply, but my dad still made it a priority to spend time with each of us. Dad worked long hard hours Monday through Saturday which meant he couldn't take me to ice cream or skating at the rink. Instead, he would come home and say, “Sara, come take a ride with me in my pickup.” I would go hop into his fire engine red pickup, that always smelled like pine tree air fresheners, and away we’d go. He was still working when he invited me on these rides, but I didn't mind. It didn't matter where we went or what we did as long as we were spending time together. I loved riding with my dad in the pickup.  

Frequently, when I rode with my dad, he struggled to stay awake.  He got up so early each morning that staying alert was sometimes a tricky endeavor. On those occasions, as dad drove, we sang songs at the top of our lungs.  We sang “Loaded sixteen tons and what do you get, another day older and deeper in debt…” Dad’s booming voice would hit every low note. Often, we talked about the gospel. Dad loved the scriptures and knew them inside and out. I could ask him any gospel question I could think of, when I rode in that pickup, and he always had an answer. In the truck, there were no distractions. We didn't listen to the radio for amusement, we simply entertained each other. 

We usually traveled to a potato field Dad needed to check on. As we tramped across the dusty spud fields trying to keep from tripping on the vines, Dad taught me about potato yields, fertilizer and the importance of not over-watering. But, more importantly, he taught me about hard work, love, and the importance of making time for one another.  He taught me to believe in quality time and to recognize that spending these quiet moments in the pickup and the fields together really equaled big moments. The time spent with Dad, in his truck, allowed me to see what kind of man my father truly was. He took the time, even though he had to work, to get to know me, to teach me, and to love me. He taught me to believe in quality time.

Selling on E-Bay Is Harder Than It Looks

For Me, The Jury Is Still Out
I would love to hear your thoughts

I don't know if I am completely crazy, or if I am the only one, but I think there might be others out there who have had struggles figuring out the workings of ebay.

I decided I would try a new challenge in my life.  I have heard about ebay and I might have even purchased something from ebay once years ago, but I have never sold anything.  Last week I put 10 items up for sale on ebay.   As items were sold I started getting messages from the buyers that the Paypal account was not letting them pay for their item.

I spent countless hours looking through and reading ebay and Paypal, checking to see if they were linked and what the problem could be.  Finally I called the help desk and after an hour of trouble shooting we figured out what was wrong.  It seems crazy to me.

It turns out that you need to have a business account rather than a personal account with Paypal in order to sell items.  Basically the IRS needs to know if you are making money.  I'm fine with this, and it makes sense now, but am I crazy, or does it make sense that the EBay system shouldn't even allow you to list items for sale at all on their system until you were set up with the proper account?

Has anyone else had any struggles with this or am I the only one?

Please give me your thoughts.

Quote of the Day - Tomato Humor

I love Smoothies and I want to be healthy so

Pour on the Ketchup!

Quote of the Day- Once again joke from my teenager

You can tell a lot about a Women's mood by her hands, for instance if she is holding a gun she is probably angry.

Quote of the Day

You know you can't really trust what you read on the Internet anymore - Abraham Lincoln

Silver Back Gorillas - Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska

Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska
Silver Back Gorillas

We went to the zoo yesterday and had such a good time.  The silver back gorillas are always so much fun.  The Omaha Zoo has such a great exhibit with a lot of glass walls so you can get up close and personal with the gorillas.  For some reason, the gorillas always love Seth.  I caught a few of the interactions on video.

Joke of the Day

Onion Joke

Seth's Mission Blog

My second oldest son just sent his papers off to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  It is a big deal in our lives.  His older brother Jaren is currently serving in Lima Peru on a mission.  Jaren's blog is http://jarenhackleman.blogspot.com.  He has been there for one year and has one more year to go.  I Started a blog for Seth for his mission.  He sent out his papers and is currently waiting for his mission call.  If you would like to add a prediction of where in the world he will be sent on a mission feel free to add a comment to his blog.  http://elderhackleman.blogspot.com/

Seth Hackleman Senior Picture

Teen Humor

You know you have a teenager living in your home when they come home from school with this joke.

Best Mother's Day Gift Ever - 5 Generation Photos

Great Way to Remember Your Ancestors 

My mom gave each of her children 5 generation photos for a Christmas present.  Of all the gifts I have ever been given, this has to rank up there as one of my favorites.  It stands the test of time.  My brothers also got a 5 generation photo with the men in our family.  Priceless

My mom gave me the pictures, but they were all different sizes and colors.  Two of the photos were actually group shots with other folks.   These are the only known photos of my great and great, great grandmother.  I did some photo manipulating in Photoshop to create head-shots, as well as cloning out the other people.  This is not an easy task, so if you have photos that need Photo-shop, ask for help on this step.

After the photos were all adjusted to the same size and color, I created a page with all the photos in one document, added the borders on each picture to make them appear to be individual.  Then they were all printed out on one continuous page.  One great source for doing this is Walmart Photo Center.  You can add the five photos together and print out a poster sized page.  

Make sure you add the names of all the ancestors and a birthday so they are well documented.