The Grant Life

Financial Friday 5/23

Kelley — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:36 +0000

Happy Friday, yall! I hope everyone had a great week! Today I’m celebrating 4 years of marriage! Woohoo! We are heading to Dallas tomorrow to celebrate and hang out with family up there.

This week I shared:

A call to vendors to join our Father’s day gift guide
15 things to do in Corpus Christi with kids
How (and why) to schedule your blog posts
The beginning and middle of our love story

Author information

Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Financial Friday 5/23 appeared first on The Grant Life.

The Middle

Kelley — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:00:21 +0000

So who was this guy anyways? I told you the story of how Ryon and I met 6 years ago, but that was just the beginning of our story. Like I said, I didn’t even remember what he looked like but had agreed to go out on a date with him when he called and asked me out.

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement. I pulled up to the restaurant and just sat in my car for a few minutes. I saw him walk up and stand by the front door. I gave myself a mini pep talk and got out of my car.

He was wearing jeans, a pearl snap shirt and boots. He opened the door for me and we sat down at a table. I found out he was in the Navy, his home town was in Michigan and that he loved to hunt and fish. I was nervous and laughed at all his jokes. [Even when they weren't too funny.]

We both lingered around the parking lot after dinner and decided to go see a movie. Unfortunately, nothing decent was playing so we ended up seeing Shrek 3. I grabbed his hand during the movie and I could see him smile out of the corner of my eye.

When we were leaving the movie, he leaned over and kissed me. I smiled and wrapped my arms around his waist. We walked to my car and he told to call him.

Things sped up from there and it was all sort of a blur. Ryon left the Navy and moved back to Michigan in August. I drove up with him and met his family. I fly back to Texas to finish my last semester of school.

During Thanksgiving I flew back up to Michigan and had a job interview. I got the job and after graduation we moved to Michigan. We were engaged a year after we met and married a year after that.

And as they say, the rest is history. Ryon and I have been married 4 years, we have two kids and have moved from Michigan back to Texas. He is the best father to our kids and loves my unconditionally. He puts his family first and is my best friend. I couldn’t have asked for a better husband or father, the Lord has truly blessed us. Oh, and he still opens doors for me.

Want to see our wedding? I shared all the details during wedding week last year. Click the pictures below to see more pictures!

Invitations

My dress/outfits

Decorations

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post The Middle appeared first on The Grant Life.

The Beginning

Kelley — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

Today I have been married to my amazing husband for four years. Or maybe I should say I’ve been married to my husband for four amazing years. Both are true. I honestly cant believe that we’ve been together for almost 6 years. Two years together, four years married and two kids later he still drives me crazy. In a good way. I get butterflies when he kisses my forehead. A hug from him takes away all my anxiety. He lets me talk about the most random things. And he loves me not matter what.

I was a senior in college at Texas A&M – Corpus Christi and had just gotten out of a really bad relationship. I wasn’t looking for another boy to break my heart or give me the run around. I was enjoying my last year of school and hanging out with my girlfriends.

One night I went over to my friends house to get ready to go to the bar. (We call it ‘pre-gaming’.. classy, I know.) We ended up playing Edward forty hands because one of the girls there had never played. (Two forty ounce malt liquor bottles taped to your hands. You have to finish them all to have some one untape your hands. You can’t even pee until you finish. Its horrible and I gagged a little writing this.) I got wasted. Its not something I did often, or even liked doing but I just drank and had a good time.

From there we went to a bar by the university called the Islander. I was in no state to even be in public let alone a bar. I flirted with the bouncer who was all of 18 on the way in. I walked in and saw a guy on his phone. This was when texting was new and I felt the urge to find out if this guy was texting. I walked up to him and said ‘Hey! Are you texting? Ill text you!’ I got his number texted ‘haha.’ and passed out. In the bathroom. (Holy cow. Sorry mom.)

I wake up the next morning on my friends couch. I smelled like a bar and looked like a bar but I didn’t have a hangover or throw up. After all that drinking I woke up refreshed. (Go figure!) I checked my phone and had a text from some number that said ‘Is this the girl that got my number?’ and was very confused. I had to ask my friend what happened and she told me I bombared a guy for his number before I passed out. In the bathroom. I asked ‘Was he cute?’ and she shook her head no.

We texted back and forth a while but I really didn’t think much of it. Then one day when I was driving home from school he called me. At this point I didnt even remember his name, let alone what he looked like. I answered and was greeted by this booming voice. The loudest voice I had ever heard. ‘Hey Kelley, its Ryon. What are you doing tonight?’

Wait, what? I pulled the phone away from my ear because he was so loud and thought this had to be a joke. There was no way that he wanted to go out with me after seeing me at my worst. (Let me tell you, it was my worst).

Who was this boy? And why did he text me back? Ill share the rest of our story later!

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post The Beginning appeared first on The Grant Life.

Scheduling Posts

Kelley — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Scheduling Posts

Blogging can be overwhelming. There is so much that goes along with it that sometimes we get burned out. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that. But I love blogging and the community so I had to learn a few tricks to make it easier. My number one tip to beat burn out is to schedule your posts ahead of time. And I’m going to show you how to do just that!

I normally spend one night each week scheduling out posts. I can not tell you how much pressure this takes off me during the day and week in general. I’m not able to be at a computer all day with two toddlers running around so writing and publishing a post that day is not really an option.

Scheduling posts also helps with writers block. If I have my posts scheduled for a week or two in advance (a rare occasion) I can focus on new content I want to write. I have an editorial calendar and every time I have an idea for a new post I add it to the calendar. I can also think about up coming holidays or events I might want to write about. If my posts are scheduled my mind is free to think ahead.

Ok, so how do you schedule your blog posts?

In blogger you:

Click Schedule>Set Date and Time
Pick the date and time you want it to post
Hit Done

Blogger is set to Pacific Time. Make sure you convert that to your time zone if you aren’t in PST.

In WordPress you:

Click Edit
It brings up the date/time drop down
Pick your date and time
Hit OK

Now you can sit back and relax, your post will be published automatically when you scheduled it. If you are looking to schedule a week or more at a time you may want to write down all your posts so that you can get them up. [That's my two cents for ya!]

Do you schedule your posts already?

Author information

Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Scheduling Posts appeared first on The Grant Life.

Our Morning Routine #NetflixKids

Kelley — Tue, 21 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX. All opinions are my own, we just really enjoy NETFLIX.

Most days you can find the kids and I doing crafts or playing outside. We like to do things that will keep their little minds and bodies active. But my kids are like their momma and are not morning people. We start off every fun filled day slow and with cartoons on Netflix.

We don’t have cable but my kids would never know it. With Netflix at home they are able to watch their favorite Disney Jr, Hasboro and even PBS cartoons. We love to watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Curious George and even Dinosaur Train to get our day going.

We have a wireless router and a small receiver box connected to the TV that allows us to stream shows. Then we use the remote control to select our shows. One of the things that I like is that I can search for shows by age. It also gives me suggestions of shows that we might like to watch and our recently viewed shows.

Sometimes the kids will eat the breakfast at the coffee table so they can watch their cartoons. I enjoy the quiet time I get in the mornings to drink my coffee and do a little reading before the kids are fully awake. Plus half sleepy snuggles are the best.

What type of routine do you have in the mornings?

What are you watching on TV with your family? Netflix has family favorites from Disney, Disney Jr., Hasbro, Cartoon Network and Dreamworks that are available to stream anytime, anywhere.

And streaming is easier than you think! Download the free app on your iPad, click on the Netflix app on any gaming device, go to the website on your computer – and you’re in business. Check it out here!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of NETFLIX.

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Our Morning Routine #NetflixKids appeared first on The Grant Life.

Things to do in Corpus Christi with Kids

Kelley — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Things to do in Corpus Christi with Kids

Like most parents, we are always looking for things to do around town to entertain the kids. We are lucky because there are quite a few things to do in Corpus Christi. You can call this our bucket list for summer or just 15 fun things to do in Corpus Christi with Kids.

Visit the Texas State Aquarium

We take the kids at least once every 6 months and they love it! Its nice because its mostly indoors and the portion that is outside is right on the water, so there is always a nice breeze. There is so much to do and its a whole new adventure each time we go! Plus there is a Splash Park!

Take a tour of the King Ranch

This is on our bucket list for the summer! We can’t wait to tour a part of our South Texas history!

Visit the Art Center

Such a beautiful place, inside and out! There are exhibits inside and a fun gift shop to visit. There is also a great restaurant in the Art Center.

Enjoy Cole Park

A huge playground set near the edge of Corpus Christi bay. Tons of room for kids to run around, hike and bike, picnic and even a pier to do some fishing. Cole Park also hosts Bay Jammin’ Entertainment Series, where free music and other entertainment is offered to the public. Close by are the Water Gardens which is a large water fountain downtown that is sure to entertain! There is also large grassy area perfect for a picnic.

Visit the local museum.

The Corpus Christi Museum is filled with exhibits that will entertain kids as well as adults. They have interactive play areas, treasure hunts and much more!

Watch the Beach to Bay Relay

One of the largest races in South Texas, Beach to Bay covers the whole city. The observers have just as much fun as the runners!

Tour the USS Lexington

Take a tour of the infamous Blue Ghost naval ship! There is as much history as there is fun on this retired air craft carrier.

Go to a Hooks game

Our local baseball team is an affiliate of the Houston Astros and a great way to spend an evening! Friday nights there are fireworks and Sundays kids get to run the bases.

Take a dip at Hurricane Alley

Hurricane Alley is small water park located right next to Whataburger Field! There are rides, a lazy river and a little kids play area that will keep everyone cool this summer.

Go birdwatching

Corpus Christi has ranked as “birdiest” city by Texas Parks and Wildlife for 10 straight years. There are plenty of places to spot over 600 species of our feathered friends around town.

Take a ferry ride

Enjoy some down time at Brewster Street

Brewster Street is as much fun for mom and dad as it is for the kids. There is a large deck with a playground attached. There is also live music every Thursday and some the best food around!

Play a round of mini golf at Treasure Island

Head over the JFK bridge to ‘the Island’ for a round of mini golf! Treasure Island is located right over the bridge next to one of the coolest surf shops. Make it a night and stop by Padre Island Burger Company.

Let loose at the skate park

Do you have someone who loves to skateboard? Take them to the skate park downtown! Located near Cole Park, everyone is sure to have a blast watching the boards fly high.

Explore the Botanical Gardens

Fresh air, beautiful gardens and wildlife can be found at the botanical gardens! Make sure you bring your camera to capture all that nature has to offer.

and last but not least…

GO TO THE BEACH!

There are beaches all around the city, some better then others. No matter where we go the kids are bound to have a good time.

What is your favorite thing to do in your hometown?

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Things to do in Corpus Christi with Kids appeared first on The Grant Life.

Father’s Day Gift Guide – Vendor Call!

Kelley — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:29:45 +0000

Do you sell products and/or services geared towards men? Are you looking for more exposure? We want to feature you! I have teamed up with Anjanette from Momma Young and Candy from Candypolooza to bring our readers a Father’s Day gift guide! We are looking for products that would make great gifts for fathers (or anytime!) to feature in our gift guide. If you are interested is this fun marketing opportunity (or know someone who would be!) email me! We would love to have you.

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Father’s Day Gift Guide – Vendor Call! appeared first on The Grant Life.

Blog-a-versary Giveaway + Financial Friday

Kelley — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Its officially yall. Im old. Well, not me personally but my blog is. Today marks my second year of blogging! Isn’t that crazy? I can’t believe it either. I have SO loved this journey and I am so happy to have made such great friends along the way. To celebrate, my friends and I are giving away a $75 Target gift card! Now its a party yall!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Blog-a-versary Giveaway + Financial Friday appeared first on The Grant Life.

Google Analytics Explained

Kelley — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:27 +0000

Last week I showed yall how to set up Google Analytics. It takes less then 5 minutes to set up and is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your blog. It gives you so much information that you can use to better your site. Today, Im going to go over what a few of the numbers mean, how to find your referring sites and your top keywords.

When you log in to your analytics you are taken to a front page that shows all your stats. All of these numbers tell you something different about your site.

Visits: Number of times someone visits your site.
Unique visitors: Number of times someone visits your site, but each IP address only counts as one visit. So I can visit your site 100 times but I will only count as one visit.
Pageviews: Number of pages viewed per week/month. How many times do they click next page or go to another blog post.
Pages/Visit: The average number of pages viewed per visit. Its good for this number to be high.
Avg. Visit Duration: The average time that people are on your site per visit. Its good for this number to be high, it shows you have good content that keeps readers interested.
Bounce Rate: The number of readers who read one post on your site and leave. Its good to have a low bounce rate.
New Visits: New readers to your site.

Go to the left site of your page and click on traffic sources>overview. This will bring up the top keywords that people use to find your site.

This is great information to use for future posts. A few of my top keywords are from the car seat canopy tutorial and the avocado posts I’ve shared. People are searching for these topics and ending up on my site, which is awesome! I may do more posts on both just to increase my rank on both subjects.

From the main page click on the traffic sources>sources>all traffic. This will show you all your referral sites.

As you can see Pinterest is my top referral, by a lot! The columns on the right show the average pages per visit, duration, percent new visits and bounce rate. Its nice to see your top referrals and use that information to make your site better. For instance, I need to find a way to lower my bounce rate and keep the Pinterest traffic on my site longer.

What is your favorite feature in Google Analytics?

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Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post Google Analytics Explained appeared first on The Grant Life.

100 Artichoke Recipes

Kelley — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:00:53 +0000

Artichokes are one of my all time favorite foods, right up there with avocados. I remember eating them with my grandpa when I was younger and I think of him every time I cook with them. He would boil them and we would eat the meat of the leaves and then sprinkle salt on the hearts and eat those last. I loved it. I didn’t realize how versatile the artichoke is though. I’ve rounded up 100 artichoke recipes that are sure to impress any cook, even grandpas.

Breakfast -

Appetizers -

Soup/Salad -

Sandwiches -

Stuffed Artichokes -

Pasta -

Pizza -

1/2/3/4

Author information

Kelley

Kelley is a work at home mom who loves making her kids laugh. She enjoys cooking, crafting, and the everyday chaos of life.

The post 100 Artichoke Recipes appeared first on The Grant Life.