Microsoft Champions Summit Spring 2014 - Day 1 #WindowsChampions #ChampionsSummit

As you may know, I'm a Windows Champion and work with Microsoft to bring you the latest and greatest information from Microsoft regarding Windows 8 and other Microsoft products. I've been working with Microsoft for the last year and a half and absolutely love this program that I'm so lucky to be a part of. I was invited to Seattle at the end of April to visit the Microsoft Campus and learn more about the company, while experiencing the state of Washington for the first time.

On Sunday when I arrived, I was picked up by a chauffeur {I felt so fancy} at the airport and taken to the gorgeous Hotel Ballard where I was greeted by my fabulous Windows Champions contact, Madison. It was so nice to finally put a face to a name.

I was given an amazing welcome package that included a new Windows Phone {Nokia Lumia 928}. I spent my afternoon playing around with the phone and getting to know other bloggers as they arrived.

After lunch, a few of us decided to go to Golden Gardens Park to see Seattle's beach. It was absolutely beautiful, but very windy.

Back at Hotel Ballard, cocktail hour and dinner were fabulous. We were introduced to some more familiar names and I got to meet and mingle with more bloggers.

Come back tomorrow for day 2 to see what I learned at the Microsoft Campus. I attended some very informative sessions, so I have a lot to share!

Disclosure: I am a Windows Champions blogger and I received loan of a laptop and tablet, and may receive other equipment from Microsoft to assist me in evaluating Microsoft products and services for my blogging activity. I was sent to Seattle to attend the Champions Summit and received products while attending the summit. All opinions expressed are my own.

40 Day Summer Cleaning & Organizing Challenge

Last Friday was my last day of school until mid-August. I'm excited to get my home back in shape. It's kind of, well, become a disaster over the last few months. My home is not always immaculate by any means. It happens. :)

I've decided to create a 40 day summer cleaning and organizing challenge. I know I have more than 40 days of time for this, but I have plans this summer, so I won't be able to do something every single day. My mother is coming to visit for a week and I plan to go to PA for 2 weeks.

I don't plan to do these things in this exact order, but when I complete one thing a day, I'll cross it off the list. Easy enough. I'll be blogging about my progress throughout the summer, so be sure to follow me for ideas and tips!

Want to join me? I've uploaded the challenge file to share with you. It's a PowerPoint file, so you can edit the text and change out items on the list. **I've uploaded it to Google Drive, so it will not look the same until you download it to your computer and open it with PowerPoint.**

If you'd prefer a PDF version {that is not editable}, click here.

 Fonts by Kimberly Geswein. Clip art background by Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs.

Friday Favorite: ShopAtHome.com

Do you shop online often? I use ShopAtHome.com when I shop online to earn cash back on my purchases, and find coupon codes. I earn around $20 a month in cash back. I'm going to shop online, so why not save money and earn cash back at the same time?


I love that Shop At Home offers specials on cash back percentages throughout the month. Generally when I find a sale through JCP or Vera Bradley that comes through my email, I'll go to to SAH and they'll have a special on the cash back percentage. It makes sense that the cash back percentage would be higher during a sale to promote shopping through those sites.

Shop At Home also has a smartphone app, available for iPhone and Android. The smartphone app will notify you if there are in-store offers available for nearby retailers.

If you sign up with my link we will each get a $5 bonus after you make your first online purchase through Shop At Home. There's really no "catch" with SAH. I've been using their cash back program for about 4 years now and it's the best one I've come across thus far.

Searching for Inspiration

Back when Instagram was super cool, but before it was available Android, I didn't understand the point of it. Today when looking for inspiration to blog, Instagram had it for me. More specifically, my own feed was my inspiration.

I use Instagram for a large variety of photo posts. And no matter what the topic is, how I'm feeling that day, or who I'm with, I have a collection of beautiful photos to revisit when I'm needing a pick me up.

Things I find beautiful...

Things that make me happy...

Kids & a career that make my world go 'round for 9 months a year...

Memories with my family that I love dearly and miss terribly...

Thankful times when a friend was there when I needed her most...

Reminders to refocus life every now and then...

Life will never be perfect, and I'm completely okay with that. I'm blessed to have family and friends in my life who are there for me no matter what. I'm blessed for the opportunities life has handed me, thus far. I'm blessed to be alive, changing the lives of my 27 ten year olds, and experiencing the beauty that nature gives us.

Have an amazing Tuesday! :)

Tech Tuesday: Spring Clean Your PC #WindowsChampions

 

Just like spring cleaning your home is a necessity, so is spring cleaning your PC. Here are some quick tips to keep your PC running smoothly!

• Setup a backup schedule - Auto back up with OneDrive if you have a Windows 8 PC or manually back up your PC {both are links to previous posts}
• Uninstall programs/apps you don't use - Computers tend to come with "bloatware" installed or we install software that we end up no longer using...uninstall it. Unused software takes up valuable space that allows your computer to run faster.
• Run the Windows Disk Cleanup tool - You can use this tool to reduce the number of unnecessary files on your drives, which can help your PC run faster. It can delete temporary files and system files, empty the Recycle Bin, and remove a variety of other items that you might no longer need. For more details on this process and how to access the tool with your version of Windows, visit this Microsoft article.
• Software tools to recover performance - Using a tool like CCleaner or System Mechanic can help keep your computer in tip-top shape with the click of a button. I use both tools on my computer. CCleaner is great for a quick clean up, while System Mechanic does a really great thorough job of cleaning up all sorts of junk.
• Frequently run Windows updates - It's smart to keep your PC updated with Windows updates. Most computers are set to automatically update, unless your settings are tweaked to manual updates. For more details on how to check your Windows updates settings with your version of Windows, visit this Microsoft article.
• Anti-virus software - Make sure you have a quality anti-virus software program installed on your PC. I use Norton 360 Premier and love it. Norton used to be a big system hog and make computers run slow, but a few years ago they upped their game and fixed the issues. The license that I purchased for my subscription allows me to install the software on up to 3 PCs. Looking for a free anti-virus software program? Avast is highly rated and recommended by CNET.