Prize Time!

Sorry for the delay in getting the prize reveal posted. I'm sure you've been at the edge of your seats!

The prize for most comments left during the contest entry period is Lynette over at Crazed Mind. She is my loyal reader and comments on practically every post. She is also my neighbor and friend. Since she's seen most of the prizes I have stashed away, I asked what she'd like for her prize. She wants me to make her grape salad. She loves it and I guess she must like my cooking as well!

The prize to a new follower goes to Nelsby. She gets this super cute little journal!

The goodie box of my favorite things goes to Sharon Harmon. Check it out:
The goodies include: a stationary set, a pretty journal, a new novel, a bookmark, a coupon organizer, lovely scented hand made soap, pear scent shower gel , lotion, and bath scrub, a beautiful hand made glass tile pendant, some of my favorite votive candles form a local candle maker. I know that's not a dozen goodies, but the rest are a surprise! Congratulations Sharon!

I will get an email to the winners on the day I mail these. Congratulations y'all! Check back for more giveaways soon!

CFBA Book Tour ~ The Real Enemy by Kathy Herman

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Real Enemy
David C. Cook (March 2009)
by
Kathy Herman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.

She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.

Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she's added thirteen more titles to her credit, including another bestseller, All Things Hidden.

Kathy's husband Paul is her best friend and most ardent supporter and manages the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five adorable grandkids, a cat named Samantha—and an ongoing fascination with hummingbirds. They also enjoy world travel, deep sea fishing, stargazing, and bird watching and sometimes incorporate all these hobbies into one big adventure.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Brill Jessup just became the first female police chief in Sophie Trace, Tennessee, and is riding on the credentials of a stellar eighteen-year career on the Memphis police force. She may be a pro at finding clues, but she tends to ignore the obvious in her personal life. And she would rather work than deal with the bitterness she feels about her husband Kurt's infidelity. Kurt, is weighed down by her unrelenting anger as he struggles to let God redeem the stupidest mistake he ever made. He is genuinely contrite and making every effort to show his commitment to Brill. But she hides behind her badge and her bitterness, deciding that moving her family away from Memphis is the only change she needs to make. So why can't Brill get over this anger?

Before she ever has time to unpack her boxes, people start disappearing. Lots of them. Seven people in seven days To complicate matters, a local legend has many residents believing that the cause is unearthly─tied to the “red shadows,” or spirits of the departed Cherokee who once inhabited the land.

While Brill draws on all of her experience and instinct to solve the case, she must confront an enemy that threatens everything she holds dear─one that cannot be stopped with a badge and a gun. She is forced to confront the real enemy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Real Enemy, go HERE

And The Winners Are....

It's time to announce the winners of my One Year Blogiversary Giveaway! As I said, there were three prizes up for grabs: one for the most comments left during the giveaway entry period, then two that were done via random drawing - one to a new follower, then the big goodie box that was chosen from random drawing of giveaway entries.

The prize for most comments goes to Lynette!

The prize to a new follower goes to Nelsby!

The Goodie Box goes to Sharon Harmon!

Congratulations y'all! I will post your prizes over the weekend.

Keep checking back for more giveaway opportunities!

And thanks so much for the wonderful response to this giveaway! Y'all made my blogiversary great!

A Matter of Credit

photo by faceymcface1

Like so many other folks these days, our credit is not perfect. In fact, it is far from it. We have stopped using all lines of credit and are working to pay down our debt. But, I was wondering if it's possible to fix credit?

I discovered credit repair and it seems like one option. You pay them a fee and then they dispute any inconsistencies and glitches on your credit report. It seems it would take a lot of time and effort to do this on your own, and such services will probably come closer to actually getting results than you would on your own. I really think this would be a good way to go for some families.

As for us, well our bad credit is our own doing, so I'm unsure how much you could dispute it. I mean 10 years of spending irresponsibly does tend to give you bad credit. In these scary economic times I'm sure even folks with good credit may find themselves with dings against their once clean credit. People defaulting on loans and credit cards seems to be oh so common these days.

How do you feel about this? Have you or would you use a credit repair service? Are you still living with debt or trying to get rid of it? I'd love to hear what my wonderful readers have to say about this!

This Week's Freebies

These are the freebies I've found and signed up for this week. I plan to list the ones that I do weekly, so others who haven't gotten them can go check them out. Please feel free to list the freebies you've found this week in the comments section.

Cottonelle Bath Tissue Sample

Dove Hair Therapy Shampoo

Prilosec OTC Sample

Zyrtec Sample

Old Spice Body Wash Sample

So, what freebies have you discovered lately?

Valerie Bertinelli ~ Wow!

I am sending a standing ovation to Valerie Bertinelli. This woman turns 49 on April 23, yet she looks better than she has in ages. In fact she is currently gracing the cover of People in a bikini! She looks fab-u-lous!

I am so glad she did this! It makes me think that there is hope when it comes to losing weight. I've been very down thinking now that I'm 30 that I was just stuck with all these extra pounds, but now I know better! With a little hard work and determination, I guess you can do pretty much anything you set your mind too.

Anyway, go check out her amazing pics here! You'll be impressed!

CFBA Book Tour ~ Turning The Paige by Laura Jensen Walker

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Turning The Paige
Zondervan (March 1, 2009)
by
Laura Jensen Walker


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Jensen Walker is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, and breast-cancer survivor who loves to touch readers and audiences with the healing power of laughter.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin (home of Western Printing and Johnson’s Wax—maker of your favorite floor care products) Laura moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was in high school. But not being a fan of blazing heat and knowing that Uncle Sam was looking for a few good women, she enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after graduation and spent the next five years flying a typewriter through Europe.

By the time she was 23, Laura had climbed the Eiffel Tower, trod the steps of the Parthenon, skied (okay, snowplowed) in the Alps, rode in a gondola in Venice, and wept at the ovens of Dachau. She’d also learned how to fold her underwear into equal thirds, make a proper cup of English tea, and repel the amorous advances of a blind date by donning combat gear and a gas mask.

Laura is a former newspaper reporter and columnist with a degree in journalism who has written hundreds of articles on many subjects ranging from emu ranching and pigeon racing to goat-roping and cemetery board meetings. However, realizing that livestock and local government weren’t her passion, she switched to writing humor, which she calls a “total God-thing.”

Her lifelong dream of writing fiction came true in Spring 2005 with the release of her first chick lit novel, Dreaming in Black & White which won the Contemporary Fiction Book of the Year from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her sophomore novel, Dreaming in Technicolor was published in Fall 2005.

Laura’s third novel, Reconstructing Natalie, chosen as the Women of Faith Novel of the Year for 2006, is the funny and poignant story of a young, single woman who gets breast cancer and how her life is reconstructed as a result. This book was born out of Laura’s cancer speaking engagements where she started meeting younger and younger women stricken with this disease—some whose husbands had left them, and others who wondered what breast cancer would do to their dating life. She wanted to write a novel that would give voice to those women. Something real. And honest. And funny.

Because although cancer isn’t funny, humor is healing.

A popular speaker and teacher at writing conferences, Laura has also been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows around the country including the ABC Weekend News, The 700 Club, and The Jay Thomas Morning Show.

Another book in this series is Daring Chloe

She lives in Northern California with her Renaissance-man husband Michael, and Gracie, their piano playing dog


ABOUT THE BOOK

At 35, Paige Kelley is feeling very "in between." She's still working her temp job after two years, still not dating three years after her divorce, and still melting at every chubby-cheeked toddler she sees while her biological clock ticks ever louder. Paige even moves back home to help her ailing, high-maintenance mother.It's not exactly the life she'd dreamed of!

When her Getaway Girls book club members urge Paige to break free and get on with her life, she's afraid. How will her mother react? How can Paige honor her widowed mother and still pursue her own life? The answers come from a surprising source.
A trip to Scotland and a potential new love interest help launch an exciting new chapter in her life, and lead Paige to discover that God's plan for her promises to be more than she ever imagined.

This latest release in the Getaway Girls collection delivers a smart, funny, and warm account of one woman's challenge to reconcile who she is - a dutiful Christian daughter - with the woman she longs to be.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Turning The Paige, go HERE

Searching for Cheaper Rates

Oh how I wish we lived in the UK! The auto insurance rates there are unbelievable! You know I'm always looking or a good deal, and this is a really good one! Too bad I don't want to move overseas just get a cheaper Van Insurance Quote.

Auto insurance, just like everything else these days is getting more expensive. This is not just a national problem, but a global one according to President Obama's recent Op Ed. in the worldwide papers. Whether here in the states or abroad, families are having to tighten there belts. It's nice to know that savings like this are available around the world.

You can find auto insurance, home insurance, bike insurance, pet insurance and all sorts of other types I didn't even know existed! All these are offered at up to 70% off the competition! A deal like that would be hard to pass up!

So, if you are over in the UK and looking for a great price on various types of insurance, go check it out and get a free quote. The website is easy to use, their prices are great, and I'm sure they can help you save some money on your insurance needs. As for me, I guess I'll just have to keep looking. Or convince Dan we need to move!

Let's Get Focused

Part of the Total Focus program is a disc for your child to listen to. It was only about 15 minutes long, but getting Tristen to sit still and actually listen to it took four attempts. I ended up having to go sit Indian style in the center of the living room with him to help get him away from distractions.

I was so happy that he listened to this disc and actually let it sink in. He now realizes that he is not dumber than everyone else, he is not a bad kid, and he is not retarded...all things he has said before. We've tried to reassure him about this, but I don't think he believed us. Now he knows that his brain just doesn't work like everyone elses and that is not the end of the world. It was such a blessing to see him relieved and understanding that he is different, but he can find ways to manage his differences.

My next post on the Total Focus will cover the bonus disc ADHD: First Aid for Parents.

I Want Candy!

I love candy! Don't you? I am totally not picky when it comes to my candy, I love it all! Mints are a family favorite. I chew a ton of Wrigley's Gum since I quit smoking. Hard candy, chewy candy, I will eat most anything sweet.

One of my favorite things in the world is chocolate, especially Ghirardelli Chocolate. It is quite possibly the world's perfect food. It is sweet, creamy, and yummy. It makes me happy. My mouth explodes with delight when I pop in this delicious confection. My worst day can be brightened with the smallest piece of this chocolate heaven.

I firmly believe that candy is the perfect gift for many occasions. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduation, Valentine's day, marriage proposals, Easter, Christmas, new baby, all these things are made better with candy. Now, I don't suggest bringing a box of sweets to a funeral, but pretty much any other event is okay. Honestly, don't you love receiving a box of confections from the one you love?

DH keeps a huge bowl of assorted candies on his desk at the office. At any given time you can find gum, hard candies, mini chocolate bars, and all sorts of goodies in there. Not only does it give him a little snack during the day, but it makes his coworkers happy. He really enjoys happy coworkers. Sweets make people happy, so share them with those you around you. They will love you for it!

All this talk of candy has made me hungry. I think it's time for a snack!

I Feel Pretty!

A friend of mine recently had Breast Enlargement surgery. Nany is a very petite woman, who was naturally small chested. She says the surgery is the best thing she has ever spent money on. Nancy says she feels pretty for the very first time!

I do not need this type of surgery myself, but I can see that it definitely has some benefits. Having more self confidence is a great thing. As a mom, I know that sometimes breast shrink after child birth, so regaining your pre-baby shape would be a very positive thing. I sure wouldn't mind looking like I did before having children!

Although it is a very safe, simple procedure I would still have it done by the most reputable, experienced doctors I could find. My choice would be a place like Mya Cosmetic Surgery, a center with some of the most experienced surgeons in the world. After all, if you are going to pay for new breasts, you want them to be done by the best!

Have you considered having this type of procedure or any cosmetic surgery? What do you think about it?

A Sign of the Times

Home Depot is now giving a nod to the worsening economic times. Instead of "You can do it, we can help" it is now "More saving. More doing." I wonder if they are going to make it more affordable to do more home improvements? That sure would be nice! I'd love to be able to do more around here!

CFBA Book Tour ~ A Cousin's Promise

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Cousin's Promise
Barbour Books (March 1, 2009)
by
Wanda Brunstetter


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Wanda enjoys writing about the Amish because they live a peaceful, simple life─something she says we all need in this day and age.

Using the knowledge her Amish friends have shared with her, Wanda has also produced several children’s titles in the Rachel Yoder─Always Trouble Somewhere series, an Amish cookbook, and a devotional collection entitled The Simpler Life, which was released in July 2008 and celebrates the virtues of the Amish lifestyle. Wanda and her husband are members of the fellowship of Christian Magicians.

Wanda is also a member of the North American Association of ventriloquists, American Christian Fiction Writers, and the Northwest Christian Writers Association. She lives in Washington State, where her husband pastors, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish settlements across the country.

Other books by Wanda are A Sister's Test, A Sister's Hope, and A Sister's Secret


ABOUT THE BOOK

Wayne Lambright who, crippled after a tragic accident, feels himself unworthy of her love; and Jake Beechy who, after having abandoned her to explore the English world, returns to renew their courtship.

Willkumm to the lush and lavish Amish country where Wanda Brunstetter's new romantic series, Indiana Cousins, begins with A Cousin's Promise. Loraine Miller finds herself torn between the love of two good men.

When a horrific accident cripples Wayne Lambright, he finds it difficult enough to take care of himself, much less Loraine Miller, his future bride. Will he sacrifice his happiness to give her a better life?

Having already been jilted once, Loraine is terrified of yet another rejection. But does she love Wayne enough to marry him, for better or worse? When her old boyfriend Jake Beechy returns from exploring the English world, he hopes Loraine will give him another chance.

How will God work to give Loraine the desires of her heart? To which man will she pledge her love and loyalty - for better or worse, until death they do part?

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Cousin's Promise, go HERE

Blogiversary Giveaway Update

I just added a way to earn an extra five bonus entries in my One Year Blogiversary Giveaway. Click here and check it out!

I Want To Do This!

I've always wanted to go on a really great vacation. We've never been on a vacation as a family. Something that has always appealed to me is the idea of going on something like Grand Cayman Island cruise tours and excursions. Grand Cayman Island is so beautiful, I just know my family would enjoy it there!

You can have a once in a lifetime experience on Grand Cayman, swimming with dolphins. This has been on my "bucket list" for years. The idea of touching, swimming, and interacting with these amazing creatures just thrills me! I think of it as a near magical adventure!

Ashley is also very excited by this idea. One of the little girls in her class has actually done this and even kissed a dolphin. After listening to Hailey's story, Ashley decided she needed to kiss a dolphin as well. I know this would thrill her beyond words!

Even the guys seem to think a vacation like this would be amazing. I don't know what appeals to them most; the adventure of swimming with dolphins, the beautiful waters of the island, or just the idea of traveling to an exciting location. Whatever it is, they think a trip like this would e a great experience for the entire family!

Has your family taken a really memorable vacation? I'd love to hear about it!

"My Heart Is Filled With Such Sorrow"

These are the oh so sad and dramatic words uttered by my darling daughter just a few minutes ago. Here's the story:

Ashley was taking a bath and playing with her HSM Troy and Gabriella dolls. I have fond memories of playing with my Barbies in the tub and she loves it just as I did. Anyway, she decided to wash their hair. When she started massaging the Pantene into Troy's lovely locks his head popped off. Ashley freaked out. I tried to calm her and did everything I could to pop his head back on. No luck. So, I get Ashley out of the tub and into pajamas, reassuring her that certainly Daddy can get Troy's head back on. Daddy could not get Troy's head back on. We both tried everything we could think of. Poor Ashley said "Troy is dead. It wasn't his time. My heart is filled with such sorrow." I was a good mom and did not crack up laughing over this pitiful display. Then she asks "Do we have to bury Troy?" That is the point at which I burst out laughing. She knows it's just a toy, but if you could've seen the look on her face...well you would've cracked up too.

Tristen is building him a coffin. Ashley has written him a tombstone on a piece of paper. He came to live with her on Christmas Day, so he sure didn't last very long. Tomorrow is poor Troy's funeral. I think it's sort of odd to bury a plaything, but Ashley loves him and insists he cannot be just tossed in the garbage. Parenting is such an interesting adventure!

Goodbye, Troy. Ashley will miss you.

Super Cute Maternity Fashions

When did clothes for moms-to-be get so cute? When I was expecting my little ones I just slouched around in big men sized sweats because all the expectant mommy clothes looked like big, shapeless sacks. Yuck! I am so glad times have changed!

These maternity clothes are adorable! No longer do expectant moms have to be dowdy. These are cute, trendy clothes! Plus, they always have something new and fresh in stock. You can definitely get through an entire pregnancy without sacrificing your sense of style!

Even better, you will save big with kikisfashions.com. Their prices are so much better than you'll find at that maternity boutique downtown. You can save as much as 75% when compared to the pricier shops. Plus, as a bonus to my loyal blog readers, you'll receive a 20% off discount when using the coupon code "blogfriends"! You know I love to help my readers find the best deals around!

So, if you are looking for unique, fun, and affordable maternity fashions click on over and check them out. The clothes are so cute and the prices so good, it almost makes me wish I could have another baby. Since that isn't going to happen, I hope some of my expectant mommy readers will go take advantage of this great deal!

Pure Happiness

Can you guess what DVD is in her hands? Who knew how happy Netflix could make a girl?!

SAVING is good.

We Are Boot People

Tristen just got a new pair of boots yesterday. They were a gift from my wonderful Nanny. She sent him a great pair of heavy duty Wolverine work boots to wear while he helps Dan with clearing the back part of our lot. I am so glad she did because there is so much brier and stuff back there, not to mention snakes. I am so glad he now has some footwear he can work in that keeps him safe too.

We are just a boot kind of family. Dan wears work boots to work everyday. Boots are my preferred foot wear and the easiest thing for me to find that actually fits. I have an extremely wide foot that is also seriously short, so finding any sort of shoe or boot that fits is usually quite challenging. Both of the kids love to wear boots as well, especially western style. Boots of all kinds are pretty much the most common foot ware around our community. I guess that is because we live in a rural, ranching community.

So, Tristen was thrilled with his new boots. He immediately laced them up and ran off to help his Daddy work. He loves being outside and helping Dan, so I'm sure he'll get a lot of use out of them.


SAVING is good.

Ultimate Blog Party 2009

To those of you visiting from the Ultimate Blog Party, welcome to Ramblings of a Texas Housewife! I hope you'll take a minute to explore my blog a bit. Also, check out the giveaway I have going on for my blogiversary...the link is in my sidebar. I do hope you find something of interest here and will take a moment to say hi. I am enjoying checking out all the awesome blogs that are partying! Thank you for stopping by my little corner of the blogsphere!

For my readers who have no idea what I'm talking about, keep reading.


5 Minutes for Mom is throwing the Ultimate Blog Party 2009! It is a great opportunity to meet other bloggers, find new blogs to enjoy, & possibly win some great prizes. Click the banner above to go join in all the fun!

So many great prizes have been donated! After reading through a ton of great websites, drooling over lots of stuff, I found these things to be my favorites:

From Amish Friendship Bread to Decadent Cheesecake and all the meals in between dessert, Moms Who Think has recipes you’ll love. We would like to donate a Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer to help make one lucky winner’s home cooking even easier.(winner’s choice of color, $349.99 retail value)

A Surprise Box Filled With Goodies ($50 value) provided by Monkey's Mama

Five bars of handmade got milk soap in your choice of scents by Goat Milk Stuff

Help you and your daughter prepare for her first period! Dot Girl First Period Products would like to donate to one winner a package including The Dot Girl’s First Period Kit, the book Before She Gets Her Period and two Scensibles 50 pack boxes. This prize is provided by Dot Girl First Period Products.

I'd also be thrilled to win 12, 69, 42, USC 50, 19, 37, 85, 111, USC 74, 121, INTL 46, USC 63, or any prize at all that would be appropriate for our family. We have me, a Daddy, a 12 yo boy and 9 yo girl., so anything that could be used by any of us would be great!



SAVING is good.

Woman Buried Alive By Dirty Laundry

Laundry is my life. Seriously. It is all I do. On any given day you can call me and ask what I'm doing, the answer will be laundry. I made it my goal to be completely caught up with my mountains of clothes by tomorrow. Yeppers, that's the plan. And I'm obviously done and that's why I'm blogging. Right! I wish that were the case. I have done lots. I did four loads of laundry this morning. But, it seems I'll never finish.

Why the heck do we have so much laundry anyway? Does everyone wear 10 outfits a day? Do we need to become nudists? I think a lot of it is the fact that very little dirty laundry actually ends up in a hamper. They stash it under beds and such until I finally flip out and make them find it all.

So, I will get caught up on laundry by this weekend. And I am planning a major shake up to this household's laundry system. I am not a maid! Stay tuned for further reports.

Does anyone else have a Mount Dirty Clothes? How do you deal with laundry in your home? I'd love to hear your ideas!


SAVING is good.

"Show Me Your ______!"

Now I know kids are full of questions, that's part of being a kid. I also know that kids love to say interesting things whenever they have an audience, as I said, it's a kid thing. Moms know these things, right? Well, I may know these things but nothing could have prepared me for this interesting request Ashley sprung on me.

Our neighbors, John & Lenore popped over to visit yesterday evening. The guys were in another room doing their thing and us gals were hanging in the living room. Ashley showed Lenore her new book, Where Babies Come From. At that point I realized the conversation was going to take an interesting turn, but I wasn't sweating it. Lenore is a mom and an extremely logical person, so she rolled with the punches and helped me answer the questions Little Miss was throwing at me. We were treated to some great insights too,like how your belly button looks like the tied off end of a balloon. Ashley's might, mine looks like a huge sink hole. Anyway,things went along just fine, I felt good about our group girl talk.

Then Ashley says "Show me your uterus!" My jaw drops and I'm just speechless. I've heard some strange request before, but nothing half as unique as that. Trying to keep my composure, and I'm afraid I didn't do to well, I explain that I cannot just remove it to let her take a peek. It occurs to me this was much funnier as it was happening than it is now. I fielded some more questions like
"Where is your uterus?"
"Um, inside me, Sweetie."
"Where?"
Pointing to my ample gut area "In that general vicinity someplace." I know, I am such a brilliant mother.

I'm not sure how, but we got off that topic, thankfully. Some days are so weird when you're a Mommy!

What's the best question or request your kids have ever come up with?


SAVING is good.

CFBA Book Tour ~ Michal by Jill Eileen Smith

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Michal
Revell (March 1, 2009)
by
Jill Eileen Smith


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jill Eileen Smith is the author of several articles, poems, and stories, and her unpublished novels have placed in five writing contests in the past five years. A children’s story, which she wrote for her church led her youngest son to faith in Christ several years ago; much like a gospel tract led her to the Lord at a similar age.

That story, “Seeking Treasureland,” is now available. Jill is a member of several online writing groups and helps promote fellow authors’ works through monthly interviews on the "Spotlight" page of her website. She, along with her husband and children, are active members in their local church. A stay-at-home mom, she homeschooled the couple’s three sons for twelve years through high school, seeing them go on to higher education.

In her spare time, Jill teaches piano, reads, does picture scrap-booking, and enjoys trying out new recipes, especially those that include dark chocolate. Jill and her family make their home in Southeastern Lower Michigan.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Can their epic search for true love survive a father's fury?
The daughter of King Saul, Michal lives a life of privilege--but one that is haunted by her father's unpredictable moods and competition from her beautiful older sister.

As a girl, Michal quickly falls for the handsome young harpist David. But soon after their romance begins, David must flee for his life, leaving Michal at her father's mercy in the prison that is King Saul's palace.

Will Michal ever be reunited with David? Or is she doomed to remain separated from him forever?

Against the backdrop of opulent palace life, raging war, and daring desert escapes, Jill Eileen Smith takes you on an emotional journey as Michal deals with love, loss, and personal transformation as the first wife of King David. Jill Eileen Smith has more than twenty years of writing experience, and her writing has gathered acclaim in several contests. Her research into the lives of David's wives has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Michal, go HERE


SAVING is good.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink

Those who are regular readers will know that we are up to our necks in kitchen remodeling. We can't seem to agree on anything when it comes to that room. We did finally choose a paint color that we both love, after six months of paint swatches. Since we've finished that project, it's time to start thinking about a kitchen sink.

I want one of those adorable apron sinks. Dan does not. He says we must have a stainless sink. His strong opinion on this amuses me, after all I've not seen him wash a dish lately. For some reason he is just not willing to budge on this. Men can be awful stubborn sometimes.

Today I discovered stainless steel farmhouse sinks. It's the perfect solution! They are absolutely beautiful, come in the perfect size, and will give the kitchen the exact look I want.They are stainless steel, very durable, and great quality..all things that will make Dan happy as well!

Now we just have to make up our minds whether we want a single or double bowl sink. There are pros and cons to both, and I'm truly torn on this. Part of me wants a single bowl, but I'm afraid I will not like it. Yet, I'm not thrilled with the double bowl sink we have now. Readers, what do you think? I'd love to here opinions on both sides of the sink issue.

At least we know that we can both get what we want in a sink and be happy with it. That in itself is huge progress. We'll decide on how many bowls, then move on to the next step. I believe we are choosing counters next. Will this kitchen remodel ever end?


SAVING is good.

Will Total Focus Work for Us?

We are trying out the Total Focus program in an effort to better understand and handle Tristen's ADHD. I am hoping he will learn some skills that will help him function better at school and at home. As parents, we are hoping to learn ways to help Tristen cope and to interact better with him. I plan to post on every disc in the system, sort of a review as we go.



Tristen was diagnosed at four years old with ADHD and that began years of roller coaster emotions. He's been on more meds than you can shake a stick at. One made him hallucinate, one made him a zombie, he wouldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, or the meds were damaging his organs. I cannot tell you how many doctors we've seen in an effort to help him. I love his current doctor. She has had him off meds for two years for various reasons. He is doing okay in school, his grades are great, we just need to work on impulsiveness. She really feels that a no medication treatment is better for Tristen. She's the one with a degree, so this is what we are doing. THere are times that I think he needs to move in with her. But, now that we have all this preteen hormonal stuff going on, it's hard to know what is ADHD and what is raging hormones.

Parenting Tristen is a wild ride. He is very hard to discipline. Nothing seems to matter. If you ground him, he says "Okay" and truly seems to not care. He is extremely sensitive and will cry at the drop of a hat. One moment he wants to be treated more grown up, the next he wants to cuddle with you on the sofa. At times he seems completely incapable of following directions. As parents, it's so hard not to get discouraged. We were pretty much at the end of our rope!

Then we found Total Focus. The Parent's Audio Lesson is just what we needed to hear. It explains so much! For instance, I now know that Tristen is not thinking things through and then deciding to "be bad" because he's not thinking things through at all. It is full of wonderful information that helps explain how ADHD kids think and how they see things. It was very eye opening for us. This information has allowed me to rethink how I handle a lot of situations and to find different ways of going about things. Knowing what motivated the behavior has really helped. So, for all those other parents at their wit's end from dealing with ADHD, this program might be the answer for you. We are only one disc in and it's already helping our family.


SAVING is good.

Menu Plan Monday

This week is a little different because Erin over at $5 Dinners is hosting MPM this week while Laura is away. So, click over there to check out all the fantastic menus everyone is serving up this week!

Monday: Zesty Crock Pot Pork Chops, green beans, corn, angel biscuits

Tuesday: Bierocks, oven fries, salad

Wednesday: Smoked Sausage, Taters, Peppers and Onions Country Style, cornbread

Thursday: Cafe Baked Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Friday: Crustless Ham & Spinach Quiche, grape salad



SAVING is good.

At Last! Mr. Belvedere on DVD!

Do you remember Mr. Belvedere? Seasons 1 and 2 come out on DVD tomorrow. Dan will be thrilled! He's long wished that this show would come out on DVD. I only vaguely remember it myself, but I know we watched it pretty regularly growing up. I do love the movies Clifton Webb starred in back in the 40s and 50s which the series is loosely based on. We watch a lot of TV shows that we enjoyed growing up on Netflix, most of it is much more family friendly than modern TV. So, I added first disc to the top of our Netflix queue and will just let it show up without saying anything to Dan. Everyone likes little unexpected surprises in the mail, right?


SAVING is good.