Day Book

Outside my window... It's another Sunny, HOT, HOT, HOT, (did I mention HOT ?)day.
I am thinking... About our trip to North Carolina, this week. We're leaving in about an hour. Everything is ready except for my husband, who is getting dressed.



I am thankful for...That we didn't get to far up the road, yesterday, when our car started having problems. so we could come back and borrow a car.
From the kitchen... There'll be nothing going on in my kitchen this week.
I am creating... I have my afghan in my knitting bag, so I can  work on it while we travel.
I am reading... A really good book... Leather and Lace by DiAnn Mills.
I am praying... For traveling mercies for this week and that the Lord will open many doors while we are in North Carolina.
Around the house...Nothing is going on here. Everything is clean and ready for me to come home this weekend with all of our traveling laundry.
A few plans for the rest of the week... We'll be attending the Taylorsville Baptist Camp Meeting in Taylorsville, North Carolina.

Love on a Dime a Review

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Love on a Dime

"Turn of the century novelist Lilly Westbrook learns that being faithful to her calling means more than just putting pen to paper.


It's the summer of 1899 in Newport, Rhode Island, and Lilly Westbrook is struggling to conceal her career from family and friends because of the stigma attached to dime novels. Lilly feels good about her secret—after all, she’s enlightening working class girls with her books and honoring God by using her talents to His glory.

But her secret is threatened when Jackson Grail, a former suitor, becomes Lilly's new publisher. He's determined to revive his floundering publishing house by maximizing their most promising--and most secretive--author. His plan? Find “Fannie Cole” and convince her to go public.

When a gossip columnist discovers Lilly’s true identity, she finds that being faithful to her calling involves more than just putting pen to paper. It requires that she stand up for her faith and for herself, no matter the consequences."

My Thoughts:

Love on a Dime is the first book in The Ladies of Summerhill series. This is a fun read. I really enjoyed the sense of reality this story is giving. Trying to imagine what living a "society" lifestyle and all the "rules" that comes with it, is a little mind boggling. I found myself, cheering for Lilly while she pursued her calling in writing novels and stepping out into her own independence. A wonderful book, well written and it kept my attention. I could not put the book down. I can't wait for the next book to be release in 2011.


I received this book free from Thomas Nelson for my honest opinion of the book.

Love on a Dime, The Ladies of Summerhill Series #1 (Value Edition) By Cara Lynn James / Thomas Nelson Newport, Rhode Island, 1899, is a place of shimmering waves, sleek yachts, and ladies of leisure. Of opulent mansions that serve as summer cottages for the rich and famous. Home of railroad magnates and banking tycoons--dashing young men and the women who aspire to marry them. But it's not the place for lady novelists. Especially not those who pen disreputable dime novels. This poses a problem for Lilly Westbrook, because that's exactly what she does.No one in Lilly's social set knows she pens fiction under the nom de plume Fannie Cole. Not her family or the wealthy young man about to propose to her. And especially not Jackson Grail, the long-lost beau who just bought her publishing company...and who stirs her heart more than she cares to admit.

Troublesome Creek a Review

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Troublesome Creek

Copper Brown is a young, vibrant girl. She is raised in the mountainous backwoods of Kentucky. Copper is a girl who wants nothing more than to live her life along Troublesome Creek. Copper faces many difficult situations ranging from hearing the truth about the death of her Mother, being sent away to the city to be educated as a lady, and the possibility of marriage.  No matter what, Copper is not leaving her beloved home on Troublesome Creek.


My Thoughts:

This is a must read! I did find Troublesome Creek to start off a little slow. Within the first several pages, there was a "flashback" to the past.  This is a little confusing, but once you get past it, it will become more clear and fun reading to the end.

Troublesome Creek is book 1 of The Troublesome Creek Series by Jan Watson.

You can read my reviews for Willow Springs and Torrent Falls.

Troublesome Creek - eBook By Jan Watson / Tyndale House

Grab the Series:

The Troublesome Creek Collection: Troublesome Creek / Willow Springs / Torrent Falls - eBook By Jan Watson / Tyndale House

I Finally Did It, I Made Laundry Detergent

Several weeks ago, I was given a jar of homemade laundry detergent.  I was a little excited about it, since I have wanted to try some. I had posted that I was giving it a try on Facebook. I had several comments that were encouraging me to make my own. Then there were a couple that were not so encouraging, with their not so good experience with homemade detergent.

I made it anyway!

I can't believe how easy and quick this process is and I can choose my own scents, if I want. For this batch, I bought soft scented oils ~ Honey and Almond.  I'll tell you about that in a minute.

Now for the items that are needed in making your own detergent:

The  Washing Soda  and the Fels - Naptha maybe a little difficult to find ~ At least they are here. I finally found them at my local Publix grocery store, all on the laundry aisle. If you can't find them, ask your store to order them.

Here's how I made the detergent:

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken. I added about 60 drops of the oils the next morning.

Stir and fill a used, clean laundry soap bottle.

I have to be honest with you... I'm a little skeptical on just how clean my laundry was going to be, so I added another 1/2 cup of the washing soda and the borax.

This detergent turned out to be a gel. 

When I put this in an old detergent bottle, I added about a cup of water and shook it, so some of the gel would break down and go through my HE washer without any hang ups.

Now back to the oils ~ The Fels-Naptha has a lemony scent, so the softer oil scent does not come through as well as I had hoped.  I can still smell it and it smells wonderful, when the dryer is opened after running. But after that the Honey Almond scent is gone. But there is a fresh clean smell.

The cost of this detergent is amazing. I paid $ .99 cents for the bar soap and $2.29 for the washing soda and $5.00 for the oils. I already had the Borax, so the cost is not included.  For this batch I paid $8.84 for the needed items.  When you break down the cost:

5 gallons = 320 (1/4 cup) loads

Washing Soda= $.63 cents (1 1/2 cup)

Bar Soap = $.99 cents

Essential Oils = $2.50 (half a bottle)

Total = $4.12 divide this by 320 loads

Total cost per load = $.013  ~ Yep that's less than 2 cents a load

This cost, does not include the Borax, since I already had a box. But it won't change much when a new box is bought.

Also, I have noticed that my laundry is softer since using the homemade detergent. I can't wait to see how it does over the next couple of weeks.

Day Book

Outside my window… Hot!,Hot!, Hot! The sun is shining and there's some of the most beautiful white, whispy clouds in the sky.  It is definitely summer time weather, even though summer is not here, yet.



I am thinking… about all the things I have to do this week, while going to a church meeting all day tomorrow and Wednesday.
I am thankful for… my health. After hearing the testimony of a lady on Sunday night. I have so much to be thankful for, even when I do have an ache here and there.
From the kitchen… I made Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies earlier today and will be making a BBQ chicken pizza for supper.
I am creating… I'm trudging right a long on the afghan. I have several pairs of in door shorts for Monkey to make this week.
I am reading… DiAnn Mills' Lanterns and Lace. It's funny how I got half way through the book and realized that I started the second book first.  Oh well, at least I have the first book to look forward to.
I am praying… for the Lord to show me what to do about a situation that I stumbled across ~ I definitely did not go looking for it. It found me.  Deep inside, I feel that He has already showed me, but there is that little bit of doubt that is sting hanging around.
Around the house… I finally got my homemade laundry detergent made, last week. I'll blog about it tomorrow. I have some light cleaning to do along with Mount Washmore, tomorrow.
A few plans for the rest of the week… so sewing and cleaning, along with a couple of days of church meetings.

Our Attitude Matters

I had an eye opening experience  tonight. We were in a church presenting our work, and my husband preached the evening service. Before the service began, I was asked by the Pastor's wife to come in for the ladies prayer meeting. I really enjoy being asked to participate in this special time of prayer for the church and the members. I get to see these ladies in a whole different light. The same goes for them seeing me a little differently.



While I was there, I got to hear the most precious testimony of a dear lady who is suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). She has been suffering with this disease for about 10 years. She had taken many of the treatments with no help. Just recently, this  lady has been dealing with some difficulty in her face and mouth. Her speech and eating abilities are being affected.  After a visit to the doctor, she found out that this was just part of the disease. She had heard there are  some new medicines that are still experimental and was asked to participate in the study. While listening to the doctor and hearing about all the possible side effects to this new medicine and being told that there is really nothing more that the doctors can do to prevent the disease from becoming widespread, she knew she could not go on with any more medications.

I had tears in my eyes, while I listened to how she told the doctor that God had allowed this to happen to her and that she was not going to try any more experimental shots.  She had also told them, as for the other shots, that were not helping, she was not going to continue them.  She went on and told how over the years, many had told her that God allowed this to happen because she was not in His will.  For a while she began to believe this, until one day during her devotions she realized that she was in His will. God allowed this debilitating disease to enter her body for some reason and that reason was going to bring Him glory. She went to tell how Paul suffered with his "thorn," and if he could do it and serve God, so could she.

After hearing this, part of me wants to be sad and  to cry for her, since she is one of the many who has no results with the medications. Then part of me wants shout for joy and  to cry for a wonderful testimony and attitude that she has, towards living with this disease and still wanting to serve God.

No matter what you and I face, it can always get worse. The thing that matters is, how are we going to handle it? Are we going to keep a good testimony and attitude? Or are we going to let our nature take hold and become bitter?

The Heart Mender a Review

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The Heart Mender tells the story about how the author finds some WWII items in an old tin can while he is digging up the roots of an old tree in his yard. While researching the items, he comes across two very important people:  Helen who was a young widow of the war, who had a bitterness towards all Germans. Josef a German U-boat submariner who is left for dead.  These are two different people from two different "worlds" with one thing in common ~ bitterness. Together they learn to forgive and help each other.

The author is an amazing story teller. He has woven many historical facts into this story.


My Thoughts:

I'm always a little skeptical when it comes to new to me authors.  I have a list (yes, an actual list) of authors that I love! If a new to me author is a wonderful story teller and can keep my interest and make me not want to put a book down, then the author's name goes on my list.

When it comes to fiction books, I never read a book written by a male author. Don't ask me why, I really don't know. I guess, it's  because that a female author knows what it is like to be a woman and knows a woman's feelings. So she should know how to write about it. Sorry men!

When I came across The Heart Mender, I did not even look at the author's name. I read the short synopsis of the book and realized that it would a historical fiction - which I love reading, so I chose the book.

When I got the book in the mail from BookSneeze, I was a little surprised that the author was a man. But I thought, "It's for a review, if I don't like it, it'll be passed along to someone else."  All I can say, I was in for a rude awakening!


As for this author and my list ~ yep, he's on there.

I received my free copy from BookSneeze in return for an honest opinion.

The Heart Mender: A Story of Second Chances By Andy Andrews / Thomas Nelson When wounded Lt. Josef Bartels Landermann slips off his German U-boat into the sea and washes ashore, war widow Helen Mason is tempted to leave him for dead. But an unusual faintly uttered phrase changes her mind---and her life. A powerful historical tale of forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing. Previously published as Island of Saints.

Day Book

Outside my window… it's a cloudy first day of June. I stepped out side to let some flower pots drain from all the rain and was amazed that there is no high humidity. I'm sure that it will come later...



I am thinking… about all that I have to do before we go to church tonight, to hear Br. Joe Arthur.
I am thankful for… the rain that we have had over the weekend.
From the learning rooms… We are finished for our summer break. Although, I am making some final decisions on our curriculum for next year. I'm also planning a trip to the Homeschool Expo next month.
From the kitchen… I have a fresh batch of snickerdoodles. Our favorite cookie!
I am creating… I got one skirt made this week. I'm planning on starting the other today.
I am reading… a new to me author's book called Secrets on the Wind by Stephanie Grace Whitson.  I have not been able to put this book down.  It is so good.
I am praying… for a need that needs to be met.
Around the house… today is  laundry day, so I'm working on that with some basic cleaning.
A few plans for the rest of the week… other than Revival this week, I'm hoping I don't have to go anywhere.