Downy Unstopables

WOW! I love receiving items so I can write a review. This is one product  that I am glad I received because I totally love it.  As most of you know, I use homemade laundry soap for our clothes. That being said, I do not have to use a fabric softener because of the homemade soap.




I'm super happy with this decision. I make our soap unscented because I use Fels Naptha and with it's lemony scent I've not been able to find anything that is "more powerful" in the scent department.

When I first opened my package, I thought that it was just a newer, more modern way of softening clothes until I read the label. The Unstopables is an In-Wash Scent Booster, not a softener.

Unstopables are tiny round disks that you can use a little or a lot of, just depending on how much scent you really want. The neat thing about these~ you toss them in the water before starting the washer, and you walk away and forget about having to go back until the machine is finished. If you use a softener ball~these are not for it (this is stated on the bottle), but it makes it even better since you already know that you don't have to not miss the rinse cycle. Now how is that for some awesomeness?!

So how does the scent hold up? It holds up for quite a while. Our closets and chest of drawers are still smelling fresh after clothes have been put away for several days. It even holds up to clothes hanging on the outdoor clothes line. Yep, it even over powers the outdoorsy scent that line dried clothes get. The scent holds up to my husband's work uniforms. Even when he comes home in the evening, I can still smell the Unstopables.

Will I buy Downy Unstopables? Yes, if I have a good coupon and the store has them at a really good sale price. Downy products are usually a little more expensive then other brands, so there will have to be a sale on them for our budget.

The bad side ~ It's really not, just something to think about! After looking at the Unstopables and their color (the ones I have are light blue ~Fresh scent), these could possibly be a harmful product for children. Unstopables could easily pass as candy in the hands of a small child. I'm thinking as a mother, here. These would definitely need to stay out of reach of precious little hands.


You can buy your own here.


Life, In Spite of Me

this post contains affiliate links



She wanted to die. God had other plans.
Overwhelmed by wave after wave of emotional trauma, Kristen Anderson no longer wanted to live. One January night, determined to end her pain once and for all, the seventeen-year-old lay across train tracks not far from her home and waited to die.

Instead of peace, she found herself immersed in a whole new nightmare.

Before the engineer could bring the train to a stop, thirty-three freight cars passed over her at fifty-five miles per hour. After the train stopped and Kristen realized she was still alive, she looked around—and saw her legs ten feet away. 


Surviving her suicide attempt but losing her legs launched Kristen into an even deeper battle with depression and suicidal thoughts, as well as unrelenting physical pain—all from the seat of a wheelchair. But in the midst of her darkest days, Kristen discovered the way to real life and a purpose for living.

For anyone struggling to find the strength to go on, the message of this heart-wrenching yet hope-building book is a clear and extraordinary reminder that even when we give up on life, God doesn’t give up on us. 
 
My Thoughts:

This book is really hard to love because of the subject matter. The story is heart breaking, to feel so hopeless that you try to take your own life is overwhelming for me. It is something that I personally can not understand, but many people do. The book is written with a heartfelt sincerity that Kristen is trying to get across when she is telling her story. To read that she did not make a complete recovery of her depression and that she still has bouts with it is so honest.  Kristen includes several little notes at the end of some of the chapters is a personable thing. As Kristen works through this problem in her life, she explains how she came to know the Saviour after the incident and knowing that she would not have went to Heaven if she died, is so nerve racking to me, as a Christian. She thought that she would have been "safe" because she grew up in church and knew about God and Jesus when in reality she was lost.

I would definitely recommend it to someone that deals with depression. Life, in Spite of Me would be a good book for teens to read.

I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers in return for my honest opinion.



423825: Life, in Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice Life, in Spite of Me: Extraordinary Hope After a Fatal Choice

By Kristen Jane Anderson / Multnomah


Kristen Anderson wanted to die---but God had other plans. Recounting her miraculous survival of a suicide attempt in which a train severed her legs, Kristen shares how her newfound faith in God helped her overcome severe depression and shame, as well as the challenges of permanent physical disability. Discover how she found fulfillment serving God! 224 pages, softcover from Multnomah.

Honoring Our Home

Do I do this? Do I do this often? How do I do this?

This is something that has been plaguing my mind over the past couple of weeks. I'm actually not surprised since some of it has been staring me in the face every time I get on the internet.





At the request of a former student, I opened my Facebook account back up.  Since I did this, I've noticed all the things that I was accomplishing during the day, has not been easily attained. I've been spending quite a bit of time on Facebook, catching up. Well, as of tomorrow, that is going to end.

I have now set my limit to 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening to visit the popular website. My timer is on the table and ready to use for both visits. Depending on how the rest of my day goes, I may work on this this evening. If not, I won't visit there until in the morning.

Making this change will cut out a big mismanagement of my time during the day. You know, time is one of those things you never get back. Once it's wasted, it gone. I really want to be a good steward of the precious time that God has allowed me.

 I can honor my home by putting our home and my family first. Believe it or not, I had a husband before I had a computer and the internet. In fact, I remember the day when we moved up to unlimited access internet service. Boy, was I shocked at how much time I could spend without having to worry about time limits.

I don't want to be the kind of wife, that spends 8 hours on the internet or in front of the television and jump up and do a fast clean and cook an hour before my husband gets home. To me, that is shameful! 

We send our husband off to work every morning, trusting that he is going to work at his job. He does the same thing, when he leaves us behind. He trusts that we are going to work at making his home presentable and welcoming, not left to look like a battlefield or the aftermath of a tornado with a pot of Beanie Weenies warming on the stove.

I want my home and my husband honored ~ by spending my time wisely, working at making our house a home before I put anything else before it.


A Laundry Soap Update

I've been making our laundry detergent for one year, now. I have to tell you that I still love the idea of how much money we are saving. But there is something shady going on.



For about 6 months, I've noticed one or two pieces of clothing becoming gray and our clothes not keeping their colors (fading).

I began searching for any information as to why and how to stop it. It wasn't until about 2 weeks ago when I googled homemade "laundry detergent graying clothes"  I came across this POST from a fellow blogger. 

Before I continue, let me explain something... Our family is on a mission of becoming as self reliant as possible without becoming back woodsy, tree hugging hermits. I honestly believe that there is the possibility of facing a time in our future where people are going to need to know how to do "old fashioned" things. Making laundry detergent is one of those things and I enjoy it.

Being able to make laundry detergent and keeping our clothes looking good for as long as possible is a big deal to me. Why save money on laundry detergent, but then have to buy new clothes every few months? I don't get that!

After reading Hillary's POST, I began searching and reading what I could find regarding TriSodium Phosphate. It seems, that I'm not the only one looking for brighter, whiter clothes. There are tons of sites where people are looking for help in getting their clothes clean. The funny thing about this is,  people are not only using homemade detergent but many are using store bought. If you did not read the link that Hillary posted, you really need to read it. You can find it HERE.

I talked with friends of ours that owns a feed store. This family run store is not like the big box stores. They run their business the old fashion way. The older men in the area stop by every morning to sit in the rocking chairs around the wood burning stove to enjoy a cup of coffee while catching up on all the news that comes from the farms around the area.

The shelves are stocked with a small amount of a product and the family knows everything about those products. While I was in there I asked about TSP and the response I got was enlightening. I was told that it use to be in our detergents, but the gov't stepped in and had it removed since it promotes the growth of algae in our streams. The gov't is more concerned about small aquatic animals than they are about the lives of innocent unborn babies, abused children and elderly people.

 He continued to tell me that it is a strong cleaner and it would take care of the problems with my detergent and that many, many people used it for years without problems. I was also told to try it in a small amount of detergent and watch for any reactions, especially in our under clothing.

So what did I do after reading and listening about TSP? I bought a small box!

I thought I could lose $3.00 a lot easier than it would be for me to start spending $10 or more a month on store bought detergent. Actually, I wouldn't be losing the three dollars, since I can use the TSP for cleaning the carport, walls, etc. I came home and poured about two quarts of my detergent in a pan and warmed it up and mixed four tablespoons of TSP in until it dissolved. (TSP will not dissolve in cold water) I washed clothes for a week and could not believe how our whites were so WHITE when they came out of the washer.

I've been using it for almost two weeks. So far, no one has complained about any itchy, rashy areas. I have about 1½ more quarts of laundry detergent before I have to make another batch, so I'll just keep adding the four tablespoons until I'm finished with this bucket.

Reading Hillary's recipe and reading the box of TSP (7.3% or 8.5 grams phosphate in a ½ cup), I've not changed anything in my detergent recipe except for adding the TSP. Here it is...

4  cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 cup - Washing Soda
½ cup Borax
½ cup TSP

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, Borax and TSP. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.


*** I'm not telling you that you should use TSP and it is illegal to sell laundry detergent with it.  But if you are having the same problems with discoloration in your clothes, it maybe worth a try. I know many people are concerned with  phosphates and adverse reactions so use your discretion.

DayBook June 27, 2011

Outside my window... it is absolutely beautiful! My bird feeders are covered with birds. I've seen a teeny, tiny hummingbird at the feeder several times today.



I am thinking... I might be a little glad Monkey is going to spend the night with my parents. ~ Just a little.
I am thankful... how the Lord always supplies our needs.
In the kitchen... I've been in there most of the day. I have a pot of Red Beans on the stove for supper along with a loaf of bread and a dozen cinnamon rolls in the oven.
I am creating... I've been working on some shirt sleeves for Monkey and trying to come up with a pattern for a coupon holder that I've seen around the internet.
I am praying about... the Lord's will for our family.
I am reading... nothing at the moment, I'm waiting on a couple of review books to arrive.
Around the house... I've been finishing up all the unpacking. Yes, I'm finally finished unpacking what I want and things that I need. Since we did a complete downsize back in 2006, 2008 and again in 2010, we have nothing. I don't mean that to sound bad, but we only have about 4 Rubbermaid tubs with things that we just can't depart with and a closet full of pictures since I don't have the room to hang them. I'm hoping that over the next few months, I'll see places where I can hang some of our family photos.
A few plans for the rest of the week... staying busy at home.
Here is picture for thought I am sharing... my husband took this picture last night between two storms. (*there is no photo editing) I'm not too sure if this is where a change in the temperatures hit and caused the two different colors in the sky. It is amazing what our God can do!

Garden In Pictures

We planted our garden a little later than usual this year with us moving.  Also, I did not plant some of the things that I normally plant because I did not know what kind of critters we have around. So far, the only thing I've seen even near the garden are chipmunks and birds.


I went out yesterday to turn the water on and saw some new things coming on the vines and plants.

~One of our teeny new bell peppers~


~Squash plants~


~Green bean spirals~


~Green bean blooms~



I forgot to take pictures of the tomatoes. All the plants have either tomatoes or blooms. I do have a couple of stragglers that seem to want to be the last to put out any tomatoes.

With all the rain that we have had over the last week, things should start hopping soon. I've been able to not have to water the garden several days, so hopefully the change from well water to rain water will help give 'em a boost.

Spring for Susannah

this post contains affiliate links

Spring for Susannah

Hundreds of miles from home, Susannah faces an uncertain future as a mail-order bride on the untamed Dakota prairie.

When her parents die suddenly, and no suitors call, Susannah resigns herself to the only option available: becoming a mail-order bride. Agreeing to marry her pastor's brother, Jesse, Susannah leaves the only home she's ever known for the untamed frontier of the Dakota Territory.

Her new husband is more loving and patient with her than she believes she deserves. Still, there is also a wildness to him that mirrors the wilderness surrounding them. And Susannah finds herself constantly on edge. But Jesse's confidence in her-and his faith in God's perfect plan-slowly begin to chip away at the wall she hides behind.

When she miscarries in the brutal Dakota winter, Susannah's fledgling faith in herself and in God begins to crumble. Still, Jesse's love is unwavering. Just when it seems like winter will never end, Susannah finally sees the first tentative evidence of spring. And with it, the realization that more than the landscape has changed.

She looks to the future with a renewed heart. Yet in her wildest dreams, she couldn't predict all that awaits her.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR~Catherine Richmond was focused on her career as an occupational therapist till a special song planted a story idea in her mind. That idea would ultimately become Spring for Susannah, her first novel. She is also a founder and moderator of Nebraska Novelist critique group and lives in Nebraska with her husband.For more about Catherine, please visit www.catherinerichmond.com.

MY THOUGHTS:
I love the idea of mail order brides. This one has a little twist ~ Susannah isn't actually a mail order bride. She and Jesse are put together by Jesse's brother. They have a proxy marriage, which is where either the groom or the bride is not present during the ceremony. Jesse was not present, so Susannah had to travel to meet her husband. What a surprise that awaits this city girl when she steps off the train and finds hardly anything that resembles a town.

In all honesty, I wanted to love this book. I know this is a debut book for the author and her writing will get better with time. There is just way too much going on in the book and at times, I found myself a little confused. Then there are the parts where the couple are intimate. I know, they were married and that is all fine because the marriage bed is sacred. But, Christian love stories can be written without crossing that line, so a book can be targeted to both married and single women. Because of this, I could not recommend the book to any of my single friends.

I was sent this book for free from Litfuse in return for my honest opinion.





18371EB: Spring for Susannah - eBook Spring for Susannah - eBook

By Catherine Richmond / Thomas Nelson


With no prospects for marriage and her parents recently deceased, Susannah Freemont agrees to go west to the Dakota territory to marry her minister's homesteading brother, Jesse. But Susannah is painfully shy, doesn't see herself as worthy of love from either a husband or from God, and lives in constant fear that Jesse is going to ship her back to Detroit.
In spite of her petite size and the fact that Susannah doesn't look like she could survive on the prairie, Jesse quickly discovers that his new wife is a greater blessing than he even hoped for. The years she spent as her father's veterinary assistant allow her to save Jesse's ox and twin calves and to help neighboring farmers with their animals.
But Susannah's feelings of unworthiness are deeply rooted, and she can't believe that Jesse's praise-or the tenderness and love he shows-could possibly last. The thawing of her heart seems almost as distant as Spring in the midst of the winter blanketing the Dakota prairie.

Peril in the Palace

this post contains affiliate links

Peril in the Palace


The place? China in 1271. The quest? The golden tablet of Kublai Khan. The problem? Just about everything! 

The Imagination Station adventures continue as cousins Patrick and Beth are kidnapped by Mongol warriors. Only the friendship of fellow traveler Marco Polo saves them from harm. They are brought to the Mongol palace, where the Kublai Khan dislikes both their gifts and their message about Christianity. The tension grows when the Mongol magicians challenge the cousins to a spiritual power showdown. As war breaks out, Beth and Patrick are locked in a secret room to prevent their escape. 


How do the cousins get the golden tablet they need to save Mr. Whittaker’s friend Albert? How do they escape the city and find the Imagination Station? Enter the perilous palace and find out!



My Thoughts:

I love the Adventures in Odyssey stories, even though I have never read one of the books until now. This series of books follows the cousins Patrick and Beth as they help Mr. Whittaker gather items to help save his friend Albert. Patrick and Beth set out to gather Kublai Khan's golden tablet when they come against fierce Mongol warriors and meet up with Marco Polo who in turns helps save their lives.

Peril in the Palace is the third book in the series. It is written for ages 7 and up. I read this to myself and then aloud to my eleven year old and he loved it! He has asked if he could keep the book for his collection. The plan of salvation is included in the story and it is written within the story for children to understand.

**I received this book for free from Tyndale House Publishers in return for my honest opinion**



976290: Adventures in Odyssey The Imagination Station ® #3: Peril in the Palace Adventures in Odyssey The Imagination Station #3: Peril in the Palace

By Marianne Hering & Paul McCusker / Tyndale House


The place?-China in 1271. The quest?-the golden tablet of Kublai Khan. The problem?-just about everything!

The Imagination Station adventures continue as cousins Patrick and Beth are kidnapped by Mongol warriors. Only the friendship of fellow traveler Marco Polo saves them from harm. They are brought to the Mongol palace where the Kublai Khan dislikes both their gifts and their message about Christianity. The tension grows when the Mongol magicians challenge the cousins to a spiritual power showdown. As war breaks out, Beth and Patrick are locked in a secret room to prevent their escape.

How do the cousins get the golden tablet they needs to save Mr. Whittaker's friend Albert? How do they escape the city and find the Imagination Station? Ever the perilous palace and find out!