just a quickie

found this verse in my studies

Psa 68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.
according to strong's home means household affairs.
hmmmmmmm. just more confirmation that women are to be at home :)

You Tell Me!

ok readers, what will it be?

as most of you know i enter a lot of giveaways. i hardly ever add them to this blog but i do put them on my giveaway button blog and link it to this one so if you are interested you can go to it. but if you are not you don't have to get bogged down in stuff you aren't interested in :)

i also have started reviewing books for 3 places and those must be put on this blog ( my readership is higher here is the reason)

do you want to see these things here? or would you rather not?

i don't want to be known as a giveaway blog - especially since i only host a few of those giveaways instead of just telling you where they are listed on others' blogs and again those have to be on this blog due to higher readership- but i don't want you to miss out on something AND it is how i help provide for my family. i have won 189 giveaways so far :)

i also get a lot of freebies- are you interested in hearing about those?

what do you all think? do i tell you about giveaways here on this blog or only on my giveaway blog? i will continue book reviews and Tropical Traditions giveaways here. do you want to hear about freebies? i post all this on twitter and facebook too so maybe you'll want to catch them that way?

i will remain a homemaking blog !! i want to do better posting tips and recipes and such, including my "personal" life.

let me know! i expect lotsa comments!

odds and ends

today we wall went out for lunch. we ate pizza at cici's. the kids love that place! :)

then we shopped around target and bought, well, nothing!!oh wait- i forgot- both little girls bought sweaters they found on clearance. they had saved up money and it was burning a hole in their pockets.

then i grabbed a few groceries at walmart and came home to fix dinner.

i thought i'd pick some odds and ends of items i found online this week and thought you might like them too


make a lavendar heating pad


an outspoken place to visit. i bought a bumper sticker and my minivan wears it proudly!!

learn money saving tips here

resurrection cookies recipe (plus a great blog)

well that's just a few but i think i gave you some goodies :)

winners!!!

ok there were a 2 whole whopping entries in the book giveaway!!! i happen to have 2 copies of the book so i will simply send a copy to both ")

congrats!!!

my first blog tour with giveaway!

Paperback: 480 pages
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (March 16, 2010)
ISBN-10: 1400070015
ISBN-13: 978-1400070015





Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her.
Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips.
His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.
One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown.
A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland , Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

Author Bio:

LIZ CURTIS HIGGS is the author of twenty-seven books with three million copies in print, including: her best-selling historical novels, Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, Christy Award-winner Whence Came a Prince, and Grace in Thine Eyes, a Christy Award finalist; My Heart’s in the Lowlands: Ten Days in Bonny Scotland, an armchair travel guide to Galloway; and her contemporary novels, Mixed Signals, a Rita Award finalist, and Bookends, a Christy Award finalist. Visit the author’s extensive website at www.lizcurtishiggs.com

want to buy this book? click HERE
OR WIN IT!!!

simply leave me a comment saying why you want this book and please leave your email addy in your comment.
giveaway ends friday :)

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

i found a headcovering giveaway!!

go HERE to enter to win $25 worth of headcoverings from cover your hair!!

there is so much!

i have found a new site that i want to tell you about! csn stores.
they have sooooo many neat things! all at great prices. for the homemaker looking for kitchen equipment or decorating her home, csn has got you covered!



i'll show you a few things i like the most from their home bar section and maybe you will get inspired to head over there yourself.

home bars has some cool stuff! first off i like the Paula Deen Home Captain Mike's Bar in Tobacco . ya'll know how much i like paula deen so when i saw this listed i got excited! and good ole paula didn't let me down! i love the color,the knobs,and the drawer space especially!! i don't drink but i do entertain - God has asked us to be hospitable- and this would come in so handy for me! think of all the goodies i could put in the drawers!



another product i liked was the Broyhill Color Cuisine Kitchen Island Bar Set in Buttermilk. now that is my type of decorating!!wire racks for cookie sheets , a spice rack on the door,a butcher block top and seats for the kids!!

if you need bar stools csn has got them! from swivel to stationary, from backs to arms,and from leather and fabric csn has you covered!

this site is great! they have all sorts of namebrands to choose from and all of sorts of styles. so if paula deen doesn't grab ya, and country isn't your look then pick something oriental. or something with an island flair. csn all barstools has it all!

now when it came to the other department of csn i admit i was lightheaded in the kitchen area! let me show you a few of my favs-
All-Clad Cop-R-Chef 12" Frying Pan

Presto Peel a Meal Electric Peeler
this thing can peel 2 lbs of potatos in 4 minutes or less!!!

ever wish your cookbook was easier to read while in the middle of baking a cake? well paula deen takes care of that for you!



i actually have paula's entire cookware set and i love it. this pot here- comes in so handy!!!

ok just one more cuz i could go on all nite!

csn has bookcaeses too! be still my heart! i picked this one Bush Birmingham Five Shelf Bookcase in Harvest Cherry to go in my house!



as you can tell csn has a lot! from barstools and bars, to cookware and kitchen items, from bookcases to bedding ( my daughter loves her sheets from them ) from exercise equipment to pet items and much more csn has it all (and with free shipping on a lot of items!) so check them out!!

we have a winner!

hotmamahall- you won my giveaway!! you won the tropical traditions all purpose cleaner! you were number 5!! send me your name and address and i'll get the info to tropical and get your cleaner out you! see my email addy on the right sidebar :)

Fearless Friday

for more fearless friday go HERE

praying for parker is a site i found awhile back and have kept close in my heart , i guess becuz i have a parker and this woman is named tammy and so am i !
anyway parker is struggling right now. he needs our prayers to get better and then he still needs our prayers since he has downs and asome problems associated with that. and wouldn't ya know- insurance has refused to pay for some of the things he NEEDS?!!!!!!

so head over to praying for parker read the latest and pray for this precious child. and for wisdom and guidance for his parents who need to think of a way to come up with $5000. if you have any ideas, or some cash to give, that would be fantastic!

Daddy and Daughter Wordless Wednsday

don't forget to enter my giveaway

Spring Clean With Tropical!

GIVEAWAY LISTED BELOW!

Straight from the Tropical Tradition's website

Safe & non-toxic, this solution is for all your household/commercial cleaning needs! Replace all of your harmful, toxic cleaners with Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner! This environmentally safe botanical mixture contains no harmful detergents or solvents, no perfumes or dyes, and is easy to use! Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner is an enzyme-based botanical formula that can cut through the toughest grease or dirt, and is completely non-toxic.

Kitchens
Spray Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner on counter tops, stove tops, ovens, refrigerators and sinks and wipe clean. For more difficult areas, let sit for a longer period of time. May also be used as a dishwashing liquid in the sink or dishwasher. Put in soap dispenser or foamer and use for hand soap. Cuts grease, wax and oil.

Bathrooms
Spray Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner in the bathtub, sink and toilet. Wipe and rinse. Also spray on soap scum, mold and mildew; leave on for several minutes, then wipe and rinse clean.

Automobiles
Use 1-2 oz. Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner in 1 gallon of water when washing car.

* Exterior: For bugs, tree sap and tar, spray directly on the area. Let sit for a few minutes, then wash off with water and a clean cloth. Works great for removing grease, dirt & oil!
* Tires: Spray directly on tires. Let sit several minutes, then gently scrub with a brush and rinse clean.
* Engine: Spray directly on cool engine. Let sit for up to 30 minutes, then wipe or spray clean.

Fruits/Vegetables
Spray on fruits/vegetables, then rinse clean.

Laundry
Pre-spray stains and spots with Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner. Use 1-3 ounces in wash cycle. Heavily soiled or large loads: Pre-spray stains and spots. If especially greasy or soiled, allow to soak for at least 30 minutes or even overnight if necessary, then wash as normal. Works great for removing blood, grease, wax, dirt & oil!

Soot/Tar/Grease/Grills
Spray directly on surface and let sit for several minutes. Scrub with a brush and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Repeat if necessary.

Other Uses
Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner can be used on carpets, walls, and floors. May also be used as carpet shampoo. (Substitute carpet shampoo with Household Traditions All Purpose Cleaner when cleaning.)

OK MY TAKE
Great stuff! i used this cleaner to wipe down a greasy stove and i was impressed! it pooled all the grease into easy to wipe spots instead of simply wetting a large area and leaving in one piece. makes life easier :)

I USED IT TO CLEAN MY BATHROOM- SUPER JOB :)

i used it to wipe down my wood table- shiny and clean and no fumes!

what i especially liked about the cleaner is that it does so many things!! did you see that it cleans carpet? do you have kids? COME ON!
i only need one bottle in a crowded kitchen rather than several.

AND IT IS NONTOXIC!! your children can help clean and you don't have to worry about them!

WANNA WIN A BOTTLE?

SIMPLY SIGN UP FOR Tropical Tradition's newsletter! that's it! easy peasy :)

want another entry? put my button on your blog. just copy and paste. and i'm so pretty that i will dress up your page immensely! lol lol lol lol lol lol but seriously add the button and get another entry :)

GO! THIS ENDS FRIDAY!
i was given one bottle of household cleaner for free to try and do this review :)

Honored!

I AM SO BLESSED!!! I AM SO HONORED.

i was given this award by Kim at Marmee's Pantry


The Sunshine Award is awarded to bloggers whose positivity & creativity inspires others in the blogworld!

By earning this award, I have been given the privilege of awarding it to 10 other blogs that I love to read. (But I couldn't pick just 10!)
And my award winners are...

organized homemaking for Christ

Far Above Rubies

Kitchen Stewardship

Homestead Blessings
Pink Slippers
I'm Heading Towards My Destiny
A Country Helpmeet

An Oregon Cottage
Yes We Know What Causes It
3 Acre Homestead

well that's 10 . i love a lot more but i picked only 10 like i was supposed to :)

making life easier

do you ever feel like you need to make life easier? for whatever reason? maybe what i've done will help you :)

i went thru my day looking for what of what i needed at the moment but didn't have and wrote it down. i will buy those things this weekend.

1-i really need a light by my computer. my son took mine awhile ago and ever since then i have struggled to see the keyboard. i will get one saturday!

2 now that my children rode around in the hamper (don't ask) i don't have one! so i have dutifully piled the dirty clothes in a corner!! no more!! i went and bought one last nite! (it's been a messy 2 weeks lol )

3-baths are tough at our house! we have a very small water heater and 9 people plus 2 or 3 loads of dishes each day to get clean. so we stagger the baths/showers but it doesn't always work. no more! i have decided to give my littles their baths in the a.m instead of the p.m and if someone doesn't like it i don't care!! lol

4-i am buying bread for now. i hate to bake it, it seldom comes out well - i don't know why!- and if i am willing to spend big bucks i can get a brand that doesn't have harmful ingredients in it. i AM willing to spend big bucks.

5- with all the food blogs i read , not to mention books!, i am soooo confused! BUT i have decided to keep with my original food plan- eat only what God made! yes i know i will eat fast food on the weekends becuz that's what hubby does sometimes but i will work hard during the week lol. so no more listening to others' tell me what to eat and thinking they automatically know better!

oh there's more but i won't bore you. plus i have giveaways to enter! lol i won 4 this week :) so i feel it's worth my time. if you have any great easy ideas to share please do so :) i need all the help i can get lol lol

just words from me

well today is the first day of tornado season and we have a tornado warning already! remember my fear of tornados? well i am already praying :) UPDATE WHILE I'M WRITING THIS- 2 were already spotted!

what am i gonna talk about today? i don't really know lol my brain is foggy, like it has been known to be sometimes with this stupid sickness i was so blessed to get so my thoughts are a swirl.

i am getting ready try a new cleaner from Tropical Traditions! once I give it a good run I'll do a giveaway about it :)
after that i will do a review on their teeth cleaners since i was so blessed to win a selection of them from one of my favorite giveaway sites- sweeps4bloggers.co

I got picked to do a house party from houseparty.com. my party will center around velveeta cheese and maxwell coffee. i have applied to several of their parties but this is the first one i got chosen for. my box from them came today- it had spatulas and recipe cards for me to pass out to my guests as well as a block of velveeta, napkins, coffee cups, and coupons for free coffee (17 of them!) and money off of velveeta. i plan to make their cheesy chicken noodle casserole to serve for a late lunch and have coffee while we discuss playdates etc for the upcoming springtime (house party sets the ideas not me)


I NEED TO FIX THE STEW AND GET GOING ON MY SUPPER. whoops didn't mean to yell lol! i'll cya later

Between Wyomings by Ken Mansfield

Between Wyomings by Ken Mansfield



i was blessed by thomas nelson publishers with this book for a review.

Book Description

Join Ken Mansfield on a road trip through the canyons of Hollywood, the outlaw alleys of Nashville, and the backstreets of his soul as this Grammy Award-winning producer recreates his journey through the lush landscapes of success and the deserts that led him home.

For three decades, Ken Mansfield lived the heady life of a record executive and friend to such cultural icons as the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Dolly Parton, and Waylon Jennings. Along the way, he collected a Grammy, number-one albums, and a disquiet that he pushed soul-deep.Between Wyomings invites readers to travel with him on a tender journey that calls readers to reflect on the highways of their own lives and the deserts that press them into the heart of a Creator who has been there all along. As Ken discovers, sometimes when we see how lost we are, we can finally begin to find home.

ok that being done- all the necessary stuff- what did i think of the book?
well.......for one thing the small print gave me a headache. heads up on that!

second- i couldn't get into this book tho i tried to for a long time.
i did enjoy snippets of stories with the stars, like Bobbie Gentry, Glen Campbell,the Beatles, and more. reading how the author interacted with them was a good and short read each time.

BUT the part i kept hoping for more about was the author's relationship with God growing and becoming something it was not to begin with and it never came. it was "promised" but i found it lacking. substance i guess is the word i am looking for.

it was fun getting a glimpse into different stars' lives, like i said, being at the top of their field usually but that isn't enough to get me to say i really enjoyed the book. it wasn't a page-turner and i had felt like it would be.

i love it!

i found this thru my new facebook friend Karin Hallberg. she discovered it on the net but didn't find the author. enjoy!

A paraphrase of a Bible parable for today's prodigal women.

A certain man had a wife and three children. The wife becoming dissatisfied with being a mother and doing housework and coveting the money and material belongings of her neighbors, said to her husband: "Secure for me the social security number that falleth to me, divide unto me thy wardrobe of trousers, and I will go out into the world and seek a man's job." With reluctant heart the husband granted her desire and divided his wardrobe.

Not many days later the wife donned slacks and with a tool box took her journey far across town and secured a man's job. She made big wages but she associated with the wicked and listened to the vulgar stories that they told. There was a mighty spiritual famine in the land, and she grew lean in her soul. ... See More

The children turned loose at the mercy of the neighbors, soon forgot they had a mother. But the husband fondly remembered how it was in the home when the wife had been there and wished that she would return. He dined on cold lunch meat while the wife tried in vain to fill her stomach with the husks of cheese crackers that fell from the vending machine. And no man gave unto her the respect due to a lady. One day at rest period as she sat engulfed in cigarette smoke and smutty stories, she came to herself. "Here I sit surrounded by vulgarity having sacrificed the respect due to a lady. At home is my deserted husband, and roaming the streets unrestrained are my children. The money I make seems so small when compared to the peace of mind and soul that was mine before I left home."

In vain she did try to smother her conscience with thoughts that she was contributing to the family's economic welfare. However, it was in vain. Therefore she said to herself, "I will arise and go to my husband and will say to him, 'Husband, I have sinned against heaven in neglecting you and the children in this way. I am no more worthy to be called thy wife nor mother to thy children; make me thy hired housekeeper.'" So, she gathered her tools and started home.

While she was still a long way off, the husband saw her and ran and clasped her in his arms. And the wife said, "Husband, I am not more worthy to be called thy wife, nor the mother of thy children." But the husband said to the children, "Run and bring hither a dress and the best apron. Rush to the market and get a steak off the fatted calf, and let us have a hot meal once more. For this thy mother was lost but is found, so rejoice and be merry." ¨

food this week

mon-spaghetti - used coupons to get $1 off each can of muir glen diced tomatos making each can 38 cents! i'll put them in the blender and make spag sauce. :)

tues- chili- some one gave us 2 lbs buffalo meat so i will chop that up and put it in :)

wed-ham and baked beans- still using those hams i bought on sale LOL

thur- navy bean soup using the hambone from yesterday

fri-lentil soup

sat- leftovers of navy bean soup


snacks are: apples, popcorn, kashi granola bars (remember the great deal i got!), carrots and dip, grapes,

breakfasts are
- bagels and cream cheese ( had fantastic coupons for bagels!)
-oatmeal
-grapenuts cereal (it was on clearance and i had qs!)

lunches
pb and j- had terrific qs for earth grains bread so i bought 4. no high fruitose corn syrup!
eggs - again a q for eggland's best and i'll use shortening i love from tropical traditions!
leftovers
cheese qusadillas

just discussing stuff

well tonight i was able to save $38 with coupons at target! yay for me!!

one thing i do is i shop clearance items. tonite they had cover girl lip gloss regularly priced at $8 a package. on clearance for $2 a package. i had a coupon for $2.50 off any 2 CG products. so i paid $1.50 total for $16 worth of stuff . (i wear lip gloss daily so for me it was a deal)

i bought kashi granola bars- the healthy kind, not the junk, with my coupons while they were on sale. i bought 10 boxes (i have 7 kids) . they were on sale $2.50 a box and if you bought 4 boxes you got 1 free. i had coupons for $1.50 off each :) so i got 10 boxes and paid $6. 4 boxes went into the emergency pantry.
and so on.

i combine sales with coupons and that is how i save. if generic is fine and it's cheaper then i buy that.
i use coupons.com, couponsurfer.com,redplum.com and mypoints.com ( cool thing with my points- every time you use their coupons you also get points added to your account. i have earned $60 in gift cards this way! sign up under me!) ..
i just turned in another set of points for a $10 gift card to the olive garden. i'll use it to celebrate dh's and my birthdays. yes we share a birthday :)
we used the last one for our anniversary :)

i also hit salvation army today and got several books for parker. he is a voracious reader and it's hard to keep up with him lol so i look for "cheap" books every chance i get.
i only won 1 giveaway this week!! what's happened to my "talent"? lol


dh and i discussed a bible study i have been doing with someone and we decided that it would be best to end that situation so prayers please when i tell her.

speaking of bible study- can ya'll give me verses that say specifically what God does in our lives? what i mean is - i have always believed that God was intimately involved in my life but in doing bible studies with this woman i mention above i have been "swayed" to see that God simply looks down on us from heaven and watches what goes on but since the world is under satan for now God doesn't get involved until Jesus comes back. what do you all think?

what do you all do for easter? i am debating this in my heart also. i don't want to offend God if i celebrate it but i am not sure if i do.

oh here is a site that i think you'll like - coffee tea books and me

just me

i am tired of cooking!



giveaway coming soon :)

content?

1200 square feet isn't enough room for 2 people? (hubby and i and our dd lived in 900 sq. feet for 2 yrs but ok )

a single person MUST have a living room, an office, a family room and a sunroom or it's not enough space? she says you can't invite people over for superbowl parties unless you have a family room. the living room isn't good enough. ( we have 9 of us in our family and we only have a living room. not a sunroom in sight!)

we don't like the size of the rooms of any of the houses you showed us- none of them are big enough for our tv!!!!

we will not even consider a bathroom without 2 sinks. no way!! (i only have one sink in my bathroom but no need to feel sorry for me-there isn't any running water anyway! lol so... thank God the other bathroom works.)

now that the kids are bigger we need more room. (could work except the kids were 2 and 3 and they already lived in 3500 sq feet)

these were all statements on househunters. a show i like except when statements like this are made.

what does God say?

1Ti 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Phl 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (paul was in prison when he wrote this so i bet he would have thought a sunroom was over the top !)

Hbr 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.


where are you at?