Friday, January 28, 2011

And the winner is....

Every time I have a contest, I am amazed at the wonderful names - y'all are SO creative! Thank you all for taking the time to help me and if you didn't win -don't be discouraged.  There's another contest coming right up....think cinnamon rolls!

I loved so many of the names this time - I'm inclined to make more pink soaps just to be able to use the names!  And many of you submitted the name that I picked. However, I went back to date/time of email and comment submissions to make sure the the first submission won.

And the winner is......Fkaren1964 on 1/20/11 at 12:27 pm by email for the wonderful name Tickled Pink! Congratulations!  Please email me with your choice of soap and your package will be sent your way!

I'll do my best to have this new soap on my website before the weekend is over.

Stay tuned for the next contest!

Blessings!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Soap Contest Ends Tonight!

Just a gentle reminder (while my internet connection is working) that the soap naming contest ends tonight at midnight.  If you haven't submitted your names, this is your last chance!

Blessings,

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Will you dance?



Can't you just imagine?  I can hardly wait...how about you?

Blessings,

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Got mail? Evidently not....

Ok...so apparently I am still having email problems - like...I send it out, everything seems normal but it flies off and disappears.  SO....if you have emailed me and not had a response within 24 hours, please email me again and include a number so I can call you or contact me on my Facebook page.

Comcast is the bomb....literally...

And that's not the worst of it.....it is snowing again. Seriously. I'm not kidding.

Keep the soap names coming - it's a bright spot in my life right now.

Blessings,

Soap Naming Contest #1!

Here she is....isn't she pretty?

Obviously, she is a she because she is dressed in pink!  But, alas, she doesn't have a name...yet!  This is an unscented facial bar for normal skin....for those of you who have nagged me sweetly requested one for years.


Once again, I'm counting on your creative juices to help me create a name!  Of course, the best way to accomplish this is with a contest! And with a contest there has to be rules and prizes...

The Rules
1. Contest begins now and ends at midnight on January 25th.
2. Name will be chosen by my family.  Although there *is* a winner, we are not obligated to use your name...after all..we might choose one of our own!
3. You can't be related to me and win.
4. You may enter as many times as you like.
5. Suggestions must be left in the comment section of this post or sent in email.
6. Winner will be announced January 27th!

And now we have...
The Prizes!
Winner gets a free bar of the soap they name and one other soap of their choosing.
I even pay the shipping!

Always wanted to try my soap but never got around to it? Now's the time...perhaps you can try it absolutely free! 


Blessings,



Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Catching up

Rain!  Glorious rain fell here yesterday.  Do you know the best thing about rain?  It melts snow and ice.  It's sort of like that game rock, scissors, paper...remember that? Rain beats snow and ice!  My driveway is clear for the first time in a month and my car still starts!  We won't talk about the snow prediciton for Friday.


My landline phone works again - well it never really stopped working - I mean you could get a dial tone...if you listened very carefully you could hear the dial tone through the horrendous hum and static.  Snowed in and no phone - those days were so comforting! Let's not do that again soon.

My internet connection comes and goes - so does our email.  Our modem went too...died...right as I was trying to upload a new soap to my website.  Frustration level - 10+!  They are "working on it".  I can just imagine them out there in the trenches, in the rain, sleet and snow diligently searching for and finding the problem and fixing it.....I so believe that is happening.....if I put on red shoes and tap my heels three times will it make it all come true?

Because I haven't had an internet connection last long enough to change it, my Soap Making Made Simple e-book and my Herbal Medicine Made Simple e-book are still on sale.  Fair warning though - as soon as I get 5 minutes of internet access in a row the sale is coming down. Better get them while you can.

I need some help naming some new soaps.  I guess I'll do some short posts for each contest because my internet connection is so reliable....

*cough*

 Keep watching...it is all in the hands of Comcast!


Monday, January 17, 2011

Snow People

We love snow.  We are, as this lady would say, snow people.  When I tell the boys the weather forecast is for snow flurries, they haul the sleds out of the equipment shed to the sledding hill  "just in case", they take the weed eater out and whack down anything that has had the nerve to grow in cold weather on their sledding hill and they begin asking if I'll whip up some of my home made hot chocolate.

When enough snow does come to Tennessee for sledding (about once a year), we wear ourselves out going down and coming up the hill.  We sled until we're soaked.  We turn the streetlight on and sled at night.  We build a bonfire in the yard, warm up and keep going.  We make snow angels, snowmen and snow ice cream. We are card carrying snow people of Tennessee.

The beauty of living here in Tennessee is that snow comes down a lot but it doesn't lay. I get to enjoy the beauty but don't have to drive in it - until now.  Usually any snow is gone within a day - two at the most. We have had more snow in the last month than we have had in almost 10 years combined. However, the rules of Tennessee snow have been violated. The contract has been broken and not by us - we were perfectly happy!

We have had 4 to 5 inches fall at one time - and before it could even begin to melt here comes another 2...or 3...or an ice storm.  This is the south people!

When I tell the boys that more snow is predicted, I am now greeted with moans instead of whoops of joy.  Our church meetings have been canceled, our home groups have been canceled. We are done with snow. I must remind you that we are not Colorado snow people, or North Dakota snow people - we are Tennessee snow people and that is a completely different critter. The scary part is that February is the month that gets the most snow here. Where can we turn in our cards?


Our house sits at the bottom of a small incline.  Therefore, when the deluge of snow begins to melt it all runs down toward me and then freezes at night.  This is how we ended up with 2 inches of ice covered by 6 inches of snow on our driveway.  I drive a minivan - no 4 wheel drive.  It doesn't do snow very well - much less ice.


Even though we haven't had snow in days - my gravel driveway still looks like this..in the sunshine!

Our friends with 4-wheel drive can handle it as long as they don't get too close to the sheet of ice on the concrete portion of the driveway. My mailman can navigate it....Federal Express has no problems...UPS won't touch it...but UPS does not follow the creed of the USPS - if there is even a hint at flurries then UPS turns tail and rushes back to their warehouse.  They venture out again sometime in the spring. I know this.

My mama's house sits at the top of the hill - her snow is melting and becoming my ice.  How nice of her to share.  The snow is now melting on the concrete part of my driveway but that is not good news my friends...why you ask?  Because it only reveals the ice beneath.  I've been able to walk to my mailbox and my mama's house because I walk on the snow - doing that now would look like something akin to hopscotch as I kept to the snow and avoided the icy patches.


Waterers in the field have required more work - no longer are we cracking a thin layer of ice on the tops...the boys are encountering icebergs...

This is what our hands look like after chores...well...maybe not...but this is how they feel after chores















My plan to foil the weather - stay inside and get caught up on lots of computer work...not.  Evidently this storm caused lots of problems for Comcast - which doesn't work great when the sun is shining.  We have all had email problems...well....more than normal email problems and lack of service problems which has prevented a lot of online time....except in the wee hours in the morning and I'm just not that dedicated. Anyone have the number for Verizon?

So I have opted for the fun things...like cleaning out closets, painting, organizing...I'm just giddy with joy!

Good thing mama lives at the top of the hill, we have been able to ride with her to town for provisions or we might have all starved to death...ok...maybe that is an exaggeration...maybe. 

Mama has 4 wheel drive.  I love 4 wheel drive!

The pink snow has been wonderful - when the sunset looks like this all of the snow glows pink - it's like living in farm fairyland.  It's almost enough to make me like the sno......never mind.














Blessings!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Home again, home again, jiggety jig!

It's so good to be home!  Not that I was that far away - just next door at my mama's house.  We settled in after her surgery, made it through the week and visited all of the doctors that are part of her routine now.  She's got a few more tests to do just making sure her medication is regulated properly and then she is off and flying!

She got to loose her sling (used to keep her left arm immobile while the implant settled into place), no longer has to have me there 24/7, is allowed to drive again and life is pretty much back to normal for her.  Just.  Amazing.

Although the holidays were not what we anticipated, we are grateful for the wonderful family time with ALL of us there that we have enjoyed...slowing.... just to be with each other has been wonderful!

We are getting back to normal ourselves...schooling, Torah study, cooking, cleaning, laundry and church activities.  It feels good to get back into the routine...at least we are working on getting back into the routine!

We've done some very different things over the holidays that I am excited to share with you...such a blessing!

Just a reminder that  my e-books Soapmaking Made Simple and Herbal Medicine Made Simple are still on sale for a short bit. I'm looking forward to working with those of you who have purchased already!

The boys and I are making some short and long range goals for the year.  I think this year might be a "wild ride" for my little family and we are trying to get prepared!

Tonight, we are in the midst of another snow storm...it's beautiful....huge lazy feather-flakes slowly drifting down from the heavens...blanketing our farm...covering us with the amazing quiet that only comes with snow!

Praying that y'all are tucked in quietly with family.

Blessings!

Monday, January 3, 2011

His Endless Gifts

This new year we desire more of Him in our lives on a daily basis.  Each decision, each action...for each of us....directed by Him.  We desire to worship Him, to sing praises in the good times and to sing hallelujah...the hard hallelujah....in difficult times.  We want to see Him in the big things and the small things...we don't want to miss Him..... so we worship Him with gratitude each day as our eyes are opened to Him being present all the time.......in everything...


#391 to #410


mama feeling better every day


miraculous provisions from strangers


every need met


the joy of giving


new beginnings


family time


amazing food


game nights....and days


surprise boxes from overseas


books filled with wisdom


German chocolate...yummy


new understandings


old friends


the ability to make changes....we all have this!


amazing gifts from friends


the joy of serving others


plans for an exciting new year


good news about friends


sons worshipping together


country life




Won't you join me as I worship the King with gratitude...your life will change and perhaps you will find, as I do, that He is your source, He is your provider...He never fails...He never forsakes....

He leaves me breathless....



holy experience

Seeing Him everywhere!


Saturday, January 1, 2011

I want to see You....

As we begin this new year, may the eyes of our hearts be opened so that we can see Him high and lifted up...in all of our lives....each day...in all things




May your New Year be blessed and be filled with more of Him!

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