3 Must Have Products We Discovered This Year

It seems like there is a never-ending list of new gadgets and ideas that come out all the time. New ways to brush your pet, sew a pillow, dry your dishes, and wash your clothes! But there are 3 things we've discovered this year that are must-haves, in our book.
1. Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel
This product comes with an applicater that allows you to stick a gel thing on the inside of your toilet. It lasts about a week and it works wonder for keeping the sewer smell down! It was given to us in a Care Basket by a Pastor's Wife friend and it's extremely handy.

2. Kindle
My wonderful husband bought a Kindle after Thanksgiving. We just got the plain, regular Kindle because I only wanted something to read books on, I didn't need another gadget for me to watch movies, tv, surf the internet, or do Facebook on. Plus the regular Kindle has the e-ink display which I love! I don't get eye strain while reading it. I absolutely love my Kindle, it's so awesome. Instead of having to find a local library that will allow us to rent books, and instead of filling our trailer with loads of books, I can rent them wirelessly and transfer them to the Kindle. It's an amazing piece of technology and I love, love, love it!
3. Norwex cloth
I heard about this when we were in Omaha, NE. A lady in the church sells them and she told me all about them. I couldn't even begin to explain what it is except it's a microfiber cloth that uses silver to capture and eliminate bacteria. You can use the cloth without any chemicals and remove as much bacteria as a Clorox wipe does. Again, without the harmful chemicals. The lovely woman in Omaha gave me a cloth when we left and I used it to clean the grease off of my cabinets and microwave and let me tell you, it is amazing! I have been trying to get the bacon grease smell out of my cabinet and I've used a baking soda paste, vinegar/water spray, and Dawn dish soap. None of it helped. I got this cloth wet, wrung out the water, and wiped the cabinet and wiped away layers of grease without hardly even having to try. And the bacon smell is gone! It also cleaned my microwave and fridge and they look brand new. Again, without any chemicals! I have also been told you can use it to clean your bathroom, mirrors/windows, and anything else and because of the activated silver inside of the cloth, you only have to wash it once a month. I want to get some more cloths, I have never seen a product like it before. If you try to live a "clean" life without harmful chemicals, this is definitely something you should look into.
So those are my top products of the year. I realize #1 and #3 conflict a little, but that's my life. I just take what God gives me and try to do the best I can with it!

We made it!

After our 5 day trip to get here, we made it to Carson, Mississippi. I haven't actually seen Carson yet, we are parked at a Youth Camp out in the woods. It is so beautiful here and it smells amazing. The weather is also perfect, mid 60's, low 70's during the day and mid 40's at night. It should be like that the whole time we're here, too.
We had to stay an extra night in Jackson because of the rain and they hadn't gotten the campsite ready for more RVs yet. And I was ready to leave Jackson! I'm just not a big city girl. I like a mid-size town with a variety of grocery stores and restaurants, but not a city.
We got here to the campground on Friday and we do not get any phone reception whatsoever. Actually Caleb got one bar at the top of a hill. But the Pastor was able to put an internet router in the Chow Hall (we're parked right next to it) so we get internet now and we can use our phone because we both have wi-fi calling! It's just another example of how the Lord provides your desires when you find satisfaction in where you are.

What is your legacy?

Psalm 109:6Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.

7When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.

8Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

9Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

10Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

11Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour.

12Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children.

13Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

14Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

15Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.

16Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

17As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

18As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

19Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

20Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and of them that speak evil against my soul.

21But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
I heard a great message tonight about this passage, but in a way I never would have thought to look at it. Verses 1-5 talk about a person who speaks against God and His followers and then these verses say what will happen to a person that does this. I can't remember everything the Pastor said but basically the Lord spoke to me about being negative. I don't think of myself as a negative person, and I don't consciously look for negative things, it's more like I take the positive things for granted, I just suppose everyone already knows those things. So all that comes out sometimes is the negative. And it's something I'm really going to work on! I find irony in things and I like to mention it, but it shouldn't be mentioned more than the blessings in my life.
I just thought I would share. I know a few people that I would say are complainers and always think negatively about things, and I do not want that as my legacy. And as the verses say, I don't want my children to be vagabonds because they inherited my complaining and discontent attitude. Nobody wants to do nice things for a complainer. Nobody remembers a complainer. You won't be succesful if you always complain. The Lord can't bless you if you can't be thankful. And He especially can't be a blessing to you if you speak evil against Him or His people.

Wait, where am I?

These past few days have been a little crazy! I'll give you a few highlights.
1. We left on Sunday for Dallas. We got stuck in a traffic jam because of a car wreck when we were 10 minutes away from our destination! It ended up taking us almost an hour.
2. On Monday I drove to Grand Prairie, TX (between Dallas and Ft. Worth) to drop off some baby clothes for a friend and I had a blast driving through Dallas! I missed the AM traffic so I was cruising. It was like commandeering my own roller coaster cart. I might want to be a NASCAR driver in my next life.
3. Speaking of baby clothes, I have now given away all of our baby clothes. *deep breath* I feel great about it, I'm glad they could all go to people that need them.
4. When we arrived in Shreveport, LA Monday night we wanted to walk around somewhere and unfortunately got lost in Shreveport. Bad idea! It is not the nicest city I've ever been in. But we finally found a mall and then a Pizza Hut where the kids enjoyed their first Personal Pan Pizza earned by Book-It.
5. Did you know you can't find non-ethanol gas in Louisiana? Unfortunately I found that out Tuesday morning. I had to settle for mid-grade gas.
6. Mississippi is nice so far, we're going to the Vicksburg National Military Park tomorrow. Should be fun!

Make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh, make 'em laugh!

If you have met me in person at any time, you will know that I love to laugh. Loud and long clear! My husband says I laugh louder than anyone he knows, especially when I'm around certain people that are especially hilarious. One thing I cannot stand is talking to someone that does not understand humor. I hate it when I'm talking to someone and I crack a joke and instead of laughing the person either looks at me in a befuddled manner, or contradicts me and explains her real intent or thought. Then I have to say "I know, I was just joking." This happens to me a lot. Side note: maybe I should learn from that.
Anyway, talking to someone who doesn't have a sense of humor is like eating toast without butter. Or corn without salt. Or coffee without creamer. There is no enjoyment and I can't wait until it's over. How can you enjoy life if you never laugh? If you don't understand sarcasm, how can you get through life? Sarcasm is my favorite way to get out of any awkward or embarrassing situation.
People who don't laugh and don't get sarcasm usually talk about any or all of these three subjects: How much they hate Walmart; how they know Obama is a Muslim; and any ache, pain, illness or discomfort they or anyone they know may be having and how their Doctor is too stupid to properly diagnose and/or treat their condition. I hate discussing any and all of those three topics. When any of those things are brought up, I'm looking for the exit. Because people who seriously discuss those things usually have no sense of humor and I have no taste for dry toast.
There's a time and a place for serious discussions and times when jokes are not appropriate. Side note: keep trying to figure out when jokes are not appropriate. But really people, lighten up and take a joke. And if you're talking to me and I suddenly skirt away or find a lame excuse to talk to someone else; you probably don't have a sense of humor. (that was a joke. kind of)

My Winter Wreath

I have stepped out of my comfort zone and into the new world of crafting. I've always liked crafty things, but I've never ventured very far into that world. But I got inspired to make a Fall Wreath a few months back and then I got inspired to decorate for the winter, so I changed my Fall Wreath into a Winter Wreath. I used silver tinsel that I had used for Lela's bday party and added some candy canes we made with white pipe cleaners and red and white beads. I hope you like it! As usual, it looks better in person.