Sometimes you just need to take some time to pamper yourself. Today, I thought I'd share a few of my more recent pampering favorites:
Fall is here and one of my favorite things about fall is the scents associated with the season - baked goods, spices, etc. I don't always have time to be baking (and I'd weigh about a million pounds if I did!), so I like burning candles to get those yummy-smelling aromas in my house. At a local craft shop, I found a really neat brand of candles that are poured in regular canning jars - what's neat about them is that they all look the same - the jars are covered with a bumpy brownish paint, some gauzy fabric, and a brown paper label. This is cool because you don't have to buy candles based on color anymore - these fit any decor and you don't even see the candle inside. Plus, they are long-burning. Alas, I don't see a brand name listed on it anywhere, so I can't share a link with you (if I had a camera, I'd take a picture).
Another great candle product that I've been enjoying is the Sugar Cookie Soywax pint-sized candle by Homestead Originals. These are available in various sizes and fragrances, are hand-poured by my friend and co-worker, Lisa Barthuly, and smell awesome!
Another awesome product from Homestead Originals is their Handmade Lavender Wheatberry Heating Pad. I ordered mine without the lavender because I'm not a fan of the flowery fragrances, but this thing is just so wonderful! Lately, I've been having a good deal of back pain and this feels so good when I heat it up and put it behind my lower back on the couch. Also, after a long and tiring day, this feels great around my neck! The website recommends using it as a bed-warmer, and I am SO going to be trying that this winter. Talk about some major pampering!
With the cooler weather, comes dry skin. I haven't had much trouble in the past, but this year my hands have been unusually dry (right around the knuckles). Just when I thought I was going to have to break down and purchase an expensive lotion, they started getting better. I had recently opened a new container of dish soap - and it's been a lifesaver. Dawn Hand Renewal has been surprisingly effective. The bottle says that it improves the look and feel of your hands in just 5 days, and I'm here to attest to that fact. It sounds kinda silly to consider dish soap something of a pampering product, but I'm sold on this stuff - it's a miracle worker. On Wednesday, my knuckles were like sandpaper; today they're soft and smooth.
Winter is the time for long, hot bubble baths, so I also ordered some of my favorite bubble bath from Avon. Curling up in a hot tub filled with bubbles, reading a good book, and smelling a yummy candle - sounds pretty great to me.
What are you doing to pamper yourself? Any great products you can recommend to me?
I saw this over on Debbie's blog and it was too good of news not to pass along! We own and love all the previous movies from Sherwood Pictures (Flywheel, Facing the Giants, and Fireproof) - so we'll be anxious to add this new movie to our collection as well. Sounds like it'll be another great one!
OK, I admit it, I'm a total school supply junkie! I'm a sucker for notebooks, folders, pencils, etc. We don't even have to need them - sometimes we just WANT them. Yes, I say "we" because I've passed this fascination/addiction with school supplies on to both my girls, who are constantly begging for new pencils, notebooks, etc.
Carolina Pad is one of my favorite school supply companies! I can always count on them to have great-looking products that are fun to use. One of my personal favorites these days is the Kendall Collection. I've got this lapbook bag (which I think is just too fun!) and these folders and dividers (which make my homemade organizer for work and home look very put-together). Another favorite pattern/collection is the Hot Chocolate collection. I've got several notebooks from this collection, and Ashley has a binder.
I was recently asked to help Carolina Pad celebrate the 13th birthday of their Ghostline products. I received a selection of Ghostline products to review and was beyond thrilled! You see, in addition to my obsession with school stuff, I'm also a stickler for neatness (otherwise known as a "paperwork perfectionist"). I so wish these products would have been available when I was in high school and was making posters for pep rallies! Why? Because the Ghostline products have very faint gridlines on them, making it amazingly easy to write and keep things straight!
I used the large display board kit to make this memory board for Ashley's 16th birthday:
I think it turned out really cute and you can't even see the lines unless you look very closely. I would definitely recommend the Ghostline products to anyone needing posterboard or display boards for school or work-related projects.
Carolina Pad is having a contest this month, in honor of Ghostline's birthday. Go here to enter. You need to leave a comment in order to be eligible to win. So, be sure to head on over and say "Happy Birthday" to Ghostline!
NOTE: I received free product from Carolina Pad in order to write this review. I used the products in my home, and the thoughts shared herein are definitely my own, based on my personal experience.
It's so hard for me to believe that I have a 16-year-old! Wow - time really does fly when you're having fun - and we've had 16 VERY FUN years with this girl! I don't mean to brag, but she is just THE BEST and has put so many smiles on my face over the years.
I'd love to share pictures, but they're all saved on the other computer. If you want to see them, check out my Facebook page - I've loaded several of them up there. (If you're not already my friend, just request and I'll accept! )
We had an all-day Open House (on Sunday from 1-8). I thought it would go in spurts with the guests, but we had a steady stream of visitors during the entire day. There wasn't one time, during the 7 hours, when there wasn't someone here. It was so nice to see all the people who love and care about Ashley and to be able to spend some special time with them. (I'm still eating leftover dip, though - and am sure I'm going to turn into a bowl of dip by the end of the week!)
I realized, after all the festivities were over and the gifts were put away, that we didn't get a single picture of Ashley with Brian & me. We took her picture with all of her guests, but none with her parents or siblings.
Now, she is looking forward to a visit from a good friend from NY this weekend!
A few weeks ago, my friend Jodi posted on her blog about a "postcard from God". She shared it because, not only was it special to her, but she felt that God was prompting her to share it with someone who needed it. I felt that it was meant for me - I needed it right then - and I need it right now.
Jodi was sweet enough to share the postcard with me so that I can share it on my blog:
I thought I'd share some of the things that are making me happy these days - along with some new discoveries that have made our lives simpler (and/or more fun!). . .
First off, I bought this blanket at Wal-mart this past weekend (because I was returning this couch cover, which I would NOT recommend). The website lists the price at $29.88 - if you're interested, you might want to check your local store - I got mine on sale for only $25. Even though we have a queen-sized bed, I bought this blanket in the king size. It's big enough and attractive enough to use as a bedspread. It's light-weight but very warm and cuddly. I love it! (Maybe I'll actually take a real picture to share - once I get my bedroom painted and some new curtains on the windows!)
We're getting ready to do some painting at our house. I've chosen a honey-colored paint for the dining room walls. My mom and I went curtain shopping on Saturday. I have these tie-back curtains in my bathroom and I love them! I wanted something similar, with the same country-feel, in my dining room; but I didn't want the same pattern (thyme). After looking at several, I decided on the saffron print this time. I'll be going with the tie-backs again, but will also be adding valances to the top (our dining room windows are very long and the tie-backs alone won't cover them). Again, hopefully I'll have pictures to share one day soon.
Do you have children with allergies? Gracie has pretty much outgrown her asthma problems, but she still has times when she needs some allergy medication. In particular, when she spends too much time with my parents (it seems she is allergic to their cat). I've purchased the melt-in-your-mouth Benadryl for her and she seems to be fine with that. Recently, though, I've discovered ZYRTEC® PERFECT MEASURE™. This stuff is awesome! Ordinarily, I wouldn't go for a liquid medication for her, simply because I have to worry about finding a dosing spoon or something to measure it out with. This is already premeasured in single-serving "spoons" - I just need to break off the seal and hand it over to her. Perfect Measure is for children ages 6 years and up, is sugar and dye-free, and available in most major retailers. They are grape-flavored and Gracie gives them 2 thumbs up! If you'd like to try it, I have several $3 off coupons - shoot me an e-mail and request one (be sure to include your full name and mailing address). NOTE: I receive this product free as part of a Bzzz! campaign. My thoughts on it, though, are honest and true to our experience.
A few weeks ago, I realized that I had a sensitivity in my teeth (I'll admit, I was gritting my teeth while snuggling with my dog!) I was glad when I got an offer to test some Sensodyne Iso-Active toothpaste. I admit, I was a little skeptical at first. How could a toothpaste help that? But, after just a few days of trying it (once a day - I still use my regular toothpaste at night), I see great improvement. It works! If you have a sensitivity to heat or cold, or to gritting your teeth while you squeeze your dog or baby, you should seriously check this stuff out. It comes out as a gel, but quickly turns into a foam with LOTS of great suds-action. I'll definitely be buying more of this stuff!
And there's one more favorite that my kids have been enjoying lately (two, actually). It is the Life on the Farm games by We R Fun. We have both the original and the preschool versions (thanks to my work with the TOS Homeschool Crew, who will be reviewing these games here). Though I find the original version to be a bit long and tedious, Gracie just LOVES it. And we're all impressed with the preschool version! Ian is constantly saying "how about I set up my farm game for us to play?" Too cute! If you're looking for some high-quality, educational games for your family for Christmas, do check these out as options!
The Janviers have the idyllic life - a beautiful home, great jobs, two wonderful kids - and surrounding it all is the proverbial white picket fence that protects them, offers them a serene sense of security . . . and hides all their secrets.
When her black sheep brother disappears, Amanda Janvier eagerly takes in her sixteen year-old niece Tally. The girl is practically an orphan: motherless, and living with a father who raises Tally wherever he lands– in a Buick, a pizza joint, a horse farm–and regularly takes off on wild schemes. Amanda envisions that she, her husband Neil, and their two teenagers can offer the girl stability and a shot at a “normal” life, even though their own storybook lives are about to crumble.
Seventeen-year-old Chase Janvier hasn’t seen his cousin in years, and other than a vague curiosity about her strange life, he doesn’t expect her arrival will affect him much–or interfere with his growing, disturbing interest in a long-ago house fire that plagues his dreams unbeknownst to anyone else.
Tally and Chase bond as they interview two Holocaust survivors for a sociology project, and become startlingly aware that the whole family is grappling with hidden secrets, with the echoes of the past, and with the realization that ignoring tragic situations won’t make them go away.
Will Tally’s presence blow apart their carefully-constructed world, knocking down the illusion of the white picket fence and reveal a hidden past that could destroy them all–or can she help them find the truth without losing each other?
Susan Meissner cannot remember a time when she wasn’t driven to put her thoughts down on paper. Her novel The Shape of Mercy was a Publishers Weekly pick for best religious fiction of 2008 and a Christian Book Award finalist. Susan and her husband live in Southern California, where he is a pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves. They are the parents of four grown children.
Two of my favorite things in life - fiction books and history - and Susan Meissner has an amazing talent of tying them together in the pages of her books. I previously had the opportunity to review The Shape of Mercy, which I absolutely adored; and I've been waiting (rather impatiently) for the opportunity to read another of Susan's books.
How many of us live our lives behind white picket fences? We want the world to see us as "normal". In White Picket Fences, we are introduced to the Janvier family who, like the rest of us, wants to appear normal to their friends; but what's going on behind closed doors is heartwrenching and painful. They are facing issues that challenge them to the core. Amanda and Neil are both struggling over an incident involving their son, Chase - should they confront him? Chase is struggling over the same incident and wondering why his parents keep so quiet about it; so he sets out on a soul-searching adventure to find the truth. His sister, Delcy, struggles with typical teenage-girl-issues; while Tally is dealing with the loss of a grandmother she barely knew and not knowing where in the world her father is when she needs him most. In the midst of it all, an incredible story about World War II, the Warsaw Ghetto, and Treblinka, is being interwoven into the storyline.
I am impressed, once again, with Susan's ability to share about a true historical event, while sharing a fictional story. So far, both of her books have left me longing to know more about these stories of our history, and sent me in search of further information. Since I'm a researcher at heart, these books are right up my alley!
If I've left you wanting to know more, how about reading the beginning of the book for yourself? Click on the box below to bring up a larger screen and start reading. (warning: you might want to be prepared to go purchase the book!)
NOTE: This book was provided to me, for free, from Waterbrook Press, in exchange for my honest review. The thoughts expressed herein are my own.
WHAT DEFINES A HERO? A LEGEND?
Is the Measure of a Man Found in His Actions, Deeds or in Who He Really Is?
What is a hero? Is it defined by your actions at one particular point in time or is it defined by who you are? First time novelist Graham Garrison explores the idea of what defines a hero and when a person crosses a nebulous line to become a bona-fide legend in his debut novel Hero’s Tribute.
The small town of Talking Creek, Georgia, has a hero—Michael Gavin. As a teenager, Michael made a name for himself as Quarterback of the local High School football team, the Eagles. As a young man, he earned a regional following when he played for the University of Georgia. Post -college, Captain Michael Gavin earned the Medal of Honor for distinguished service in Iraq further cementing his position at Talking Creek’s resident hero.
So when he was diagnosed with cancer, the town immediately rallied behind the Gavin’s. On his deathbed, Michael makes a radical decision and asks a complete stranger, local sports reporter Wes Watkins to deliver his eulogy. With absolutely no idea why the famed Michael Gavin would ask a complete stranger to delve into the intimate details of his life, Wes digs into this project as he would any other story. Who knows, perhaps it would generate some decent bylines and get picked up by the AP. In fact, this could be his ticket out of the small town life.
But what Wes discovers catches him totally off guard. His typical reporting tactics aren’t going to
work in this situation and as he uncovers some secrets in Michael’s past, Wes begins to see him
as he really was rather than the larger-than-life legend the town has created. The closer he gets
to the truth, however, the town begins to close ranks. Struggling to find the words to accurately
and completely describe Michael, Wes must examine his own life and decide what will define
him. Finding the whole truth could cost Wes everything. Who was this man that Talking Creek
revered?
Graham Garrison is a writer and editor who lives in suburban Atlanta. He has covered high school and college football games as a newspaper reporter, completed an internship with the U.S. Army at its National Training Center in the Mojave Desert and tested WaveRunners and Runabouts as the managing editor of a national boating magazine. He’s written about battlefields for America’s Civil War, interviewed medical innovators for Georgia Physician and even penned an editorial for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When he’s not writing, he’s chasing his two-year old son Nicholas and their Beagle, Baxter around the backyard with his wife, Katie. Visit his website at www.grahamgarrisonwords.com.
I really enjoyed this book. It seems like most of the Christian fiction authors these days are female; so I always enjoy the fresh perspective of a male author. Graham Garrison did a tremendous job with this book. You get a glimpse into each character's mind and learn about the things that make them who they are. Though Michael dies at the very beginning of the book, you learn more and more about him as Wes does his research; and, right alongside Wes, you learn things about people (and about yourself) that will give you a fresh perspective on life and how you live it.
I would definitely recommend this book. Nobody is perfect, but it is possible to overcome the odds and become a person that people are proud to look up to - maybe even a hero.
NOTE: This book was provided to me for free (from Douglas Public Relations) in exchange for my honest review. The thoughts expressed herein are my own.
5 Minutes for Mom always has the most amazing giveaways! In preparation of the upcoming Christmas season, they've got a TON of great things to give away this month! Be sure to head over and check them out - just click the button below:
) 
The Janviers have the idyllic life - a beautiful home, great jobs, two wonderful kids - and surrounding it all is the proverbial white picket fence that protects them, offers them a serene sense of security . . . and hides all their secrets.
Susan Meissner cannot remember a time when she wasn’t driven to put her thoughts down on paper. Her novel The Shape of Mercy was a Publishers Weekly pick for best religious fiction of 2008 and a Christian Book Award finalist. Susan and her husband live in Southern California, where he is a pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves. They are the parents of four grown children.
Two of my favorite things in life - fiction books and history - and Susan Meissner has an amazing talent of tying them together in the pages of her books. I previously had the opportunity to review 
What is a hero? Is it defined by your actions at one particular point in time or is it defined by who you are? First time novelist Graham Garrison explores the idea of what defines a hero and when a person crosses a nebulous line to become a bona-fide legend in his debut novel Hero’s Tribute.
Graham Garrison is a writer and editor who lives in suburban Atlanta. He has covered high school and college football games as a newspaper reporter, completed an internship with the U.S. Army at its National Training Center in the Mojave Desert and tested WaveRunners and Runabouts as the managing editor of a national boating magazine. He’s written about battlefields for America’s Civil War, interviewed medical innovators for Georgia Physician and even penned an editorial for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When he’s not writing, he’s chasing his two-year old son Nicholas and their Beagle, Baxter around the backyard with his wife, Katie. Visit his website at 
