Awesome Goodwill Find!!! A 3-in-1 Wooden Contraption!!!!

I found this amazing wooden 3-in-1 Wooden Contraption. It is a Chair, Ironing board, and Ladder!!!  It's made from all wood and works GREAT in a country decor!!!

Ironing Board

Ladder

Chair

Homemade Shampoo & Body Wash without dangerous chemicals!!!

I have been researching for several days about how to make my own shampoo & body wash without harmful chemicals.  It took me forever to find one that I liked, even then I tweaked it quite a bit to make it my own.

We have extremely hard water. Usually after we shower we need lotion or creme because our skin is so dry. No matter what soap, body wash, shampoo we use we always end up with that feeling of dry itchy skin.   After using this shampoo/body wash my skin isn't itchy and dry.

***hair is still wet, waiting for it to dry for results on it.***

Ok my hair is finally dry. So what's the results?  My hair feels oily to the touch, but it doesn't look that way. It's not a nasty oily feeling, it feels kinda like a good creme moisturizer when it's first applied to your hands. My hair isn't dry and brittle feeling either. It has more body and bounce to it. It is shining a lot more than it has in a long time. It actually looks healthy.

My daughter has stringy, thin, curly hair. I will use it on her hair tonight to see how it works on her hair.

 I used it on Halle's hair. It had a lot more body and lift to it. It looked healthier too.  Her ponytail didn't fall out this time. Her hair is usually so thin that a simple ponytail will fall out over time. Her naturally curly ends had more curl and bounce to them. I'm very impressed!!!

I used the recipe from Passionate Homemaker as my base formula. But I changed what I was thought was important. Read after recipes for my reasons to change the formula.

 Version for myself
1    c. Dr. Bronner’s organic castile liquid soap (Baby Formula works best for all ages)
1/4 c. water
1.5 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2-3 drops Aloe Vera Concentrate
10-15 drops Lavender Essential Oil
10-15 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
(Shampoo or closeable tips applicator bottle that's is leak proof)





Version for my husband: (omit vinegar because he HATES the smell)

1    c. Dr. Bronner’s organic castile liquid soap (Baby Formula works best for all ages)
1/4 c. water

2 drops Aloe Vera Concentrate
5 drops Lavender Essential Oil
8 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
(Shampoo or closeable tips applicator bottle that's is leak proof)



Version for kids: (increased water content to use in spray bottle)
1    c. Dr. Bronner’s organic castile liquid soap (Baby Formula works best for all ages)
1/2 c. water

1.5 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2-3 drops Aloe Vera Concentrate
5-10 drops Lavender Essential Oil
5-10 drops Patchouli Essential Oil
(Spray bottle from Beauty Supply Store)

Milky Reaction After Adding Vinegar

1. Mix soap and water in pourable bowl, large measuring cup, or use regular bowl and funnel.
2. Add vinegar, if needed. This will cause the ingredients to turn milky. Use a whisk and blend gently.
3. Use Aloe Vera Concentrate SPARINGLY! 1-2 DROPS PER OUNCE OF FLUIDS. I used less than that because I don't want my hair to be too oily.
4. Add in Lavender and Patchouli Essential Oils (or any that you prefer). Mix gently with whisk.
5. Pour into bottles. REMEMBER THIS IS WATERY

Use small amounts at first, until you find the right amount for your hair length.  I put three small dabs on my scalp which was too many, but I needed an extra dab for my ends. REMEMBER THIS IS WATERY. I needed a small amount in a loofah to use as a body wash.


Why Aloe Vera in Shampoo?
USE A VERY TINY BIT OF THE CONCENTRATE IN YOUR SHAMPOO.
According to Buzzle: "Using aloe vera for hair loss is the first step, you can undertake to arrest hair fall. Aloe vera is a natural hair conditioner and you can very well replace aloe vera for the chemical laden conditioner, which you are currently using. There are enzymes in this magical plant, which promotes hair growth, hence you will see a number of hair care products, where aloe vera for hair regrowth has been used. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties, which help in regeneration of hair on the scalp.

Aloe vera is one of the main ingredients in a number of aloe hair shampoo and conditioners, which are available in the market. It actually contains all the ingredients required for cleaning and conditioning the hair. When aloe vera is used for an extended period of time, it makes the hair healthy and dense."


Why Lavender Essential Oil in Shampoo?
Besides the fact that it smells GREAT. Using Buzzle again to describe the benefits of Lavender Oil "Lavender oil, one of the best aromatherapy oils is known to be very effective in treating the problem of hair loss. Regular usage is helpful in controlling hair fall and improving hair growth. Alopecia areata, a condition wherein you lose excessive hair, especially in patches can be treated with lavender essential oil. Daily massage with lavender oil will definitely help significant re-growth and give you the results in a few months. Moreover, a massage with lavender oil is also helpful in curing insomnia. It is known to improve sleep quality. One of the lavender oil benefits is that it relaxes you and helps you get rid of anxiety and depression. The calming and soothing effect of lavender oil is beneficial for relieving stress. This in turn helps control hair loss, as insomnia, stress, depression are one of the causes of this problem. Sufficient sleep and mental peace ensures that you do not face hair loss problem. Moreover, it also enhances blood circulation, hence a scalp massage will definitely help improve hair growth.

You can use lavender oil for hair growth and get rid of other problems like itchy scalp and dandruff. It is a powerful antiseptic and useful in disinfecting the scalp hence, treating dry scalp, lice, lice eggs or nits. It also fights fungi, viruses and other microbes. You can opt for a daily scalp massage with lavender oil for hair growth and use one of the undermentioned hair masks as well."

Why use Patchouli Essential Oil in Shampoo & Body Wash?
Research on eHow: "Patchouli oil makes an excellent massage oil for its aromatherapeutic properties, as well as for its benefits as a topical skin application. Patchouli oil is an effective moisturizer and has been known to ease a number of skin conditions such as eczema, acne and dermatitis. It reduces the appearance of scars and fine wrinkles, and can even be helpful against dandruff and other scalp conditions."

What are the benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple Cider Vinegar has many benefits for the hair. Get rid of dandruff; it is sticky skin cells flaking off. ACV has mild exfoliating properties which helps exfoliate the skin.  ACV is slightly acidic which helps balance the scalp and skin pH levels. On the skin is a protective acid mantle, alkaline soap strips it away. A normal acid mantle will detoxify and eliminate waste properly on the skin and scalp.  ACV is also helpful in removing shampoo, soap, and style product build up. Hair shafts are protected by an outer clear cuticle which protects the hair's inner color pigments and hair cells. Using ACV will remove the hard water residue leaving your hair shinier and appearing healthier.

BUT VINEGAR STINKS!  True as this may be, the good thing about vinegar is dissipates into the air within 30 minutes. The scent that will remain are the essential oils you added to your shampoo.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Trying to save money? Trying to remove harmful chemicals from your home?

One way to do both is to make your own laundry detergent. It took me only 45 minutes the first time I made it. I made 5 gallons of laundry detergent a lot cheaper than store bought detergents.

This is just a rough detail sketch of the way I did it, I will post pictures and a instruction guide later this weekend.

Ingredients:

1 Bar Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap: GRATED (bought at Wal-Mart)
Approx 1 cup Pure Glycerin Soap: GRATED (1 small bar from the bag I purchased-see below)
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda
12 Drops Essential Oil (I use 10 drops of Lavender for a light scent.)

Costs:

• Fels-Naptha Laundry Soap (0.97)

$0.97 each at Wal-Mart

• 5lbs Pure Glycerin Soap ($0.24)

Hobby Lobby $18.50 (w/ tax) Regular Price however with the 40% off coupon it's $11.09 w/ tax. I used the coupon to buy this today. Inside this large 5lb bag are small bars of soap. I counted 46 bars in my bag. I used 1 bar grated. Using the cost per bag above each little bar either costs $0.40 each ($18.50) OR $0.24 each ($11.09).

• Borax ($0.30)

I'm estimating the cost I paid for the borax at the commissary on post. I'm thinking it was about $3.00 a box. Each box contains about 10 cups. Approximately $0.30 per cup.

• Washing Soda ($0.30)

Again, I'm estimating the cost I paid for the washing soda at the commissary on post. I'm thinking it was about $3.00 a box. Each box contains about 10 cups. Approximately $0.30 per cup.

• Essential Oils ($0.18)

The costs for essential oils will vary GREATLY depending upon where you buy it and they scent you buy. Vanilla is more costly than most other scents. I use lavender because it's soothing and relaxing. I paid $8.99 for a 1 ounce (30ml) bottle. This bottle contains approximately 600 drops with each drop costing about $0.015 each. 12 drops = $0.18

• Water.

Well, I don't know how much that is going to cost but I just use what comes out of the tap.

Approximate total costs of 5 gallons of laundry detergent: $1.99

Cheap pot

5 gallon bucket

My 1 time costs are for the bucket and the pan to melt the soap it. I didn't want to use my good pans for this. 5 gallon bucket with lid about $4.00 at Wal-Mart and the 1 time costs of a CHEAP pot at the Goodwill ($2.50).

Grated Fels Naptha

Grated Glycerin Soap

Directions:

1. Grate Glycerin Soap
2. Grate Fels-Naptha Soap
3. Measure 1 cup borax and 1 cup washing soda. Set aside.
4. Place 1 cup cool water in a bowl, add your essential oils to this water, set aside.
5. Add 4 cups water to boil for a small pan or 8 cups for a medium pan.
6. If available run several containers of HOT water. I use old clean tea jugs, clean milk jugs, my mixer bowl, and various size pitchers around my kitchen. Enough to have about 4.5-4.75 gallons ready to pour into the bucket.
7. When water is boiling, reduce heat and slowly add about half the amount of Fels-Naptha to the water. Stir until dissolved.
8. Pour off some of the water into the bucket. Then add more fresh water to the pan and add the rest of the Fels-Naptha to the water. (I had to do this because I have a smaller pan, if you have a larger pan increase the water amount to 8 cups and dissolve at once.) Once it has dissolved add the Glycerin Soap to the water. It will only take a minute or so to dissolve.
9. Add about half (2.5 gallons estimated) of your reserved water to the bucket. Stir.
10. VERY QUICKLY add your borax, washing soda, and your dissolved soap mixture to the bucket. Don't burn your hand with the soap mixture. You may need a second person's help to mix everything quickly.
11. Stir to combine, then quickly add the rest of the reserved water & ESSENTIAL OILS WATER (about 2 gallons water). Stir quickly! It will start to gel within seconds of combining it with water and cooling. Don't fill it all the way to the top. Leave room for the gelling to happen.
12. Cover bucket with lid. I cover it with a blanket as well. Let set overnight to 24 hours.

Water in pan

Before sitting for 24 hrs

Melting Soap

My Tips and Oops:

• Don't boil soapy water too much. Soap=bubbles; boiling water=lots of bubbles.
• Don't add essential oils to hot water. Always add it to cool water, then add it to the detergent mixture at the very end.
• I added the soap mixture to the bucket before adding anything else. It gelled so fast I had to use a stick blender to get the clumps out. So add about half the water first and work fast.
• Have everything measured out and in an area where you can quickly add it to the bucket.
• Several people have said their detergent separates. I'm trying to see of letting the cooling happen slowly will prevent the separation, like in making lye soap.

WILL POST MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FINISHED PRODUCT ALONG WITH PICTURES SUNDAY NIGHT!

Larger chunks of gelled soap

Smaller gelled soap

It's like a watery gel, kinda like egg drop soup. It works GREAT on our clothes and it smells amazing.

Essential Oil Drops to Ounces & Mililiters

Essential Oil "drops" to ounces (oz) and to milliliters (ml).

I bought a bottle of Lavender Essentials Oils today to add to my laundry detergent and to my body wash. So I want to know the financial costs of each product I make. The bottle I bought is 30ml which is a slightly over 1fl oz.

1ml = 20 drops
Some sites say 25-30 drops in 1ml.
So 30ml=600-900 drops

I think I will go with the 600 drops per bottle just in case.

A Trip to Hastings Exposes 5 Year Old to Porn

I took my original post down to do some editing. Well it is no longer here, so I had to rewrite the entire thing.  Below are the events that happened.

We went to Hastings Entertainment on Tuesday, December 6th for our weekly movie trip. Hastings in Lawton has a great selection of Christian/Family/Kids movies. Plus the 2 free kids movies at a time is a bonus to keep us coming back. We got our movies and I decided I was going to purchase a book I've been wanting by Dr. Laura Schlessinger "The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage." I had looked at the book the week before, but decided to wait until now to purchase it.

The book was located on the wall in the "marriage/relationship" section. I knew the book was near the area with "sexuality" which was also on the wall. Along the aisle bookshelf was "parenting/education/family" and there was a small sitting area with 2 chairs in the middle of all of it, but they were far enough from the wall if a book of 18+ nature was being previewed by another customer or facing outward they couldn't see it. Luckily, no one else was in the area and all those books were placed with the spines facing outward.

 I told my older two children ages 5 & 3 to sit in the chairs, I had my 2 year old in the cart. I was just going to walk over to the wall, locate the book then leave. As I was locating the book, my 5 year old says "mom look at this naked girl." I turn and see my 5 year old son holding a SWANK Magazine. He said it was in the chair! 

{"Swank is a pornographic magazine for heterosexual men published in the United States. It includes hardcore sex, such as the use of sex toys, lesbian sex, and sexual intercourse between men and women."  Source Wikipedia}

I was very upset! I asked to speak with the store manager. The store manager apologized and explained they try to prevent this type of thing from happening by walking the departments every 30-45 minutes to put away lost items and check for mature content being left out. She explained the store policy is to not allow it to be looked at in the store and they put them in special bags. I asked "why aren't they behind a counter or in a special room?"  According to the store manager it's the corporate office that sets up the store policies and the layout of the stores. As a courtesy, I was given free movie rentals because I've become a regular there, where the cashiers are starting to know me.

As any concerned mother would do, I called the corporate office and I more or less got the same response: "I'm sorry. We try to prevent it." When I made a suggestion about doing more to prevent it from happening again, I was told "I'll pass that along to that department."  Which translates to me "I'll mention it, but we may not do anything about it."

I called our attorney to find out what are the laws. There is NO law that requires pornographic magazines to be covered or placed in bags. There is NO law that requires them to be placed in an area that's off limits to children.  So legally Hastings Entertainment did "nothing" wrong, but morally they did.

The night after it happened our son ended up with a migraine. So the next day we took him to the pediatrician. We explained his symptoms of the migraine and any stresses he'd had. He's a child with ADHD/ODD and very "high strung." So we showed the pediatrician the pictures I took of the cover of the magazine along with the texts to my husband. She examined him and decided it was either allergies or stress that caused the migraine. She decided to go with allergies because he was showing signs of an allergic reaction to something. However, if the migraines come back with high stress then we will know the actual cause. His pediatrician is the best I have ever met, AND SHE'S ACTIVE DUTY! (All the military wives will understand what I mean there.)

 What is the purpose of this blog?

1. To inform others to be VERY careful when going into bookstores.
2. To inform others that if your kid sees pornography, the bookstores are not legally liable and there is no protection in place besides what the stores deem appropriate. 
3. To get the word out that things need to change.... laws or store policies need to be better to protect children.

I was raised to do my best. To evaluate my best and improve it however possible. To "try" was to allow an excuse for failure. Excuses are not an option. If they had done more preventable measures then it wouldn't be such a difficult subject.

What's the problem?
Even though it was just a brief encounter, he still remembers it. His mind will remember those images for years to come. It will require more effort on my husband and I to teach him the harms and shamefullness of pornography. The dangers on the development of children after viewing pornography is well documented and a summary is available at Protect Kids.  For a more in depth study see "The Harms of Pornography Exposure Among Children and Young People" from La Trobe University, Australia.  More studies are listed on the Porn Harms website.

Could they have done better? YES!

1. Put all 18+ content in a "behind the curtain room" where the contents are monitored and purchased before being taken into the main part of the store
2. Put blacked out covers for 18+ with just the Title, Articles, and Issue information for people to be able to request the magazine from behind the counter.
3. Put all 18+ content in a section of the store where they must purchase the item to leave the area.

 I will be contacting Senators, Congressmen, and State level representatives to put into place a better system to protect children from the harms of view pornography, even by accident. I would hope that whoever reads this would also contact their legislative leaders to request better standards for the selling of such horrendous material.

My Tortured Son: A dramatic story.

A dramatic story:

"My son was born to die. My son was tortured.  My son was beaten beyond human limits.

My son.... My little boy who I held during the night.  My precious baby who I nursed.  I remember the labor I endured to have my first born son.   I remember watching him learn to walk. It was a time of amazement for me because I got to watch this tiny baby grow into a toddler. I remember the look on his face as he learned to take his first steps, then he learned how to run. I got to experience all the "firsts"; his first word, his first steps, his first tooth, and all the little joys in raising a baby. I comforted him when he needed me. I held him on sleepless nights.  Oh my precious baby... I didn't know the extent of your fate.

As time passed, he grew into a great young man.  I learned much from my son. He was a joy in my life. His smile, his laugh, the talks we had, and the amazement at his words as he grew and matured. He was an obedient child. I believed in his abilities and I believed in him. I loved him with all my heart. As any loving mother, I wanted to protect him from the harsh world and I would have done anything to keep him safe.

Then the time came for his ministry to begin. I fully believed in my son. However, others hated my son. They wanted him to be silenced. They got their wish.  My baby boy, now a man, was being beaten. The flesh was being ripped from back. A crown of thorns was jabbed into his head. He was disrobed and nail to wooden boards. All because he taught people to love, forgive, and they could be forgiven. People looked up and saw a man....I see a man, but I also see the tiny baby I held not long ago. The baby I had was born to die. Not die like most, but to die so others might live. My heart breaks for my son, my baby, yet my heart has peace because my son is God in the flesh.  I think he gave me this peace and strength, because he knew the heart of a woman.... he knew the love a mother has for a child.

Then his death was final. My baby was gone. The torture was over. He's no longer hurting. Three days later....my son lives. I can hug him. I can kiss him. Peace and joy are in my heart. I get just a little more time to know him on this earth. He came to save the world, to forgive sin, to love the lost, and to show the life we should live.  I am grateful to be the mother of this baby boy, now a man.

My son was born to die."

A dramatic story about the emotions of Mary, mother of Jesus.  Take time to remember the purpose of the season. To celebrate the birth that led to death that led to salvation.

From manager to cross He was born to die.
Picture credit: http://www.bereanwife.net/2008/12/that-little-babe-in-the-manger-grew-up/

Old Fashion Clay Ornaments

Ingredients:

4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. salt
1 1/2 c. cold water




Hardware:
Cookie cutters
Paint (optional)
Shellac or Clear Varnish
Ribbons, Hemp, or Hooks for hangers 
Fork/Spoon to stir with
Cookie Sheet

Directions

1. Mix flour and salt. 
2. Slowly add water while stirring until soft dough forms.
3. Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding a small amount of water or flour, if needed. 
4. Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. 
5. Place cut outs 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Punch holes with a straw or carefully make a hole with a toothpick.. 
6. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Baking time will vary with size of ornaments and your altitude. 
7. Cool completely. You may paint ornaments or leave natural.
8. Once the pain drys coat with Shellac or other clear varnish

"Kool-aid" Play-duh

All kids LOVE "Play-Doh"! However, I think it is stinky, nothing against the company. But the smell on my hands after playing with it is just nauseating. That may be from a "pregnancy smell". (all mommies out there are now having flashbacks to the smells that just made us feel sick while pregnant...lol). I found a way to make play-dough that smells great and doesn't stain the hands.

It's called "Play-Duh" because that's how my little girl says it!!!


Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup flour set aside in separate bowl
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 packages Kool-aid unsweetened/same flavor (or similar product)
• 3 TBS oil (I prefer coconut oil)

Hardware:

• 2 mixing medium mixing bowls
• Spoon to mix
• Kettle/Pan to boil water

Directions:

1. Boil water.
2. While water is boiling, mix dry ingredients together in 1 mixing bowl. Place 1/4 cup flour in extra bowl, set aside.
3. Add your oil to the center of the dry ingredients then pour boiling water over the oil and flour.
4. Mix together with a spoon until a ball forms. You may have to use your hands to knead it. It may be sticky. IT WILL BE WARM-HOT! I'm always cooking and doing crafts with my hands so they are used to the heat.
5. If your play-dough is sticky use the flour in the extra bowl to lightly coat the play-dough. Then knead it until all the flour is no longer visible. Knead a little longer. Keep repeating the coat/knead process until the consistency is to your liking.
6. Store in air tight container or in freezer/sandwich bags.
7. You will yield enough dough from this recipe for 5-6 children!

I write my recipes according to how I do something after I've done it. If you have a KitchenAid Mixer or similar "built tough as nails" mixer, you can use it until a ball starts to form. However, you made need extra flour to add to the mix to get it just right. When I used my mixer I ended up with 3 cups flour plus the flour for kneading. I used a bowl to knead it instead of my table because I sat in a chair while watching Army Wives to relax. LOL! 


This kept my kids busy for hours with children's play fork, knives, cookie cutters, and a rolling pin!

For a picture of my youngest child playing with this check out my Facebook page:
Honey's Creative Homemaking

Also find my business page:
Princess Tutu Boutique

Army/Military Wife-Proud Version Part 1

"I don't know how you do it"

"Doesn't it get hard with kids by yourself?"

"You are crazy for sticking with him"

"He volunteered for a deployment!?!"

"You volunteered to stay behind for year when you could have gone with him?!?!"

"What do you mean you don't mind it?"

These are only some of the question/statements-we hear often. Most of the time we don't mind answering the questions; it's our privilege to answer them. But sometimes the comments are said with attitude...not a need for understanding. Many times we end up asking ourselves "Why did I may a soldier?" (Airman, marine, seamen).

            We spend the majority of our married life in the military separated. “The military is our husband's mistress and sometimes she gets all the attention.” The alarm goes off at 0500 every weekday and sometimes weekends too.

            They may leave for work one morning and not come home for weeks at a time...even though they are just a few miles away.

            There are times when we are spoken to in military lingo over the phone...and we stand there going "What???!!!". Sometimes we get a phone call back with an explanation in English. Just to survive the language barrier we choose to learn the most common words and acronyms without complaint. Thank the Lord for “Google.” We also learn there are 2 types of time: military and civilian.

            We attend unit functions and events (aka "mandatory fun days") proudly. We fix dishes for pot lucks, bring drinks or paper ware. We support our units in any way we can. We attend balls and wear colors that we normally wouldn't choose. The colors represent our husbands career path i.e. infantry color is light blue; air defense artillery are red (scarlet) and yellow; military intelligence colors are oriental blue piped with silver gray.

            We are told when and where to move. We go months/years without hugs and kisses. We expect long deployments.

            Some wives just know when their husbands are leaving and never know when to expect a phone call or when to see their husbands. They can go months without any communication. There are those wives whose husbands are Special Forces when they leave they don't know where they are going, when they will be home, how long they will be gone, or if they will even hear from their spouse. To these wives: I salute you!

            We can break down and cry at anytime without warning-at times. We learn to be without our husbands for our anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, and even childbirth!

            We learn how to fix things on our own. We learn how to depend on others for help when it gets too rough or we don't know how to fix certain things.

            We learn how to move from larger houses to smaller ones and sell a lot of our possessions. We can pack a house in a day. We can move with short notices. We learn to pack up and go...leaving friends.

            Our children often have to leave in the middle of the school year, leaving behind friends just to start all over again. Sometimes they don't understand why they move so much.

            We learn how to do last minute sewing on uniforms. Some can pack the military duffel bags with exact precision.  We will stay up late sitting in the living room with our husbands while he packs his gear for a 0600 inspection. We learn how to clean the TA-50 (gear).

            We wake up late night to children crying-not knowing or understanding where Daddy/Mommy went. They don't understand why they to go away. We become child psychologist at 2AM to help them understand. We go through a circle of emotions several times a year.

            We can expect phone calls late at night from our husbands’ soldiers, if they need help. We learn that our husbands form a brotherhood with these men. These men will spend hours and days together. Then during a deployment they are the ones keeping the other one safe.

            Even though we know our husbands one day may not come home to give us a hug, we still stand behind them. It's a deep fear during a deployment to get a knock at the door from someone unexpected bearing the bad news. We stand behind our husbands’ choice to defend the freedom of people he will never meet.  Some serve only a few years while others serve for 20 or more.

            During deployments some of us return home to live near family so that we will have strong support during the rough times and holidays. Others stay behind and visit family. We build a strong network around us to help us...we have FRG's/FSG's, churches, and other military wives to back us up.

 So why do we do it....

            Sure we have great benefits, but they don't compare to the feeling of standing there watching our husbands receive an award. When they are promoted; we are often there. Some of us get the honor of being the first person to punch him (it's an Army thing) when we are the ones taking off the old rank and putting on the new during a promotion ceremony. Then there's a reenlistment...we stand there watching him take an oath for another "X #" of years. We know we have more time to endure the hardships. It’s worth it-to stand there with pride seeing the man we married be acknowledged for his good work.

            Note: This is called the proud version because there are some wives who think that the Army is just a job. It's not...it's a way of life-he's a soldier 24/7.  There are wives who refuse military lingo, acronyms, or time to be spoken at  home. They argue and are bitter about the military. Biblically, it's the man's place to take care of the family...if he chooses to do it as a military member, then he needs his wife's support.

Awesome book giveway

For those of you who KNOW me, you know how much I love books. EVERY room in my house has a book that I'm reading. Yes I can keep up with all the story lines and information. I love everything from Christian Romance to Homemaking to Health to Homeschooling to Parenting and many in between.

At "The Legacy of Home" there is an awesome book giveaway.

Book - The Family Daughter - Becoming Pillars of Strength in our Father's House.
Author - Sarah L. Bryant
Publisher - KBR Ministries
Price - $12.00



"Ten chapters cover the following topics:

1. An Abundant Season.
2. In My Father's House.
3. Our Parent's Joy.
4. The Family Sister.
5. Pillars of Strength.
6. A Humble Maidservant.
7. The Spotless Maiden.
8. The Appointed Time.
9. Reflecting the Light.
10. Bouquet of Beauty."



Book information is taken from "The Legacy of Home" full credit is given.

The only thing better than a good book, is a FREE good book!

Pretty Little Liars = Pretty Little Demons

Ok Parents.... HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MINDS?  I have been researching some of the basic information about the show "Pretty Little Liars".... Let's just say that Apostolic parents and teens have NO business watching this garbage. 

The following quotes are from Wikipedia:

"the idea was described as "Desperate Housewives for teens."

"The first novel, Pretty Little Liars, was released in October 2006.^[1] It was followed by Flawless and Perfect in March and August 2007,^[3][4] Unbelievable and Wicked in May and November 2008,^[5][6]Killer in June 2009,^[7] and Heartless in January 2010.^[8][9] Wanted, announced as the eighth and final installment, was released on June 8, 2010.^[10] In December 2010 Shepard announced that she would write four more novels in the series, beginning with Twisted, to be released in July 2011.^{[11][12]"
  
OK THE  NAMES OF THE BOOKS ALONE SHOULD BE A HINT!!!}

Publishers Weekly said of the first novel, "This is clique lit with a mystery twist: the author has spun a plethora of possibilities sure to make readers reach for the next installment in this planned four-book series and beyond."^[17]{ "breathes new life into the tired genre of high society chick lit."^[1] Commonsensemedia.org rated it 3 out of 5 stars, saying "This is fluffy guilty-pleasure fare, with few poopy surprises among either the character types or the plotting. Gossip Girl fans probably will enjoy this one -- but parents who read along will find plenty to cringe over."^[18]


 
Ok let's focus along with this one phrase:  "but parents who read along will find plenty to cringe over".

Well according to the novels summaries online (which the tv series is based on) we parents have plenty to cringe over:
Murder
Teens have sex
Teens having sex with their teachers
Secrets
Parents having affairs
Assualt
Suicide
Cliques
Eating Disorders
Shop Lifting
Vanity
Homosexuality between teens (the parents are made to look bad because they try to help "cure" their child)
Run Away Teen
More Murder
More Affairs and Teens being "involved" with adults.
Witchcraft (seance)
Betrayal
Kidnapping
More murder
More parental affairs....with the other children's parents
More murder
Identity change among teen

2 more murders
Arson
More Kidnapping
Attempted murder


Now this show is supposed to be appropriate for teens? I DON'T THINK SO!!! It's not fit for ANYONE who calls themselves "Christian". Just look at the list.... "put no evil thing before thine eye"!

Now let's look at their "fashion"

Plunging neck line, thigh high skirts.

From "Evil Slutopia" these are supposed to be teens. Low necklines, cleavage showing, mini skirts.

I could keep posting but it's more sluty clothing. Yes I'm going to be that blunt.  UNLESS IT'S FOR SALE COVER IT UP. UNLESS YOU WANT INAPPROPRIATE REMARKS COVER IT UP.  (Don't get me wrong, NO woman/girl deserves to be harassed. But if you are teasing and leading men on with your clothing, you are just as much at fault as he is.)  It's like putting a hungry moody woman in a chocolate store and telling her she can't say have one.  DON'T BE GUILTY OF THE SIN OF CAUSING A MAN TO SIN.

Girls, ladies, COVER IT UP.  You can still be fashionable and not have your skin showing. Wear longer skirts and high necklines.

The show is INAPPROPRIATE for teens. Especially those who proclaim to be "Christian."

The ONE event that made me HATE public schools

After reading the article"What I See", I decided that today I would blog about the ONE major event in high school that made me HATE public schools and helped make the decision that I will NOT send my children to one, unless I had no choice and I was "in their business" when it came to my children.

In high school, I wanted to go to law school and I wanted to make a difference in life.  I was motivated to apply for EVERY scholarship so that I could attend the University of Arkansas. I planned to attend Black River Technical College, then go to Arkansas State University, then to Law School.  But I wanted to look at my other option of going straight to the University of Arkansas. Yes, it could be a failed attempt and I knew that BUT I wanted the chance to apply and try. It is better to have tried and fail than to never try at all.

According to Educational-portal.com

"High school guidance counselors work face-to-face to help students evaluate their abilities and interests. They help them see their talents and personality characteristics to help them develop academic goals that will lead to sound career aims. Counselors also use such things as aptitude assessment tests to advise students. "

Well when I went to my counselor (we will call her Mrs. PB) I was DISCOURAGED from even applying.  I was even encouraged to NOT try to become a lawyer.  WOW, this is isn't right.  I had all the abilities to make it and I still do. I gave up on dreaming of becoming a lawyer ALL because I was discouraged from trying.  Those words of this "Christian" (outside the public school system) counselor destroyed a dream. (Side note: In a small town, you know everyone's life events and religious affiliation. And there is ALWAYS favoritism toward certain families and certain students.) Apparently, Mrs. PB didn't know the Bible, the tongue can bring life and death. What you speak into a child's life and either bring them to life or it can destroy them!

Am I mad at her? No! Unknowingly, she has shaped my life in a way she never intended:

1) I will NEVER send my children to a public school. They will either be homeschooled or attend a private school. It was Sister Judie Wasson in Hawaii that showed me the benefits of homeschooling and a small private school environment. It was her and the ministry team in Hawaii leading and guiding in my early years as an apostolic, that gave me the solid foundation in Christ that I have. It was also her friendship and mentorship that encouraged and strengthened me to NEVER GIVE UP, TRUST GOD, and to love children with all my heart.
2) If I had gone straight to UofA, I would have NEVER met my husband and we would have never become an Army family. Being in the Army has given our family the chance to travel, the ability to minister in multiple churches, to meet new people, and to build friendships that are worldwide.
3) I would have NEVER moved to Hawaii, where we ministered in our local church (Abundant Life UPC). We learned so much about ministry and loving people during our time in Hawaii. It was also these fine people that encouraged us during those rough years of marriage: the beginning. They helped us make it through our first deployment. They gave us the foundation of our ministry: LOVE PEOPLE! (Thanks BC, Sister Nikki, Sister Judie and Pastor Wasson) We reached out to the homeless, the needy, the hungry. I could write an entire book about what this first church did for us. The scenery and the culture is something that I will NEVER forget. I got to hike mountains, walk through rain forests, see a volcano, walk on a Black Sand Beach, touch a dolphin, see a sea turtle up close on a beach, swim in the ocean, determine that I can not surf, try new foods and LOVE IT. I have friendships that will last a lifetime in Hawaii. (The Wassons, The Conyer's, The Whippo's, The Bell's, The Veal's, The Bellinger's, AND SO MANY MANY MANY MORE... I can't name everyone. I wish I could.)
4) I WOULD HAVE NEVER GOT TO STUDY AT CHAMINADE UNIVERSITY HAWAII. Mrs. PB: It was so much better to study psychology while sitting on the beach or the lawn than in a class room. Oh I changed by major. I want to become a motivating counselor to help others become who THEY WANT TO BE and to solve any problems they are facing.  I also will one day specialize in ADHD and helping parents deal with it WITHOUT medicine.
5) I would have NEVER been able to work in a private school to discover my love for children's ministry and the joy of helping others. (Thanks Sister Judie for giving me the opportunity to work and learn so much.)
6) I would have NEVER met Sister Judie, who introduced me to Dr. Laura Schlessinger as a listener. By listening to Dr. Laura I have learned the VALUE and the NECESSITY of a PROFESSIONAL MOM (aka Stay at Home Mom.)
7) My mother would have never got to visit Hawaii 3-4 times. My grandmother would have never visited Hawaii. They would have never flown on a plane, snorkeled in the ocean, and see the remains of WWII that only military personnel and guest can see. (Being military we can go places civilians can't go.)  My grandmother got to walk on the USS Missouri the SAME ship that her brother served on many years before.
7) I would have never moved to Colorado where my husband is building our ministry. We have a church who we love and they love us (when on vacation we get calls, texts, and emails "When are you coming home?"-UMOT we love you!). Sister Turpin is also a homeschooling mom who has strengthened my abilities to homeschool my children. Pastor Turpin has given us the ability to minister in the Sunday School department and in the Youth Group.
8) I would have never been able to experience Colorado and winter sports.  I would have never seen the top of Pike's Peak. I would have never experienced a blizzard and freezing temperatures. In February, we will be going skiing and snowboarding. I will get to vacation at Estes Park in February, also. I've been to Aspen and Breckenridge.
9) I would never have learned about Dave Ramsey. We were introduced to his teachings and course several years ago by an Army Chaplain.
10) I will graduate from a university with my psychology degree. I'm not doing it anytime soon, but that is because I choose A) not to abandon my children to daycare and B) I will go to school DEBT-FREE I will not have $1000's in student loans. I will attend one class at a time if I have to.
11) I have learned to set my own standards and not worry about what others think. BE POSITIVE even in the storm. These are high standards. I don't back down to the status quo.  Most people don't want to "rock the boat".... I want to be the iceberg that sank the Titanic. I will challenge people's thinking and I will challenge the standard that is set before me. I don't settle for less, we can do better. I will not accept "the way things have always been". I don't have to react, I will respond to my life.
12) Most importantly:  I learned NEVER accept what "an authority" figure says as truth WITHOUT first researching it thoroughly. Most people say "immunizations don't harm" actually my son is allergic to them. Most people say "homeschooling harms kids" actually homeschooled children are smarter than public school children.
13) Second most importantly: I have learned how NOT to be a feminist and how to work and pursue my dreams AROUND my family not my family around my dreams.

So Mrs. PB, while you discouraged me and it was WRONG! You actually set me up to do more than I was going to be able to do then. You have made the world and my children's lives better. I will not have to subject my children to the damaging effects of public school and negative people. My children will not become delinquents because I will set high standards for them and I will be an active role in their lives. I will be there encouraging, motivating, and guiding them.  Should they become troubled teens, they will get to experience the joys of military school. Of course, this will be after much intervention from me and their father.

Be careful of what you speak to a child, who knows who and what they will become one day.

My Son+Dinosaur Train=Valuable lesson in Team Spirit

It's no shock that kids love cartoons, but have you ever paid attention to what they are learning. I'm against "stupid cartoons" like Spongebob and such that have NO educational value and NO social benefits. Shows like Dinosaur Train, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso, Imagination Movers, Veggie Tales, Gigi, etc. have an educational value and show kids how to interact with others. YES THIS IS THE PARENTS JOB! No, I don't believe the TV should be a baby sitter. But let's be honest, if you have to balance the checkbook, pay bills, or make an important phone call it's a benefit to have their full attention engaged for 30 minutes.

The kids have found the show "Dinosaur Train" while visiting Nana and Papa. This show is awesome because the kids learn about Dinosaurs, they learn more phonics skills by learn multiple syllable words like "Daspletosaurus" "Tyrannosaur" "Stygimolchs" "Brontosaurus" "Corythosaurus". Plus they learn about the science of dinosaurs and what a palaeontologist does.

"TEAM PTERANODON" photo from www.poptower.com full credit is given to them for the photo.

From the "storyline" of the show, Matthias has learn something that I never paid attention to: "Team Pteranodon" (see Pteranodon for the pronunciation).  The mom and dad Pteranodon will say to their kids "let's go team Pteranodon" and "way to go team Pteranodon".

Matthias has said  "This is cool. I like the idea of brothers and sisters and mom and dad are a team. Mom are we a team? Can we be a team... like team matthias, halle, malachi, mom, dad? Oh wait.... we are Spurlock right? So we can be "TEAM SPURLOCK". Does that sound cool mom?"

 He didn't give me a chance to answer any question. He thought his questions out loud and solved them all  without help. So now we are "Team Spurlock". He really likes the idea of creating a team spirit in the family.

In businesses, they create a "team spirit" to accomplish goals and better the business as a whole. (Here's an article from the UK about Developing Team Spirit)  Motivational speakers encourage creating positive environments (Here's a blog by one of the nations' newest but most motivational speaker's I've heard: Matt Maddix). Tangent time: Use these "5 Things our kids NEED" to help you create that "team spirit".  Sports and other organizations will tell you that "Team Spirit" is a vital part of their achievements (See Importance of Team Spirit). I'm not a sports person but I'm sure my husband (Matthew Spurlock) can educate me on team building in sports and in the Army.

EVEN THE BIBLE SAYS:  Matthew 12:25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, "Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. (NLT) and Mark 3:25 And if a household is divided against itself, that household will not last. (God's Word Translation).

So by just the evidence the Bible presents: CREATE A TEAM SPIRIT=CREATE A FAMILY THAT WILL LAST. Create an environment that will bind everyone together in a loving spirit and keep the family strong.

Well, leave it to God to have a child and a dinosaur teach a mom a valuable lesson in creating a positive attitude in the home. Thank God for kids... a Pteranodons. Now introducing "Team Spurlock"

Getting organized: Using a calendar

One of the keys to getting organized is to use a calendar so you don't forget important dates.
Don't have too many calendars around the house then you get confused. I suggest 2-3 at the most: 1 Electronic Calendar like on the iPhone or other smart phones. The other 1-2 should be a master calendar that everyone can see. I have 2 one on the wall of my kitchen that EVERYONE can see. It has everyone's appointments, tests, quizzed, trips, birthdays, etc on it. My personal master calendar has everything about everyone on it PLUS bill due dates and amount due. 

1. My personal master calender is a monthly/daily type.  I use the monthly for an overview, then I use the daily for my "DO IT NOW" lists. 
2. Check calendars DAILY! I check them the night before so that I can get clothes, diaper bags, paperwork, etc ready for the next day. Then I put it all by the front door so I have it in one spot ready to go.
3. Use your calendar to plan your menus to prevent excess spending on take out. 
4. Purposely plan to call/email a friend during the week. 
5. Plan your Bible reading and your self-improvement reading. 
6. Set your goals on your calendar and your checkpoints.
7. Anytime something changes, change the other calendars.

The iPhone: When I set appointments in my iPhone I set 2 times with it. Either 1-2 days before AND 1-2 hours before. ALWAYS SET REMINDERS!

Organize Toys with Ziploc and Plastic Containers

Toys groups by type/color in Ziploc bags then placed in a plastic storage bin.

What's one of the hardest rooms to organize? THE KIDS ROOMS/PLAY ROOM. All those toys. All those parts. All the mess!  With children ages 3 and older, those who are old enough to know NOT TO PUT PLASTIC BAGS around their mouth and head. This little tips is a MAJOR help to keep from losing little parts and keeping all the pieces together. Ziploc Storage Bags and Plastic Bins!  I use ziploc bags with the "zipper" on it so the kids can easily open and close them. I use quart and gallon size bags. Using the bags makes it easy to group toys together according to type and not be searching every where for all the little piece.

Toys in Ziploc bag with all the pieces in one bag.