Another Quilted Keepsake

My friend, Jenn, of Sunshine of Autumn Quilts, made my daughter a beautiful twin sized quilt. It is thick, warm, and a wonderful keepsake of Amanda's t-shirts. You can read more about this quilt and some of the others Jenn has made here.

This quilt makes a total of five that she has made our family, one for each of my children. I couldn't feel more blessed to have her as a friend.

If you are looking for a special gift that is unique and filled with memories, please consider giving Sunshine of Autumn Quilts more than just a cursory glance. Her quilts are fairly priced and are as unique as the individual.

Continuing Education - Is it for You?

I took the plunge today ... I began the registration process with an online college program. I have some credits from my previous stint with college (back when I graduated high school), but it's not for certain right now whether any of those credits will transfer.

My reasons for going after my degree this late in the game (I'm well beyond 18 years old!) are just a few, but they are important to me. Perhaps you might resonate?

I have always regretted quitting college. As an 18-year-old girl living with her parents (my school was in my hometown) and struggling with family troubles, I often felt as if I couldn't cope with the stress of college classes. Financially, it worked out because I had scholarships and grants that covered everything except for books. And I had a good sized savings account. Academically, I was ok. I made a 4.0 average my second quarter of school. I still have the newspaper clipping regarding the President's List upon which I placed.

I had a boyfriend who kept pushing the envelope, so to speak. I couldn't cope with that. I couldn't cope with the family struggles (which have resolved since) either. Rather than turn to my LORD for strength, I turned to my mom for advice. She suggested I relieve some of the stress by quitting college. Inside, I was really begging for someone to say that I could do it - that I should continue pressing for the prize. Maybe I wanted someone to stand up and tell the boyfriend to just leave me alone. I don't know. Since that didn't happen, I quit school. The pressures mounted more than ever, though. My boyfriend and I broke up (which was really a good thing). I eventually got a job and moved into my own apartment. Family relationships improved over the years. My relationship with my LORD became strong when I accepted His death on the cross for my sin, repented, and turned to Christ in 1981.

Now I have the pressing desire to go back to college and complete that which I started years ago. I think that's God impressed, because I have prayed and prayed and the desire only becomes more intense. And things are falling into place for me to do so.

If my husband were to reach heaven early, I would need to have a way to support myself and the children still living at home. The job market is flooded with applicants. I want to be as qualified as I can be.

Continuing education is even more attainable than it was in 1980. We have online options, hybrid options (some time on the internet and some in person), and the traditional on campus instruction. Federal money is available in the form of grants for those who qualify. Each state has guidelines for applying for state grants. A simple search on the WEB brings up many, many scholarship opportunities.

If you are considering furthering your education, don't let your age or financial status hold you back. If you are a full-time mother or working outside of the home, you will have to be creative and work around your schedule. But it can work.

Before doing anything, pray, pray, pray. God knows what's best for you. Just ask Him to reveal that to you.

Sharing - Always Good?

Lately, I have found myself wondering if some of the sharing that I've done has always been a good thing. Now, I'm not talking about the sharing of toys when someone comes over to play - as we have taught our children. I'm thinking more on the lines of the "You give me something and I'll swap you something of mine" type of sharing.

One of the more popular websites for sharing is Paperback Swap. I was a member of Paperback Swap for five years. With this program, you have a book you've read and no longer want it. Someone else has a book they no longer want - but you do. So you swap it out, sending out your book to a member. You receive a credit for another book. You go ahead and use the credit to "purchase" the book you want from another member. Each member pays the shipping charges to mail out his/her books.

Sounds good, huh? Well, in the last year I have had a good deal of problems with this program. I no longer think it's a good deal because, well, I can't trust people to be honest. That's right. Honest.

I have mailed out books that I KNOW are in very good condition. None of us smoke; most of my books are brand new (reviewer copies) that I read but still keep in very, very good shape, protecting them from harm's way; and I send them out well-protected, using lots and lots of shipping tape to make certain they don't escape from the packaging or become damaged during shipping.

Still, many members receiving my books have complained that the books are in terrible shape and they demand their credits back. That means I swallow up the cost of shipping the books (nobody as yet sent them back to me - surprise) and I get no credits that I can use for another book.

Rather than argue or complain, I refund the credit (give it up so they get a free book and I am duped out of one). I want to be gracious, but I really have to tell you that we don't have the extra money to do this sort of thing.

So....is Paperback Swap a good use of my finances/time? I would say not. God calls us to be good stewards of all that He gives us. Wasting money sending out these books is not being a good steward of our finances. I have closed my Paperback Swap account (feeling a bit sad as I did it). I will now donate my used books to the library in which I work.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Days 1 & 2

I'm seeing a lot of people doing this thing somewhat to the effect of "Thirty Days of Thankfulness". We really should do a 365 (or 366 in cases of Leap Years) Days of Thankfulness, but thirty is a start. Since this is already day two of November, I'll combine a couple of days.

I live in the greatest country in the world - the United States of America. Yes, we have political problems. Yes, we have crime. Yes, we have poverty. The list could go on. But, though we have some problems, we still have freedoms that a good deal of the rest of the world does not or has not experienced in a while.

I can still worship God in a church that is open to all who will come. I don't have to hide somewhere and worship in secret, praying that the authorities in power do not raid the building and arrest me or worse. The Constitution of the United States of America gives me that right. Furthermore, I do not have to belong to a State Church or be persecuted, as many in other countries throughout history have been forced to do. Freedom of Religion is grand! So is the Freedom to Assemble.

I can voice my opinion without the threat of imprisonment - I have the Freedom of Speech that is granted to me under our great Constitution. I view this as a valuable freedom, one not to be taken lightly or to be misused.

I can still own a firearm if I choose to do so, though that right is being gradually questioned and threatened. Why own a gun? I come from a long line of hunters who love the woods and who have often had to hunt game in order to provide food for the winter for our families. The ability to protect our loved ones is greater with firearm ownership as well. If lawmakers and government officials really thought about it, they would come to realize that criminals will always have weapons, but take away the rights from God fearing citizens and peaceful residents to own them and a military state will begin. Call me a redneck if you want to, but this great country has a lot to offer, including that right to own firearms.

We have other, valuable freedoms which are listed in the Constitution of the United States. All citizens should read this document, lest we forget them and allow bad governmental leaders to take those rights away us.

The United States is also a beautiful, diverse country. We have people of ethnicities and from all walks of life all over this land which itself is varied - from mountains to prairies to deserts to farmland to bayou.

Thank you, Father, for the USA.

Blessings of Quilts and Friendship

My friend, Jenn of Sunshine of Autumn Quilts, made this beautiful twin sized quilt for Ryan. Ignore the sleeping boy underneath it or the incredibly messy bedroom.

Filled with the boys' t-shirts, four quilts adorn our home - all hand-made by Jenn. The quilts are make up wonderful "swatches of memory" for the boys as well as keep them warm during our long, cold northern winters.

If you haven't visited Sunshine of Autumn Quilts yet, please do. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Etsy, and her blog, Growth in God.

To Buy Used or Not?

I am looking very forward to garage sales this summer, though I'm not sure they are always the best thing going. I used to think that getting my clothes used saved me tons of money. Today, I don't think that's the case a lot of the time. The last couple of summers have burned me out on garage sales, as I had to go to many, many sales to find one decent item that wasn't ripped or stained AND was at a price I thought was fair.

Today, I took my daughter shopping for some clothes. We tried used shops first, including Goodwill. Was I ever discouraged! The prices are high enough that I couldn't justify purchasing, again, torn or stained clothing - let alone things that have been shrunk so you're not really sure what sizes they truly are.

I ended up buying some things from Wal-mart and Kohl's.

shoes from Wal-mart for $13.00

dress and sweater from Kohl's $32.00 with $10.00 off certificate

The moral of the story is, for me, that if I hunt down sales (all items above were 50% off regular price - lots were on sale for 75% off regular price), I can buy brand new things. It's important to weigh out the pros and cons of what you're buying before you make that purchase, though.

Atrocities - Contributed by Johnny Graves

This week, as I was scanning my programming guide online for direct TV, I was surprised to find several local channels that I was not aware were part of our package. My husband and I have been watching a horrific case unfold in an area not far from where we live. A young girl about the same age as our oldest daughter lost her life at the hands of deplorable human being. While she was playing at her apartment’s playground, she was abducted, raped, and brutally beaten and murdered. This was a malicious and calculated crime against an innocent child. All of the media attention surrounding this case has really made me stop and question the lack of moral compass so present in our world today. What is it that could turn a person into such a brutal and evil killer? Could there be any worse crime than that against an innocent child? This was no act of senseless violence. This was a well-planned and calculated murder of a child. This suspect is custody has no criminal record, no history of violence. If this person is indeed the killer, it begs the question.

Misc. Doings

This is not a Tackle it Tuesday post, but it does highlight some of the things I've been doing these days. I haven't kept anybody posted as to my weight loss/get healthy venture in a while. The diet has gone well and I still eat more healthy than not. Since June 1, I have lost 22 pounds and am now at a comfortable weight, though not where I would ideally like to be. Still, to be back in the normal body mass ratio is wonderful. The diet I follow is a conglomoration of many diets. I keep bad carbohydrates mostly out of my meals, though I splurge once in a great while. I have one cup of coffee a day (99% of the time) and only in the morning before I eat anything. I wait an hour and then have a simple breakfast, usually a bowl of oatmeal (old-fashioned oats) with berries sprinkled into it. I rarely eat sugar and when I do, I tend to use stevia or raw, unfiltered honey. I limit meat to once or twice a week. I have plenty of green salads, lots of veggies (if you read my menu plans you'll notice I like green beans). When I use milk it's skim. I make my own yogurt and I never sweeten it. I use it often in smoothies, but again, I don't use sugar. I am still gluten-free and have no desire to go back to the gummy, rotten stuff. I have given up soda pop for good. I TRY to get lots of water down, but often forget. I walk a lot for exercise. I stay busy.

I have dropped FOUR sizes and am finding I might have to hunt for smaller jeans. I am not focusing on food - I'm focusing on my love for Jesus. I'm finding that ministry is more important than food and the body. Food and the body are temporal - what we do for Christ is eternal. Get my eyes off of me and things fall into their proper places.

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Something else going on is Small Business Saturday on November 26. America's small businesses are what keeps her going. I have pledged to shop my local small businesses on November 26. Won't you join in? Take the pledge and you might win one of 100 $25 American Express gift cards to use that day.


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I am  the new librarian at our local branch of our county's public library. I work 4 hours a day. It has been a great thing so far. I keep busy there for the most part, meet new people, and get the chance now and then to impart Christian values. Do I preach to them? Of course not. I simply talk to them about whatever subject they bring up. I kid you not, I have been asked to give recommendations for Christian books, talk about my church, and even discuss the Bible. People are hungry for the Truth. I have to conclude that this might be the reason the job fell into my lap. I prayed for a ministry in my village and I'm getting it - plus a little extra cash.

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I am on jury duty for November. I've only had to show up at the court house once so far. I was not chosen for the jury. I know too many people involved with the case, from the defending lawyer to many of the witnesses for the defense. Then there's the fact that my son is a county deputy, which makes me biased for the prosecution as well. I spent 8 hours at the court house on jury selection day and, though I got tired, learned a tremendous amount of legal stuff - fascinating stuff. When you get chosen for jury duty, don't grumble. Rather, consider it your DUTY to serve - and to do so with a good attitude and spirit.

Getting the Most with What You Can

We decided to go back out in the state forest last weekend in order to have a cook-out over an open fire. The real reason, though, was to forage and get whatever food we could to store up for winter use. Wow, did we ever find some good stuff!

These mushrooms are Fly-Agraic ones. 

The Chanterelle mushrooms are in abundance in the north woods this year. Supposedly, these are the real delicacy, above and beyond morels. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to correctly identify Chanterelles and they are afraid to eat them. To learn about them, go here.

The berries (above are blackberries mixed with red raspberries) are in abundance too. In fact, most people are saying that this is the best crop of blackberries that they've ever seen. Red raspberries grow wild here, and they, too, are large and abundant. The only problem with the berries is that the thorns just about kill you - and you have to be on the lookout for black bears on an eating frenzy before they hibernate. We found lots and lots of places where the bears had been. They trample down the bushes and leave other - ahem - reminders that they were there.

As long as you are able to walk and move freely, you should make the best use of your abilities to store up for the coming months. 

As an aside, planning for winter is not the same as hoarding. When one hoards, she is amassing all sorts of stuff that she will never use because she is not trusting the Lord to provide - or else she's just plain greedy. Both are considered sin.

Five Myths of Bankruptcy - Here's #1

I certainly hope that none of my readers should need to file bankruptcy, but these days, it might be the only choice left.

Sacramento bankruptcy attorney, Gerald B. Glazer, says that the probable number one myth of bankruptcy is that you have to be completely broke before you can file. Glazer goes on to state that you should not wait until creditors are banging on your door before you seek help. If you think that you might need to file for bankruptcy, you should do your research early and then plan accordingly. Being prepared is key.

*This is a paid post.*

Lots of Sampling

I have been blessed the past few weeks with some great products that my family and I could try and the share our results with you. One of them is Trend Micro Online Guardian.


I initially put this program on the computer that my youngest two children share with my husband. My hope was to set rules for their internet usage - hours they are allowed to use the internet, which sites are safe sites, which sites are blocked from their eyes. I got more than that. I get regular reports concerning Ryan's Facebook account and I am privy to his chat messages. I don't usually check his chat all that often, but if I feel I need to, I can.

At first, I had some difficulty setting up this account. Ryan kept being blocked from Facebook altogether, and I have to tell you, he was angry at me. After a day or two of messing with it, I had to completely uninstall the program and then reinstall. All works great now.

Bottom line: This is a great program as long as your children aren't so computer savvy that they know how to bypass (and WILL bypass) the program by using certain browsers and programs that the normal mother cannot understand. My 17-year-old got it off of his computer with no trouble. The youngest two, however, have been completely complying with the rules. At $49.95, I think it's a good deal for those who really need or want this type of protection. If you wish to try it out before buying, a trial version is available for download.


Friday night I colored my hair with a new hair color. John Frieda Precision Foam Colour is a rather new at-home hair color that is supposed to give you professional results, as if you'd paid the big bucks at a salon.

I received a coupon from John Frieda to try this out and, though I normally use Ion hair color (from Sally Beauty Supply), I figured it was worth a shot. This hair color was not the easiest to use! I had color on my back, my ears, and the mirror. I know that the biggest problem for me is that I wear rather strong eye glasses and, without them on my face, I really can't see too well. Precision Foam Hair Colour is not poured on and neither is it pasted on your hair. You have to squeeze foam from the bottle into your gloved hand and apply it to your hair with your hand. I needed another hand. I do love the gloves. They're heavier duty than most I've received with hair color. I used medium chocolate brown and below is the result. I have no gray patches and the color is very even and rich looking. I couldn't find a natural brown color, which is what I really wanted. This color is darker than my normal (and natural) shade. The kids looked at me and yelled, "You look just like Aunt Debbie!" Well, I guess that isn't a horrible thing, but I still would like my normal shade - I know it's available because the website says so!

At Wal-mart's normal price of $9.99, this is a pricey at-home color. If you can find coupons or sales, or even if you don't mind paying full price, you might like to use this color. I don't particularly care to continue using it because of the level of difficulty I had in applying it to my hair.

Once you've finished coloring your hair, you should use one of the shampoo and conditioner lines made specifically for color treated hair. I am using TRESemme(R) Color Revitalize shampoo and conditioner. TRESemme(R) claims that it keeps color treated hair bright and revitalized for 40 washes (as compared to normal shampoos and conditioners). I love the smell of this product line. It leaves my hair feeling silky and smooth too. It's pretty concentrated, so I don't have to use half the bottle to get my hair clean. As for keeping my color "revitalized", I think it does.

You can buy TRESemme(R) Color Revitalize at about the same price as other color protection shampoos and conditioners (Pantene, etc). I think it's probably worth the cost. Let me encourage you to "like" TRESemme on Facebook to keep informed about the latest deals and products.

* I received free products in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.*
If you would like to join BuzzAgent and get product samples too, you can do so here.

Menu Plan Monday - April 25

Menu Plan Monday is found at Organizing Junkie. I hope everyone had a nice amazing Easter; I know I did. Our church service was out of this world - the sanctuary holds something like 1100 people and it was PACKED! Some of the members and regular attenders donned Biblical clothing and greeted people as they exited their cars in the parking lots. We heard, "He is risen!" "Oh glorious day!" "Welcome - He is not here, just as He said!"

During the service, we had fantastic, moving music. The sounds of so many people raising their voices to the Lord brought tears to my eyes. The sermon was powerful. MANY people walked to the altar and repented of their sins - and asked the Lord into their lives.

In other words, we had a life-changing Sunday.

I only wish one thing: I wish that it could be this great every Sunday and that we could pack it out each week. Will lives be changed one week from today? Will they be changed on weekends only or every single day of the rest of their lives? I'll pray to that end.

Here's my menu for the week:

Monday

Loaded Baked Potatoes using left-over ham
Tossed Salads
Vegetable Beef Soup

Tuesday

Waffles
Sausage

Wednesday

Spaghetti Squash & Marinara Sauce
Peas

Thursday

Mexican Beans & Rice
Salads
Fruit

Friday

Pizza & Pop

Saturday

Beef Stew
Brownies

Sunday

On Your Own

Food for Real People

Real people have real concerns - such as diabetes. I have a family member with type 2. It's not at the horribly serious point yet, but it can get there. We're trying to manage it with pills, diet and exercise. Does he want to eat "real food"? Of course!

He must eat a protein source for breakfast or suffer the consequences, in the form of low blood sugar later in the morning. He usually opts for eggs and maybe sausage or bacon. He eats sandwiches for lunch (he's on the road most of the day and doesn't have access to a microwave - and I might add that he refuses to eat things like salads for lunch) and has to count the bread as a carb. He usually has whole wheat bread, which is a better choice than white, but is still a carb. He likes to have meaty sandwiches with cheese.

For suppers, it gets difficult for me. My daughter and I have to eat gluten-free. Then there's this diabetes thing, and on top of that I'm juggling meal ideas for the vegetarian son. Whew.

Pasta is a well-loved choice for our family, but isn't so practical anymore because of the diet concerns. My veggie loving son is all for eating whole wheat pasta. Hubby is not fond of it at all. Of course, my daughter and I can't touch wheat anyway. Here's what I've found works for us:

Amanda and I love Ancient Harvest quinoa/corn pasta. We also like Tinkyada Rice Pasta.

I have begun serving the rest of the family Dreamfields Pasta. It has twice the fiber of other white pastas (5 g. per serving) and is lowest on the glycemic index than any other pasta (13). The family says that it tastes good and they can't tell any difference between it and traditional pasta. (info from Dreamfields)

Spring Cleaning with Heloise - Kitchen Sink

Even though the weather outside doesn't always make me think of spring, I'm spring cleaning nonetheless. Heloise has a helpful hint for the kitchen in the video below. This is a trick I've used for years and it is really one that does as she claims.

Merry Christmas Wishes

Wishing all of my friends a Merry Christmas! Have a safe, blessed, and CHRIST-filled holiday!

Christmas Giving

I thought I would share with you some more of my homemade Christmas gift projects. These are downpour catnip soap bars. We have catnip growing near our herb garden (well, not now since we have a foot of snow on the ground) and I cultivate and grind it for soap making. A lot of people like to use catnip in tea. It has a calming effect on people but excites cats. The soap has been curing for a couple of weeks and has a couple more to go before they are ready to use. They smell very nice. The round one is a soap ball that I made out of the trimmings. When the soap is freshly cut, it is still very wet and the trimmings "smoosh" together quite easily.

The next picture of soap bars is of peppermint chamomile. These bars have a slightly "scrubby" feel to them, making them great for exfoliating. They have ground chamomile flowers, ground coriander, and ginger in them. Along with the peppermint essential oil, they make for a really fragrant soap. They're curing in our bedroom and the smell really helps keep my sinuses open so I can sleep! They'll be ready to use at the same time as the catnip bars.

The picture below is of the angel sampler that I told you about. I used a country craft magazine that I had purchased about 5 years ago. I made a ton of crafts using it back then and won Homemaker of the Year in our county. I had never made this sampler until now, however. Basically, you just draw a design on fabric using a disappearing pencil. Then, embroider along those lines. I put a dab of blush powder on her cheeks. I then sprayed nonflaking starch on it. It now sits in a book, flattening out some while awaiting a cheap frame. The directions say to sand the frame and make it look rustic. I don't know if I'll do that. I'm afraid I'll mess it up!

Tomorrow I plan to make a whole bunch of cloth napkins. Those are super easy. Just cut some good sized squares out of some fabric and hem all the way around. Make sure you miter the corners or fold them so you don't have raw edges.

Along with the eight hats I've crocheted, the afghan I crocheted, and some knitted dish cloths, I've made a little start on gift making. I am determined to not go into debt over Christmas. We've done that in the past. If I can leave one thought with the modern Proverbs 31 Woman it is this: Christmas gift giving should be a joy. If you can't afford the gifts and then buy them anyway - later to complain and feel miserable about it - then it's a sin. God loves a cheerful giver. He wants your giving to be from the heart - and not just at Christmas, but every day of the year, every day you live. After all, He gave you the perfect gift, His Son.

Can we all give a little more cheerfully, no matter how large or small that gift? In God's eyes, the gifts that seemingly cost us nothing but love are the ones that matter.

The Naughty or Nice Christmas List - What do you Think?

The American Family Association has published its Naughty or Nice Christmas List for 2010. This list highlights companies that: Use the word "Christmas" on a regular basis, use the word "Christmas" infrequently, or sparingly (or not at all.) After reading over the list, I was a little surprised by the companies that are more "Christmas" friendly than others. Home Depot didn't make any of the lists. I suppose that's because a large number of Christians are boycotting them. I knew that Hobby Lobby would be on the nice list because they play Christian music in the store most of the time.

Personally, I don't like to celebrate Christmas much. Don't jump at me yet. I don't like to celebrate the worldly holiday that Christmas is all around the world. I DO celebrate Christ - the fact that he was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and died on a cross for the sins of mankind. I celebrate the fact that He rose on the third day and appeared to His disciples and many others. I celebrate the fact that He ascended to Heaven and is now preparing a place for those who believe and trust in Him. I celebrate the fact that He's coming again to take His bride home.

I DON'T celebrate Santa. I don't celebrate giving gifts at this time too well, but I'm trying for my family's sake. I loathe putting up a Christmas tree each year. I appreciate only a handful of Christmas movies.

I'm a scrooge! Really, though, I don't think that using or not using the word "Christmas" by the world is a big deal. The big deal is that many, many people are perishing and don't know it. Their souls are dying because they don't know the Savior of the world, Christ Himself. His name isn't "Christmas." It's "Emmanual" - God with us. That's what we should celebrate. And that's a Name we should never be ashamed to say. If we do, He says He'll be ashamed of us before His Father in Heaven.

What I'd like to know is: Do you really care whether stores use the word "Christmas" in their Christmas advertising and in the physical stores?

Get Rid of the Winter Blues with Winter Science Camps

I don't know how it goes in your house, but winter can be a humdrum time for us. We get a lot of snow here - I'm talking a LOT! Sometimes it's fun to be out and about in it; sometimes it's not. Usually a couple of months in, we find we're tired of snow, being in our house (we homeschool), and generally being with each other.

Wouldn't you like to find something educational, but fun, for your kids to do when on Christmas break? I would. It's often been noted that children learn best by combining the usual learning methods. While some kids are content to merely read and listen, a vast number get the most out of learning when they can touch, smell and hear the lessons.

 At the end of December, 1,600 KinderCare Learning Centers (http://www.KinderCare.com) throughout the United States will give students just that: an exciting multi-sensory time of real learning. Kids from preschool through grade school will have the chance to "live" science by becoming directly involved with scientific activities and experiments. They will get the opportunity to become scientific detectives to solve science mysteries. Older kids will find building balloon rockets, creating volcanic eruptions, and more a great diversion from the normal things of winter.

KinderCare's Winter Science Camps (http://www.KinderCare.com/wintersciencecamp) will be held for eight days. Kids may attend all of the eight days or visit for one day or more. 

  

In addition to Winter Science Camp, KinderCare offers comprehensive reading guides with tips for parents to use in order to get the most out of reading time together. Some tips included are:

• You can help cultivate baby's interest in books by choosing ones that capture his or her attention such as board books, pop-up books, etc. Your child will want to see these again and again. 

• While reading together, ask questions about the pictures. Children are delighted in finding objects on the page. If they're saying 'da' and pointing at the dog, say, 'Yes, that's the dog,' If the child says 'ball,' follow up with, 'That's a blue ball.' You'll be giving them additional language for their verbal bank.

• Ask your child open-ended questions about the story you are reading, such as "Why do you think that happened?"

So, if you're sticking around home December 20-23 or December 27-30 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and are looking for something different, give Winter Science Camps from KinderCare some prayer and thought. It might be what you're looking for.

*I have been offered compensation for this post*

Your Facebook Profile and Otrib

Do you have a Facebook account - and often wondered what will happen to that account if you should die? That's a question many people have asked. Countless others have actually had to deal with that subject when their family members passed away, leaving their Facebook accounts behind.


This is a dilemma with which Otrib is effectively dealing. According to their website, this is how it works:

• Name an heir for your digital assets
• Describe how your Facebook account should be managed upon your death
• Help your next of kin save time and money by automatically
  - Sending out death notice to friends and family
  - Creating a tribute page / interactive online obituary 

I know that this sounds like an insensitive subject, but it really is a pertinent one for us to ponder. When a member passes on, they leave behind a profile that nobody can touch. By leaving behind a "virtual will", we can make one thing a little easier for our survivors.

Just something for you to think about.





*Though this is my opinion, I have received this opportunity through BzzAgent.

Carpets

There was a time when nobody had carpets. In fact, their floors were made of dirt! Can you imagine sweeping off a dirt floor? Talk about a dust problem. One thing's for sure, though. Mothers probably didn't get so upset about their children dropping crumbs of food or spilling milk on the floors!

We have decided that we must steam clean our carpets at least once a year, preferably twice a year. We went to Lowe's the other night and rented a Bissell cleaner for $39. For that, we got 24 hours to clean our carpets and return the cleaner.

I was shocked at how much dirt and grime came out of the carpets. I was even more shocked when I found that the majority of the "stains" actually came out. In three days they have not resurfaced. I am especially pleased to find that the house still smells good after the three days. Dirty carpets really hold in a lot of yuck.

I'm still debating the issue of buying a carpet cleaner as opposed to continuing to rent one.