Purex BABY Giveaway!

Purex has, once again, come out with a new product for your review. New for babies is Triple Action Purex BABY. Hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, Purex BABY is gentle on baby skin and great for baby stains.

 

I’ve been using Purex BABY for a couple weeks now, and while the smell is definitely baby and I’m strangely lacking a baby at the moment, the clothes are clean. I’m happy with it, and with the price of Purex beating the price of it’s competitors, that’s pretty cool too. If you’d like to try Purex BABY, leave a comment below for a chance for a free bottle of Purex coupon. An extra comment saying you “liked” this post and leaving a comment on my page on facebook will earn you a grand total of three entries. Drawing is on Thursday at noon.

Overachievers.

Liberty and Eden were sent up to the woodpile in the pasture to put a week’s worth of wood in the back of the pickup.

They were pretty excited to hear that the amount they threw in the pickup would last at least twice that long.

Overachievers.

Christmas monkeys.

I sewed 17 sock monkeys in the last month and a half. Ten of them were for my kids and their cousins who were here for Christmas.

Fun stuff.

Need? Or want?

Yesterday, after much deliberation and trolling Craigslist, we bought a new-to-us refrigerator. The one we’ve had for the last five years is 18 cubic feet. Small. We measured our space available, and headed out. We bought one that’s 25 cubic feet, water and ice in the door… in short, everything the one I’ve had isn’t. With plans to put that in the kitchen and move the small one to the basement, we headed home.

And then. Those 35 inches we have for our fridge aren’t. With an old and somewhat (or significantly, depending on where you check) malformed home that wasn’t built exactly square, the fridge, despite removal of trim (Trim that was finally nail, caulked, and painted just mere weeks ago, mind you.) and trimming of kitchen cabinet, it. won’t. fit.

And so the new fridge goes to the garage. That was a hard pill to swallow. It’ll serve us just fine down there. The little one fits great upstairs. It’s just not what I wanted. No ice, no water, no freezer that the kids can easily reach.

It’s an extra fridge. We got it for a good price. We have food abundant to put in it and more than we ever deserve.

But it’s been a painful lesson.

Temper, temper.

Pierce has a fierce temper. I know this. Still, I was surprised to find this when I went to get him out of bed after his nap that he refused to take. Instead, he spent the time displaying his anger, not only verbally, but also physically from the evidence:

Poor monkey lost his mouth. The stuffing was everywhere. His eyes were only saved because I must have sewed them on stronger than he could pull, from the looks of them.

I’m a little bit afraid.

Book Review

I was recently asked to review the book The Reunion by Rachael McIntire. It was published by Elisha Press.

The Reunion is a novel meant to be read aloud to your whole family or enjoyed by readers around age ten and up. My kids were clamoring for me to read “just one more chapter” each time we read, and they were hanging on the edge of their seats. Characters Rebecca, Sarah, and Amanda became household names and were frequently discussed among the children. Each of my kids age 4 and up were thoroughly engrossed, waiting to find out what might happen. The story begins as baby Sarah was left on the doorstep of a Christian family. Sarah becomes Rebecca’s sister and the story details the growing up years of Sarah and Rebecca together.

Amanda, also adopted, but to a distant and unchristian home, was raised by nannies and most definitely not in the church. How she grows and how Sarah grows was much discussed as my children realized that not all children have the home life they do. Tender topics were discussed with grace and the story had a fun twist that I have to admit was somewhat predictable for me – but my kids did not see it coming. They were thrilled and excited and I have a feeling we’ll be talking – and re-reading The Reunion for many years to come. Both of my older daughters, age 9 and 7, have already re-read it once. It was well written and, while the Christian family seems nearly too perfect living how we all ought but struggle to, it made a positive impact on my kids. Thumbs up from this momma!

If you are interested in buying a copy for your family, use code REVIEW-FALKENA at http://thereunionstory.com/ for $2.00 off until the end of February. After that, the discount reduces to $1.00 off.

I was not paid for my review. I did, however, receive a free copy of The Reunion. All opinions are mine and my family’s. Read excepts of this review and the reviews of others at http://thereunionstory.com/reviews/.

Grit your teeth and smile.

My favorite photo out of the Christmas bunch – she just looks so tolerant, doesn’t she?!

I think she likes her new backpack.

He couldn’t stand it, he was so excited.

He loves his sister.

Feigned glee over a gift she helped me pick out…

Dawning realization that the pile of tubes they were looking at actually makes a 15 foot trampoline…

…and Pierce got crabby and missed the photos. Oops.

Merry Christmas!