Hubby-Time, Swag Bucks, and Amish Stories

I took Bruce to the dentist today to have his teeth cleaned, then ran a couple of errands with him, came home to cook him some breakfast, started school with the kids, and now I'm sitting here blogging while the kids are working quietly.

If you recall, I joined Swag Bucks a while back and promoted it here on my blog. I still promote it. It's been great!! I've gotten several free things from swag bucks, mostly the $5.00 Amazon gift cards, which I've been loading to Amazon and watching my FREE money pile up. Anything I have ordered through Swag bucks has had free shipping too. That's a bonus. Anyway, I like reading Beverly Lewis books and bought her Seasons of Grace series using my Amazon cards I got from my Swag bucks winnings. I just finished the first book this morning, The Secret. It's kind of different, in that there is really no closure to the story in this first book. So I'm eager to begin the second and continue reading about Grace Byler, her mother's strange disappearance, and Heather, a young woman whose mother passed away not long ago and who has escaped to an Amish community to deal with her own recent diagnosis of cancer. Good story line so far.

If you want to join Swag bucks and start earning your own Amazon cards, or whatever other gift cards you may be interested in, just sign up there at the Swag bucks there in my sidebar. It's the easiest thing I've ever done. I joined, downloaded the Swag Bucks tool bar, and started using their search engine when searching the web. And that's how easy it is. Just search something in their search engine, and it's a chance to win swag bucks.

Bruce's dentist told him that Bruce's Uncle Major was in our town's newspaper, so we stopped on the way home and grabbed a paper. He read me the article as we drove home and it was really nice. Bruce's Uncle Major is a funny man. He's quite the character, let me tell ya! The write-up about him was good and I enjoyed hearing it. He just celebrated his 80th birthday, if I'm not mistaken. So Happy Birthday, Uncle Major! We love you.

I've cleaned out closets and drawers and cabinets and last night I cleaned out my washroom. I could not believe how much stuff was in there that we either didn't need or just didn't use any longer. Don't worry, Bruce, I didn't get rid of anything that belonged to you. :D

It looks so much better in there! I love a decluttered, less chaotic look, don't you? Have you ever seen that show Hoarders? I've only watched it once or twice and these people are not hoarders, in my opinion. They're either lazy or have some sort of mental disorder that causes them to be like that. I can't watch it. I get ill.

Well, speaking of decluttered and less chaotic looks, I need to straighten up this living room and do some dusting.

That And This

Someone asked what our favorite day of the week was. Mine is Thursday. You know how you reach the very top of a roller coaster in the first car and that car briefly peaks over the top before falling quickly to the bottom of the hill? That's my Thursday. Monday through Wednesday is the clankity-clank up the hill, Thursday is my peak and the excitement of what is coming and Friday through Sunday is the speed and excitement of the rest of the ride.

Friday is the loop you've been waiting on. You know, the one you see as you enter the amusement park and think to yourself, "I gotta ride that!"

Saturday is the unexpected turns and twists you had no idea were coming, but thoroughly enjoy nonetheless!

And Sunday are those last few exciting hills that bring you to the end of the best ride ever!

Yeah...Thursday is my favorite day. The peak. Because I know the rest of the ride is what it's all about!

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We had a good day today. Justin had his long day at the college and we had a pretty fair day of homeschooling. Things seemed to go smoothly.

I started supper, but Hannah took over when Bruce announced he wanted him and me to take his mom out for supper. It was a blessing treating both my parents and my mother-in-law to dinner out this week.

Hannah made BBQ pork ribs and I'll admit that, although, I ate my share at the Asian Buffet, I still tried her BBQ when I got home and it was GOOD! She also made some chocolate, peanut butter chip cookies. They were different, but they were good too. She's quite the cook, my little Banna.

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Have you been watching the Olympics? I've enjoyed it, myself. But is it just me, or has there been an unusual amount of drama this year? People dying, feelings of being jilted out of a medal, whole teams being disqualified because they cheated, rival countries making those representing them feel inadequate if they lose to the other country, skiers losing their chance at their medal because they got the raw end of the rules....It's been a crazy winter Olympics.

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I read a blog post today on Michael and Debi Pearl. I've never really DISliked what the Pearls had to say, but I certainly do not hang on every word they say either. And I think they are on the extreme side as far as discipline. I think the Bible should be our final authority in everything, including raising our children. I just want to say that if you read and try their parenting advice, remember that we should emulate Jesus Christ in our parenting. Show mercy from time to time. It's like I told someone this afternoon, sometimes showing mercy teaches a greater lesson to a child than discipline itself. I'm not saying we should NEVER discipline our children. Of course we have to. But sometimes God shows us mercy when He really should just let us have it.

I guess the whole point of this is, just be careful of the advice you seek and take from other people. Pray for discernment no matter who you're reading from.

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Tomorrow we'll be heading down the roller coaster hill into that loop by going on a date. I do love going out with my darlin'. He's so wonderful! Can't wait to hold his hand and look into those sweet eyes of his. I do love that man.

This and That

I did not resolve to blog more frequently than I have as of late, however, I do want to try. I have not been the good blogger I once was. LOL BUT! We'll see what happens.

Bruce won't let anyone in the attic except for himself in order to keep.....order. So I'm still waiting for my Christmas boxes to be brought down in order to put things back to.....order......around here. I loved my Christmas tree when we put it up. Now it's looking rather dull and I'm ready to see it gone. Here it is January 6 and this is it for me. This is my goal date each year. The sixth of January!!! If the boxes don't come down tonight I will take this tree, not caring that it is artificial, and I will plant it in my back yard! I'd rather do that than nag.

Late last night I made rice crispy treats after mentioning to Arlene that butterscotch chips were good when mixed in with the treats. Of course I did not have butterscotch chips on hand, but I did have all the other stuff. So when everyone had breakfast this morning, rice crispy treats seemed to be the one thing on the menu they all agreed upon. Hey, don't judge me as a mother. It's made with cereal and cereal is a breakfast food!!

I've been reading Washington's Lady by Nancy Moser and have enjoyed it so much! She is a history fiction writer. This book is taken from the perspective of Martha Washington. As I read it, I feel as though she is speaking directly to me, telling me the story of her life. It has been great! I get in chapter a night...possibly two. Depending on my time and how tired I am. But I look forward to lighting a candle and crawling in bed each night so I can read the next chapter. Not that I read by candle light. I just like the smell of cinnamon...or vanilla...or pumpkin...while I'm settling in for the night. Not to mention the ambiance. Anyway, if you haven't read this book, you need to pick it up somewhere. I am sure the local book stores would have a copy of it.

And thus concludes my blog for today. Back to homeschooling, cleaning, laundry, cooking, church...in that order! :)

Research Shows That...

...thinking makes you stronger. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found that imagining doing exercises (but not doing them) actually boosted muscle strength. The study: They had one group of people imagining moving their pinky muscles for 15 minutes a day for 12 weeks, and another group doing nothing. At the end of the study the second group showed no change, but the first group had a 35% increase in pinky strength.

I wonder how much money was spent on THIS research?

I think I'll go now and imagine tighter abs.

I Moved

As you can see, I have moved! I'll keep the original Thimble Thoughts in my sidebar if anyone wants to go through its archives, but I just wanted a change. A new look. I'm a woman. It's my prerogative!

I had the OLD template where you had to type in the code for everything so I love, LOVE, this one with its easy layout. It's terrific!

If you came from the old blog, you know that daddy came home today. I was in the shower when my mom called to say they were on their way home. After I got dressed, I checked the caller ID and saw where she had called. I was upset when I found out I missed their call and wasn't there to help them in the house. Then I found out that Justin heard the phone ring but didn't answer it because he didn't recognize the number on the caller ID. At first I was upset, but then realized that was a habit he picked up from me. Remember, I don't like to talk on the phone and I screen my calls. So! I couldn't stay upset long. I just hate I missed helping him in the house. I suppose he would have picked up if they had left a message. But they didn't do that either. *ahem*

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Thankful for my Dial Soap

I like Dial soap. I like that I can walk into a grocery store, pick up a few bars, check out, and go home.

In my book, The Original White House Cook Book 1887 Edition, here is the recipe for making soap:

One pound of washing soda, one pound of lard or clear tallow, half a pound of unslaked lime, one tablespoonful of salt, three quarts of water. Put the soda and lime in a large dish, and pour over the water, boiling hot; stir until dissolved; let it stand until clear; then pour off the clear liquid, add the grease and salt; boil four hours, then pour into pans to cool. If it should be inclined to curdle or separate, indicating the lime to be too strong, pour in a little more water, and boil again. Perfume as you please, and pour into molds or a shallow dish, and, when cold, cut into bars to dry.

click here to read another update from Hannah