Wedding Day

Wedding Day
Enjoy EVERY moment in your wedding gown. You can't stay in it forever...SO UNFAIR!!!!

Monday, May 31, 2010

THIS IS FREEDOM by Justin Unger




For Memorial Day, I just wanted to share a wonderful song. There is a great message here that I hope you will check out. With thanks to all the men and woman who have given so much to preserve our rights and defend our nation and others. Thanks to Justin Unger for writing and sharing such a wonderful message.

Blessings

Kelly :)

Free Sample of Feed Whole Grain Granola


I love, love, love granola! I have never tried Feed Whole Grain Granola, but now I have the chance! Well, many of us do. Check out the opportunity for a free sample now while supplies last at their website. Linkage is below!

LINK: Free Sample Feed Whole Grain Granola

Big thanks to Cut Them Coupons and to For the Mommas for the heads up!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Soleil 100 Days

Soleil 100 Days: "There are thousands of fun, sharable prizes in the BIC® Soleil® 100 Days of Sunshine promotion. Join now! www.FeelTheSoleil.com"

Book Review - Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer


This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

About This Book (From WaterBrook Muoltnomah's website)

Her birth was shrouded in mystery and tragedy.
Her destiny is beyond comprehension.
Her pursuers long to see her broken.
She fights to soar.

In the rough, shadowy hills of Appalachia, a nation carved from the United States following years of government infighting, Caitlyn and her companions are the prey in a terrifying hunt. They must outwit the relentless bounty hunters, skirt an oppressive, ever-watchful society, and find passage over the walls of Appalachia to reveal the dark secrets behind Caitlyn’s existence–and understand her father’s betrayal.

In this engrossing, lightning-paced story with a post-apocalyptic edge, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer weaves a heroic, harrowing journey through the path of a treacherous culture only one or two steps removed from our own.

My Review:

I have always enjoyed a good against evil escape story. Caitlyn was raised on the fringes of the hills of Appalachia which has been separated from the rest of the US as a nation of its own. The nation is dotted with closed off and controlled communities. Rules and horror stories keep people in line and a combination of technology and simplistic life style keep the people tightly controlled. Because Caitlyn is different, she has been protected by her father and kept at a safe distance from the communities. Because Caitlyn is different, she is not safe in Appalachia.

As the story opens, you know Caitlyn is being hunted, but you aren't exactly sure why. The reason why became apparent to me very quickly, but I think that may be because of the type of novels I have read in the past. The story doesn't center around the why as much as the chase. The reader is introduced to several characters who by circumstances will join Caitlyn on her journey. We are also introduced to some characters who are out to get Caitlyn and anyone who gets in the way.

What I liked was the very story idea. I do wish that the book went a little deeper into the nation of Appalachia and its leader as I found it very interesting. I also really enjoyed the characters that helped Caitlyn. I would love to go into detail, but I don't want to spoil a thing!

The story moved quickly. It was definitely a book I didn't want to put down. I began it before bed and finished it the following afternoon. It obviously left you with some unanswered question which is to be expected as it is the first in a series.


Get more details on author Sigmund Brouwer at his website www.coolreading.com

If you would like to pick up this book you can follow any of the links below. The Amazon link is my Amazon associate link.

Broken Angel - WaterBrook Multnomah



Thursday, May 27, 2010

Posting From My Day Job - Freebies and Composting Help

YEP. It is Thursday, so I am posting my day job from my day job. I actually do not have internet at home right now. Some sort of snafu apparently. Anyway, again check us out at www.radioshine.org or if you are in Arizona at 90.9 FM,101.9 FM or 90.7 FM in Phoenix and Northern Arizona.




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Today I thought I would talk a little bit about composting. With the use of composting, you can make your soil better for a good garden. And remember you can garden at any size whether you use pots, a raised garden, or even have a good stretch of land to cultivate.

Composting tips:

How to make a composter out of a garbage can. There are links all over the place for this fairly easy composter. Below is a very easy to follow article from About.com

LINK: Make a Trash Composter

You can also purchase a repurposed garbage can from the city of Phoenix at a city disposal facility for just $5! Follow the link below for details:

LINK: Phoenix Composter

The University of Missouri also has a great page with how to make several kinds of composters. Check it out below.

LINK: University of Missouri - How to Build a Compost Bin

What to compost?


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It is suggested that you avoid meat, dairy, fecal matter from household members including pets (just didn't really know of a gentler way to say it than that), weeds, bones, diseased plants, needles from evergreens, eucalyptus, walnuts, charcoal, cooked food waste, dishwater, fish scraps and grains. This list I got from Jonnie McCoy's book Frugal Families.


FREEBIES

Give a pint, get a pint: United Blood Services and Blue Bell Creameries are partnering to thank Arizona blood donors! From June 1 to July 5 blood donors will be thanked with a voucher for a free pint of Blue Bell ice cream in appreciation for their giving. To make an appointment call 1-877-448-GIVE or visit www.UnitedBloodServicesAZ.org. Enter your zip code for the site near you.


Dove has a free sample of Intensive Repair Daily Treatment conditioner while supplies last. I would click on the link below before it is gone!

LINK: Dove Intensive Repair Daily Treatment

Summer is the perfect time for picnics and sandwiches. Kraft has a way to jazz up those sandwiches with their new Sandwich Shop Mayo, and they are offering free samples while supplies last. Follow the link.

LINK: Kraft Sandwich Shop Mayo

On June 1st through 7th you can request to Glidden paint samples for you and then request 2 for a friend. All for free. A great way to check a color out before you commit.

LINK: Glidden paint samples

You can also print out the coupon at the link below for a free 2 oz sample of Benjamin Moore paint. You must bring this to an authorized Benjamin Moore paint dealer. Limit 1 per customer, must be 18 years of age or older, and coupon expires on June 30, 2010.

LINK: Benjamin Moore Paint Sample Coupon


Nexcare bandaids is trying to inspire others to give blood, and they are asking for help. Sign up and they wills end you two Nexcare "give" bandages to help spread the word and inspire others to donate.

LINK: Nexcare Give Bandaids

Free Admission to Museums from Memorial Day through Labor Day for active duty military personnel and their families.

Blue Star Museums is a partnership among Blue Star Families, the National Endowment for the Arts, and more than 600 museums in all 50 states to offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families from Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010. Follow the link for more details and particulars.

LINK: Free Museum Admission

Free Museums In Arizona:

Arizona State Museum
Tucson, AZ

Desert Caballeros Western Museum
Wickenburg, AZ

Heard Museum
Phoenix, AZ

Museum of Northern Arizona

Flagstaff, AZ

Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix, AZ

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Scottsdale, AZ

The Mini Time Machine Museum
Tucson, AZ


Jiffy Mix has a new recipe booklet out with new recipes, nutrition facts and even some camping recipes. One per household. Get yours by linking below.

LINK: Jiffy Mix Recipe Booklet

Okay you know how bacon has become the new condiment? I have seen bacon flavored lip gloss and scented candles. You can get in on the bacon trend without the extra calories by trying
J & D's bacon salt. I bet that it would taste good on a tomato sandwich. Get a sample of J & D's Bacon Salt and some stickers (not sure if they are just plain or smell like bacon) by hitting the link below. You know you want to!

LINK: J & D's Bacon Salt Sample

While supplies last you can sign up for a sample of Nature's Made Chewable D just for signing up for Nature's Made Wellness Advisor.

LINK: Nature's Made Chewable D

John Frieda has a Sheer Blonde Highlighting Activating Shampoo and Conditioner sample giveaway at their website while supplies last. Give it a go by following the link below.

LINK: John Frieda Sheer Blonde



Don't forget about signing up your children ages 5 to 12 for the Home Depot Kids Workshops. Saturday, June 5th workshop will be for a wooden soccer game.

LINK: Home Depot Kids Workshops




Saturday May 29th Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic project is a race care with a Memorial Day paint theme, and on June 15th the project is an awesome picture frame that will make a great gift!

LINK: Build and Grow Clinic

Do you have kids who like stickers and motorcross. You might want to sign up for the free O'neal Motorcross stickers. When I was a kid I would have plotzed over this!

LINK: O'neal Motorcross

FreeCCM.org is offering a free download of Jonny Diaz song "Love Like You Loved." They also still have free downloads by 33Miles, Mike Farris, Joy Whitlock and Mark Harris.

LINK: FreeCCM

Get some amazing free summer music from Tooth & Nail Records, BEC Recordings and Solid State Records! 15+ songs! Fill out your information and they will email you the download link.

LINK: Summer Music from Tooth & Nail, BEC & Solid State

Five free CD downloads from ionworship.com. Follow the link and click on "Shop" (left side bar). Once you are on the shop page click on Freebies.

LINK: ionworship.com free music

Head over to one of my favorite sites, New Release Tuesday and download a copy of Jimmy Needham's "Moving To Zion" as well as

LINK: New Release Tuesday

Check out Homeschool Freebie of the Day to download a PDF of "Making the Most of Your Summer Break." This is a great resource compiled from over 200 homeschooling families. You will definitely want to save the site, because Homeschoolfreebieoftheday.com is always full of great resources.

LINK: Home School Freebie of the Day "Making the Most of Your Summer Break"

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Yep...sharing my day job - Thrifty Tips

Once again I am posting my blog post from this morning's show. If you ever want to check out our station (Radio Shine) click on the picture below. It links to our website!


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The weather is finally getting nice enough for me to get cracking on my little garden. It is a tiny area so I can pull the weeds that are there, but my husband has been talking about ridding the front yard of the other weeds of which there are many so I thought I would look up some inexpensive weed killers for the yard. I got a bunch from TipNut.com. I am not posting the ones with salt, because salt is supposed to be damaging to the soil. Here are the ones I liked the best.

- Vinegar and Dish Detergent - Fill a spray bottle with pickling vinegar (honestly I do not know what pickling vinegar is or where you might get it) and add a couple of squirts of liquid dish detergent. Spray the mixture directly on the weeds during the hottest part of the day.

- Boiling Water - Pretty self explanatory. Boil some water in a kettle and pour the water directly over the weeds. ***Carlo, one of our listeners called and said that his Botany professor in South Dakota told them this same trick and it works! He also said that if the weed is long like a dandelion to split it down the middle with a paring knife before you pour the boiling water on it. :) Very cool! Thanks Carlo!!!

- Liquid Dish Detergent and Water - Mix a solution of 1 part dish washing liquid and 10 parts water. Soak the weeds with the mixture. ***Avoid using dish washing detergent with bleach.

-Lemon Juice - Use this if you have a lemon tree and a surplus of lemons. Honestly, I love lemons in water and can't imagine using this mixture because it would be pricey. Anyway...mix 1/2 a cup of lemon juice with a quart of vinegar. TipNut says it works the same as straight vinegar so I really don't see the point in this concoction. Especially since vinegar for the most part is going to be cheaper than lemon juice.

Vinegar - Yep...just a straight solution of vinegar. For the best results, TipNut recommends not diluting with water and spraying the weeds when you are pretty sure there will be no rain storms. Also they say that this is good for baby weeds and for more mature weeds you may want to use pickling vinegar.

I also thought it would be a good idea to find out ways to get rid of bugs in your garden. One of the cool things I found was companion planting. Apparently some plants will offend a bug or pest to the degree that it will stay away because if it and leave your other plants alone as well. Here is a nice list:


This list came from PestInformation.com

ants -- spearmint, tansy, pennyroyal
been leaf beetle -- onion, turnip, potato
Codling moth -- common oleander
flea beetle -- onion, mint, garlic
Harlequin bug -- turnips, onion, radish
Japanese beetle -- garlic, larkspur, red buckeye
Mexican bean beetle -- potato, garlic, radish, onion
root-knot nematodes -- French marigold
spider mites -- onion, cloves, garlic
squash bug -- marigold, radish
squash vine borer -- cloves, garlic, onion
stink bug -- radish
tomato hornworm -- marigold, sage
whitefly -- marigold, nasturtium


Mind you, I didn't even know what some of these bugs are, but I know I don't want them in my garden. I am thinking that growing garlic, radishes, and onions is a great idea. Those cover some interesting bugs.

To get rid of pests like deer you can tie some fabric softener around areas of your garden. Apparently they aren't too keen on the scent. They also suggest tying garbage bags around, but I don't like that idea, because I hate seeing bags stuck in trees as it is. They also suggest hanging slinkys around because of the sound they make and the shiny reflection. Putting pet hair or human hair in little mesh bags around your garden is also supposed to be a deterrent.

Planting garlic is also a good way to keep rabbits out of your garden.Make a

Other tricks I found for getting rid of bugs are:

Mix chopped garlic cloves and water and put in a spray bottle (but I am thinking this could be really smelly).

Make a garden spray with 1 tablespoon of dishwashing liquid mixed with 1 cup of vegetable oil. Mix 2 teaspoons of this with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle and spray it directly to plants.





Burpee has an awesome vegetable garden guide totally for free that is filled with all kinds of great information on what to grow, how much to grow and when to grow it. Right now they are out of stock, but the link says they will be rushing to fill orders so we can hope that they will come back soon. Follow the link below:

LINK: BURPEE Vegetable Garden Guide




Taco Bell has a coupon on their website for a free Limeade Sparkler. This coupon offer is good for the first 500,000 so you got to print this out ASAP. Click on the link and see how yummy these look.

LINK: Taco Bell Limeade Sparkler

This was gone for a bit but is now back. Head on over to Walmart.com for another free sample of Crest White Strips. If you haven't gotten this yet, you definitely should try it out.

LINK: Crest 3D White Strips

This might sound weird, but I understand that runners can experience chafing in strange places. So it seems very nice that Lanacane is offering a free sample of their Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel. You do fill out a quick little survey. Link below.

LINK: Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel

Considering how expensive dry cleaning can be, it is nice to have a product like Dryel on hand at least for the pinch cleaning. Right now you can sign up for Dryel to email or mail you a coupon for $2 off the purchase of Dryel and $10 in coupons for other oneCARE products.

LINK: Dryel Coupons

The weather is slowly getting warmer, and I cant think of a better time to take advantage of Sonic's newest deal. From now until June 27th buy one of their real ice cream shakes and get one free! This is a deal I would enjoy in any kind of weather. Check out the details at the link below.

LINK: Sonic Real Ice Cream Shakes buy 1 get 1 free!

Okay this is a pretty neat contest that would be an amazing win for a church library from WaterBrook Multnomah 5 churches will receive non-fiction and fiction titles from authors like John Piper, Randy Alcorn, Robin Jones Gunn, Andy Stanley, Kay Arthur, Ravi Zacharias, Mark Batterson, Steven K. Scott and more! This is a collection that can be a great start for a church library or a wonderful addition. Enter at the link below.

LINK: Church Library Contest at WaterBrook Multnomah


Freeccm.com download of the week is 33Miles "Little Bit of Love."

LINK: 33Miles

Take advantage of the builder workshops that Home Depot and Lowe's has for kids. They are free and a great way to teach the kids something new.

On May 22 Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic Project is a toy catapult and on May 29th the kids can build a wooden race car.

Sign ups are at the link below:

LINK: Lowe's Build and Grow Clinic

Home Depot has a really cool wooden soccer game the kids can learn to build at the Home Depot Kids Workshop on June 5th. Check it out at the link below:

LINK: Home Depot Kids Workshops