Here Burns My Candle.....a Review

Before I start I want to admit that I have not finished this book. I am on chapter 54 and very anxious to get back to reading but I knew I needed to post my review and didn't want to post it late. It is really no excuse but I with Poppop being sick I didn't start reading this book as early as I had planned. However, I CAN review chapters 1 through 53.....

This is my first book by Liz Curtis Higgs, first book based in the 1700's and first book that takes place in Scotland. I didn't know what to expect other than the premise sounded very interesting. It took me a few chapters to get used to the old Scottish tongue, but once I got into it I am having a hard time putting the book down. The story, based in 1745, is about Lady Elizabeth Kerr. She was born and raised in the Scottish highlands as a weavers daughter but moved away to Edinburgh and fell in love with lowlander Lord Donald Kerr. Donald loves Elizabeth but not enough to stay faithful to her and Elizabeth keeps her pagan beliefs a secret as well. In fact, the whole family has secrets. There is drama at every turn and I really feel bad for Elizabeth, who just doesn't seem to fit into her Lowlander family. Her Mother in law, Marjory, doesn't care for her much, mostly due to her being a highlander. A war is mounting outside the Kerr household too. Prince Charles Edward Stuart is fighting to take his rightful place on the throne and when the Kerr men join the Prince's army the Kerr woman learn the hard way how hard things can get when loyal lines are crossed.
Reading this book has made me curious about Scottish history. I was thinking about looking online to see if this war is a true story and what the outcome was, but I didn't want to ruin the ending for myself. But trust me, I will be checking into the history when I'm done reading.
I am really enjoying this book and can't wait to see how it all ends. I still have quite a few chapters left and I know it could go any which way....which makes it a great book. I can't predict how it will turn out. If you like historic novels or romance novels I suggest you read this one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
To learn more about this book or to purchase this book, click HERE.


This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

Buttons

I met a wonderful blogger named Melissa. She is SO talented and was great enough to make a button for my Scentsy business. In case you arent sure what Scentsy is, they are Wickless Candles. The company is awesome and the products are even more awesome. They have over 80 yummy scents and tons of beautiful warmers that fit any decor. Anyway...back to my post. Melissa made a button for my Scentsy business and I LOVE IT!!! Check it out (and my products!)


Great, right??

If anyone is looking for a blog button, header or makeover I HIGHLY recommend you go visit Melissa. And dont forget to tell her that I sent you!



My Blog has a Facebook page now...check it out HERE

Yes Utah....I AM talking about you!

My parents are on a cross-country road trip. They are moving from AZ to FL and since they have already done a cross country trip across the southern states they decided to tour some cities further north. I don't think they will ever be the same.
I mean that in a good way, let me explain.....I keep getting phone calls from my Mom and they sound nearly the same each time.

Mom: "WOW! OMG! I can't begin to describe how incredible this is! It's beautiful! I thought the mountains in AZ were beautiful but WOW!!! OMG!!! I....I....I can't even describe it!!!"

Me: "That's cool Mom...take pictures. Hey! By the way, I have several Blog friends who live out there......

Mom: "OMG! You should see it!! It's amazing!!! OMG OMG!!! AMAZING!!!"

I am enjoying hearing her tell me about it as much as I would enjoy seeing it. I LOVE hearing her this happy. I can hear the amazement in her voice. And I can't wait to see the pictures!

So to all my Utah buddies! Way to go....your state is awesome!


*Love you Mom!!!!

Daydreams

Do you ever just sit and daydream about all the things that you would do if you had the time or money? Like vacations you would take or home improvements that are itching to get done? Sometimes I like to take a break from the stress of everyday life and pretend that time and money aren't an issue. Then I think about things that I would love to do, such as....
-Redo our upstairs bathroom. Its horrible. Pink tile. Ugh. And the plumbing needs work. Hubby says we need to gut it and start over from scratch. With my imaginary time and money I would like to redo the bathroom in shades of slate blue and lavender. I would love a big tub with jets. A mirror that is low enough for me and the boys to see into (I have to stand on my toes to see into the mirror now....I am only 5 foot tall). Of course this bathroom redo would also include all new fluffy, soft towels, new curtains and rugs. Maybe I could just hide in there for days. It's my daydream, remember =D

-I would love to fix up our other bathroom. It is a small one with just a toilet and sink. I would love to paint it yellow and get a vanity. New floors would be nice too. And just like with the other bathroom I would love to get new towels, rugs, etc. Not sure why I want yellow....but I think it may help the room to feel bigger and brighter.

-Our kitchen would be next. OK, to be fair we already remodeled our kitchen about 7 years ago and I love it. EXCEPT for our stove top, oven and the counter stools at our kitchen bar. The stove top is old and I want a nice smooth top one. They look so nice and so easy to clean. Our oven is well.....small. Very small. And since I love to bake a small oven is a bad thing. Our stools don't quite match our kitchen. They were a cheap impulse buy and I would love have nice, sturdy stools. Ones with either a rush style seat or a wide wooden seat. And maybe they could be green to match my back splash.

-The family room is next on my daydream makeover. I would tear off all the old ugly paneling in the family room and breezeway. To be honest I have a couple of ideas for the walls back there and right now I cant decide. But I do know the panelling has to go....and we need a new rug. Nice Berber carpet. And new furniture, of course. We have unmatching furniture down there and none of is all that comfortable. So add that to the list.

-Our bedroom would look great painted Forest Green with white trim. I have always wanted to do that. I love our bedroom furniture so that could stay, but I would like to get a new mattress that would help Hubby's back. And someday I will own a real Amish quilt.

-Lastly I would have the house either painted or get new siding. Hubby does an excellent job with the yard so that's all taken care of already.

OK, back to reality. Thanks for listening to my daydream makeover. And someday hopefully one or two of these things will happen and I will share them with you!

Do you have any daydreams? Home improvments or trips you would like to take??

Trains, Horses and Spiders.....Oh My!

I spent the day in my favorite place on Earth. Lancaster County PA. We had a picnic at the train yard, rode the train and did some shopping. Hubby got some supplies he needed to work on his trains and the boys got new shirts and books. When we got in the van I noticed a tarantula trying to attack us. OK, it wasn't really a tarantula but it looked like one, and it was a bit smaller. But any spider that is thick and hairy freaks me out. And a spider that is reared back with his front legs in the air like he is going to Chuck Norris us is REALLY going to freak me out. It looked like this....
Hubby killed it. That was the first time he was my hero today. He will do it two more times before this post is over.
We drove to one of our favorite restaurants and I went in to buy some coffee. We wanted to eat at Shady Maple so I just ran in, got my FAV decaf (from Bird in Hand Restaurant, in case anyone needed to know where to get some)and we hit the road again (spider-free this time!)
We did some shopping at Shady Maple market and we brought home some yummy goodies! Pies, fruit breads, whoopie pies, smoked meat sticks, cheese dogs, potato chips and Wilbur chocolate. And yes, we took a cooler, lol. After shopping we went to Shady Maple Smorgasbord. It was packed, which is normal for a Saturday. We usually avoid it during busy times but haven't been in a while so we decided to fight the crowd.
After dinner we headed home where my hero hubby did his second heroic act of the day. A STUPID driver passed an Amish buggy and cut him off. Which spooked his horse. The horse turned into the other lane and fell over. It was horrible to watch. And the poor Amish boy was alone and only about 16 years old. All dressed up like he was going out courting. My husband, who is a farmer and has worked around horses his whole life, went to help the boy. Several Amish men showed up to help too. My Hubby and the other men got the horse untangled from his tack and gear and got him standing up. Thankfully no one was hurt and the horse was only scratched up and bruised a bit. It could have ended way worse.
Once we got home Hubby rescued me from a second and MUCH BIGGER spider in the kitchen. That was heroic moment number 3.


So today was a great day. The weather was great, we had a great time, ate great food and no one was injured. Now if I could only get away from all these spiders....ugh.

He has the BEST ideas =D

The sun is still shining! I think spring may actually be coming soon. The boys played outside all afternoon and they are now watching a movie. I was thinking of all the stuff I should do tomorrow since the weather will be nice again. I had a long list building in my head and I have been trying to figure out what I thought was most important to get done. Then my wonderful Hubby made a wonderful suggestion....He said we should take a day trip to PA tomorrow. I forgot all about my chore list instantly! Of course I would rather spend a warm sunny day driving around Amish country, eating Amish food and shopping. Now I just have to hope that Hubby's headache goes away. He said we will wait and see how he feels in the morning.

Feel Better Hubby!!!! I want to go to PA!!!


On another note....my Parents are heading out tomorrow morning to move across the country from Arizona to Florida. Please keep them in your prayers for a safe trip. Thanks!!

Things are looking Up

I have been on cloud nine all day. The sun was shining and it was warm. The boys have been playing outside until nearly bedtime. And most importantly Poppop is doing better. Out of the last 5 days, he has been alert and talkative for 3 of those days. Saturday he was completely aware of everything, no confusion, nothing. It was AWESOME. A true blessing from God. We talked for hours and even though he is still with me I feel like I have gotten some closure. He was Poppop. Not sick Poppop, not Alzheimer's Poppop but MY Poppop. We laughed and talked for hours. It is truly one of the best blessings I have ever gotten. Sunday he was very talkative but very confused. Today was the same way. But even when he is confused I still love to hear him talk. It has been such a long time since he has really TALKED. Mostly he listens and gives one or two word answers. I'm still amazed at the difference since he was in the hospital. I don't want to fool myself into thinking he is "better". He has cancer and many other medical problems. But just for the time being, none of those medical problems matter. I am enjoying every second I get with him. I left the nursing home today with a huge smile on my face, rolled down the window and sang loudly all the way home. That smile is still on my face. How can you not smile when the sun is shining, your family is happy and Poppop is having a great day!?!

Exergen Temporal Scanner

Before I being this review I want to apologize for being late posting this review. I have been so busy with my Poppop that blogging has had to take a backseat to life. Thank you MamaBuzz and Exergen for being patient with my situation.

How many times have we all had sick kids that fought us when we tried to take their temperature? I know that my kids HATE having their temp taken. And totally forget about using a regular digital thermometer. They wont hold it in their mouths for anything. We tried an ear scanner too, but I was never satisfied with the reading. It always seemed low, we tried it many times and it just never seemed trustworthy.




All that is in the past. No more fights, no more waking them to check their fever, NO more weird readings. Those things are history for us because we are now using the Exergen Temporal Scanner. It is SO easy, SO fast and SO cool. My kids are asking me to check their temps now! When I got my package in the mail I opened it right away. The instructions are simple, load the batteries, remove the cover, and scan. You start in the middle of the forehead and move the scanner to the side and then down towards the hairline. Done. Easy-Peasy. And completely accurate. How awesome is that?!



The Exergen Company uses its patented Arterial Heat Balance system to scan, which takes 1,000 readings PER SECOND! That's like Rocket Science!!! They have perfected this way of reading body temperature and it is considered to be the Most accurate way too. More accurate than oral, rectal, under the arm and in the ear type thermometers.

The thermometer is sold at many major retailers and also online retailers. Click HERE to visit the Exergen website.



Exergen is offering a $5 off rebate coupon....Click HERE for coupon.


This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by Exergen for this review.

Winner Winner!!

This is late. I know, and I am very sorry. Things are crazy right now and I will be honest....I forgot to draw a winner for the Magna Pods giveaway until tonight. So tonight I went to Random.org and let it do its magic.

And the winner is......
Texasholly said...
Looks great! I am so glad to see the metal sheet for the wood medicine cabinet since that is what I have.

Congrats TexasHolly....please email me your mailing info.

Update on Poppop

Poppop got moved back to the Nursing Home yesterday and is now on Hospice. This was a decision that I had to make and I believe it would be exactly what Poppop would want if he was to choose. His mental status changes day to day, and in the last 5 days it has ranged from unaware of everything all the way to perfectly aware and fine.
Yesterday, after he was moved back to the nursing home I was able to spend a few hours with him. It was awesome. He was wide awake, completely aware and knew everything that was going on. We talked and talked. He kept telling me "You're my girl" and "You know how much I love you, right?". He also told me that he had had a dream that he wasn't going to see me or my boys again and that really bothered him. I told him that I would try to bring the boys to see him tomorrow (Sunday) and that made him VERY happy. I knew that taking the boys would depend on how he was doing so I made the plans to go up to see him myself and text Hubby and let him know whether or not to come up with the boys.

The boys didn't get to see Poppop. He was still very awake and talkative but he was also very confused. I didn't mind this, I love having him be able to talk with me but I knew my boys wouldn't understand why he was acting like this. He thought he was still at home, kept asking about his mother who passed about 16 years ago, etc. He told me he knew he was confused and he couldn't figure out when certain stuff happened. Like when did he lose his teeth and things like that. He didn't know who most people were and I had to even tell him where I lived and other things about my life. But he still knew it was Me =D

I am so THANKFUL for these past two days. For having time to talk with Poppop and hearing him tell me how much he loves me. I needed that. God knew that and so did all the people who have been praying for us. Thank you for praying for us and Thank you God for blessing me with this time with him.

From what they tell me, I don't have much time left with Poppop. I am trying to spend as much time as possible with him now, and I have to be honest that I dread hearing the phone ring. I know one of these days that call will come. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Poppop

Poppop is sick. Very sick. He went to the ER last night because he was lethargic, weak and pale. The ER ran blood work, x-rays and CT scans. They told me he is dehydrated, has a lung infection and his blood levels are down. Way down. They also found a HUGE mass in his abdomen. And by Huge I mean that when we lifted his shirt we can SEE it from the outside. Yeah. Why didn't the nursing home TELL ME?!?!?!?!?!?!?

After all this is done I will be having a nice long talk with them about this, as I believe that constitutes neglect.

Anyway.....he had two blood transfusions so far and may need more. We wont know for sure if the mass is his cancer has come back since we don't want to put him through any unnecessary procedures to find out for sure.

The ER doc told me if the IV fluids and blood transfusions don't perk him up then I "need to get prepared".

I bawled all the way home and for hours last night. All I can do right now is pray and cry and then pray some more.

Forgive me if I am not around for awhile.....Poppop is my priority.

Thanks!

Magna Pods review and Giveaway!

Does anyone actually HAVE a nice tidy bathroom cabinet? Really? Be honest. I know mine are always a mess. ALWAYS.

Until now. Alright, I still have one messy cabinet but I'm working on it. The nice tidy one got that way because I was given a chance to try a new product called Magnapods. Magnapods are organizers for INSIDE your cabinet. Clever huh? No more makeup brushes and eyeliner laying on the shelf. Now I have places to put my stuff, to keep them neat and organized. The pods are magnetic and stick to the inside of any metal cabinet. Check out how I used them in my cabinet.

I received a MagnaPods Cosmetic Organizer Set #0106 and a MagnaPods Tooth Brush Holder #0201. The organizer set is my favorite, it came with 3 pieces or different sizes. The variety was perfect for what I had, eyeliner, lipstick, brushes, etc.

And don't worry if you don't have a metal bathroom cabinet.....the website offers this steel sheet for wood or plastic cabinets.

If you are interested in learning more or purchasing any of the Magnapods products go HERE.

Now for the best part......the Magnapod company is offering a giveaway to my readers. All you have to do it leave me a comment and you will be entered to win the same products I received. And then your cabinets will be nice and tidy too! I will draw a winner on Sunday March 14th.

I want to thank Magnapods for sending me the products and giving me the chance to review them. I also wanted to thank Business2blogger for this opportunity.

I'm BEGGING !!!!

Whoever parked this steamroller on me (after running me over a few times) needs to remove it. I am not a parking spot and I cannot accomplish everything I need to do when there is a HUGE piece of construction equipment squishing me. And besides that....it hurts.


P.S. I hate Fibro