Lemme Give You LemiShine!

You REALLY do not want to miss out on my current Giveaway. It's a full-size set of the LemiShine products. Do you want a clean dishwasher, even cleaner dishes, and CRYSTAL clear glasses? Then ENTER by Sunday at midnight!!

This was one of my favorite (actually ABSOLUTE FAVORITE) product from 2011. I know it's not a car, like Oprah would give, but you don't have to pay taxes on it when you win!!

And, I am a dork. The products in the picture were intended for ME! LemiShine has THREE full sets for me to give away. So, there will be THREE winners!!!

ENTER now by leaving a comment on my post My Favorite Things ~ 2011.

One Word ~ 2012

All around in Blogland, you see the "One Word" posts. I did this a couple of years ago, I think. But looking back, I couldn't find it.

For me, this year, one word keeps popping up ... Intimacy. 


I am an intimacy-phobe. I am not a snuggler. I need my space. I don't form deep relationships. And touching sometimes even gives me the heeby-jeebies. It's miserable, actually, and hurtful to those who love me.

All I know is that I feel a resounding call this year to deepen my relationships. This starts with God, I know, and that is where I have started. Maybe that's why this time it feels so "right". I also know that by deepening this relationship, my other relationships will deepen, as well.

I look forward to having more intimate relationships with my husband and my children, my family and friends.

I have realized that I am extremely intimate with our dogs. I cuddle with them and nurture them. I even like them sleeping right up against my back. The psychological side of me says that I don't have any problems with intimacy with them, because I know they love me unconditionally. They don't have any expectations of me, except for me to love them. I know I could kick them and they would come right back (not that I ever have). I know they will never leave me or stop loving me.

That leads me to believe that my intimacy issues are tied to trust (or lack thereof) and fear of rejection or disappointment.

Only God can heal me in this area and help me to place where I can be freely intimate with others. So, that is where I am starting. I am looking so forward to freedom from this bondage.

What WORD keeps coming up in your life?

Nicole's Daybook

DON'T FORGET ABOUT MY GIVEAWAY! GO here TO REGISTER.

Outside my window... another abnormally warm January day in Oklahoma. We even went to the zoo yesterday with beautiful weather!

I am thinking... about intimacy in relationships.

I am thankful ... that Kyndal had a MUCH better day at her new school yesterday. At least three girls reached out to her. You could hear a sparkle in her voice when I talked to her.

I am wearing... black yoga pants, a white t-shirt, Hawaii zip up hoodie, Nikes.

I am planning...  Brynne's homeschool units: one on Dogs and an upcoming one on The Secret Garden.
 

I am creating... (hopefully) a cat-pee-free carpet in Brynne's room. Ugghhhh ...

I am going... to order Dawson some Crocs today. Can you believe he wants a pair of Crocs? Eli got a pair of lined Crocs and Dawson loved them. I'm also going to drop off my new Bible study book to my friend this afternoon. I am so looking forward to the time we will be spending together.

I am reading...  Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend by Susan Orlean (enjoying the history of the dog and his owner, not really enjoying the author's writing style), The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick (Dawson's read-a-loud), Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut (keeping up with Dawson so we can discuss it), Stepping Heavenward by E. Prentiss (my daily devotional), Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George (book study I am doing with a friend).

I am hoping... for snow. Yes, I should be thoroughly enjoying the amazing weather we are having. But my kids want SNOW! And, so do I. I love being snowed in.

From the learning rooms... Hoping for another outstanding week like we had last week. So far it's looking good. Eli is already 1/4 of the way to his AR goal, and it's only the 2nd week of school. And, Kyndal's school experience is going much better.

Noticing that ... when I don't feel turmoil in my life, I instinctively start to rely less on God and study less. However, I keep remembering something a former pastor always said: Dig your wells deep during the good times. That way, when the hard times come (and they will), you will be spiritually ready. That is my plan. It's time to start being proactive!

From the kitchen... We got a new Fry Daddy. Sure makes french fries taste yummier! Yeah, I know, all the grease. But ..... yum!!!  Moderation, folks. We can even have fatty grease in moderation.

Around the house... happiness.

One of my favorite things... super lazy weekends.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday are school days at home, except for a doctor's appointment I have tomorrow. We'll be working hard at school because we get off Friday and Monday again because our public schools are not in session. Yeah! So on Friday, Brynne has a bowling birthday party to attend. On Saturday, we will celebrate our brother-in-law's 50th birthday. Sunday and Monday we will take advantage of some quiet days.

From my picture journal.

We have been taking advantage of the beautiful and RARE January weather! We went to the zoo yesterday.

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Menu Plan Monday

What a niiiiiiiccceee, laaaaaaaazzzzyyy, weekend. After a grocery store date on Friday night with my man, we hardly left the couch all weekend. We read, watched t.v., watched movies on Netflix, did lesson plans, played Words. The little kids just played in their jammies, giggling upstairs. Dawson went to a friend's to spend the night Saturday night. We had a nice church service on Sunday morning and then came home for more couch time, and even a nap. Perfect.

What did we buy for meals this week?

Monday ~ Spaghetti and french bread

Tuesday ~ Grilled pork chops, macaroni and cheese, and rice

Wednesday ~ FFY and Wine Wednesday

Thursday ~ Jalapeno chicken enchiladas

Friday  ~ Breakfast for dinner

Saturday ~ Potato soup and grilled cheese

Sunday ~ Chicken and avocado quesadillas

Have a great week!!

My Favorite Things ~ 2011

Every year, at the end of the year, I come up with my list of new favorite products.

PAY ATTENTION! There will be a Giveaway at the end of this post!

Here are my favorite products from 2011:

1.  I have always wanted to be a wine drinker. I don't know why. I just think wine drinkers look sophisticated. Last Christmas Eve my sister-in-law brought us a sweet red wine that was really good. That sent Rick and I on a quest to find a wine we really liked. After trying several, I found that my favorite wine is Snoqualmie Riesling. It's fruity, but not too sweet and not too dry. It's perfect.

2.  In clothing, my absolute favorite thing this year is the burn out t-shirt! I have one in about every color and wear one almost every day under short-sleeved t-shirts, vests, hoodies, sweaters, whatever. They are comfortable and flattering and warm on a chilly day.

3.  Eli bought me a Better Homes and Gardens electric candle wax warmer for Christmas. I absolutely love the way it makes my house smell!

4.  This year I started drinking my coffee in the Starbucks-type reusable coffee mugs I got from Kohls. They keep my coffee the perfect temperature, and I can just run out the door with it without having to transfer my coffee to a travel cup.

5.  My favorite soap is the new Olay Silk Whimsy Body Bar. I love the massaging bumps, but mostly I love the smell and that it is so moisturizing.

6.  I hate streaks on my granite counter tops! But with the 409 Natural Stone Cleaner I started using this year, my counters are disinfected to my satisfaction and there are no streaks!!

7.  And my absolute favorite product from this year is the Lemi Shine Hard Water Expert products. I loved the products so much that I contacted the company to see if I could sponsor a Giveaway for them. They agreed and sent a full-size Cleaner, Rinse Agent, and Machine Cleaner with a reusable shopping bag.

Let me show you an example of how good these dishwasher products work. Here is one of our glasses with the usual hard water stains. Irritating!

I added the regular Cleaner to the Pre-wash cycle and this is what my glass looked like after that one washing.

Typically on Monday mornings, I unload the dishwasher and run it empty with the regular Cleaner. It keeps the dishwasher clean, and my glasses clear! I also use the Rinse Agent on a regular basis. But, even without the Rinse Agent, my glasses still stay clear!

I "stole" one of the Machine Cleaner packets from the prize pack (because I had never used it and wanted to give an ACCURATE opinion as to all of the products. Therefore, you will only get two packets of the Machine Cleaner.) Honestly, I didn't see much difference in my dishwasher after using the Machine Cleaner. I think that using the regular Cleaner, like I typically do, is adequate.

My opinion is: The Cleaner and Rinse Agent are must-have products for use in your dishwasher. I think my glass speaks for itself.

All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post and you could be the lucky winner of the Lemi Shine prize pack. The Giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, January 15th. I will announce the winner on Monday morning.

** I was not given any compensation for my review of these products. The opinions are my own.

The Making of a Nerd Cave

When Kyndal moved to Missouri with her dad, Dawson immediately took possession of her bedroom. He wanted to make it into a Nerd Cave, which meant a room for his Xbox, gaming posters, and friends. He moved in, but wasn't too keen on the Tiffany Blue walls. You see, just one year ago Rick and I spent our entire Thanksgiving vacation transforming Kyndal's bedroom into a chic room. Here is what it looked like:

I really did not want to paint the room again. I thought it was ironic that he didn't like the Tiffany Blue when he was mad I bought him a black futon instead of a hot pink one ????

The boys talked me into painting, so they picked out a nice Granite Gray. Did you know you can now mix in fragrance additives directly into the paint? The fragrance is supposed to last anywhere from 4-6 months. Dawson chose Lavender for it's relaxing qualities. (Like he needs to relax anymore when he is in there.) I thought it was a great idea since that room will be filled with stinky teenage boys.

Wesley, Dawson and I painted the room.

And the Nerd Cave was born.

I suspect this will be one of the most-used rooms of our house. And now that it is done, it looks really cool and I really like it.

3 in 30 ~ Trying This Again

I started this last year and made it about, oh, ONE MONTH! But, at the end of the year, when I've seen other bloggers who have completed the challenge, I decided that it was inspiring to do it and see the mini-goals that have been met. Long-term resolutions are so hard to keep. But, monthly goals are more attainable.

So, here are my three goals in January ...

1.  Commit to my daily personal devotion time, Bible study, and prayer.

2.  Start printing photos and putting them in albums. I am going to buy five albums, one for 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Then I will go through all of my yearly iPhoto archives and print any of January's photos that I want in albums and add them to them.

3.  Do weekly grading, gradebooking, feedback, and filing of Dawson's school work. In other words, just stay caught up.

I am really going to work hard to complete these three goals this month. Then each month I will make three more goals for the month.

Let's do this!

Nicole's Daybook

Outside my window... It's a crisp, sunny morning.

I am thinking... about what a nice Christmas Break this was, and how I am not sure I am ready to get back into real life again.

I am thankful ... for a renewed desire to work on some meaningful relationships, starting at home.

I am wearing... an OSU hoodie t-shirt, jeans, and black moccasins. Way to go, Pokes!

I am planning...  this week's lessons for school. We start back tomorrow!
 

I am creating... a long-distance relationship with my daughter. And this weekend Dawson and I created his Nerd Cave. Post coming soon ....

I am going... to have a typical day today of cleaning, laundry, going to the library, dropping off recycling, and doing lesson plans.

I am reading...  Christmas on Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball.

I am hoping... for good, Christian friendships for Kyndal at her new school. She starts this week and I have been praying for her new friend (whoever she is), and that Kyndal is wise in her choices.

From the learning rooms... Last. day. of. Christmas. break. We start back at it tomorrow. Brynne will be starting a month-long unit on Dogs and studying Missouri this week, as well as doing her regular studies in math, reading, writing, grammar, and art. Dawson starts The Civil War, is getting back into Energy in Biology, and re-focusing on his other regular studies. Eli will have to find a way to get back into his school schedule, and out of his pj's (which he isn't going to be too happy about). And, Kyndal starts her new school this week. I am nervous for her, but hopeful for positive changes in her life.

Noticing that ... I feel free and alive and happy.

From the kitchen... It's time to put away the freezer food and microwave! Here's what we are having in the next couple of days:
Tuesday ~ Calzones
Wednesday ~ FFY and Wine Wednesday (want to make this an emphasis for Rick and I again!)
Thursday ~ Grilled pork chops, rice, pasta, asparagus
Friday ~ Homemade Chick-fil-a nuggets, waffle fries
Saturday ~ pancakes, eggs, and sausage

Around the house... are sleeping children, trying to get in their last day of sleeping in before school starts again.

One of my favorite things... is my new iPad. I love it!

A few plans for the rest of the week... All that's on the schedule is starting school and resuming Co-op activities. Otherwise, the calendar is empty.

From my picture journal.

This is proudly displayed in our front garden by the door. Great season, Oklahoma State! Thanks for giving Rick a fun ride! Let's do it again next year!

Lots of women Daybook. See what they have to say at The Simple Woman's Daybook.

If it weren't for the kids ...

... I would have been in bed at about 8:30 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

But, they wanted to celebrate the ringing in of the new year. That's usually Rick's job, but he is on a trip to the Fiesta Bowl so I was left with the duty!

I went all out .... not!

I bought a couple of party hats and some blowers. We decided to ring in the new year with New York, but found that the ball drop wasn't showing LIVE! We would have had to wait until 11:30 p.m. to start watching Dick Clark's show. And since I didn't want to stay up that late, or even 11:00 p.m. for that matter, I tried to stream it in live, but wasn't successful.

So, we did the next best thing. We set the timer on the stove when there was 5 minutes left until 11:00 p.m. (midnight, New York time) so we would have an official countdown.

Daddy called to be on the phone with us at the new year. Of course, he was in San Diego (heading to Arizona in a couple of days for the game) so his new year wasn't for a couple of hours yet. Confusing, I know.

At 5 .... 4 .... 3 .... 2 ..... 1 ......... we screamed ..... HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!  We blew our horns, took some pics, and then headed off to bed.

By the time I actually got Eli and Brynne settled down for the night, it was 11:45 p.m. OKLAHOMA time, not New York. I went to bed, but at 11:50 texted Dawson (who was upstairs, not in New York or San Diego) to have him come down to put some medicine on his sore thumb before he want to bed.

He came down and told me he was going to spend the next 9 minutes with me so we could ring in the Oklahoma new year together. At exactly midnight, OKLAHOMA time, I sent him, Rick and Kyndal a 'Happy New Year' text. Dawson said, "Did you seriously just send me a text when I am sitting right next to you?"

So, let's recap. We rang in 2012 with New York. My husband was in San Diego, two hours behind us and three hours behind New York. My daughter was in Florida, but on Oklahoma time. We were on Oklahoma time, but early, but then rang in the new year again at midnight Oklahoma time, which was 1 a.m. New York time and still not the new year San Diego time. When Rick got my text at midnight, Oklahoma time, he was asleep in San Diego and didn't ring in the new year there at all. Good thing he rang in the new year with us in Oklahoma but on New York time.

Hee .... hee ...

And I was in my pj's the WHOLE time.

The end .... to another year.

Every Day is New

How many of us wake up on January 1st each year with resolutions in our heart. We might not say them outloud or write them down, but we almost always look to that day as a day of New Beginnings and a Fresh Start. Out with the old, in with the new!

Sitting in church this morning, listening to the communion devotional, it occurred to me ... because God gave His son to die for my sins, because Jesus willingly went to the cross for me, every single day is a new year! 

Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. ~ Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV). 

His mercies are new every morning.

When I mess up this year, and I will many times despite my best intentions not to, I have the assurance of knowing that I do not have to wait until January 1st next year to start again. I can repent, forgive myself and others, and wake up the next morning with a new day, a new week, a new year.

Every day is New in Christ Jesus.

Happy New Year!