Drip Free Syrup Containers

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Sticky fingers. Drippy containers. Syrup everywhere.

It drives me nuts.

Years ago I picked up a super-amazing syrup container that managed to stay on our shelves for years. Whenever it was empty, I rinsed it out and then refilled it with the syrup that we had on hand.

The no-drip spout had me at the first squeeze.

Meet the Kellog’s Eggo syrup.

Unfortunately, my mother didn’t understand my obsession with the no-drip spout and threw out several bottles when they were empty. I was NOT happy to find out that our grocery stores no longer carry them on their shelves.

I gave in and bought a new syrup bottle and the syrupy messes returned.

Wanting a sticky-free house, I turned to Amazon {why I didn’t think of looking there before is beyond me}.  This momma was THRILLED to find a four pack of Eggo syrup {and super saver shipping}. Enough to have a spare or two in the closet {should a certain mother forget and throw the container away} and enough to share a bottle with another mom and make her pancake mornings even more enjoyable.

Puts me in the mood to make pancakes, yes it does!

 

We Choose Virtues Giveaway

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Even if you are not a homeschooling family, the We Choose Virtues program would be a great addition to your family.

Find out more about the program {and enter to win a great giveaway} by clicking the banner below…

Zenni Optical {it’s in my sidebar}

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Maybe you noticed. Maybe you didn’t {and it’s ok either way ~ grins}. I put an ad up for a most WONDERFUL online resource for eyeglasses ~ Zenni Optical.

We were introduced to this company through a friend at church and Rick decided to give it a try. After he visited the eye doctor and found out his PD {pupillary distance} and his prescription strength, he went online to check out frames.

He ended up buying two great sets of glasses, one an everyday pair {with titanium frames} and also a pair of sunglasses for about $27 each.  Not too shabby overall and definitely a huge help to our wallets!

Just wanted to pass along the savings!

Dear Fruit Flies

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For the record, I really dislike every fiber of your tiny beings. I really wish I could figure out how you manage to multiply so fast and then inhabit every surface of my kitchen.

If I could invent a way that would instantly zap you all d.e.a.d. and rid the house of you, I do believe that I would be a wealthy woman. And well loved by women around the world.

Every now and then I find a trick that manages to trap some of you, but those of you that are elusive continue to breed and make me contemplate devious ways to knock you off in droves.

Is it sad that I get a great deal of satisfaction counting how many of you there are floating in the latest trapping device? I hope not, because I will continue to do it as long as it helps.

Sincerely,

 

Confessions of a Homeschool Mom

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Saw this today online and it literally made me laugh out loud.

And then yell “fire drill” stop and consider it for a brief moment.

So if you see me on Facebook, you might want to ask what my children are up to.

Ransome’s Quest by Kaye Dacus {Book Review & Giveaway}

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When Commodore William Ransome’s sister, Charlotte, is kidnapped from the Tierra Dulce Plantation by a well-known pirate, he sets off in search of her. While on his search, word reaches him that his wife Julia has also been kidnapped by the violent pirate Shaw.

Ransome is put in a position no man should face ~ should he attempt to follow and rescue his wife or his sister? Ned Cochrane offers to help search for Charlotte so that William is free to search for his wife. William finds help in an unlikely source ~ a man considered an enemy of the Royal Navy, but one whom he must trust if he wants to see his wife alive again.

My Thoughts

To say that I was anxiously waiting for the release of this book, would be an understatement. I loved the first two books in this series and couldn’t wait for the conclusion. Although I had a few things figured out in my head as to where the story was headed, Dacus added in some wonderful twists to the story.  Ransome's Quest is full of action and suspense and will leave you wondering what will happen until the end.

Even though  Ransome's Quest is a part of a  series, it can be read independently…but I think you should read all three in order! Be sure to set aside some extra time though, because you won’t be able to put them down.

Find Out More

~ Visit Kaye’s website

~ Buy Kaye’s book on Amazon

~ Read an excerpt from Ransome's Quest

The Giveaway

Would you like to win a copy of Ransome's Quest? I have one copy to mail to one of my readers! Leave a comment on this post ~ be sure there is a way for me to contact you. The giveaway will be open until Tuesday, October 18th at 8pm.

This book was provided for review by Harvest House Publishers. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Spring for Susannah {Book Review}

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With no hope for a local marriage and no family left to live with, Susannah decided to embark on a new journey ~ as a mail order bride, of sorts. The groom is the brother of her minister and she travels hundreds of miles to the Dakota Territory for a new life with Jesse.

Life on the frontier is nothing Susannah expected ~ nor is the man she married. Opposite his brother in many ways, Susannah struggles to open up to the stranger who is now her husband. The winter and a deep personal loss cause her to question her faith in God. When Jesse is then forced to leave their home in order to earn money for them to live, Susannah is left to fend for herself. Will she be able to survive the frontier and rediscover her faith in the process?

My Thoughts

Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond is her debut novel and an enjoyable read. While I enjoyed the overall plot of the book it felt at times that there were a few too many ‘twists and turns’ in the book that made it a bit harder for me to connect with the characters.

The relationship between Jesse and Susannah is understandably strained at times and although there is resolution in the end, after all that happens in the book it seems so sudden. I would not recommend this book for younger girls to read due to some of the references in the story {all clean, but within the context of marriage}.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson via Net Galley. All opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Apple Picking with Four Children….

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The visions in my head of a joyful afternoon of apple picking with our kids were something straight of the pages of an idyllic children’s book ~ an afternoon traipsing through the orchards, picking the perfect apples to bring home and use in our favorite recipes.

Reality is a lot more expensive.

In truth, it only takes four eager children a little more than 2.5 minutes to pick all of the apples that one might need for an entire year’s worth of applesauce, pies, and cobblers. After that, you’d better hope and pray that you have enough money in your bank account to cover the amazing poundage of apples that you have to lug back to the car.

I’m thinking that apple picking may be left to adults in the future and we’ll keep the kids busy with something a little more tedious….like strawberry or blueberry picking.

New Chickens in Town…or the Coop

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We finally fixed the coop and are attempting another round of chickens. We debated starting with chicks again, but figured that we should test the coop safety on a batch of chickens we weren’t as emotionally tied to.

I know it sounds harsh, but it’s true.

Meet the new girls in town.

Each week we seem to learn something new about chickens. Last week we had the windows open in the house and heard crowing. Which is slightly problematic, since we have four HENS.

Betcha didn’t know that in the absence of a rooster, one of the hens will ‘man-up’ and take on characteristics of a rooster, eh? Yeah. Neither did we.

Crowing. Attempting to do other things to hens that only a rooster should do.

I love living in the ‘country’.