Friday Hops

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2. Add your link to the list
3. Visit as many other blogs as you can
4. Follow the ones you like (and comment on their blog to say that you are following)

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More Friday Fun

Enjoy!

Aloha Friday

Welcome to another edition of Aloha Friday started by Kailani over at An Island Life. Because in Hawaii they like to take things easy on Fridays and I think it's a fabulous idea! A great way to look forward to the weekend and get to know some wonderful bloggers too! So feel free to join us. I'll do as Kailani suggests and just ask one simple question that doesn't require a lengthy response.

My Question For You Today Is:  Which do you prefer - Fresh, Frozen, or Canned Peas?

Just One of Those Days

I know you've had them. Those days where you're working on ten things at once and nothing seems to get better. That's been my day today. It started with trying once again to switch to WP. It looked as if everything was going ok then all at once I couldn't find my blog at all anywhere. If you were trying to find me during those moments I'm sure it's because I did something wrong in the transfer. Trying to do tech stuff on my own with little or no help(advise)and I'm sure to screw it up like I did yesterday.

I think I fixed that part, but who knows. Still no full WP switch as yet, but I am working on it. It's a little hard to keep up a blog and make the switch at at the same time when you don't know what you're doing. I know some of you are really techies, but I'm not.

At the same time, I'm trying to straighten out an order I got through Amazon. They sent me the wrong item twice. The first time I overlooked it and ordered again, but the same thing happened so I called the company and got a recording-left my number and waited for a return call that never came. So I ended up leaving negative feedback for the seller who then contacted me with a refund and is resending the correct order with a return shipping label for me to use. Now I need to correct the negative feedback but trying to find out how to do that is frustrating.

Ok, that's two. But, that's not all. Something is messed up on my computer. I no longer have my igoogle page come up when I open my browser. Instead, Mywebsearch comes up, one I know is a info grab-junk installing crap company and not sure how to get rid of it. I have to figure out again how to set my google chrome home page again. Uggghhh!

I can't watch Netflix online anymore. Some error message say's there is something wrong with my connection, which is bull, so I'm also dealing with that. It just happened all of a sudden out of the blue and was working perfectly fine before that. I checked all my drivers and they are up to date. I'm very frustrated and tempted to cancel my Netflix. I'm ticked that every online movie and tv show site is now charging for their services most of which are crud shows anyway. Even trying other browsers is not working. So now I'm thinking some bug got into my computer even with all the precautions I take on a daily basis. Not good.

During all this I get a call from my daughter to go watch the girls for a couple hours while she catches up on sleep. I do.

So that's how my day is going. How about you?

Free E-book or Audio Book From Golden Age Stories

For a limited time you can download a Free E-Book or Free Audiobook of your choice from L. Ron Hubbard's Golden Age Stories! Great for Adults and kids! You'll love the excitement they bring at reading time, or to listen to on long car trips. Take advantage now while the offer lasts at http://www.goldenagestories.com/sample-stories

Growing A Garden Changes Lives

Taking the time to grow you own food, not only saves you money in not having to purchase certain foods that you grow yourself, but the process of growing a garden can actually change lives. It's been known to calm children who are normally violent or hyper active. There is something about digging in the dirt that is relaxing. A close up look at getting to know nature and what occurs in the ground we walk on. As such it's also been know to reduce high blood pressure for the same reasons.  For those with PTSD, gardening is a great way to heal the broken spirit in so many ways.

Gardening is also a great way to get children interested in science. Learning the process of growing your own food, the nutrients required to make it grow, the requirements of one vegetable over the requirements of another vegetable. The process of water, where it comes from, how to get in to your garden plot, how the plants actually take in water. How much sun is needed for one plant in comparison to another. The difference between high acidic foods against low acidic foods. The science goes on and on when it comes to gardening and is a tool that should be used by science teachers to get their students involved in learning. Getting out in the sun digging in the dirt also gives the body a way to produce Vitamin D, and gives exercise to the body thus reducing the chance of heart disease.

Numerous gardeners and horticulturists will tell you that they learned their love of what they do from early childhood experiences in gardening. Even if it was just the taste of their first bite from food grown in grandpa's garden. Gardening can bring about a passion in people who were never interested in learning about anything previously. My grandparents always had a garden growing flowers and vegetables and my mother too took up the challenge of growing flowers and a vegetable garden. Thus this love was passed on to her children.

We garden for all these reasons, it provides healthy nutritious food for our family and saves money in our shopping as a result. We've learned to preserve what we grow, and we've learned to share our harvest with neighbors, friends, and those in need. Teaching your children to give from the fruits of their labor is a lifelong lesson that will stick with them through adulthood, and a blessing to those who receive their gifts. That's the biggest reason we garden and most gardeners will tell you the same. Gardening changes lives for the better no matter what your reason are for starting it.

Simple Refreshing Summer Salad

There are days in the Summer time when all I want to eat is salad because the weather is just too darn hot! A cool refreshing salad hits the spot, fills the tummy and cools me off and add yummy nutrients to my diet. Here is a simple summertime salad you may want to try out for yourself.

Mix a combination of lettuce leaves. In the above photo I used iceburg lettuce, spinich leaves, and mustard greens from our garden. Added a few slices of cucumber, chunks of fresh tomato, topped with a tuna salad mix of tuna, mayo, pickles, finely chopped onions. Then garnish as you wish. Perhaps with a few sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or olives.

Wordless Wednesday -With Linky

A place many of us here in Colorado are missing.  It was bought and taken down and moved to a secret location.  Sadly missed by many.

I want to see your Wordless/Wordful Wednesday posts so link up below.

What Is Made In The USA

Walking through a major has everything store the other day I picked up a package to examine it's content information printed on the package.  It had components from one country,  was assembled in another country, and packaged in another country and then sold here.  My thoughts were how ridiculous and outrage that we were supporting all these other countries economies while our own is going downhill.

I'm a firm believer in buying products made in the USA. Buying products from companies that make those products here in the US boosts our economy and puts more people to work. But it's often hard to know anymore which companies those are because brand names like Wrangler, Lee, Levi are names we associate with the US, but are unfortunately no longer made here.   Sadly these are just a few of those major name brands that have sent their manufacturing plants overseas.

But there are sites that can help you to make the right choice for products made here. One of those are madeinusa.org which is a product search engine and data base for American made products.  Other sites include:  Still made in the USA, America's Working, and Made in The USA Forever.  There are a large variety of products still made here in the US.

A few Made in USA Companies:

Texas Jeans
Roundhouse Jeans
DaVinci Roofscapes
Green Toys

If you're a product manufacturer of a product made right here in the USA you can apply to have your items listed at some of these sites.  Though I don't know what the process is.  I'm a buyer myself

Hybrid Cars

Fuel Economy and alternatives are becoming a big thing in the Auto industry and when we attended the Self Reliance Expo in Denver there were many on display. I took a few photos and wanted to show you, but hadn't gotten around to it until now.

Even the major car companies are getting in on the act and for fuel efficiency they are getting better and better. You can find cute sporty models or those that look like a standard family car to trucks.

 For quick trips for one or two people most of the cars I saw are great, but for long road trips when you need room for luggage, perhaps not so good. Still, changes and improvements are happening almost weekly so we'll see what comes down the road. In the meantime take a look at a few of the models we saw.

Natural Gas Fuel Model

So what do you think?  Is a hybrid your next car purchase?

Dehydrating Cherries

It's summer and cherries are available in abundance. A fruit great for baking pies, cakes, cookies and topping off all kinds of sweet treats to serve the family and guests. We picked up some cherries and I knew I had to dehydrate some of these for future use.

Just wash, remove stems and pits, half the cherries and place them on your drying tray with room for the air to circulate between the cherries. You don't want them touching or the air can circulate and dry evenly.  Set your dehydrator to 135 for 13-21 hours.  Cherries will darken as they dry and they remain sticky because of the sugar content, but they are delicious and so easy to reconstitute for later use.  Just place the desired amount of cherries into water for 1-2 hours before using in your baking or dessert making recipes.

I love my Excalibur 9 try dehydrator!

The Help Book Club Kit

Is your book club reading The Help or do they plan to? You may want to get The Help Book Club Kit with southern style dessert recipes to serve at your gathering along with drinks inspired by the characters to wet the book clubs appetite for some fabulous discussion time. There is also discussion group questions you'll want to download and have everything ready for a marvelous Book Club gathering.

Download Your "The Help" Book Club Kit from this link, but do it quickly because this link expires soon:
https://www.relayit.net/pickup.php?c=nh795C2FMDs6FQJ2zBjDPzwvBhH9DRMrJwkh

Send Free 4th of July E-Cards All Day!

Haven't sent your E-Cards yet? Today only send Free Independence E-Cards from Ojolie right from their facebook page! E-Cards so beautiful you'll want to send them around the globe!

Happy Independence Day!

No where in the world do they celebrate an independence day like they do here in the United States where freedom from tyranny and oppression remains in the minds of generations. Today as you celebrate with your family with barbecues, picnics, outdoor fun and games and watching fireworks please take a moment to reflect and remember how we got to be so free, and pray that we can remain so. Happy Independence Day!

We're 235 years old today!

Educational Toys Planet-Pretend & Play Birthday Set Review

Playtime is fun but it can also be a learning experience if you know which toys to get for the kids. We always try to get educational toys for the girls and a great place to get them is Educational Toys Planet where you can find learning toys for boys and girls of all ages.

The Pretend & Play Birthday Set is great for the girls and we were thrilled to be able to review it!.  The girls love when someone in the family has a birthday.  They think birthday celebrations are the best and they go around singing happy birthday for days.  It's so much fun for them to pretend it's someone's birthday and now they can do it every day if they want with the Pretend & Play Birthday Set from Educational Toys Planet.

Recommended for ages 3 and up, we found that even River who is one could join in on the play time if we set aside the included 2 Birthday cards, invitations, and crayons for learning time and just let them play with the plates, cake, candles, and presents that are all included in the set.  The kids can learn counting, numbers, colors, coloring, and writing, even art!  The candles are numbered 1-5 and are different colors.  The plates are all different colors too and the cake divides into 5 pieces.  There is even a soft flexible crown for the birthday person to wear for the day, and a pretend camera for picture taking.

Two birthday cards and 5 invitations with 3 write on wipe off crayons and static cling decorations come with the set so they can decorate them new each time they use them.  These we'll use for Moyra age 4 and Amelie age 3 during home-school time as a project they can do.  They can practice coloring, writing and sticker placement with these.   At only $19.97 for the Pretend & Play Birthday set it is an invaluable learning toy for the kids.  Though it's not the only learning toy they have from Educational Toys Planet; they also have the Count and Learn Cookie Jar another of the great Math Toys for ages 2 and up and have a blast playing with it.

We are very pleased with Educational Toys Planet and have found all the toys to be sturdy and will hold up to the long time play of several children.  Great for the classroom, playroom, and just having fun!  When you're looking for educational toys, the place to go is Educational Toys Planet Home where you'll find not only math toys, but toys for science, language, social studies, motor skills, outdoor play, and so much more!

Face Painting Fun

Face painting is easier than you think and you could do it yourself. You could make your own face paint, there are many recipes, or you can buy it and have a go. It's a great way to spend a summer day with the kiddos.  Have it ready for special occasions like birthday parties, sleepovers, holidays to make that day extra fun.

Since Mommy offers hair braiding and face painting to the public at several outdoor events  she always has it on hand and the girls think it's a special time when mommy shares her face painting and temporary tattoos with them.  This week they had a special day just for that and I wanted to show you the results.

The type of face paint that Mommy uses can stay on for several days lasting even through showering.  Today for the 4th of July Mommy and Kirsten have a table set up at the park for hair braiding and face painting.  I'm sure they will all have a great time and much success.

What Kids Do With Their Allowance -Three Cups by Mark St. Germain

At ages 3 and 4 Moyra and Amelie are soon to be at the age where they will start receiving an allowance for little chores. But teaching children how to handle money or what exactly to do with it can be difficult. In our schools they learn the numerical value of money, pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters, etc., but they don't really learn how to treat money. How to organize it, how to save it, how to spend it, how to make it grow, a chore left to parents to teach their children.

Three Cups by Mark St. Germain is a book that will help parents do just that.  Based on Mark's own life lessons regarding money and those he teaches his children, this beautifully written and illustrated book tells the story of a little boy who is given three cups for a birthday present and the promise of an adventure that goes with them.  One cup is for saving, One cup is for spending money, One cup is for charity.  Each week as he receives his allowance it is divided into the three cups.

The adventure your child will take in learning what to do with the money they receive in an allowance is wonderfully told in this delightful story book and as you read it and discuss it with your children they too will learn all about how to handle their allowance.  A valuable life lessen I'm sure many of us wished we had been taught as children.  Make sure it's a lesson your children learn by picking up a copy of Three Cups by Mark St. Germain today at www.3cupsbook.com or at Amazon.  An investment in your child's future success.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.