I Won The Vesatile Blogger Award!

I was given the Versatile Blogger Award from Save Green Being Green!  When you get the chance please check out her blog for great money saving ideas while also saving the earth.

There are rules that come with this award though and here they are:

#1. Thank the person that nominated you with a link back.  

                                              Thank you Jessica!!!

#2. Tell 7 things about yourself.

     1. I am new to blogging but really love it.

     2. I get so excited to try new products.

     3. I love cats and have four of them.

     4. I love reading books but, especially Amish Fiction.

     5. I love cheesecake.

     6. I hate spiders and snakes

     7. My favorite color is purple.

#3. Pass this award on to 10 newly discovered blogs and let them know they have received the award

http://www.dirtcheapdiva.com

http://laurasloves.com/

http://www.amomsrantings.com 

http://crunchygreenmom.blogspot.com

http://www.rantsandravesofacrazedmom.com 

http://www.my2crazycurls.com

http://www.itsfreeatlast.com 

http://whybecauseimthemommy.blogspot.com/

http://www.mammanatty.com 

http://www.justshortofcrazy.com

Tide Coldwater

I was recently given a full size bottle of Tide Coldwater Detergent to try from Shespeaks and P&G. I have always been told to get clothes cleaner you have to use hot water and have always thought that was an awful lot of wasted money down the drain. I was excited to receive this product to try because its definitely much easier and quicker to not have to switch from hot to cold and if you are like me you probably forget to switch it sometimes too. 

Tide Coldwater liquid detergent is specifically formulated to help get clothes clean when they are washed in cold water. Switching to washing in cold water is a great way to get all your clothes amazingly clean while also helping to conserve energy and save money on your utility bill. These were all great reasons for me to give it a try, I have used it on about 5 loads so far, whites, lights, and darks, and I have been greatly satisfied with the results. When you have a family to do laundry for the dirty clothes never stop and if you are always using hot water that is a LOT of money! My husband works on Army vehicles and comes home very dirty so I made sure that I tried it on his clothes and the grease and grime came off very well.

So if you are concerned about wasting money and you want fresh and clean clothes everytime I suggest you give Tide Coldwater a try.

*I received the sample bottle of Tide Coldwater and a gift card from P&G via SheSpeaks for this review however the opinions are my own.

New Year, New Beginning

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Year.  I am excited about the new year because I plan to make a lot of changes in my life; I am quitting smoking, losing weight and I will be starting to exercise regularly, I am very excited for these changes and the most important one I am making is that I will be making my walk with God even stronger. I plan to spend more time in His Word, I am going to read through the Bible completely this year as well, I cannot wait!

Look forward this year and not at the past.

Philippians 3:13-14 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. (NLT)

I found this New Years prayer and I really enjoyed it.

New Year's Prayer

Lord, this year I want to change,
and I've said that in the past.
but now my prayer is different
'cause I understand at last.

I wanted my own way before,
I ignored your loving plans.
But now I'm putting everything
into your nail-scarred hands.

I promise to obey you
out of gratitude and love.
I won't be giving orders
to my Father up above.

I finally realize the truth
and so I've changed my prayer.
The safest place for me to be
is in your gentle care.

Please be my shepherd, Jesus, 

that's all I ask of you.
In good times and in bad this year,
Take my hand and lead me through.

Amen.

--Jack Zavada

Not Posting

Sorry for the long wait for new posts, it has been hectic with the holidays and we went home to visit family in Michigan as well. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and safe New Year. I feel like 2012 is really gonna be a year of change for me; I plan to quit smoking, and lose some weight but more than just losing weight I really want to get in the habit of exercising regularly, I need to get myself healthy. With that I want to wish you all a wonderful New Year!

NYC New York Color

I received a full size sample of New York Color Liquid Lip Shine to try out in my Voxbox from www.influenster.com, which is a great program that offers some amazing products to review. I received the perfect color for me which is a nude color like I usually wear. I love it! This is one of the first lip shine products I have tried that wasn't all sticky and gooey on my lips.  I have used it alone and also on top of my favorite lip color and it stays shiny for a long time. It contains vitamin E which is very moisturizing and it is a great value selling for around $2.49. Liquid Lip Shine comes in 10 shades from neutral nude, to berries and fuchsias. New York Color has a great line of products available which you can view on their website at NYC New York Color.

Prosperity

A godly life brings huge profits to people who are content with what they have. We didn't bring anything into the world, and we can't take anything out of it. As long as we have food and clothes, we should be satisfied. But people who want to get rich keep falling into temptation. They are trapped by many stupid and harmful desires which drown them in destruction and ruin. Certainly, the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people who have set their hearts on getting rich have wandered away from the Christian faith and have caused themselves a lot of grief. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 God's Word Translation

The world stresses the importance of material possessions; God does not. The world offers the promise of happiness through wealth and public acclaim; God offers the promise of peace through His Son.

As I watch the news and see the greed that was shown this past weekend at the busiest shopping time of the year I can only shake my head at it all. A man punched a woman in the face, a woman maced a bunch of people, and much more.  Where is the love of Christ in all that, how can people forget what is important about Christmas? It truly breaks my heart.

I have yet to start my Christmas shopping for my daughters and see no time in the near future that I will be able to afford to but, I know that gifts are not the most important part of Christmas, Christ is first and then being with family is second. I wish more people understood this. I am proud to say that even though my daughters may long for material things for Christmas they know its ok if they don't get them, they know they have God in their hearts and helping others is more important to them.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all have an amazing Thanksgiving full of great food and family time. We aren't doing much, just a small dinner at home, our family lives in Michigan which is quite a ways from us but we get to go home and spend Christmas with them and for that I am thankful.