Soccer, Why do You do This?

Bethany was playing indoor soccer with a great team. They lost every game but improved so much they didn't look like the same team at the end of the season. AND the girls were so positive and kept their heads up even though they lost. They learned something at every game and gave 110% every time.

But...Bethany was finally able to play after her injury during the fall of AYSO and was enjoying it pretty well when a girl kicked Beth from behind and caused her to roll her ankle.

It immediately started swelling and bruising. It didn't look good. And of course the game was at 10pm so the only option was the emergency room. Not gonna happen unless there is blood or a limb is hanging on by a thread. Sorry.

We iced it and took her home. It got worse. It got bigger. And uglier. I was worried.

We waited until Monday when we could see our doctor. The soccer season was getting ready to start in a few weeks and she needed to be ready for it. But it didn't look like that was going to happen.

Thankfully the doctor told us it was just a bad sprain\strain. She would be fine would have to stay off of it for several weeks.

You can imagine the groaning and gnashing of teeth that took place when he said that! We are counting our blessings though and not going to complain...much!

Sweet Sixteen

This post will probably turn into a few because I just can't put into words what I am feeling.

Bethany turned 16 this year.  Sixteen is a big one, right?  We wanted to do something special for her so Steven and I decided to take her to see Sporting Kansas City play.  She loves that team, so do I, and it would mean a lot to her.  But that didn't seem like enough.

So, in December we threw her a surprise party.  Not a big one.  Just a small one that had the people she loves most in attendance.  The weather was yucky so some couldn't come but the ones that did made it very special.  

I was charged with keeping her occupied while the rest of the fam got the room ready and people ushered in.  My job was pretty easy except when it was time to go she didn't want to!   And I had to keep her dressed up for the party-something she doesn't like very much.  I did it though and we made it to the party without her suspecting anything.  

I told her I had to go get Sarah's Bible that she left at church and when we got in there the doors were closed but we could hear people.  Bethany freaked out!  She thought we were going to get in trouble or set off an alarm.  I almost didn't get her in the party room!  She finally came in though to a huge surprise.  Her best friend was there and families that she treasures.  We ate cake, messed around and then the best part.  We had a time of prayer/blessing over her.  Each person prayed a blessing over her and it was one of the most touching and memorable times I remember.  We also had a blessing book that each person wrote in for her.  I hope to have more people write in it over the years for her.

It was a special day that I hope she will always remember.  She is an amazing young woman...that's all I can say right now.  I'm crying too hard to see the keys!  What a treasure God has given me.

Sets, Sets, Sets

This year for our play with our homeschool group we are using sets.  Sounds exciting, right?  It should be only we can't find any already made that we can use.  They won't fit our needs or they won't fit the stage.  Since we have 33 kids in the play this year it makes for a crowded stage.  Yeah, you read that right.  Last year we only had around twenty-something and the year before just 18.  It's cool that so many wanted to do it but it is a lot of bodies to keep focused.

Anyway, back to the sets.  The play we are doing lies heavily on entrances, exits, and certain doorways being there so we had to design them.  Okay, I did but with hep from the script and my co-director.  Once we got the plans drawn I went to Mr. Magic, a.k.a. Steven, and asked him to help build them.  He's pretty handy and is used to interpreting my ideas!  This time, however, proved a challenge.

The stage was such that we had to alter the plans a bit and make it fit-not perfectly but just okay.  We had a small budget to buy supplies but that meant we had to get the cheapest 2x4's they sold and work around their imperfections.  

It was a work in progress, let me tell you.  IN all we probably spent on the upside of 20 hours building, repairing, and reworking them.  It was a bit frustrating but we did it!  The next set we build will be...ahh who am I kidding?  It will be just as hard and we will spend just as much time on it!  It's a good thing we work so well together.  ;-)

Yes, these are all of Bethany and Steven working because when he and I were working there was no one to take pictures!  I hope I got some of the finished project.  They were simple but worked really well.

Christmas

Christmas this year was low-key.  I mean seriously really, really low-key.  So much so that I didn't even get pictures.  I kind of feel like a bad mom about that one but there it is.  We did homemade gifts for Steven's family and some homemade gifts for my side(only because I waited until the last minute for some)

But, for the girls we bought gifts.  They each got two or three things depending on what their gifts were.  Pajamas, of course!  And then something else they really wanted.  Steven and I exchanged gifts but he completely outdid himself.  I got a new mixer for the kitchen.  I couldn't believe it.  I have always wanted one and he remembered.  What a great guy!

We did have to alter our traditions a little because we were travelling to my sisters house for the day but it all worked out just great.  David was home, everyone was healthy, and we had amazing food!

This year Steven's side had Christmas on New Years and we got to have Bug with us!  All the cousins were so excited for her to be there(everyone else too!) and share Christmas with her.  It was pretty amazing.

Steven took off his traditional week between the two holidays and because of spacing he actually got more days than just the week.  We worked on projects, went on dates, slept in, watched movies...you get the idea.  It was awesome!

Udderly Smooth Review

Winter is the perfect time to try new lotions. I am pretty particular though. I have demonstrated for several lotion companies over the years and have found some pretty great ones out there. Ones that I would recommend to my family. But they can't have strong scents in them. I am very sensitive to smells and a lotion with a strong scent is an immediate no from me.

With that in mind I was a little leery of signing up for this review. I wanted to try it but was worried about having to say that I couldn't even be in the same room as the lotion without getting a headache. Thankfully that was not the case.

Udderly Smooth is a fantastic lotion. It smells great-clean and fresh without overpowering you. It is creamy and soaks into skin quickly.

Okay, okay, hold on. Here is some info from the company:

Made in the USA for over thirty years, Udderly Smooth® products contain rich moisturizing ingredients. Not your average moisturizing lotion- Udderly Smooth® can be used on Dry Skin, Cracked Skin, forDiabetes Foot Care, as a Facial Moisturizer, as a General Moisturizing Lotion and many other uses.

Pioneered by a Pharmacist, reasonably priced and made in America’s heartland. Use Udderly Smooth® daily for smooth, soft skin head to toe.

Original Udderly Smooth® Udder Cream is a greaseless, stainless water-based moisturizer with a light fresh fragrance. Originally developed for use on dairy cows, Udderly Smooth® Udder Cream. is used by many people for their dry and chapped skin. Use Udderly Smooth® as an everyday multipurpose moisturizing lotion. Udderly Smooth®. contains rich moisturizing ingredients that perform to soften dry, chapped skin. Udderly Smooth® is available in 2 oz tubes, 4 oz. tubes, 8 oz jars, 10 oz with pump, 12 oz jars, 16 fl. oz bottles and 32 fl oz bottles.

Intrigued? I was. I had seen this available at our local store but never gave it a second thought. I mean, really. Udder Cream? Sure cows need to keep their udders from getting chapped but how does that translate to my skin? I wasn't interested.

 

Little did I know I was missing out. When my package came I was thrilled with what I was given to try. The box was full of goodies. I was squeeling with delight until I realized they were too cold to try right away! We had been gone and the postman left them on the porch for me. Usually not a problem but a cold snap came through causing freezing temps. I had to practice a little patience while the box was staring at me from across the room.

When it finally warmed up I snatched the hand cream up and squeezed a dollap into my hand. It was creamy and didn't run all over my hands. That was a good sign. But then I started rubbing it in and it felt like it was turning to water. Not a good sign. I was sure that it was going to evaporate and be as if I hadn't used any lotion at all. I was just about to sigh in frustration when I noticed my hands. The watery feeling was gone and my hands were smooth and soft. The lotion had already soaked in leaving my hands feeling wonderful. There was no sticky residue and the soft feeling continued for several hours.

I was hooked. I put the hand cream in my purse and offered it to everyone I saw!

Next was the Foot Cream. My oldest daughter is a soccer player and had some pretty calloused feet so I made her slather the stuff on her tootsies. She balked at first but when she felt the lotion sinking in making her feet soft she stopped complaining. The Foot Cream with Shea Butter is wonderful. It is extra thick like the Body Cream but still doesn't leave a sticky residue. Plus, they make your skin soft and moisturized.

We are loving Udderly Smooth at our house!

Want to find out more? Visit Udderly Smooth and check out everything they offer. You can find the Hand Lotion, Body Cream, and Foot Cream we tried and check out the other great products they offer on This Page. You can see on this page that the prices are very reasonable. Ranging from around $5 up to $8 for different sizes and creams. The Foot Cream 8oz option is only $6! You can't beat those prices!

Visit their website and Facebook page to find out more about this great product.

Don't forget to head over to Mosaic Reviews and see what everyone else thought of Udderly Smooth.

 

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor Review

Two friends face the Dark Knight’s deadliest scheme, but only one knight has the courage to overcome.

Sir Quinlan leaves his boyhood friend to serve the Prince, fighting a battle darker and more intense than any he’s ever known. The mysterious Sir Baylor recruits him into the ranks of an elite unit of knights known as the Swords of Valor, but when tragedy strikes and everyone blames Quinlan, the Swords of Valor disband, ending a legacy of heroic deeds.

Alone and despairing, Quinlan wanders the kingdom, fleeing his past. His providential encounter with Taras, a mysterious Silent Warrior and former trainer of Valor Knights, offers Quinlan a chance to redeem himself and learn the ways of the secret warriors.

The training is grueling, and just when Quinlan seems to have left his failures behind, he receives an impossible challenge from the Prince—one that will force him to face his past…and the mighty men who blame him for the tragedy that ruined them.

Can Quinlan reunite the Valor Knights in time to save the people from the Dark Knight’s evil plot to rule the Kingdom of Arrethtrae, or will the Valor Knights lose the most important battle of all?

We have long been fans of Chuck Black in our house. We have read the entire Kingdom Dawn Series (several times) and bought the audio books as well! We have started on the Knights of Arrethtrae series. They do not disappoint. These books are for around ages 12 and up although we have had our younger children listen in. We have just had to explain some things or stop and talk about things that are difficult to understand for them.

 

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor follows along in the series and catches the reader up in the world of Arrethtrae. You find yourself drawn in and needing to follow the story through to the end. This book is a must have for family read alouds! This book is number five in the Knights of Arrethtrae series so you might want to start with number one and work your way through them. You'll be glad you did.

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor is an allegorical book that will have your family discussing deep things for a long time. The intricate way the story is written is engaging and fun. Who doesn't like to read about knights? You can easily see the Biblical outline in these stories. I highly recommend them all!

 

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.**