Stains! Oxy them out!

I was recently given the opportunity to try out Purex Triple Action with Oxi and Zout Detergent.   I use either Purex or homemade laundry detergent, but with a six year old with pink pants....I need something more! I poured it directly on the stains and it worked!
If you would like to try it yourself, I have three coupons from Purex Insiders to giveaway for a FREE bottle of Purex Triple Action Detergent!  I’m going to make this a pretty quick giveaway with easy entry!  Simply enter your name and email below.
You can also earn two extra entries:

• Share Princess in a Not so Fairytale World with your friends
• Retweet this giveaway link with the hashtag #purex and @loriola1 in it!

Classical Conversations Dice on Mod Podge

I am the proud mother of a first grader! Woohooo! For all of you who have never had a first grader, here are some of the joys of first grade:

1. She is big enough to use the bathroom on her own, but still needs to be reminded to wipe, flush and wash. And please do it in that order! 
2. First graders can do chores, but still need mom to remind her when, where and how.
3. My first grader can read pretty much anything that is put in front of her (Thanks Abeka Phonics!), but that doesn't mean that she will fully understand it. 
4. She doesn't like to give hugs and kisses when we part company, but still needs cuddles at home. 

We had a great time homeschooling last year, but there were some areas of her education that I felt were lacking.  For example, when you are homeschooling one child, it is really easy to get off schedule. It is so easy to forget to do the fun stuff or to swing the opposite direction and do too much fun stuff. I really wanted accountability this year, so we decided to look into Classical Conversations. We talked to some moms that were already doing it and attended an open house day. When we left the open house, my little princess asked, "When can we do that again?" I knew that I had to make this happen for my child.

I am not one to just step into something and see if it is right for us. No, I jump in with both feet! Not only am I enrolling my child in Classical Conversations (CC), I am going to be a tutor! Which brings me to the dice.... CC is big on memorization. Yes, I can hear the collective groan of the education world, and I was once one of those folks who groaned about how boring memorizing stuff is. But CC has a reason and a method of teaching that is time tested and has been proven. If you want more information on that, watch this video.

One of the tools that CC moms use are reciting the grammar in different voices. Half-a-Hundred Acre Wood created these nifty dice that suggest different voices, subjects and weeks to review. She made them so they can be printed, folded and glued into a cube shape which is really cool! The only problem is that with kids, I don't see the card stock dice holding up for a whole school year. I have been searching for other options. I found some really cool foam blocks online, but the cost was $5 and up for a set of two! I contemplated a trip to the craft store or even Home Depot for wood blocks, but with gas prices on the rise, I have to have a really good reason to drive across town. Yesterday, I was in my local Dollar Tree picking up some athlete's foot cream. I decided to look in the school supplies and see if I could find some dice. No, dice! How about wood blocks in the toys? Nope, but I found these great foam dice! A set of two for $1! WooHoo! I went home, printed the dice pattern, cut them out and Mod Podged them on the dice! They are perfect! The Mod Podge is a little flexible, so if the corners get crushed a the foam will pop back into place without cracking the Mod Podge. I love them so much, I am thinking about making some photo cubes out of the extra set for Christmas gifts!
 

The Quotable Rouge

Today I have another BookSneeze review for ya'll. This book has been out for a while and I am kind of embarrassed that I have waited so long to do this review, but then again Sarah Palin is the politician turned pundit that folks just won't quit talking about, so I guess it is okay. No other woman in my lifetime has been such a lightening rod for controversy.

Book Description

Inspiring, impactful, and revealing words from political and cultural icon Sarah Palin.
Many a pundit has tried to define Sarah Palin, but this is one woman who chooses not to wear labels imposed by others but instead to define herself by her own words and actions. Today she is one of the most sought after speakers and commentators and is poised to help to frame the issues in the 2010 election and beyond. The Quotable Rogue encapsulates Palin’s thoughts on such salient issues as health care, taxes, and government spending, the right to life, climate change, what it means for a politician to serve the people, and more.

• “We need to spend more time lifting up America instead of apologizing for the greatest country on earth.”
• “How’s that hopey-changey thing workin’ out for you?”
• “My dad always says, ‘Don’t retreat, just reload.’ Don’t let anybody tell you to sit down and shut up.”

Matt Lewis is a writer, blogger and commentator based in Alexandria, VA. He currently serves as a senior contributor for The Daily Caller. To get up-to-the-minute Sarah Palin commentary and daily news updates from Matt, please visit the following:
Website: http://mattlewis.org/
Blog at The Daily Caller: http://dailycaller.com/mattlewis/ Twitter: @MattKLewis and @QuotableRogue Book Hashtag for more Sarah Palin quotes and commentary: #PalinQuotes

My Take

First off, I adore Sarah Palin. I supported her for VP and love that she stands for the American values that made this country great.  So basically, this book is a book of quotes. It is what she believes in and not what the liberal news media wants you to think she believes. While Sarah is no Ronald Reagan, she still has storng conservative values and a love for freedom that is the heart beat of America. The book is broken down into categories that make it easy to look up a quote on whatever subject you need a Sarah Palin quote. Some of the quotes are typical Alaska "Sarah" that make the intellectual folks in America cringe. Some is straight forward, honest issues that will challenge they way you think about the world. Check it out for yourself!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Jingle No More

I decided to be legal and get my dogs their rabies shots and licenses. When I got them home and put them on the dogs this is what I heard....jingle, jingle, jingle...day and night. It was making me crazy! So I started searching for "dog tag silencers." I found two basic types. One was a little silicone bumper that goes around the tag. The problem with this is you have to get one that is the right shape for your dogs tags. The rabies tag is a heart, so no problem there. The license is shaped like a little VW Bug. Big problem finding that one! The second option is a pouch that goes over the tag. This seemed like a good idea until I saw the price. $10 plus shipping! Per dog! Ouch. For a little pouch of neoprene?

So, I came up with my own solution....Balloons! I slipped a balloon over the two tags. Now my sweet pups are blissfully quiet! She is not one to chew on her tags or collar (or anything else for that matter), so I don't worry about her ingesting the balloon. If your dog tends to chew, you may want to reevaluate if this is a good idea for you!

New babies! And I was declaired cancer free again!

Here are the newly hatched babies! They took their sweet time getting here. My calculation said that they should have hatched out Monday, but they waited a few extra days. Hopefully the straggling eggs will hatch tonight.
My doctor's appointment went well. I got the drain out, but have to go back next week for the stitches. The open wound has to heal on its own. Yuck! He did say it was looking great. Again the biopsy said that I was cancer free. I will still need a mammogram in 3 months to check my progress.
Tomorrow is date night! Woohoo!

Breast Update with a TMI warning!

I have a strict No Boobies on the internet policy, so you will have to enjoy a picture of the flowers that my friend sent me! Thanks Maegan!

Well folks, I am almost positive that the mastitis is going away! I did have the surgery which left me out of the loop for the past week, but things are looking better. I do not like being knocked out and then drugged. My poor husband has been a doll! The night after the surgery, he cooked me some yellow rice which normally I love. Sadly, when he brought it and put it in front of me, I pushed it away and puked in the kitchen trash can. Hubby doesn't deal well with puke, but he was my hero. He cleaned it up. I tried eating a piece of bread with my medicine a few hours later. Once again, it came up. Poor guy was on puke duty once again! The next day the doctor prescribed me something for my tummy.


Changing the dressing has been another adventure. Hubby is not up for that! He won't look at it. I have a drain and an open in incision that has to be "packed" daily. The first day, Mom came down and helped me change it, but after that I was able to do it. My daughter walked in the bathroom and saw me changing my bandages the other day and declared it "GROSS!" I have to agree!


Tomorrow I have an appointment with my surgeon. He will have the results of the latest biopsies and hopefully will be removing the drain and stitches! Wish me luck!

The BEST Valentine's Day Gift Ever!

I got the best gift today! A pathology report from my surgeon that says NO CANCER! According to the report, I have acute and chronic mastitis with microabcess formation. I may still need surgery to clear it up, but we are starting with an antibiotic. Hopefully, it will clear itself up in a couple of days and things will be back to normal. Sadly, when I took the antibiotic today, it only ticked off my breast even more! It is redder and has shooting pains through it. Blah! I would post a picture to show you, but....this is my breast and I really don't want to share that with the world! Thank you for your prayers!

I do want to let folks know about inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). It does not always show up on a mammogram. It may or may not present with a lump. It could just look like a rash or dry patch of skin on your breast.  IBC is rare, but aggressive and deadly. If you suspect any changes in your breast, call your doctor! Don't shrug it off! It could just be mastitis, but it could be something more. For more information on Inflammatory Breast Cancer visit the IBC Research Center's website.  Keep checking your boobies!

Doctor's appointment today and the winner is....Melicity!

Today was my first appointment with the surgeon. My ob/gyn and the radiologist had told me that they would be doing a biopsy today. Not so....It is scheduled for Wednesday. This kind of upset my husband more than it did me. He felt it was a waste of time. It was, but I guess in the medical world everything is hurry up and wait. The surgeon was very kind and respectful. He is a male which is not my first choice, but I guess that is what I have to deal with. He told me that I have small breasts! I never thought of my C cups as small, but I suppose compared to other women my size they are. I told my sister not to post that on Facebook and here I am telling the world on my blog! LOL! On the bright side, he told me that even though my breasts are small and I will probably lose the one completely to the tumors (Did I tell you that there are 2 not just one?), I can have breast preservation surgery which will allow me to keep the girls. From the looks of things, I might be able to improve them! I never had perky breasts even as a teen! So, maybe that is something positive to think about.

And Purex finally sent me the coupons for the Purex Triple Action give away! Random Number gave me #1, so Melicity! Email me your address and I will get those right out to you! Congratulations! 

I'm not feeling much like a princess....

I'm too young for this! I got the fat gene, so that is enough burden for me to carry! This isn't what I had planned for my life! I hate doctors, being sick or tired! I work for a doctor that sells natural health products for people who have cancer, so I am immune! I have been trying to wrap my head around all this, so I'm just going to blog about it and let it all go.

Two weeks ago, I went to the doctor for my annual check-up. I am very consistent about those since I have PCOS and need a prescription for my Metformin and Prometrium. During the breast exam, she found a lump. She assured me that it was probably just a cyst, but to be sure she was going to have me do an ultrasound and mammogram. I have had a couple of mammograms since I turned 40. They are no big deal. When I left the office, I scheduled the mammo and ultrasound for the first available which was a week later.

I pretty much was sure by the time that I walked into the imaging center that this was a cyst and that since I started taking the Prometrium it was shrinking. This was going to be a breeze...at worst, they will want to stick a needle in it to remove the fluid....at best, it would go away on its own and life would go on. The mammo went as they normally do. Polite conversation between me and the tech. We talked about the fact that both of us had taken Clomid. Mine worked the first time, hers did not work at all.We talked about the weather. She finished up and sent me to wait for the ultrasound.

Do you see the cow jumping over a rock? 

Now I will confess, I am a total Google geek. If you want to know anything about anything, I can google it and find it for you, so I had googled breast cyst and watched a video of The Doctors where a woman with a cyst had an ultrasound and had a needle aspiration of the cyst. I knew what a cyst looked like. I knew what it was smooth and rounded. It was dark and solid. So, when I went in to have the ultrasound, I positioned myself so I could see the screen. I joked with the woman that this wasn't going to be as fun as a pregnancy ultrasound. We chatted a little and then I looked at the screen. Most ultrasounds that I have had, the tech never said anything about what she was seeing. They won't respond generally even if you ask. When I saw what looked like a cow jumping over a rock, I said, "That isn't fluid like a cyst, is it?" And she actually responded.... "No, it isn't." I said again, "That isn't a cyst?" "No" she replied and then told me that she was going to go let the doctor look at it and that he would come back and talk to me.

A few minutes pass and the doctor and tech come in to talk to me. He introduces himself and says that he has looked at my scans from today and from a year ago. He says that there was no indication of a problem a year ago, but now there is something there. He tells me that he is going to call my doctor and let her know and that she will probably set me up with a biopsy within the next week. They asked me if I was okay several times and if I had any questions. I asked them how big it was. I told them that God was in control of this, that He has a plan for me and that it would be okay. They gave me a file with my scans in it to take to the surgeon and told me that they hoped this all worked out for me. I got dressed and took my file and left. I text messaged my sister and told her, called my mom to see if she would watch my daughter when I had my biopsy. 

When my doctor called, she told me what the radiologist had already told me. She gave me the names and numbers of a couple of general surgeons and then said, "Good luck with all this." Good luck? Oy! 

My appointment with the surgeon is Friday, February 3rd, so I have a whole week to make myself crazy over all of this. Which I have done successfully! I have told a couple of friends and asked them to pray with me about it. Most say the exact same thing, "Oh, it is probably just a cyst! I get them all the time!" Then when I say that they ruled out it being a cyst. They sullen and agree to pray with me.

I don't know the future. I don't know what all this will mean, but I know that I am not going to go down without a fight. If this is cancer, I will do everything in my power to beat it. I don't care if it means losing a breast or my hair. What is important is that little girl in that picture. She is my only child and I love her more that words can express. While I know that a diagnosis will be hard on the adults in my family, they would move on, but that little girl needs a mother. I will fight for her.

The Grace Effect

What They Say: 
“Simply defined, the ‘grace effect’ is an observable phenomenon—that life is demonstrably better where authentic Christianity flourishes.”
What does Christianity give us beyond televangelists, potlucks, and bad basketball leagues? Not much, according to the secular Left. The world, they say, would be a better place without it.
Historian and Christian apologist Larry Taunton has spent much of his career refuting just this sort of thinking, but when he encounters Sasha, a golden-haired Ukranian orphan girl whose life has been shaped by atheistic theorists, he discovers an unlikely champion for the transforming power of grace.
Through the narrative of Sasha’s redemption, we see the false promises of socialism; the soul-destroying influence of unbelief; and how a society cultivates its own demise when it rejects the ultimate source of grace. We see, in short, the kind of world the atheists would give us: a world without Christianity—cold, pitiless, and graceless.
And yet, as Sasha shows us, it is a world that is not beyond the healing power of “the grace effect.” Occasionally infuriating, often amusing, but always inspiring, The Grace Effect will have you cheering for the courageous little girl who shamed the academic elitists of our day.

My Take:  When shopping for a book I don't normally read the introduction, because, honestly, I don't see the point. Sorry, my author friends! The exception to that is when I am reviewing a book. I try to read every word on every page, so when I started reading the introduction to The Grace Effect I thought, "Oh great! a book that reads like a theology course. Time to break out the dictionary!" I WAS WRONG!

The Grace Effect is a charming and sweet story about the adoption of Sasha, a little Ukrainian girl. Once past the introduction, the story was a heart-felt true story of a family opening its arms to a little girl from halfway around the world. I was touched, because our family is planning on adopting.The author uses the story of his daughter Sasha to teach how God's grace touches our lives.

My favorite part was in chapter 3 when the author explained that good works are not in the nature of atheists. It isn't that they can't do good works like Christians; it just isn't in their nature.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.