Wordkess Wednesday - I love his ears AKA nibblers

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Storms, damages and deaths

Last night storms rolled through Arkansas killing 9 people. I was lucky because they were all North of me. They were moderate risk storms and tornadoes.
Tonight we are under storm and tornado warnings...high risk and some storm chasers are out and said that they expected E4 and E5 tornadoes and possibly the worse weather AR has ever seen.
I'm scared and I never get scared of the storms. Nervous sometimes but not scared. Please keep the people in South...all of Arkansas in your prayers that this will blow over without hurting anyone.
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Happy Easter

God will not look you over for medals, degrees or diplomas but for scars.
*Elizabeth Hubbard*
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Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer *book review*

Raised among the Amish of Indiana, 18-year-old Marianna Sommer plans to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and set up life in the only community she has ever known. But when her older brother chooses the world’s path following his rumschpringe, and a younger sibling begins showing interest in Englisch ways, Marianna’s parents move the family to Montana.

Although she is also in her rumschpringe years and not obligated to move, Marianna makes the journey to dutifully help her mother who is expecting another child. Surprisingly, from strangers on the cross-country train ride to the less rigid stance of the new Montana community, many Englisch influences awaken within Marianna—and even her father—the desire to pursue a deeper kind of joy and love for God.
After an accident, Marianna tells her friend Ben a defining story about the Sommer family, and his response further illumines the active relationship God seeks with His followers. In due time, she learns the move from Indiana was not about losing anything, but finding out who God really is. Despite all the shake-ups, Marianna feels a sweet peace, like still waters, in her soul.

My Review

This book was not like the typical Amish books I have read and I loved it! It deals with tragedy, obedience (with the right attitude), traditions and change among other things. 

I will be waiting for book two to come out so I can have my unanswered questions answered.

 Tricia is giving away 10 books at her blog, so check them out here!

This post is part of the LitFuse blog tour, which can be found here. I was not asked to give a favorable review, just an honest one, in exchange for this review copy.

Therabreath Review and GIVEAWAY

I recently had the chance to review a few Therabreath products. Therabreath was developed by Dr Harold Katz when he was having problems helping his own daughter with bad breath problems.

I received the  fresh breath toothpaste, fresh breath oral rinse and the fresh breath lozenges. While I don't have bad breath....at least I've never been told that I do have a problem with dry mouth due to some recently prescribed prescriptions. 

Therabreath fresh lozenges

I'm not big on lozenges,they burn my tongue and 9 times out of 10 I will spit them out before I finish it. With the Therabreath lozenges I found they aren't as harsh as others and I actually sucked on them until they are gone. While they do have a strong flavor to me it's not near as bad as others I have tried. I keep some in my purse and use them daily.

TheraBreath Fresh Breath oral rinse

Most mouth washes sting and I was pleasantly surprised this one didn't! It's clear like water and almost has no taste. While it was different gargling with it because I felt like I was gargling with water it really works! I don't feel like I have that awful morning breath we wake up with and I don't fall asleep with cotton mouth.

TheraBreath Fresh Breath Toothpaste

You know how toothpaste is all minty and some are pretty with the strips and dots and all that? Not this one...It's clear and has almost no taste either. It also didn't foam up and make me look rabid. :)

After brushing with it my mouth felt and smelled clean and refreshed. It also has aloe in it for healthy gums.

I know i will be buying these products from now on. I was pleased to see a man in front of me at walmart buying some of the fresh breath oral rinse a couple weeks ago. You would think I owned the company! LOL

Would you like to try some???

TheraBreath is giving away one TheraBreath Fresh Breath Oral Rinse and one TheraBreath Fresh Breath Toothpaste to one of my readers. 

Please leave a comment for each entry!

day!

1. Visit TheraBreath, and let me know what product you would most like to try and why.
2. Like TheraBreath on Facebook.
3. Follow @therabreath on Twitter.
4. Follow Kssnnikkel with GFC or let me know if you already do.
5. Follow @kssnnikkel on twitter
6. Tweet this giveawaay using @therabreath and @kssnnikkel (1x daily, leave link daily)

Contest ends Wednesday April 20

Open to US only...sorry!

I received TheraBreath products in association with MamaBzz in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own.

Sand to Pearls *book review*

Do you wish that you had a blueprint for a rich, fulfilling life? Many of us mistakenly think that if we were prettier, smarter, had less obligations or a fulfilling romantic relationship we would, at last, be joyful and content. 

Chasing after false illusions of success can propel us to make unwise and detrimental choices. Often we remain stuck in our uncertain reality because we don’t know how to move forward. Blinded by our insecurity, we forget that God has the potential and power to intervene and guide us toward wiser, fulfilling choices for our future.

International speaker and author of Beauty Unleashed, Heidi McLaughlin shares from her personal discoveries about how God can turn resentment into freedom, regrets into rejoicing, and shame into radiance. If God can take a tine, insignificant grain of sand and turn it into a unique, gorgeous pearl, then He can certainly turn our insecurities, fears and worst decisions into a magnificent new beginning!

MY REVIEW

Sand to Pearls was a very inspiring book to me. While I loved all the chapters there are a few that really spoke to me.

Chapter 8 Comparing or contentment, I remember as a little girl and a teen I wanted to have the clear complexion and shiny brown,blonde or black hair that my school friends had but no..I was the red headed, freckled, shy girl. It took many years for me to be content with that. This chapter showed me these feelings came from my thoughts and when I look back I totally understand. My thoughts started changing when my brother had a red headed,freckled face, shy daughter and I remember telling her so many times that her freckles were angel kisses and her red hair was special...not many people have it! I now realize I was trying to change her thoughts even before she had them.

Another chapter I really enjoyed was number 6- Broken or Blended, I come from a blended family and now my daughter and stepson are in blended families. I'm so grateful we always had the blended attitude in stead of the broken one. 

In the beginning of this chapter Heidi has the quote-

All happy families are alike, but an unhappy family is unhappy after it's own fashion.

-Leo Tolstoy

I love that quote!

I also love the STOP program at the end of every chapter-

S- Scripture verse- there is a verse for every situation, and for reflection on your current problem

T-Thanksgiving- be thankful for what God has the power to accomplish/has done for you already.

O-Observation- what wisdom is God unleashing for you in the verse above. How can you change your actions to better suit it

P-Prayer-ask God to change your struggles to joy, sand to pearls.

The back of the book states-

 "If God can take a tiny, insignificant grain of sand and turn it into a unique, gorgeous pearl, then He can certainly turn our insecurities, fears and worst decisions into a magnificent new beginning!" 

We are all grains of sand and by allowing God to guide us we can all become a pearl. I highly recommend this book!!

Sand To Pearls is available through Deep River Books for $12.99, and you can learn more about author Heidi McLaughlin (and connect with her!) on Facebook and Twitter.

**I received this book FREE for the purpose of this review via Mama Buzzand no other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% mine**

Have you tried cymbalta or know anyone who has?

My dr put me on cymbalta for my fibro pain. Lately I've been hurting so bad and been depressed so I'm willing to try anything.
I'm real shaky and I wonder is this a side effect that goes away? I've bEen reading all about it online and there's thousands of comments. Most good and some bad. My mind concentrates on the bad and I don't want to stop taking this if its a temporary effect.
Please if you have a personal story let me know. I really want to find some help with this pain.
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Wordless Wednesday

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Things I've been reading lately about fibro

I've been on a arthritis site and keep reading comments like these that I could have written. I go to the dr Thursday and hope and pray something can be done.

*not including the names of the people leaving these comments, not sure how to get hold of them to ask permission. :/*
#1
I have a question. I have had fibro for about five years and I have been able to work even though it wasn't always easy.
But for the last 4 or 5 months, my fibro has been unbearable. I still have a job; but daily I am having to face the fact that I am not able to work any longer. I have no quality of life because it takes all I can give to just get thru 4 days of work each week. By about 1pm each day, I am in so much pain and fibro fog that I can't remember what I've done or what I need to do

#2
Sometimes I wish that the pain of Fibro could be seen on the outside, in order that people could have a little more sensitivity to the fact that pain changes everything( maybe friends could understand that if you are not working due to the pain, it does not mean this is a babysitting opportunity, or an invite to something where you are going to be sitting or standing too long, or that your motivated exercise buddy thinks this is the time to push you to walk around the block where there are steep areas, no sidewalks, uneven surfaces, grass whatever, or you would not be pulled into reading someone's graduate research project- because you are such a good writer.
I have not been prepared adequately to deal with this pain and other conditions related to it, like RA, and Osteo. I wonder if special Ops traing in the Military would be enough. Sorry for the downer- just would like to leave the pain in some triple titanium sealed vault with a non breakable code as the lock and thrown in the bottom of the sea of Antartica.

I could probably sit and read for days about this fibro crap.... It sucks.
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Quick Update on my Mother-in-law

First off I want to say thank you so much to all the people that are praying for her. There are folks all over the US that have let me know they are praying and that is so very much appreciated.

Second I want to say a special thanks to the people who I was suppose to write reviews for and I'm late doing so. I have contacted them and they have been really understanding. I will be writing the reviews this week if I have to chain myself to the house to do it!

My MIL is doing better but she has good ays and bad days. It seems like for every really good day she has we get at least 2 bad or soso days afterwards. She can move her foot and hand a little bit....like barely, BUT, That's an improvement because she couldn't do it at all for a while there. We will take every bit we can get.

She gets confused VERY easy and more often than not. It's like things will get in her head and stick all day...sometimes days. The dr says we can gently tell her if it's right or wrong but sometimes we just agree. She won't hardly eat  so when she does eat something real good and says Mrs. blahblahblah made it and brought it to her...even though it's hospital food and Mrs. blahblahblah has been dead for years we just agree. If her thinking someone from the past made it and she will eat it...what's the harm?

My FIL has been up there most all the time, I'm praying this doesn't get him down.

Once again THANK YOU ALL!