Zucchini and Tithing. . . What?

Have you ever found yourself wishing for help from above and wondering what you could do to get that?  We humans have a tendency to look beyond the mark for answers- to overlook the help offered by our Savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Instead, we seek out the advice of man in self help books and late night internet searches. Don't get me wrong! Some advice from people is really wonderful.  But, ALL of the advice from God is good.

Some humans are trustworthy and keep most or even all of them promises. God is ALWAYS trustworthy and keeps ALL of his promises ALL of the time.  Some people will give you a great deal on a car or a house or a boat.  It's a sweet feeling when you get a bargain and acquire something you've been wanting for a long time.  Heavenly Father offers the sweetest deals of all.  They are ALWAYS stacked heavily in OUR favor.  

One of these deals is tithing.  

Tithing.

Yes, tithing.

Tithing is paying a tithe, or a tenth, or your income back to God.

 As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I give my tithing to my bishop. I don't even consider it to be mine.  If I make $1,000, I write a check for $100 to my ward and it is sent to the Church and then used for so many neat things.  There's way too much to explain about that for this blog, but building temples is one way tithing is used.   

Okay, so what does this have to do with zucchini? And what does it have to do with the first question I asked- about needing help and how to get it?  Well, the Bible can answer that question.

Malachi 3:10

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there maybe meat in mine house, and prove me herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

That is a serious promise.  Give 10% back to God and there shall not be room enough to receive the blessings.  It's like zucchini.  A good healthy zucchini plant produces more than even my family of 8 can handle eating. It's seriously impressive, like it just turns water into a big fat zucchini overnight.  People end up leaving them in boxes on their porches with "free" signs or even doorbell ditching their neighbors with their excess blessing of this prolific vegetable.  

And that is how tithing works.  It doesn't make sense.  You offer up 10% of your hard earned money and the blessings come flowing in.  "Prove me herewith".  He made us a promise, but it's up to us to prove to OURSELVES that God means it.  How cool is that? Seriously, is there a self help book out there that asks for less and offers more and then actually delivers? 

I don't think so.

You must be thinking, "There's a catch. I know it." and you are right. 

Here's the catch- We don't get to choose the blessings.  

 But, we do get to "pick" them, in the zucchini sense, if we make the choice to receive the blessings that will come so abundantly that we will be filled to overflowing.

This would be a great place to end this blog, but there's still an elephant sized zucchini in the virtual room here. . .


What about people, like me, who have always paid their tithing without fail? What about when I am in need of help and I'm already crossing the t's of tithing and dotting the i's of obedience?  Where do I turn?

The same place.  When you pay your tithing you have the right to "prove" God " herewith". You have the right to go to him in prayer and ask him for those blessings.  And he will send you the ones that you need.  
Your job is then to recognize that cornucopia of overflowing blessings when it comes.  I once prayed and asked for money.  It was short, direct, and out loud, "Dear Heavenly Father, I'm really stressed out about money right now. Could you please send us some extra money?"  I then thought, " Hmm, the answer will probably be no, but I'd sure like it if just once I got a mysterious check in the mail from someone."  Wouldn't that be amazing?  But that's not what happened, not that time anyway.  Instead, in a very short period of time I was given the opportunity to earn some money by teaching piano lessons and working at a preschool where my daughter could also attend for free.  I recognized the answer, took both opportunities, and have been blessed both financially and with rich life experiences because of it, including developing a close relationship with my nieces and nephews whom I teach.
And sometimes those miraculous financial blessings are dropped in your lap- through others who follow the spirit, like a blessing we received a few years ago.  Christmas time is hard on self employed people because a lot of other people don't like to pay their bills in December.  We weren't in desperate straights, but Christmas was looming and stressful and my little girl had just received new glasses for the first time, but she hated them. They hurt her face, but they were the only pair that she could choose that fit her and was covered by insurance.  I wanted to buy her a new pair for a great price online, but I wasn't sure if they were small enough or comfortable without trying them on.  And then, randomly, an angel member of our church congregation gave me a check for $400.  The prompting that she followed was a Christmas miracle for us.  Not only were we able to buy presents without worrying, but I was also able to take my sweet Emmeline to the optometrist and let her pick out a new pair of glasses that she liked and fit her well.  My heart overflowed as I received these blessings.
The blessings are not always financial, but they are always what I need.  A friend.  A hug.  An opportunity.  An insight.  Peace.  Even zucchini.  Sometimes it just depends on how you look at it.  Zucchini actually makes me gag when cooked alone, but when I put in in muffins. . .  (cue heavenly music here)  . . . well, it's magic.  magic zucchini bread or muffins or zucchini pancakes

Pay tithing- get zucchini, or whatever overflowing blessings that God has in store for you- so wonderful, so abundant, that you will not have room to receive it all. You just might have to share.

The Armor of God

Sometimes dreams become reality. That happened for me when Jennette Booth offered to write a song for Stake Conference last January.  I told her I thought I could come up with some words. Writing seriously is a dream of mine. Luckily, praying and reading scriptures really does work to be guided by the Holy Ghost, and I was given the words to express what is dear to my heart and dear to the hearts of many parents. We want to protect our children as they head out into the world each day. As I studied and pondered the message that these kids need, I knew that what they need is the power of prayer, scripture study, and following the commandments of God.  Every day.  Every day.  Every day.  Jennette  recently put together a beautiful video of her talented children singing our song, featuring her own artwork.  I cannot watch/listen without crying.  Please take 3 minutes and enjoy the simple message about the Armor of God.

Click this link to be taken to the YouTube video.
The Armor of God


And if you like it, please share.

Sheet music can be purchased at :
Armor of God Sheet Music


Visit Jennette's facebook page:
SoundBooth


and check out her FREE arrangements!
free music by SoundBooth



p.s. I'm not sharing this to make money, cause I'm not making money off of it.  I'm sharing it because I think you will LOVE this song.

My Daddy

This year for father's day I'm giving my dad the best gift I can think of.  . . . . a BLOG POST about him!

There are so many things I could write, and they swirl around in my head, nice things, cheesy things, heartfelt things, funny things. . . . I think I will choose a few personal stories to share that demonstrate the awesomeness of my father. These stories will be about ME and HIM. He has a decent number of children, and they can share their own stories if they want to. Hint hint.

1. Saving a Life

Just yesterday we attended a birthday party for my sister's little boy who is turning 3 today. My dad was there and sat under a canopy with my children, enjoying the BBQ and visiting.  My kids love talking to grandpa and hearing the stories of his life.  He mentioned learning in the military that in an emergency situation, a leader will act without wasting time waffling about the decision.  That's what you have to do. My dad always strives to act without pause when there is need, whether it is helping to put the chairs away after a party at church, rescuing his daughter( me) and her family after being in a car accident, or even saving a life.  13 years ago my father saved my oldest child's life.  Reuben was 5 years old and we were living with my parents.  While playing one day, Reuben came up to me, grabbing his throat with one hand and holding up a plastic toy with the other.  My heart fell as I realized he had a plastic disc lodged in his throat.  With shaking hands I quickly called 911 and started to give them directions to come and help.  And my father acted.  He reached around Reuben's small frame and performed an abdominal thrust. Out flew the plastic disc and my son could breath again!

3. Jaw Surgery

I can always count on my dad to help me. He serves his children without thought for his own comfort.  He would never take the last serving of your favorite flavor of ice cream if he thought you wanted it. That's just the kids of guy he is.  He's always willing to give a ride, babysit kids, or even give up his sleep to help someone out.  When I had jaw surgery several years ago, my dad stayed at the hospital overnight with me, sleeping in a chair, watching me to make sure I was breathing. Actually, I don't think he got much sleep. He then continued to watch over me at his house for the next 3 weeks, taking me on walks around the block, giving me multiple blessings, talking to me, and tolerating my post-surgery disgustingness. Trust me- it was gross.

2. Russia

My dad made me live in Russia when I was a teenager, and it was the hardest and the best thing he ever did for me.  While we were there, he constantly taught me to think of others.  He served tirelessly.  He shared his testimony with me over and over again.  He helped me to see things with spiritual eyes and to develop my own testimony.  And then, he loved me enough to let me go- to leave early for college.   That was his fault too- for teaching me to love BYU with true blue passion from the time I was in diapers. There never was another school for me and there could never be another dad for me.  I can always count on him to be there for me.

I love you Daddy!

The Gerbil and the Hamster

Once upon a time in a land far far away from the arid desert we call Utah, there was a girl with a bad idea.  She didn't know she had a bad idea.  She was lulled into complacency by her predictable life.  Humid, hot day after humid, hot day she followed the same routine- get up, get dressed, eat a bowl of cereal with a big scoop of sugar added, go to school, snarf down lunch, come home, do homework, practice piano, watch TV, play, eat dinner, go to bed. . . repeat.  The monotony was broken up by weekly Girl Scout meetings, lessons, church, and small brothers committing vile acts upon their older and sweeter sister. The girl was bored.  She didn't have miniature computers to distract her from exploring the world, so she did- to free herself from the boredom.

She explored her world, all without leaving her property.

She twirled under the blossoms of the peach tree in her backyard.

She hid in the small but tall grove of bamboo in the corner, nestled on an average sized plot in reality, but transported to an Asian jungle in her mind.

She turned on the sprinkler and invited the fairies to dance with her and she hopped and fluttered in "Water World".

She played records and sang her heart out.

She ground up grass and flowers and painted on the sidewalk.

She hung upside down on the high up jungle gym, watching cars mosey through the alley behind her house.

She arranged blankets into mountains, boxes into furniture, and mud into pies.

She read book after book after blessed, wonderful, fascinating book.

When she felt quiet, she put her heart into words on a paper.

But, one day, one fateful day, that girl, that young girl, had that bad idea.

She had  2 gerbils.  And her sister had a hamster.  They looked just as bored to the girl as she felt inside.  Her mother agreed with her.  Her sister agreed with her. Sometimes female relatives ALL have the SAME bad idea.

They all had a healthy appreciation for science and experimentation.

So
They
plopped
the
hamster
into
the
gerbils'
cage.

The girl did not have the wondrous and magical thing you know as the INTERNET. If she had, perhaps she would have looked up her idea first and read something like this:

Socialization Needs

Gerbils are social animals, known for living in pairs and even large colonies. Without the proper stimulation, gerbils housed alone are prone to depression and more susceptible to other health problems. Hamsters, on the other hand, are primarily solitary animals that prefer to live alone. Known for their territorial nature, when confronted by other animals, hamsters will attack. Because of these drastically different social needs, gerbils and hamsters should never be placed in the same cage together.

But, alas, if she had done that, this story would sit in the library of stories that never were, and you, dear reader, would be doing something else entirely right now. Instead, she really and truly did place the hamster into the cage with the gerbils.  Silly, silly girl. 

The image of what commenced next would never be erased from her mind. The previously sluggish hamster and the frisky gerbils reacted as if the very floor of the cage had turned to hot lava!

POP! HOP! POP! HOP! HOP!

Flying furballs bounced off the ceiling of the cage! Fur flew and little fangs were bared and snapping! 

Bounce! Snap! Bite! Squeal!  

To her credit, the girl VERY quickly understood what YOU could have learned from a boring internet search. Risking at least one limb, she reached into the cage and grabbed the now feral-ish hamster, previously deceptive with its cute little face and furry teddy bear-like appearance, and plopped it back into its own cage, forever doomed to live out its life in solitude.  

The moral of the story:  Well, I think it should be pretty obvious, but maybe it isn't, especially to those who grew up with screens in their faces and not very much mud under their nails.  The moral is- Don't put the hamster in the gerbil cage.  What? Did you think I was going to say something profound?  Sorry. This is just a story about a girl who had a bad idea.  

THE END 

I Thought I was Normal. . . .

When I was a little kid, I operated under the false assumption that I was fairly normal. Boy was I wrong! The older I've gotten, the more I've come to realize how very not normal I am.

Below are 10 tidbits about me that are just NOT NORMAL.

1. The sun makes me sneeze. Until recently, like about 4 minutes ago, I thought that when I felt the urge to sneeze, looking up at the sun would "help" get it out. What I didn't get was that it was the sun that made me need to sneeze in the first place! I thought that worked for everyone, but apparently, I'm in the minority. It's a syndrome. Most people don't sneeze from looking at the sun.

"ACHOO syndrome, or Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst. Autosomal dominant stands for the way the 'sneeze gene' is inherited; an individual has a 50-50 chance of passing this trait on to a child. "Compelling" because it was well, interesting, or at the very least, quirky. "Helio" meant sun, "ophthalmic" meant eye, and "outburst" the end result.

Although this reaction might seem unusual, it's not that uncommon. By one estimate,18% to 35% of people get a tickling sensation in their nose when their eyes meet intense sunlight. Some folks may also get this weird response to bright artificial light, such as the eye doctor's or dentist's light or a photographer's flash."


http://bodyodd.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/06/05/12052942-does-the-sun-make-you-sneeze-its-not-just-you?lite

2. One day in 8th grade I was sitting innocently at my desk, stretching my fingers, and the boy next to me yelled ( he literally yelled at me) "Stop it! That's so gross! I can't stand seeing that anymore!" I was so shocked. I didn't even understand what he was upset about, until I noticed he was pointing at my hand. That was when I found out that bending my fingers backwards is not normal.


There's a test for people like me- hypermobile people. I score the highest possible score and really, I should score even higher. I'm bendier than the test even tests for. I can touch my pinky to the back of my wrist. Here is the test:

The Beighton Score

Score one point for each yes answer, up to a total of 9 (one for each task or right/left side). A score of at least 4 is required for a preliminary diagnosis of hypermobility. See a medical professional for additional tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other conditions.

1. Can you bend your pinky fingers backwards beyond 90 degrees?

2. Do your elbows hyperextend when you straighten your arms?

3. Do your knees hyperextend when you straighten your legs?

4. Can you bend your thumbs down to touch your forearms?

5. Can you place your palms on the ground when bending over with your legs straight?


About 20% of people are hypermobile.


3. I don't look like most people. I grew up with 2 parents and 4 of 5 siblings who looked a lot like me. I thought my coloring was fairly common, but I was wrong. I have pale skin, blue eyes, and dark hair.


Blue Eyes

Blue eyes are genetically recessive, and therefore much less common worldwide. Blue eyes are formed by the absence of pigments in the eye, where the blue color is formed by the scattering of light as it's reflected off the iris. While blue eyes are less common than brown eyes, they are frequently found from nationalities located near the Baltic sea in northern Europe. It's estimated that approximately 8% of the world's population has blue eyes.https://www.aclens.com/Content/Display/323


Blue eyes are just not very common.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/world/americas/18iht-web.1018eyes.3199975.html


I can't find an actual statistic on brown hair and blue eyes, but I've learned from experience that it isn't the norm. I just thought it was because so many people in my family have blue eyes and brown hair. We're different. . . together.

4. I knew I was special in the next way, and I'm glad glad glad to be. . .LEFT HANDED! After all, only lefties are in our right minds! I seriously adore left handed jokes. Roughly 10-11% of the population would agree with me, which makes us all pretty special. This percentage of handedness was true way back when people were carving tools with stones and sticks and it's stayed pretty steady for thousands of years. I did consider marrying a left handed man, but never actually dated one, so that didn't work out. Still, I'm pleased to announce that 2.5 of my 6 children are left handed.


5. I'm really good at taking tests. Don't hate me. Just remember I'm not normal. I've always found multiple choice tests to be very easy. I was IQ tested as a child ( a REAL IQ test) and let's just say.. . . Mensa.

"The scores above 115 are generally considered as “high IQ,” and those above 130 to 132 (depending on the test taken) are usually considered highly gifted and are in the top 2 percent of the population. This level also qualifies you for membership in American Mensa."


Interpret your supervised test score - American Mensa, Ltd.


https://www.us.mensa.org/testevaluation/

6. I don't have any scientific evidence for this one. I'm only going off of what people say on
facebook, but, it seems to be true I am in the minority for LIKING having my
kids home for the summer.

7. I can play two recorders through my nose in harmony. Okay, in all fairness, just about
anyone could do this, but how many people DO this? I think it's safe to say this puts me
in a VERY small minority of people who are NOT NORMAL.

8. I have 6 children.
The average American household in 2016 consisted of 2.53 people. As shown in the statistic above, the number of people per household decreased over the past decades. The U.S. Census Bureau defines a household as follows: “a household includes all the persons who occupy a housing unit as their usual place of residence."

• Average size of households in the U.S. 1960-2016 | Statistic

https://www.statista.com/statistics/183648/average-size-of-households-in-the-us/
A lot of people judge me harshly for deviating from the norm in this way, but I would like
to point out that in my 2,700 sq. ft house, 8 people reside. 8 people share 2 cars.
8 people share the appliances. 8 people are heated and cooled at the same time.
8 people eat mostly homecooked food. 8 people watch 1 television.
8 people live here with a smaller carbon footprint than most people in most homes
in America.
I'm glad to be "not normal" in this way.

9. I like talking in church. I think that's why I never get asked. I've only had 2
opportunities since moving into my ward 10 years ago. I go to church every week, and
I listen to 3 or 4 people give talks, and somewhere between 50- 75% of
those people make comments about not wanting to speak, not liking to speak, and being
sorry for getting tricked into answering the phone or starting a conversation with
a member of the bishopric. So, I guess enjoying talking in church isn't, well, normal.

10. Last but not least, I have had my teeth cut off and reattached. That is just not normal
at all. I am not being dramatic. The only thing keeping my teeth from completely exiting
my mouth was my soft palate. The surgery was called lefort osteotomy.





This is kind of what it looks like inside of my face, although I have some screws all
the way up by my eyes. It was rather unpleasant. You can read all about my experience
here on my blog.

http://beckyandjudd.blogspot.com/search?q=paper+chain
So, there you have it. 10 ways I'm not normal. I could come up with more,
but, enough about me. How are you not normal?

"

Reuben Missionary Questionairre

For FHE last week, Emmeline and I prepared a questionnaire about Reuben for each person to fill out.  Some answers were silly and some were serious, but I'd like to preserve them.  This blog entry isn't one I plan to promote on my facebook page or tag so that people will find it in Google searches, but, if you are here, and you are interested, go ahead and read it.  For Reuben, the last few questions were about Emmeline, like, "What is your favorite memory about Emmeline?" So, remember that when you read his answers.  In order to remain authentic, I am usually keeping the same spelling and punctuation that each person used.

When will Reuben get his mission call?

Dad- May 12th- of Course
Mom- April 1st
Reuben- April 1
Tim-February 39th to the square root of 2084 -4 X 19.78 + 1032
Amy- May 3rd
Clara- July 12
Audrey- June 4th
Emmeline-April 3rd

Where will Reuben go on his mission?

Dad-Dallas, Texas
Mom- Canada- Quebec
Reuben-Switzerland
Tim- somewhere outside of Utah with lots of people
Amy- Madagascar
Clara- Nevvada
Audrey- Missouri
Emmeline- Idaho

When will Reuben leave to go on his mission?

Dad- July 19th
Mom- July 12th
Reuben- When I do
Tim- when he gets over breaking up with his bed.
Amy-June 16th
Clara-August 21
Audrey- July 21
Emmeline-August 10th

Where do you think Reuben WANTS to go on his mission?

Dad- Baltimore, MD, French Speaking
Mom- France
Reuben- [answer illegible] (intentionally)
Tim- Maybe the mattress store, or someplace where everyone is nocturnal
Amy- Somewhere in the U.S, French speaking
Clara-France
Audrey- France, China, stay here
Emmeline- He wants to stay here or France

What is your favorite memory of your brother Reuben?

Dad- Watching him run around a chair, singing I am a child of god, until he passes out.
Mom- Reading stories together when he was a baby.
Reuben- In memory of my sister Emmeline.  May her memory last forever in our hearts.
Tim- having him tell me to go away in the school library
Amy- Going on the cruise and stuffing ourselves with ice cream
Clara-I like when he went to the church and we played dart guns and donuts!
Audrey-when he held me as a baby
Emmeline- Severle( Several)

What do you want to do with our family before Reuben leaves?

Dad- Family night activity- everyone turns the doorknob 4 times before closing the door. Visit animals at the animal shelter- Kitty City.
Mom- campfire somehow, somewhere.  baptism temple trip.  eat crepes.
Reuben- Nothing in particular. . . .
Tim- have a sleeping party
Amy- . . . maybe have a legit water fight, like with balloons, or maybe a marshmallow fight.  Or both.  Or laser tag.
Clara- I want Reuben to fall in love!
Audrey- have a huge birthday party for all the birthdays he will miss
Emmeline- go swimming and ice skating

What will you miss about Reuben when he is gone?

Dad- His voice. :)
Mom- having him burst into song at any random moment, like when he is loading the DW and hearing him play the piano.  seeing him interact with Lemon. ( Emmeline)
Reuben- Chasing Midge ( Emmeline) around like a monster.
Tim- him complaining about people trying to give us rides home.
Amy- I will miss his teasing, and teasing back.
Clara- He will not be here to babysit, so we can't do stuff and NOT be watched!
Audrey- I will miss how he was so picky and when he chased me and Emmeline and said he was an ostrich.  The last thing I will miss is ROOSTER.
Emmeline- everything

Product Review: Dolphin Swimsuit, Instant Pot, Squatty Potty, Mighty Plugs, Tiger Tail, Whirlpool Washing Machine, Eye Cream,Glitter Zone Hair Curlers

I'm not a big shopper AT ALL.  But, when I find something I like, I want to let other people know about it. And when I buy something that is LOSER, I want to tell you about that as well.  And, honestly, it bugs me when people leave reviews RIGHT after buying something.  So, I thought you might like to know how I feel about some items I purchased in the last year. I'll start with the ones I love! Amazon is not paying me to promote these items. Nobody is paying me to promote these items. Hmm, maybe they should. .

TIGER TAIL

Everybody should want to own a Tiger Tail, cause it's such a cool name!  Well, I didn't really buy it for the name, but I do like it.  The Tiger Tail is a massage tool.  It is essentially a padded pvc pipe with rubber coated handles, like a rolling pin for your body.  Coming from someone who has actually used a rolling pin to massage, you can trust me when I make that comparison.  So, why not stick with the rolling pin?  Well, the Tiger Tail's size allows for getting into some tight spots more easily and the padding offers a comfort level the rolling pin lacked.  I'm still all about the rolling pin, but this item has lived up to it's reputation.  It's not cheap, but everyone in my family uses it and loves it!


Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Original-Tiger-Tail-Massage-Stick/dp/B00ZPMAIO6/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1488465713&sr=8-2&keywords=Tiger+Tail

DOLPHIN SWIMSUIT

I started attending water aerobics just over a year ago.  It took about two months for the frequent chlorine dips to ruin my swimsuit.  I asked the ladies at the pool what they wear and they all told me I needed a polyester swimsuit.  I went to BIG 5 and found one for about $20!  I chose the brand Dolphin, but there are others. The important thing is for it to be 100% polyester.  It looks as good as the day I purchased it. Apparently the thread will wear out before the fabric.  These have different sizes than I was used to.  It is based on your bust measurement. So, I wear a 38 instead of a 10 or 12. Not all Dolphin swimsuits are 100% polyester, so read the label.  I wear this suit for casual swimming with my family as well and I never have to worry that it is becoming see-through.


https://www.amazon.com/DOLFIN-CHLOROBAN-BLOCK-SWIMSUIT-WOMENS/dp/B00DUJA1WK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1488465962&sr=8-6&keywords=dolfin+swimsuit+polyester

INSTANT POT

These have a cult following on facebook.  Instant Pot Community.  It's because they are amazing!  I have two of them, and I wouldn't mind having three.  I first bought one so I could cook meat faster, because I NEVER remember to start a roast in the crock pot early enough on Sunday morning.  With the Instant Pot, I start a FROZEN pork roast 2.5 hours before I want to eat and it is falling apart when I open the pot.  I also love to use the rice cooker function.  I got a second pot so I could make homemade yogurt.  It's so easy, much cheaper than store-bought, and has no added sugar unless I want it.  And, I've recently starting making hard-boiled eggs, or more precisely, hard steamed eggs.  It takes about 15 minutes start to finish and I don't have to watch the pot.  Most of that time is the pot heating up. The pot has to heat up to cook anything and it takes about 10 minutes. I only steam the eggs for 6 minutes.  They are easier to peel too!  Next I'm going to try pasta!  Seriously, if you don't have one of these, you want one of these. The sky is the limit with what you can cook with ease, freeing up time to spend however you wish instead of slaving in the kitchen.

https://www.amazon.com/Instant-IP-LUX60-Programmable-Electric-Pressure/dp/B01MFEBQH1/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1488466394&sr=1-2&keywords=Instant+Pot

SQUATTY POTTY

I'm always leery of things that look to good to be true. Plus, the ads for this are hilarious but also a bit creepy. But, let me tell you, I like this stool.  The basic idea behind the Squatty Potty is that humans are biologically designed to squat when we, well, eliminate waste.  But, we didn't build our toilets that way.  Modern toilets kink us up and make it harder to do our business.  I don't know if it actually makes things more pleasant or not, but I like the Squatty Potty. Maybe it's the cave woman in me. And it tucks neatly under the toilet so it's not in the way for those who don't prefer to use it.


https://www.amazon.com/Squatty-Potty-Original-Bathroom-Toilet/dp/B00ESKVN7W/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1488466661&sr=8-1&keywords=Squatty+Potty

MIGHTY PLUGS
These are the BEST ear plugs.  I've tried those cheap orange ones from Walmart and that was a RIDICULOUS waste of my money.  The only good ear plug is one that actually works.  And these ones have saved my life.  I started to have trouble sleeping about a year or so ago.  It was partially insomnia and mostly my darling bed partner's extremely loud snoring. Once that started, I had no chance of falling asleep, and he has the gift of falling asleep VERY quickly.  After trying a lot of solutions, I researched ear plugs and found these.  They do not block out 100% of sound.  I don't think that is really possible, or even desirable.  But, they block out enough that I can fall asleep and I don't hear the snoring.  I do still hear my alarm clock in the morning.  These ear plugs are soft and moldable,  and made from ingredients you can spell- Filtered Beeswax, Pure Lanolin, Sterile Cotton, Corn Starch, Grapefruit seed extract. 
They don't last forever because little bits of them disappear over time.  I'd say a pair lasts about 2-3 months.  But, they are worth EVERY SINGLE PENNY.  I bought the 12 pack.  


https://www.amazon.com/Worlds-Finest-Plug-12-pair-Personal/dp/B003GVTDQW/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1488466743&sr=8-3&keywords=Mighty+Plugs

BEVERLY HILLS MD EYE CREAM

I bought this dark circle eye cream online.  I bought a lot of it, cause it was cheaper that way.  It was supposed to get rid of the dark circles under my eyes.  I watched a really long video explaining how it was actually going to fix the problem instead of just covering it up.  Part of how it is supposed to work is by reflecting light and it's also supposed to actually get rid of the dark circles over time.  Major waste of money and major disappointment.  I tried it for a month.  I didn't notice any improvement and the product is annoying. It SITS on my skin and if I touch it, it pills up and peels off. It says to apply it at bedtime too so it can work alongside my body's night time regeneration process, but if it doesn't soak in, I'm not sure how it's going to do anything at all.  I don't feel like I can add makeup on top of it for this reason.  Don't waste your money on this stuff.

GLITTER ZONE HAIR CURLERS
I saw these on facebook and they looked awesome so I ordered two sets for my girls. They weren't cheap, but I wanted to have a hair curling option that doesn't damage their hair and is more comfortable than foam curlers.  I ordered these on January 28th. I'd like to review them for you and tell you how amazing they are, but I never got the order.  I got an email that said I could track my order, but that doesn't work.  I emailed the company twice and they have not responded.  I finally found some small print and it said that my order would take 2-5 weeks for it to come.  So, today is 4 weeks and 5 days. NO PRODUCT.  On their site, they only offer refunds up to 30 days from date of purchase- pretty clever in an evil scammer way. I'm sending them a facebook message today, but whatever the outcome, it's not worth ordering from a company that takes so long to ship( and it wasn't even free shipping) and doesn't reply to emails.  If I don't get my order by next Monday, I'm going to see if the credit card company can take back the payment.



WHIRLPOOL WASHING MACHINE

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to tell you about my new washing machine. Okay, I promised I had owned all of these things for a while, but since this is a negative review, I don't think that matters. I had to buy a new washing machine a few weeks ago.  I decided to go with a less expensive, no bells and whistles model to save money.  But, I purchased the 5 year warranty. With a total cost of around $600, I figured that the cost of washing clothes in my home is $120 a year for the machine and if it lasts longer than 5 years, that's a bonus.  So, I purchased this machine from Lowes.


And it worked correctly ONE time.  ONE TIME.  After that, when we turn it on, the machine washes and rinses and then goes back to the wash light and stays there indefinitely.  The clothes are soaking wet.  We then have to manually cancel the load and then run a drain/spin cycle.  After trying 8 different loads I called for a repair.  I HATE ( 1st world problem) waiting for repairmen.  Somehow, I am never ever at the beginning of their shift.  I waited for almost 5 hours for him to come and tell me a part was broken and he was ordering a new one and it would take 5-6 business days to come in. So, it's still broken, but there is hope it will get fixed.  I'm REALLY REALLY glad I bought that extended warranty, although, at this point, I used the one year manufacturer warranty for the repair. I'm not saying not to buy this machine.    I'm really hoping it's a good one.  What I am saying is, we may have a lemon, and I'm glad I bought the extended warranty.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Whirlpool-4-3-cu-ft-High-Efficiency-Top-Load-Washer-White/50254189

So, there you have it- my honest review of some things I've bought in the last year.