Products I love: Goats Milk Soap

I have been using Briar Patch goats milk soap (made locally) for years but it was not until recently when I ran out for a few weeks that I realized just how wonderful this product is.

Because of the all natural ingredients and the way each batch of soap is made you will be able to tell a difference in the silkiness of your skin just after a few uses. Whereas most commercial soap makers skim the Glycerin (a moisturizing substance that forms during the soap making process) off and sells is as a byproduct leaving their soap dry, Briar Patch does not. Aside from adding no artificial preservatives or colorants they keep the Glycerin in their soap so all the health benefits can go to your skin. And boy can you tell, My skin feel cleaner, is softer, and smells great!



Each bar of soap has soft oatmeal pieces that act as an exfoliate as it gently lathers and cleans your skin


The lather is rich enough to shave with and leave your legs feeling so soft. After rinsing there is no residual film of chemicals on your skin or in your shower like most soap leaves.I find new benefits to using this product all the time. Recently one of my Curves ladies said she used it on her hair in place of shampoo and conditioner. I tried it and my hair felt cleaner and softer then it has in months. Another user commented that because of its natural ingredients and gentle scent she uses it on her baby. I used it on Reagan and she loved it and her skin had no adverse reaction. I even let some of the suds get in my eyes before I used it on my little one and although it was not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination is did not burn like the mass produced, chemically preserved soaps do.




Coming in 11 amazing scents its impossible not to find one you cant live without
Aromatic Timber-a nice, woodsy, masculine scent
Citrus Splash!--an explosive blend of sweet and tart elements of citrus, especially tangerine, orange, and grapefruit! Wow!
Fragrance Free--just pure soap without any fragrance at all!
Kudzu Blossom--the blossom has a clean, light grape scent.
Lavender Oatmeal--relaxing and good for the skin with the addition of finely ground oats, soothing calendula petals and lavender flowers
Lavender Mint--a bright combination of relaxing lavender and uplifting mint; a popular choice!
Lemon Grass--very lemony, but warm and earthy at the same time
Oatmeal, Milk, and Honey--warm and inviting, with ground oats and local honey, our most popular fragrance by far!
Patchouli--very earthy, self-proclaimed "old hippies" love it!
Skin Tonic--our particular blend of lavender, tea tree, and eucalyptus essential oils along with soothing caldendula petals especially for dry and problem skin
Spicy Apples and Peaches--cinnamon and spice with hints of fall apples and peaches, a very popular choice



My household loves the lavender oatmeal and lavender mint. They smell so good I took a bar of soap and cut a few quarter sizes  peices off and put them in all my drawers so now all my clothes and a light scent.

to sum up: The Briar Patch goats milk soap...

Smells great, Feels great, Cleans wonderfully, Doesn't leave film on your skin or in shower, is safe for children, Comes in an assortment of lovely scents (and even comes scentless for the men in your life), Gently exfoliates with oatmeal instead of with harsh sugars or salts, Can take the pace of Shampoo, Conditioner, Shaving cream, face soap, body wash, and even body and face lotion sometimes ( since washing with this stuff leaves you so moisturized)

I guess the only thing let to do is tell you where to find it:)

You can find the Briar Patch Soap by clicking the link or at the following locations. You wont be sorry!


Ellisville, MS
--Ward's Pharmacy
--Creative Clutter
Laurel, MS
--Bee Happy Natural Foods
--Magnolia Farm & Home
--Bella Bella
--Southern Antique Mall
Hattiesburg, MS
--Hub City West Farm & Garden
--Fragrances Galore (Turtle Creek Mall)
--Lil' Butcher Shoppe
--Thursday Market (G&M Goat Farm)

"I Know My Redeemer lives.." who said it

Job said it!

(Job 19:25)

Does that blow anyone elses mind???

If you know anything about the book of Job in the Bible then this well known verse takes on such a more spectacular meaning.

In the midst of intense uncertainty Job tells his friends who are condemning him "I know my redeemer lives!" Job doesn't know why he is being tormented, why he has been stripped of his wealth, his children, the love of his wife, even his own health or how long it will last. For all he knows he is going to have a miserably slow and lonely death but the ONE THING HE KNEW FOR SURE WAS....

HIS REDEEMER LIVES.

Its inspirational to me that amidst all this, he does not lashing out at God (even after his wife advises him to "curse God and die") or even questions him. He didn't say " I think my redeemer lives" or even "I believe my redeemer lives"  In his darkest most painful storm he proclaims "I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES"

Now, has God ever taken me through a valley so deep that I cant say the same?

 NEVER!

Pregnant Olympian with a great outlook on life

Next time someone seems impressed that I taught Zumba until I was almost 8 months pregnant I'm going to tell them to look up the name Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi  next time they are on google.

Malaysian shooter Nur Suryani Mohamed Taibi  will be 35 weeks along in her first pregnancy when she competes in the 2012 London Olympics.

HOW COOL IS THAT?

The 29-year-old and her husband are super excited to be having their first child due Sept.2 (less than a month after the Games end.) and have checked with their doctor to make sure Nur Suryani and baby are healthy enough to make the trip and compete. At this point everything checks out and all plans for competing are a go (but they have mentioned the baby comes first and the Olympics after that.... good parenting priorities if you ask me)

You know how everyone and their mama thinks its their place to give you their opinion about what you should or shouldn't be doing when your pregnant....

I bet those malaysian busy bodys are going nutts with this one. Haha.

I just think she is the cutest thing ever. She jokes about not being about to compete in the "prone position" (on her stomach) and in one interview she says its not her nerves she will be trying to calm inside her. "I will talk to the baby before I compete... 'no kicking, stay calm for one hour and 15 minutes only please'",

Lots of athletes might be upset about not being able to compete at 100% but this soon-to-be-mama is loving every minute of it. She says she feels like she has an advantage... not a disadvantage. She says its two people working towards one GOLD!!!!

Just think if she was a Christian it would be a 3 man team  and unbeatable.

Wordless Weekends

wordless weekend

favorite healthy snack

A few weeks ago I posted about the roasted pear salad and today I'm suggesting it as a snack. Its filling, healthy, delicious, cheap, different then your normal snack and easy to put together.

Cut a pear up into small strips add some feta cheese and honey....YUMMY

Value those around you

One of the only things I remember clearly from the day I married my best friend was in the charge that the preacher( my uncle) to brad and I.

He said...

"To bring value to each other and never devalue"

The more I think on that the wiser that advise seems. I have often thought whats the worst feeling in the world? Is it feeling stupid? feeling ugly? feeling used? feeling alone? I don't know why I ask myself about that but through the years my answer changes from one awful feeling to the next. However, I have come to an answer and settled on it and I do believe that at least for me feeling invaluable is the worst feeling in the world. All the other awful terrible feeling I feel like can be summed up in the one overwhelming feeling of having no value.

Causing someone to feel this way can have a very powerful and negative effect on a person. However, It seems like we constantly devalue one another. The media is the worst offender. Everywhere we turn people are being stripped of their value through crude jokes, name calling, being talked down to, rudeness, sarcasm, the list goes on.

I am taking a stand today to bring value to those around me and be much more mindful of my actions and words in order to stop the harmful chain of devaluing

right here, right now

Miracle water????

We've all seen the Dr. Oz  recipe for the miracle water one pinterest. This wonderfully fresh concoction of cucumber,orange, mint,  and lemon promises to curb your appetite while boosting your metabolic rate in order to help you lose weight.

I made it.... Cucumber, mint, lemon( some people add Oranges and berries) in a gallon jar of water, let it sit a day and then enjoy. Enjoy I did. It is a nice refreshing upgrade from the regular everyday glass of water but I am yet to be convinced that it speeds up metabolism.

 Here's what I think....

1. The good Dr. suggest you drink a gallon a day. It seems to me that if you drink a gallon of water everyday, tap water or otherwise, that you will probably feel fuller and snack less-- A possible weight loss

2. Its less then $3.00 to make a gallon that last( for me.. unless my only goal that day is to drink the whole thing) about two days. -- Kind to the wallet

3. Since this new drink is so light and refreshing, people may trade in other high calorie drinks( sodas, sweet tea...ect) for a glass of this fresh garden water that has ZERO calories --A possible weight loss

4. With fresh fruits floating in your drink, your more likely to snack on the cucumbers, lemons, berries, ect., and less likely to grab some salty chips and sweet candy--A possible weight loss 

5. It really dresses up a dinner party or even just refreshments for pop in guest --Hospitable

I think preparing water like this is yummy and fancy and may help you shed a few pounds but I cant see how it would speed up your metabolism. Muscle is the main determining factor in your metabolic rate. If your hoping to lose some inches try lifting some weights. Every pound of muscle you gain speeds your metabolism up and helps your body burn fat. It would seem like the obvious solution would be toooo..... I dunno...

JOIN CURVES OF ELLISVILLE:)

Reagans 6 month old!

In a nutshell.....

          We love her more every day.......

Shes the best thing to ever happen to us..........

                                     She makes us both better people everyday....

 

She is the best gift God

ever gave to undeserving people!

Closet full and not a thing to wear...

Ever since my sweet angel got here six months ago, I have the same thought when getting dressed almost every day( every Sunday and special event for sure)

"I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR"

Its quite the dilemma and it sure doesn't make a person feel good about themselves.

Work is not a problem but basically any other time clothes are required there is a long battle in the closet. Trying clothes on, ripping them off, and eventually ending up in my one "safety" dress that doesn't look wonderful but I am not embarrassed to wear in public, Reagan can ruin it with whatever shes drooling today, and i can wear comfortable shoes with. sounds sexy right? that is exactly what it is NOT....

Sooo....... I cleaned out my closet, getting rid( passing along to deserving bodies who might use them) of everything that didn't fit, look good, or I hadn't worn in a year( chances were I wasn't going to wear them this year either).

And to my surprise.....

I had 38 dressed...

38 dresses and nothing to wear!

The solution:

I am working my way through every dress one by one. If I go to the closet and put the next dress in line on, and cant find a single way to make it work I put it in a hand me down pile. Anna has gotten some great dresses that honestly are probably more appropriate for her place in life then mine ( 25yrs old, married, with baby). I have gotten rid of a few dresses, but mostly I'm having a great time finding new ways to wear old clothes or wearing dresses for the first time that I bought and never wore. Whenever I go to my closet now, I know I have some options.I also have more room in my closet since I started this plan. My Safety dress still gets a lot of use though.. when I over sleep and need a fast fit, or when Reagan decides to veto an outfit.

Happy fourth of July

This is why I pray for this GREAT country

 to return to

GOD

 because when im gone ill still have LOVED ones living in it