Psalm 95:1-6

“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  There will be pictures coming in a few days.

How did you all celebrate this year?

Yesterday we took all our Christmas things out of the attic and I started making the flower arrangements.

We had our first Christmas in this new house last year, but since we had just moved I kept everything very simple.

But that was last year…

This year I’m wanting to go over the top!  All out, glitz and glam, sparkles everywhere!

Maybe I can blame it on Nester…

She has inspired me to make a garland over our mantel.   That’s on the top of the list for today.

I am SO EXCITED!

Happy decorating, see you tomorrow!

If you listen to the news you hear a lot about flu and cold season.

So, I thought I’d share what has helped our family stay well.

When our babies were sick I would have given anything to make their pain go away.
So after suffering through a few colds, I had enough!

It was time to be on the offense.

I  found our there is  SO MUCH we can do to keep from getting sick!
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years:

Sugar is public enemy number one.

Eating one teaspoon can lower the immune system up to     six hours.

Ever wonder why the flu season happens around the holidays?

Think about all of the pies, cakes, brownies, sugar cookies…

It’s hard not to eat sugar but it’s even harder to see your babies with what my daughter calls “booger nose”.

Enough said.

Over 80% of your immune system is located in the intestinal tract.

Help keep the digestive tract working well by taking  a good quality probiotic.

Peroxide is a wonderful helper in the fight against disease.

Bubble out your ears with peroxide.
(Just dip a cotton ball into the peroxide, lay on your side and use the cotton to drip peroxide  into your ear canal.
Wait until you hear it stop bubbling and then tip your head and pour it out.
It’s helpful to have a hand towel on the pillow.)

I do this whenever we have any symptoms and it really seems to help.  With little kids you can just take a cotton swab and dip it into the peroxide and gently put some into their ears.

If you are having a sore throat you can gargle with a mixture of  half water and half peroxide.

Wash your hands, eat healthy foods, get plenty of rest and STAY WELL!

I hope these things help your family too.  I’m not a doctor, so these are just tips from one Mom to another.  May your family stay healthy this winter!

“… I am the LORD that healeth thee.” (Exodus 15:26 KJV)

If you enjoyed this here is some additional reading:

My homemade germ killing cleaner.

How to treat a cold.

Drink enough water.

“Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth…”       -William Bradford

My Works For Me Wednesday tip is…

Frugal, Non Toxic, Germ Killing Cleaner!

Take two bottles; fill one with peroxide (from the drugstore) and fill the the other with white vinegar.

Spray one then the other, in no particular order, and wipe with a paper towel or cloth.

This spray is non toxic and it kills all the nasties better than straight bleach!

You can use it on your cutting boards, counters, sinks, plastic toys, in the bathroom, and also as a fruit and veggie wash!

“To help kill bacteria such as E. Coli on fruits and vegetables, add a quarter cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide to a sink full of cold water. immerse, rinse with cold water and drain. By killing bacteria this will also help keep fruit and vegetables fresher for longer. You can also use a spray bottle containing a 50/50 mix of 3% hydrogen peroxide and water – just spray and rinse.”

(Quote from: Green Living Tips)

Since this is Thanksgiving week I thought I’d mention something I’m thankful for.

I am thankful for this: Almost all the women who blog or work from home are very supportive of each other.

I have seen these women gather around each other in good times and bad.

And these are women who usually haven’t even met in person!

I “met” a lady named Kelly on Etsy who is working hard  for her family.

She has opened a shop called Cozy Creations and is selling fleece blankets and pillows.

The rocket pillows are my favorite!

Let’s gather round and support women like Kelly!  Time for some Christmas shopping!

I have really enjoyed reading the Dollar Stretcher.

(They update the content regularly, so check back often.)

Have fun with the great ideas on how to make your money go longer and stronger.

Stop by and read awhile!

Psalm 100

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

This one of the most moving, powerful videos I’ve seen in a long time.  Get the tissue….

I’m joining in on the Thanksgiving fun going on at The Inspired Room, head on over and see all the great ideas everyone has posted!

Our family has enjoyed doing versions of the “thankful tree” for a long time.  It’s really sweet to look back and see what everyone has written over the years.

This year we will be using leaf cutouts and hanging them on a small bare tree I’ve put into a planter.

Each person can write what they are thankful for and hang the leaf on the tree.

It really helps us to stay focused on why we are celebrating!

(I’ll be sure to take pictures of our Thanksgiving and show them to you as soon as I can.)