Curly hair update

Many of my closer friends know that I have naturally curly hair, and I am always trying to find good products that work well with my own hair. This past summer I joined a Facebook group called "Love YOUR curls," in which a bunch of curly haired women (mostly) share about things that they have found help their curly hair. I decided to try something different after watching a YouTube video called "Laura's method." Laura is the administrator for the Facebook page, Love your curls.

Laura's method is different in that she leaves ALL of the conditioner in her hair after washing it. I had never left all of my conditioner in, not rinsing it at all. She also "plops" to dry it, which is a way of tying your hair up to dry in a t-shirt. After drying for 20-30 minutes that way, she added gel and diffused it. I tried it, and it was a total game changer for me! My curls are very moisturized, clump together better, and I've had so many good hair days. Laura's hair is thicker and longer than mine, so I was kinda surprised it worked so well for me.

Products I've been using in my hair...

I don't often like going 2 days between washing my hair, but I have done so way more after using Laura's method. I am surprised when I have great curls after waking up in the morning. I can usually spray them with some water, add a little gel and they are good to go. I could not easily do that before using Laura's method. She only does her hair 2-3 times a week, but I don't like the way my hair feels going that long between washings.

Hair pic from early June

 These are hair pictures right after I began to use Laura's method on my curly locks, in the end of June. I love the change and more defined coils!

My sister recently came to visit me and she was amazed at how different my curls looked. She was inspired to try Laura's method. I wonder if she will like it at home. She lives in a bigger city and has always used more DevaCurl products than me. I tend to use more drugstore based products that tend to be cheaper. Her hair always looks great to me! She was the one who told me about the Love Your curls facebook group. I like learning about different hair products and routines there.

My sister took a picture of the back of my hair when she visited. It is interesting to see what the back of your own hair looks like!

 

Recent hair picture... I'm enjoying the length, I haven't had it this long in over 5 years! 

Laura encourages curly girls to take selfies, so you can see how your hair grows and changes throughout the year. I can tell a difference when I look back at them!

 This is the picture that my sister took of my hair when she recently visited...

Note: I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and got some new conditioner, GVP, or Generic Value Products on a buy one get one free sale. I have loved it! And I love that I got them for about $4.25 each!


Do you have curly hair? What products do you find work well for your hair? I got some new products in my stocking, and I have been enjoying trying them out so far!

Isaiah 46:4

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

Matthew 10:29-31

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 7:38

As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

Christmas pondering...

Christmas time is upon us once again, it seems to come faster each year! I enjoy Christmas time, but I don't love it. I enjoy the decorations and lights, baking cookies and preparing for Christmas. I have a hard time with the continual media promotion of "The holidays"... Why can't it be Christmas? I know, not every one celebrates Christmas, but a majority of people do, in some sort, I think. I don't enjoy the store's major promotions for Christmas, the commercialism and materialism of it, it is out of control.

I feel like Jesus and His birth have basically gotten lost in the "tinsel and lights" and the flashiness of Christmas. I have been thinking a lot about Jesus and His birth. He left the absolute glory and splendor of heaven. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John nearly can't describe the amazing scene that heaven is... so many colors, rainbows, vibrant gold. It honestly astounds me that Jesus ever left that beautiful place! Let alone for our dingy, dirty and dark earth. He was born in a stable, the place where animals were kept. I bet it was stinky and not clean at all. It was a very lowly, uncommon place for a king to be born, even more THE King of Kings to be born.

I'm sure Joseph and Mary wanted more for Jesus. They could not control the fact that they had to leave their home and travel for the census. Bethlehem was very crowded. There was just no other way. Mary was a teenage girl. She was not anyone special, yet she was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus. Can you imagine how she must have felt? WOW!

So, this teenage mother and her fiancee "hit the road" for Bethlehem, leaving their home, beds and comfort. I'm sure it was not easy to walk and travel being very pregnant. Yet, Mary did it. She obeyed God and followed His command for her, what obedience!

I can't imagine the surprise and utter amazement of the shepherds, who were quietly tending their flocks of sheep, to see the dark night sky filled with a large group of angels! They obeyed the command that they were given to go to Bethlehem and find the baby wrapped in cloths. If Bethlehem was crowded, it may have taken them a while to find Joseph and Mary. I know I would not have looked in a stable first! But the command to them did say that Jesus was in a manger, so that would have been a clue. But there were probably many stables and mangers.

The conditions were not ideal for sure. But it was God's plan. He gave His Son to come to our dirty earth, born of a teenage mother, with a dirty animal trough for a bed, and was greeted by no-name shepherds, who heard about him from angels in the sky. It sounds upside-down, doesn't it? For the greatest person to ever come to earth in this way? There was no palace for Him to live in, no kingly garments for Him to wear. Yet, He came. He came for you and for me. The Promised King lowered Himself to be a human. He didn't have to do it. But because of His great love for us, for everyone who has lived or does live. We can have His gift of life for free. He paid the price for us, for me.

Wow, just wow. How can I be worthy of this gift? I'm not sure, but I will live for Jesus, and be indebted to Him. What a great God!

Luke 2:1-15 

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.  (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)  And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

 And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’

Almost Christmas (song)

Lately I have been living this song by Josh Wilson. I like his music anyway, but I love his Christmas album called "Noel." There are several great songs on it, but this is my favorite, and the one I have had stuck in my head several times recently.

I like 'different" Christmas songs. I get tired of hearing the same songs over and over, year after year. I like when artists write a new song about Christmas. I know it is an old story, but it is refreshing to hear it told in a new song. I hope you have a moment to take a listen!

Josh Wilson - Almost Christmas 

Christmas lights, shinin' bright, 
what a sight I wanna feel this way, 
every day of my life Oh I can hear the bells ringin' out loud 
and it sounds like it's almost Christmas

In the street, families caroling, 
singing the same noel the angels sing
It's the birth of peace on the earth 
Tell me have you heard that it's almost Christmas?

And I feel like I'm eight years old again 
Waiting for December 25th It's almost Christmas
I'll be home soon makin' memories 
So excited I can hardly sleep It's almost Christmas Day

There's somethin' new in the air, everywhere 
Makin' me take the time, time to stop, time to share 
Till the people I love the most really know 
Cause it's almost Christmas

And while the snow is comin' down, 
all around I'll take a moment to remember 
how it's the birth of peace on the earth 
Tell me have you heard that our God is with us?

I feel like I'm eight years old again 
Singing ‘bout that boy in Bethlehem 
It's almost Christmas 
And I'll be home soon makin' memories 
So excited I can hardly sleep
It's almost Christmas Day!


You can listen to this song on YouTube here.


Luke 2:4-7
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Luke 2:14
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’

American Girl class highlights

We had a delightful American Girl class this semester with 4 girls. We discussed Rebecca and Kit, the American Girls. I've done these classes several times, but I still enjoy teaching it to girls who have never had the class before. One day during Rebecca, we painted Russian nesting dolls. The girls had lots of fun painting them!

 Rebecca goes to Coney Island, so we had a day playing games, here a girl is bowling! The loved the little prizes that they got for playing the games!

During Kit, we made "team" pennants, like Kit has in her room for the Cincinnati Reds (she is from Ohio).

 The last class of Kit, we made red Fleece mittens with sewing machines. It was aa quick and easy way to make them, and the girls loved their mittens! Love their cute smiles!

The semester went by so quickly. I always enjoy teaching so much. These girls were pretty silly at times, but their giggles were contagious! It lightened up the topic of the Great Depression, which is what the Kit books cover. I look forward to seeing them again next semester, I hope!

Judges 6:39
Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.”

Proverbs 31:13
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.

Isaiah 1:18
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Thanksgiving 2018

We had another wonderful Thanksgiving week with Joshua's extended family. As per tradition, we celebrated Bethany and her cousin Lydia's 10th birthday while we were together. It is fun to see them open their gifts while we are all together. We enjoyed time at a local hot springs pool, baking pies, playing lots of games, talking, laughing and going to the grocery store! It takes a lot of food to feed 14 people!

Celebrating birthdays...

 All together after the pool...

Baking pies and cookies with Nana...

Cousins happy to be together!

 Mallory learned to crochet from her aunties...

 "The guys" played poker...

 The 4 little girls made these cute paper turkeys for the dinner table...

 Pies lined up and ready to eat!

 On Friday, we got a special treat. Joshua's mom and sister have some friends who own horses and have a ranch. They gave us a carriage ride on this gorgeous day, and then let us ride the horses individually! It was cool! The kids all enjoyed it, especially Mallory, our animal lover! The horses were Suffolk draft horses, which are big! We enjoyed riding, petting and just watching them. They were gentle giants, so sweet to us.

 Mallory was the first volunteer to ride a horse...

 Caleb got a turn...

 Loved their heads and medallion...

 Joshua riding...

Mallory again with cousin Lydia...

My turn... loved this view!

Riding together... we could see mountains in the distance! It was a treat!

We always have so much to be thankful for... our warm home, great family, delicious food, cozy beds and clothes, a good job, reliable cars, the privilege to homeschool, for our gracious God and for His Son, Jesus, and SO much more!

What are you thankful for? How did you spend Thanksgiving?


Colossians 3:15

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe...