ListPlanIt.com Review + Giveaway

I'm a huge list person.  On my fridge alone I have 3 different magnetic pads to write notes and lists on.  I am always planning something and making to-do lists.

A while ago I won a ListPlanIt Memories PDF ePlanner.  This PDF you can print out and write into or type into right on your computer.  I printed it out and added it into my Homemaking Binder to write down special moments and memories of the year.  I haven't been as diligent as I'd like to be with writing into it but it still has been helpful in getting things I'd love to remember down. :)



ListPlanIt is a website with hundreds of lists to help you organize your life.  With a membership you can join and get access to them.  Recently I got a Download Membership and have been enjoying all the great lists included.

I have especially loved the Menu Planning lists, Financial lists (perfect time for the new year planning), home & time management lists.  They have lists for just about everything: Cleaning, Shopping, Business, Autos, Gardening, Holidays, Camping, etc. I haven't yet wanted a list that they didn't already have. :)

Almost all the lists can be typed right into on the PDF and then printed (for a clean and neat look) or they can be printed out and then written into.

Their site is quite easy to navigate through and only takes a small about of getting familiar with to feel right at home.  The lists are all categorized well and easy to help you find what you are looking for quickly.  Under each section you find additional sections to get you down to just the right lists for you.

How to join ListPlanIt?
It's really easy.  You can either join with a $5/month membership and have access to every single list on ListPlanIt or if you only want lists for certain areas you can purchase the ePlanners for $7.00.  If you want more then just a few of the ePlanners then it would been more cost efficient to go ahead with a membership to have access to all of the lists.

Want to try them out without a membership?
If you want to just see what ListPlanIt is like but don't want to pay just yet ListPlanIt has several lists you can use for Free along with a Trial ePlanner!  You can check them out and download them here.

Giveaway!
Jennifer (owner of ListPlanIt.com) has graciously offered a 1 year Download Membership to 1 reader!  To enter this giveaway use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
*Disclaimer - This post contains referral links

Halftee Review and Coupon Code

 
I believe woman need to dress modestly and I strive to do so in my everyday wear along (and especially) with the times we leave the home.  I want my children to be surrounded and understand that modesty is a heart issue but still needs to be reflected on what women wear.

Today you can go into a clothing store or online and hardly find a shirt that will fit modestly, at least I can't.  Either the neck is too low or the shirt is too short, or it fits too tightly, or it's too big... Very rarely can I pick up a shirt and wear it just as it is, besides a few basic t-shirts.

Layering is just about the only way to wear a shirt modestly these days.  Even with a buttoned up shirt I find it best to wear a shirt underneath - just in case one of those buttons come undone or pucker and leave a gap for others to be able to see in. :(

Where we live sometimes it just soo hot in the summer to wear a full undershirt under a tee shirt, so that makes about half of my shirts unwearable, unless I want to stay inside in the air conditioning all day or be even more hot when I go outside.

That's where this neat company comes in - Halftee!  Halftee makes undershirts that are just for adding to the neckline &/or sleeves; they are short, only about half the length of a regular shirt.  It's brilliant!  These halftees aren't really for buttoned shirts as they would only be half the help with the buttons, but for all the other shirts with low necklines these are perfect.

One really nice thing is that if the halftee is too low for your liking you can just turn it around, they are completely reversible with a higher neckline in the back!  Halftees come in many sizes, colors as well as styles.  I requested a Tank Halftee as I don't have many (if any) shirts that I need added sleeve length too.  I got the brown in XS and wear it all the time!  Anytime I wear a t-shirt that is too low and matches with brown I've been wearing it.  I can wear the halftee modestly either way but prefer the covering of it worn backwards.

My halftee fits me with a higher neckline than this picture makes it look like.

The halftee is quite handy being a nursing mama as it cuts out so much extra clothing with the baby.  And, I can just image how nice it would be if you are expecting, as it wouldn't go over your baby bump and be uncomfortable with the continual growing. :)

Next time I get a Halftee I'll probably get a size small, I thought the extra small would give me the fit I needed and it did but it is a bit more difficult to nurse in as it's a bit tight.  I wanted the halftee to fit me tight so that it's wouldn't gap when I bent over but I'm pretty sure the small wouldn't gap on me either.  So many woman layer their shirts and then most of that layering becomes useless once they bend over. :(

I've been really impressed with my Halftee and will be glad to get more! :)  My favorite section on Halftee's site is their Clearance Bin - they have great prices (up to 45% off) and always many products and sizes! :)  You can also find them on Zulily sometimes.

If you want to try out a Halftee for yourself Halftee has generously offered A Restful Place readers with coupon code arestfulplace20 to take 20% off your order .  The best part - if you order using this coupon code you will be entered into a drawing to get a free halftee once the coupon expires on February 12th!! :)

You can follow Halftee on Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest

* Halftee provided me with this Tank Halftee for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

Lilla Rose Giveaway!

 Have you been wanting to try out a Lilla Rose flexi clip?  If so, here's your chance!

You can enter to win a Lilla Rose Flexi Clip today over at Happenings of the Harper Household along with read her in-depth review of the clips.

I love these clips!  I wear them every-single-day!  I just finished ordering the Music Note flexi in large!  I love to wear my hair up in a large while I'm working around my house and caring for my babies.  And best of all - my hubby likes them! :)  Plain plastic claws or braids are so boring compared to these pretty clips!

Also, Today ONLY you can get 15% off of these featured new products.  The 6 above and the 2 below are all on sale.

 Not sure what size to get?  Watch this video:

 

 Order on my WEBSITE here.

My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine

This post is part of the weekly Cloth Diaper 101 Blog Hop hosted by My Cloth Diaper Stash.

This weeks Topic: Cloth Diaper Wash Routine

First - there isn't 1 perfect way to wash cloth diapers. :)

The Method I Use:
I mentioned slightly my wash routine a few weeks ago when I posted about how and why I started cloth diapering, today I'll share more in depth.

I use the "dry pail method" of storing dirty diapers, my pail is similar to this one.  I wash them everyday to every other day.  That sounds like a lot but you get used to it, and I do have 2 in cloth diapers.  I found that my diapers came out cleaner and had no lingering smells if they were washed in smaller loads, more often.  Washing more frequently minimizes the risk of mold and bacteria growing on your diapers.

To Wash:
I put all the diapers in the washer, normally still stuffed, I don't go through the work of un-stuffing the diapers. Almost always all the diaper soakers un-stuff themselves in the wash.  First wash on a COLD cycle with an extra rinse and no detergents.  Then when that wash is over I run them on a second wash this time with HOT water and laundry detergent and oxygen bleach with an additional extra rinse again.

These two detergents are the only soaps I trust to wash my diapers with (and our everyday laundry).  I have never had any problems with the soap building up on my diapers (been using it for 2 1/2 years) and I know there are NO harmful chemicals in them that will harm my babies or make them react to.  These detergents are not scented.  I use about 1-2 TBS of detergent and 1-1 1/2 of the oxygen bleach.  I know some people really like Rockin' Green detergents, but I've never tried those before. I have used soap nuts and they work well too. :)

When they are finished washing I will almost always hang dry my diapers outside on the line or inside on my drying rack.  Very occasionally do I put the diapers in the dryer.  Some say the dryer is good for cloth diapers every once in awhile, but I don't want to risk putting them in there too often.  We all know that the dryer will make fabrics wear much faster. : )

What's your wash routine?  What detergent do you find washes your cloth diapers best?

New Lilla Rose Flexi Clips Tomorrow!!

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to let you know about these new Lilla Rose flexi clips that are coming out!  These flexis will be 15% off tomorrow only so if you want it now's the time to get them!  Keep you eyes out for some other new items soon too!

~ The Music Note Flexi Clip ~

 ~ Rich Multi Cluster in Copper Flexi Clip ~

Order your's on my website here!

Tell Your Time :: Book Review

I know I just posted a review and don't normally just post book reviews one after another but this book Tell Your Time was great! :)

I got this book just a little while ago while it was free for a few days on Amazon.  I've been wanting to read this book but being one that doesn't spend much on books I had been putting it off. When I saw it come up free on Amazon I got it right away and started reading it!  It is definitely a great book to spend the few dollars on and buy! :)

In this book Amy helps you learn how to manage your time so that all the activities and needed things that need to get done in your day get in.  This book is an easy read and was extremely helpful for me.  I have already made a schedule for myself and have been working on tweaking it to fit just right.  You can download spreadsheets to use right on her site from the links in the book.

I highly recommend this book if you need to get your time managed and you are unsure how to start.  Tell Your Time is a recourse I am sure I'll be coming back to when seasons change and my schedule goes to the side and needs to be brought back in and redone.  It's a fast read and manageable the way it is explained in this book!

~

So, that's one book from my reading list that I've checked off. I've also already read 4 books this month so I'm feeling ahead!  It's so nice to be reading a lot! :)

* Disclaimer - I was not compensated for this review.  This post contains affiliate links.

Taming the Wind :: Book Review

A young widow nursing the wounds of her past...
A cowboy with demons of his own...

About the book:
Though grateful for the blessing of her daughter, Carissa Lowe has accepted that widowhood is her lot in life. Bound by fear and mistrust, she feels incapable of opening her heart again.

Tyler Atherton has never forgotten Carissa. When he discovers she's living with her sister on a nearby ranch, his life becomes intertwined with the lovely widow's. And Carissa's daughter, Gloria, seems determined to wrap herself around his little finger. But while Tyler longs to provide a home and future for Carissa, he is haunted by an obligation he feels unable to fulfill.

Challenged by mounting hardships, can Carissa and Tyler preserve their fledgling love in a land as unforgiving and vibrant as the people who call it home?

The Author:
Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over ninety novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series.

I loved this book, it was so hard to put down.  The story is captivating and pulls you right in.  This book is about a young widow woman who moves to TX with her married sister to get away from her past.   Her daughter Gloria is the most important thing to her and she doesn't think she could ever trust a man again after being married to an abusive husband (he has died).  This story is about her overcoming her past and learning to love Tyler.  Along the way Tyler goes on a cattle drive for months with the other men of the town.  Her sister gives birth to a son several months early and they both struggle to survive, finally pulling through.  Lastly Carissa is captured by a grudge holding man thinking she was someone else, just 2 days before all the men arrive back from their cattle drive to Kansas.  After planning and impatiently waiting Tyler along with several other men go out to find her, there is a ransom for her now that the men who took her found out she wasn't who they thought she was.  The men are able to find her and get the bad men away but then to find her extremely ill from malnutrition and dehydration.  Finally after Carissa is able to gain enough strength they are able to bring her back home, a two+ day journey, to her sister and her daughter Gloria.  In the end Tyler and Carissa get married and move onto Tyler's parents land. Now Gloria has a real father, just like Carissa knew she needed.  The author has an excellent style of writing and making everything seem so real.  The history in this book was spot on; another great historical fiction book!

Overall Taming The Wind was a great read!  Just like all other books we should use caution before allowing children to read them, each child's parent knows how mature they are and what types of books are a good influence on them.

 ** This post contains affiliate links

**I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of this review as being part of the Bethany House book reviewer program. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dream Stroller Giveaway coming February (bloggers sign up now)!

Photo just an example

This event is hosted by NY Saving Specials, and will take place from February 1st to February 28th, 2013.

One winner will get to choose any stroller of their choice from Toysrus.com! 

*Up to a $300 value including tax & shipping- however shipping is usually free on orders over $100. If the winner chooses a stroller valued under $300 they will not receive the difference in cash or credit, and the prize MUST be a stroller (travel systems that come with a car seat are acceptable).

Blogger Sign-up details here.  Be sure to mention A Restful Place sent you!

How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering

How and Why I Started Cloth Diapering??

I first was introduced to cloth diapering when my mom started doing so with her baby, about 6 ½ years ago now. Mom wanted to get away from the chemicals and how not-earth friendly disposable diapers are and the baby was having allergic reactions to them.

We researched a ton and made up patterns to make our own fitted pocket cloth diapers. Now, today I’m still using those original patterns on my own babies.

That’s how I started using cloth diapers, now to the MANY reasons why I started and still cloth diaper.

Cloth Diapering is Healthier
I can’t even begin to tell you all the chemicals and things that are bad for your baby that are in disposable diapers. "Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance was used until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria."

Cloth Diapering Saves Money
The initial investment to get into cloth diapers is of course more expensive than just 1 package of disposable diapers but, the long run is much less expensive. Cloth diapers are a 1 time investment, not $20+ a package every time you run to the store. It is estimated that a baby will go through 6,000 diapers in the first 2 years and that parents will spend $1,600 for two years of disposable diapers. If you buy cloth diapers that are $20.00 each you can buy 80 diapers (many more than you need) with that amount. Cloth diapers last more than just one child too so you are saving $1600 each child you have after your first child. With the money we save each year cloth diapering we are able to slowly replace old and worn out cloth diapers.

Cloth Diapering is Easy
Most people think of cloth diapers and they think of tons of stinky work and disgusting messes to clean up. With the modern cloth diapers this day it is so much easier than that! I use a dry pail method, so basically I just change diapers (dump if needed) and place them in a pail then; when I’m ready to wash them I just dump them all in the washer. I do a rinse cold wash first with NO detergents and then do a second HOT wash with Tropical Traditions Detergent and Oxygen Bleach. I wash daily to every other day to keep bacterial from growing.  In the summer time I hang the diapers on the line outside and during the cold months I hang them on a rack similar to this one. Now there's no more rush trips to the store because you ran out of diapers. : )

Cloth Diapering is better on the Environment
Do you know that all the diapers that have EVER been made and used are still sitting in a landfill somewhere? It is estimated but NOT known how long to breakdown a disposable diaper, but the estimate is 250-500 years!! “Disposable diapers generate sixty times more solid waste and use twenty times more raw materials, like crude oil and wood pulp”

Cloth Diapering makes for less Rashes
Did you know that “Diaper rash was almost unheard of before the use of rubber or plastic pants in the 1940s”. I know my babies hardly get rashes and most of them are caused by food allergies. Cloth diapers really do help cut down rashes.

Cloth Diapering makes it easier to Potty Train
Now this is still one point I’m waiting to find out but it is said that babies who have worn cloth diapers potty train much faster. Since disposable diapers have chemicals in them to keep the baby dry they never learn the feeling of getting wet when they go potty. So, when you try to teach them to go potty on the toilet they have a much harder time figuring it out. My son is 2 and I’m going to start potty training really soon. So, now I’ll see. : )

Do you cloth diaper? What are some of your reasons for choosing cloth diapers? 

*This post is linked with My Cloth Diaper Stash, 

*Information Source

*This post just contains my own opinions on this topic. I do not think you are a BAD momma because you don’t/can’t cloth diaper. I love cloth diapering but I know many aren’t very fond of it. : )

*This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links I will make a small commission.  Thank you for your support.

8 Favorite Reads of 2012

Even though I didn't get all the books crossed off of my reading list I made at the beginning of last year I still read some great books.

My 8 favorite reads of last year (no order) are:

1. Making Babies by Shoshanna Easling
 This book is an amazing resource!  It is filled with SO many great things, from recipes to homemade skin care, to making tinctures and tons of tips and tricks.  I was really impressed by this book, even though I have already read this book it is still sitting out for me to keep going back too.  I reference the recipes all the time.  Everything I've made from it has been fantastic and still healthy!  I have the DVD's for this series as well and then are great too!  I would say if you only were going to be able to get one, either the book or the DVD get the book.  Everything plus more from the DVD's is in it!  This probably is my all time favorite of the year!

2. Taming the Wind by Tracie Peterson (review coming soon)

3. Captive Trail by Susan Page Davis (review)

4. Long Trail Home by Vickie McDonough (review)

5. Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider
Just to see and hear another's perspective on living a simple life was so uplifting and a great encouragement to me.  I love simple living! Many of the things shared in the book I have applied to my home and myself.

6. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Most people have read Pride & Prejudice before but this was my first time and I loved it!  I love the time frame, the culture, everything about it! :)

7. The Good Wife's Guide by Darlene Schacht
If you need encouragement, ideas and a loving book filled with it, this is it.  Darlene does a wonderful job teaching women how to be wives in this book.  I think this book is a must for all wives! :)

8. The Husband Project by Kathi Lipp
I read this book and did the projects a few months after our baby was born and it was a much needed read.  I have a feeling I'll be going through this book many more times in the years to come.  My husband is definitely worth doing it again! :)

Did you have any favorite books last year?  Have you read any of the ones I've listed here?  If so, leave a comment I'd love to hear how you enjoyed it. :)

*This post contains affiliate links.

Reading Plans for 2013 & the NEW Lilla Rose Flexi is out!

Well, I was a bit overly ambitious with my reading list last year, I read not nearly as many books as I had hoped and I didn’t stick to my list much either. : ( So this year I’m going to plan differently, I’m going to set a goal of 1 book per month in 2013. That doesn’t sound like much but I'm still working on managing my time well and really want to add more reading into my daily life.  So, having a goal that is manageable might help me get back into my love of reading, then hopefully I'll pass my goals up. : )

Now saying that, the first book I plan to read in 2013 probably isn't much of a surprise.  I'm only going to start this list as I love getting new books and I'm sure I'll add those to my list eventually. : )

Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews
The What's for Dinner Solution by Kathi Lipp
A Ranger's Trail by Darlene Franklin
Lone Star Trail by Darlene Franklin
I Love My Life: A Mom's Guide to Working From Home by Kristie Tamsevicius
Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love
Walking Worthy Series by Norm Wakefield
Unstoppable by Nick Vujicic

As you can tell if you read last years reading list, some of these books are on this list. I'm hoping to be more committed and get them checked off my list this year. : )

Even though I didn't meet my goals last year with reading my Husband and I were able to get through the entire Bible in a year and even finished early.  I'm/we're planning to do it again this year.  Last year we did it chronologically this year we plan to just go straight from front to back. : )

Also, the NEW Lilla Rose monthly flexi is OUT.  The New Year Kaleidoscope, with the continual changing of colors and shapes is perfect to usher in the changes of each new year. Wear this delightful Flexi Clip with any updo!

These monthly flexi clips normally sell out quickly so if you want to get one of these for yourself you'll want to hurry!

*Disclaimer - this post contains affiliate links.