Friday Favorite: Naptime

There is no hour of the day so peaceful as the afternoon hours when Caleb takes a nap. It seems that my morning hours are usually filled with laundry and other get-the-day-going activities. But the 1 1/2 hours of quietness in the afternoon have become a real favorite of mine. I have been able to read my Bible, finish a few books on my lengthy list, do a little baking, and every now and then sneak in a little nap myself.

For a mother, nearly every hour of the day (and sometimes the night, too) is filled with care for the perpetually curious, ever-hungry little children God has given to her care. But, He was gracious enough to cause those little wigglers to need an afternoon nap so that their dear mothers could retain a semblance of sanity! Isn't He gracious!?

Friday Favorite: Suitcase Surprise

Friday (Least) Favorite: Moving

We move tomorrow to our new temporary home, an apartment about 25 minutes from here. Moving, at least the packing and the chaotic mess, are today's least favorite!

The good news. . . this home will probably only be a temporary pit-stop on our journey, so I'll get to do this all over again in a few months!

Friday Favorite: Blackberries

I know this Friday Favorite is a day early, but in our house, today is Friday. Josh has tomorrow off and so I won't be spending any time at the computer. I probably won't be at the computer all weekend so I'll take this opportunity to wish each of you a very joyful Resurrection Sunday! Christ has risen! He has risen indeed!

(the blackberries in this photo aren't ripe yet, but it was the best photo I could find)

I'm a fruit lover. . . crisp Granny Smith apples, firm sweet strawberries, cool green grapes, yellow nectarines, summer peaches, fresh pineapple, tart mango, sour kiwi. . .YUM! There aren't many fruits I don't love (cantaloupe and honeydew are two on my black list). But, despite the plethora of delicious fruit options here in the sunny state of CA, one little fruit stands out: blackberries. I don't know what it is about those little berries, but they are a tempting treat and a great dessert alternative. One of the saddest parts about moving is leaving behind our thriving berry patch. The blossoms are just now filling the vines and Farmer Rebecca forecasts that there is going to be a wonderful and prolific blackberry harvest this summer. I hope the new owners won't let them go to waste! Perhaps I should have made that a condition of the sale!

Friday Favorite: My Fishy Pickle

I love my Fishy Pickle ( my nickname for my Fisher & Paykel Washer). In most cases, a washer isn't something that one spends much time thinking about, but that is because, in most cases, one does not own a Fishy Pickle Washing Machine. These washers are great. . . seriously.

1) Fishy Pickles are mechanically superior.

When I was researching washers and dryers a few years ago, I learned about how washers work. Most washers have upwards of 200 moving parts! The Fisher Paykel operates on a direct drive system. How many moving parts, you ask? 16 (I'm going from memory here. . . it was either 6 or 16 so I opted for the larger number)! In my book, that translates to 178 fewer parts that can break.

2) Fishy Pickles are economical to operate.

There are two reasons the FP is economical. The first is that it requires about 1/3 the amount of soap a traditional top-load washer requires. Second, it spins at such a high speed that the clothes come out nearly dry. That means less time running the dryer.

3) Fishy Pickles are environmentally friendly.

Thanks to the Eco-Smart system, the FP has a auto-fill sensor that only fills the washer to actual level required. If there are only two articles of clothing in the washer, it will use only the amount of water needed to wash two articles of clothing. That amounts to a lot of water conservation!


4) Fishy Pickles are practical.

Last, but not least, the washer has a "delay start" feature on it that I absolutely love. I hate for my wet, clean clothes to sit in the washer for long but there are times when I can't wait around to get a load moved over to the dryer. I love being able to load my clothes at night and delay the start so that I have freshly washed clothes when I wake up in the morning. Why aren't all washers equipped with this??

I've owned this washer for about 4 years and, honestly, every time I put a load in to wash, I think to myself how glad I am that I bought this model. Sounds like an over-exaggeration, but I am telling the truth! I love my Fishy Pickle.

Friday Favorite: Tulips

Nothing says spring better than the sight of Tulips sprouting up in my backyard! I like to call them Easter Eggs on a Stick .

Make-Up Monday

The Evidence: The (New and Improved) Front Flowerbed

Today is Make-up Monday, wherein I attempt to make amends for last week's missing Friday Favorite post by offering you a great excuse (see below) and an evidentiary photo (see above) to corroborate my alibi . I hope it works!

The Excuse: Caleb and I spent all day Thursday and Friday working in the yard, planting flowers. The sunshine, not the computer, was beckoning us!

So. . . had I posted last week's Friday Favorite, I would have undoubtedly mentioned my favorite gardening shoes: Anywears

Friday Favorites: Toothpaste

My friend, Jessica, recently started a "Works for Me Wednesday" string on her blog and I loved the idea. So. . . welcome to the first "Friday Favorites" post.

This week is the ever important topic, toothpaste. Oh, it may sound trite to some of you, but at the Redin house, this is one of those things that gets top billing. Clean teeth are an obsession around here (our dentist loves us)! After extensive research, we believe that we have discovered the toothpaste that offers the best in cleansing power, whitening effectiveness, and breath-freshening potency. All this AND it is available in a 4-pack at Costco.

And, for an even more powerful bad-breath-busting experience, try this trick: wet your toothbrush in Listerine (Cool Mint flavor) instead of water. The Listerine/Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste duo is unrivaled in bad breath killing capabilities!