A Comfortable Mattress Pad

I hate buying mattress pads, but I also hate not putting one on the bed. We have a day bed in our guest room that has a pop-up trundle. When company comes we can either use it as two beds or put it together to make a king sized bed. 

My in-laws are planning a visit soon so I am trying to get the guest room ready. I have been slowly acquiring sheets and a quilt and other things we need to make the room comfortable. The last thing I needed was a mattress pad, but I had put off buying one because they are expensive and because more often than not they are not comfortable. 

When I was offered this mattress pad by BaliChun to review I immediately though of our guest bedroom. Thankfully, it got here a few days before we started our remodeling project in the bathroom. My husband and I have been sleeping in the guest room while we remodel. This mattress pad is awesome. I will be ordering one for our bed also. The mattress pad is very fluffy and soft. We have 8-inch twin mattresses on the guest bed. The corner pockets could fit over a much, much deeper mattress as well but they do fine on a traditional sized mattress.

I washed this mattress pad in my washer and dryer at home. It did fine, except that it now has blue smears because my husband had accidentally dried something with a pen in his pocket and unbeknownst to me our dryer was stained. This does not affect how much I love it. It just means that my pictures have blue smears because we messed it up. It washed and dried well in our washer and dryer. Nothing else will fit when you wash it.

The mattress pad is a down alternative. It is hypoallergenic and antimicrobial. The mattress pad does not make any of the crinkling sounds you get with some mattress pads. The best thing is that it is easy to put on the bed. We have not had any issues with it coming off or slipping around. I love the plush padded feeling of this mattress pad when I am sleeping.




You can order the BaliChun mattress pad in any size you need here. 



I received this product free of charge. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.

My Happily Ever After

Image Captured by Fischelli Photography

I am not always a sappy person... Okay so maybe I am, but I would typically portray myself as more sarcastic and harsh. My relationship with my husband is not exactly a fairy tale, but it is ours.

So, how did we meet? We met as babies. Yup, that's right we have known each other our entire lives. Just because we knew each other as babies does not mean we got along or even wanted to see each other growing up.

When we were elementary school age, Popeye, and his family came to visit us. I somehow convinced him to reach out and grab a prickly pear pad. If you have never gotten pricked by a cactus you won't understand exactly how painful this can be. Not only do they have long sharp thorns, but they also have fine hair like thorns. These thorns are nearly invisible, which makes them extraordinarily hard to pluck out. Of course, when Popeye grabbed the cactus his hand was covered in thorns both large and small. This was not a great start to our relationship.

The next time I really remember seeing Popeye was when we were in middle school. My family had spent about a week at the beach and I had gotten a horrible sunburn. I had blisters on my shoulders and across my face. I was so embarrassed to be going to see them after years looking like a boiled lobster. I don't remember much more about our visit than that. This visit was when we became friends. We started writing each other letters after this.

We wrote regularly over the years. I would sit in class at school and write long, chattering letters. I rambled about school, church, life, family, love, and more. He told me about his family, being home schooled, his church, and the places he had lived. In high school, we tried really hard to get our families together. It didn't happen often.

When we were 16, Popeye confessed his love to me. I was a jerk. I laughed at him. I had a boyfriend... I was stupid. I should have spent more time getting to know Popeye then.

When we started college, Popeye and his family stopped to visit us on their way to take him to college. He asked if he could kiss me and when I said yes he shyly gave me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

College included the most turbulent and unstable years of my life. Popeye and I got in a fight and quit talking to each other completely during those years. I missed his letters, not that I ever would have admitted it then. I got married. Shortly after graduating college I got divorced. When I got divorced, I moved back home to live with my parents. It was not really by choice, I had no money and was just starting a job that made enough to pay the bills.

While I lived with my parents, Popeye's parents had a going away to the Navy party for him. My family told me I had no choice, but to go with them. So, I drug my feet and went, begrudgingly. While we were there I avoided people. Eventually, Popeye cornered me and we talked. It was wonderful. I felt like he understood me, even though we are as different as day and night. We spent most of the weekend together talking.

Our Wedding Day

Afterwards, we talked for days on the phone. Then, we started a long distance romance.... and it did not go well. We broke up after a few months. I was not ready for a relationship again, especially a long distance one.

A year or so later, I was out of town for work and happened to be in the same city Popeye's sister was going to college. I met up with her and we had a great visit, but it made me miss my friendship with Popeye. I ended up calling him. We started talking that October. He decided to come home for Thanksgiving and we weaseled me into getting an invitation to his parent's house for the holiday. It was then that we had our first real kiss.

That Christmas, Popeye came home again. He spent some time with his family and then spent a few days with my family and I. We got engaged a few days before Christmas. Then, he went home, across the country again. Thankfully, we had a short engagement. We were married three months after we got engaged. It was wonderful and being married to him has been one of the best things to ever happen to me.

We keep to ourselves a lot. Popeye and I are two very different people, but sometimes I think that is what makes us work. My dad says that when you put the two of us together we make one whole functioning person and he is right. When we got married two became one. Popeye and I work. Don't take that wrong and think we are perfect because anyone who knows us knows that's a lie. We fight and we disagree, but who we are together works.

I love Popeye with a deep enduring love. Even in the worst of times, I know he returns my love and devotion. We have our fair share of fights and then some. We struggle. We have been through separations, by distance not choice. We have been through illness and pain. We have moved multiple times. We live far from our families, but we have each other. My husband is my best friend, my love, and so much more. I am grateful every day for his support and encouragement. Thank goodness for forced encounters that led to my happily ever after.

Lazing Away

Until recently I only had a hammock that hangs between two trees but… we are planning on cutting down one of those trees. So I have been on the hunt for a new hammock with a stand.


When I was offered this hammock to review I was thrilled. It is the coolest thing since sliced bread, well maybe not the coolest, but it is pretty darn cool. I could spend all day and night laying in it. 

The box it comes in is pretty big and fairly heavy. It weighs over 40 pounds according to the on the box. I drug it from the door where the delivery man left it through the house and out to the back yard. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened it and read the instructions that you don’t need any tools to put it together. The pieces have holes and little metal locking pins on them that lock the parts into place. The instructions came ripped, almost in half, but thankfully, I did not really need them. It is all fairly simple to assemble. I put the entire thing together by myself in about 10 minutes.

As I started putting the hammock together I thought that it didn’t look very big. Once you get all the steps done for the stand you realize how big the hammock really is. The hammock itself comes in a few pieces. The first is the rope hammock with spreader bars. This part is huge. When you unroll it make sure it is all straightened out and not twisted. Then you hang the chain on each end over the hooks on the frame. The rope will look really tight when you first hang it, but after a few days and a few uses it stretches out and settles into a more normal looking hammock. 

After the hammock is hung you can attach the pad. There are strings to tie the pad to the rope hammock. I really wish there were more strings, 'especially on the long sides. The pad kind of bunches up because it is only attached in the corners and the middle on the long sides. The last step is to tie the pillow on. I do wish the pillow was longer for times when there are two people in the hammock.

I recommend bringing the pad and pillow inside when you have rain forecast or finding a really good water resistant spray for fabric. When the pad gets wet it can take more than 24 hours to dry out. The worst part about it is you can brush your hand over it and think it is dry but then when you lay down your rear or your back will find the one spot that is still wet and you will end up with a huge wet spot on your clothes. 

I love laying in this hammock. I have laid in it for naps, for phone conversations, to read, to get away from my family, and just to relax. My husband, Popeye, is not a fan of hammocks due to an unfortunate incident when he fell out as a child but even he likes this hammock. One of our favorite things about this hammock is that Popeye and I both fit comfortably in the hammock. Little Bear loves it because there is room for him to pile on, too, for a quick break before running off to play again. 

Since this hammock arrived I have spent part of every non-rainy afternoon in it. If my family cannot find me they know to go look in the hammock. It is my quiet place, my place to relax and think. If you are on the market for a hammock with a stand this one is great.

You can buy this Lazy Daze hammock here. 


I received a discount on this product. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  

Divorce Was Not in My Plans

Looking for love in all the wrong places....

My best friend was a light in the dark during this time of heartache.

That was me as a young adult. I wanted to be in love and get married and live happily ever after, but I repeatedly found real losers. For a time I was married to one of those losers. My first marriage lasted less than two years. We were both miserable with each other. We were not good for each other at all. Looking back I see how little we had in common. When we got married I thought we had a lot in common... I didn't look hard enough at the important things. We agreed on very little, but we thought like all starry eyed kids do, that we could make it work. We were 21 and thought things would just go our way... They didn't.

My Family - Love - Support - Encouragement

When we got divorced I was devastated... It was not my choice, although I cannot say I had not thought about it. I would have stuck it out longer, not because I wanted to stay married and miserable, but because divorce was never in my plans. I was a good Christian girl from a family that had few divorces in its history. Divorce just wasn't the way I planned my life. I wanted things to work and be easy. I was not prepared for the harsh reality of marriage or marriage to the wrong person.

Marriage is hard. From the rubble and ruin of my first marriage, I learned a lot, about marriage and about myself.

• I am strong enough to survive. 
• God is with me, always. 
• Don't be fake. Lying to yourself about things you like does not make a good foundation for marriage.
• Be willing to compromise. 
• Don't give up the things that are most important to you, but be willing to share and talk about things. 
• I learned that I didn't need to be looking for love. I found love when I least expected it. 
• Communicate... I mean really communicate. 
• Letters, Talking, Email, Texting. Figure out what works for you and your spouse. 
• Make sure your core beliefs are the same or at least close enough that you are not losing what makes you who you are. 
• Keep your friends and family close. Having them close gives you a sounding board, free advice, support, and encouragement. 
• Listen to your friends and family. If they tell you the person you are dating or about to marry is bad for you, they most likely have a really good reason. 

Popeye, My Husband, who loves me even at my worst.

Since my divorce, I found love. I have been married for 8 years. I would not be the wife I am now if I had not been through the trials and hardship of my first marriage and divorce. Because of my divorce, I look at marriage with new eyes. I see things differently and I can appreciate things I would not have noticed before.


A little side note, I really struggled to write this post. After it was written I have struggled with posting it. It has been sitting here waiting to be posted for weeks. I showed it to my sweet Popeye last week and he gave me his blessing to share it, but I still have avoided posting it. I don't like to share this hard time of my life. I hope that someone else can learn from my mistakes. If you are there right now or have been there in the past, know I am praying for you. People love you and people care about you and your struggles. 

Bathroom Upgrades - Phase 1

Popeye and I are upgrading our bathrooms. We bought our house a couple of years ago and one of the first things I said we had to replace was the flooring in the bathrooms.

Bathroom Carpet and Tile

Our bathrooms have carpet in them. Yes, you read that right... CARPET. Who does that? I mean really, the bathroom is a damp environment. You wash your hands and accidentally drip on the floor. You get out of the shower and you drip on the floor. Gross, carpet in the bathroom is gross.

The area around the toilets has tile floors, but the tile is not cool. It is an ugly tile, that shows every single speck of dirt. Little Bears bathroom tiles have a crack across a couple. It is not tile that I would ever pick.

So, two weeks ago we ordered vinyl plank flooring at Home Depot. We were supposed to be able to pick it up on this past Friday. Sadly, Home Depot messed up our special order so when we went to get our flooring they said, "Oh we messed up your special order. We will have to place your order again." So, we have another week or so of waiting.

As part of our bathroom project, we are painting and replacing the light fixtures. We brought home four different samples of white paint this weekend. One of our projects this week is to paint a little bit of the wall and see which white we like best. This white will be carried throughout the house eventually.

One of our old light fixtures

Our vanity lights are light fixtures on steroids. They had 8 bright light bulbs each and this was way too much for the bathroom. We are replacing them with less bulky light fixtures that are the same color as the faucets and other fixtures.

We bought light fixtures today. When we came home to install them, we pulled the old ones down and found a mess. When they installed the lights they ran the electrical wires in front of a stud and behind the old light fixture. When they removed the sheetrock enough to do this, I think, they used a hammer. It looks like they just smashed the sheetrock back into the wall to get enough out of the way to get the wires where they needed to be. Well, this made a huge mess. I will be patching the uneven holes. Popeye will be fixing the wiring and installing the new light fixtures. I would assume the other two fixtures we are replacing will be much the same.

So... what began as an easy and quick project has now become a major project in more ways than one. While it may be a pain it will be well worth it when we finish.

A Magical Moment

We have all seen the homecoming videos where a dad comes home and surprises their kid at school in his uniform or a daughter comes home and surprises her parents at a party. I know I have watched more than I could possibly count and each time they bring tears to my eyes and on my emotional days they can be enough to make me cry, big crocodile tears.

Well, we had our own homecoming recently. Let me tell you something... the truth about homecomings is that they are not all rainbows and sunshine. They are stressful for everyone involved. The planning and the thought that goes into homecoming is ridiculous. The stress and uncertainty that homecomings bring is hard to describe unless you have been there. 

Little Bear and I had been anxiously awaiting homecoming. I had been dreaming of the magical day since before Popeye even left. I did not want him to leave and could hardly wait for his return. 

As the time got closer, I got nervous. For the almost two years we have lived here Popeye has been gone about two thirds of it. He has hardly lived in the house that has become our home and my comfort zone. Little Bear and I do nothing the same way as when Popeye left. Our routine is ours, with Popeye home we knew that would change. 

I was also nervous because I am a very different person than when Popeye left. I am more independent. I have friends, hobbies, and things to do that keep me busy. I didn't know if Popeye would like the new me. I still look the same, but I am different. Popeye was nervous, too, I think. Not that he would ever say it.

In the last few months before Popeye came home I planned the perfect outfit. We made yard signs and signs to take to homecoming. We cleaned house. We did yard work. We made plans for when he would be here in our home again.

And then NOT a thing went as planned. Homecoming ended up getting scheduled for the middle of the night. I did not wear the dress I bought for it. I wore jeans and a nice shirt. It was dark when he got home so our signs and yard decorations were not well lit. Little Bear ran around in the heat and got all gross and sweaty while we waited.

Even with all the things that went differently than we had hoped.... It was magic. It was our own kind of magic. I won the raffle for first kiss and Popeye was the first one off the plane. Seeing his smiling face was glorious. It made all the messed up plans and the stress and anxiety melt away. As we got to each other, that first hug was blissful. The first kiss... enchanting. Everything was in place. We were back to a family of three, just the way God meant for us to be. 

In the weeks since homecoming we have had frustration and arguments. Homecoming is not easy. We have all changed and grown. The adjustments have been difficult, but it is great. The magic has worn off and we are back to real life and trying to settle into a routine, but we are oh so grateful to be together again for a while. 

Photos by Fischelli Photography.

Transported Back in Time

My Grandparents on their wedding day in 1946

Today as we were driving down the road, Popeye put on the 40's station. I rarely listen to the Big Band Classics from the 40's, but when I do, I am always transported back in time. No, not to the 1940's, to the 1990's.

In those days, my grandparents had a wonderful screened in porch at their house. We spent a lot of time sitting out there talking, reading, playing, and just relaxing. The town they lived in had an AM radio station that played a lot of music from the 1940's. My grandma would turn his old radio on and the music would transport my Grandma and Grandpa back in time, to the years after the war, to their younger days.

Sometimes they would take my brother and me on their journey through time. Grandma and Grandpa would talk about the good ole days. They would talk about when they were young; the day they met and when they got married. I loved to listen to the history, to their life stories. I wish I would have written more things down. I wish I could have recorded each memory they spoke of.

These times were special for more than the memories they shared with us, Grandma and Grandpa would dance. They danced together and then they danced with us. I remember as a little girl standing on my Grandpa's shoes dancing, whirling around the screened porch, and feeling just like the belle of the ball. As an older child, in middle school or so, I still loved these rare moments where we danced. I am not a dancer and have never been a fan, but the moments of dancing with my grandfather were special. No one cared that I had no rhythm or that I repeatedly stepped on his toes. I felt like a cherished princess in these moments.

I appreciate the moments when I am brought back and can feel the closeness of these sweet moments. The music brings me back to days gone by and a short walk down memory lane with both my memories and theirs.

Planning Our Future

With Popeye, my sailor, home, we have been talking a lot about goals. We are planning for the future. When I say planning I mean financial planning, vacation planning, short-term planning, remodeling, and planning for education. Planning is stressful to me, but it must be done. It has been put off far too long.

Our plans include: 

Paying off debts

Popeye taking online college classes

Saving Money

Tithing and generously giving to charitable organizations that are important to us

Vacations to a few places over the next few years

Being more involved in our church
Remodeling and upgrading things around the house

Some of these goals will really take some work on our part. One of the first things we are doing to make this work, is I am getting a job. I have not worked for many years. When Popeye and I got married I quit my job and moved across the country. I had a hard time finding a new job and then I was sick as a dog and pregnant with Little Bear. I have been privileged to be a stay-at-home-mom these last few years, but the time has come for me to take on a new role in life. I don't know how much money I will make as a stay-at-home mom and freelance writer, but I am working on making it a career. 

Another thing we will be doing is setting down a more strict budget. I really hate budgeting. We have a budget, but it has a lot of wiggle room in it right now. We are going to be more strict about what we spend for fun. Some of that extra "fun" money is going to be put towards debt and savings. 

Popeye will be doing online classes to finish his degree. He has been working hard at it every time he is home long enough to take classes. His degree will help to ensure our financial future many years from now, after his time in the Navy is done. 

We will be giving generously. We already tithe, but I plan to give more generously above and beyond our normal tithe. We will be tithing, giving to mission offerings that speak to our hearts, as well as other non-profit organizations we are fond of. 

Popeye and I are homebodies. We like to do stuff, but we do not really enjoy spending time in large groups of people. We like spending time with our little family. We will be breaking out of our comfort zone more often to join in church events and gatherings. We will be spending more time in fellowship with like minded people. 

And last of all... vacations. They are expensive. We will be saving money specifically for some trips we would like to take. We want to go to the Grand Canyon. It is a long trip from here, no matter how you do it. We would also like to spend a few days exploring Disney World and Orlando. So much to do and so little time and money.

We are already in the midst of remodeling and upgrading some things around the house. We have replaced the kitchen sink and garbage disposal. We ordered flooring for the bathrooms, to replace the nasty carpet. We are working on the yard. We have been looking at new light fixtures and arguing about paint colors. Our home is a work in progress. 

So, our planning has begun. We are a work in progress. I am sure we will slip up on our road to success, but trying is worth something.