Some of my favorite products and freebies

I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite products that I use regularly.

First, free gifts from Shutterfly! Since I am a member at Shutterfly, every 4-6 weeks, they let me pick a free gift, and I only pay about $4 shipping. My favorite gift to choose is a magnet.

Another product I love is pretty much any snack from Trader Joe's (I'm a sucker for Trader Joe's). I love how there are no additives, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup--so eat it fast!

This next product saves my poor hands in the winter. It heals my dry and even cracked knuckles at times.

I adore this next product because I read a ton. The Kindle Paperwhite is easy on the eyes and the text looks so much more real compared to a tablet screen. It's also lighter and easier to hold and you can read in the dark--perks that do not come with a physical book.

This last product is just fun with the many designs. Jamberry nail wraps do not chip and last for weeks!

These are just a few of my favorite products! The lotion is at Walmart for under $3 and it's lasting me all winter. The Paperwhite is $119 on Amazon but I got mine new on eBay for $75. Check out Jamberry nails here: http://alexandraeddington.jamberrynails.net/. And please check out your local Trader Joe's if you haven't already!

Our evening with the Italians

Kenny, Eliza, and I spent the evening with our Italian friends from the Politecnico di Milano.

They made us delicious pasta like carbonara and this delicious dish with broccoli, sausage, and tomatoes.

 We also had some tasty Pecorino Romano and Grana Padano cheese and Culatello di Parma sliced meat. Seriously amazing!

We had a great time with Vivianna, Chiara, and Eli.

Eliza and Chiara played ball.

I loved talking to Anna and Eli.

  Federico (far right) telling some jokes. The night ended with a lot of good laughs!

Ciao!

Why the title?

I have felt a connection to Nauvoo, Illinois ever since I was a young girl. I loved walking the cobblestone and dirt roads and going into the 1800's style shops and houses. I loved seeing the men and women dressed in frontier era caps and bonnets and dresses and boots. I loved the special feeling that I felt with the presentations in each little house about bootmaking, guns, candle making, or apothecary needs.
As I grew older, after consuming every Laura Ingalls Wilder and Work and the Glory book, it was the pioneer women that really stood out to me. I admired their strength in adversity as they walked plains, buried children, fought enemies, ran their households, and found beauty in the simple things. It is the pioneer women that I aspire to be like as a mother, homemaker, and daughter of a heavenly being.
This blog is dedicated to strong, faithful women, including the pioneers but also the modern day women of God. I hope to highlight people that I admire but also record how I personally aspire to be like these women day to day.

Note: The picture posted was taken on my wedding day next to one of my favorite statues in the Monument to Women Memorial Garden.