Solution Sunday--A Fantastic Product for Stomach Issues

I don't know if you have this problem, but I will tell you that gastric issues have become and increasing problem for me in the past year or two.  I actually eat a lot healthier than I once did, but I am surrounded by stress and eating at strange times due to a schedule that changes day by day.

That picture shows how I felt today!  While I was leading a children's choir at church, I became overcome with severe cramping.  All I could think about was getting home and taking my CharcoCaps.
 I won these originally from a blog giveaway (sorry, I don't remember which one), and I thought, "I certainly don't need these."  I only suffered from gas now and then, and when it was bad, I just used my mom's omeprazole.  Normally those worked.  As did old-fashioned Tums or Rolaids.

One day a couple months ago, I got some gas pains (I tend to get them mid-cycle now and sometimes during my period), and I decided  to try the CharcoCaps.  And you know what?  They worked!  I raved about them to my mom who takes omeprazole every day.  She sometimes still suffers, and she even tried these with great success.

Today, I had the worst attack or gas I had in a while, and  these were the only thing that knocked the gas pains out.  I even recommended them to someone in church today.  I like the fact that these are natural.  You also have to watch that you don't take them at the same time as your other vitamins or medicine because they tend to soak everything up.

I highly recommend you check out CharcoCaps.  I carry these with me at work now because I know that I can have an attack come on as a result of stress or just being bloated.  They tend to work after about 30-40 minutes, but you may have to take another dose in a couple hours to really find lasting relief.  You can find these at the drugstore, and you can go to their website and download a coupon.

I plan  to submit this review to CharcoCaps, but I cannot guarantee anything.  I would love to do something to introduce people to this fine product, but all I can do right now is review it.

So be sure to check out http://www.charcocaps.com/.

Sporadic Saturday--Fall 2010 Reading Challenge Update

I thought I would give you an update on my fall reading challenge.  I was quite pleased to discover how many of these books I have read.  I will link the books I have read to my reviews. So here goes:

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther

Where Hearts Are Free by Golden Parsons

Throw Out 50 Things by Gail Blanke

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins--only half-done

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman--still on request at the library!

Cape Refuge by Terri Blackstock

For the King by Catherine Delors

The Rebellion of Jane Clarke by Sally Gunning

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Wrong by David H. Freedman

The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen

Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

The Creation of Eve by Lynn Cullen

The Discovery of Chocolate by James Runcie

Blue Plate Special by Michelle D. Kwasney

The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Blindness by Jose Saramago

The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

I guess I am half done--not too bad.  Or at least close to half done.  When you realize I am a substitute teacher, and I am a single mom and have dealt with all sorts of emotional issues, I don't think it's too bad!  I hope to be reading more soon.  I am actually reading a book not on the list right now--The Help.  It happened to come in.  We'll see how it does.

Giveaway Extentsions

Okay, I will change this before the end of tonight, but I am going to extend all my current giveaways until this coming Friday, December 10 at 9 P.M. Pacific time.  I have too much going on to get it done tonight, and then I should be able to get them out by early the following week and still get them there in time for Christmas.  So don't forget to enter!

Fortified Friday--I'm Being Lazy!

Well, I am being lazy with planning out meals tonight.  However, I will give you feedback on my recent recipe trials.

I did the freezer cooking I talked about in this post.  I highly recommend this book:
Almost without exception, every recipe I have tried has been fantastic!

The Sweet BBQ pork chops have to be the best.  They have a fantastic flavor that comes from an unusual ingredient--Catalina dressing.  These only get better in the freezer.

The Three-Cheese Kielbasa bake has great flavor.  It is kind of a lasagna with kielbasa, and I certainly could have inhaled more than I did!

The colorful chicken casserole was somewhat flavorless.  We redid it as a chicken chowder, and it tasted much better.  That might sound strange, but we were just creative.  Actually, it was Martin who was.



Our family is not into soup much, but the hearty minestrone is fantastic!  Even my daughter ate it.  That is saying something since she is the pickiest of us all.

Peanut Butter Cup Pie was awesome.  The Puddingwiches are great and satisfy the sweet tooth.  The pizza snacks and the breaded chicken patties were also good--nice and fast.  That's all I got done, but I don't think that was too bad.

As for this week, I have 3 recipes, and I am stealing them.

I've told you about the 5-minute mom before, and she has begun posting a week's worth of meals with shopping lists.  It's pretty handy.  The one I am using is from Thanksgiving week, but it will work for us.  Here's the link.

The recipes are:  Beef, Mushroom, and Barley soup

Curried coconut chicken

Walnut French Toast


I'll let you know how it goes.  I look forward to trying these fantastic recipes!

The Mailbox Review

The Mailbox: A Novel by Marybeth Whalen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I knew really nothing about this book when I picked it up. I remember that it had been suggested to me by some online group. It was just a filler while I waited on another book. I was pretty sure it would not be a book that would truly capture my attention.

I was completely wrong! I instantly knew I would like this book when I read in the acknowledgements that the author thanked her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I was astounded! This was a Christian book? Not only that, but the author was one that I recognized from Proverbs 31 ministries.

I loved the way in which the story was written. The story jumped back and forth between the 1980's and the 2000's and occasionally the 1990's. The story was told through letters and narratives. I feel in love with the two main characters! I guess because I tended to understand their situation. Since it deals with divorce and second chances, I could identify with them.

While this book is not a literary masterpiece, it is a nice romance that takes a couple twists and turns that the reader may not see coming--I certainly didn't. It makes me want to go visit the mailbox since the author herself says that it really does exist. I certainly wish I had a Kindred Spirit after reading this book.

I enjoyed the fact that faith was interwoven so easily into the story. Sometimes Christian novels really force the religion issue. In this novel, the character's faith and coming to faith are such an integral part of the story that it makes you believe that with God, nothing is impossible! And He is the God of second chances.



View all my reviews

Thoughtful Thursday--Two Book Challenges for Next Year

I know this has to do with reading also, but I really like challenges, and I have put much thought into them.  The first one I am doing is:

I look forward to this challenge.  

1. A book with a number in the title: First to Die, Seven Up, Thirteen Reasons Why
2. A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Diamond Ruby, Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Opal Deception
3. A book with a size in the title: Wide Sargasso Sea, Small Wars, Little Bee
4. A book with travel or movement in the title: Dead Witch Walking, Crawling with Zombies, Time Traveler's Wife
5. A book with evil in the title: Bad Marie, Fallen, Wicked Lovely
6. A book with a life stage in the title: No Country for Old Men, Brideshead Revisited, Bog Child

That is what I have to read over the course of next year.  I have no idea what I will read, but I will spend some time figuring it out over Christmas break.

The second challenge I am signing up for is:




There are more specifics in this challenge.  I will be posting this button above next to my goodreads profile at the bottom.  I have to read 12 mystery books.  I have no idea whatsoever to read, but I always enjoyed mysteries.  So I'll figure it out.
So I will be very busy reading.  I have to read at least 18 books.  That is something, isn't it?  Unless I can do double duty between these two.  Any suggestions anyone has would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

Well-Spoken Wednesday--2 Books I Love But Have NOT Finished Yet!

I had to give my very exciting copy of The Woman in White back to library yesterday.  Our library only has one copy, and at one point, there were four holds.  I really worked hard to read it and only got about half of it done. I know that some have reviewed it as boring, but I have absolutely loved it!  I did not want to send it back!

I first became interested in The Woman in White when Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical came out starring Michael Crawford!  I listened to the album and enjoyed it.  But I did not really understand the story line.  I just remembered that Michael Crawford played Count Fosco!  I so enjoy reading about that character and wish I could have seen Michael Crawford in it!  I know it got somewhat of a bad rap, but I think the musical was not marketed well.  I guess I don't find the story slow--it is just like many classics.  It has lots of detail, and I cannot say I know how the story will end.  I almost remember how the musical ended, but I never saw it--I only listened to it.  I definitely look forward to finishing this book.  Hopefully by January, it will be back in my hands.  I thought about looking up a free version online, but I decided to wait.

I am now reading a book that I knew very little about, and I honestly figured I wouldn't finish reading it.  It is called The Mailbox.  I had no idea it was a Christian book until I was reading the acknowledgements.  It is nice light reading, and I look forward to writing a review on here.  I should finish just in time for me to read The Help.  It is finally on its way to me after being in number 291 on the waiting list.  The library was at least smarter since they have about 10 copies of it.  I hope it lives up to it hype!