Bingo Turned 3 and first Drive Through Experience

Unlike most of my guinea pigs, I know the birthdate of Bingo, the guinea pig I adopted from a rescue this summer.

He turned three on Monday, and so we had a small party for him.  He doesn't eat cake, so after this photo was taken, I gave him a paper cupcake liner filled with veggies.

Unfortunately, Bingo had to go to the vet today.  He's got an upper respiratory infection, and he's on antibiotics.   Thankfully I caught it quickly and I'm hoping for a full recovery, but it always worries me when one of my guinea pigs is sick.  In fact, as soon as I finish writing this, I'm going to go hand feed him to make sure he has been eating!  It always makes me feel so helpless when one of my little guys isn't feeling well.

I do think, though, that I made the drive through worker's day when I ordered at McDonalds and she looked in the car and saw that little guy in a cage in the passenger's seat.  She got the biggest grin on her face.  So even if he isn't feeling well, he can brighten someone's day just by looking cute! 

Book Review: The Moneysmart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides

FTC disclaimer:  I received a free book for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

In The MoneySmart Family System, Steve and Annette Economides set forth a plan on how to no only curb the "wants" of children but teach them about finances, budgeting, and saving from an early age. They discuss through this book how the system works. Everyone is expected to do chores, and points can be earned for various activities in the day. The number of points earned each day translates into allowance that will be given and then the children are expected to give some, save some, and are allowed to spend some.

One of the biggest problems I have with this book is starting at age nine children are expected to be buying their own clothing. Based on the numbers set forth in the points system, it feels to me the points need to be valued at a bit more. Unlike some people who have read this book I don't find the problem in making the children buy their own clothes, but I do think they should be given a bit more funds to do so.

U.S. Cellular: Hello Better

FTC Disclosure:  I participated in this sponsored post campaign through One2One network.  All opinions and experiences I shared are my own.


U.S. Cellular offers a FREE PRINTABLE Parent Child agreement to help you discuss safety of the Internet, cell phone usage, limits, and courtesy with your teen or tween.  You don't even need to be a U.S. Cellular customer to access this, although I have been for 10 years and highly recommend them. 

When I first got my cell phone in 2007, I didn't have much of a choice of carriers.  I live in a rural area, and if I wanted service, I needed to go with the carrier who had a tower in my town, so I chose U.S. Cellular.   Two phone upgrades and five years later I am still with them.  I've traveled from Los Angeles to Miami and points in between and I've had coverage everywhere I've been except for some of the hollers in West Virginia who get almost no coverage.  (I even got an e-mail this week that said "If you get lost, you can call us if you have U.S. Cellular.  Otherwise, you won't be able to reach us.") 

One of the things I like about U.S. Cellular is their free battery exchange.  If you are out and your battery is almost to die, you can go into a U.S. Cellular store and they will swap your dead battery for one fully charged.  Not only does this come in handy but one time I thought my phone had died, but turned out that my battery wouldn't charge, so a battery swap saved me from getting a new phone, which I fully expected to have to do!

No one in perfect, and I had an issue with billing at one point, but I called customer service, and it was straightened out quickly.  I also love how I get a discount by having my bill set up to pay automatically!  Because it's paperless it saves trees, and saves money!

U.S. Cellular is now introducing their Hello Better Campaign.

What exactly is the Hello Better Campaign?  It's saying Goodbye to your current carrier and saying Hello to U.S. Cellular.  Thus, Hello, Better!

Did you know that many people are frustrated with their wireless carrier, but don't want to switch?  U.S. Cellular thinks you deserve better!





As I mentioned above I get a discount for having automatic payments set up.  I also have overage protection, all incoming calls AND texts are free, no contract once the first contract has expired, free battery swap.  U.S. Cellular boasts the only points program of any wireless carrier.  Each month I earn points (and I even received bonus points on my birthday!) and I'm able to exchange them for a discount on an upgraded phone, ringtones, and more.

I am very happy with U.S. Cellular.  Can you say the same for your wireless provider?  If you aren't happy, what is preventing you from switching?  The most likely reasons are it's too expensive to get out of a contract, it's too much trouble, people don't want to get a new contract, the belief that all carriers are the same, or the new carrier doesn't have the phone they want.

In a recent U.S. Cellular Survey, 56% of people said they were unhappy with their current provider, but only 35 percent have switched carriers.

U.S. Cellular thinks you deserve better!  They believe you are a person and not a number!  They believe in treating the customer with respect, and every time I've ever called customer service or stopped in at a retail store I have been treated with respect. 

In addition, the survey that U.S. Cellular did showed that the majority of customers are in the "Seven year Itch" stage with their current carrier.  What they mean by this is that people are comfortable with their carrier but think they might be missing out on something better! 

Thus, comes Hello, Better from U.S. Cellular.

I'm very happy with U.S. Cellular.

There are a number of different U.S. Cellular phone plans -- there's one to meet your needs.  What I need is different than what my mother needs, but we both have a plan that is just right for us.  If you aren't sure what plan best suits your needs even after looking at the website, just stop in to a U.S. Cellular location, and they will be happy to tell you what your options are.

On my plan, I get the Belief Points.  You can read about the U.S. Cellular Rewards Program for full details.  You can earn a phone upgrade in as little as fifteen months!   My plan takes the longest of any to earn an upgrade because I got one based on my needs, yet I only have to wait nineteen months for a new phone!  (This program has been discontinued.)

So are you happy with your phone company?  If not, you might want to say Hello Better!

Book Review: Why You're Not Married Yet

Why You're Not Married . . . Yet: The Straight Talk You Need to Get the Relationship You Deserve by Tracy McMillan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I admit I've read more books on relationships than I want to count. So I'm not sure why I picked up Why You're Not Married Yet by Tracy McMillian. I suppose I was hoping for something new in the age old question of why it seems the women who want relationships can't get them and those wanting to be left alone are fighting off dates. When I told a friend I was reading this book, we had a few laughs about it, and she was checking in to ask if I had found the reason there is no ring on my finger.

This book was different than the many other volumes I have found. It is broken up into ten chapters and each one talk about a different "personality trait" or as I think of them -- character flaws -- which could be sabotaging your relationships. Unlike other books I have read in this genre this is NOT about manipulating a man. It is NOT about how to go forth with a set of rules and accomplish your goal. This book is NOT about a timeline, nor is it how to find a man.

What this book DOES do is teaches you how to improve in areas you may have missed. For instance, one area she points out is that if you have a "power job" you may be more masculine than many men are looking for in their life partner, so the author talks about how to allow your feminine side to shine. Another chapter is the fact that some women still don't have it together. Whatever "it" is, "it" can very from finances in a mess to living in a place that looks like a college boy's dorm room.

Each chapter gives suggestions and even includes a section about what others know but aren't telling you. This is also a very fun read. While it didn't make me laugh, it was quite enjoyable. It reminded me of talks us girls had in college, only we didn't know half this stuff back then.

Overall I very much enjoyed this book. I don't know if it will help or not, but it was a fun read, and for that I give it four stars!

You can purchase this book from Amazon:  
Why You're Not Married . . . Yet: The Straight Talk You Need to Get the Relationship You Deserve


You can take the quiz from the front of the book here:


WHY YOU'RE NOT MARRIED ... YET - Take the Quiz!


FTC disclosure:  I received a copy of this book free from the publisher.  I was not required to review it, nor was I required to provide a positive review.

Wordless Wednesday: World of Coca-Cola

Mural made from Street Signs

I recently was in Meadville, Pennsylvania and I saw the most amazing mural / art display I've ever seen.  It was all made out of street signs!

My 20 cent Paper Bag Pinata

Each year I have a party where I invite everyone I know.  I always have a pinata for the kids filled with candy and small toys.  While the kids are getting older, they still really enjoy it.  I didn't want to spend $10 or more for something that would last a few minutes, so I decided to try to make a paper bag pinata like I had seen online.  Only it was so heavy I couldn't decorate it in the way I had planned.  I had to tape around it a couple times to keep the clothes hangers (where the 20 cents was spent) attached to the pinata.   It was just difficult enough to bust open, but not too hard, like one year we had to have an adult take a swing at it for the kids.  This year the kids (one as old as in 8th grade) were able to do it themselves.  The kids loved it, even if it wasn't a cute character, and the moms at the party said they were going to try that themselves at the next party they hosted.

Next year, I think I'll use a large solid color gift bag from the dollar store.  A little more expensive, but will also be a lot prettier!

And the candy comes pouring out! It was also neat that the kids could run around and get this batch of candy and then take more swings at it!

Book Review: Named By God

I was so excited when I saw this book as a reward in the Tyndale Summer Reading Club.  I'd read five books to qualify for a free one, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one.  From the back cover, I knew I was going to just love this book.  As soon as it arrived in the mail, I started reading, but unfortunately this book didn't live up to what I had hoped.

As I was reading, I kept thinking, "This book would have been so much stronger if she had told her life story instead of weaving in a Bible study at the same time."  I thought it would be a perfect book to have an accompanying Bible study book for it, and later learned that even though I thought they were combined, there *is* another a book.   I think the book would have flowed a bit better to have separated all the Bible study into the other book.

Additionally, I was disappointed in three other things with this book.

The first is on page 50 where describing what happened in the book of Job.  She refers to God as playing "The role of The BOSS MAN".   I am reminded of the many times that Scripture tells us that God is Holy, and to me this doesn't reverence God in the way I feel He should be honored.   I realize that she is trying to get a point across, but I would have appriciated it done in a way that I felt respected God more than I felt this did.

Secondly, on page 91 she states, "If you cannot remember your most recent attack from Satan, then you might not be doing enough to catch his attention."  This doesn't set well with me.  If we believe the Scripture that tells us it is by grace we have been saved, and not works (Ephesians 2:10), wouldn't the opposite be true and that it is not works that make Satan take notice of us?

Lastly, on page 173 she talks about how she is sometimes approached by people who question if their salvation was genuine or struggling with spiritual complacency.  She proceeds to suggest they make a list of what their life was like before Christ and after Christ.  In the next paragraph she mentions how someone dresses, the venues in which they spend time, and their free-time activities.  She explains if there is little or no difference, then there may be a lack of spiritual maturity.  While I agree this is true in most cases, it is not always.  To me, adding in the "genuineness of their salvation" before discussing this exercise is not only making us look at works instead of God's grace, but also forgetting the Scripture that says our righteousness is as filthy rags.  (Isaiah 64:6)  There are plenty of people in church who can talk the talk, have Christian t-shirts, bumper stickers, boycott things when upset, but do any of these things show the condition of the heart?  I can remember saying to a friend in high school that I saw a girl smoking who said to have made a decision for Christ the night before.  He reminded me that it can take time to see change and I needed to not judge -- and doesn't not judging also include ourselves as long as we daily keep our eyes on Jesus?  I've seen people in very legalistic churches leave and get saved and no longer wear long skirts.  Can we say they have a lack of spiritual maturity because their dress is no longer as modest?  While what she said may be the case for spiritual maturity in many cases, I feel very unsettled about her mentioning salvation at the beginning of these paragraphs as salvation is a gift.  Finally, on this issue, I am reminded of the Scripture that tells us that man (people) look on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7).  I saw nothing mentioned about the heart in this exercise! 

Overall I give this book two stars as I completed it.  That's usually the lowest I will rate a book I completed. I was disappointed in the three theological issues above as well as I think this book would have been much stronger taking the Scriptures and Bible study out of this book and having them in a companion book.

FTC disclaimer:  I received this book as part of the Tyndale Summer reading program.  In no way did receiving the book free effect the outcome of this review. 

The Story of Bingo The Guinea Pig

Four years ago, two kids came to our door one Sunday morning and asked if we wanted two guinea pigs because they didn't have food for them and they were living outside roaming free.  We were informed they were girls, but we felt like we had to take them in even though we had boys.  We determined to find homes for them.  I put an ad on Freecycle, and got some responses.  One person said she had 20 so two more wouldn't be a problem.  I wouldn't let them go to her because unless you are running a rescue, twenty is too many!  Before long, my mother and I fell in love with these two little white balls of fur, and they found a home -- with us!

On June 14, we lost Einstein.  We' done everything we could to save him, but his body was just worn out.   Fuzzy and Einstein were brothers and had never been apart a day in their lives until two weeks ago.  Fuzzy became depressed, extremely lonely, and I knew I had to do something.

I started calling every shelter in the "area" on Petfinder.  I knew I wanted a pig from a shelter.  Not only would I be giving one that might otherwise be unadoptable a good home, but after getting one that was so infested with mites from a petstore AND he had sores all over him from where a rabbit bit him, I wanted to know that a pig was in good overall health.

There are not many animal rescues in my area that take in guinea pigs.  I called and e-mailed a number of shelters within a four hour radius of my home, and many required a home visit, so they wouldn't come this far to check out my Cubes and Coroplast Cage and make sure I would be a good piggy parent.

I received e-mails from different shelters, all with different advice.  I was told since Fuzzy was an older male I needed to get a SPAYED female.  I was told two boys get along better than a boy and a girl.  I didn't know what to do, especially since none wanted to adopt to someone who lived this far away.

I started calling vets in the Pittsburgh area asking if they had any signs up at their offices where people were getting rid of a guinea pig.  One office told me to contact a rescue that I had overlooked because I was scanning for females.  I dropped the lady at the rescue a note, explained the situation with Fuzzy, and she recommended a male.  I looked at her adoptables list, and specifically asked about "Bingo" because the moment I saw him, it was love at first sight!

She replied that he came from a girl who had twenty-two guinea pigs and he was a sweet little guy who really got along with other pigs.  He was in the right age range I was looking for (Fuzzy is four, and I wanted a pig who was a bit older.  Bingo is three!)  My mother and I talked about it, and this weekend we made the four hour trip to the shelter with Fuzzy.

When we got there, Fuzzy and Bingo were placed on the floor in a playpen with some hay in the middle.  They never fought and got along really well.  Because the hotel Mom and I had a free night's stay at doesn't allow pets, she generously offered to keep them overnight so we wouldn't have the expense of a hotel.  On Sunday, July 8th, Bingo became part of the family!

I learned he had been famous from youtube.  His previous owner had made almost 200 videos of her guinea pigs.  The lady at the rescue said when she posted on Facebook he might get adopted she had a number of e-mails asking about him.  I decided to start a Facebook page of Bingo's adventures since he seemed so loved by so many people!


Bingo The Guinea Pig

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We made the four hour trip home, and he and Fuzzy have been settling in nicely.  I'm looking forward to giving him a happy home for the remainder of his days.  He enjoys lap time, blueberries, and exploring all the boxes I keep in their cage.  

Book Review: Counterfeit Gospels

Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope by Trevin Wax

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



It isn’t often that I don’t fly through a book.  I like to immerse myself in its pages, and leave a day or two later.  There are only two reasons I don’t do that -- one is because I don’t like the book, or secondly, it is so filled with truth I can’t read it quickly or I’ll miss something.  Counterfeit Gospels was the latter.  Each chapter brought eye-opening revelations about how things have always been done and how the Bible presents truth.

Using the analogy of a three-legged stool, Tevin Wax explains major components to the Gospel:  Story, Announcement, Community.  When I saw the subsections of this book, I wondered how someone like me, raised in the church, educated in Christian schools, and VBS teacher could get much out of this book.   I was pleasantly surprised as the author tackles some of the most prevalent themes in American Christianity.

For instance, in discussing sharing the Gospel, he makes the point that it used to be that every person in the United States was aware of the basics of the Bible.  That is not always the case in this post-modern age in which we live.  He explains it is important that we explain the why of needing a Savior.  To someone like me who knew John 3:16 before I could read, it is hard to imagine people who didn’t grow up looking at flannel graph pictures of Adam and Eve covered in fig leaves talking to a snake, but there are people who don’t realize that God created a sinless world and that because we sin we have fallen short of God’s plan.  The author of Counterfeit Gospels states that unless the problem is known (which started in the Garden of Eden) then how does one realize the solution (Jesus.)

While he tackles six false gospels that permeate our society (therapeutic, judgmentless, moralistic, quietist, activist, churchless).  He explains why each one of these cannot be the true Gospel by bringing story, announcement and community into each one of these ideologies. 

The one I really appreciated was the chapter on the activist gospel.  He told the story, which to me was chilling, of a church that fought against the sale of alcohol in their community.  When the ballot was brought before voters, and the county remained “dry”, a deacon said it was the best victory their church ever had.  Really?   While I won’t get into the debate of alcohol, if your church sees politics and activism as more important than people being saved, baptism, or discipleship, are you a church or a political party?  I’ve seen so much activism in churches in the last few years, I sometimes wonder why those churches don’t remove the cross and replace it with a ballot box behind the altar. 

This is a great book, and I recommend it to everyone, both new Christian, and those who have been in the church most of our lives.  I promise you, though, if you take this book seriously, and you should, you will find yourself challenged as to  if what you are believing is the Gospel God intended, or if it has been slightly distorted by what people have decided the Bible should say.

You can purchase a copy here:  Counterfeit Gospels

FTC disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book free from Moody Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review.  The free book in no way influenced my opinion.