Ant Wars, Part I

A war has been taking place in our home. An ant war. We started seeing them in the spring a few years ago. The first time I saw ants in the house, I freaked out. I had to eradicate them. Period. I could not coexist with them. It was either them or me.

That is when I started getting those ant bait things. You know, the ones where the ants go in to get some poison that tastes sweet and they die as they go back to their ant hill. I got a million of them and lined the wall by our sliding door so that there would be no chance of survival.

Well, this spring, they showed up again. I lined the wall with those ant bait things but I was also searching for some other alternative. One that was more natural. That is when another A-girl told me about a recipe for ant bait. And of course, it was natural.

I didn't see a lot of ants, so I delayed making the ant bait. Then, I came across a terrifying discovery. We had a box of Asian pears in the laundry room/pantry, and I saw a line of ants by the box. There were so many ants that I asked my husband to take the box outside to shake all the ants off. As he lifted the box and started walking towards the sliding doors in the back, a line of juice poured out of the corner. It turned out that one of the Asian pears had rotted and its juices had spilled all over the inside of the box. It was pretty gross. My husband had to rinse out all the other pears outside.

But, there was the problem of the remaining ants in the laundry room/pantry. So I remembered the ant bait recipe that A-girl had given me and made it right away. I set it by the place where I saw ants coming back and forth. And I waited. No squishing. No spraying. I just waited. The funny thing is that I was alarmingly not as freaked out as before.

They all drank like gluttons and went back to their ant hill. I was praying and hoping that some would get to the queen and that they would all die. Or move to another area far, far away from the house.

After a few days, they stopped coming and they were gone. I've seen one or two ants after that, but nothing like the pictures above. I keep refilling the container just in case.

Dark Nights

My husband, kids, and a few other families had a campout at church on Sunday night. They played, ate some great food, had water fights, ate some more great food, talked, and had a great time. I ate with them and came home to sleep. In the past, I would camp along with them and my back would creak. But, like all other things, I would push myself through it. Isn't that what every mom does? But, now that I know about my back, I have to take better care of it. I'm more mindful, most of the time...

I came home but had a difficult time sleeping. Didn't help that the doorbell rang at 10:30 pm. Freaked me out. It was nobody. It's my wacky doorbell that I have been asking my husband to change. It also rang at 2:30 AM on Sunday morning. His mom experienced the wackiness when she was here and had told him to change it. She was freaked out by it and would keep looking outside to see if it had been some punky kid.

Night time has not been fun for me for many, many months. Unless I am exhausted, I have difficulty falling asleep. On top of that, my shoulders are uncomfortable when I lay down. I can't sleep on my sides because of them, but I have to shift around until I find a comfortable position. I had been frustrated and wondered why I had been having such a hard time sleeping. Then, I watched a short clip on menopause and difficulty sleeping. Lack of estrogen does that to you. Who knew? After watching the menopause clip, I realized that I wasn't alone. My advice to all women: don't mess with the hormones! They are not to be messed with! Don't mess with them! Just don't! Me and my dark circles testify to this.

An Ortho Tale

There once was a woman who had many shoulder issues. She could not reach for things, could not lift heavy objects, or twist her arms. She had a wrestling match each time she had to change her clothes. Sometimes, she just stayed in her "outside" clothes until someone came home to help her. She was trapped in her own clothes.

She longed to visit the Orthosurg. She tried and tried but was told that she could not make the journey. But with the help of her oncologist, she was able to make the journey to see the Orthosurg.

When the day to visit him finally came, the woman was filled with joy. She couldn't wait to tell him about all the wrestlings she had had. She drove with great anticipation but missed his office and drove back and forth trying to find him. She later realized that the directions on the computer were wrong... very wrong. With a call to her honey, she was able to get the exact address.

She finally made it to the office. And filled out a lot of paper work. She was then taken to a room to have many x-rays of her shoulders taken. She looked this way and that way, trying to lift up her chin so that her head wouldn't get x-rayed.

Then, the moment came when she was finally able to meet the Orthosurg. Such joy! Such happiness! She told him everything about her shoulders. He listened intently to her long and complicated story. He lifted her arms and tried to move them this way and that. It wasn't long before the woman could be heard yelping here and there. The pain was too much to bear.

The Orthosurg told the woman that she had "frozen shoulder." Frozen shoulder she had. Frozen shoulder that was very severe. He decided that it would be best that she get a cortisone shot in her shoulders. Both agreed that this would be best. The other option was too treacherous. It required that the woman go under "light" anesthesia and have her arms stretched in ways that they had not been stretched in a very long time. It was told the woman that she would be in extreme pain after the procedure and that she would have to undergo intensive physical therapy for a fortnight. She was just happy to hear that it wasn't arthritis and that she didn't have to have surgery. She agreed to the cortisone.

The Orthorsurg and his assistant came in prepared to help make the woman's shoulders better. The woman tried not to look at the shots that he carried. She didn't like looking at such things. She turned around and was told the location of where the shots would be administered. The Orthosurg sprayed some numbing agent on the woman's right shoulder. It had been chosen to go first. She felt the skinny needle pierce her flesh but she didn't feel pain. THEN, extreme pain shot through her arm. Pain unimaginable. Pain that made you want to scream at the top of your lungs. Pain that made you feel like someone was killing your arm. But, the woman was "brave"(?). She kept her thunderous screams inside of her. She only let out small yelps of pain.

But then, something else occurred. The woman shed tears. Tears that had not come out when she had had  large needles stuck in her back during childbirth... three times. Tears that had not come out when she had not taken pain medication after her c-sections. The assistant handed her a tissue to wipe away the tears of anguish. One side was done and over.

The Orthosurg let the woman take a little break. He even had the assistant bring her a cup of water to refresh the woman and prepare her for the next shot. As she waited, the woman could feel her arm feeling a bit numb. She could also feel the pounding of her heart. That was when the Orthosurg returned and told her that maybe it was better to get the next shot in two weeks. He said that it wasn't supposed to hurt. The pain that she felt was due to the severity of her condition.

The woman left the office relieved that she only had to get one shot. She drove home embarrassed that she had cried. What was she to do with such pain? She drove and drove and after eating lunch, she fell asleep.

THE END

Translation: I have "frozen shoulder" and got a cortisone shot on my right shoulder. It made me cry. It was painful. I will go for my left shoulder in two weeks. It seems that my right shoulder is pretty severe. Please pray.

 

Free Bowling!

There is a free bowling program for kids this summer! Everyday! Free! Across the U.S.! Free! I just signed up. Just passing on the info.

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

The Time Has Finally Come

Thursday is the day! I will be meeting the orthopedic surgeon! I am so excited. I can't wait to meet him and see what he can do with this pain in my shoulders. I am praying, and I need all of you to pray with me, that I won't need surgery.

Just in case you forgot:

anesthesia + surgery + pain meds  = dizzy, throw uppy, can't eaty Moni

I just want to be able to reach for things and not writhe in pain. I want to be able to bake. I want to be able to scrub my bathroom tiles. I want to be able to scratch my own back. I want to be able to wave my arms in the air like I just don't care. Who doesn't?

So, in conclusion, I ask for your prayers.

Cute Favors

We went to a wedding on Sunday night.

A3 was the ring bearer.

I told him to walk slowly down the aisle.

He did - little step by little step.

But that's another story.

These were the wedding favors. 

Aren't they cute?

Who would have thought?

Well, actually...

I did receive an ice cream cone shaped towel when I went to another wedding a few years ago.

I took it apart.

Then, I tried to reshape it into an ice cream cone again.

Didn't work.

But who would have thought that they had a cute cake shaped one?

If you haven't been to an Asian wedding, you're missing out!

As soon as I saw this, I knew A2 would give it the most love.

She did.

She took it apart and tried to put it back together.

Didn't work.

Last Friday

That day was an emotion packed day. I wasn't sure about the CT and bone scan results. I had an appointment with the primary care doctor that had misdiagnosed me. I was a big ball of nerves. 

That morning, I had given myself a pep talk (yes, I often have to give myself pep talks to do things) to ask Dr. K if she could help me not have to go to my primary care doctor's office. Why? The primary care doctor had misdiagnosed me. Didn't really trust her. Didn't really want to see her. Didn't like that she was calling me into her office when she didn't have to. I came to the realization that I could say something about the situation and try to do what I could.

When I started to ask Dr. K, I almost started crying. The tears welled up in my eyes. Very unexpected. It was a big surprise to me. But, I managed to keep those tears in my eyes, not down my cheeks. Dr. K was very understanding and helpful. She told me to wait while she went to see what she could do. After I waited for quite some time, she came back to give me the low-down. She said that I could go to my primary care doctor's office and then go to that orthopedic surgeon's office OR I could change my primary care doctor and go to a different orthopedic surgeon.

Side note: I had tried to change my primary care doctor. Several times. It is not an easy process. It was further complicated with my cancer. I learned, the very hard way, that you need a knowledgeable and experienced doctor who will listen to what you have to say. I had spent hours trying to find good doctors, written emails, and had called many offices. Unfortunately, I came across a lot of closed doors. 

Dr. K made more calls, and even got the help of the billing supervisor, even though Dr. K was quite busy with her patient load for that morning. An hour and half later, she was able to get me a new primary care doctor, who was not taking new patients. The billing supervisor even helped me make the call to change my primary care doctor. She also got me an appointment with another orthopedic surgeon, who was not taking new patients. All of these closed doors were opened... for me. I cannot tell you how thankful I was. 

Once again, God took care of everything. 

Once again, He showered me with His faithfulness.

by fanofcanucks

Chewy Granola Bars

There are times when I just want a healthy snack that is not processed and has no sugar. Something chewy. Something filling. Something nutty, even though two of my children have nut allergies. Am I selfish? I found this recipe and was so excited to try it. I had all the ingredients on hand and thought that I would give it a try. I tweaked it a bit to my taste and gobbled it up.

This last picture shows the perfect combination of foods: organic plain yogurt, organic strawberry jam, and a hearty chunk of the chewy granola bar. I became addicted even though I shouldn't be eating too much dairy or sugar. A1 doesn't have nut allergies, so he was able to enjoy this with me. Him and my husband agreed that this combination was really, really good.

Chewy Granola Bars
adapted from new nostalgia.blogspot.com

1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup of honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup organic oats
1 cup total of: sesame seeds, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, chia seeds

1. Melt almond butter, honey, and coconut oil in a sauce pan.
2. Remove from heat and add oats.
3. Add one cup (total) of sesame seeds, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, or whatever nuts or dried fruit you might have.
4. Stir well.
5. Pour into an 8X8 inch pan.
6. Chill in refrigerator.
7. Cut and eat.
8. Store in refrigerator.

Praises

This is what the first part of my Bible reading for today read:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

And all that is within me,

Bless His holy name."

Psalm 103:1

Today I went to the oncology office a bit tense, but I came back so grateful. Dr. K told me that the CT and bone scans came back looking good, if not better. Those words at the end really made my day! Thank you for all for your prayers! I will tell of the many praises of this day on Monday (and there were so many). Right now, I need to sleep! Have a blessed weekend!

Low Energy Person Living a High Energy Life

This week has been and continues to be physically exhausting for me.

On Monday, I had the CT and bone scans in the morning. At night, my husband was doing a visitation (going to church members' homes and having a brief service together with the family) and I was asked to come. After the service, we went out to eat. I was asked to go to another visitation after dinner but my stomach cramped up so badly that I had to go home. This was due to the remnants of that CT stuff I had to drink.

On Tuesday, the kids had a gym class in the afternoon. At night, we were invited to another church member's house for dinner.

On Wednesday, we went to one of the other pastor's home for dinner and got home past 10 pm.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are just as busy. We have more gym classes, TKD, a homeschool co-op planning meeting, my monthly oncology visit, an appointment with my primary care doctor, Friday night service, a rummage sale at church, a rehearsal dinner for a wedding at our church (where A3 will be a ring bearer), church on Sunday, and a wedding at night.

This is another pattern in my life. When things get busy, they get really, really busy. And I am not a high energy person. I am definitely, and have always been, a low energy person.

Throughout this week's busyness, I have asked God to heal me... Because I want to bake for people. Because I want to bless others. Because I want to be given the opportunity to serve Him without these physical limits. And limits, I have.

It was brief but I don't know if you got the part about going to see my primary care doctor. Unfortunately, it is the same one who misdiagnosed me. I haven't had a chance (or the mental energy) to switch doctors but I have to get the referral from her to see the orthopedic surgeon next week.

A lot of thoughts and emotions have gone through my mind, but the one thing I believe God wants me to do is face the situation. Face it because I don't have to run away. Face it because He doesn't want me to be bound to the "what ifs" of that situation. Face it because every situation is in His hands.

Scans and Dentists

Monday was my three month scan date. I had to go by myself because my husband had to take care of the children. I had to leave the house at 7:00 am so that I could get to the hospital on time. This was the schedule:

8:00     radioactive injection for bone scan
8:30     CT scan
10:15   bone scan

Starting the night before a CT, you have to start drinking this stuff:

You have to drink 3 of them before you get to the hospital. Then, one more right before the CT.

You pour the contents into a glass of water and drink it.

It is clear, but you can taste it. It isn't that bad but still...

It used to get me a bit nauseous, but I think that I am getting more used to the taste. You can put it in a clear liquid without pulp but I choose to drink it with water. Otherwise, I might get repulsed to drink those drinks again because of the taste from this stuff. But really, it isn't that bad... anymore.

I got poked really hard that day. The technician had a hard time finding a vein. Once she poked me, she had to search a little bit more by moving the needle around in my arm. Not pleasant, but she really was. I've had her before. She said that she usually uses a smaller needle for the bone scan but she had to use the larger needle because of the CT that I would be having. She injected me with radioactive material which settles into your bones.

I figured something out. Remember how those alcohol and sanitary hospital smells were getting me nauseous? The reason was that those smells were triggering memories of my surgeries. Memories of surgery trigger memories of the physical reactions I had to the anesthesia and medications. Not good. Nausea. Spinning room. Vomiting. But, this time I tried a theory of mine. I breathed through my mouth. Not smelling really helped. I didn't feel nauseous. I was so thankful!!

Then, with the injection port (I don't know what else to call that needle in your vein with the tubes coming out of it for injecting other materials into your bloodstream) in my arm. I went back to the waiting room and waited for the CT. It turned out to be really quick but I had to keep my left hand on my forehead. The CT is for the trunk of my body and I am supposed to raise my arms over my head - but I can't do that. The solution was to lift my left arm and place my hand on my forehead for support. Once again, I had to breathe through my mouth as the technician cleared the tubes with saline and injected the contrast. The contrast makes your body feel unnaturally warm.

As soon as something is injected through that port, you can taste it. It has a bit of a metallic, medicine taste. That is why I breathed through my mouth again. It really took the edge off of the taste in my mouth which would trigger the nausea from my past surgeries. In the end, I wasn't nauseous like the past scans three months ago.

There were some other issues of the stuff you drink for the CT clearing out my system. You need to stay home during that time. We were invited to dinner that night and my stomach started cramping up (really badly) at the end of our meal. My body had not finished clearing everything out.

Then, Tuesday came around and the dentist went to phase II of the root canal. He also found another cavity on another tooth and quickly put a filling on it. At the end, I came out having 4 novacaine shots and making the dentist very rich. There is the issue of getting a crown put on... but we will at a later, later time. Oh, and I wasn't dizzy and nauseous like the last time.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Please continue to pray about the results of the CT and bone scans. I have my monthly oncology visit this Friday and I will find out the results then.

Every 3 Months

It has already been 3 months since my last set of scans (CT and bone). This Monday, I will be going in for another round of bone scans and CT scans. I would really appreciate all of your focused prayers.

Please pray:

• that the cancer has not spread (I have been feeling a little more pain in my back)
• that I won't feel nausea with the smells and tastes of the injections (yes, you can taste certain things as soon as they are injected into your body) 
• that all these scans won't cause further harm to my body
• that God will fill my children's hearts with His peace  - which transcends all understanding

This past week was a bit hard, emotionally, due to some stress. But through His Word, He has given much comfort and strength. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

by GodNControl

Glass Jars

Canning jars! What more do I have to say? Exactly! They are cute, useful, and have so much history behind them. Women have been using them for over a century to can fruits and vegetables. I am not one of those women, but I still am enamored by them. Who isn't? Okay, maybe some people aren't, but I am going to get you to join the canning jar bandwagon! Okay, maybe there isn't a canning jar bandwagon, but maybe I will start one. Maybe you will see why one should be created.

These jars come in different sizes (pint, quart, gallon) and are made by different companies. I bought a case of the Ball canning jars from Walmart. I also bought a set of four pint sized ones from Target. They come with metal canning lids but I switched them out with these air-tight plastic ones that are BPA free. They make the jars easier to open and close. I use them to store grains, flour, seeds, dried fruit, powders, and candy. But, I imagine that you can store cotton balls, nails, ant killer (I will post about that soon), rubber bands, batteries... the list is endless.

Not only are these babies aesthetically pleasing, but they store things so, so well. You can see what is in each jar and you won't get a funny, plastic taste to your food. Glass storage is always better for your health than plastic. As long as you don't drop it from the top shelf, the jars are pretty sturdy also. The price ain't so bad either! The quart size ones are a $1 something each. They're cute, useful, better-for-you-than-plastic, and reasonably priced. What more can you ask? 

A few years ago, I found a set of 4 canning jar mugs. They were on sale too! They were my glass of choice. My husband said that they weren't so cute and I told him to watch what he said. They are cute! Another time, I went out to breakfast with a friend and the restaurant we went to had, are you ready, mini-sized canning jar mugs! I had to keep myself from staring at them during the breakfast! 

Then there was the time I saw a blogger who made lemonade and put them in the jars with the lids on. And then she put them in a bucket of ice for her guests to take from.

There was another blogger who made a foam soap dispenser using a canning jar. I am preparing the tools to get my husband to make one or maybe two for me.

Seeing Clearly

It's official. I now own a pair of reading glasses. I have had problems with seeing clearly (up close) for many years. This past year it got progressively worse, especially in poor lighting. Now, I can put on my reading glasses and read clearly. It is really amazing to see the difference. I must confess that it was a bit exciting to get these glasses. Am I weird?

Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes

I had a real hankering for some cake on Monday night, but cake ain't so good for me. My solution: cake made from coconut flour vs. white flour. It was my first time baking with coconut flour (yes, there is such a thing). 


Coconut flour is used in a lot of gluten free recipes. It is high in fiber and low in carbs. It is a bit on the expensive side (a little over $8/lb.), but it is a good alternative for white flour recipes. There is another alternative, almond flour, but it is not an option for my nut allergy children (A2 and A3). I was very glad that this recipe required very little coconut flour, which means that I can bake over 100 of these with a one pound bad.


Overall, the recipe was really simple and didn't require a stand mixer. A2 and A3 helped me whisk the mixture, and we were done very quickly.  The cupcakes turned out moist and fluffy. They were not overly sweet and had a chocolatey flavor - no coconut flavor. My children were actually shocked when I told them that it was made with coconut flour. My children enjoyed eating their cupcakes with vanilla ice cream and sprinkles. They are all gone now. Will have to make more... maybe tomorrow?




Chocolate Coconut Flour Cupcakes
adapted from elanaspantry.com


1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 eggs
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup agave nectar


1. Blend eggs, oil, and agave in a bowl.
2. Sift dry ingredients into another bowl: coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Mix well.
4. Place 10 cupcake liners onto a baking pan.
5. Scoop 1/4 cup of mixture into each liner.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
7. Let cool and serve.
8. Makes 10 cupcakes.

Keep Praising!

This is a video of family member. He is my sister's sister-in-law's son. We family! They graciously allowed me to live with them for a while when they moved to Korea. At that time, he was in third grade and loved watching Veggie Tales. Now he's a young man serving at his local church and his college's praise team. He looks tough on the outside but is a real softie on the inside. So proud of him. So blessed to see Joonie using his gifts and lifting up praise to God!

by CornerstoneAG

Things I Have Noticed

My stomach starts bulging (dramatically) more when I eat more wheat products.

I've started losing more hair. If I put it up in the front, it is very, very, very sad. 

Word recall is difficult at times.

My pores have gotten larger after my oophorectomy. Apparently comes with menopause. Be warned, ladies! 

I pigged out on banana cream pie and my forehead broke out in a major way. 

Ibuprofen takes the edge off the pain in my shoulders but not the pain.

Dentists make a lot of money.

When your shoulder and arms cannot be stretched, you have to wrestle with your clothes to get dressed. Sometimes you are stuck wearing that outfit until someone comes home and helps you.

Seat belts require a lot of twist and pull strength. 

God gives individual gifts to all. Some use their gifts. Some abuse them. 

When you start eating more fresh vegetables and you don't eat them for a day, you start craving them.

A new toilet can make you feel like you are at someone else's house.

God uses messed up people (King David, Peter) in big ways if those people are genuinely sorry and are humble before Him.

I need more of Him and less of me.

Pricey Procedures

I went to the dentist on Wednesday morning for the beginning of my root canal. It could take 2 or 3 more visits for the dentist to finish everything. He has to see. The part that we weren't ready for: the pricey price tag. I don't even want to tell how much. I just have to say that I am very thankful for our tax return; otherwise, I would have cried.

Once seated in the dentist chair, I tried to relax. Not very easy, I must say. But the chair was comfortable. I had been worried that my shoulder would be uncomfortable and aching during the procedure. I got several shots, heard and smelled the drilling, felt the filing, tried not to swallow anything (including the cotton), and felt like they were going to tear the side of my mouth. But, not as bad as I thought it would be.

When the dentist was done for the day, he raised the chair and the room started to spin. That is when the dentist lowered the chair again. He tried to raise it again a little while later, but I got dizzy and nauseous again. I lay down on that chair for quite a while, but then I realized that it wasn't going away. I had to just grit my teeth and try to get home. I got up, rinsed my mouth, and leaned on the wall as I walked back to the waiting area.

The car ride was not enjoyable. We live 40+ minutes away from the dentist's office. I just wanted to lay down. I kept thinking about what I would grab if I were to throw up. I can take the pain, not the dizzy nauseousness. Pray for me, please!!

Observations from the dentist's chair:

• a little piece of hair on your face makes your life unbearably itchy
• is it possible to choke on cotton?
• your mouth can only be stretched so much
• has anyone ever bitten the dentist when his hand was in their mouth?
• you cannot fall asleep during a dental procedure

Toilet in Waiting

My husband successfully took out the old toilet. When he was done, I told him to put all his clothes in the laundry and to wash his hands many, many times (with soap). The problem was that he needed help with the installation of the new toilet. He needed a hacksaw and a tile cutter... so many complications. When I read the instructions and told him these things, he said that he didn't need me telling him what to do... even though he was the one who told me to read the instructions.

Tuesday morning, my husband called a church deacon and asked about the installation of toilets. The deacon came over right away. My husband hadn't even asked, the deacon just knew. He came and installed the new toilet like it was some simple kid's project. He even cut the tiles and cemented them into place again. Now, we are waiting for the tiles to dry.

My children keep asking me when they can use the new toilet. It is very exciting you see. It has a button for liquid things, and it has a button for solid things. This is very exciting to my socially deprived, homeschool children.  ;^)

We even got a call from another pastor. His wife read the blog and told him to help us. We were so thankful for their willingness to help. I told my husband about their offer and he asked, "How did they know about our toilet?"

Me: "I wrote about it on the blog."

Him: "What? You wrote about our toilet on the blog?"

Me: "Yes. I thought that people would want to know about our everyday life. Isn't it interesting reading?"

My husband had forgotten that I have the W (weird) gene.

After we saw the newly installed toilet, we made sure that the door could close in that bathroom. It can! Phew! Now, we are all waiting for the opportunity...

Dentist

I'm going to the dentist on Wednesday morn. Please pray that God will guide the dentist and give him the wisdom he needs to work on my teeth. Root canal! I need prayers!

Naturally Good Sunscreen

Sunscreen is something that all of us should be using to protect our skin. It protects against harmful UVA/UVB rays and helps prevent wrinkles. Whenever I read an article about skincare, sunscreen is always emphasized. BUT, what about that smell? Exactly!

Smell is a big deterrent for me. I don't like smelling like I just went to the beach unless I am at the beach.  I've tried many different products. No matter what product I've used, that smell always seemed to be there. This included facial and body lotions.

That greasy feeling was another yuck. I already had oily skin in my t-zone, I didn't need more grease. The thought of putting lotion and, then, sunscreen was another oil disaster waiting to happen.

Don't get me started on the white cast it left. My kids have come to me with streaks of white on their shiny faces...

Then I came across this stuff. It does not smell like sunscreen. It is 70% organic, 100% natural. I can't tell you how happy I was to have found this stuff. I use it everyday after putting on lotion. Quite honestly, you might even be able to use this as your lotion/sunscreen. The sunscreen glides on very smoothly and you use very little of it. Let me reiterate: use sparingly because that is all you need. And, it doesn't leave you looking like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

I use it on my face and neck. Neck? Yes, neck. Your neck needs love too. It needs even more love when you're in your 40s. My neck is also the place where my what-happened-to-you, thyroidectomy scar is located. I need to protect it against the sun or else the scar will discolor more. It already looks like a red worm on my neck, I need it to fade gracefully. Sunscreen and vitamin E are key.

Okay, now the price. That is what you were waiting for, right. It is $29 for 2.25 ounces. I expect to use this for many months. I wouldn't be surprised if it lasted me a year - of daily use. Like I mentioned earlier, you don't glob it on. You use very little. Read the box when you get it.

When I find a super recipe or super product, I can't help but share it with others. That's the kind of person I am. I hope that this is helpful!