Woolzies Dryer Balls Review and Giveaway!

*I was allowed to test the product for free, in return for giving an honest product review. Here it is. Enjoy!

*Update: Giveaway is over, but stay tuned for more!*

Woolzie's Dryer Balls

I was so excited to test out this product for several reasons!

The first one is obvious, it's natural. No chemicals, just wool balls that will soften your clothes naturally.

Second, was that it says it will cut your dryer time down, saving time, money and energy!

With those two reasons alone, I was thrilled!

My husband is a power lineman. He works on the power lines and extremely high voltage. His work clothes are FR (Fire Resistant). If you are familiar with FR clothing, you know that any chemical fabric softener isn't supposed to be used on the clothing, because it can counter act the FR and even fuel a fire . (I got that off of the website, it's serious business.)

They arrived very quickly and were just as promised. All natural, wool balls!

They are about the size of a baseball. The kids thought they were fun toys. I had to keep tracking them down all over the house to put them back into the dryer.

After about two weeks of testing them out I have discovered that I REALLY LOVE THEM!

They really do make your clothes soft. I thought because of the size of them, that it would sound like a canon going off in my dryer, but honestly, there isn't that big of a noise difference. If you have ever put a tennis ball in your dryer, you'll know it's very loud. I was expecting the same noise with these balls, but never heard it. They are, for the most part, quiet. The noise level definitely varies by the load size, but nothing ever made it sound like there were tennis balls bouncing around in there. 

I noticed the definite decrease in dry time when it came to my blankets, and larger loads. With having a front loader washer and dryer, sometimes my sheets and duvet covers get really twisted and take about two hours to dry. I usually end up having to pull them out, pull them apart and keep trying to dry the sheets. With the Woolzies, I did have to separate them once, but over 90% of all the sheets and covers were already dry. (That NEVER happens!) The only spot that was still wet, was where a few pillow cases had crawled inside of my duvet cover and had gotten twisted up. Obviously, not a flaw of the balls.

My husband's work shirts came out so nice! They were soft and free of wrinkles and chemicals! Definitely, DEFINITELY better than air drying them.

I will say that the only down side of the dryer balls, is that they are not a static eliminator. The box says it is a static reducer. They are pretty honest about that. I'm not sure what a normal size static load is, but when I pulled out the blankets, there was definitely a noticable amount of static. 

This is not a deal breaker for me, though. They are wonderful to use, and are safe.

The kids like to help with laundry and kind of play with the balls as they fall out of the clothes we fold.

They have easy maintenance and will last you for 1,000 loads of laundry.

If you're thinking of making the switch, don't think too long! It's a great investment.

PLUS--If you able to wash your down/alternative down comforters at home, these are WONDERFUL!! Once you wash the comforter, it is recommended/suggested that you have tennis balls (or in this case Woolzies) to help fluff your feathers/comforter back up to normal. Two birds, one ball! (Ok, it's six balls, but you get the idea!)

They cost about $35, and they ship worldwide! If it seems like a bit of a pricy investment, look at your dryer sheets box, or your fabric softener. I believe you get around 120 Loads for about $10 a bottle/box of fabric softener sheets. That's adds up to a LOT MORE than $35 for 1,000 loads.

For one lucky reader--I get to share a box with you! (Well, not share-you get to enjoy your own box thanks to Woolzies!)

What a great way to kick off the Memorial Weekend!

Share, comment, like, you know the regular giveaway stuff! God Bless to all!


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Shoveling Snow for Money, Another Tradition Lost?

It snowed a big snow here, over night. For some people, that's probably not news. You probably get a lot of snow over the course of the winter. Here, on the sunny side of the mountain, we rarely experience this.

As I was out shoveling our sidewalk (I really enjoy doing this! Seriously.), I remembered that as a kid I DREAMED for snow.

Partly because of school being cancelled for one reason, but the other part of it was the tradition that if you woke up early to a snow day, you woke up to the prospect of earning some cash.

My brothers and I used to dress as quickly as possible on these days. We'd grab a shovel (sometimes it would be a huge fight) and out and off we'd go. 

We went all through town, hoping to shovel someones freshly covered sidewalks and drive ways for money.

We wouldn't be the only ones in town doing this-there would be lots of others out there we'd compete with. 

I remember there would always be a few "good" paying houses that everyone in town would vie for. If you weren't up early to get that worm, you were outta luck until the next big snow.

But, each and every time, we shoveled someones sidewalk, we were doing more than just a public service, or the small odd job for money. We were carrying on a tradition. A tradition that we had learned from our parents, who had learned it from their parents and so on.

There were some people we just did for free, because you knew that was the right thing to do.

By about mid-late afternoon, almost all the houses in our small town had been done. We would all take our little money stashes, and head down to the local gas station to splurge our frozen bodies on warmth of the inside and some hot cocoa.

It's these childhood memories, that I treasure. It's these childhood memories that also make me sad. Since I've lived in a LARGELY snowy state, I have NEVER had the pleasure of having a little, overly eager face, knock on my door, and offer to shovel my side walk. Not once, in my eleven years of living here.

Perhaps it's just something that happens in each person's state. Or, perhaps, it's because, it is the death of a tradition, from my generation. I hope and pray it's not the last one.

As I started shoveling snow this morning, I noticed there were several sidewalks that still had yet to be done. I know it's a school day, so most of the kids didn't have that opportunity to do their own.

As I finished my own side walk, I started in on two of the neighbors' side walks. I usually do this, because like I said, I do ENJOY shoveling snow. There's a peacefulness about it. Plus, it's just another simple thing to do, to show others, that you care.

But, again, as I put away my shovel, and looked over my kids, I wonder if they'll ever get to experience the joy, of those cold mornings. Those days when they're out earning that "cold" cash, as we did. I hope so. Even if they're doing it for free, I want them to experience that at least once in their life times.

Did anyone else remember doing this as a kid? Do your kids now carry on this tradition? 



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The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one that seeks him.

Lamentationa 3:25

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Flying with Thanks!

Being an airline employee is one of the top stressful jobs you can have. If you're doubting this, you've either never been an employee for an airline, or never flown and had your flights cancelled, delayed, or rerouted, and encountered a mob of angry passengers.

When you fly, you basically check your control, at the curb. For type A personality people, this is hard. You check your bags, hoping they'll make it to your final destination. You hope you get a good seat (and are always secretly hoping they'll call you up and 'upgrade' you to first class for being such an awesome person, for free!). You hope you'll be on time, or early. You're basically just hoping for the best, knowing full well, you can't do anything about whatever it is, is about to happen to you!

Most of the time, if you pay attention, those airline agents rarely ever smile. But, if you listen to what they're dealing with, you'll understand why. They get paid just barely minimum wage, to deal with world's angriest population, on a daily basis. If you come up with the comment, "Well, they fly for free." You'd be wrong. Over the past several years, they've had these rights taken away as well. They pay for their seats now too.

Most people are aggressive to these people from the get go. Just always ready to battle in hopes of getting something for free. You messed up my checked bag last time, I get this one for free. My seats were in the back next to the toilet and it smelt, I want a free upgrade. I want, I want, I want. Honestly, these people have no control over that either. The constant battles, make it hard to really do anything for a lot of people. Even if they start out on a positive note, it will usually end sour. 

When I travel, even when I was working for the airlines, I liked to travel with little gifts. Just something to say, "Hey-good job today! I understand." Even now, as just a regular paying passenger, I do this. Might as well spread a little love around the world, right? What's wrong with putting some good out in the world? Plus, having someone come up and give you a little treat pretty much ensures, even the person in the most rotten mood, will probably, if it needs to happen, go out of their way to help ensure you're taken care of it something should go awry. What's wrong with having a little help on your side? Nothing! Win-Win, I say!

Giving them a little treat and thank you!

We have a small out station in our town. This is a regional airport, where the same person you check in with, will also be boarding you. (Best NOT to make these people mad, because you WILL be facing them over and over again. *Just a tip!*)

Plus, they LOVE food! As I was checking in our car seats, I gave them this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake, with a little note of thanks! Something to brighten the morning mood of everyone!

It's nice to see smiles at 6:30 a.m. Especially, when traveling with kids. 

Denver Airport Gate

When we got to Denver, as you can see, it's a little clustered. People every where! My gate agent, never looked up. She had a line that went from her podium to the end of the wall. Talk about stressful, and she was trying to board the flight by herself to boot. 

Give a little thanks, to anyone you can!

After she had cleared her line, I walked up, smiled and handed her, her 'treat.' I told her she was doing a great job, and walked away. She seemed really happy. I didn't give her gold, just a compliment, but that's the stuff that can help change a person's day.

I've offered to even get some of these people coffee before, too! Never know when a cup of Joe might just change a person's perspective.

In any event, spreading the love around, never hurts. Helps a lot. Try it next time you fly. Give them a little thanks and understanding. They don't like it when your flight is delayed or cancels either. They don't like pulling people off flights, or when your bags get lost. They're people, who fly just like you, too! They've experienced everything you have, but times ten.

Hope this gives you some great ideas on how to share some positive goodness on your next trip. Just knowing I was going to give them treats, really made MY day!


Need other giving ideas? Check out Encouragement in a Balloon, The Library Fine, Coffee Dates, and Little Red Truck.
I'd love to hear if you've done something like this before! Share your ideas in the comments or on our Facebook page!

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Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.
Psalm 100:4 


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Kid's Passport (Domestic/Play Only!)

From the moment I can remember, I've wanted to travel. I couldn't wait to see the wonders of the world. I couldn't wait to have my own PASSPORT!

I remember seeing other people's and flipping through them with envy at every earned stamp. Each one was different, and represented a special place on the globe.

I remember the day I got mine. I couldn't open that package fast enough. I remember the first time I used it. My first trip out of the country, was to Australia. I was so giddy when I got that first entrance stamp. I had the biggest smile on my face, just from that stamp. (The country was beyond amazing as well!)

My passport, with stamps from a few of my travels.

Working for the airlines, was a blessing. Slowly over the course of a few years, I had earned stamp after stamp.  I was diligent about getting them. I only missed out on two stamps, while in Europe. When you rent a car and drive, you don't have to show a passport at the border. If you've never been there, it's no different than driving from one state to another.

While working a year later, I found out from an Australian couple, who were seasoned in traveling, that they had found a way to get those coveted stamps. They had rented a car and driven around the U.S. and into Canada.

I'm not sure where they learned it, but the gentleman proceeded to tell me and show me, upon checking in for his flight, his different "stamp." He was able to go to the local post office, purchase a stamp, and they postmarked it. The postmark had the date and location. Just like a regular passport stamp would have! How cool is this!

I am really excited to share traveling with my children. No matter where it is. The whole process is so much fun for me. My husband HATES it! If anything goes wrong, he doesn't handle it very well.

When I would travel, pre-children, I looked forward to any adventure. Each time I flew, I expected the unexpected. I didn't know where I would end up. I never made a hotel reservation, just went however the good Lord provided for me to go. Sometimes, I was alone. Sometimes, I had a friend or two with me. Sometimes I made it to my destination, sometimes, I didn't. But I never let it trouble me.

As I was reminiscing on the past, I came across these little passport's by Jolee by You. They are always in the scrapbook section and I never really knew what they were for. Until today.

In my children's baby books, I saved each and every one of their boarding pass stubs. For my son's first flight, he had five. These tend to stack up quite quickly and they take up so much room!

All our passports.

Today, I created, my children's first domestic passports!

When you get them, they are pretty self explanatory. I took photos of my children that I had laying around, and I trimmed them down to fit in the photo section of their passports. I filled out all the information for each one.

This is what they look like fresh from the package.

We are getting ready to travel soon, and instead of saving all those boarding passes, we can use these. I had to test the "stamp" theory at our local post office first. I didn't want to post this and find out later no one was able to do this.

Ours filled out, sorry for all the blur, but we like a little mystery in life.

We headed out, with our passports ready to go. I waited in line to be the last person, in case I was going to find out that what I was doing, wasn't going to be allowed. (It's a small town, and I wanted to save face, I guess.)

Turns out, you can't post mark a stamp, BUT, you can Collect Postmarks! My awesome post office clerk happily stamped my kids passports, for FREE! What a cool memory! 

Where ever you travel too, just swing by a post office, and they'll "stamp" your passport!

This is the post mark stamp. Pretty official!

I know that I am way more excited about this, than they are, and right now I'm OK with that. As the years go by and we fill up their little passports, this will be such a treasure!

This is only for domestic travel, because when we finally decide to go somewhere where we all need official government documentation, that will be a whole different story.

But for now, these do just fine.

Enjoy your travels and more importantly the JOURNEY! And, be nice to your airline employees. They work so hard, for so little. It really isn't THEIR fault you get charged a bag fee, or your flight is delayed.


The Lord shall preserve thy going and they coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Pslams 121:8



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From sticker to passport!

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Missing The Office...Kinda

Every once in awhile, someone I know gets a fantastic job. (This is a lie, this seems to happen all the time!)

I even know a few people who have gone through quite a few jobs that I felt would have been perfect for me! I felt ENVIOUS of these people. Most of them are friends. (Looking for new ones? Here are some tips!) 

I start to question everything that I do, and who I am. I'm not perfect. I gave up trying to be. There is no such thing. I just go day to day. I think as a mom, especially one at home, that's all you can do. 

As news of these great jobs pop up, for some reason, I start to scour the newspapers and internet. I start actively "looking," obviously with no intent. A few times, I had even caught myself almost full fledging preparing my interview questions in my head.

This is HARD for me. I'm a recovering workaholic (pre-children). Most of these other women have children who they put in full-time day care. This is what they want. This works for them. 

This doesn't work for me. I still want to be home with my kids. They take priority over anything that a regular job could ever offer. I sometimes, just feel caught in the middle. Work limbo. I guess, I'm just being HONEST.

There are things I MISS about an office. I miss the interaction with adults. I miss the pressure of deadlines. I miss the successes. I miss the fun lunch dates (sans kids) where we act like women off of Sex and The City (because we're obviously successful business women...not because of the other part). I miss the collaboration, and the traveling. The meeting new people and the helping to solve problems. I loved the challenges and the dares. I miss the paycheck. I even miss my performance reviews. 

I don't think I'm crazy to say this. 

What I DON'T MISS is the office cattiness, or cliches. I don't miss the drama that gets brought in from home. I don't miss working with hateful people. I don't miss the late nights, weekends AND holidays. I don't miss accounting for every second, of every minute, of every day. I don't miss the days that are boring and dull. I don't miss being inside, all day long. I don't miss sitting for 8 hours a day. I don't miss doing someone else's job, and not getting credit or being paid for it. I don't miss the paycheck. (Money isn't everything.)

Being a stay at home mom is the hardest job I've ever had. I understand the lure of working outside the home, because of this fact. Any job, besides this one, is probably EASIER! (Especially on the days when you have two sick kids, or children who are teething!) 

Everyone tells you that this is a thankless job, and it really is. Ever googled "Benefits of a Stay at Home Mom?" Its a joke. Really. There really isn't much said that doesn't seem generic. The one I see all the time is "Your kids aren't as sick, but they get sick once they go to school." If that were a recruitment poster, or a slogan, no one would sign up.

About once a year, someone does a study that says, "If we were to pay a salary to a stay at home mom it equals $112,962 (2012)." (THIS MADE ME FEEL AWESOME FOR A WEEK!)

But, then the glory fades if you google, "Benefits of a working mother." You'll find just about any and everything you can imagine as to why it's amazing and that you SHOULD work. Lots more studies on why being a working mother is right and best for you and your children. With all those positives, who wouldn't sign up?

I wish someone could give me a performance review once in awhile to tell me, in SPECIFICS, why I AM doing a good job. 

I hear this generic phrase A LOT, "You're a good mom, because you're at home." Just because I'm home, doesn't mean that. This isn't universal. This isn't one size fits all. But tell me that I'm doing great, because of specifics. (I'm a woman, I need all the juicy details!)

My 'campaign' or 'project' doesn't come with a lot of people stopping me on the street saying, "Heck of a job you did! Thanks for raising your kids!" I have to wait a little longer, to find out the results of how good of a job I did. They aren't a television commercial, or building being constructed, where you see instant results. I'm in this for the long term pay off.

Right now, I have different successes. Unlimited hugs and kisses, words, and milestones. I get to be there for them. All of them. I've never missed a milestone because I was working. I know all their favorites. I know and speak their language. 

I also have the opportunity to help others more often. I get to volunteer. There is never a dull moment. I'm never stuck sitting at a desk for longer than I want to. (I still have bills and budgets to do.) We go for walks all the time. We learn. We have different types of challenges and dares every day. Travel is reserved for something special. I get to do lunches, they are rare, but usually reserved for picnics with my kids and someone willing to subject themselves to the mess of it all.

I'm doing MY job. I enjoy it. I love it. Some days are harder than others. I'm not saying this is for everyone, and I'm not saying anyone else, ever feels the way I do. This is just me.

I hope that some day, when I return to the job market (hopefully as a motivational speaker, or book writer), that when someone glances at my resume and sees that I've been volunteering and raising my children, they'll give me a chance. 

They'll understand the worth and the values I have and uphold, to take on such a large project, for no money, and to see it through. Whole heart and soul. They'll understand the sacrifice of nights, weekends, and holidays. They'll understand the sheer discipline needed to make it through. They'll know I'm tough and determined. They'll know they can count on me. That I can do it. Because, right now, I AM doing it!

To live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

Titus 2:5

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