It's been a very hot summer here in Indiana. We're working hard on soapy stuff and on keeping everyone (goats and humans) relatively cool. The goats are not giving as much milk because of the heat, so we’re saving every drop for soap. This means the children are eating lots of oatmeal instead of cereal and they hope you enjoy their sacrifice. LOL
New Limited Edition Soap
Sparkle Fruit is our newest limited edition goat milk soap. It is super yummy and sweet with an effervescent scent that is reminiscent of the chardonnay we used to carry.
Indigo’s Promotion
Indigo has received a promotion and is now printing the postage for the internet orders. When she prints the postage, she sends an email with the delivery confirmation information. Previously, if you asked us something when you placed your order in the “notes” section of the shopping cart, we would answer you in this outgoing email. Now (because Indigo isn’t very good at typing yet), we’ve switched to writing the answers on your invoice. If it is a time sensitive question, you’ll get a separate email to answer it. Indigo is really enjoying her new job and I interviewed her about it:
New Liquid Soap Foamer Bottles
We had received a few, isolated reports of the liquid soap foamer bottles sticking, so we went searching for some new bottles. We’ve found new ones that we like. We tested them for a while, and haven’t had any sticking issues (but we didn’t have sticking with the old bottles we tested either). We’ve made the switch over to them, so please let us know what you think of them and if you experience any sticking.
We still have some of the old foamer bottles available in green apple, unscented, and pink sugary. I’ve discounted them to $6 and you can only purchase them directly from this link: old foamer bottles.
Rubber Ducks
Now that we are not doing as many craft shows, we’re going to stop carrying the rubber ducks. I’ve discounted them to 50 cents, so have fun duck shopping.
September
The Jonas children (and parents) have been working even harder than usual since our Today show interview. We’ll be taking a vacation during the first half of September so we can recharge our batteries and spend some family time before the Christmas holiday season begins. We have some great people holding down the soap fort while we’re gone, but please be patient with them as they have a lot of shoes to fill.
We won’t be sending out the September newsletter til we return from vacation sometime after 9/18, so plan accordingly. I don’t want anyone to run out of soap before I get the September newsletter out!
New Property Update
We’ll be closing on the new property this week – so if you hear a large yell on Friday, that would be the sound of the Jonas children (and parents) rejoicing! We don’t know when construction will begin on the new soap facility, but we’re making progress. We now have an orange flag marking the corner of the building! The children are all very excited about the orange flag (even though Indigo thought it should be a purple flag).
Homestead Happenings
I (PJ – in case there was any doubt who writes this newsletter) recently spent a few days in the hospital undergoing lots (and lots) of testing to determine that I have a hole in my heart. This is fairly common and many people who have one aren’t aware of it. Basically, when you are a fetus, there is a hole between the two atria because the blood bypasses the lungs (which don’t get oxygen until you’re born). When you’re born, this hole is supposed to close, but in about ¼ of the population, it does not completely close.
Surgical treatment to close the hole is very controversial and since I don’t have any problems, the cardiologist does not recommend that the hole be closed. The end result is that I need to keep exercising and eating right and now I also take aspirin daily. Other than that, I’m not to worry about it. My feeling is that I carried and delivered 8 children with a hole in my heart without having high blood pressure or a stroke, so I’m taking care of myself and trusting God it won’t be a problem.
The boys didn’t like me being gone, but they handled it pretty well. Brett and Indigo were the weepiest. Jade hid the stress of it til I got home and then cried off and on for three days straight. Jim held it all together pretty well until I got home and then he let the stress overtake him and he slept for three days straight.
It was not a fun experience that any of us wishes to repeat, but it made us very thankful that we’re all pretty healthy and reminded us to appreciate the time we have with each other. Thank you to everyone (who was aware of the situation) who prayed for me and the family while I was in the hospital. I appreciate all prayers that it will not be an ongoing health issue for me.
Newsletter Special
Brett has been busy making a special for this month’s newsletter. She put together a three pack of lime sugar scrub cubes that are available for free with the code “sugar” and a minimum $20 order. They smell really yummy and the sugar scrubs are wonderful to use. They come packaged all three together in a single foil. To receive your free sugar scrubs, please follow these steps:
1. If you are a new customer, register by clicking on the "Register / Login" link at the top of the website.
2. If you are an existing customer, log in to your account by clicking "Register / Login" at the top of the website. (Note: If it says "My Account" then you are already logged in.)
3. Go shopping and make sure you add the lime sugar scrubs to your order.
4. If your subtotal is $20 or greater, go to the shopping cart page, and scroll to the bottom of the page. Under where it says "Clear Cart" "Update" and "Checkout" in orange ovals, it will say "Redeem a Coupon Code". In this box enter the code "sugar” (do not use quotation marks).
5. Your coupon expires midnight August 31st. It will not work after that date.
Troubleshooting:
If it does not say "Redeem a Coupon Code" then you are not registered and logged in. If it says "coupon invalid" then you did not add the lime sugar scrubs to your cart, your subtotal is not $20 or greater, or you've already used the coupon code.
We thank you so much for all of your support of our family and our business. We thrive on hearing from happy customers who enjoy everything we make!
The Jonas Family
Jim, PJ, Brett, Colter, Emery, Fletcher, Greyden, Hewitt, Indigo, and Jade
