In the last 2 days I have learnt 1 valuable snippet of information and 1 valuable lesson.
The first and maybe most important. Did you know that if you are in need of numerous blood transfusions due to accident or illness, you are only allotted a certain number of units ? Once your lot is up then that's it, you have to hope and pray that people will go to the blood bank and donate in your name, however many units are donated will be the extra number of units you are given.
I only learnt this by reading about a man in our area who was in a serious car accident over the weekend, he is in critical condition and his family were asking people to donate because his allotment was almost up.
If you are a blood donor or feel led, maybe you could go and donate for this man, his name is William Bruce Somers and he is a patient at PRMC in Salisbury, MD.
If you'd like to learn more about donating blood then go here
The lesson I learnt was that even teens who act like selfish brats and have a sense of entitlement may in fact be wonderful caring people who just haven't learnt to fully express that side of themselves yet. I learnt this from Victoria today. I was talking to her about how I was unaware about the whole blood donation status and how scary it was that in reality someone could potentially die because they were no longer able to receive blood, I had expressed how frustrated I was that I couldn't donate. She sat and listened, once we were done she grabbed the phone, dialed 411 and asked the operator to connect her to our local blood bank, the next thing I knew she was asking the lady at the blood bank to please schedule her for the first available blood donation appt. My jaw dropped, this is a child who passes out at the sight of blood and to this day cries when she has to get a shot, yet here she was making an appt to donate her first pint of blood.
Once the questions had been asked and the appt made I asked her what had possessed her to do it, "It's just my way of giving back, if it weren't for a donor I wouldn't be able to walk now. It would be horrible if that man died because there wasn't enough blood for him."
Here I was thinking that she had forgotten about the family who had donated their loved ones tendons so another person could walk again and that she was taking life for granted, when in reality all she was doing was waiting for the right time to come for her to give back again.
As her Mom I felt both ashamed and proud, ashamed for assuming she was an ungrateful brat, before giving her the benefit of the doubt and proud that I have raised a young woman who is not only beautiful on the outside but on the inside too.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Imagine that
Ever read something and thought to yourself "Wow, she sounds just like me ? " That happened to me a little while ago. I was reading comments left on a fellow bloggers blog, one of the comments really struck me, the author had written
"My children always tell me that my cakes and cookies are the best they've ever eaten and I always tell them "Well it's my special ingredient, you know the one" and they in turn will say yep, an extra serving of love."
I read that and was quite taken aback, somebody else has that very same dialogue with their children as I do, when I finished reading the comments (I wanted to see if anyone else had commented about making the cake and if they had had the same result as me)I decided I was going to go back, find that author and check out her blog, imagine my surprise when I saw that, that author was in fact ME. I had apparently totally forgotten that I had left a comment, duh !! It's been a long week.
Want to check out the cake I was talking about ? then go here. If you want an incredibly dense, chocolaty cake that will put you in a sugar/chocolate coma this is the one for you. It's delish and 1 cake will serve about 20 people, not even kidding.
"My children always tell me that my cakes and cookies are the best they've ever eaten and I always tell them "Well it's my special ingredient, you know the one" and they in turn will say yep, an extra serving of love."
I read that and was quite taken aback, somebody else has that very same dialogue with their children as I do, when I finished reading the comments (I wanted to see if anyone else had commented about making the cake and if they had had the same result as me)I decided I was going to go back, find that author and check out her blog, imagine my surprise when I saw that, that author was in fact ME. I had apparently totally forgotten that I had left a comment, duh !! It's been a long week.
Want to check out the cake I was talking about ? then go here. If you want an incredibly dense, chocolaty cake that will put you in a sugar/chocolate coma this is the one for you. It's delish and 1 cake will serve about 20 people, not even kidding.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Candy Gram for Dad
Looking for a last minute gift or not sure what to give the candy loving Dad for Father's Day ? How about a candy gram to sugar him up ?
The kids and I just made this for Marc, now I'm not sure who I need to hide it from, Marc or the kids.
click picture to enlarge.
The kids and I just made this for Marc, now I'm not sure who I need to hide it from, Marc or the kids.
click picture to enlarge.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Six silly things that make me smile
Bean tagged me in this meme. We all need to focus on the things that bring us happiness more, instead of wallowing in the things that annoy and upset us. As Bean so aptly put it "Silly things are quite important for the well-being of all humans"
Here's how it works:
* List Six Silly Things That Make You Happy
* Mention and link to the person who tagged you
* Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along
Here are mine in no particular order...
1) The Eeyore mug Ben gave me for Mother's day 6 years ago. He was only 5 at the time, he saw it in a shop window at an airport we were flying out of and wouldn't let up until Marc took him into buy it. I'll never forget the look on his face when he gave it to me, he was just so proud of himself. To this day I still drink my morning coffee out of it and it always gives me a smile.
2) My bird feeders, I have them strategically placed so that I can see them from every window in my various work / relaxing areas. I love to watch the various birds come feed and play while I drink my morning coffee, check my emails, wash dishes, work on my sewing projects or sit down on my porch for a much needed break in the afternoon.
Right now I'm watching a male and female cardinal playing and eating at the sunflower seed feeder and a pair of Ruby throat ed hummingbirds at the Hummingbird feeder. One of the hummingbirds cracks me up, he sits on a thin branch that is laying across the feeder, then goes to drink from the port when he's had his fill he sits on the fence and chirrups it's the cutest thing and I had no idea hummingbirds were so loud
3)Creating something wonderful from very basic items. Every day I create something from scratch, whether it be a loaf of wholesome bread made from the basic ingredients of flour, yeast, water, salt, and eggs or a pile of fabric turned into a softie to bring calm and comfort to a child. Gives me a wonderful sense of accomplishment
4) Popsicles.. At 3 pm every afternoon I take a break from my day and Reagan and I sit at the side of the pool and eat Popsicles. It's our time of day to sit and play, talk and giggle about everything and anything, she gets my undivided attention and I get hers, pretty sweet deal
5)The matching sapphire and diamond rings Victoria bought us on Mother's Day this year. It means a lot when your 17 y/o daughter wants to do something for the 2 of you to symbolise your relationship and show the whole world that she values the relationship the 2 of you have
6)Sunflowers. Does anything scream Summer and happiness more than a sunflower ? I love their cheery yellow petals and the sunshiny feeling they conjure up
Now I'm going to tag Karin,Emily,Erin,Lisa,Marly and Chrissie If you're not on my list but would like to play along, go for it and let me know, I'd love to read your silly things too ;-)
Here's how it works:
* List Six Silly Things That Make You Happy
* Mention and link to the person who tagged you
* Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along
Here are mine in no particular order...
1) The Eeyore mug Ben gave me for Mother's day 6 years ago. He was only 5 at the time, he saw it in a shop window at an airport we were flying out of and wouldn't let up until Marc took him into buy it. I'll never forget the look on his face when he gave it to me, he was just so proud of himself. To this day I still drink my morning coffee out of it and it always gives me a smile.
2) My bird feeders, I have them strategically placed so that I can see them from every window in my various work / relaxing areas. I love to watch the various birds come feed and play while I drink my morning coffee, check my emails, wash dishes, work on my sewing projects or sit down on my porch for a much needed break in the afternoon.
Right now I'm watching a male and female cardinal playing and eating at the sunflower seed feeder and a pair of Ruby throat ed hummingbirds at the Hummingbird feeder. One of the hummingbirds cracks me up, he sits on a thin branch that is laying across the feeder, then goes to drink from the port when he's had his fill he sits on the fence and chirrups it's the cutest thing and I had no idea hummingbirds were so loud
3)Creating something wonderful from very basic items. Every day I create something from scratch, whether it be a loaf of wholesome bread made from the basic ingredients of flour, yeast, water, salt, and eggs or a pile of fabric turned into a softie to bring calm and comfort to a child. Gives me a wonderful sense of accomplishment
4) Popsicles.. At 3 pm every afternoon I take a break from my day and Reagan and I sit at the side of the pool and eat Popsicles. It's our time of day to sit and play, talk and giggle about everything and anything, she gets my undivided attention and I get hers, pretty sweet deal
5)The matching sapphire and diamond rings Victoria bought us on Mother's Day this year. It means a lot when your 17 y/o daughter wants to do something for the 2 of you to symbolise your relationship and show the whole world that she values the relationship the 2 of you have
6)Sunflowers. Does anything scream Summer and happiness more than a sunflower ? I love their cheery yellow petals and the sunshiny feeling they conjure up
Now I'm going to tag Karin,Emily,Erin,Lisa,Marly and Chrissie If you're not on my list but would like to play along, go for it and let me know, I'd love to read your silly things too ;-)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
It's official
My babies are no longer babies, actually they haven't been babies in a looooong time, but today it hit me really hard, my children are growing up right before my eyes and it is happening way too quickly for my liking.
This morning was the Awards and Graduation ceremony for Ben, he's no longer in elementary school, he is now a middle school er. As the reality hit me that come August, Victoria will be a senior in H/S, Ben will be a Freshman in Middle school and Reagan will be off to kindergarten,the tears starting pricking the back of my eyes, the lump formed in my throat and my nostrils started flaring a little as I fought back the tears that wanted to fall.
I feel so blessed to have 3 wonderful healthy children who are growing and doing all that they should be doing at these ages, but at the same time I find myself mourning the little ones they once were. When I wave Reagan off to school on that first day of kindergarten it will be the first time in 17 years that I won't have a child at home with me during the day. Thinking about it gives me a sense of both emptiness and fulfillment, I've done my job and I've done it well, now it's onto the next chapter, I'll always be their Mom, but now I need to reinvent Penny, wonder who she turns out to being, hmmmm ;-)
This morning was the Awards and Graduation ceremony for Ben, he's no longer in elementary school, he is now a middle school er. As the reality hit me that come August, Victoria will be a senior in H/S, Ben will be a Freshman in Middle school and Reagan will be off to kindergarten,the tears starting pricking the back of my eyes, the lump formed in my throat and my nostrils started flaring a little as I fought back the tears that wanted to fall.
I feel so blessed to have 3 wonderful healthy children who are growing and doing all that they should be doing at these ages, but at the same time I find myself mourning the little ones they once were. When I wave Reagan off to school on that first day of kindergarten it will be the first time in 17 years that I won't have a child at home with me during the day. Thinking about it gives me a sense of both emptiness and fulfillment, I've done my job and I've done it well, now it's onto the next chapter, I'll always be their Mom, but now I need to reinvent Penny, wonder who she turns out to being, hmmmm ;-)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Funny Bunny
One of the many things I love about living here is all of the wildlife that surrounds us.(Not so keen on the bull frogs, but that's whole different story)
Lately we've been hit with some pretty hard rains and all sorts of little creatures come out to enjoy the damp grass and to sun and dry off.
Friday was one of those days, Reagan sat in our front window watching the downpour and then got excited when the rains let up and the sun came out, the first thing she saw out on the lawn was a "Baby bunny" She hopped up and down yelling "Aww, look at the baby bunny, mommy" I'd walk over and it would be gone, after about the 3rd time I asked her what it looked like "Dark brown and it looks like it has yellow on it's back" now call me crazy but I've never seen a brown bunny with a yellow back.
Once the thunder stopped she went running out to see if she could catch the "bunny" a little bit later she came in all out of breath, cheeks flushed and with a tremor in her voice said "It went under the bushes and then it poked it's head out and I thought it was a snake, but it wasn't, it's a beautiful turtle, come look." And it was a beautiful turtle, a beautiful Female Eastern Box Turtle.
In Reagan's defense I can see how she would have thought it was a baby bunny, it was all the way down at the end of the front yard and our yard is large, it was a little dark outside and so when she saw a little brown mound all the way at the bottom, the idea that it was a baby bunny hunched over eating grass makes perfect sense.... doesn't it ?
Lately we've been hit with some pretty hard rains and all sorts of little creatures come out to enjoy the damp grass and to sun and dry off.
Friday was one of those days, Reagan sat in our front window watching the downpour and then got excited when the rains let up and the sun came out, the first thing she saw out on the lawn was a "Baby bunny" She hopped up and down yelling "Aww, look at the baby bunny, mommy" I'd walk over and it would be gone, after about the 3rd time I asked her what it looked like "Dark brown and it looks like it has yellow on it's back" now call me crazy but I've never seen a brown bunny with a yellow back.
Once the thunder stopped she went running out to see if she could catch the "bunny" a little bit later she came in all out of breath, cheeks flushed and with a tremor in her voice said "It went under the bushes and then it poked it's head out and I thought it was a snake, but it wasn't, it's a beautiful turtle, come look." And it was a beautiful turtle, a beautiful Female Eastern Box Turtle.
In Reagan's defense I can see how she would have thought it was a baby bunny, it was all the way down at the end of the front yard and our yard is large, it was a little dark outside and so when she saw a little brown mound all the way at the bottom, the idea that it was a baby bunny hunched over eating grass makes perfect sense.... doesn't it ?
Monday, June 8, 2009
Spinning
Ever had one of those times when you feel like a hamster in a wheel ? You just keep running and running and you get nowhere, you land back in the same place you were at 10 minutes ago .
That's been my last 2 weeks and I'm seriously ready to jump off the wheel but it won't slow down.
Come Friday either things will all fall back into place because all 3 kids will be home for Summer break and I won't be trying to keep up w/ 2 very different schedules or it's going to continue in this whirlwind of doing but nothing getting done because all 3 kids will be home for Summer break. I'm really hoping it will be the former.
Well off to try finishing up a teacher gift, 2 cups of coffee should make it possible to finish tonight.. fingers and toes crossed
That's been my last 2 weeks and I'm seriously ready to jump off the wheel but it won't slow down.
Come Friday either things will all fall back into place because all 3 kids will be home for Summer break and I won't be trying to keep up w/ 2 very different schedules or it's going to continue in this whirlwind of doing but nothing getting done because all 3 kids will be home for Summer break. I'm really hoping it will be the former.
Well off to try finishing up a teacher gift, 2 cups of coffee should make it possible to finish tonight.. fingers and toes crossed
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Summer Reading
School is out, the lazy days of Summer have returned and along with them come days spent around the pool, at the beach or up in the mountains reading our favorite novels and finding new worlds to explore.
Here's what's on our bookshelf this week
For Pre schoolers and early readers
-----------------------------------
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Shell by Lucille Colandro
A great take on the book "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" This time though the old lady goes to the beach and for whatever odd reason she won't tell of she decides to swallow a shell. This fun book will send your pre schooler into fits of giggles as s/he hears about her going onto swallow a crab, a fish, a gull, a pail, some sand and I guess to wash it all down a big wave, finishing up w/ an enormous burp that produces hilarious results !!
For Pre Teens
--------------
The Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz
The first in this series is Storm Breaker
MI6 spy Ian Rider was Alex's guardian since we was small, and now he has been killed by Russian assassin, Yassen Gregorovich. Alex is then tricked into working for MI6, and goes undercover to see what suspected crook Darius Sayle is up to when he releases new super computers known as Storm breakers. While undercover, Alex encounters tasks no one would deem possible for a mere 14-year-old boy. Alex destroys Sayle's plans to kill billions of children across Great Britain, and seemingly becomes a normal schoolboy again. But for how long?
A great book full of action and suspense, Ben loves this series and will go to bed 1hr earlier just so he can read. Don't be fooled into thinking this series is just for boys, girls love it too.
For Grown Ups... non fiction
-----------------------------
The south Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, M.D
I know, I know, not exactly a fun read but you want to lose those extra Winter pounds and have more energy for playing w/ your kids this Summer right ?
Learn how to eat healthy, lose weight and gain energy without sacrificing a whole lot. Sure you have to make some sacrifices but you wouldn't feel as though you'd accomplished quite as much if you hadn't.
This book comes packed w/ great advice, meal plans and some awesome recipes that the whole family can enjoy.
I myself am on day 4 of this and am already feeling and noticing a difference.
A fun read
-----------
The Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
I LOVE this book and kick off my summer reading with this every year.
If you want a book that will make you laugh out loud and cry real tears then this book is for you.
A classic Southern tale set in a sleepy Louisiana parish, follows a group of lifelong friends who stage a rather unorthodox intervention to help a young playwright unravel the truth about her complicated, eccentric mother, find forgiveness and acceptance, and let go of her painful past.
What's on your book shelf this week ?
Here's what's on our bookshelf this week
For Pre schoolers and early readers
-----------------------------------
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Shell by Lucille Colandro
A great take on the book "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" This time though the old lady goes to the beach and for whatever odd reason she won't tell of she decides to swallow a shell. This fun book will send your pre schooler into fits of giggles as s/he hears about her going onto swallow a crab, a fish, a gull, a pail, some sand and I guess to wash it all down a big wave, finishing up w/ an enormous burp that produces hilarious results !!
For Pre Teens
--------------
The Alex Rider Series by Anthony Horowitz
The first in this series is Storm Breaker
MI6 spy Ian Rider was Alex's guardian since we was small, and now he has been killed by Russian assassin, Yassen Gregorovich. Alex is then tricked into working for MI6, and goes undercover to see what suspected crook Darius Sayle is up to when he releases new super computers known as Storm breakers. While undercover, Alex encounters tasks no one would deem possible for a mere 14-year-old boy. Alex destroys Sayle's plans to kill billions of children across Great Britain, and seemingly becomes a normal schoolboy again. But for how long?
A great book full of action and suspense, Ben loves this series and will go to bed 1hr earlier just so he can read. Don't be fooled into thinking this series is just for boys, girls love it too.
For Grown Ups... non fiction
-----------------------------
The south Beach Diet by Arthur Agatston, M.D
I know, I know, not exactly a fun read but you want to lose those extra Winter pounds and have more energy for playing w/ your kids this Summer right ?
Learn how to eat healthy, lose weight and gain energy without sacrificing a whole lot. Sure you have to make some sacrifices but you wouldn't feel as though you'd accomplished quite as much if you hadn't.
This book comes packed w/ great advice, meal plans and some awesome recipes that the whole family can enjoy.
I myself am on day 4 of this and am already feeling and noticing a difference.
A fun read
-----------
The Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells
I LOVE this book and kick off my summer reading with this every year.
If you want a book that will make you laugh out loud and cry real tears then this book is for you.
A classic Southern tale set in a sleepy Louisiana parish, follows a group of lifelong friends who stage a rather unorthodox intervention to help a young playwright unravel the truth about her complicated, eccentric mother, find forgiveness and acceptance, and let go of her painful past.
What's on your book shelf this week ?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
That didn't go so well
Or did it ?
This week I decided to try the South Beach Diet, my fat jeans are feeling snug and sadly I didn't shrink them, I have those ten pesky Winter pounds to lose(if only they were as easy to shed as the woolly sweaters) and decided that for me maybe this was the way to go.
Now if you're familiar with SBD you know it goes in phases, phase 1 is the longest and IMO the hardest, you have to cut out ALL fruit and if you know me you know that that's darn near impossible, 1 cup of caffeine a day,(apparently I generally have 3)didn't really know that until I started paying attention and things like crackers, chips, cookies,potatoes, rice and pasta are out, along with CAKE !!
I don't eat a whole amount of cake, but today A) I needed to find something to do w/ a couple of cups of slightly over ripe strawberries and Reagan started bouncing up and down requesting we bake a strawberry and blueberry pound cake B) Today is our Wedding Anniversary (19 years baby) and well, you have to eat cake on days of celebration, right ?
All the time I was measuring and mixing and then smelling it bake I was almost overcome w/ guilt yet trying to find some determination and then rationalizing with "You can always start over again tomorrow" the latter almost broke me out in a cold sweat, I'm on day 2, I only have 12 to go, do I really want to start from scratch again ? HELL NO !!!! But I had visions of this wonderful fruity baked concoction, dressed up w/ powdered sugar and served w/ a dollop of fresh cream YUM !! Who could possibly resist right ? And so continued the internal battle until it was time to dump it out onto the cooling rack and PROBLEM SOLVED
This week I decided to try the South Beach Diet, my fat jeans are feeling snug and sadly I didn't shrink them, I have those ten pesky Winter pounds to lose(if only they were as easy to shed as the woolly sweaters) and decided that for me maybe this was the way to go.
Now if you're familiar with SBD you know it goes in phases, phase 1 is the longest and IMO the hardest, you have to cut out ALL fruit and if you know me you know that that's darn near impossible, 1 cup of caffeine a day,(apparently I generally have 3)didn't really know that until I started paying attention and things like crackers, chips, cookies,potatoes, rice and pasta are out, along with CAKE !!
I don't eat a whole amount of cake, but today A) I needed to find something to do w/ a couple of cups of slightly over ripe strawberries and Reagan started bouncing up and down requesting we bake a strawberry and blueberry pound cake B) Today is our Wedding Anniversary (19 years baby) and well, you have to eat cake on days of celebration, right ?
All the time I was measuring and mixing and then smelling it bake I was almost overcome w/ guilt yet trying to find some determination and then rationalizing with "You can always start over again tomorrow" the latter almost broke me out in a cold sweat, I'm on day 2, I only have 12 to go, do I really want to start from scratch again ? HELL NO !!!! But I had visions of this wonderful fruity baked concoction, dressed up w/ powdered sugar and served w/ a dollop of fresh cream YUM !! Who could possibly resist right ? And so continued the internal battle until it was time to dump it out onto the cooling rack and PROBLEM SOLVED
Monday, June 1, 2009
Happy Monday
Many thanks to all of you who entered my Giveaway, hope you all had fun. I only wish I could have given you all something, some of the green tips you left were wonderful and left me thinking "Wow, never thought to do that."
One of my favorites was from Rachel, she prods holes in the tops of laundry detergent and fabric softener bottles and gives them to her kids to use as watering cans.
Reagan will be getting her own "Tide" watering can before the end of the week.
I'm going to consolidate a list of all of your ideas and post them over here, some of us might find something new and interesting we'd never thought to do before.
As a big thankyou to all who entered and to my readers, this week only I'll give you a chance to purchase a set of produce bags at 1/2 price, that will be $6.00 for 2, and I'll pay your S&H, just leave me a comment here or email me and I will list a set of them in my Etsy store for you.
Enjoy your day !!
One of my favorites was from Rachel, she prods holes in the tops of laundry detergent and fabric softener bottles and gives them to her kids to use as watering cans.
Reagan will be getting her own "Tide" watering can before the end of the week.
I'm going to consolidate a list of all of your ideas and post them over here, some of us might find something new and interesting we'd never thought to do before.
As a big thankyou to all who entered and to my readers, this week only I'll give you a chance to purchase a set of produce bags at 1/2 price, that will be $6.00 for 2, and I'll pay your S&H, just leave me a comment here or email me and I will list a set of them in my Etsy store for you.
Enjoy your day !!
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