Quotable Sunday

Greetings bloggy friends! Welcome to this week's edition of Quotable Sunday. For your reading pleasure, I've selected quotes on kindness...sometimes a kind word, or a simple smile can make all the difference in the world. Enjoy!

Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret, for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true. ~Robert Brault, www.robertbrault.com

If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. ~Bob Hope

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up. ~Jesse Jackson

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. ~Charles H. Spurgeon

It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. ~Author Unknown
Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. ~Seneca

Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day. ~Quoted in P.S. I Love You, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are. ~Author Unknown

What this world needs is a new kind of army - the army of the kind. ~Cleveland Amory

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama

Don't wait for people to be friendly, show them how. ~Author Unknown

The best portion of a good man's life - his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. ~William Wordsworth

The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway. ~Henry Boye
For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Thrice in a Lifetime

Something happened here today, that never does. It snowed! Not just a few flakes in the air, or a light dusting, but an acutal snowball worthy snowfall. For real, ya'll. Oh, I know it's no big deal to you folks in Illinois or Pennsylvania, but here in southern Virginia it shuts the whole place down. I have lived here for 36 years and can count on one hand the number of times we've had enough snow to build a snowman. This is sooo exciting; especially if you are a kid...or kid at heart :P

Here are a couple of pics I took this morning when we had 4-5 inches. Three hours later it is still snowing...big fat flakes. And it is not supposed to let up until tomorrow. How cool is that?!

Cards For Kayla

I recently read a post over at Tic Tac Dough about a little girl named Kayla. Her family has been pushed to the limits with illness. A couple of years ago, just days before Christmas they got the news that daddy was ill with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Then two days later, they find out their little girl, who was all of 4 years old, was also sick, with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. This was reality for the Gronley's. For the past two years, they have battled cancer in not one loved one, but two. They have a blog if you would like to follow-- Adventures in Mommyland.

Many fellow bloggers have made a decision to try and make a positive impact in Kayla's life. Since much of her current life is spent in hospitals and not in school or making friends - Kayla is very lonely. We asked Sandra what we could do to help Kayla. Sandra said that Kayla loves getting mail, that she loves getting a card in the mail.....


Cards For Kayla
Maybe you have a child that could draw Kayla a picture, or give her some stickers. Maybe you know of a class that could send Valentines Day Cards to her-- Just something little to brighten Kayla's day, to keep her occupied while she is in the hospital.

If you need some ideas on what your kids can draw, Kayla loves: the movie Hocus Pocus, the colors pink and purple, Animal Planet, any animals {cats especially} and Disney Princesses

Send Cards for Kayla to:

Kayla Gronley
P.O. Box 5634
Blue Jay, Ca 92317

Friday Follow Blog Hop

Thanks to my friend Sheila at Ma Vie Folle, I've been introduced to the Friday Follow Blog Hop. What a fun way to meet new bloggers and make friends. I'm joining in and you can too! And, if you don't know Sheila, stop by her blog and say hello. She's always got a great spin on life's little follies and I love reading her witty posts! You will too :D

Aloha Friday

Woo hoo, it's Friday! I hope you all have had a great weekend! My simple question of the day is:

Do you plan on celebrating Valentine's Day? If so, how?

For more Aloha Friday fun stop by An Island Life.

A Thousand Words Thursday

Our ever-watchful protector...

For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy.

Wordless Wednesday

That's my guy...hangin' with the ladies...

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:
5 Minutes for Mom
7 Clown Circus
Momdot

Quotable Sunday

Greetings friends! I hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend. We're getting a peak of sunshine today that is glorious after days of gray.
Today I have selected quotes on life. I hope you'll enjoy them, ponder them, then go out and seize the day! If you are playing along with Quotable Sunday this week, be sure to leave your linky. Thanks for stopping by :D

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~Hans Christian Anderson

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck

The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne

The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth. ~Chinese Proverb

Life is simple, its just not easy. ~Author Unknown

A life without cause is a life without effect. ~Barbarella

Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't. ~Richard Bach

Life's not always fair. Sometimes you can get a splinter even sliding down a rainbow. ~Cherralea Morgen

The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Forgive, O Lord, my little jokes on Thee,
And I'll forgive Thy great big one on me.
~Robert Frost, "Cluster of Faith," 1962

In spite of the cost of living, it's still popular. ~Kathy Norris

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else. ~Emily Dickinson
My life has a superb cast but I can't figure out the plot. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

I say, if your knees aren't green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life. ~Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes

I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer. ~Jim Carrey

For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Do You Love Math?

Here's a little secret: I don't. In fact, most of my life I have loathed math. But, as a homeschooling mom, I recognize my prejudice against numbers and realize that it is important that I DO NOT pass that on to my kids. Consequently, I am always looking for fun and interesting ways to incorporate math into our daily lives and lessons; without making it a chore (for me or for them).

Spotlight on: The Math Mom. Now, this chick has some great ideas that actually make math fun...I'm not kidding. Check out the Card Tricks, and the Guess Your Age Trick...Now who doesn't think that's cool?

Visit TheMathMom.com for more fun with numbers. Who knows, you just might learn to love math...a little ;)

North American Black Bear Webcam

If you haven't visited her yet, check out Lily. She's a North American Black bear who just gave birth. Her den is equipped with a special infared webcam that captures her movements without disturbing her. She's a beauty :D  Today, we were able to catch a glimple of a cub...such cute little piggies on those paws!

Find out more about North American Black Bears here and here.

Aloha Friday

Greetings friends,

I hope you all had a safe and productive week. My quick question for the week is actually a two part question:

Do you plan on watching the Hope for Haiti Telethon tonight? Have you ever called in to donate to a telethon?

Thanks for stopping by today and leaving a comment :D Have a great weekend!

For more Aloha Friday fun stop by An Island Life.

Are You Ready for Some Football?!

Looking for a fun way to get kids involved in Super Bowl prep? Here are some cute ideas for decorating and snacks for the big game. Plus, find lesson plan resources here.
And don't miss these 50 tasty recipes for Big Game Day Fare. Yum - O!

Although my kids prefer to watch the Puppy Bowl rather than the actual Super Bowl...it's still a fun excuse for a family party :D

A Thousand Words Thursday

For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy.

Wordless Wednesday

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:
5 Minutes for Mom
7 Clown Circus
Momdot

His Moment in the Spotlight...

The big guy has recently taken up basketball. We joined a church league, that has a short winter season, to see how he likes it. So far, he's really enjoying it and is playing well. And let me tell you, we are having so much fun watching! Check out the grand entrance for game day...

Quotable Sunday

Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. Asoul generated by love. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope... and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance. ~Robert F. Kennedy

Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart. ~Countess of Blessington

It is often easier to become outraged by injustice half a world away than by oppression and discrimination half a block from home. ~Carl T. Rowan

Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. ~Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

The purpose of life is not to be happy - but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you have lived at all. ~Leo Rosten

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank

For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

Aloha Friday!

Aloha Bloggy Friends!
Since I've been feeling the pains of first trimester pregnancy, I have been blogging significantly less. I have many ideas I'd like to implement and would love to grow my blog, but time just seems too confining right now. I wish I had more time and energy to devote to researching some of my post ideas, but right now, it's all I can do to keep up with the kids and the laundry. Memes are easy though! And participating in them keeps me connected.

My question this week: How many memes do you participate in?

Stop by An Island Life for more Aloha Friday fun.

A Thousand Words Thursday

For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy.

Wordless Wednesday

What's the best part of helping Mom in the kitchen?

The sweet rewards, of course!

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:
5 Minutes for Mom
7 Clown Circus
Momdot

Recipe: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I love Mexican food and though I'm generally not a big soup eater, I do enjoy chicken tortilla soup, especially on chilly days. This recipe I found on RecipeZaar is a great version that is pretty simple to make. Since I'm not a fan of creamed corn, I substituted cream of chicken soup, which worked well.
Ingredients
* 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
* 32 ounces chicken broth
* 1 (12 ounce) can spicy v8 juice
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 tablespoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
* 1 (10 ounce) can rotel
* 1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn or cream of chicken soup
* 1 (8 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
* 1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
* shredded mexican cheese
* sour cream
* avocado, diced
* crushed tortilla chips
* lime wedge

Directions:
For chicken: place raw chicken breasts in large soup pot and cover about 1/2 inch with water or chicken broth. If you use just water add a little salt, if you use chicken broth be sure to strain it and save it for soup broth. Bring chicken in water/broth to a boil, slightly reduce heat and boil about 10-15 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

While Chicken is cooking, de-stem cilantro and finely chop, save for end.

Remove chicken and set aside to cool for shredding.

Strain and save broth for stock (if used water dump it).

Rinse soup pan and put back on stove on medium heat, add chopped onion and sugar and cook onion in sugar until medium to dark brown, it will get dry and sticky.

Add 32 oz Chicken broth, V8, Chili Powder, Cumin, Rotel, Cream Style Corn, Corn Niblets, Shredded Chicken and cayenne to taste.

Bring to a slight boil reduce heat and cook about 5 minutes.

Add drained Pinto Beans and cook another 5 minutes.

Add Cilantro and stir.

Serve soup over broken tortilla chips and garnish with Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Avocado and fresh squeeze of lime.
Enjoy!

Quotable Sunday - On Winter

Greetings friends and welcome to this edition of Quotable Sunday. Today I have selected quotes on winter. It is not my favorite season. I generally dread the cold and gray months between Christmas and Easter.

Around here there is little snow, just cold, damp bleakness. Today, we are fortunate to have sun to take the edge off of the chill. Though the winter months sometimes leave me feeling empty, a few of these quotes reminded me that beauty is everywhere...if you have the right perspective.

Let us love winter, for it is the spring of genius. ~Pietro Aretino

The tendinous part of the mind, so to speak, is more developed in winter; the fleshy, in summer. I should say winter had given the bone and sinew to literature, summer the tissues and the blood. ~John Burroughs

Brew me a cup for a winter's night.
For the wind howls loud and the furies fight;
Spice it with love and stir it with care,
And I'll toast our bright eyes,
my sweetheart fair.
~Minna Thomas Antrim

Winter must be cold for those with no warm memories. ~From the movie An Affair to Remember

Winter is nature's way of saying, "Up yours." ~Robert Byrne

Every mile is two in winter. ~George Herbert

Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.
~Bill Morgan, Jr.

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

When the bold branches
Bid farewell to rainbow leaves -
Welcome wool sweaters.
~B. Cybrill

I was just thinking, if it is really religion with these nudist colonies, they sure must turn atheists in the wintertime. ~Will Rogers

Winter dies into the spring, to be born again in the autumn. ~Marche Blumenberg

Every winter,
When the great sun has turned his face away,
The earth goes down into a vale of grief,
And fasts, and weeps, and shrouds herself in sables,
Leaving her wedding-garlands to decay -
Then leaps in spring to his returning kisses.
~Charles Kingsley

For more Quotable Sunday, visit A Daily Dose of Toni.

A Thousand Words Thursday

Mr. Man wasn't feeling so well, so his big sister decided to take care of him. I think she thought of everything, don't you?


For more Thousand Words Thursday stop by Cheaper Than Therapy.

Three King's Day

Three Kings Day, also known as The Epiphany, is celebrated on January 6th, twelve days after Christmas. It is often viewed as the last day of the Christmas season (the end of the 12 days of Christmas). You can find out more about how this holiday is celebrated here. If you'd like to have your own celebration, you'll find lots of crafts and fun ideas here.

Here is a recipe for King's cake. Although there are several versions, this is one I found on about.com:
"Traditionally, Rosca is served on Three Kings Day. A small baby Jesus figurine is baked into the bread. The one who finds the figurine in his or her slice of Rosca becomes the host for a dinner party for Candelaria in February."

Most of the preparation for this dish is in making the dough. Enjoy it any time of the year. This recipe makes two rings, divide ingredients in half to make just one.
Prep Time: 3 hours, 00 minute
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 packets of dry yeast
* 1 cup warm milk
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 4 cups flour
* 1 cup flour for kneading the dough.
* 2 sticks of butter (1/4 pound each, softened)
* 2 cups brown sugar

Preparation:

1. Place the yeast in a large bowl and stir in the warm milk. Mix until the yeast is dissolved.
2. Stir in the sugar and salt.
3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, and then add to the mix.
4. Mix in half of the flour. When it is well incorporated mix in the rest of the flour.
5. Melt one stick of butter and stir into the mixture.
6. Lightly flour a kneading surface and your hands to keep the dough from sticking. Knead the dough until it is smooth, about 2 or 3 minutes.
7. Place the dough into a bowl, cover with a cloth, and set in a warm place to rise to double or more of its original size (2 to 3 hours).
8. Once the dough has properly risen, remove it from the bowl and knead it again for about 2 minutes.
9. Divide the dough into two equal parts.
10. For each half, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Brush with 2 tablespoons of melted butter (from the second stick) and then dust with 3/4 cup of brown sugar.
11. Roll the dough up into a spiral.
12. Grease a coffee ring mold with butter and generously dust with brown sugar.
13. Cut the remaining butter into bits and evenly distribute in the mold.
14. Cut the dough into 1 to 1 1/4 inch pieces and place into the mold next to each other until filling it.
15. Place the mold within another container with hot water. Cover and let rise for another hour.
16. Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake the bread for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serves: Makes two coffee rings.

Wordless Wednesday

Be sure to stop by these fabulous blogs for more Wednesday fun:
5 Minutes for Mom
7 Clown Circus
Momdot