The Phone Police! that's what I call them~ kids

                                                                            Source: someecards.com via Leslie on Pinterest

Gratitude Journaling ~ Go Ahead Say Thank You!

Being thankful is not just for November, it should be all year long, an attitude of gratitude and saying thank you and being thankful is a daily routine. There are so many things in our life that we can be thankful for, start teaching your children as babies to say thank you, to appreciate the smaller things of life and not always material things. They will grow into much more mature thankful adults that have an attitude of gratitude and not of selfish, me all the time. Show them the little things around you every day, and help them appreciate how small we are in contrast to the awesome world that God has created.  Thank you for reading :)

Have you ever made a Gratitude Tree? Sorta like an Avent calendar for "Thank you's" this will inspire your family to always be thankful for little things in life that they may never think about. This would even make a great gift for grandparents or teachers.


Go Here for print outs and further instruction:
http://www.oopseydaisyblog.com/2010/10/gratitude-tree-advent-calendar-with.html <---I love this little blog.

** At the start of the month, begin with a blank tree. Each day, take turns as a family mentioning something we are grateful for. As we do this, we will add a leaf onto the tree!

You can make your own gratitude tree for your family, too!

Possibilities are endless and you can make your tree design and cap designs however you like. I really like this idea.
 

If you wish, you can download your own set of leaves here.  I would love to see pictures if you make your own gratitude tree advent calendar!  You could even make a tree on your refrigerator and add leaf magnets every day during November.  **These leaves were made to fit my bottle caps, so you may have to resize these just a smidge smaller to fit clear glass pebbles.  Or just trim them up a bit!

Thank you to Oopsey Daisy for such a cute idea and cute little blog, visit her and share some blog love HERE 

Have a fabulous weekend!

Learning about the Olympics and free E-book

Olympics Trivia

---

By: Kyrie Collins, Highlands Ranch, CO Publisher Mom

From my local Hickory Macaroni Kids newsletter

The First

The first recorded Olympic Games took place in Ancient Greece in 776 BC. The only event was a "stade," a foot race about 600 feet in length. This is where the word "stadium" originates. The athletes participated nude or "gymnos." This is where the word "gymnasium" originates.

The Countries

205 different nations will be competing in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Greece is the only nation to have participated under its own flag in every modern Summer Olympic Games.

London Calling

2012 will be London's third time hosting the Olympics, more than any other city. The United States has hosted more Olympic games than any other country, with a total of eight in six different cities.

The Official Olympic Flag

The five rings on the Olympic Flag represent the five continents from which the athletes hail. They are interconnected to symbolize the friendship to be gained. The colors of the rings - blue, yellow, black, green, and red - were chosen because at least one of them appears on the flag of every country in the world.

The Motto

Citius, Altius, Fortius is Latin for Swifter, Higher, Stronger.

The Medals

The medals are designed for each Olympic Games by the host city's committee. Gold medals are actually 92-1/2% silver, covered in six grams of gold. Solid gold medals haven't been awarded since the 1912 Olympics.

It Was A Tie

In 1912, the light heavyweight wrestling final lasted nine hours. Neither wrestler gained an advantage over the other, so both received a silver medal.

Cancelled Games

No Olympic Games were held in 1916, 1940, or 1944 due to World War I and World War II. Major boycotts occurred in 1980 and 1984 because of the Cold War.

The Events

To be considered for inclusion in the Olympics, an event must be "widely practiced" by men in at least 75 countries on four continents and by women in at least 40 countries on three continents. (Who knew that the hammer throw was so darn popular worldwide?)

Length of a Marathon

Many people mistakenly believe the length of a marathon (26.2 miles) dates back to 490 BC when a Greek soldier ran from Marathon to Athens to announce that the Greeks defeated the invading Persians. However, the distance between Marathon and Athens is approximately 25 miles. It wasn't until the 1908 Summer Olympics, which were also held in London, that the queen asked that the marathon begin at Windsor Castle so the Royal Children could see the start of the race and end below the Royal Box at the stadium. The distance from the castle to the stadium was 26 miles and 385 yards. For some strange reason, this became the standardized length of a marathon in 1924.

Strangest Event

Club Swinging was an event in 1904 and 1932. Competitors swung a club decorated with ribbons around their bodies and heads. This event is considered by some to be the grandparent of modern-day Rhythm Gymnastics.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Pinterest lots of Olympic Unit study boards and information any homeschool mom will love!! 

                                                                      Source: icanteachmychild.com via Nikki on Pinterest

  This FREE eBook includes:

• A List of Books about the Olympics
• A Gold Medal Map Guide
• 6 Unique Olympic Crafts
• 6 Fun Olympic Games & Activities
• 3 Delicious Olympic-Inspired Snacks

Whether you’re looking to host an Olympic party or just want to have fun with your child during the Olympics…this eBook is for YOU!

So…here’s how you can snag your own copy!

-Go here and enter your e-mail address to subscribe for free e-mail updates.

-You’ll immediately receive an e-mail from “Feedburner E-mail Subscriptions” asking you to activate your subscription.  Click on the first link to activate.

-Directly underneath the link to activate your subscription, you will see the following:  ”As a THANK YOU for subscribing, here is my FREE gift to you.”.  Click on the link to get your 21-page Olympic Activities for Kids eBook as well as our Fascinating Science for Kids eBook.

Use your Hands to Learn your ABC's

The Awesome blogs that created these near hands!

Alligator - Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Bee - Activity Village

Cheetah - Splash

Duck - Fun Handprint Art

Elephant - Junk in their Trunk

Flamingo - 5 Minute Mom

Giraffe - Activity Village

Hippo - Jason and Lara Show

Ice cream - photoshopped

Jaguar - Fun Handprint Art

Koala - Getting Messy with Jessi

Lion - Moments of Mommyhood

Monkey - Fun Handprint Art

Necklace - photoshopped 

Octopus - Ramblings of a Crazy Woman: Jenwa

Penguin - Texas Granola Mom

Quilt - Edwards Villa Scene

Rabbit - Jill Dubien

Strawberry - Activity Village

Tiger - Splash

Umbrella - Crafts Keep Me Sane

Vehicle - photoshopped

Whale - Mommy Coddle

X-ray - Wordans

Yak - Activity Village

Zebra - Mom 2 Posh Divas

Snow Flake, Heart - Share and Remember 
4 Leaf Clover - Meet the Dubiens
Earth - Busy Hands Art
Butterfly
Fish - Bobo Gallery
Flag
Sun
Crayons - Mrs Kilburn Kiddos
Pumpkin - Dana Hinders
Turkey
Lights - Tip Junkie
Tree - Mom 2 Posh Diva

Credit for this great idea here at E is for Explore 

my new favorite idea spot :)

Worry your Life Away.....what is the solution?

Do you worry, are you anxious? This is the only answer, open the book and start reading these verses, turn it all over to the One that can solve all your problems. Try it, it works! 

                                                               Source: unlockingthebible.org via Leslie on Pinterest

Colors in your Mind

                                                                 Source: sadebudhlall.com via Rachel on Pinterest

                              

Rainbows Rising

Marshmallow Dreams

Soft Air Pillows

Baskets of Joy

Hot Air Streaming

Just Colors in your Mind

                             

Prayers for My Mom today

Praying today for my mom who has landed herself back in the hospital due to a nasty infection that has been plaguing her for a while now. She has had this open abscess'd area on her abdomen that was the result of an internal abscess from a diverticulitis flare up. She had a drain for weeks, they took out the drain and since then she has still had this area that will not heal. Many doses of antibiotics and home health visits later, months now, they have finally decided today to surgically go in and fix this mess. Today she went to the doctors office and they told her to go to the hospital for admission, of course she was fussing that she had to much to do, lunches with friends,her work at the local humane society, her animals at home to feed etc. So funny the life of a widow grandmother living in the South. One day that will be me.....lol.
Please help me keep her in your prayers today and this week, she is my only mother of course and I am stuck here at home right now because I have to work this week and have had the shingles of all blasted things to get (caused by stress my doctor says, imagine that). We will keep in touch by phone, but at least I am half way to her when I am at work. She is not worried and we will trust God to get her through this as he is always Good.

What a week, trials and tribulation ..

This week has to be better...

Gaining Strength in trials and tribulations and this week has been such a week here.


I have had the lovely shingles for a week,itching,burning,rash that hurts like the devil on crack.

My hubby has been sick ( driving me nuts) -- he is better now after a trip to the doctor and some wonderful "Phenergan"

My cable and Internet have been off ~~ we are poor this month.

My kids are so spoiled, that not having cable tv or Internet has been a major stressor to them,at least the younger two. I have heard and been texted the words "I'm bored"

It has rained every day almost daily... Ughh.

Count all this little hurdles in the road as joy and keep moving on.....

 

Thanks Eleanor for the positive thought there :)

An Attitude of Gratitude

 

A Dose of Positive Attitude

Shared from Godvine website ~

Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?" Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood... or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim... or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining... or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.

"Yes, it is," Michael said. "Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."

I reflected on what Michael said. Soon thereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.

Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied. "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?" I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon to be born daughter," Michael replied. "Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live... or I could choose to die. I chose to live."

"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.

Michael continued... "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read "He's a dead man. I knew I needed to take action."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael. "She asked if I was allergic to anything. "Yes, I replied." The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, "Gravity." Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead."

"Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. Matthew 6:34 states: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

After all, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Enjoy each day, each breath and mostly... each and every friend.

And remember to start each day with an "attitude of gratitude!"

 

 

Daisy's are for picking or clicking?

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The Krispy Kreme Panini

The Krispy Kreme Panini

Bacon Krispy Kreme Panini, anyone? Today’s the 75th birthday of the South's favorite doughnut, and we came up with lots of fun ways to serve it.  shared from my favorite magazine Southern Living

This article is via the website here by Donna Florio of Southern Living 

What’s, sweet, pillow-y, vanilla-scented, and nearly impossible to resist? (Hint: It’s not a hug from your Grandma.) It’s Winston-Salem’s most renowned confection, the Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut, which turns 75 today. It may well be the South’s hottest 75-year old, and is not afraid to proclaim it on neon signs.

Nestled shoulder-to-shoulder in the distinctive green and white box, glaze so smooth you can almost see yourself in it, Krispy Kreme glazed rounds are the pinnacle of doughnut perfection. The aroma is so seductive that one whiff, and you'll likely be a goner. No wonder Roy Blount, Jr. wrote, “When Krispy Kremes are hot, they are to other doughnuts what angels are to people." 

The thought of doing anything to mar that perfection may seem like sacrilege, but in honor of the big occasion, we felt obliged to put our spin on the classic. Once you taste a Krispy Kreme flattened on a panini press, the sugar glaze all bubbly and caramelized, you may agree that more can indeed be better. 

Watch the Video here , you can almost smell it thru your screen.......ahhhhhh!!!

Our test kitchen started with just a single plain doughnut on the press, cooking it for about 30 seconds. (see the video for a how-to.) It looked like a manhole cover, tasted like heaven. Then we upped the ante to sandwiches of 2 doughnuts with a filling in the middle.

Consider the sky the limit when creating your own. After all, hamburgers with bacon served on Krispy Kreme “buns” are all the rage at football stadiums and state fairs, so who knows what amazing creation you might dream up?

What would you like to see on a Krispy Kreme Panini?

Video and Photos: Gary Clark and Ralph Anderson

Even though my husband love his Dunkin Doughnuts, I am still a Krispy Creme girl and will always be! Thank you Southern Living for a great idea! Going to buy a press now and a box of wonderfulness!

Nature, A Beautiful Force~

This is a touching video that shows you how wonderful our world really is and how much God is really in control. Nature is such a beautiful force and the ebbs and flows that work all in his timing is amazing. Take time today to notice the world around you and say thank you for what you have!

Just Because~~

I saw this little image on Facebook today and it to me says it all, just how I feel most days, or how people seem to treat me. I am a real person, I do have feelings, deep ones that are hurt very easily. I have faced some very large monsters in my 47 years here on earth and slain some nasty dragons literally speaking, so I have a bit of knowledge under my belt. I am not like you and never will be, don't try to change me. My family is happy, we live life a bit different somedays than others, but if we are all happy what does that matter to you, its really none of your business. I don't care how you live your life, if I ask somebody about you, it is only out of shear concern, not nosiness, that is not my style. 
I enjoy helping others, I would not have been a nurse for 25+ years if I did not, so I enjoy making others feel special, needed, loved and appreciated. I just sometimes wish that others thought the same way I did....
Just because....................