Here I am again with an update on my goal for the year. My monthly Random Acts of Kindness.
As I said in my January post, it's pretty easy to reach a goal of one random act of kindness a month. Especially if you look at all of the little things that you do. This is a summary of some of the kind things that I have done this month.
Carpooled children for friend who was ill
Gave change to person in front of me (they didn't have exact change)
Brought (homemade) extra baked goods for ice cream social
Took friend to lunch for her birthday
Hold door open for someone
Say hello to everyone I meet (especially when walking in the morning)
Worked shift for coworker
*Bella and I picked some flowers to give to her teacher. She wrote a Thank you note letting her teacher know how much she learned this year (and that she had a lot of fun)
How did your list for Random Acts of Kindness look this month?
Looking for ideas for Random Acts of Kindness? Check out this post here.
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Monday, May 25, 2015
My Sick Post
Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been out sick. My children have been really good and very helpful during this time. I'm afraid they are plotting something for me when I am feeling better.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
RIP Ghetto Van
This is not how I wanted it to end.
I expected to drive off into the sunset in my van with the credits rolling.
Apparently that wasn't in the cards for us.
We were on the expressway returning home from Spring Break when the van decided to draw it's last breath.
sigh.
An hour and a half waiting for roadside assistance, pouring rain, thunder, Pippen freaking out in the back of the van, towing the van to the garage, Pippen in the van while it is being towed, and then hearing those dreaded words.
It's dead.
sigh.
We were 400 miles from home with a dead car. Our choices?
a) Rent a trailer and haul the van back home.
b) Fix the van (new engine and who knows what else)
c)sell the van for scrap and rent a car to get home
You have to understand, RT and I like to analyze EVERYTHING when making a decision. We aren't ones to just jump in and do something. We have to break it down, piece by piece and figure out what is best for us. Unfortunately, it's a major process for us and takes us hours, days, weeks, months, even years to complete. So, just imagine us having to make a major life changing decision right now and live with the consequences.
Luckily, we had out sense of humor. I think we laughed through a lot of the day. It's one of those moments in life that we will look back on and laugh. (I think?)
Pippen was very confused and scared while all of this was happening. We will never know what happened to him in the van while it was being towed. He was very clingy and was happy to be out of the van. He spent a lot of the time in the shop's office under a table. Poor puppy.
As the end and our final parting drew near, the powers that be were not working along with us. RT and I were quickly cleaning out the van and shoving all of our personal belongings into a small 4 door sedan while it was pouring rain. At that moment, I felt like I was homeless and I was trying to save everything I own. And then that feeling turned to "things don't matter to me." I made sure I grabbed everything, but, I didn't feel emotionally attached to anything. They were all just "things." That feeling didn't last long when I realized the van wouldn't release my Johnny Cash CD.
Ugh. Kick me when I'm down.
I realized at this point that my life mirrors a country western song.
"My car died in Dry Ridge, Kentucky."
Or even better, the words to "Gambler."
You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
There is an upside. We did make it home safely. We have our health and each other. We can always get another car. Of course, nothing can take the place of the ghetto van. All of these things are replaceable.
sigh.
But......Johnny Cash.....
I expected to drive off into the sunset in my van with the credits rolling.
Apparently that wasn't in the cards for us.
We were on the expressway returning home from Spring Break when the van decided to draw it's last breath.
sigh.
An hour and a half waiting for roadside assistance, pouring rain, thunder, Pippen freaking out in the back of the van, towing the van to the garage, Pippen in the van while it is being towed, and then hearing those dreaded words.
It's dead.
sigh.
We were 400 miles from home with a dead car. Our choices?
a) Rent a trailer and haul the van back home.
b) Fix the van (new engine and who knows what else)
c)sell the van for scrap and rent a car to get home
You have to understand, RT and I like to analyze EVERYTHING when making a decision. We aren't ones to just jump in and do something. We have to break it down, piece by piece and figure out what is best for us. Unfortunately, it's a major process for us and takes us hours, days, weeks, months, even years to complete. So, just imagine us having to make a major life changing decision right now and live with the consequences.
Luckily, we had out sense of humor. I think we laughed through a lot of the day. It's one of those moments in life that we will look back on and laugh. (I think?)
Pippen was very confused and scared while all of this was happening. We will never know what happened to him in the van while it was being towed. He was very clingy and was happy to be out of the van. He spent a lot of the time in the shop's office under a table. Poor puppy.
my last picture
As the end and our final parting drew near, the powers that be were not working along with us. RT and I were quickly cleaning out the van and shoving all of our personal belongings into a small 4 door sedan while it was pouring rain. At that moment, I felt like I was homeless and I was trying to save everything I own. And then that feeling turned to "things don't matter to me." I made sure I grabbed everything, but, I didn't feel emotionally attached to anything. They were all just "things." That feeling didn't last long when I realized the van wouldn't release my Johnny Cash CD.
Ugh. Kick me when I'm down.
I realized at this point that my life mirrors a country western song.
"My car died in Dry Ridge, Kentucky."
Or even better, the words to "Gambler."
You got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
There is an upside. We did make it home safely. We have our health and each other. We can always get another car. Of course, nothing can take the place of the ghetto van. All of these things are replaceable.
sigh.
But......Johnny Cash.....
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
The Swim Goggles
I guess I forgot to write about this one. This happened last summer when we were in Michigan.
We decided to have a beach day.
Beach + Michigan = love.
I don't know about you, but, I like hanging at the beach. I find it so relaxing. Digging in the sand, going into the (icy) water*, walking along the beach, playing catch or Frisbee, or just hanging out and relaxing.
*actually, I'm the big baby and won't go that deep in the water because of the freezing temperatures
RT decided he needed some new swim goggles for our trip. He used them quite a bit at the pool and brought them on our beach day. Bella and RT used their goggles and pretended they were snorkeling We had snorkeling gear too. Snorkeling gear in the Midwest, yea, we're a little strange that way. Time went by and we decided to go climb a sand dune. We took anything of value and left the rest of our stuff on the beach with our blanket, chairs and umbrella. We were gone for quite awhile. By the way, hot sand and bare feet don't go well together.
We returned to our beach site, drank some water and tried to undo the burn damage on the bottom of our feet. All of a sudden, RT says,
"Somebody stole my swim goggles!"
I was kind of shocked. I mean, who goes around to other people's blankets on the beach and rummages through their stuff? And, why, if anything did they take RT's swim goggles? (RT would say "because they are real good swim goggles.")
I decided to do a little looking my self and found his goggles in a few minutes.
Since that day, we tease him when he says he can't find something.
RT: I can't find my keys.
Me: "Somebody stole your keys!"
I don't think he appreciates it but, he's a good sport about the teasing.
*see "RT Loses his Phone" for more on RT's ability to keep track of his stuff.
We decided to have a beach day.
Beach + Michigan = love.
I don't know about you, but, I like hanging at the beach. I find it so relaxing. Digging in the sand, going into the (icy) water*, walking along the beach, playing catch or Frisbee, or just hanging out and relaxing.
*actually, I'm the big baby and won't go that deep in the water because of the freezing temperatures
RT decided he needed some new swim goggles for our trip. He used them quite a bit at the pool and brought them on our beach day. Bella and RT used their goggles and pretended they were snorkeling We had snorkeling gear too. Snorkeling gear in the Midwest, yea, we're a little strange that way. Time went by and we decided to go climb a sand dune. We took anything of value and left the rest of our stuff on the beach with our blanket, chairs and umbrella. We were gone for quite awhile. By the way, hot sand and bare feet don't go well together.
We returned to our beach site, drank some water and tried to undo the burn damage on the bottom of our feet. All of a sudden, RT says,
"Somebody stole my swim goggles!"
I was kind of shocked. I mean, who goes around to other people's blankets on the beach and rummages through their stuff? And, why, if anything did they take RT's swim goggles? (RT would say "because they are real good swim goggles.")
I decided to do a little looking my self and found his goggles in a few minutes.
Since that day, we tease him when he says he can't find something.
RT: I can't find my keys.
Me: "Somebody stole your keys!"
I don't think he appreciates it but, he's a good sport about the teasing.
*see "RT Loses his Phone" for more on RT's ability to keep track of his stuff.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Happy Mothers Day
Sorry I'm a little late posting this one. I was busy having fun. :)
I got to start my day off with a nice long walk. I had the best company on my walk, too. I felt pretty special that Bella decided to join me and didn't complain about how far we walked.
My day continued with a hug from Alex. I kind of just went in and stole the hug. He's the snugly one.
Nick wished me a Happy Mother's Day with a big hug and a ride in his car. He said to grab my license because he would let me drive. I told him to drive first and I would drive on the way back. We drove for a while and I got to talk to Nick. As we started heading back, he decided to floor it and commented on the trail of dust behind the car. I noticed that some of the smoke was coming from the hood of his car and at the light we smelled anti-freeze. We pulled over at the forest preserve, popped the hood and waited. He added some more coolant and it was just draining through. (This is a problem he knew he had but had put off fixing) He needed water so he said, "It's time for our Mother's Day walk." Luckily there was a water pump not too far. We got in and made a go of it. We didn't get too far and decided not to risk it. So, there we were at the park, waiting for the tow truck. I like to think of it as my "Mother's Day Adventure." I loved the extra time I got to spend talking with him.
Nick was able to fix the car himself and it is drivable.
The family has now decided that I should just walk everywhere since I am a jinx when it comes to cars.
I got to start my day off with a nice long walk. I had the best company on my walk, too. I felt pretty special that Bella decided to join me and didn't complain about how far we walked.
My day continued with a hug from Alex. I kind of just went in and stole the hug. He's the snugly one.
Nick wished me a Happy Mother's Day with a big hug and a ride in his car. He said to grab my license because he would let me drive. I told him to drive first and I would drive on the way back. We drove for a while and I got to talk to Nick. As we started heading back, he decided to floor it and commented on the trail of dust behind the car. I noticed that some of the smoke was coming from the hood of his car and at the light we smelled anti-freeze. We pulled over at the forest preserve, popped the hood and waited. He added some more coolant and it was just draining through. (This is a problem he knew he had but had put off fixing) He needed water so he said, "It's time for our Mother's Day walk." Luckily there was a water pump not too far. We got in and made a go of it. We didn't get too far and decided not to risk it. So, there we were at the park, waiting for the tow truck. I like to think of it as my "Mother's Day Adventure." I loved the extra time I got to spend talking with him.
Nick was able to fix the car himself and it is drivable.
The family has now decided that I should just walk everywhere since I am a jinx when it comes to cars.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Vegetarian Diaries: Ratatouille Recipe
I haven't done a Vegetarian Diaries post in awhile and thought I would write about my favorite dinner (and favorite chef).
Nick took a cooking class his last semester in High School. The class was called Senior Foods. When I first heard the name, I thought it was a class about what senior (citizens) eat. Not exactly something I expected him to take. He could just go visit his grandparents during meal times and figure that out, right? At parent orientation night, I got to hear the teacher describe the class and tell us about all of the yummy recipes they were going to make over the semester. I have to admit, I was pretty jealous.
I feel that all kids need to know some basics in cooking, especially boys. I started them off with making spaghetti. They learned how to boil water and warm up a jar of pasta sauce. I figure if they can do this, they can feed themselves (or make their wife dinner once in awhile). I know what you're thinking. "A jar of spaghetti sauce?" I believe they have to start somewhere. As time goes on, they learned to add things to the jar of sauce. Give them more time and they learned to make their own sauce.
One night, Nick was hanging around in the kitchen with me while I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. He saw that I had an eggplant and said, "Why don't you make Ratatouille?" I said that I didn't know how to make it. That's when the fun began. Nick started chopping and sautéing and in minutes I had a delicious bowl of Ratatouille sitting in front of me. Hands down, the best meal ever. And, to top it off, made by my favorite chef. :)
I tried recreating what Nick did (I was watching, but, not writing anything down). When that didn't turn out, I decided to search online and I found this recipe here on Food.com. You will find that it's pretty easy and it's really delicious!
Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
6 mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/3 cup red wine
2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Maybe you have your own favorite chef to make this for you? If not, give it a try. It's a simple recipe and it's worth it!
Nick took a cooking class his last semester in High School. The class was called Senior Foods. When I first heard the name, I thought it was a class about what senior (citizens) eat. Not exactly something I expected him to take. He could just go visit his grandparents during meal times and figure that out, right? At parent orientation night, I got to hear the teacher describe the class and tell us about all of the yummy recipes they were going to make over the semester. I have to admit, I was pretty jealous.
I feel that all kids need to know some basics in cooking, especially boys. I started them off with making spaghetti. They learned how to boil water and warm up a jar of pasta sauce. I figure if they can do this, they can feed themselves (or make their wife dinner once in awhile). I know what you're thinking. "A jar of spaghetti sauce?" I believe they have to start somewhere. As time goes on, they learned to add things to the jar of sauce. Give them more time and they learned to make their own sauce.
One night, Nick was hanging around in the kitchen with me while I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. He saw that I had an eggplant and said, "Why don't you make Ratatouille?" I said that I didn't know how to make it. That's when the fun began. Nick started chopping and sautéing and in minutes I had a delicious bowl of Ratatouille sitting in front of me. Hands down, the best meal ever. And, to top it off, made by my favorite chef. :)
I tried recreating what Nick did (I was watching, but, not writing anything down). When that didn't turn out, I decided to search online and I found this recipe here on Food.com. You will find that it's pretty easy and it's really delicious!
Ratatouille
Ingredients:
5 Tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
6 mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/3 cup red wine
2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
- In a large pot heat oil. Add garlic, onion, bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms. Saute, uncovered, until vegetables are softened. About 10minutes.
- Add oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add wine and bring to boil.
- Add tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 30-40minutes.
- Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Maybe you have your own favorite chef to make this for you? If not, give it a try. It's a simple recipe and it's worth it!
Enjoy!
Monday, May 4, 2015
The Loud Sneeze
There are all kinds of sneezers in this world. Loud sneezers, soft/quiet sneezers, multiple sneezers, short sneezers, staccato sneezers and long sneezers.
I guess sneezing isn't something that you go around thinking about, unless, of course, your family members complain about your sneezing ability.
Here it goes:
Hi. I'm Fontaine and I'm a Loud Sneezer.
I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I like to blame it on heredity. I have tried to tone down my sneezes, but feel much better after a full blown, break every one's eardrums sneeze. I have taken to warning those around me that I am about to sneezeand that they should take cover.
I do need to mention that I am courteous and do cover my sneezes. I don't just sneeze openly into the air.
I can see RT shaking his head saying, "That's not the problem. It's the ear shattering sneezes that seem to give everyone a heart attack in a 50 mile radius."
My kids joke that if they heard a loud sneeze they would know it was from me. (Hey, it's good that they can identify me by a sneeze, right?)
Growing up, I remember my Dad and his loud sneezes. His sneezes could be heard anywhere in the house. I guess that must have rubbed off on me because apparently my sneezes seem to shake the entire house.
I found this article that explains the different types of sneezes. Apparently, I am the "Shout it Out Sneezer." A sneeze so loud that "it can be heard in the next state." Um.....yea, that's me. :)
I don't plan on adjusting my sneezes and I will continue warning those around me to cover their ears. I'm just happy to find out that there is a name for all of this and that there might be others out there just like me.
What kind of sneezer are you?
I guess sneezing isn't something that you go around thinking about, unless, of course, your family members complain about your sneezing ability.
Here it goes:
Hi. I'm Fontaine and I'm a Loud Sneezer.
I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I like to blame it on heredity. I have tried to tone down my sneezes, but feel much better after a full blown, break every one's eardrums sneeze. I have taken to warning those around me that I am about to sneeze
I do need to mention that I am courteous and do cover my sneezes. I don't just sneeze openly into the air.
I can see RT shaking his head saying, "That's not the problem. It's the ear shattering sneezes that seem to give everyone a heart attack in a 50 mile radius."
My kids joke that if they heard a loud sneeze they would know it was from me. (Hey, it's good that they can identify me by a sneeze, right?)
Growing up, I remember my Dad and his loud sneezes. His sneezes could be heard anywhere in the house. I guess that must have rubbed off on me because apparently my sneezes seem to shake the entire house.
I found this article that explains the different types of sneezes. Apparently, I am the "Shout it Out Sneezer." A sneeze so loud that "it can be heard in the next state." Um.....yea, that's me. :)
I don't plan on adjusting my sneezes and I will continue warning those around me to cover their ears. I'm just happy to find out that there is a name for all of this and that there might be others out there just like me.
What kind of sneezer are you?
Friday, May 1, 2015
Quick and Easy French Bread
I love bread. I especially love bread that's really easy to make.
Bread? Easy to make?
I didn't believe it either until I found this recipe here. It seemed too good to be true. I had to make this bread and see if this was really that easy, and, more importantly, tasty. She has a tutorial and some nice pictures. Check it out!
Here is the recipe:
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Active Dry Yeast (two packets)
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups of flour
Combine the water, honey, salt and yeast in a bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until there’s some bubbling, foam stuff on the top. (also known as proof)
Next, add flour. You want the dough to be sticking to itself, not your fingers. Keep adding flour and kneading until that happens.
Form the dough into a loaf shape. Cover with a towel and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Set the oven to 425 degrees.
After 15 minutes, cut slits in the top and bake for 16-20 minutes
I made this with a nice pot of soup. It went quite well together and disappeared by the end of the meal. I hope you give it a try!
Bread? Easy to make?
I didn't believe it either until I found this recipe here. It seemed too good to be true. I had to make this bread and see if this was really that easy, and, more importantly, tasty. She has a tutorial and some nice pictures. Check it out!
Here is the recipe:
Easy French Bread
1 1/2 cups of warm water
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons of Active Dry Yeast (two packets)
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 cups of flour
Combine the water, honey, salt and yeast in a bowl. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until there’s some bubbling, foam stuff on the top. (also known as proof)
Next, add flour. You want the dough to be sticking to itself, not your fingers. Keep adding flour and kneading until that happens.
Form the dough into a loaf shape. Cover with a towel and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
Set the oven to 425 degrees.
After 15 minutes, cut slits in the top and bake for 16-20 minutes
I made this with a nice pot of soup. It went quite well together and disappeared by the end of the meal. I hope you give it a try!
Enjoy!
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