Monthly Random Acts of Kindness - August

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.

Helped break up fight between two boys at pool at top of slides*
Gave away some produce from my garden
let people ahead of me in line
Greeting people on the paths during my walks

*The mom actually thanked me.  Turns out the boys were brothers.  I was just trying to prevent one of them from falling and cracking his head open.

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.

Social Media - Putting it all out there

I noticed the growing trend of putting your entire life on social media.

--------wait....isn't that what this blog is..?  Me?  Talking about my scary life and everyone can read about it?

Yes.  Blogs are part of this, but, I will expand on blogs next time.
And, I (hope) I don't bore you with stories of my life?  I'm hoping you can relate to the story (or just laugh about all of the scary things that happen to me).

Well, what I'm referring to is the everyday life.  The every minute of every day of your life.  Every.  Single.  Detail.

I'm sure you've seen it, especially if you are on any type of social media.

"Woke up at 6am to the birds chirping."
"Eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast and watching TV"
"Just checking in at ________ Restaurant."
"Watching a baseball game."
"Watching reality TV."
"Watching paint dry."

Oh, and my favorite:

"Doing a load of laundry."

And, don't forget the pictures.

"Just had surgery" followed by a picture of a swollen body area that is all sorts of colors and covered in stitches and dried blood.

Or,

"Twisted my ankle" goes along with a picture of a swollen foot turning purple/green/blue/black and that is in desperate need of a pedicure.

To those people I would like to say, spare us the photos.  We believe you when you say that your surgery went bad and you are developing a weird infection around the incision.  Trust me.  I don't need to see it to believe it!

I won't say much about the loving tributes.  Especially the ones that make it sound like the other person will actually read it.  Never mind that they are celebrating their first birthday, they might have their own Face book page and will read it before they, um....... take a nap?

It's fun to see updates of what people are doing.  I know there are a few people I'm interested in seeing (some) of their daily activities.  (Note the "some" details)

So, the rest of you?  Try to keep it to a minimum.  We don't want to know about your bathroom trips, shower schedule or see the photo of your hang nail.

Thanks.

The Top Ten Reasons I can't find another job

I have a job, but would like to have one where I could be home when my children are home.

I love my job.  I love the new toys we get in and I love showing them to customers.  It's a fun job.

The problem?

The hours.  I have to find someone to watch Bella while I'm at work.  With school back in session and the kids in more activities, it's getting difficult to pull this off, so....I have decided to try and look for another job.  One that has me work while Bella is in school and be home when she gets home.  Yea, the perfect Mom job.

The problem?

Finding time to fill out applications for jobs.

Which leads me to my:

Top Ten Reasons I Can't Find Another Job

10.  I'm currently at my job and do not have access to a computer to fill out an application.

9.  I'm off work but have to run the billion errands that need to be done today.

8.  I'm at work again.

7.  I'm busy shuffling kids around from activity to activity.

6.  The kids are home and in need of my driving skills.

5.  I'm at work again.

4.  The school called to come pick up my child because he/she is sick.  They need to be taken to the doctor.

3.  The kids are home and in need of picking my brain until I am brain dead.

2.  I'm at work again.

and the number one reason I can't find another job....


1.  Kids.

Car Comfort

It's interesting how in car commercials they show a family driving on the expressway in a nice car.  The family is all smiles.  The car is packed like they are going on vacation.  Everyone is happy and comfortable sitting in the car.  There is plenty of room around them while sitting inside the car.  They get to their destination, open the trunk to get their luggage out and there is all of this space back there.  When they get out of the car after the long drive, they don't have to stretch their legs or back.  They don't have leg or butt cramps.

I bring this up because we just got back from a road trip.  There were four of us in the car.  We packed light.  The trunk was full.  We even had items inside the car with us.  Sitting in the back seat was just OK.  I had a hard time getting comfortable (could be that I can't stand being in the car on long trips).  I felt like I was folded inside the back seat.  OK, that might be because my husband is REAL tall and requires A LOT of leg room, so the driver seat is so far back it is in the back seat.  (Bella has to sit behind him).  And my growing teenager needed leg room so his seat was back, also.  My right knee may never be the same.

We didn't have that whole happy thing going on.  When we got out of the car, we all had to unfold our bodies and stretch a little.

Who are the car companies fooling?

Does anyone else have this problem on family road trips?

Maybe I just need a specially designed car for TALL people.

The Famous Pizza Pasta Salad

I have to admit, I can make only one pasta salad.  My kids absolutely love this pasta salad.  They would eat it every day if they could (If I would make it every day).  I’ve thought about trying to make other pasta salads but my kids tell me that I have perfected the pasta salad with this recipe and that no other pasta salad can compare.

I’m thinking that is the ultimate compliment.

Here's the recipe.  Not sure where I got this one.  Now you can make it and be the best pasta salad maker ever.  

Pizza Pasta Salad

Ingredients

I pound spiral macaroni, cooked and drained

3 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 pound cheddar cheese, cubed*

1 to 2 bunches of green onions, sliced

3 oz sliced pepperoni

1/3 cup black olives

3/4 cup olive oil

2/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp pepper

In large bowl, combine macaroni, tomatoes, cheese, green onions and pepperoni and black olives.

In small bowl, combine oil, Parmesan cheese, vinegar and seasonings and pour over macaroni mixture.

Cover and refrigerate for four hours.

*I have used shredded cheddar cheese

**You can make this vegetarian by eliminating the pepperoni.  I have done this and my kids don’t mind it at all.  

I try to make this every so often.  The last time I made this, apparently I didn’t make enough.   Someone complained that they didn’t get enough to eat.*

*translation:  someone beat them to the breakfast serving of pasta salad…they were left with an empty container

If you try making the pasta salad, let me know what you think!  

Enjoy!

Vacation with a Teenager

Wanting to get out early in the morning to see the sights but your teenager wants to sleep in until noon.

Vacation with a Teenager

Refusing to put any dirty clothes in the dirty clothes bag because, "they aren't dirty."

And then......

Getting ready in the morning and smelling his clothes to see what is clean.