Monday, April 28, 2008

Oh, Sugar, Sugar

I wish this was about a sweet post filled with sugar and spice and everything nice, but it isn't.

Read Shaun Grove's entry about the sugar industry and life in the Dominican Republic and Compassion International.

Read about a girl named Nancy (what a great name!) and her plans to sweeten her world.

Join Compassion International in helping other kids have a sweeter life.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Offer Hope Against A Killer

In 2700 BCE, according to a Chinese Emperor, malaria was a killer.

On November 6, 1880, a French dude discovered the malaria parasite.
He won the Nobel Prize in 1907 for this information.

On August 20, 1897, a British guy found that mosquitoes were transmitting malaria.
He won the Nobel Prize in 1902 for his discovery.

In 1951, malaria was considered eradicated from the United States.

In 1955 through 1978 a worldwide malaria eradication campaign took place.

Sub-Saharan Africa was excluded from this program.

In 2008 malaria is still a killer.

Each year 350-500 million cases of malaria occur worldwide, and over one million people die, most of them young children in sub-Saharan Africa.
(Source: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/)

More than 750,000 children in Africa die of malaria each year.

How can I offer hope to a child threatened by malaria?

A gift to Compassion's Malaria Intervention Fund will help Compassion-assisted children and their families receive the resources they so desperately need to fight this deadly disease, including:

•mosquito nets to protect children from mosquito bites
•malaria prevention education
•access to malaria medical treatment for those struggling with the disease

A little goes a long way:
•$30 will provide three mosquito bed nets.
•$50 will provide five mosquito bed nets.
•$100 will provide 10 mosquito bed nets.

One gift will save a life.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Bees In My Bonnet

We have bees. In our attic. We don't want bees in our attic.

When we had squirrels in our attic we played Boston full blast.

Squirrels don't like Boston played full blast.

I wonder if that will work on bees.

Or, maybe we should get an umbrella and walk around saying, "Tut Tut, it looks like rain."

Did that work for Pooh?

Saturday, April 19, 2008

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

If you have a teenager you have probably had a conversation like this...

Me, as I walk into the kitchen: What'cha doing?

Clay: I'm making me something to eat 'cause there's no food in this house!

Me: So how are you making something to eat if there's no food?

Clay: EXACTLY! I have to make something 'cause there's no food!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

We Have A Winner -- Meatloaf

Dinner got 12 thumbs up tonight which is probably a miracle seeing that it was meatloaf. I don't like meatloaf, but I actually enjoyed this one.

To make this magical meatloaf you need the following ingredients. Oh, and remember I cook for six. Here goes:

1 lb. ground chicken
1 lb. ground turkey
1 average yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small zucchini, finely chopped (to hide from the non-veggie eaters)
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
24 ounces Three Cheese Pasta Sauce
4 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
Dabble of Olive Oil

Saute onion, zucchini, spices in olive oil
Mix together chicken, turkey, pasta sauce, bread crumbs and 2 cups of cheese
Add seasoned veggies and mix well
Take half of mixture and pat into bottom of your baking dish of choice
Spread on remaining 2 cups of cheese
Top with other half of mixture
Seal the edges
Bake at 350f for at least one hour and 15 minutes

I didn't say it was a healthy meatloaf, just a tasty meatloaf. I actually didn't think that was possible.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Cancer

Last Friday my dad was diagnosed with cancer . All that keeps going through my head is that I didn't want my kids to have this in their medical history. Other than that I'm numb.

Even though I've known since Saturday, I wasn't officially told until today, so I didn't feel right about blogging my thoughts until now.

...it seems like those closest to understanding the Kingdom of God are those that go unnoticed, unappreciated, and unapplauded

Aaron Ivey has posted a great blog today. And his photos are so crisp and clear. I find them captivating.

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Bedtime Ritual

My 14 year old and I have a bedtime ritual.

She comes to me and says, "Goodnight Mom."
We hug.
I pray.
She kisses my cheek.
I kiss her forehead.
And then she shakes my hand.

We've had this ritual for less than 5 years.
Her first ten years were spent in a Chinese orphanage.
We like our ritual.

What is your bedtime ritual?

Thursday, April 3, 2008

If you can fit into my jeans I'll kill myself...

This morning I pulled on a pair of jeans that should have fit fine. They are the same size as others that I wear.

I think I cracked a rib.

Then my husband added insult to injury. He told me he had put on a pair of my jeans by mistake. I looked at him in horror. All I could think of was Sandra Bullock's line in my favorite movie While You Were Sleeping,
"If you can fit into my jeans I'll kill myself."

He said he couldn't button them.

Thank goodness.

But I was hoping he would say he couldn't get them past his knees.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

I'm a Great, Great Aunt!

I didn't even know I was a great aunt, but my 10 year old niece has announced that she is a grandmother. I know! It's a miracle!

Her horse, Buttercup, had a foal. No one knew she was expecting. Well, I guess Buttercup knew. She just didn't tell anyone.

Shelby is SO excited about being a grandmother. My mom won't admit to being a great, great grandmother. She doesn't like animals. She did buy one of my dogs a gourmet treat once. I think heat stroke or shopping fatigue or something like that was involved 'cause she really doesn't like animals.

But anyway, Buttercup is the proud mother of Buttermilk and has been lovingly sharing her new baby with Shelby. She doesn't mind Shelby's petting and playing with Buttermilk.

I didn't realize I was old enough to be a great, great aunt. My sister was shocked to find she was a great grandmother. But, we are all taking it in stride. Except for the great, great grandmother.

No pictures yet of Buttermilk, but I've been told she is a real beauty.