Hello Kitty Pedicure

Children Learn What They Live

By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Felt Friendship Bracelets

I loved making friendship bracelets out of embroidery thread and yarn when I was younger.  The girls and I made felt friendship bracelets the other day.  It was really easy and so much fun.  Chloe and Calista kept two apiece, and we gave two to their friends. 

Fill in the Blank Friday

1.       When I wake-up in the morning the first thing I do is: whine about the weather to my pillow (on the days where I’m not met with sunshine, which is most days) and quickly brush my teeth and hair and wash my face.  If I don’t do it before I get the girls, it may not happen. 

2.       I can hardly wait for: my trip to Korea, with the girls, this summer.  I haven’t been on a plane since February 2008.  I travelled like quite a bit in my early to mid twenties, and I’m dying for an adventure. 

3.       The quickest way to my heart is: through my daughters, because they warm my heart every day. 

4.       A little fact about me is that: I’m heading off to my first trapeze class in an hour.  Keep your fingers crossed that I don’t end up in the hospital. 

5.       The best part of my job is: the flexibility.  Freelance writing allows me to work around my schedule.  These days 99% of my time is spent working as a SAHM.  It’s a blessing to be able to spend each and every day with Chloe and Calista.  I also look forward to teaching again at some point.  The University of Arizona South campus is in our new town, but I’m not sure if I’ll be ready to go back to teaching yet.  I like the idea of waiting until our youngest is in 1^st grade and then working around her (or his if that happens at some point) schedule. 

6.       Something I couldn’t live without (materialist): would have to be my Ergo.  I love being able to wear Calista and hold Chloe’s hand everywhere we go.  It brings a bit of simplicity to our outings. 

7.       Something useful that I wish I knew how to do: would be carpentry or sewing. 

Breakfast Wreath

I’ve seen a few breakfast wreaths on Pinterest, and I decided to mix and match recipes to create something our whole family would enjoy.   
Ingredients:
1 can of 8 Count Crescent Rolls (we use reduced fat)
5 large eggs
Shredded Swiss Cheese (I used a thin layer, you can use more if you’re serving this to big cheese fans)
8 Slices of Cooked Vegetarian Bacon (you can use the real thing if that’s your style)
Minced Garlic


Preheat oven to 375F.
Scramble your eggs.
Lay out crescents on a cookie sheet.
Add your cooked "bacon".
Add a layer of Swiss.
Add your eggs.
Fold crescents over.
Top with minced garlic.
Bake for 16 minutes or until crescents are golden brown.
Serve Hot

Crayon Eggs

I’ve been collecting restaurant crayons for about six months, and I had enough to make half a dozen large crayon eggs for the girls’ Easter baskets, last week.  Next time, I’m going to buy a box of pastel or neon crayons to use as well, as restaurant crayons are usually darker colors.  It’s a really simple and fun craft for the holidays.  As for baking the crayons, you’ll need to preheat your over to 250F, and you’ll need to keep an eye on your oven as bake times vary due to size. 

Allen Shawn

"A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. I prefer to think that the planet needs athletes, philosophers, sex symbols, painters, scientists; it needs the warmhearted, the hardhearted, the coldhearted, and the weakhearted. It needs those who can devote their lives to studying how many droplets of water are secreted by the salivary glands of dogs under which circumstances, and it needs those who can capture the passing impression of cherry blossoms in a fourteen-syllable poem or devote twenty-five pages to the dissection of a small boy’s feelings as he lies in bed in the dark waiting for his mother to kiss him goodnight.… Indeed the presence of outstanding strengths presupposes that energy needed in other areas has been channeled away from them."