Monday, February 28, 2011

Monkey Bread

Have you ever had Monkey Bread? It is the best. Lots of carmel and pecans all over it. Warm out of the oven and then pour the sauce over it and dig in. Makes you hungry just thinking about it. I don't get to have things like this much as I watch my intake of sweets but some things are hard to resist.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Kids Go Back To School

Kids Going Back to School: It's All About Preparation and Patience

Post contributed by Leonard Phelps

Usually I'm quite happy to send the kids back to school after a school break, but I enjoyed the winter break this year quite a bit. We went to the mountains for Christmas, enjoyed playing games and sleeping in, and just generally had a good time.

But all good things must come to an end, and today they returned (blurry eyed and sleepy) to school. I find that being prepared and having patience go far in making the return uneventful and calm.

First, we make sure the kids have their backpacks out and that they are filled with all the essentials. While we aren't this organized on a day-to-day basis, I find that preparing the night before when returning after a break is essential.

Second, I wake the kids up just a bit earlier than normal. They can be cranky and it can require some patience to stand there and wait until they realize they have to head to school.

Third, we prepare the house. It might be empty for the first time in weeks during the day, so I set the Adt home security alarm before we leave the house, make sure the dog is settled at home and put a meal in the slow cooker for dinner. Making sure the home is settled before leaving ensures that we all return to a happy home at night.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Rescue Dogs

I think it is a pretty sad situation when people just abandon their pets because they feel they can't afford to feed them anymore. In California, many dogs have been abandoned and left to fend for themselves. A charity organization in Canada has taken on the project of bringing these poor dogs back to Canada and furnishing them with dog jackets. I think that is a very fine thing that they are doing. They have added a store to their website and all the profits for dog jackets go to help them provide flights to California to rescue these dogs. Then they find good loving owners who will take care of them in Canada. I know the dogs can be kept warm with these fine dog jackets. It is good to see the humanitarian work these folks are doing.