Style Me Bloggers: Random Acts of Kindness

You see it on bumper stickers: Practice Random Acts of Kindness. You hear the heartwarming stories on social media. It can also be called Pay It Forward, presumably from the movie of the same name.

My brother and his sweet family performed RAKs over Christmas time. They left a little note with a candy cane on people's cars or in their mailbox. They also left gifts at people's houses without saying it was from them. In fact, another friend and I received a cryptic text from a friend saying, "I know it was one of you!" The friend informed her that it was not us but she knew who it was and she wasn't telling. My brother and his wife want their children to get into the spirit of giving at Christmas and not just receiving.

Our pastor shared a story of a parishioner who paid for the car in line behind them in the drive through line at a local fast food restaurant. She drove off and didn't think anything of it. The next day, she had to return to that restaurant and the gal in the drive through window recognized the lady as the one who had performed the random act of kindness the day before  and was excited to share with her what had happened after that. The car that she had paid for had paid for the car behind them, and that car had paid for the car behind them and that continued for a full 40 minutes! This story brings to mind the song "It only takes a spark to get a fire going..."

Since hearing that story I have been inspired me to pay for the person behind me in a drive through line. Once I paid for a policeman in line behind me at Chik-fil-a, and more recently it was at Starbucks. The one at Starbucks was *really* random. The gal at the check out window had misunderstood my husband's order. She gave my husband a wrong drink. When she realized what she had done, she gave him the right drink but then in another misunderstanding she charged him for our drink and the car behind us. When she realized her mistake (the second time) she was really mortified. We just let it go and happily paid for the car behind us and were very pleasant to the cashier. She clearly was having a bad day!

One thing that I appreciate a lot is when someone lets me out in traffic. I know it's a southern thing and it happens a lot down here, but when I travel to other cities where that's not the norm, it reminds me to be thankful for those little things. Or lets me get in line in front of them at the grocery store when I only have one or two items and they have a cart-full. I've done it myself for other people. It really doesn't take much to put a smile on people's faces.

It just so happens that next week is Random Acts of Kindness Week, an annual seven-day celebration of kindness. On the surface, it’s a week dedicated to performing simple acts of kindness. But really? It’s an opportunity to make kindness the norm instead of the exception. Take a step out of your routine or your comfort zone to perform a new random act of kindness each day. Why? Well, Scientific studies show that performing acts of kindness actually improve health and life satisfaction. They increase energy, optimism, self-worth and our sense of belonging and connection in the world. PLUS they decrease anxiety, depression and blood pressure. But really, Jesus tells us that "it is more blessed to give than to receive."

If you decide to participate in this positive movement, you can post  your act of kindness on social media using #RAKWeek2015. If you need ideas, check out the graphic below for 10 simple ideas of things you can do to spread good cheer.

And then check out the Style Me Bloggers to see what kinds of RAK deeds they've performed to get more ideas!

Shoes to Shiraz | Two Teens and their Mama | A Lovely Little Wardrobe | R Squared 

Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy | Family Love Inspiration Education  

The Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life | The Blondissima | Positively Learning | Quilty Joy Joy

 Daily Style Finds | Sheila's Potpourri | Puppies and Pretties | She thought She Could 
 Foxy's Domestic Side | Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After | Sprinkled Just Right

Being a mom...

Being a mom means that when your son needs you, you go! Even if he's 19 and lives an hour and a half away, because when he needs surgery, he still needs his mommy!

Thomas broke his finger in early November at the Florida-Georgia football game. He actually broke it at the tailgating picnic when he hopped out of a friend's pick up truck. Initially we just thought he had hyper-extended it but an x-ray showed that he had, indeed, fractured it. The x-ray also revealed a bone cyst which we were assured was nothing to worry about.

After six weeks, the finger had not healed so the doctor ordered an MRI which showed that there was some sort of growth. He suspected a giant cell sarcoma (I think that's the name). This doctor referred Thomas to his colleague, a specialist. When the new doctor took a look at the MRI, he ordered the surgery for the next day! Yikes! So this mamma tries not to panic, clears her schedule, packs up and heads south.

At check in, the lady behind the desk, whose name is Sheila (good sign?), gives us some information and then we wait a short time for our name to be called. The nurse hands Thomas a disposable gown and he is ridiculously excited to wear a backless gown. Like giddy. (What?)

In pre-op, Thomas is cracking jokes with the nurses and doctors. I'm glad I'm laughing rather than crying. I'm trying to be strong. I'm not *really* worried, but the "what ifs...?" try to creep in. I keep them at bay. The laughter helps. Praying does too. At one point, he laughs a little which causes the monitor to start beeping faster. He decides to see how fast he can make it beep so he hyperventilates.Yeah, that makes the alarm go off. He is delighted! *sigh*

I know that my son is in good hands. I know because my brother in law has assured me that this doctor is the BEST. He should know. He was a resident under him 18 years ago. But it's still nerve-wracking to watch two nurses wheel your son away on a gurney. It just is.

I wait in the waiting room, send out group texts updating everyone then head downstairs to grab a yogurt and a house coffee at the coffee shop. It comforts me to know how many people are praying for this doctor, my son, the surgery.

Soon enough, the doctor comes out to talk to me. The surgery went well. He explains what they did and what to expect next. I'm allowed to go back and I'm surprised to find that Thomas is already awake. The patient is but his arm is not. He says it feels weird to touch his hand but not not feel it, like touching someone else's hand. The nurse gives him a sling because he has no control over his arm.

In no time at all the nurse and I get him disconnected from tubes and dressed in his own clothes. We laugh as we have to "set his arm aside" which he puts his tshirt on. While wrestling with the sling, my hand slips and his arm falls limply to his side. We laugh. He gets to ride in a wheelchair to the valet retrieved car. He *is* still a little woozy from the drugs.

We go straight to fill his prescription for pain meds. The doctor assures us he will need them when the block wears off. After settling him in on the couch, I return to pick up the meds and then I go directly to pick up dinner at Chipotle since he had been fasting all day. We eat dinner together on the couches with the roommate, eating our burrito bowls and laughing about not being able to will his thumb to move. Then we snuggle on the couch and watch movies.

The next day feeling has returned to his arm and with it pain. The meds work but also keep him asleep off and on throughout the day. I administer pills and water as well as wash some clothes, clean the bathrooms, go shopping for dinner supplies. It's hard to leave him the next day but he assures me he's fine and I drop him off at class on my way out of town. I look forward to hearing what the doctor has to say today at the follow up appointment!

Despite the heartaches that inevitably come with the job, I just love being a mom. Best. job. ever.

Create28

Carrie of A Lovely Little Wardrobe is a lovely little lady. I've gotten to "know" her through the Style Me Challenges. Here is what I know about her: she is stylish, strikingly beautiful, yet friendly, humble and helpful.

Carrie is hosting Create28 on her blog, which is a challenge to create 28 different outfits by shopping from your closet. She gives you several options on how to do this. I'm choosing the second one: create 28 different outfits using as many pieces as you like from your closet. I don't think I could manage all of her prompts with only 28 different pieces! My wardrobe is not THAT flexible!

Although I will not have a daily post, my goal is to post daily on Instagram with the #Create28BLovely hashtag. Then I hope to have a weekly recap to link up with the link-up she is hosting on Mondays.

For Day One, she styled a "Favorite Go-to Outfit." I changed it up just a bit. Hers was for a casual outfit. Since day one is Sunday, I went with a go-to church outfit.

My typical go-to church outfit

I will often pair a skirt with a simple layering tee and a cardigan (because even in Florida, I'm always cold in church!) and then add a scarf for some color.

Easy to put together.

This is a prime example of my go-to church outfit.

But today, I wanted to wear a new-to-me black and white polka dotted knit blazer from Talbots rather than my usual cardigan.

The knit blazer is just a comfy as a cardigan

I kept the red scarf for color but I dressed up the outfit even more by wearing black heels rather than my standard flats.

The heels fit the blazer better

So here you have it: the before and after of my go-to church outfit!

Happy Sunday everyone! I'm enjoying the fine weather we are having before the mayhem of "the game!"

3 a.m. and the police are at the door!

That's never a good way to wake up. My thoughts immediately start to race. Did something happen to our college son? Did someone break into the cars? Did something happen to a neighbor?

No. We back up to an apartment complex and a gal had gotten into a fight with her boyfriend. He threw her Prius keys over the fence into our backyard. In the middle of the night. Now the policeman wants to search our backyard. In the rain. He is apologetic. I feel sorry for HIM having to wake us and search around in the dark and the rain.

My mind wanders as I lie in bed and can't fall back to sleep. Ephesians 4:26 comes to mind: In your anger do not sin. I like what Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary says about this verse:


If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, see that it be without sin. We give place to the devil, when the first motions of sin are not grievous to our souls; when we consent to them; and when we repeat an evil deed. This teaches that as sin, if yielded unto, lets in the devil upon us, we are to resist it, keeping from all appearance of evil.


I'm sure that the man had a reason for his anger. He should be allowed to express those feelings to his girlfriend. However, his anger led him to actions he should not have effected. I'm not saying that throwing keys over a fence is a sin. But "consenting to the anger and repeating the evil deed" is. 

In case you were wondering, the policeman did not find the keys. I could NOT fall back to sleep until almost morning. Then I missed my run date with my running partner. We looked again for the keys this morning. Still nothing. 

A seemingly harmless act will now have expensive repercussions. Replacing keys can be costly! The takeaway? Think through your actions when you are angry to be sure you don't regret them later! 

Now, I'm off to make a second cup of coffee. I'm gonna need it today!

Sonlight Turns 25!

To commemorate Sonlight Curriculum's silver anniversary, they are hosting a year-long blog party on the 25th of each month. The topic for this month is Introduce us to your family. Are you just getting started homeschooling? Or do you have graduates? Or somewhere in between?

I first began homeschooling in 2000. My kids were 5 years, 2-and-a-half years and 3 months old. Since it was only Kindergarten, I was pretty confident that I could handle it, even if I did have a newborn! I had attended a homeschooling convention the month before and had found out about Sonlight at a workshop (thanks Shawne and Katy!). I ordered my materials and was so excited to be able to homeshool using BOOKS and have a plan! (Love the IGs!) Although it was challenging, that first year was so fun and it gave me the confidence to try it again the next year. And the next. And the next. Over the years, we have enjoyed our time together reading, learning, and traveling to visit many places that we had learned about.

Fast forward 15 years and now my kids are 19, 17 and 14.5. I've been homeschooling for 15 years and all of them with Sonlight, with some supplemental stuff thrown in as well as joining various co-ops and support groups. My oldest is now in college, a sophomore at the University of Florida. He used Cores A through H before going to a private high school. My second son is now a junior and is currently doing Core 300. He is dual enrolled in our local community college for math and writing, takes advanced Physics at a co-op and Italian 2 through Landry Academy. My daughter is a freshman and she is currently doing Core 100 as well as taking Geometry, Biology, Spanish 1 and Logic through PEP, a local co-op.

Although my career as a homeschool parent will draw to a close in three years, I will cherish the time we've had together: the fun, the memories and the great stories!

On a recent trip to the Eternal City

Be sure to check out what other bloggers have to say about homeschooling with Sonlight!

Wish list: What are you coveting?

The Style Me Bloggers are back with another post! What are you coveting; what's on your wish list? Luckily, I’m a pretty contented gal. I have spent years cultivating that attitude thanks to the Proverbs so I don’t pine for things very often. 

I did reach a place where I didn't like my house. We had let things go for so long for a number of reasons (kids are small~what’s the point?/we want to travel instead/let’s fix up the boat and go on a year-long cruise/single income family). But now the kids are growing up and are no longer trashing furniture, the boat is sold and is no longer a drain and, well, we still ARE a single income family, for the most part. That part has not changed. However, with the other changes, we can now focus on getting the house squared away and making it more attractive and more pleasing.

It began, interestingly enough, with the economic downturn which prevented us from selling our 3 bedroom house and upgrading to a bigger home. We ended up staying put and added on a bedroom to the house. Then a moldy shower convinced us to do a major bathroom renovation in our master bath. That went so well that we revamped the hall bath as well. And a friend’s advice of painting the brick in the family room and another friend's recommendation of furniture rearranging has led to a completely new look in there. I’m finally loving my home!

My weight loss last year caused me to need to buy new clothes. That led to me be willing to try Alison Lumbatis’s Style Me Challenges back in the fall which led me to try new things, clothingwise. I’ve always been a pretty traditional person, and especially so in my clothes. I like to buy timeless pieces and I don’t follow the trends very much. However, Alison's challenges have gotten me out of some ruts and have encouraged me to be more adventurous and creative.

So with those things in mind, here are some things that are on my wish list right now

1. Oversized watch – It doesn’t have to be anything super fancy or expensive. I’m happy with a $10 Walmart one. It was an item on the challenges that I never did get.

2. Cognac shoes (both flats and boots) – I’ve only recently begun wearing boots and I usually use black as a neutral. I think cognac will be a welcome and versatile change. But I'm picky with flats. Not too pointy or rounded. Not too much toe cleavage...

3. Losing the weight I gained on vacation in Italy – It’s just not budging. I really need to buckle down and get focused and quit cheating. I really do. I want it GONE!

4. A dehydrator – I think it would be great to be able to dry my own fruit and tomatoes and chilis from my garden. But I want a good one and good ones cost $$$.

5. A large walk-in closet with wooden hangers – I love Carrie’s closet and love how it looks like shopping in a boutique! However, mine is small and there’s no room for wooden hangers! That being the case I would love to have all matching huggable hangers. It would create more space in my closet and help it look neat since the hangers would all match.

6. New floors in the house. - I'm really tired of carpet. I want it all gone.

7. A house at the beach. - This *is* a wish list, right? A girl can dream?!

Okay, that's about it. Check out the other bloggers below to see what their wish lists are!

Shoes to Shiraz | Two Teens and their Mama | A Lovely Little Wardrobe | R Squared 

Confessions of a Frumpy Mommy | Family Love Inspiration Education  

The Mishaps and Mayhem of Solitary Life | The Blondissima | Positively Learning | Quilty Joy Joy

 Daily Style Finds | Sheila's Potpourri | Puppies and Pretties | She thought She Could 
 Foxy's Domestic Side | Once Upon a Time & Happily Ever After | Sprinkled Just Right

Pineapple Soy Pork Scallopini

Chops on the grill

This recipe came about because I had pineapple juice I wanted to use up from the champagne punch from our Christmas Eve party. It was quick, easy and very tasty!

1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup white wine
2 garlic cloves, sliced
pork scallopini (I made 8) or thin cut pork chops

Place first 5 ingredients in a large bowl or zip lock bag. Add meat to marinade and allow to sit 10-30 minutes. Grill until done. Place marinade in a small saucepan and cook until reduced.

Cook the marinade to make it safe to eat.

Serve the chops with sauce and your favorite sides. I served it with roasted cauliflower. 

Roasted cauliflower is an easy side dish. 

Enjoy!

Linking to Skip to My Lou's Made by You Monday