Show + Tell Tuesday {Serving Others}

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday & I am really excited about the topic....Serving Others.

Serving Others & Service is something that is near & dear to my heart, I feel like it's so important to give back.

Before I had kids & growing up, I mostly served others with my time by going on Mission Trips.

The first mission trip I went on, I was in 7th grade and our church Youth Group went to Mexico to build houses for a week one summer. It was an amazing experience & I went on the trip again when I was in 8th grade.

My Senior Year of High School, I went on the Mexico Mission trip during Spring Break, but for that trip we didn't build houses, we did a Vacation Bible School for some kids in the Orphanage. 

These kids were amazing...it was so much fun teaching them about Jesus & playing with them. 

Side Note...On that Spring Break Mexico trip, it resulted in one of my most embarrassing moments ever.

I ended up getting lice from one of the kids in the orphanage....we gave them piggy back rides all week & I got lice! I will never forget that trip, the lice was worth it ;)
You can read about that {HERE}

When I was 22 , I had the opportunity to go to NYC after 9/11 with our church to serve the firefighters of FDNY and serve them warm meals & help with relief efforts.
You can read more about that trip {HERE}

In 2006 a few months before I got pregnant with Kate, I had the opportunity to go to New Orleans & Mississippi with our church for Hurricane Katrina relief and build houses for a community in McComb, Mississippi.

You can read more about that trip {HERE}

That was the last mission trip I have gone on because life has gotten busy with 3 kids and even though I love going on Mission Trips, I know that I am in a season of life right now where that isn't going to happen. I would love to go to Africa on a Mission Trip and I would love to have us go as a family to serve, but I know that won't be until my kids are a lot older.
For the past 10 years, my mission field is my kids & my family and I am focusing on serving them and raising them up to be nice people and hoping that they have a heart to serve others.

If you ask my kids what I tell them the most (besides I love you) is the phrase:
"It's nice to be nice"

This is our family saying.
We want to raise kids who are kind and nice to others & who aren't jerks.
Kids who grow up to be teenagers & adults who think before they speak and who have compassion & servant's hearts.
I don't care if they aren't the smartest, the most talented or most athletic, I want them to be nice, kind people.

One thing that I think is so important is to do things as a family to serve others.

 Here are awesome organizations that we support :

Charity:Water - a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations fund water projects. Charity:Water is the organization we used for Project 320 in 2009 & 2010 & we were able to fund 3 wells in Africa. Kevin's high school small group funded a well in the Spring through Charity:Water during our church's Kingdom Assignment Outreach.

Heifer Project (donate an animal to give a family a source of food for a year. A few years ago, one of my students donated a goat in my name.Best Christmas present from a student. EVER.


Compassion International - sponsor a kid for $38 a month to give them food, shelter, education, health care and the opportunity to learn about Jesus in a neighborhood church program.
Kevin and I have sponsored Compassion children since before we were married. We currently sponsor 3 Compassion kids, 2 girls and a boy. The girls have the same birthdays as my girls and the boy has the same birthday as Luke. If you search the Compassion website you can pick your own child to sponsor & search by birthdate. My kids love that their Compassion kids have the same birthday as them :)

Team World Vision:  My older sister Elyse has run several marathons & races for Team World Vision. 2 years ago, I ran a Half Marathon with Team World Vision raising money for Fresh Water wells in Africa.
Water changes the lives of children in Africa.

They have better health, improved nutrition, and can go to school instead of spending the day fetching water. Through World Vision’s comprehensive and sustainable water projects across Africa, $50 will provide clean water for one person for a lifetime.

It was such a great experience.
As a family, every Spring we also participate in Team World Vision's Global 6K walk/run on World Water Day.
Your race entry is $50 and the run/walk is a 6K....3.72 miles  is the average distance children in Africa have to walk daily for water.
It was a great lesson for my kids to do this event, the photo of the child on their their bibs that we supported have to walk 4 miles each day to get water & sometimes that isn't even clean water.
We let them know that now the kids on our bibs who we sponsored & ran for will have access to clean water for the rest of their lives.

 Every Spring Team World Vision hosts a Global 6k around the US and world...you can check to see if there is one near you!

One of my VERY favorite things to do with the kids is to make Blessing Bags.
Every year we go to San Francisco during December to check out the Christmas decorations & go ice skating.
 If you have been to SF before, you know there is a big homeless population. So, when we go, I bring "Blessing Bags"
You can put whatever you want in your Blessing Bags.
I fill them with a $5 gift card to McDonalds, a granola bar, peanut butter crackers, fig newtons & a juice box & a new pair of socks. (You can also put in gloves/bottled water, etc)
 A little thing for us to do & a big difference to those who receive it.

My kids LOVE helping put these together & they make cards to include in the Blessing Bags.

We mostly give them out in December, but Kevin and I also keep one in our cars so that if we see a homeless person at a stoplight, we can give them a Blessing Bag.
We also keep a few on hand for when we go to SF during the year we have a couple more Blessing Bags to bring.
You can read my post HERE on how to make Blessing Bags.


2 years ago I started taping this note to my front door along with Starbucks Gift Cards

I do 99% of my Christmas Shopping online, so I have a lot of packages that get delivered. I appreciate all the hard work of the UPS, Fed Ex & USPS workers!
You can download the Free printable HERE

We also like to do Random Acts of Kindness throughout the Holiday Season. 
Here are some fun things we like to do:
Tape a dollar on the Red Box machine so that someone could get their rental paid for.

Buy lotto tickets & tape them to the gas pump.
 

Add money to a vending machine so that someone would get an unexpected free soda.

 You can see other Random Acts of Kindness ideas HERE and HERE

There are so many little ways you can serve others, especially during the Holiday season.
Adopt a Family, Make a Blessing Bag,
 Angel Tree, Operation Christmas Child,  Donate cans to a Food Bank.
I am always looking for new ways that we can serve others in big or small ways, so I would love to hear what you do serve & give back!

Show + Tell Tuesday {Favorite Recipes}

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday.

The topic today is favorite recipes.

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I love to cook and I love to share recipes, especially family friendly recipes! I try and post 2 or 3 new recipes a month.

I had a really hard time narrowing down which ones to share....I just LOVE food! 

I will share some of my favorite recipes from each category 

(These categories can also be found in my Recipe Box)

Appetizers:

7 layer Greek Hummus Dip

 

Corn Dip

 

Watermelon Salsa

I made the Corn Dip and the Watermelon Salsa for 4th of July this year :)

 

 

Salads:

Cowboy Salad

Caprese Orzo Salad

Broccoli Salad

 

Soups:

Grammy's Split Pea Soup

Chicken Taco Soup

White Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker:

Easiest Dinner Ever

 This is the most viewed recipe on my blog! Almost 2 million views! Crazy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

 

Crock Pot Chicken Parmesan:

Slow Cooker Ribs

Instant Pot:

I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY hope you got an Instant Pot today on Prime Day!

Instant Pot Butter Chicken

Savory Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs

Instant Pot Spicy Shredded Pork Tacos

 

Main Entrees:

Fiesta Stuffed Bell Peppers

Chicken Tortilla Casserole:

Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta

Muffins/Breads:

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Pumpkin Bread

 

Desserts/Cookies:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Rice Krispy Treats

 

Caramelitas

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have a Recipe Box tab on the top of my blog, so you can click on that to see ALL my recipes.

They are organized by category as well! 

 

So, there you go....just a few of my favorite recipes ;)

I think I was hungry while creating this post. LOL!

 

I have a few more recipes that I am working and can't wait to share with you...stay tuned!

Can't wait to check out some of your favorite recipes!

My Most Embarrasing Moments

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday and today's topic is sharing your most embarrassing moments.

 I've had my share of embarrassing moments in my life. 

Like in 5th grade when I peed my pants at soccer.

Or, in 6th grade when a sea gull POOPED on my head while on a school field trip to Alcatraz and I had poop on my head and shirt whole day.

And, in 7th grade when I was at the community pool and took off my shorts to jump in the pool and realized that I forgot to put on my bathing suit.

Or, my 2nd day of teaching EVER and my coffee spilt ALL over my shirt 1st period, so all day long I had a huge coffee spill all down my shirt. (That prompted me to ALWAYS have a spare black cardigan in my desk drawer)

And, that time when I was pregnant with Claire with horrible morning sickness and puked in the Target parking lot (with several people watching)

So yeah. Embarrassing things happen to me. I'm cool with it.

But there are 2 that stand out as my most embarrassing...

 

 {ONE}

It was the afternoon of my Senior Ball (same thing as Senior Prom, but at our high school, Junior Prom was called Prom and Senior Prom was called Senior Ball) 

I went to get my "updo" at a place downtown where everyone got their hair done for prom. After my hair appointment, I had a make up appointment at the mall at the Clinique counter. Because Clinique was my favorite in high school. 

I go to my hair appt & flip through photos of updo's and pick one out.

She starts to comb my hair and then stops. 

Then, she goes to another hair dresser's station and asks the girl to come over. 

They are looking at my scalp. 

Then she says to me "I can't do your hair. You have lice"

OMG.  WHAT?!?!

She said, have you been around little kids lately?

I said, yes...I babysit all the time.

Then it hit me. I realized where I got the lice.

A few weeks prior, I was in Mexico with my church youth group for a Spring Break Missions Trip at an Orphanage near Tijuana. That week, we put on a VBS for the kids at this Orphanage. 

One of the sweet girls there, asked me to give her piggy back rides almost every day. 

Which I did. 

She must have had lice.

Her hair touched my hair every time I gave her a piggy back ride.

OMG.

And she wanted lots of hugs.

The hair dresser told me it to go to CVS and get lice shampoo, go home, wash my hair & have my mom get all the lice nits out and then come back to the salon and she would see if she could squeeze me in.

So, I rush out of there and of course see several girls from my high school at the salon & I think they are wondering why I am leaving with a Panicked look on my face & my hair NOT done. 

I get the lice shampoo at CVS (I also bought some make up since I had to cancel my make up appt at Clinique and I didn't have much make up at home. 

Of course I run into one of my friends & her mom at CVS and tell them what happened and pleaded "PLEASE don't tell anyone!!!"

 I drive home in tears. I am mortified.

I got lice. On a mission trip.

I have my mom help me wash my hair. I am still in tears because:

1) I have lice

2) I might not get my up-do for Senior Ball & I can't do my own up-do

3) There is no way I will make it to my make up appointment, so I will be going to my Senior Ball with lice infested hair & a crappy make up job done by myself

I had spent the whole year as a Senior Class Officer planning our Senior Ball & I was showing up as a hot mess.

I spent HOURS and HOURS picking out the venue, picking out the color scheme, designing the invitations & doing ticket sales.

For this 17 year old...Life was over as I knew it.

After we got the lice nits out of my hair, I went back to the hair salon. 

My hairdresser was able to squeeze me in.

The lice & nits were gone. 

I got my up-do done. 

I did my make up on my own. It turned out fine, nothing fancy.

It all worked out.

Here I am that night:

 It ended up being a great Senior Ball, despite the craziness that happened getting ready for it!

 

{TWO}

This next one happened 4 years ago when Luke was 9 months old.

I successfully pumped at school after I had both girls & when I had Luke.

Everyday during my lunch, it was the same routine. 

I close all the blinds in my classroom.

I lock my door. 

Then I double check to make sure my door is locked. 

I go back to my desk, hook up my pump and spend the next 10 minutes pumping.

I always have my pump on my desk next to my laptop as a shield, you know...just in case someone came in my room. 

But, that wouldn't happen because my door is ALWAYS locked.

 Several times, I have had some close calls. 

I'll be pumping & a student will try and open my door because they forgot something in my room...PE clothes, pencil pouch, notebook, etc.  

It always startles me when I hear the door handle being pulled, but it's always locked, so the student just leaves. 

{My pumping "station" in my classroom}

Let's rewind to May 2013.

The lunch bell rang, I did what I always do. 

Closed the blinds, locked the door, double checked the door, set up my pump & lap top and start pumping. 

A few minutes into lunch, I hear a student knock on my door & then try and open it. 

It's locked, so no big deal. I keep pumping. 

5 minutes later, I hear talking outside my door, someone trying to open the door and then....

THE DOOR OPENS.

Standing in the doorway is the custodian and one of my students.

PANIC.

SHOCK. 

HORROR.

I screamed. 

Then, shouted,

"SHUT THE DOOR! I WILL BE OUT IN A MINUTE"

O.M.G. 

HOLY $#!%

NO. That did not just happen. NO.

Panicked, they shut the door and left. And took my dignity with them.

Flustered, I stopped my pump, buttoned up my shirt and ran outside to see why in the world they needed to come to my room.

My sweet student had left her lunch in my room and when the door was locked, went and got the custodian to unlock my door. 

She couldn't even LOOK me in the face as I handed her her lunch bag.

And, the poor custodian. He was mortified & said he was so sorry. 

O.M.G

I am "telling" myself that my pump and laptop were a good enough barricade and that no one saw anything. Yeah....that's what I'm telling myself. 

O.M.G.

I don't know who is more traumatized.

Me, my student or the custodian. 

I called Kevin for moral support and he couldn't stop laughing. 

So, then I obviously texted my sister because she had a close call (same situation) earlier this year.

Pretty sure this one takes the cake as my most embarrassing moment ever.

With a glass of (breast)milk to go with it.

 
Feel free make me feel better and share any of your embarrassing moments in the comments or link me to your post with your embarrassing moments!

Show + Tell Tuesday {Kids Parties}

One of my favorite things to do is to plan parties.

For some people, throwing parties is stressful to them, but to me, it is therapeutic!

It gives me a chance to use my creativity (which I don't get to use all that much teaching math. Ha!)

I always jump at the chance to throw or host a party, whether it is a birthday party for my kids, a bridal or baby shower, holiday with family or a special get together with friends.

Today I am linking up with Andrea for Show & Tell Tuesday and today's topic is one of my VERY favorite topics...Kids parties!

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I LOVE throwing birthday parties for my kids. 

Here are some of my favorite parties I have thrown for my kids.

Get ready for Party Overload :)

Let's start with parties I have thrown for Kate...

Ice Skating Party:

 Roller Skating Party:

 

Kate's Pizzeria Party

Here is the cake my mother in law made..


Kate's Nail Salon Party:

Kate's Pancakes & Pajamas Party:

 This party was very simple to throw!

Kevin made pancakes, the girls added their toppings & we did some crafts! 

Kate's Rainbow Art Party:

Kate's Cinderella Party:

Here are some of my favorite parties that I have thrown Claire....
Flamingo Pool Party:





Claire's Shabby Chic Tea Party:

  Claire's Mermaid Swim Party: 

  Claire's Tangled Party:

This party was magical.

I had a yellow braid going through our entire downstairs:

I had Rapunzel come to the party, Claire's reaction brought tears to my eyes. It was awesome! 

 Claire's Candy Shoppe Party:
 
  Claire's Cowgirl Party:
I LOVED this party.

    I must say, this is probably my favorite party I have thrown.



Here are parties I have thrown for Luke....

Luke's Nautical 1st Birthday Party

This party was so special. It was the LAST 1st birthday party I will have ever thrown.

When I was pregnant with Luke (and with the girls) we didn't find out if it was a boy or a girl.

I remember being 5 months pregnant and seeing nautical decorations at Target.

Since I was due in August and it would be a summer birthday, I decided right then & there if this  baby was a boy, he would have a Nautical/Sailboat first birthday party and I BOUGHT the party supplies (there is a peak into my crazy...buying party supplies for my unborn child's 1st birthday party not even knowing if it was a boy or a girl!)

I had so much fun with that party! 

Luke's Train Party- Choo Choo Luke is Two

 
Luke's Firetruck Party:
 

 Luke's Construction Party:





So those are just some of my favorites... To see all the other kid's parties I have thrown, click HERE for my Party Tab!