Six Degrees of Chocolate Bacon

A few weeks ago, Computer Geek, Weston, and I traveled out of town to eat at Denny's. It's about thirty minutes away so we make the trip only once every year or two.

After our typical lunch of sandwiches and fries, I set my eye upon the dessert menu. Was I hungry? Is hunger ever a prerequisite for dessert?

My typical dessert choices fall in the ice cream/fudge/cheesecake realm. This day, for some crazy reason, I was ready for something new. Something like ice cream. And fudge. And caramel.

AND BACON!

What? Bacon is now a dessert item? I fell for it like a bungee jumper at the Victoria Falls Bridge.

Yes, that is BACON gracing the top of that ice cream. Caramel-drizzled bacon.

I'm getting weak just looking at it

If you've never tried bacon as a dessert item, I encourage you to be brave. The bite of salty bacon combined with the smooth sweetness of fudge brownie and ice cream is sure to make you scoff at Abercrombie and Fitch employees. Who needs to shop at the Mecca for the physically elite when you can partake of this divine creation? Think Peanut Buster Parfait. Think Mr. Goodbar. Think Salted Nut Roll.

I'm thinking. Thinking it just may be worth another thirty minute drive.

The Entertainment Value of Tape

The grandkids were over recently and I was running out of things for them to do. They preferred to play Mario Kart on the Wii (Avatar) and Dora on nickjr.com (Chunk,) but I know their mother and she would not be happy if I sent her boys back home as zombie mush heads.

Being the proud Pinterest addict that I am, surely I could come up with something to keep these young men detached from electronic devices. I thought of putting them to work but then they would never want to come over again. I could feed them yet another snack, since almost 47 minutes had elapsed since their last one. Finally, something I had re-pinned on Pinterest pinged in my brain. Tape!

We all know from our experiences with kids and birthday presents that the box holds just as much fascination as the gift. Well, I 'm here to tell ya that tape works just as well as a box.

I had Weston pull out his old Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars while I got busy with a roll of tape. The little guys kept asking, "Grandma, what are you doing?"

"You'll see," I said, sporting a crooked grin and a slanty eyebrow.

As I worked across the floor, they soon caught my vision.

My living room became a city and strips of tape became a parking lot.

Weston, AKA The Flash, realized I had my camera and didn't want anyone knowing he was playing with his cars. Ha ha ha!  Too late! I hope all your teen-age friends see this!

You could mark off rooms for Barbies if you're not into Hot Wheels, or you could make a giant tic-tac-toe, using humans as markers. Em once used some tape to make a hopscotch grid on her living room floor.

You know what was even more fun for the boys than playing with tape-outlined roads? Ripping it all up!

May Day, May Day!

May 1, 196x, Iowa.  I was a young girl, less than ten years old. After school I found a small parcel hanging on our front door knob with my name on it. Inside a folded-paper basket was some popcorn, a few pieces of penny candy, and a hand-picked violet.  My mother explained the concept of May Day to me and asked me if I knew who left it. I had no idea.

Good thing. She explained that if I had seen the person, I would be expected to run after him and kiss him. Yuk! I’m sure I wondered for days who could have left that May basket for me. Now, I’m sure it was probably my own mother.

When Em and Kay were small, they received their own May baskets. Frequently, we would arrive home from work and the babysitter’s to find small baskets made from paper cups and stuffed with popcorn and candy. Of course we never knew who left them; the act had been done hours before. We would drop my work bag and their back packs on the dining room table and get busy arranging our own May baskets and making clandestine deliveries.

April 30, 1998, Utah. I mentioned to someone that I needed to go buy some paper cups and candy so I could make May Day baskets. “What’s May Day?” I was incredulous that someone did not know about the holiday and was certain that his lack of knowledge was based on poor upbringing. I went to the store, expecting to see a section devoted to scores of different bulk Brach’s candy—the stuff of which all good May Day baskets were filled. Just like in Iowa.

Nope. “Do you have May Day candy?” I asked the clerk.

“Huh?”

[It was an eerie repeat of six weeks before when I had gone to three different local florists inquiring about their green carnations for St. Patrick’s Day. “You need WHAT?” they all said. Yeah, no one in Utah celebrated the wearing of the green either. Apparently Utahns were all Scandinavian and English. So yeah, no Irish stuff.]

May 1, 2013, Utah.  I long ago learned that “if it’s to be, it’s up to me.” I haven’t really ever stopped making May baskets, or having hope that I would find something on my door.  Today, it’s Weston and Computer Geek who are my accomplices. I’ll leave the recipients unnamed, in case they read this blog and are forewarned for next year.

Spiffy spring-themed cup. Check.

Caramel popcorn. Check.

Tootsie Roll Midgets. Oh yeah!

Cinnamon Bears. Naturally.

M&M's. Drool.

And something I never had as a child--flavored straws!

All the baskets ready for take-off.

Weston in stealth mode.

Retreat! Someone's on the porch!

Later today, there was a knock at our door!

The May Fairy left us warm pumpkin bread. It was divine.

Happy May Day to you and may it signal the end of snow!

(I won't hold my breath.)

Even My Adult Children Can Make Me Laugh

Each day that I’m alive, I am more convinced that it’s really those little moments that make life memorable. I’m also more convinced each day that children are sent to us to remind us to laugh.

Normally it’s the antics of one of my grandchildren that keep me smiling throughout the day, like this gem that my daughter Em posted on Facebook:

Chunk: Mom I want to go swimming!
Me: It is too cold to go swimming.
Chunk: I will just wear a jacket!

 This afternoon it was Em herself who kept Computer Geek and me in stitches. We would start laughing anew every time we thought about it.

Em came over this afternoon with a pair of baby shoes that she bought yesterday at Wal-Mart. She bought a size 2 but found she really needed a size 3 for Miss Baby Elephant. Apparently there was only one size 3 left when she was there yesterday. She wondered if we were going to Wal-Mart, and if so, would we mind exchanging them for the bigger size.

It so happened that Computer Geek was planning on going to Wal-Mart this evening. I asked him if he would mind exchanging the size 2 shoes for size 3 shoes for Em. He took the shoes and headed for Wal-Mart. Unfortunately, the one remaining size 3 was gone, though he looked all over the baby section.

I called Em to give her the bad news. Our conversation went something like this:

Me:      Sorry, Computer Geek took those shoes back, but the size 3 shoes were gone.

            They said they would refund your card.

Em:      Oh, they were gone? I had both size 2 and size 3 in my cart and decided the 2

            would probably work better so I hid the size 3 in the chocolate section over by the

            meats.

When I sent Computer Geek to the store for baby shoes I totally forgot to tell him to check the chocolate section over by the meats! Being a geek though, he should have thought of it right?

Moral of the story: Never send a man to do a woman’s work.

Sunday Serenity 4/14/13

Lake Tahoe at Sunset

4-11-13

March 21, 2013, World Down Syndrome Awareness Day

 A guest post by author Madonna Dries Christensen

Through The Eyes Of The Differently-Abled  

On a visit to Virginia, I accompanied my daughter and two of her children to a creative arts class for those with special needs. Eight-year-old Sarah has Down syndrome and six-year-old William has autism.
      The program was founded by a high school student, Samantha Hall. While working as a counselor at a soccer camp for youth with disabilities, she met a girl who didn’t enjoy playing sports. She loved the arts, but this camp offered only soccer. Samantha recognized that this child’s need for expression probably affected others. After obtaining funding through a grant from the Arlington Youth Philanthropy Initiative of the Arlington Community Foundation, Samantha founded Doing Art Together (DARTT). Her simple request in the grant was for a safe place to hold classes, art materials, and volunteers. She got all three.
      The free program, held in a school cafeteria, was initially for children, but now includes adults from group homes. Participants are each assigned a volunteer to guide them through the session. Parents must stay on the premises, but are asked to not help unless assistance is needed.
      The young woman assigned to Sarah told me that as a member of the National Honor Society she gets credit for community service, but quickly added, “That’s not why I volunteer here. I love these kids.” Indeed, all the volunteers seemed to be enjoying the session.
      The main activity this particular morning was painting on t-shirts. Sarah chose a shirt color and then sat at a table and decorated the shirt with various designs and one color, purple, her favorite. Her face lit up when she saw Connor, her best friend since pre-school. They worked side by side, moving from painting shirts to drawing and coloring.  
      At another table, William used an array of vivid colors to draw on paper. He is attracted to the color red. Creating art is especially helpful for children who are nonverbal, allowing them to communicate feelings and emotions.
      If you frequent the Internet, you’ve probably seen the work of Stephen Wiltshire, an autistic young man with the ability to study a scene for 15 or 20 minutes and then, from memory, recreate the panoramic view in pen and ink on mural size paper. His renditions are astounding and are shown and sold at galleries and museums around the world, along with small gift items on which the scenes are duplicated. See his site at: http://www.stephenwiltshire.co.uk
      Amanda LaMunyon is also a presence on the Internet and around the world. She began painting at age seven, shortly before being diagnosed with Asperger syndrome. Her childhood paintings were impressions of the songs she loved. Now a teenager, she expresses herself and her faith through singing, painting, and public speaking. She encourages those with challenges of any kind to not give up on big or small dreams. She shares her talents with organizations that raise money for children’s health.
      Amanda says on her Website: “It is important that we as Americans must take the lead to find the cause, cure and prevention of autism. We have the privilege and freedom in our great country to raise money and speak about our concerns. It has been my privilege to work with Children’s Miracle Network, Autism Speaks, The Lili Claire Foundation, Dr. Rosa Martinez with Strokes of Genius, and other organizations. I hope to continue to share my art and my story of overcoming challenges.”
      Her work has been included in several books and she has received awards, including The President’s Daily Points of Light and The President’s Volunteer Service Award. She felt honored to present her painting of “Our Flag Was Still There” to President George W. Bush, and her portrait of President Ronald Reagan to former First Lady Nancy Reagan.
      See Amanda’s site at http://amandalamunyon.com.
      My grandkids delight me with their creations. Those from 10-year-old Grace, a typical child, are detailed and artistic. Sarah’s stick figures have a distinctive style; we all have wheels for feet and hands (sometimes that would be helpful). Grace says that William’s drawings are abstract. I didn’t know that term at her age, let alone how it applies to art, but look for yourself.

        

William, age 6 

 Sarah, age 8

 Grace, age 10

Learn more about Madonna Dries Christensen on her website On Worlud Pond.

Jade, Kelly, Pine, Grass, Emerald....

I tend to favor all shades of purple. Lilac. Lavender. Plum. Grape. Violet. Framboise. (Yes, it's really a color. I looked it up.) On one day of the year though, my heart bleeds shamrock green.

My mother is to blame. Every year on March 17, little green antennae sprang from her head and bouncy four-leaf clovers dangled from her ears. A vivid green t-shirt proclaimed her heritage. She wasn't above sporting a springy green wig. Now for the shocker--she went to work like that.

Her daughters and granddaughters carry on the tradition. (The males play along, but only so far as food is concerned.) Em and I sent Kay a pair of St. Patrick's Day socks (which she'd better be wearing today!) I am wearing a Celtic green skirt. Em wore a lovely minty green top today and her daughter Miss Baby Elephant had on a white shirt splashed with tiny shamrocks and a green bow in her hair.

My camera batteries died today in the middle of the festivities, so you won't get to see the green french toast, the corned beef and red potatoes, our homemade shamrock shakes, or a shot of me in my skirt. However, here's a shot of the skirt from the Holy Clothing website. It probably looks better on the model anyway.

Basket of green goodies for the grandkids

Clover rolls and cookies made by Em's clan

Pie!

If you would like to make your own pie for next year, or for tomorrow, the recipe is as easy as, well, pie.

Crust:

1/2 package of Mint Oreos, crushed, then mixed with a little melted butter.

Form into pie pan.

Stick in freezer.

Filling:

2 small packages of pistachio pudding

1/2 the amount of milk it calls for on the package, then prepare as directed on package

Pour into chilled pie shell and return to freezer.

We serve ours frozen, like an ice cream pie, but we let it thaw just a tad lest we break off a tooth and look "shanty Irish" as my great-grandmother would say.

If my mom still lived I would buy her the most incredible St. Patrick's Day t-shirt I have ever seen. It says, "Kiss me, I'm Iowish."  And I would, because she is.

Mandatory disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way by Holy Clothing, Oreos, or St. Patrick for mentioning them.

Thanks to Auntie M. for the info about my great-grandmother.

Indoctrinating the Next Generation of Jeopardy! Addicts

Grandson Avatar asked his mom, “Why do Grandma and Grandpa make me be quiet whenever Jeopardy! is on?”

She gave him some lame answer about us being old or something. I predict there will soon come a day when young Avatar will also shush people when he watches Jeopardy!

A few years ago, when he was even younger than his current nine years of age, he had some friends and cousins over to play. Avatar thought the other kids would be equally as thrilled as he was to watch a documentary on the prophecies of Nostradamus. When his mom, my daughter Em, noticed the increasing discomfort of her young guests, she suggested that Avatar choose something else, like a cartoon. One child looked at Em in gratitude and uttered a dramatic, “Thank you!”

Last Friday Avatar requested a sleep-over at our house. He arrived during Double Jeopardy, knowing from past experience that silence was the order unless he wanted to venture a response. He tried to answer a few.  When it was over, Grandpa Computer Geek told Avatar he could watch whatever he wanted on Netflix.

Did he choose The Avengers? Or Transformers? Something that other nine-year-olds might find of interest?

No.

He asked if he could watch Discovery Atlas: Uncovering Earth. Apparently there was a segment on Africa’s Great Rift Valley that he didn’t want to miss.

Gosh, I love that kid.

When his show was over, he wanted to chat with me.

“Grandma, do you know who the first people in America were?”  

Knowing how smart this kid is, I thought he was hoping that I would say something like “Columbus” or “The Pilgrims,” to which he would respond with the name of an indigenous people. I simply said, “No. Who?”

“It was Adam and Eve. That’s because the Garden of Eden was actually in Minnesota.”

I have a few relatives who are Minnesotans and I think they would be thrilled to know that.

Then, “Grandma? Do you know why the ocean is so salty? It’s because when Noah had the ark and all those people drowned, the salt from all those bodies stayed in the ocean. If you lick your arm you will see that we’re made of salt.”

That boy. He’s a thinker.

So yeah, I have no doubt that soon he will be sitting with Grandma and Grandpa, Monday through Friday at 5:30 and 6:30, shushing other people and refusing to answer the phone. He’s kind of a nerd like that.

Weston, Avatar, and Chunk, engrossed in Wii Lego Lord of the Rings

Shabby Apple $50 Giveaway! (USA only)

Recently I was contacted by the wonderful staff at ShabbyApple, asking me if I wanted to offer a $50 giveaway for my readers. Since I have been admiring Shabby Apple clothing for quite some time, I jumped on the opportunity!

I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time finding trendy modest clothing. How many times have you tried on a skirt, only to find it riding so high on your thigh that you were embarrassed to even look at yourself in the mirror? Or how about trying on a blouse, only to find a two-inch gap between the bottom of your shirt and the top of your jeans or skirt? Or finding the neckline far too low?  Or the material so sheer that you felt totally exposed?

Luckily, there’s a clothing company that offers a solution. A quick look at Shabby Apple’s website tells me that I don’t have to succumb to immodest fashion trends.

            “At Shabby Apple, we believe in both femininity and feminism.

As feminine women, we create clothing that is artful in design and

crafted with a vintage-style flare. Each piece is carefully constructed to

 both flatter a women’s figure and maintain her mystery. As feminists, we

created a company that is women-owned and operated and that donates to help other women start their own businesses. With our old-fashioned style and

modern ideals, we believe the best is yet to come!”

The best IS yet to come because Shabby Apple has generously offered a $50 gift code for one of my lucky readers! Take a look at some of these amazing figure-flattering fashions!

Two of my favorites, because I LOVE ruffles!

Left: Curtsy Skirt

Right: Corridor dress

 Oh, and some more of my favorites!

Left: Black Oak

Right: Barefoot in the Park

They have modest maternity styles and styles you can grow into as baby grows!

Left: Oh Baby

Right: El Dorado

They even have styles for fashionable little girls!

Left: Emma

Right: Boho

The well-dressed woman can't forget shoes and jewelry!

Left: Faboo

Right: Conversation Heart Necklace

THE RULES

*Contest is open to USA residents only, age 18 and older.

*You must “like” Shabby Apple on Facebook, then indicate so on the form.

*You must visit the Shabby Apple website and leave a comment on my blog telling

  me which Shabby Apple item is your favorite, then indicate so on the form.

(For a non-mandatory entry you may follow Foreign Quang via Google Friend Connect on my right sidebar, then indicate so on the form.)

Easy right? The contest ends January 29 at midnight, MST. What if you don’t win or are too eager to wait? Shabby Apple is offering a 10% discount code to all my readers. When ordering, enter foreignquang10off between now and February 20, 2013.

Good luck, and may the Rafflecopter randomness be ever in your favor!

Disclaimer: I received no monetary or product compensation for running this giveaway. All opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

26 Acts of Kindness

    I’ve been inspired this week by a nation-wide project that was fueled by NBC journalist, Ann Curry. In response to the horrific events at Sandy Hook Elementary school on December 14, she asked her Twitter followers a “what if” question. What if each person vowed to do twenty acts of kindness, one for each child killed that day?

    Her question spawned a movement to do twenty-six acts of kindness in honor of the teachers and children. Some people are doing twenty-seven acts, including the shooter’s mother in the victim list. [Some don’t include her because she was shot at home and not at the school.] A Facebook page has been set up where participants can list their good deeds, not for acknowledgement, but to inspire others with good ideas for “random acts of kindness.”

    There’s a tendency to feel helpless and vulnerable when evil acts are perpetrated on the innocent, especially when the victims are children. For a few days, I was discouraged. The thought of a small child watching his classmates get gunned down, knowing his turn was coming, was more than I could bear. As a former teacher, I imagined what those teachers felt, knowing that they were acting as human shields for their students. Did they know their selflessness might buy those children only a second or two? Did they hope that maybe those two seconds might save the life of at least one child?

    It depressed me. I felt like evil had won and was laughing at all of us in triumph. But a slow burning determination took hold. I would not let this event discourage me.  The twenty six/seven acts of kindness seemed a way to show that no matter how much evil was present in the world, it had no power to take the light out of my life unless I allowed it.

    Below is the list of the twenty-seven victims. Will you join me in doing acts of kindness in their names? If you do an act of kindness on behalf of one of these people, will you leave what you did and in whose name in the comment section? I will then copy and paste it next to their names. [If you prefer to be anonymous, please email me at foreignquang@gmail.com and I will withhold your name from public view. Blogger generally sees it as spam if you mark your comment as anonymous.]  I will post your act of kindness next to the name of the person you chose. You may choose more than one, and if people pick the same name that’s okay too.

    Many people are leaving notes with their act of kindness, letting the recipient know in whose name the kindness was bestowed. If you need ideas check out the Facebook page.
   

CHILDREN
Emilie Parker, 05/12/06, female (age 6) I will start off with Emilie Parker, who recently moved to Connecticut from Utah. We bought a jumbo Hershey bar and left it in the mail box for our mail carrier, along with a note.
Charlotte Bacon, 2/22/06, female (age 6) I have a friend who is housebound for the New Year's holiday so I took her some chips and pop so she can celebrate at home with her children.
Daniel Barden, 9/25/05, male (age 7)
Olivia Engel, 7/18/06, female (age 6)
Josephine Gay, 12/11/05, female (age 7) Auntie M. had in her possession a yellow kitchen bowl that belonged to her mother. She sent this 50+ year old bowl to her niece, who had never met this grandmother, and who will treasure it beyond belief. She sent this heirloom to her niece in honor of Josephine Gay and Dylan Hockley.
Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 04/04/06, female (age 6) Anonymous 3 knew of a family who had a very low food budget, so she delivered some essentials and goodies to the family in honor of Ana.
Dylan Hockley, 03/08/06, male (age 6)Auntie M. had in her possession a yellow kitchen bowl that belonged to her mother. She sent this 50+ year old bowl to her niece, who had never met this grandmother, and who will treasure it beyond belief. She sent this heirloom to her niece in honor of Josephine Gay and Dylan Hockley.
Madeleine F. Hsu, 07/10/06, female (age 6)
Catherine V. Hubbard, 06/08/06, female (age 6)
Chase Kowalski, 10/31/05, male (age 7) Weston had plans to shoot off some New Year's fireworks. He decided to invite along a boy from outside his normal circle of friends, one who doesn't get invited to many activities, then had him over for hot cocoa and cookies. He did this in honor of Chase Kowalski because he has a friend with that same first name.
Jesse Lewis, 06/30/06, male (age 6)
James Mattioli, 03/22/06, male (age 6)
Grace McDonnell, 11/04/05, female (age 7)
Jack Pinto, 05/06/06, male (age 6)
Noah Pozner, 11/20/06, male (age 6)
Caroline Previdi, 09/07/06, female (age 6)
Jessica Rekos, 05/10/06, female (age 6)
Avielle Richman, 10/17/06, female (age 6)
Benjamin Wheeler, 9/12/06, male (age 6) Pat gave $20 to a mother struggling to raise her children alone in honor of Benjamin Wheeler.
Allison N. Wyatt, 07/03/06, female (age 6) Pat gave $20 to a struggling family to help with household bills in honor of Allison.

ADULTS
Rachel Davino, 7/17/83, female (age 29) I took some Pillsbury frozen cookie dough over to my neighbor with a note that said, "Everyone could use a little dough for the holidays." I wanted to honor a teacher and chose to do it in Rachel Davino's name.
Dawn Hochsprung, 06/28/65, female (age 47)
Anne Marie Murphy, 07/25/60, female (age 52)
Lauren Russeau, 1982, female (age 29)
Mary Sherlach, 02/11/56, female (age 56) In honor of Mary Sherlach, Anonymous 2 took a plate of cookies over to her ex-husband's house because he was spending New Year's Eve alone.
Victoria Soto, 11/04/85, female (age 27)

Nancy Lanza  Anonymous paid the past-due mortgage for a couple who was soon to lose their home in honor of Nancy Lanza, because she is omitted from some Acts of Kindness lists.

“You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

“But remember, boy, that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword.”

~Rick Riordan, The Battle of the Labyrinth