World AIDS Day 2013

World AIDS Day 2013

Lynnsey @ Kids Matter

“I'm a real person, and I'm angry. I'm trying to use this celebrity thing to get people some help. AIDS, poverty, racism - I want to be one of the hands that helps stop all that. I'll put it on my shoulders. I'll charge it to my account.” Jamie Foxx

His name was Ben. I see his smile every time I look at the person I love. I see the pain he caused and the people he left behind. Ben had buried his truth so deep that his only option became to leave his family.  Years later, Elizabeth, his daughter, would meet him for the first time, and as they cried in each other’s arms, saying nothing, it became painfully clear that this tearful reunion would be short-lived. You see, Ben was dying of AIDS. And as his daughter watched him become an 80 pound shell of the man he used to be, she vowed to be his voice and to educate those around her about this horrible disease.

It is this passion that embodies the idea of World Aids Day. Originally conceived in 1988, it is a day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic worldwide. Today, more than 35 million people are living with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). It is an epidemic that, since 1981, has claimed the lives of more than 25 million people and has become one of the world’s most serious health and development challenges[1] Three decades ago, it was seen as a disease exclusive to a specific community, however, we know now that though people may discriminate, AIDS does not. It affects both men and women of every race and does not care if you are gay or straight or young or old. Some of the scarier statistics show that 95% of new infections (half under the age of 25) occur in individuals that reside in low- and middle- income countries particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where access to prevention education, care, and treatment is scarce.[2] Many who are infected with AIDS are unaware of their infection which can lead to unknowingly passing the virus to another person.

Many will ask, “What can I do to make a difference on World AIDS Day?” The answer is simple. AIDS is a preventable disease. Just making the personal commitment to yourself to never have unprotected sexual intercourse can save your life and the lives of others. If you wish to take it a step further, contact your local AIDS organization. Non-profit organizations are always looking for volunteers who are willing to participate in community outreach and other programs that help educate our communities about the prevention, care, and treatment of AIDS. If nothing else, start a dialogue with a coworker or change your profile picture to a red ribbon. Get the word out. Together, we can not only honor the millions like Ben who have succumbed to this disease, but also ensure that future generations have a brighter and healthier story to tell.

1.      http://kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-global-hivaids-epidemic/

2.      Global Health Policy

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A History of Thanksgiving

A History of Thanksgiving

Lynnsey @ Kids Matter

Most of us have grown up on the classic story of the first Thanksgiving. You know, the autumn feast of 1621 that saw the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians peacefully come together to celebrate the harvest of that year. It was a rare example of two colliding civilizations that, for a brief moment, transcended the atrocities that were to define their relationship for centuries to come.  It began with a group of 102 separatists (those wanting to separate from the Church of England) who, aboard the Mayflower, made the treacherous journey across the Atlantic to the New World in search of religious freedom and the promise of personal prosperity. After a brutal winter, which many of the original settlers did not survive, the settlers were helped by an English speaking Abenaki Indian named Squanto. Squanto would not only teach the Pilgrims to cultivate crops, but to survive in an environment different from everything they had ever known.  Most importantly, Squanto helped to solidify the alliance between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians.

And so you have the first Thanksgiving; a three day festival celebrating the autumn harvest.  It was a celebration that offered a menu very different from that of our Thanksgiving meals today. In fact, very little historical evidence exists that can tell us exactly what they ate, but historians generally agree that lobster, seal, swan, and corn were on the menu. Absent were the pounds of turkey and pumpkin pie that now fill our plates every November.

Truth be told, this was neither the first Thanksgiving nor the one that solidified the festival as an annual holiday. Harvest celebrations date back to the beginning of time throughout all religions. For many Americans, the tradition can be traced back to the time of the English Reformation when the idea of giving thanks for various reasons (such as the celebration after Queen Elizabeth’s defeat of the Spanish Armada) first took hold. Furthermore, after the 1621 celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Thanksgiving celebrations were often dictated by local leaders and individual communities. It was not until 1863, during the height of the Civil War, that Abraham Lincoln (click to see President Lincoln’s proclamation in its entirety) declared the last Thursday of each November an annual national holiday. Later, in 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt changed the holiday from the last Thursday of the month to the fourth Thursday in an effort to boost an economy still recovering from the Great Depression by extending the Christmas shopping season by one week. Prior to this change, it was culturally frowned upon to advertise or shop for Christmas presents before the Thanksgiving holiday.

The history of this holiday is ancient and complex. It was celebrated across many generations, religions, and groups of people.  Factor in our modern consumerist culture and it can be difficult to always remember the true meaning of the holiday. Furthermore, as a history buff, it is hard for me to ignore the violence and genocide that would later erupt between the Native American’s and European settlers, so any talk of the first Thanksgiving is always met with my infamous brand of skepticism and dramatic eye roll. Now, with FDR’s economic recovery plan still in full swing, we see retailers opening their doors at 6:00pm on Thanksgiving Day. This strategy of pushing Black Friday back further and further each year in order to maximize profits at the cost of employees having a whole day with their families is just, for lack of a better word, unethical. We shouldn’t stand for it, but we do. Why? Because saving a few bucks is more important than the person at the cash register having a day off to be with his or her family. We tend to forget that the whole purpose of the first Thanksgiving was to come together as a community, not just individual families, and celebrate the teamwork, friendship, hard work, and, most importantly, the self-sacrifice it took to bring a group of strange looking settlers back from the brink of extinction.  Our lack of empathy for others and our inability to sacrifice our own wants for the good of all only showcases just how far gone we are from the original Thanksgiving. And so, on this day dedicated to giving thanks for all that we have (and we do have a lot), I urge all of you to reconnect with the true reason we set aside a day to give thanks because, trust me, not everyone is so lucky. As for me, I will spend the day giving thanks not for my material possessions, but for the people who mean more to me than any bargain television ever could. Unfortunately, I will have to do it from afar as I do not have time to drive home to be with my family and still make it to work by midnight where I am expected to serve the lines of customers camping out waiting for those bargain deals. Happy Thanksgiving, America.

Cooking Safety Tips

Cooking Safety Tips

Robin @ Kids Matter

Home is a place of comfort where your children learn, love, grow, experience, and discover.   It’s a place where children should feel safe, but there are dangers that we don’t all realize. So, we need to do our best to make our homes safe and do what we can to prevent accidents.  Whether you are cooking that extravagant turkey dinner, a simple meal at any other time of the year, or anything in between, here are some kitchen tips to help your family be safe.  Please visit the Safe Kids website for more safety tips. 

o          Keep children at least three feet from the hot stove.

o          Cook on the back burners when possible.

o          Keep pan handles turned toward the back of the stove.

o          Stay in the kitchen while frying, broiling, or grilling.

o          Check on your food often when baking or simmering.

o          Wear short or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.

o          Keep your stovetop clear from anything that can catch fire.

o          Use a timer to remind yourself that you are cooking.

o          Keep all cords coiled and away from counter edges.

o          Never hold your child while cooking.

o          Keep hot food away from counters and table edges.

o          Stay close by the grill or turkey fryer when in use.

o          Make sure you test those smoke alarms.

Decorating that Turkey Table on a Budget!

Decorating that Turkey Table on a Budget!

Julia @ Kids Matter

          I am literally salivating over Thanksgiving as we speak. I love Turkey Day for not just for the excuse to pig out on as many side dishes and as much turkey, gravy, and pies as I can. I love it for the décor! I am a huge fan of decorating for the holidays, and I always have champagne tastes on a beer budget! So, I try my hardest to have a new theme every year, but with things I can find around the house and yard. Check your yard for fallen branches. You can simply hang a branch over the table and from it hang pictures of past Thanksgivings (unless you have a chandelier there, then perhaps hang it somewhere else where it will be a focal point). This is such a warm, welcoming, and chic decoration that displays pictures of your loved ones.

          The table is my favorite to decorate! My favorite table linen to use this time of year is a rich golden color accented with bone white plates. Rust colored napkins with a leaf pattern sewn in them lay snuggly under my great grandmothers silver flatware that has been painstakingly polished to a gleam by yours truly! (A job I inherited at a VERY young age, to earn the right of inheritance of the said silver later in life.)

          Up next are simple accents of décor on the main table and buffet, or bar. I cut small round holes in the tops of squat round apples. Seal the holes with candle wax letting some wax drip over the bulb of the apples. I placed a tea light in each apple and line them up on the table.

          My center piece is a trio of gold, cream, and brown pillar candles that are on a trio stand with acorns tied in between each candle. I then sprinkle the fall leaves I had collected and cleaned earlier in the week on the table around the apples.

          I am a HUGE fan of smelly goods! I know the house will smell of turkey and pie, but give it a little boost! Make sure to put money in the Turkey Day budget for some good smelling candles or scented oils with aromas of fall. I personally love candles for ambiance and scented oil for fragrance.    With that being said, get yourself some decorative candles and holders from the Dollar Store to save money and spend that saved dough on scented oil and burners. My personal favorite place to get scented oil is The Body Shop. I have bought it at many places, but none of them can hold a candle to The Body Shop. I have just two burners for my 3500 square foot house; one for upstairs and one for downstairs and they cover the WHOLE house! The oil lasts a very long time and the Satsuma scent is a winner every time! It works for holidays and for summer.

          So take a look around your house for items to use as décor for Turkey Day. I am sure with a little imagination you can have a very festive day! Also, Pinterest is a resource that is a mecca for craft nerds like me. Start pinning and you don’t stop- it’s more addictive than raw cookie dough.

           Think of what you are thankful for and when you are about to pull your hair out this year with menu options, décor issues, Aunt Elsie and her horrid annual Jell-O salad (which you dread like the plague) remember, there are little ones out there who have no food. Take them something. Make it something good not just that can of old beans in your cabinet. Add a few extra boxes of instant mashed potatoes, mac-n-cheese, and chicken & stars soup to your shopping cart and know that a child is thanking you on Turkey Day.         

Have fun this year! Happy Thanksgiving and remember to thank someone every day. Thank your boss, your babysitter, your family, your waste management team, your mail carrier, and everyone!

Peace, Love, and Wishbones…

Choosing a Life of Thankfulness

Choosing a Life of Thankfulness

Belinda @ Kids Matter

“Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.” ― John Henry Jowett

Who, among us, can fathom November without triggering a reminder of being thankful? Not those humble and appreciative souls who trudge through the day to day festivities of life and spend 365 days a year being thankful. Yet some others choose the 30 days that make November to express thankfulness. Sadly, there are still others who choose to use only one day, Thanksgiving, to be appreciative of those around them, what they have, and who they are. This is a personal choice we must all make. We can be appreciative 365 days, 30 days, or one day a year; but, I ask you… what void does the remaining 335 or 364 days create in you? Are you fulfilled in life, by life? Does each sunrise offer new opportunities and each sunset endless possibilities? Does the rain just cleanse the Earth and water the grass or does it purify the life that sustains you? Does the 4:00pm shadow over take and suffocate you or does the noon day sun light you within? Your perception of the life you lead can be changed in the blink of an eye. Outside forces come and go, leaving footprints deep within us. Yet, each day our eyes open, our feet hit the floor, our lungs fill with air, and we step into a new day.  

Life isn’t all about what’s given to you. Life is about living and appreciating everything, every being, sight, smell, light, and darkness. Be thankful for everything and everyone. Life is about realizing there must always be hope, faith, courage, and perseverance. Distance is a measure, not a metaphor, for life. Don’t separate yourself from the people in life who love you and are thankful for you. Realize that time passes quickly, except while you wait. Tomorrow comes because it’s an opportunity. Night falls because the body needs replenishing.  Being thankful happens because we realize that without what we have, who we have, and who we are, tomorrow means nothing. Your life is far greater than nothing. Be thankful every minute of every day because you are important and life is worth living to your fullest potential.

Long ago, there was a label on VHS tapes that read, “Be kind. Rewind.” I say, be kind, unwind. Give yourself time to relax and recall all those wonderful things you have in your life for which you are thankful. Without taking that moment, each day, life can overcome us. We can forget to be thankful. We can even begin to believe there is nothing to be thankful for. Stop! Breathe! As the air fills your lungs, be thankful.

Today, I am thankful for you. You took a moment out of your day to read this and to me that’s something for which to be thankful. As you venture through the rest of your day, make it a challenge to think about all the words you can use to complete this sentence… Today, I am thankful for _______________ because it brought ____________ to my day. Make this a daily challenge and feel the difference it can make in your life. What else can you do to increase the number of days you are thankful each year? Challenge yourself to delight in and be thankful for all that you have and all that you are… every day! Show your appreciation! Wear your thankfulness in the smile on your face.  Show it in hugs to those you love. Don’t be afraid to express it any way you can. It’s always good to know you are appreciated. A simple “thank you” may just be the ray of sunshine to clear a cloudy day.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Kim @ Kids Matter

In our family, as in most families, Thanksgiving, is a major holiday.  When I was young, Thanksgiving was so much fun because all the cousins played together the entire day.  Thanksgiving was about getting together with family.  Oh, okay, and the food. Yes, the food.  My mother was quite the cook.  She always bought the biggest turkey as the whole family was coming for dinner (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc).  She made the stuffing, stuffed the turkey (which was quite a production) sewed the turkey shut, and skewered the legs tight.  It was kind of scary the first time I tuned in to watch her do it. But oh, how the smell of that turkey cooking set in my memory, and ever after cemented the longing for turkey each Thanksgiving Day.  My mother began cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the family when my grandmother, the matriarch of the family, was not able to cook anymore. 

I love a story she told about mashed potatoes while she was growing up and I have to share the story with you. In the early 1930s, my mother and her two sisters had to mash potatoes by hand until they were creamy, with no lumps.  It was quite a chore sometimes, especially if there were going to be many guests at the dinner table.  The sisters would take turns mashing to keep the arguing to a minimum.  One day my grandmother bought a MixMaster to mash the potatoes.  My mother tells the story about the night my grandmother brought the MixMaster home.  They were peeling potatoes for the evening meal, and my grandmother had to leave the house to run down the street to a neighbor’s home.  She told the girls not to use the MixMaster because she had not yet trained them how to use it.   Well, sisters will be sisters.  Of course they knew they could use the MixMaster, and have it back in the box before my grandmother returned.  So the sisters opened the box and set up the MixMaster.  My mother put the beaters in the potatoes, slid the switch to on, and WHAM potatoes flew everywhere!   The story goes that my mother was up on a chair with a mop wiping potatoes off the wall when my grandmother walked into the kitchen.  Such a great story!  I had the best laugh when she told it to me.

My mother and one sister have passed away. My Aunty Pat is still with us and she has always been a character.  She is very witty, funny, and enjoys life very much.  I was named after her and when I was young she took care of me, sometimes.  I remember one Thanksgiving… something about Lancers wine and “Hey Aunt Mary, the peas are green”, but that is another story to be kept in the family.

I also remember being so upset one day after my mother passed because I could not find her fudge recipe. Thank goodness, I eventually found it while looking through her many recipe books.  I now make many of my mother’s dishes and her turkey and dressing are a tradition carried on by my son and his wife.  We now celebrate Thanksgiving with my husband’s parents as well but still also cook at our house so we can savior Thanksgiving all weekend. 

As the holiday is fast approaching, I remember that my grandchildren are storing their family memories and traditions.  May each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with great memories to store, and remember to grab those recipes to carry on your family traditions.   Also, remember your children are storing memories.  Make them wonderful.