Sponsor a needy child

Yesterday my husband came home with a wonderful idea… he suggested that we pick one needy child to give toys or clothing instead of giving to each other this holiday season.  I’ll admit, upon hearing this I only saw my hopes of receiving a remote car starter for Christmas fly out the cold, drafty window. But he does have a good point here…. What better way to make the holidays a little brighter than helping those in need.  

So I began my research on where or how we could donate. Here’s what I came up with 

My Two Front Teeth 

My Two Front Teeth offers a personalized online gift-giving experience to aid underprivileged children.  These children are selected through community organizations and allowed to individually pick their one holiday wish.  The child’s wish profile is entered into the online database where donors then choose an online sponsorship. 

Toys for Tots 

Donate a new toy or give a donation to help make Christmas a little brighter for a needy child in your community 

Make A Wish Foundation 

Make this holiday season special by helping a child’s dream come true.  Make a Wish’s unique holiday donation options will help grant wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. 

Operation Christmas Child 

Operation Christmas Child invites you to pack a shoe box with small toys, school supplies, other gifts and a personal note to introduce a hurting child to God’s love.  The small gifts of love and messages of hope are delivered to needy children overseas. 

Angel Tree 

Angel Tree is a ministry of Prison Fellowship, delivering love in the form of Christmas gifts and a message of hope to children of prisoners.  Angel Tree Christmas connects the parents in prison with their children through the delivery of Christmas gifts by local church volunteers who purchase and deliver these gifts to children. Learn more about getting your church involved with Angel tree projects. 

CPR: Would you know what to do?

Wednesday, December 15: my last final to complete my first semester of graduate school.  After hours of studying all week I decided to take a break and hit the gym before my Pathophysiology test.  Who would have guessed that on that specific day an older gentleman would collapse while working out.  Thankfully, he only had a brief episode of syncope (a fainting spell) and quickly regained consciousness with only a few minor cuts on the bridge of his nose to remind him of his accident.   The situation, however,  had the potential to be much worse. 

I’m a nurse in a pediatric ICU. I like to believe that I have a quick reaction time and that I responded in the appropriate manner for this given situation.  However, nearly needless to say, there were several on-lookers, rubberneckers, and gym-rats peering over my shoulder as I asked the man a few questions and assessed him. 

What if this man wouldn’t have responded to my questions, didn’t open his eyes, or much worse.. wasn’t breathing and didn’t have a pulse… what would have been done? Health care provider or not, everyone should know what to do. 

1. CALL

Check the victim for unresponsiveness. If the person is not responsive and not breathing or not breathing normally, call 911 and return to the victim.  In most locations the emergency dispatcher can assist you with CPR instructions. 

2. PUMP

If the victim is still not breathing normally, coughing or moving, begin chest compression.  Push down in the center of the chest 2 inches 30 times.  Pump hard and fast at the rate of at least 100/minute, faster than once per second.  (To the same beat as the song “Staying Alive”) 

3. BLOW

Tilt the head back and lift the chin.  Pinch nose and cover the mouth with yours and blow until you see the chest rise.  Give 2 breaths.  Each breath should take 1 second.  

Continue with 30 pumps and 2 breaths until help arrives. 

Note: this ratio is the same for one-person and two-person CPR.  In two-person CPR the person pumping the chest stops while the other gives mouth-to-mouth breathing. 

What complications can occur? 

Vomiting is the most frequently encountered complication of CPR.  If the victim starts to vomit, turn the head to the side and try to sweep out or wipe off the vomit.  Continue with CPR.  

The spread of infection from the victim to the rescuer is exceedingly rare.  Most cardiac arrests occur in people’s homes– relatives or friends will be the ones needing CPR.  Even CPR performed on strangers has an exceedingly rare risk of infection.  There is NO documentation of HIV or AIDS ever being transmitted via CPR. 

CPR for Children (Age 1-8 years old) 

CPR for children is similiar to CPR for adults.  

The compression to ventilation ratio is 30:2.  

If you are alone with a child give 2 minutes of CPR before calling 911

CPR for Infants 

30 gentle chest compressions at the rate of atleast 100 per minute. 

Use two or three fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipple line. 

Press down approximately 1/3 the depth of the chest (about 1 1/2 inches). 

If you are alone with an infant give 2 minutes of CPR before calling 911.

“There’s an app for that”

Android CPR application

Iphone CPR application

Holiday Mail for Hereos 2010

Holiday Mail For Heroes is back for a fourth year! The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes will collect holiday cards from regular citizens all across the country and distribute them to service members, veterans, and their families. Many active service members must spend the holidays apart from their family. Give back this holiday season by sending a card to thank those who have given a great deal to their country.

Send cards to the address below:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD
20791-5456

      Deadline: December 10, 2010

Joann Fabric Coupons

Amazing coupon finds that I simply could not resist sharing

Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Banana Nut Bread Recipe 

Ingredients:

1 cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated white sugar

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoonbaking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 ripe large bananas, mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions for Banana Bread:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place oven rack to middle position. 
Butter and flour (or spray with a non stick vegetable spray) the bottom and sides of a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely. 
In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. 
With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.) Scrape batter into prepared pan. 

Read more:http://www.joyofbaking.com/breakfast/BananaBread.html#ixzz16xrxLhRz

Streusel Topping:

¼ cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped, untoasted
In a small bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the batter BEFORE baking. 

Baking: 

Place in oven set at 350 degrees. Bake for 55-60 mins until bread is golden brown and a  toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool and then remove the bread from the pan. 

Powdered Sugar Glazed topping: 

1 tbsp. butter
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. milk
1/8 tsp. salt



Put butter in 2 cup glass measure cup. Cook on high for 30 seconds or until melted. Add all ingredients. Starting with 1 1/2 tablespoons milk, add more only if needed to get glaze consistency. Drizzle over cool cake. Yields: About 1/2 cup.



Enjoy:
Serve warm or at room temperature. 
This bread can be frozen.
Makes 1 – 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf.

25 days ’til Christmas: Top 25

Today is December 1st and that only means one very important thing….. 

There are 25 days left until Christmas! 

To prepare for the holidays it is only appropriate that I provide you with: 

25 days of Christmas Movies
25 days of Christmas Jingles
25 days of Christmas gifts 

25 days of Christmas cookies

25 days of Christmas Movies: 

From December 1st-25th ABC Family will provide over 200 hours of Christmas-themed tv shows and movies. So prep the eggnogg and the fruitcake and get ready to catch the holiday spirit! 

Check out the full program schedule here.

What’s your favorite Christmas movie? 

1. Elf 
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas
3. It’s a Wonderful Life 
4. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 
5. The Santa Clause
6. A Christmas Story
7. The Polar Express 
8. The Muppet Christmas Carol 
9. Bad Santa 
10. Jack Frost
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas
12. Babes in Toyland
13. Home Alone 
14. Jingle All the Way 
15. A Miracle on 34th Street 
16. Gremlins
17. A Charlie Brown Christmas
18. Frosty the Snowman
19. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
20. Love Actually
21. Die Hard
22. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
23. The Year Without Santa Claus
24. Prancer 
25. Four Christmases 

25 days of Christmas Jingles:

A compilation of classic, rock, and pop holiday songs. Many of which can be found as remakes by several different artists (although you can never go wrong with Michael Buble, Josh Groban, or Pavarotti). Here are a 25 of my favorites. 

1. “White Christmas” – Bing Crosby 
2. “Jingle Bell Rock” 
3. “Blue Christmas” – Elvis Presley
4. “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” – John Lennon 
5. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” 
6. “Marshmallow Christmas”  
7. “Silent Night” 
8. “O Holy Night”- Josh Groban 
9. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” 
10. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”- Bruce Springsteen & Bon Jovi
11. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”- U2 
12. “We Wish you the Merriest” – Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra 
13. “Let It Snow”- Micheal Buble 
14. “All I Want for Christmas is You” -Mariah Carey 
15. “Last Christmas” – Wham!
16. “Its The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – Andy Williams
17. “Silver Bells” 
18. “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”- Elmo & Patsy
19. “Step into Christmas” – Elton John  
20. “O come, O come Emmanuel” 
21. “Winter Wonderland”- Jason Mraz 
22. “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear”- Josh Groban 
23. “I’ll be Home for Christmas” – Michael Buble (or Josh Groban)
24. “Ave Maria”- Luciano Pavarotti 
25. and for the adults who want to “have a very merry mother ****ing Christmas.. you may enjoy “I Wanna Rock you Hard this Christmas” – The Dan Band 

25 days of Christmas gifts 
Gift-giving ideas for those who have it all or simply won’t tell you what they want from Santa this year! 

1. A Themed Wine Sampler gift set 
2. Home beer brewing kit 
3. Starbucks gift card and coffee mug
4. Send a bouquet of holiday flowers 
5. Popcorn Factory gift basket 
6. Beer of the Month Club (for beer lovers!) 
7. Wine of the Month Club (for wine lovers!) 
8. Dinner of the Month Club (for food lovers!) or check out http://www.amazingclubs.com for any other “of the month club” that you can think of!
9. Netflix gift card 
10. Magazine subscription 
11. Ebook reader (Kindle, Nook..)
12. Think Geek 
13. Itunes gift card 
14. Teavana Tea gift set 
15. Wine rack
16. Homemade candy & cookies 
17. Hand-crafted & unique gift from Etsy.com
18. Luggage or travel tote filled with travel goodies
19. Wineberry, the boxed wine in a wood crate (I know, I know.. boxed wine doesn’t sound like a fabulous gift, but check out these boxes and you will see what I mean!) 
20. Wall Mounted Fish Bowls or Fish Bowl Bookend Set 
21. The Sharper Image Pocket Projector
22. Digital Photo Frame Fridge Magnet 
23. Spa gift certificate (or to a local nail salon) 
24. A personal creation 
25. Entertain their inner child with a gift from perpetual kid (like giving them A Christmas Story Leg Lamp!) 

25 days of Christmas cookies:
Here are 25 reasons to eat 25 different Christmas cookies! 

1. Chocolate Chip Cookies 
2. Lady Fingers (clothespin cookies)
3. Gobs (whoopie pies)
4. Stained-Glass window cookies 
5. Thumbprint cookies
6. Sugar cookies (in christmas cut-out shapes of course!)
7. Buckeyes
8. No-Bake chocolate peanut butter bars 
9. Peanut butter cup cookies 
10. Soft gingersnaps 
11. Rice Krispies Treats Wreaths 
12. Snowball cookies 
13. Snickerdoodles
14. Peanut butter blossoms 
15. Gingerbread men 
16. Coconut macaroons
17. Pumpkin cookies 
18. Christmas candy cane cookies 
19. Russian tea cakes 
20. Santa grahams 
21. Reindeer cookies 
22. Oatmeal cookies 
23. Peanut butter cookies 
24. Red Velvet cake cookies
25. White Chocolate Macadamia nut cookies