This week on “Show us Your Life,” Kelly asks us to share some ideas for random acts of kindness.
If you are here from Domestic Fringe . . . scroll down a bit for the recipe! 🙂
I love doing something little as a surprise for people!
Here are some ideas:
Call a Friend
Or, more accurately in my case, text a friend.
Because who wants to talk to someone who has to constantly pause the conversation to say things such as:
“Mommy’s busy.”
“Don’t lick the dog.”
“Please go potty!”
“No. No more snacks.”
“Don’t take her book.”
“Go potty. Yes you have to. You are holding yourself.”
“Don’t yell.”
“Don’t pee on the floor!”
Trust me.
I am a much better texter.
BTW-I used 2 hate txting but I lrned 2 embrace it 4 it makes life easier.
LOL
See.
I’m down with the lingo.
LOL.
Fact: I have rejected LOL in my life and have substituted in it’s stead the smiley face.
🙂
I like it much better.
Bring someone coffee
My darling friend, Amanda, did this for me on my dreary,
tragical Thursday last week.
Aaaannnnndddd . . . I heart her.
Offer to babysit someone’s kids
Trust me.
There are a lot of moms out there who could use a break sometimes . . . particularly if her children are . . . spunky.
Attention all friend of mine in real life:
HINT, HINT
Oh, I am kidding.
Or.
Am.
I?
Write a Note
This is always a spectacular way to go.
And look what I found in my old Bible this week . . .
Why, what’s this dear readers?
Hmmm . . .
Well, glory-be-and-the-saints-be-praised, it looks like I once got a love note from my dapper, young Lumberjack when we were dating and should have been listening to the message on 1 Corinthians.
Yet, we were not.
We were swooning each other.
Shameful.
Look up 1 Corinthians 7.
Hmmm . . .
A whole chapter on marriage.
Perhaps we were moved.
Or flirting and not paying attention.
I will go with the latter option.
Bring someone a meal or dessert
I mean, who doesn’t like pie?
As promised, here is the delightful recipe that I shamelessly stole from my friend, Mindy Lou.
Fun Fact: I like to call MindyLou my “Sweet Sugar Pants.”
Why?
Because I can.
I emailed MindyLou asking her for her recipe and she gave it to me!
Holla!
Do not be alarmed. I asked permission from my Sweet Sugar Pants to share this recipe with all of you.
Dearest Taylor,
Here is the uber top-secret recipe. I just wanted to use the word uber.
Anyhew….it was WAY good, and I know you will enjoy, yum-yum!
You will love my recipe, it’s very exact!!! 🙂
Ingredients:
Graham cracker crust
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips(ish)
2 tblsp butter(or so)
1/4 cup whipping cream(about)
1 tblsp light corn syrup(give or take a little)
8 cups strawberries(or more if ya want), stems removed
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbls cornstarch
Now, for the directions:
Melt chocolate pieces and butter over low heat;set aside. In a heavy saucepan stir together whipping cream and corn syrup. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; gradually stir into choc mixture. Cool to room temp. Spread cooled choc mixture over the bottom and sides of the crust; set aside.
In a blender combine 1 cup of the strawberries and the water. Cover and blend till smooth. In a saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pureed berry mixture. Cook and stir over med heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Cool for 10 minutes without stirring.
Arrange half of the remaining strawberries, stem end down, in crust. Carefully glaze thickened mixture over fruit, thoroughly covering each peice of fruit. Arrange remaining berries over first layer. Glaze these berries as first layer. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
With much love, your dearest Sweet Sugar Pants
There you have it!
Go!
Make pie!
Make one for yourself and one for your friend!
It was delicious, as well as delightful.
That’s all I got.
What are some ideas you have for random acts of kindness?
I would love to hear them.
Hint.
Hint.
Awww…coffee is always a nice thing to do. I do that for our receptionist at our school occasionally because, boy, does she handle some interesting parents.
Baking is always cool, too. I love to bake and it’s a relatively inexpensive way to RAK someone.
Every so often, if I have some extra $$, I will pay the toll for the person behind me when I drive along toll-heavy I-95. If I’m lucky, I can look in the rearview mirror and see the expression on their face. It’s always funny. 🙂
Love the toll paying idea…alas, in California we don’t really have toll roads. But, one time when I was driving through Starbucks the person in front of me paid for my order…it was so cool! I decided to Pay It Forward and paid for the person behind me. It made me smile all day long!
When I return from my vaca in Cali, I will most definitely bring you coffee and a dessert I just baked, watch your children while you go somewhere–anywhere–and then write you a note. Because I love ya and I can.
Also, my main “love language” (have you read that book?? because if you haven’t this will make NO sense) is affirmation, so right now I am feeling SOOO loved because I just got recognition in a big way!! Aww…my love tank is full….. 😉
I agree with Melissa (only not in the toll booth department), it’s fun to pay for the person behind you for something like coffee or fast food(not that I eat that!). It’s so fun!
I’m looking forward to everyone else’s suggestions!
Look at you going all Martha Stewart on us! That recipe looks good – I plan on cutting and pasting it and then passing it off as my own on my blog.
JK!! LOL LOL LOL 🙂 🙂 🙂
Seriously Taylor! How am I supposed to stick to the diet I just started yesterday when you have put such deliciousness in my face? Thanks for the temptation….. 🙂
Ummm… I like smiling at people. Seeing a big smiley face looking at you is bound to make someone happy. Or it might sometimes freak them out. 🙂
Buy the way, I’m a fan of the smiley face too. 😀
Marla @ http://www.asthefarmturns.wordpress.com
Brilliant!! LOVE (and will steal) the chocolate lined crust idea!!
This is a small thing, but taking water to someone you’re picking up from the airport is nice. 🙂
I have to confess, that pie looks like too much work for me. I am so lazy these days, that I am not even going to make a chocolate cake tonight, even though I desperately want to. It would make too many dirty dishes, and my washer is already running.
Holla!
One thing I’ve noticed that can make a big difference, and yet is so simple, is to smile more. Be present to the person serving you–the cashier, the librarian, the waitress. Sometimes we’re all so rushed that we don’t make eye contact, and don’t say thank you loud enough. Oh, and the person at the toll booth, too. Just because the toll is expensive doesn’t make it their fault.
I always try to be extra nice to check out people b/c I think so many people are rude to them.
And chocolate strawberry…pie…hmmmm…yummmmmmm.
as you would say:
Holla Sweet Sugar Pants!
OoOoO! That sounds delicious! Will have to try that, I too like smiley faces, I do them a lot! 🙂
Hmm as far as random acts of kindness. I think of a lot of things that I do for my kids like getting a special treat or taking one kid on a special outing just to give one on one time, laying out a note for them to find telling them how special they are. Maybe thats just being a mom… But makes me feel good to make them happy.
I like to notice small or different things about ppl and comment about it. I like to make other ppl smile. Sometimes the littlest things make a big impact. I love to say “have a good day” to people, hopefully they take it with them! 🙂
Great tips!
I still have my “dating” love notes from my hubby.
I will email you a response to your email tomorrow.
So when should I expect my pie???
I loved your list…I wish I lived close enough to babysit : )
Compliments. People love ’em. I sit at the front desk at school and I try to compliment as many people as I can when they come in.
But you must be sincere! If you can’t find something to compliment, don’t do it.
Because that is lying.
BUT! I find that if you look hard, there is nearly always something nice to say.
“You’re having a good hair day!”
“Great earrings.”
“You have the best purse collection.”
“You are so patient with your kids. I’m impressed by that.”
“Your laugh makes me smile.”
I should mention that I work with a lot of women. And it’s mostly moms who come in. The compliment thing can be a tad awkward with men.
chocolate…….strawberries
chocolate…….strawberries
chocolate…….strawberries
two of my very favorite things!!!!
oh,how i heart you , taylor!!!!! 😉
I think I’ll try to bake something for my neighbors this week! Thanks for sharing.
Oh my goodness! The pie sounds wonderful! I’m going to have to try it! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! I just hopped over here from Kelly’s blog.
Can I make a shortcut suggestion? This pie looks A-MAZING! But I’m really opposed to anything that requires melting chocolate. I’m not the domestic diva I wish I was. My little shortcut is to spread Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread) on anything that requires melted chocolate. It’s delicious and quick. And my kitchen doesn’t smell like burnt chocolate afterwords.
One of my favorite “easy bake” treats is brownies with a layer of nutella on top, then a nice spread of fresh berries on top of that. It’s such a tasty, fancy fake-out!
I heart you too!
Oh my, that pie….
How many hours in the gym would equal a slice of that do you reckon?
Cxx
tsp = teaspoon
Tbsp = tablespoon
c = cup
standard
Hello, I’m back.
I love your list. Especially bringing someone a dessert. What a lovely gift.
Mmmm, pie!
Alas, someone here is allergic so I will have to settle for a slice of Strawberry Pie from Marie Calendar’s, with a cup of hot cocoa.
too fun! I love strawberries and chocolate!
HOpe to try this pie sometime! thanks!
Dani Joy
Trying to catch up some blog reading…and love these random acts…one of my favorite things to do….the pie sounds wonderful!!!!
Love your blog..
Hope you will stop by for a visit. I have a guest post from my son this weekend…