Crocheting Caps for Cancer Patients with Love

By Jodee Weiland

This is a very different post for me, because I have an important story to tell you today! I’m about to tell you how I came to the decision that I needed to do something for cancer victims who are bravely going through chemotherapy today and every day. A few weeks ago, I was thinking about an old friend, someone I loved, who bravely fought her own battle with cancer, but in the end, lost. Actually, I think about her all the time because I miss her so much. So often, I want to pick up the phone to tell her some news or just talk, but of course, I can’t! So, as often is the case, one thought led to another!

http://learnfromyesterday.comAround that same time, I had been thinking about crocheting hats for the needy or some charitable cause as a way of giving back or paying forward. It was then, I remembered a picture taken of my friend, Rory, sitting in a chair with a knitted or crocheted hat on her head after going through chemotherapy. What stood out the most at the time was her beautiful smile, but suddenly for no reason I can explain, I thought to myself, I used to crochet a little, why couldn’t I crochet hats for cancer patients? I immediately started to research how to do this and found out there are all kinds of resources online to help you do this! For me, I now had the information I needed for Crocheting Caps for Cancer Patients with Love!

http://learnfromyesterday.comAs I said, I had crocheted a little years ago, but it had been a while, and I never crocheted in the round, as you would when doing a hat. So I did more research and started looking into simple patterns. I pulled out my crochet needles, and then went to the store and bought whatever I need to make these caps. I was on a mission, and I was determined I would figure out how to do this. All was going well, until I started following the pattern I had. It just wasn’t working right, so I turned to YouTube, where I found a video called “How to Crochet a Beanie Tutorial – Beginner Friendly” from the blog, iheartstitching written by Melanie. Let me just say now, I love this young woman for helping me attain my goal, because with her video, I was finally able to crochet my caps for cancer patients.

http://learnfromyesterday.comYears before losing Rory, I watched my Aunt Rose die from cancer, a disease, when not stopped, ravages the body of its victims until they can no longer fight back. Later, another friend of mine, bravely fought cancer and won, but still does battle today with the aftermath of all the chemotherapy she had to endure to become cancer free. Looking back now, I remember vividly the day Rory called with the news of her cancer. When Rory found out she had cancer, she called me and said, “The bad news is I have cancer, and it’s incurable, but the good news is it’s treatable and can be controlled.” In the time that followed that conversation, my friend fought hard and at one point, was even in remission for a while, but when the cancer came back, it showed no mercy this time.

http://learnfromyesterday.comIt was during Rory’s battle with cancer, the chemotherapy took her hair. I remember her calling me and telling me about it, but she also told me it came back in curly. With every negative in this whole ordeal, Rory somehow always saw a positive and throughout it all, she maintained her dignity and positive attitude! The day before she died, we spoke on the phone. I could hear in her voice how tired she was, and my heart broke for her. The last thing I told her was, “I love you, Rory,” and she answered, “I love you, too, Jodee.” The next day she died. Knowing how she suffered, although she never complained, broke my heart every day, from the time she called to tell me what the doctors had found to the day she died.

http://learnfromyesterday.comFor many of us, Christmas is that time of year when we remember family members and friends who have passed away. For me, the memories keep them alive in my heart. I cherish the memories of the good times I had with each of my loved ones and try hard to focus on those memories, while holding them close to me in that way. This year those memories became the catalyst for me doing something I hoped would help others and at the same time, honor the memory of someone I loved, my closest friend in the world and my sister in my heart, Rory. Rory was one of the most beautiful and generous people I have ever known, and one year ago last April, she was taken from all of us after fighting a long hard battle against cancer. Crocheting Caps for Cancer Patients with Love is my way of trying to help others who are now fighting this battle and honoring the memory of dear friend, Rory! I feel as though she would want me to do this and is looking down with a smile, so hopefully those who get these hats will find comfort in having them. I wish each and every one of you Happy Holidays and good health, so enjoy!

It Started with HELLO: Sweet Connections with Lindt HELLO Chocolate!

By Jodee Weiland

This article is sponsored by Lindt HELLO. Thanks to Lindt HELLO for sponsoring today’s discussion!

Be sure to enter the sweepstakes at the end of this article every day for their chance to win* sweet experiences from Lindt Chocolate.

Most of us know that all of the relationships in our lives, be it friendship, romantic, professional, or otherwise, usually started with a simple “Hello!” Even a new mother will whisper lovingly to her newborn something like, “Hello, my sweet baby!” The important connections we make in life with others, for the most part, are sweet connections. Lindt HELLO Chocolate just made it easier for each of us to make “sweet connections” with those we care about or even with someone new when we want to say “Hello” in a special way! That’s right and here are just a few ideas on how to do that. Remember It Started with HELLO: Sweet Connections with Lindt HELLO Chocolate!

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Our wedding anniversary is coming up next month, and I always like to do a little something special for my husband. Lindt HELLO Chocolate gave me the perfect idea for a sweet connection with the man I love. We both enjoy sipping a fine wine with the sweet flavor of chocolate. It really is delicious together and a great treat for us! So I decided to make him a gift of Lindt HELLO Chocolate and one of our favorite bottles of wine.

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I found a plaque at the store that was created to look somewhat aged and a metal container that went with it well. I put an assortment of the Lindt HELLO Chocolate bars, sticks, and one of the mini-stick bags in the metal container and added a bottle of our favorite wine. With the plaque set behind these items, it will make the perfect way to say “Happy Anniversary!” It surpasses any card and is such a sweet connection for us. By the way, look at the plaque carefully. It says it all: “You are my favorite HELLO!”

http://learnfromyesterday.comThat’s not the only idea I came up with for hip trendy new Lindt HELLO Chocolates. What about for Halloween? Do you have someone special you would like to give a great treat while making a sweet connection? With such a large family and so many good friends, I always have someone I want to make feel special. So why not put on that witches hat and “Surrender the Treat,’’ a Halloween mesh basket filled with Lindt HELLO Chocolate! Anyone would love a great treat like this one!

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But don’t stop there! What about Christmas? How about an oversized coffee mug filled with Lindt HELLO Chocolate and a cute reindeer for that special secret Santa gift you’ll need? Or what about that special person you would love to share a big mug of hot chocolate/coffee and sweet chocolate with on Christmas Eve in front of the fireplace? Buy two mugs and put Lindt Hello Chocolate in both and share! Wouldn’t this be a great way to make a sweet connection over the holidays?

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No matter how you decide to make a sweet connection of your own, Lindt HELLO Chocolate, a hip, trendy brand in premium chocolate, will make it fun. This new collection from Lindt of sinfully delicious premium chocolate is inspired by classic American treats. Say “hello” to the enticing flavors, of the Lindt HELLO collection:

  • Caramel Brownie: Discover the irresistible combination of smooth milk chocolate, hazelnut and caramel brownie filling.
  • Strawberry Cheesecake: Satisfy your cheesecake craving with rich milk chocolate and a light, fluffy strawberry cream cheese filling.
  • Crunchy Nougat: Smooth milk chocolate, now that’s yummy!
  • Cookies & Cream: Chocolate, cookies – and a crunch!  Savor a chocolaty experience like no other, with chocolate chip cookie pieces and cream filling.

Be sure to check out the Lindt HELLO Sweet Connections Sweepstakes for the chance to win some great prizes. Also check out the “It Started with HELLO” web series here on Youtube with new episodes weekly through October 9, 2014. And remember It Started with HELLO: Sweet Connections with Lindt HELLO Chocolate! So enjoy!

Lindt HELLO is the hip, trendy brand in premium chocolate, that inspires connections and conversations everywhere it goes.  Be sure to enter the sweepstakes every day for a chance to win* sweet experiences from Lindt Chocolate.

To enter the sweepstakes, visit the Lindt HELLO Sweet Connections Sweepstakes Landing Page and enter your email address. Entries can be made daily for additional chances to win the below prizes.

Weekly Prizes – Connect with Someone You Love, or Someone New!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun (9/24 – 9/30)

  • Enjoy a shopping spree with the girls + yummy Lindt HELLO Chocolate!

Sweet Staycation (10/1 – 10/7)

  • Lindt HELLO treats you to a pampered night in – movies, books + chocolate!

Besties Reunion (10/8 – 10/14)

  • Reconnect with your bestie at the spa for a day + Lindt HELLO chocolate to sweeten the deal.

* No purchase necessary. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 years or older (19 in AL or NE and 21 in MS).  Void where prohibited. See Rules for weekly sweepstakes entry periods, prize descriptions, odds and other details. Ends Noon on 10/14/14. Void where prohibited. Sponsor: Lindt & Sprüngli (USA) Inc., One Fine Chocolate Place, Stratham, NH  03885.

Many thanks to Lindt HELLO for sponsoring today’s story, and giving my readers a chance to win really sweet prizes!

Savor the Flavors of P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu + Enter P.F.Chang’s “Perfect Pairings” Contest!

By Jodee Weiland

P.F. Chang’s Summer Menu looks outstanding! When I first heard of this opportunity to dine out and taste the wonderful items on P.F.Chang’s summer menu, I didn’t hesitate. Why not? Because I love the food at P.F.Chang’s and have thoroughly enjoyed dining there for years with my husband, my family, and on several occasions, with good friends! It’s a very popular dining option for many people and for good reason, one of which is the tasty choice of selections on the menu. Believe me when I say, P.F.Chang’s popularity with so many people comes from the fact that their menu items are delicious and full of rich flavors! Everyone who eats there will Savor the Flavors of P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu and more!

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When my husband and I set out to try P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu, we had a list of menu items from which to choose. Naturally, it would be impossible for the two of us to try them all, but we did our best to try as many as possible. Before we went to dinner, we checked out P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu online. All the choices looked wonderful, so it was hard to decide which ones we would try out. Take a look at our choices and see what you think!

http://learnfromyesterday.comTo begin our dining experience, we chose to share an Heirloom Tomato Salad from P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu. This delicious salad has market-fresh heirloom tomatoes, avocado, with a Thai basil and zesty ponzu dressing. Commonly used in Japanese cuisine, ponzu is a citrus-based sauce. The dressing was perfect, and enhanced the flavors of this light fresh salad of tomatoes and avocado. We’re looking forward to enjoying it again on our next visit to P.F.Chang’s.

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For our main meal, my husband chose the Seared Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Guacamole and decided to pair it with a Samuel Adam Summer Ale. His main course was a yellowfin tuna, seared and served rare, topped with wild baby arugula and green beans in a chili-lime ponzu sauce, served with wasabi guacamole. He loved the this flavorful light fish with a slight kick from the wasabi guacamole and thought it went very well with his Samuel Adams Summer Ale.

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For my main meal, I chose the Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken and decided to pair it with a glass of S.A. Prum “Essence” Riesling. My meal was sliced chicken breast wok-tossed with egg noodles, Fresno peppers, cilantro and a coconut curry infused broth and then garnished with Brussel sprouts, and topped with crispy wontons. Fabulous and full of rich flavors, when this dish was gently tossed with the crispy wontons, which added a slight crunchiness to the rest, it was absolutely delicious. Being a dish with noodles and such a generous serving, I ended up with some leftover to take home with me.

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Both of the main course selections we made were definitely winners with us and would easily be selected again on a return visit. My husband often tries something new, but I’m a little more hesitant to do so once I find something I love. Since I always seem to order P.F.Chang’s Spicy Chicken, this should tell you something about P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu! Based on this new taste experience, and the fact that everything so far was so good, we didn’t stop there!

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We both decided to order an extra dish we could share, so we could try it out. We knew we wouldn’t finish it, but that was okay with us because we could take it home with our leftovers. Leftovers from P.F.Chang’s are always great the next day. So the final dish we decided to try was the Orange Peel Shrimp. This is shrimp done in a Hunan chili sauce with fresh orange slices and garnished with daikon sprouts. We each had a few shrimps and loved the rich flavor and taste of the sauce used with this dish. We would be taking most of this dish home with us, even though it was hard to resist not eating more of it.

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Overall, our dining experience at P.F.Chang’s was fabulously successful and even though we couldn’t try everything on P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu, I feel certain that if everything else is as good as what we had, you can’t go wrong with whichever dish you choose to have. Every dish is well prepared and full of the Asian inspired flavors P.F.Chang’s is known for at over two hundred plus locations nationwide and the twenty plus international locations. The tastefully done meals they serve every day are the reason for this!

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After our experience of dining at P.F.Chang’s, I recommend doing the same to all of you, and don’t forget to Savor the Flavors of P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu, and Enter P.F.Chang’s “Perfect Pairings” Contest!

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Yes, that’s right! Love food and craft beer? Win a foodie trip to Boston from P.F.Chang’s. They are hosting a contest called “Perfect Pairings.” The contest will run until August 18th. A winner will be chosen by August 29.

Each participant will have the opportunity to win a $100 gift card and become eligible for the grand prize of a trip to Boston for an exclusive Sam Adams Brewery Tour for two, followed by a 4-course pairing dinner at the P.F.Chang’s in downtown Boston.

To enter the contest visit www.pfchangs.com/perfectpairings and tell them what two things you think pair perfectly together for the chance to win a trip for two to Boston to tour the Samuel Adams Brewery and dinner at P.F.Chang’s! For example, you might say, “Asian-inspired dishes go with craft beer like Seared Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Guacamole and a Samuel Adam Summer Ale.” Have fun with this contest and remember to get creative! By the way, don’t forget to try P.F.Chang’s Summer Menu first in order to find the best pairing for you, and enjoy!

NOTE: This post is sponsored by P.F.Chang’s, but my opinions are all my own. 
Thank you P.F.Chang’s for sponsoring today’s discussion and for the tasty dining out experience!

A special thank you to those at P.F.Chang’s, in Schaumburg, Illinois, where we had this great meal, especially, Chef Aurelio Rodriguez, Market Chef Jason Klever, and our server, Ismael Salinas! You are all the best for patiently putting up with me while I took photos of each dish and helping me by giving me time to do so! You’re great…thank you!

Improve the World: Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

By Jodee Weiland

Today is Earth Day and people all over are talking about it! There are activities for children in their schools. Various cities are have activities planned for today that encourage recycling things such as, bicycles for restoration, Apple products, and so much more.  Museums, botanical gardens, and zoos have exhibits that will focus on environmental issues of all kinds for us to learn more about our planet and how to preserve it for future generations. Today is a day when we all can learn how to Improve the World: Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

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You can easily Google what is happening in your city or cities nearby to you to help celebrate this day. In Chicago today, 5 NBC Chicago has posted a list of places to drop off items for safe recycling at Earth Day E-Waste Drop-Off Locations. ABC 7 Eyewitness News has posted a fun activity for families to do at home with their children at Earth Day Family Fun: Dirt dessert recipe. WGN TV has posted a fun outing for for young families here in Chicago and the suburbs at Earth Day 2014; What the Field Museum’s Dioramas are Teaching Kids about Conservation. These are just a few of the things being talked about here in Chicago, but as I searched the web, I saw so many posts from cities everywhere.

Remember, today is a day when we all can learn how to Improve the World: Celebrate Earth Day Every Day! If you can’t find anything near you, you can check out all the ideas for activities you can do with your family being posted on the web today or make the Dirt Dessert recipe from ABC 7 Eyewitness News listed above. Also, Pinterest has whole boards that contain Earth Day activities for children if you search for them. The EPA Environmental Protection Agency has a downloadable free eleven page coloring book for children called The Happy Earth Day Coloring and Activities Book. There are so many options out there if you just look. So have some fun on Earth Day, learn something new, do something to help the environment, and enjoy!

Refer A Friend

**FTC Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Bitsy’s Brainfood co-founder, Maggie Patton encourages families to involve kids in Earth Day, to teach them that they can make a difference.

“When it comes to my own family and taking action on Earth Day, we like to think globally, and act locally. There are so many simple ways to get the whole family involved in celebrating Earth Day,” Patton says. Below, she provides 19 kid-friendly Earth Day activities that can extend into loving the environment every day.

19 KID-FRIENDLY EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES

  1. Compost your fruit and veggie scraps and watch your garden bloom!
  2. Buy, fill and refill reusable water bottles — help keep millions of single-use plastic bottles out of landfill.
  3. Save a tree! Use both sides of your notebook paper.
  4. Visit a zoo or farm and learn how to care for animals. It’ll promote local food, too.
  5. Go for a family walk or bike ride and help keep the Earth cool.
  6. Get everyone a pair of work gloves and pick up trash in your neighborhood or town.
  7. Buy or make your own green cleaning products and spring clean your home.
  8. Grow a community garden and nourish your neighborhood green spaces.
  9. Plant more trees in your town — they’ll help clean the air.
  10. Help remove stuck plastic bags out of trees. And switch to reusable bags instead … for everything!
  11. Make an appointment with your town leaders to add more neighborhood trash cans and recycling bins — or start a recycling program.
  12. Collect glass food jars to paint and turn into candle holders (and use soy-based candles!).
  13. Love surprises? Plant bulbs and flower seeds and keep a weather eye for spring blossoms!
  14. “Turn off the lights!” Make switch plate reminders for your whole house.
  15. Show your kids the beauty of the beach. Collect shells and rocks for art projects.
  16. Make extra food for dinner then ditch BPA-lined plastic and get glass storage containers instead for leftovers.
  17. Transform colorful magazine pages, comics and more into artful projects and gift wrappers.
  18. Learn how to donate/recycle old computer equipment and post instructions (with permission, of course) at your local library, cafes, electronics stores and more.
  19. Breathe in nature: Turn off the a/c and open a window to the world.

Bonus activity: Just get outside and play!

 More Ways to Recycle:

 

Learn from yesterday, live for today…My Blog Celebrates One Year on April 12th!

By Jodee Weiland

One year ago on April 12th, 2013, I decided to make it official and took my blog, Learn from yesterday, live for today…, to the next level. I had actually been blogging for about a year before that on my previous site, but mostly only for family and friends. The goal was to share my recipes, travels, and thoughts with my targeted readers. Very few people outside of my immediate inner circle ever visited that site. There were a few visitors, who happened upon my site, but not nearly as many as there are today. I really did very little to promote my blog before that time, and any traffic other than family and friends was coming from search engines.

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That all changed when I finally admitted to myself that I actually had something to share with other people, outside of my family and friends, that might be of value to them. And so it began…I took everything off the old site, and began reviewing and rewriting it all one piece at a time…eliminating any pieces I felt weren’t good enough. From there, I went forward with my plans and began writing new ones. I started researching and learning about what I would need to do to make my blog more professional. I even began looking into how to create a blog environment for my readers that would be more user-friendly and make it easier for them to navigate my blog. But it didn’t stop there because I continue to do all of this and more every day!

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I just attended my first conference for bloggers this past weekend in St. Louis, Missouri, the Bloggy Boot Camp with The SITS Girls. This wonderful group of young women not only taught all of us some great things about blogging, but were inspiring and left everyone in attendance motivated to do more! Mirassou Winery gave a lovely reception for all of us at the end of the day and gave us an opportunity to connect with them as a possible sponsor. All of this was a wonderful experience and opportunity to learn more about the blogging process, while being able to connect with other bloggers. The bloggers who attended would become an invaluable source of support and information as well, but most importantly, they would become new friends!

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Improving my blog, Learn from yesterday, live for today…, doesn’t stop there though, because I am also taking various online courses to improve different aspects of my blog, such as photography and artisan bread making. While attending the conference, I purchased the book, Social Media Engagement for Dummies to help improve my skills in that area of blogging. I want my readers to love coming to my blog to visit and to know how important each and every one of them is to me, so I want to make it the best I can in every way! How will I do this? As I approach the one year anniversary of my blog on April 12th of this year, I will be celebrating, while I continue working hard to make it even better in the coming year ahead! So what do you think? Is this a blog you want to come back to often?  If not, what can I do to make it more appealing to you? Hopefully, all of you will continue to come back and share your thoughts with me as I move forward with my blog, and always remember to enjoy!