As many of you may know, I recently wrote an article entitled "Are You Paying Attention To The Relationships That Matter The Most To You." Well, much to my surprise, I received several comments and emails regarding the article and how it touched people's hearts and made them reflect upon their own lives.  This thrilled me!  One of my favorite comments, however, which the reader felt was too long to include in the comments section of my blog, was sent to me via email.  With her permission, I have reprinted it for you below, exactly as she sent it to me (with the exception of a couple of name changes), because I felt that it had important significance and truly touched my heart.

Kim McDougal, the writer of the comments and creator of the food blog, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet, is a virtual friend that I met a few weeks ago on Twitter, the social/business networking site, where people can search for and locate individuals with like-minded interests in business and/or hobbies and share ideas together.  Kim and I quickly began communicating back and forth over the internet about our mutual passion for cooking and decided to take a look at each other's blogs to get to know each other better.  While Kim was reading and commenting on my relationship article, I was busy printing out her Raspberry Yogurt Cake recipe to try.

Later that evening, my children and I headed for the kitchen with Kim's recipe in hand.  We all pitched in, mixing up the cake in about 15 minutes and carefully placing it in the oven to bake.  45 minutes later, we removed the delicious cake you see pictured below.  Since it was so late that night, the kids and I left it covered under our glass cake stand for the night.  The next morning, Kim's Raspberry Yogurt Cake became the perfect compliment for my morning cup of hot coffee.

Once everyone tasted it, we unanimously decided that the flavor of the cake closely resembled Otis Spunkmeyer's Blueberry Muffins (which we all enjoy), except it tasted fresher and denser.   This led me to the thought of substituting blueberries, strawberries, or possibly even cranberries to this cake, as a variation.  Blueberries would be magnificent!

The cake, itself, is flavorful and dense, moist and sweet.  The slight tartness of the berries gently offsets the sweetness of the cake.  The top surface of the cake is a beautiful golden color, which really needs no decoration at all.  However, for a variation, we decided to top it off with the sprinkling of some powdered sugar.  Another serving suggestion would be to gather a few fresh raspberries, cluster them in the center and accent with one or two mint leaves before serving.

The original recipe for this delicious Raspberry Yogurt Cake can be found here, at Kim's link.  In addition, however, I've written the recipe out fully below, just as my family baked it, so you could see the brands that we used, as well as the methods and minor changes we made to achieve our final results.

Before you sit down with your cup of coffee and slice of Raspberry Yogurt Cake, though, I hope you will remember Kim's story below and the life-lesson her grandmother taught..."Give People Flowers WHEN They Can Smell Them."  Something she has obviously had to learn the hard way.  But, from her lessons and communication with us, we all benefit. 

Thanks, Kim, for sharing your sweet "bouquet of flowers" and Raspberry Yogurt Cake recipe with me! 




INGREDIENTS

2-eggs (I used 2 Extra-Large Eggland's Best brand)
1-cup plain unsweetened yogurt (I used Dannon brand)
1-cup granulated sugar
1/2-cup vegetable oil (I used Crisco brand)
2-cups all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur Flour, Unbleached All-Purpose brand)
1-Tbls. baking powder
1 or 2-tsp. vanilla extract, to taste (I used 2 tsps of Adam's Best [twice as strong] brand)
1-1/2 to 2-cups fresh raspberries, rinsed and patted dry
Optional: powdered sugar for decorating top of cake

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla and oil.  In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.  Add the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture and blend together.

Pour half of the batter into a greased ten-inch cake pan (for 9-inch pan, add 10-15 mins to baking time)*, then pour half of the raspberries on the surface.  Cover the berries with the remaining batter and top with remaining half of the berries.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.  Let stand for ten minutes and transfer onto a rack to cool.

*Optional - Soak Magi-Cake Baking Strips in water and wrap around outer side of cake pan, to help cake bake more evenly.

********************************

Kim McDougal's Story

Ok Rhonda, here it is...grab a cup of coffee, sit back and read my novel!!! LOL

Let me start off by telling you that I was brought up to believe I was black. Yet I looked differently than all my family, my classmates, my neighbors. I had long dark hair, light skinned, high cheek bones, etc. I got teased all through school for it. But somehow I didn't notice the color differences not till I moved to the south at age 25. I grew up in Chicago in the worse neighborhood - the south side - gangs, prostitution, drugs, killings outside our apartment, you name it. It was just me, my little brother, and my mother. I lived with them till I was 18 when I left to live with my grandmother and my step-grandfather in Indiana to go to college. That's when I learned the truth about my heritage.

My grandma, "Grammy" sat me down and told me I am actually 1/3 White, 1/3 Native American, and 1/3 Black. My true grandfather on my mother's side was Indian. I don't remember what tribe, I guess at that time I was just shocked but it answered a lot of questions for me. My father's side was white while my mother's side of course with the Indian but mixed with Black. So I tell people I am simply Neopolitan!!! LOL

My real father met my mother when he was already married to someone else. I was the result of their affair. He promised my mother he would marry her, but you know how these stories usually go...he never did. Worse, he left his first wife, my mother and me and went off and married another woman. He did not want me but he fought my mother in court to change my last name. That's all I have of him. It has hurt me all my life, but I thank God anyway. My step-grandfather was extremely angry that my father rejected me like this and so he became my father. Landon was his name. I still remember him telling me one day, after I had tried to visit my father and he turned me away, "I'll be your father, you don't need him." Well, partly no and partly yes. A man, a father defines his kids. He shows the boy what kind of man he should become while he is his daughter's first date. He buys her her first dress and he defines for her the kind of man she should marry. Without that, a girl falls for all the wrong men, which I did.

Landon could not take his place but he did love on me. Anything I needed for college or wanted, he got it for me. While I was living with them he loved to spend time with me. We'd watch sports on TV, I'd cook for him. He'd give me money even when I didn't need any. He was kind to me. He made me laugh. I loved him a lot Rhonda, but only one thing was wrong...I never told him so. Circumstances happened which forced me to leave and go back to Chicago to my mom and yet he still cared for me long distance.. We'd talk on the phone all the time. Still..I never told him I loved him. One terrible day I came home from a date, my mother told me we had to leave to go to Grammy. Landon had had a massive heart attack and died. He was DOA before the paramedics got there. I was in shock. It was a bad dream I thought. A bad dream! He couldn't be gone! But he was. I realized at that moment that I had never openly, audibly shown my love and appreciation for him. He had tried to do for me what my father failed to do. And now he was gone and I'd never get to tell him all that he meant to me. Immediately the guilt came and for years later, not only was I grieving, I was lost. 

I vowed I'd never let another soul in my life leave this world without me telling them and showing them how I feel about them. We take our relationships for granted too often. We're so busy coming and going that we pass each other without a single caring word. And we're not being mean but just in our own world... I took Landon for granted and I paid the price for that. All I could do was tell God I was sorry and ask for forgiveness from Him since Landon not here. Other people would tell me, "Oh honey, I'm sure he knew how you felt before he died..." He may have but nothing compares to hearing your child, adopted or born from your loins, telling you, "I love you Landon", "I love you Daddy". Nothing. I've lost my Mom and Grammy now but you can believe they not only knew I loved them, they heard me tell them several times a day everyday. I truly do believe in giving people flowers WHEN they can smell them!

I'm glad to share this story with you. Thank you for being my new found friend.

Love, Kim

 _______________________________
Kim McDougal, creator Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet

This "Red Holiday Party Punch" is brilliantly colored and makes the perfect non-alcoholic drink to begin your holiday gathering.  It is also an excellent compliment to any birthday party. 

For little ones, however, you may want to provide drippless sippy cups, disposable straw cups or serve outside, unless the possibility of having brightly colored, red punch stains on your carpet doesn't bother you.

If you prefer using sippy cups or straw cups, but worry about the colors or artwork not coordinating, you can customize them by doing the following...

• Begin by copying and pasting a photo, picture, stickers or clip art, related to your theme, onto a strip of medium-weight paper, which has been measured to fit around the outside of the cup.  Because most cups are not straight up and down, you will need to overlap the corners toward the bottom of the cup and trim the edges, in order to achieve a tight fit
• Wrap the paper around the outside of the cup
• Use double-stick tape to adhere the paper securely to the surface of the cup
• To help children identify which cup belongs to them, throughout the remainder of the party, you may want to use different colored strips of paper for the background or vary the pictures
• Print out a name label or write out their names on each cup

If you are the type of person who enjoys planning parties and creatively incorporating your food and drinks into your theme and/or printed menu, then here are a few ideas to get your brainstorming started...

• "Blood Red Punch"... for a Scary Halloween Party
• "Twilight Red Rose Punch"... for a "Twilight" Themed Party
• "Ruby Red Passion Punch"... for a Valentine's Party
• "Clifford's 'Ruff' Red Punch"... for a "Clifford The Big Red Dog" Birthday Party
• "Lightening Red Racing Punch"... for a "Cars" Birthday Party

These are just a few suggestions, but I think you get the idea, right?  Just take your punch and add a name to it.  It always makes everything seem a little more fun and festive for the smaller children, during a party, if you bring the party "to life", somewhat. 
 


                                               
                                                                            Courtesy of Flickr.com

PUNCH INGREDIENTS

1-package cherry flavored Kool-Aid
1-cup granulated sugar
1-large bottle ginger ale
1/2-large bottle cran-raspberry juice
1/2-large can pineapple juice

************************************************************************

PUNCH DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together and chill in refrigerator until ready to use.  Serve cold or over ice.

Note:  If you desire a darker shade of red, simply add a few drops of red food coloring.

                    

Many times when parents are planning a winter birthday party for their children, they feel limited by the options of what theme, decorations and activities they can have, since weather often plays a determining factor in the party events.  When my daughter was about to turn 4 years old, I decided that I didn't want to have to worry about whether or not the outside conditions were going to cooperate with our party plans, so I planned an indoor party based on the classic movie, "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory."

To be honest with you, however, the weather was not the first condition that helped me choose this particular party idea.  It was my daughter's fascination with the "Wonka Room."  You see, one night we were sitting in our living room, after dinner, and settled in to watch one of the all-time classic, original 1971 children's movies, "Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory."  As I watched the excitement grow on my daughter's face, when Charlie entered into the Wonka Room, the thought occurred to me..."It's perfect!  What a great children's party theme!"

Educational Elements

• Name recognition for 3 and 4 year olds, by locating their name labeled candy throughout the party
• Artistic learning and creativity through decorating & creating unique "gingerbread houses"
• Candy counting book, offered as goody bag gift to help incent and promote reading and math skills

The Cake

HOW TO...

The first thing I did, was begin planning out her birthday cake.  I asked her what her favorite scene was from the movie and she said, "The boat scene, with the chocolate river.  Also, the Oompa Loompa scene, when they're dancing and pouring sugar."  So, I decided to incorporate both of these scenes into her cake, as shown above.

At this point, I had never worked with fondant or character modeling before, and was wondering how I could develop the sugar figures I was envisioning in my mind.  I quickly ran over to pick up my first hardback, decorator's cake book that I had purchased...Sylvia Weinstock's "Sweet Celebrations" .  In her book, I remembered that she had made an "Alice In Wonderland" cake, using fondant for the characters.  I had never used fondant before, but decided I would give it a try.  I used the photo of Sylvia's whimsical cake as my inspiration in pushing myself to try these techniques and see if I could create something appealing to the children.

I went to my  favorite, local cake store, Cake Carousel, and purchased a 5 pound package of fondant, some food paste coloring and lemon extract, a fine sable paint brush for the facial detail work, edible dusting powders, and some gumpaste/fondant modeling tools.  From there, I went home, popped in the video of the movie, I had since purchased, and paused it when it came to the Oompa Loompa scene.  From there, I began molding a more animated version of the Oompa Loompa's, each carrying or pushing something different.  The heads, arms and legs, I attached together using raw spaghetti.  I hand painted the finishing details for each figure, using the sable brush, dipped into a diluted version of coloring, made by mixing a tiny amount of lemon extract with the food paste coloring.  The mini accessories for the Oompa Loompa's were purchased at the local craft store.

Once my figures were made, I moved on to the boat, made of fondant, wire and a plastic piece for the windshield.  The painted detail accents were made from mixing lemon extract and a small amount of dry, edible gold dust powder, to form a paste.  The stone tunnel, and rocky cliff, waterfall walls were created using a foil covered cardboard base, which was glued together using a non-toxic glue and covered in hand molded fondant stones, which were scraped and shaped with the gumpaste/fondant tools.  They were finished out with plastic ferns, plants & Palm Trees, buttercream vines and royal icing flowers, together with a buttercream waterfall.  These pieces took approximately 1 1/2 weeks to dry.  The cake was trimmed in varying colors of royal icing "drop flowers."   The pathway to the boat was made of Ghiradelli chocolate wafers.  Other items added for appeal were gumdrops, lollipops and swirled, candy stick candles.  To accommodate everyone's taste, I made half of the cake chocolate and half of it white and joined them together in the center with a dab of buttercream icing to hold them in place.  Finally, I iced both cakes, as one, on a large, full sheet cake board and  iced with a decorator's buttercream icing, tinted either brown or green with food paste coloring.  Since some children are allergic to chocolate, I felt it was best to simply color the vanilla buttercream brown for the waterfall and river.  The green grass on top of the cake and around the base were both made with a No. 233 icing tip.  The side lettering was made of royal icing, using the basketweave tip No. 46.

Wonka Invitations

HOW TO...

• Purchase Wonka Milk Chocolate Bars at your nearest grocery store, drugstore or online.  I purchased mine at Albertson's and my local drugstore
• At a craft store, purchase a few sheets of gold metallic scrapbooking paper to make the golden tickets, which will be inserted inside the candy bars
• Measure out the dimensions of the Wonka Milk Chocolate Bars and make a golden ticket template slightly smaller than the chocolate bar size
• Using your ticket template, set up your computer word processing sheet with the appropriate amount of tickets on each page 
• Set up your page with a decorative or block border around each ticket/rectangle space and insert the birthday invitation wording in the center
• For the invitation & golden ticket wording, visit Wonka's Golden Ticket.  Use this original ticket as a guide, changing it slightly to personalize, with the proper name, address, time, rsvp info.
• Cut out each golden ticket invitation
• Gently slide the foil lined chocolate bar out of the outer Wonka sleeve (can tear open, if necessary, and re-glue with non-toxic glue)
• Carefully open the foil from around the chocolate bar and gently slide the golden ticket, wording facing up towards the opening of the foil, so your guests are surprised with the golden ticket invitation the moment they open the candy bar
• Reinsert the foil lined candy bar inside the outer Wonka sleeve wrapping
• Buy some purple ribbon to tie around the outside of the bar like a package 
• On your computer, print out small squares of cardstock with the following...On the first line print..."(Insert Child's Name) You're Invited".  On the second line print... "Look Inside To See If You Are The Winner Of The Golden Ticket"   

Party Entrance & Bags

HOW TO...

• When children arrive, greet them at the door with a computer printed nametag, shaped like an egg, which has then been applied to a colorful piece of cardstock.  Safety pin it to their shirt, so that everyone can call them by name.  The nametag might say something like..."(Insert Child's Name) Is A Good Egg!" (this was a line taken from the movie)
• The entryway can be lined with plastic Christmas candy canes, draped with artificial candy garland strings and a sign saying welcome to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.  The sign can be made from various bright colors of butcher paper or construction paper.  Template for lettering can be found on favorite google images for Wonka 
• Upon entry, each child can be given a colorful, handled, paper bag, personalized with their name at the top, decorated with a computer printout of the video cover and highlighted with gel puff paints.  Each bag should have the child's name printed on it, in case they set it down during the party and can't remember which one was theirs.  The bags are used, as they make their way through their beginning stop in the Willy Wonka Candy Factory

              

Beginning Stop - "Willy Wonka Candy Factory"

Wonka Candy Room...Children enter the room and go to each candy station identifying and picking each piece of candy labeled with their name.

Lollipop Tree Forest

 

Candy Tree

Gummy Bear Tree

Candy Covered Pinwheel Flowers

"Pick Your Favorite Petal"

HOW TO...

        Lollipop Tree Forest

• Using a hot glue gun, cover a long, rectangular piece of styrofoam with moss
• Decorate, as shown, with ferns and lollipops on each side of the center gumdrop candy tree
• Make your center tree, using a styrofoam cone, covered with winding gumdrops and artificial miniature ivey (gumdrops are attached with toothpicks)
• Top off your gumdrop tree with a colorful bow
• Label each lollipop with a computer printed label, stating each child's name.  Wrap label around the stick like a flag

        Candy Tree

• Display painted styrofoam tree, secured on a wooden box base
• Tape Wonka candy to the top, leafy part of the tree, personalizing each piece with a green paper leaf nametag
• Crumple up green butcher paper at base, to represent grass in the box
• (Child's squirrel artwork displayed at the base)
• Staple or tape sign to tree trunk reading, "Can you find your 7 Wonka treats?"
• Help each child find their nametag and pick their 7 pieces of candy to place in their bag 

        Gummy Bear Tree

• Fill an old plastic flower pot with dirt, to act as your base
• Set flower pot on a round plastic tray, a few inches wider than your pot
• Arrange large strips of wood bark from fireplace logs around outside of pot
• Find a few fallen tree branches and arrange them in the pot of dirt for your tree form
• Using your computer, find a coloring book image or downloadable image of a large teddy bear
• Print out teddy bears, inserting the child's name on one foot
• Attach a wrapped gummy bear with tape onto the paper bear
• Use a hole punch to punch a hole in the top of the teddy bear
• Tie a  ribbon through the hole in the top and hang from the tree's branches 

        Candy Covered Pinwheel Flowers

• Insert pinwheel stick into terra cotta pots, filled with rocks, Plaster of Paris, etc
• Use double stick tape or scotch tape to apply individually wrapped, hard candies to petals of pinwheel flowers
• Decorate top of flower pot, using artificial ferns
• Tie raffia ribbon around flower pole
• Print out a long strand of paper with the instructions "Pick Your Favorite Petal" and weave through the fern
• Have children spin the flower and pick all the pieces of candy off of one of the petals to place in their bag
• (Note:  Pinwheels can be purchased in the springtime at your local craft store or sometimes at a garden center)

 Bounce House / "Wonkavator Room"

Our house was divided up into four separate rooms of play.    First we moved the furniture out of our living room, so it could accommodate a 15 foot bounce house.    When figuring out your space planning, keep in mind that your room must allow an extra three feet of empty space around the perimeter of the bounce house...between the bounce house and the wall.  The bounce house was generic in theme, with bright primary colors, so it flowed properly with the rest of the decorations throughout the house.

 


Gingerbread House Decorating Activity



HOW TO...

        Sugar Art "Gingerbread" Activity

• Use cake rounds, covered in decorative foil for bases
• Make a batch of royal icing to fill a parchment cone, pastry bag or ziplock sandwich bag.   Squeeze out a line of icing between all graham cracker connections, as described below
• Make a second batch, or two, to fill one container, per child, for them to use in decorating their houses and attaching candies.  Use a popsicle stick, as their royal icing spreaders 
• Pre-make graham cracker ("gingerbread") houses at least one week in advance (children will decorate, not construct).  Cover them with plastic wrap to keep them clean until party time.  To make the base, use 4 graham crackers, turned on their sides.  Use two additional cracker halves to make the roof.  To help the roof dry at the proper angle, test the distance of the space of the front & back graham cracker.  Place the angled cookies to rest over a long piece of crumpled and shaped tin foil.  Cut corner squares to make the chimney
• Collect two small containers, per child, to fill with brightly colored candies, such as Runts, Skittles, peppermints, M & Ms, lemon drops, Pez candies, gumdrops, gumballs, small marshmallows, gummy bears, sprinkles, metallic sugar balls, etc.  (I used sterilize baby food jars, for my containers, so  I could have the candy jars set up and completed ahead of time, while maintaining the freshness of the candy in a tightly sealed jar.  Next, I printed out peppermint pictures to glue on top of the lids.  Lastly, I glued a red, satin ribbon around the edge of the lid to finish off and cover any "Gerber" baby food printing.  This was a great way to recycle all of those baby jars and put them to good use) 

Wonka Birthday Cake Room

Birthday Cake Table

Peppermint Party Plates

HOW TO...

        Birthday Cake Table

• Decorate the table with a smiley face table cloth, party hats, napkins
• Sprinkle smiley face confetti down center of table
• Add Hershey's Chocolate Kisses to center of table
• Glue peppermint printouts over the baseballs displayed on this baseball themed, metallic, centerpiece spray
• Place Twizzler Straws on the table for the kids to use as straws with their punch

        Peppermint Party Plates

• Purchase clear plastic dinner plates at a craft or party store
• From your computer, print out peppermint designs in a variety of colors, inserting each child's name in the center
• Using a photo spray adhesive, that will not allow your colors to run, attach the peppermint cutouts to back of clear plates
• Wash plates gently, not allowing the backings to get wet

   
Paper Mache Mushroom For Ice Cream Sundae Station


HOW TO...

Paper Mache Mushroom For Ice Cream Sundae Station

• Take  a round piece of plywood (approx. 20") and double sink a screw into the bottom of it
• Attach a 1" round dowel rod in the center of the plywood (approx. 30" tall)
• Use newspaper, butcher paper or wrapping paper to crinkle up tightly around the dowel rod, gluing & taping, until a suitable, firm mushroom stem is molded
• Mold the top of the mushroom in the same manner, yet separately (to be attached to base after completed).  Form the indentions for clear, shallow plastic cups to be inserted on the top.
• Once the forms are made, you may begin the paper mache process of mixing a pan of half water, plus half flour to make a thick, but flowable mixture
• Tear strips of newspaper (approx. 2" wide x 8" long), dip in flour/water mixture to completely soak and begin sticking to base (make sure that the strips overlap and there are no holes or week spots).  Repeat this process 2 to 3 times to make a good, thick layer 
• Allow to dry for a few days
• Continue covering  top of mushroom in the same manner, allowing to dry for a few days
• When completely dry, begin painting with tempera paints.
• Allow paint to thoroughly dry, before taping and hot gluing the top part of mushroom onto it's stem
• Cover plywood base with crinkled green butcher paper to resemble grass
• Insert plastic cups into each hole in the top of the mushroom
• Serve ice cream sundae toppings, such as M&M's, pecans, mini-marshmallows, sprinkles, banana slices in cups
• Provide additional clear cups or bowls, with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, allowing the children to walk around the mushroom and make their own ice cream sundae creations.  Provide whipped cream and cherries on the side

Wonka Balloon Room

In honor of the hot air balloon scene at the end of the movie, fill a room with air-filled balloons (not helium), so the kids can run through them.  We decorated the room with a giant Willy Wonka hand-painted sign, which had candy suckers and peppermints taped to it for the kids to pick off.  This ended up being one of their favorite rooms...as they loved running through the balloons and watching them fly through the air.  Every child wanted to take a balloon home with them at the end of the party. 

 

Wonka Goody Bag Gifts



HOW TO...

        Wrapping Wonka Goody Bag Gifts

• Purchase a paperback book at your local bookstore regarding counting candy or another educational candy book
• Wrap each book in brown mailing paper
• Find an inspirational rubber stamp, which contains a verse about believing in yourself...that you can do anything, etc., and stamp the outside wrapping with purple ink (reflective of Wonka's hat colors...)
• Tie a purple ribbon around each wrapped and stamped book
• With a silver metallic pen, write an inspirational line from the movie on the ribbon

(Begin planning, preparation & production 2 to 3 months in advance)

How much attention are you really giving, not only to yourself, but to others who are significant in your life?  Whether they are family members, children, husbands, pets, clients, prospects and/or co-workers, are you helping them to succeed in their life, so that you, in turn, can also succeed in yours?  Well, if you are not providing your undivided attention to these significant individuals, even if only for a few minutes each day, in the mode of giving, then you are missing out on an integral part of your future success.

This morning, immediately after I dropped my kids off at school and began driving home, I remembered that I was out of coffee and would either need to make a quick run to the grocery store to purchase some, or would simply take the lazy way out, by remaining in my car, with my cozy, heated seats, and drive 5 minutes away to the Starbucks drive-thru for my favorite Grande Mocha Latte.  Expensive, per cup, in comparison to my usual daily pot of coffee?...Yes.  But, since it's only an occasion treat for me, I felt I could justify spending the extra money this one time.  As I glimpsed down at my fuel monitor, though, I realized I only had enough gas to make it to the corner shopping center, before heading back home, unless I wanted to get out and put gas in my car in this cold weather.  Therefore, I had to make the choice of either stepping out of my car into the cold, since I had not brought my coat with me, or going through the McDonald's drive-thru window for a not-so-exciting, plain cup of coffee.

In my mind, I quickly pondered the pros and cons of each choice...If I went to the grocery story, the upside would be that I could buy a whole package of my favorite Safeway Double Dutch Chocolate Coffee (tastes just like the Folger's Gourmet, Chocolate Truffle Coffee that they used to stock, which was my favorite...Hmmm, wonder if it's the same?), together with my Amaretto, Hazelnut and Vanilla flavored Coffee-mate Creamers.  This choice would save me money in the long-run and I would be set for the rest of the week.  Or, I could drive through the McDonald's window and pick up a not-so-exciting and small, plain cup of coffee, pay much more for it per cup, but would be able to stay in my car and not get out.  As you can see, I was really avoiding getting out of my car and having to face the cold.

As my mind began to work and think further on the subject, I decided that the avoidance of my pain of getting out of my car into the cold weather was greatly winning over the pleasurable thought of saving money.  So, I opted for the McDonald's coffee.  As I approached the corner, where the restaurant was located, I thought to myself, "Why not treat yourself to more than just a plain cup of coffee and get one of those delicious Sausage Biscuit with Egg Sandwiches to go with it?  I mean, I know that it's expensive, relatively speaking, and that you should probably just be wise and frugal, not wasting all of that money, and turn around and drive home...but, what the heck?  Why not treat yourself?  It's something you rarely do and you deserve the attention." 

Attention...There's that word!  Then it dawned on me...I think I'm trying to tell myself that I need a little attention...attention to and for myself...a little pampering to remind me that "I'm special" and "I'm worth it."  Wow!  I hadn't really thought about it in that way before.

Suddenly, I realized that I had sold myself on my own idea!  "Yes, that is exactly what I will do."  All at once, I was excited about the prospect of getting my plain coffee, because I knew I would be getting a special treat to go along with it.  Although I was extremely tired and working hard to get my facial muscles wide awake and in the upright position, when the cashier handed me my #4 Combo Breakfast Meal...1 Sausage Biscuit with Egg Sandwich, 1 Hash Brown, 1 Coffee, with extra creamer and sugar, my face quickly came to attention.  I smiled, told her thank you (truly meaning it) and drove away.  On the way home, I enjoyed every scrumptious morsel of my McDonald's breakfast.  It was delicious!

When I pulled into my garage, came into the house and walked into the kitchen, my two dogs began scratching feverishly at the back door wanting to come inside.  I walked over to the door, opened it and they came charging in with a bound, racing around me in circles, as if they hadn't seen me in several days.  They jumped up on me with their front paws and began begging for my attention.  I thought, "These dogs are way to cute and I am incredibly lucky to have both of them here with me every day, greeting me and giving me so much love and attention...Hmmm?...I wonder if I am giving them equally as much attention as they deserve?  Afterall, they're so unselfish and always giving, without asking for anything in return.  The easy way out would be to just give them a quick pat on the head, tell them to go eat their food and head straight for my office, so I could begin writing on my blog or preparing for my day's work."  But then, a fond memory crossed my mind.

A guy that I once dated in high school, who was a couple of years older than me and going to seminary school at the time, studying to be a minister, said something simple, yet profound to me.  He said, "One day, when I get married, I want to be the type of husband who comes home to my wife and kids at the end of a long day's work, and instead of immediately heading back to the bedroom to change clothes,etc., thinking only of myself, I want to spend those first key 10 to 15 minutes making sure that my family knows I am thinking about them and putting them first.  I want to walk through the door, set my briefcase down, wrap my arms around my wife and kids, tell them that I love them and have missed them during the day, give them my full attention and ask them how their day had been going.  I want to do this every day, whether I feel like it or not, because giving attention to those who are most important to you is 'key'.  If you can give them your full attention first, for a short 10 - 15 minutes, which is really not all that long when you think about it, then it makes everyone happy and satisfied, making the whole rest of the evening run smoothly for everyone.  This is what my dad did for us and I want to make sure that I do the same for my family.  It made each one of us feel so special, as if we were really worth his time.  As children, our father made such an impact on us, that he was willing to receive us at the door, as we ran towards him and bombarded him with everything good and bad that had happened to us during our day.  And, although clearly feeling exhausted from his hard days work, he always put us first.  He would quickly set his things down, muster up a smile for us and greet us with 'I love you guys...I missed you so much today...How was your day?'." 

A moment later, my friend sat stroking his Schnauzer puppy, and continued expressing his thoughts.  He said, "It's just like my new Schnauzer puppy.  I try to practice what I preach with my new puppy.  When I come back to my apartment from being at school all day, I'm usually tired and ready to relax before I begin studying.  It would be easier for me, if I could just walk through the door, get myself something to eat and drink, plop myself down on the sofa, turn on the TV, and relax for awhile, before beginning my studies.  But, my little puppy would probably not be as happy.  He would be starving for my attention, consequently whining and tearing things up, purely out of sheer boredom, frustration and neglect.  He would be thirsty and hungry and begin "acting out" after awhile, because he wasn't being treated with the equal love and respect that he gives and shows to me.  If I want to make my puppy happy, healthy, and well behaved, I have to "invest" in him...invest my time, invest my love, invest my attention in him, in order for us to have the best relationship possible and help him continue to grow and develop in a positive way.  The same is true for a family or friends." 

I thought, "He could be right!"  Most people probably don't think about it in that way.  They just shuffle along with their everyday lives and never put the forethought in, which is what it takes in being successful, to make sure that they are meeting or exceeding the "attention needs" of their family members, friends, pets, extended family, associates, bosses and/or clients.  It takes a certain amount of pre-planned thought and effort, on an individual or leader's part, in order to properly begin and continue fostering a positive, nurturing and successful relationship. 

In your business, are you providing the right amount of attention that your prospects or clients are needing.  Are you listening to them closely, even when it's not easy for you?  Are you available to them, either by phone or email, should they have a question, need guidance or require assistance? Do you provide nurturing leadership or service to them, facilitating them with beneficial tools, insights, products, value or special unexpected perks?  I believe that is what people are really hungry for...they are hungry for your sincere efforts in giving them attention.

One example I might give to you to help you in your business is this...If you are an internet marketer, business owner, etc. and a dedicated Twitter member or other social media member, spend at least 10 - 15 minutes per day (at least every other day), conversing and participating through your Twitter site, Facebook, etc.  Get to know your followers personally, giving them your full attention, in one of the following ways.  First, by reading an article that they have written on their blog or website and commenting about it through their blog or your twitter postings.  And, secondly, simply engage in a friendly conversation with them, sincerely caring about their daily lives, which will help to build your core relationships with your them.  Occassionally, promote your followers or one of their tweets, if you feel that their information is of value to others.  Simply give to others freely, as you would have them give to you.  This is known as "The Golden Rule"..."Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you."  It was the motto and basis used by Mary Kay Ash, one of our nation's leading ladies in business development, who's attention to marketing knowledge and company culture have been widely mirrored, respected and adopted by numerous large companies throughout the world. 

One of the simplest pies that any cook can make, whether a seasoned professional or a beginning baker, is a Pumpkin Pie.  It's a sweet treat that has adorned the holiday dessert tables of families for centuries.  Whether served plain or with whipped cream, with, or without cloves, it is the perfect ending compliment to any traditional Thanksgiving feast.



PIE INGREDIENTS

1-(9-inch) unbaked pie crust, made from scratch or
    *Pillsbury's Refrigerated Pie Crust, as shown above
2-c. (or 1-15oz can) Libby's pure pumpkin
3/4-c. brown sugar
1/2-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon cinnamon
1/2-teaspoon ginger
1/2-teaspoon nutmeg
2-beaten eggs
1-(12 fluid ounce) can Nestle's Carnation evaporated milk 
Optional...Ingredients for Homemade Vanilla Flavored Whipped Cream (see below)

HOMEMADE VANILLA FLAVORED WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS

1-pint fresh whipping cream
1/4-1/2-c sugar (depending on personal taste of sweetness)
1-2-teaspoons Adam's pure vanilla extract (depending on personal taste)

*****************************************************************

PIE INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

*Note:  If using Pillsbury's Refrigerated Pie Crust, remove one roll of pie crust from the box and place it on the counter for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, allowing it to slightly soften.  This will keep the crust from cracking or breaking, as you begin to unroll it into the pie plate.  If it does begin to crack, while unrolling, let soften a little longer before using.

Line one 9-inch pie plate with unbaked crust and flute the edges. 

(I fluted the edges of the pie above, using the slightly rounded end of a fondue stick handle.  I pressed the 1/2 inch wide handle straight down on top of the pie crust border, making a deep indention.  At the same time, I pinched the dough around the outer edges of the handle, between my thumb and forefinger, to create a perfectly symmetrical, decorative edge.)

In a medium sized saucepan, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, salt and spices.  Cook until the sugar is melted and ingredients have combined.  Slowly add the beaten eggs, mixed with the evaporated milk, to the pumpkin mixture.

Pour pumpkin mixture into the uncooked pie crust.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes (until crust is very lightly golden).

Cover crust with a silicone pie crust shield (foil or other type of shield).  Please note, that although crust is covered with a shield, it will continue to brown slightly.

Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for approximately 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  When it is done, there may be a small amount of moisture in the very center of the pie.

Remove from oven and place on a raised surface to cool, such as a stove burner, pie or cookie rack.  Serve warm or cold.

After completely cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours, until completely chilled.  Remove from refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes before serving.  If desired, garnish with your favorite brand of store bought whipped topping or, better yet, Homemade Vanilla Flavored Whipped Cream (directions below).

Baking Tip:  If your pie ends up with any large cracks on the top of your pumpkin filling after being baked, it is probably because it cooked a few minutes longer than necessary.   
 
HOMEMADE VANILLA FLAVORED WHIPPED CREAM INSTRUCTIONS 

*Note:  Can be made in advance and stored in an air-tight container.

For best results, slightly chill mixing bowl.

Fit mixer with the wire whisk attachment.

Pour whipping cream into mixing bowl and beat on high speed, until mixture begins to come together and get frothy.

In a steady stream, pour sugar and then vanilla into bowl with whipping cream, while continuing to beat on high (add appropriate amounts of sugar and vanilla, depending on preferred taste of sweetness).

Once mixture reaches a thick, whipped consistency, it is ready to be served or refrigerated for future use.     

If you have a loved one, who is in the military and will be coming home shortly, or you are retired military personnel, this message is for you.  Carnival Cruise Lines is now offering a special promotion extended to all military families, in hopes that you will enjoy a cruise getaway, while reuniting with your loved one.  Details as follows...

NEW PROMOTION FROM CARNIVAL
ALLOWS MILITARY PERSONNEL TO BOOK
UP TO THREE FUN SHIP STATEROOMS
AT DISCOUNTED RATES

Prices Start at $159 Per Person

In honor of Veteran's Day, Carnival Cruise Lines is introducing a promotion throughout November that allows active and retired military personnel to book up to three "Fun Ship" staterooms at discounted rates for themselves and their friends and family members.

Reservations must be made between Nov. 1-30, 2008, to qualify for this special offer, which is available in conjunction with a wide range of three- to 12-day "Fun Ship" departures through Dec. 31, 2009, including voyages to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and Hawaii.

Rates start at $159 per person for three-day cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral, Fla., and five-day cruises from New Orleans and Jacksonville, Fla.; from $189 for four-day cruises from Mobile, Ala., and Jacksonville; from $309 per person for seven-day cruises from Miami, Galveston, Texas, and Port Canaveral; and from $359 per person for six-day voyages from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

The promotion is valid for individual bookings only, availability is capacity controlled and this promotion cannot be combined with any other discount offer. Fare code CPM1 must be requested during the reservations process and military personnel must provide proof of service. Certain other restrictions apply.

2- 8oz. packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1- lb. "Hot" country style sausage (Jimmy Dean or Owens)
8- oz. bar of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Poppy Seeds (for garnish)

Brown sausage and drain off grease.  Mix browned sausage and cream cheese together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. 

Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Toward longest edge of baking sheet, place and unroll first package of crescent rolls lengthwise.  Press out or pinch together perforations to make one long solid rectangle.  Work quickly, so your dough doesn't get too warm, making it harder to handle.

Spoon half of the sausage mixture lengthwise down the center of the rectangle of dough (leaving a couple of inches of raw dough on each side).  Roll both sides of the dough up and over the top of the sausage mixture.  Seal the top edges and end pieces together by pinching firmly, so there are no holes allowing the filling to seep out.  Once completely sealed, roll the log over, so that the seam side is facing down against the baking sheet.

Sprinkle the top with poppy seeds.

Repeat all steps with the second package of crescent rolls and bake both on the same baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for around 15 minutes, or until the top is evenly and lightly browned.  Cool slightly and slice into one inch slices, as you would a loaf of french bread.

Enjoy!

*  Perfect for evening appetizer or morning brunch

Are you passionate about what you do in your life, whether professionally or personally?  Some may ask, "How do I know whether I've  found my passion in life or know what real passion is?  Well, let me ask you a couple of questions.  Have you been moved by something you've done in your life, to the point that you could work for hours, even skipping meals, and not realize or care about it?  Have you ever finished a piece of your work and stepped back to say, "Wow!  Did I really do that?  That's really pretty good and I'm not sure quite where that came from?"  Have you been stirred by something, either so happy or sad, to the point that you felt an urge to give back in a way that you hadn't ever done before?  If you have, then you've found passion. 

Only a decent sized book or lengthy movie could begin to scratch the surface of all that true "passion" encompasses in each one of our lives.  For me, it seems that passion has always been the deciding benefactor involved in moving me to "perform" and/or complete things in my life, which I hadn't thought possible.  To move to new heights and reach true happiness.  Whether it's in my own experiences, or those of others, passion seems to be the invisible, binding thread, which copiously weaves its way through every aspect of our lives.  This is the basis for my cake ideas.

With my daughter's birthday coming up next week, she requested that I make a cake and create a theme around the new, upcoming movie release, "Twilight", based on the Best Selling Novel (movie trailer).  I can tell from the trailer that it is going to be extremely intense and filled with ongoing passion in the form of love, imagination, scenery, music, violence and suspense.  Even the initial, creative burst of the movie began from a passionate dream that Stephenie Meyer, the original author, remembered one morning, after awakening (dream interview).  Scanning through these items, though, will give me an idea of how I can design her cake.  My passion will be driven from the excitement that she and her friends have discussed, coupled with the passion of the movie, itself. 

I must confess to everyone, that even in the simplest things that I do for others, like baking and decorating a birthday cake, there is always an underlying passion involved...there is always a story connected and always feelings of passion behind it .  Rarely is a cake, just a cake.  Even in my daughters case, the excitement and appeal of new, young love and romance will definitely be the underlying spark that ignites my cake ideas. 

For instance, this simple, little chocolate bundt cake, which seemingly looks like just another photo of a cake to many, all wrapped up in a pretty hat box package, is really significantly more meaningful to me.  It's a tearful story of love, sympathy, remembrance, caring and the prayerful hope of new blessings to comfort and encourage a young mother and teacher, on her birthday, after the unexpected loss of her 6 month old baby.

Her child became sick, very unexpectedly, during this past summer.  With another son by her side, who was almost two, she watched her youngest baby struggle to fight off the unusual strain of symptoms he was developing.  One evening, her baby suddenly quit eating.  She knew that something was not right.  In fact, it was terribly wrong.  However, by this time, it was too late.  Her son's tender, little heart had ceased beating.

At this point in time, this once bubbly, young and beautiful, blond-haired teacher, who was always cheerful, exuberant and loving to everyone she met, was experiencing the most horrific sense of passion that a mother could face...the loss of her child.  Just getting started in her life with her new family, she was brought to her knees by this unexpected loss.  Now, months later, although still beautiful, warm and caring, she carries the pain of loss and hopelessness on her face, as she strives to carry on normally, by reaching out and teaching all the young faces that arrive in her classroom each day.  

So, when given the opportunity, through our elementary school's cake club, to choose the teacher for whom I wanted to bake a cake, I immediately chose her.  I was struck by passion and wanted to share in this special celebration of her...her birthday.

Realizing that this day would, most likely, be a difficult day for her to celebrate, I wanted to be there in spirit to help her, even if in the most minute way.  Yes, the thought crossed my mind many times about how futile a birthday cake would seem to a mom, after they've lost their child.  I did realize that it would probably mean little, or nothing, to her at the time.  Yet, still, the passion led me to know that if anyone was going to make a cake to help her celebrate her birthday, I wanted it to be me.  I couldn't possibly pass up the opportunity to give back a little token of appreciation for the blessings she had so graciously showered upon my son, during the time she had taught him.  She was his favorite teacher.   

As the day approached nearer, on my doorstep I received a bag from the cake club filled with one 12" plain white cake box, one 8" brown cardboard round, a boxed mix recipe, a long strand of blue tulle ribbon, one mini bear card and one sheet of instructions on how I should bake and decorate her cake.  Of course, if it had been up to me, I would have thrown it all out the door and created the biggest and most beautiful birthday cake that I could have imagined for her.  But, considerately working within the school's cake club's recommendations, I yielded to their standard instructions given, in order that all teachers are treated equally.  Only a small bundt cake was allowed.

I did, however, decide that the school might excuse me for throwing out the plain white cake box and replacing it with a pretty, feminine hat box, as long as I kept it on a smaller scale.  I wanted her to have something pretty that she could keep and use, if she wished, even after the cake was gone.  I shopped for the perfect shade of pink and white flowers to make the centerpiece arrangement, so it would coordinate with the box and make a nice first impression surprise for her...girlie, girlie in every way.  Although she tends to be more athletic and not necessarily your typical "pink" person, whatever that means, I kept getting the feeling that she would appreciate celebrating the essence of who she was in the beginning of her life, before all of the tragedy.  So I went with my gut feelings.  If even for a brief moment, I wanted to give her a glimpse of happiness.  After all, it was definitely her day and she deserved a reprieve.

This is just an example of how I find passion in the little things in life and how I use that passion to create something good for others.  What is it that you are doing passionately in your life?  I hope that you find passion in all that you do, with your family, your friends or even a stranger you may come across in life.  Use that passion in your business, your blogging, your writing and your daily life.  Make someone else's life better because you've met them and used your passion to better their life, even if only in a small way, because the accumulation of small acts of kindness and passion can build a strong foundation for a lifetime of goodness.  It can also help to make you more successful in your business.  

Surround yourself with positive people, who motivate you to become better than you are now and assist you in beginning or cultivating your passions.  Jim Rohn says, "You are the average of the five people you hang around with the most."  So, who are you hanging around with or surrounding yourself with?  Make sure they are individuals who care about the direction you are wanting to take with your passions.  Take lessons and find the best leaders.  After all, "You don't have to always reinvent the wheel.  If you find someone who has been successful in their life, follow their lead." (~ J. Lloyd Tomer) and develop your own individuality along the way.  Once you're on your passion track, nothing can stop you from achieving your dreams.  

                                                   "Death By Chocolate"                                    

                                                             
                                                          Photo:  Courtesy of Allrecipes
                                                              (Submitted by:  Wayne)

1-(9-ounce) box "Jello" brand Chocolate Silk Pie Mix     (only using mousse mix & save rest for later use...get      necessary ingredients for preparation)  2-c. whipping cream, whipped (not Cool Whip) 1-teaspoon vanilla Chocolate curls or shavings for garnish, optional

1/4-c. granulated sugar 1-pan brownies (homemade...get necessary     ingredients for preparation...or use     bakery purchased brownies) 1/4-c. Kahlua liqueur 3-Skor candy bars, crushed (may substitute     Heath bars, if Skor is unavailable)

                                             ............................................................................................

*If making brownies from scratch, bake ahead of time and have completely cooled, before continuing on with the recipe.

Prepare only the mousse from the Chocolate Silk Pie box mix and refrigerate (save chocolate crumb mixture
for another use).  Add vanilla and sugar to whipped cream.  Soak brownies evenly with Kahlua.  Assemble
in a glass trifle or fruit bowl.  Using 1/2 of each ingredient at a time, layer in the following order:  brownies,
mousse, whipped cream, candy bars.  Repeat layers.  Garnish top w/ chocolate curls, shavings and/or
chopped Skor bars (optional).  Refrigerate until completely chilled for a few hours.

Yield 10-12 servings

Photo courtesy of Yahoo

Have you ever had the opportunity to visit the luxurious and historical "Adolphus Hotel," located in the heart of downtown Dallas?  Well, if you are coming to Dallas, Texas, you will want to explore this European-inspired, 5-star hotel and it's 6-star gourmet restaurant, known as "The French Room." Both are beautifully decorated with various styles of baroque and European styled furnishings, with Louis XV dining chairs, rich damask fabrics, grand, fragrant floral arrangements, cherubs and Flemish tapestries, masterpiece wall murals, gold-gilding and picture-frame moldings.  The French Room is my favorite, as I adore it's grace, charm, calm elegance and beauty.  Perfect for a romantic night out.

The Adolphus Hotel, which was originally built in 1912 by one of the beer making pioneers, Adolphus Busch, has now become famous, not only for it's rich architectural beauty and history, but also for it's graciousness in hosting countless weddings, royalty and celebrity stays (Queen Elizabeth II, the Vanderbilts, Oscar de la Renta...), group events, afternoon teas and even some fairly interesting paranormal occurrences.  One of these paranormal events, I can personally account for, as it happened to me and my family. 


Photo taken in one of the three all-connecting suite rooms,
where Queen Elizabeth II stayed, during her Dallas tour.

For years now, there have been stories written and visitors seeking answers about the many strange occurrences encountered, during their stays at The Adolphus.  Many individuals will visit the hotel, especially around Halloween, in hopes of experiencing some of these bizarre and unexplainable happenings first-hand.  Knowing that the majority of strange accounts, which are reported to the front-desk, usually occur on the 19 floor, my family and I were quite surprised to have a "ghostly visit" on the 17th floor, during one of our many weekend stays.

After spending an afternoon roaming the streets of downtown Dallas by foot and shopping at the nearby Neiman Marcus store, we were all ready to head back to our room and get ready for a 6-star dining experience at "The French Room."  The chefs and wait staff were so attentive and pleasing, that they made a special cheese pizza (not an option on the menu), just for my little boy, so he could enjoy his own luxury dining experience.  My daughter, who is a much more adventurous eater, fully enjoyed her escargot appetizer, Shirley Temple "cocktail" and fillet mignon.  We finished our candlelight, wine-filled dinner with a round of various, fine gourmet desserts and coffees, said our "goodbyes" and headed back to our room upstairs.

By this time, it was shortly after midnight and we were all exhausted.  For some reason, as we left the restaurant, I began feeling a little tired, almost sad, and just wanted to go back to the room for some sleep.  With everyone in agreement, we returned to our room and each made our way to our own beds.

With my children in one bed and my husband and I in the other, we all read our books for about 10 minutes, by the light of the table lamp located on the nightstand between our beds.  The table lamp was a vase-shaped lamp, which turned off and on with a slender, metal piece, or "knob," located at the base of the lamp.  The knob was slightly difficult to turn, but had very definitive on/off slots, at 180 degrees to each other.  It made a very loud "click," once it had been set into place.  In other words, it would be very difficult to turn the knob and have it fall somewhere in between the on and off positions.  We all laughed at how loud the lamp sounded, when you had to turn it off and on.

Finally, we were ready to say our "good nights" and turn off the light.  12:20 am...Lamplight goes off, as my husband turns the knob and it loudly "clicks" to the off position.  Everyone falls quietly into a restful pre-sleep state.  10 minutes go by without a sound.  You could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet.  Then...suddenly...12:30 am...Lamplight "clicks!" on very loudly and the lamplight immediately goes on by itself.  Everyone was so shocked and stunned, that we all remained perfectly still and quiet for the first few seconds, until panic ultimately set in with my daughter and she jumped up, frantically running to get in our bed.

For some reason, I remained completely calm and unphased by what had just happened and even found it somewhat amusing that we were now taking part in a story, that we had heard so many people talk about and experience during their stays at The Adolphus.  All the while, my husband had taken my daughter back to her bed, where the the two of them remained, hugging and holding onto each other so tightly, that they looked like "Scooby Doo and Shaggy".  At this point, my little boy joined me in my bed, remaining calm and trying to sort through what had just happened.

My husband was so intrigued by the lamp turning on by itself, that he decided to call down to the front desk and mention it to the night clerk.  She, of course, decided to send up someone to check on the lamp and make sure there was no electrical shortage occurring.  She sent, Ken, one of their employees, who came into our room, checked the lamp, and concurred that it seemed like a strange thing to happen, since the lamp looked fine.  He had no explanation for why the lamp would turn on by itself, except to say that "things like this happened all the time."

As a pure skeptic of ghosts and paranormal events, my husband cautiously proceeded to ask Ken whether any other guests had previously reported problems like this.  Ken, who seemed like a rather quiet, well-educated and content man, proceeded to to tell us some of the information he had gathered, during his tenure with the hotel.  With a slight smile of understanding on his face, he tried hard to explain the "normalcy" of what we had just experienced.   This was nothing new to Ken or any of the other employees, who had worked at the hotel for a while, because they were used to numerous unexplainable occurrences.

First, he told us of the bartender, who, while closing up at night and cleaning the bar, would often have strange things occur.  For instance, once, he was drying some glasses and putting them away on the shelves.  As he turned back around to gather a few more glasses, he noticed there were none left.  So, he turned around to look at the shelf and there they were...all properly placed.  No other individuals were in the room at the time.  On other occasions, when all alone, he would remove a bottle of liquor from one of the shelves and place it on the bar.  He would turn around to get something he needed, turn back around again to reach for the bottle, and it was gone.  It would have either been moved to a different location or placed perfectly back up on the shelf.

The most well known of all the stories, he proceeds to tell us, is that of the "White Lady."  The "White Lady" is known as the ghost or apparition of a lady, who, years earlier, was a guest at the Adolphus and was stood up at the alter by her fiance on their wedding day.  Since she and her groom had planned to spend the first night of their honeymoon at The Adolphus and it was already paid for, she decided to return there that night and spend her evening alone.  She returned all dressed up in her white, wedding gown.  Later that evening, in a tragic state of despair, the jilted bride hung herself in her room and died.  Since that time, many guests staying on the 19th floor, have repeatedly reported seeing a lady, fully dressed in her beautiful, long, white, wedding gown walking past them in the hallways, kindly saying "hello," and then as they turn to look back at the back of her gown, she instantly disappears.

With these stories in mind, we felt comforted in knowing that we were not the only guests who had experienced an odd occurrence.  We felt certain that the chances of this happening twice in one stay were probably unlikely.  So, after a few stories, Ken left our room, we relaxed, took a deep breath and returned to our beds to go to sleep.  I laid on my back, with the blanket pulled up snuggly under my arms, and my hands crossed, one-over-the-other, on top of the blanket on my stomach.  I closed my eyes and, after a few minutes, I fell into a deep sleep.  I didn't move or change positions all night.  

A few hours later, around 4:00 am, I slowly began to awaken, as I felt something, or someone, gently and repetitively stroking the length of my finger.  It felt just the same as a mother's touch, as she would caress a child's hand.  I remember awakening with a warm feeling, not at all scared, but almost comforted.  Once I became a bit more coherent, I thought, well, that was my son.  As I became conscious enough to open my eyes, however, I turned to look at him and he was sound asleep.  I realized that the room was completely quiet and still and that everyone was soundly sleeping.  Wow!  What had just happened, I thought.  Then, I wondered whether a bug, or something, had been in our room and landed on my hand, in order to give me such a real sensation.  I have to say, however, that it did not exactly feel like a bug, but rather like a human touch.  Since the rest of my family was fast asleep, once again, I felt that something very bizarre had just occurred, because it was so real.

When my husband woke up and I told him what I had felt, he laughed and said that the chances of a big insect, flying through our room on the 17th floor of a building, during a cold, fall night was doubtful to him.  So, once again, we were faced with another unexplained occurrence, which will forever remain a question in our minds, yet will always give us an exciting family story to tell of our lovely, weekend stay at The Adolphus Hotel.

Have you ever had something happen to you, which you felt was unexplainable?  Please comment and let me know.  I would love to hear your story.      

For additional photos, information and reservations regarding your next "haunted" getaway, romantic or family getaway, wedding or special occasion gatherings, please see The Adolphus Hotel website...
http://www.hoteladolphus.com/adolphus_home.aspx