Will Rogers was a cowboy and a Hollywood star back when Hollywood was just starting out in the early 1900's. He was also a humorist and came up with some clever quips. As you read through them take a moment to relish the thought or see the imagery. Some are just laugh out loud funny! Here are a few I recently came across:

Don't squat with your spurs on.
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.
If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.
There's two theories to arguin' with a woman. Neither one works.
​If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to touch the electric fence for themselves.

How true! I hope you enjoyed those as much as we did.

#willrogers #angelbooksforkids #whereisyourangel #wisdom #laughter #lol #angelwatchingoverme #angels #watchmanangel

When someone starts a new job there is usually some on the job training required. Rarely does someone just start a job without learning the lay of the land. We all expect some training and guidance when we venture to a new workplace. Training is imperative to running a smooth operation where everyone is on the same page. (Or at least in the same book if they're not on the same page.)

Marriage and parenting requires training. Let me rephrase that. Effective marriages and parenting requires training. I've seen parents let their kids run the roost and I've seen marriages that are more like silent contract agreements. I've also seen parents that know what they are doing and marriages where husbands and wives love and respect each other. The latter doesn't come with luck. It comes with training.

Some people look at me strange when I tell them my husband and I attend parenting classes and marriage seminars. We are parents and spouses that need all the help we can get!! My husband didn't come with a manual when I said, "Yes!" Neither did my kids come with a manual when we left the hospital. This stuff is not to be taken lightly. 

Now granted, not everything will come from one parenting class or marriage book. Just like on the job training when a new software program is introduced to the workplace or a new regulation is passed, it requires additional training. So too is this family thing in constant need of on the job training. From potty training to pre-teen attitudes. Every phase needs a new book or class or help line.

So don't give up or give in. Press on and press in. Find a parenting class. Find a marriage retreat, seminar, book, mentor. It will make your on the job parenting and marriage run that much smoother.

#familytalk #focusonthefamily #marriagetoday #angelbooksforkids #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #onthejobtraining #smoother
​#marriage  #parenting #husbandandwife 

When my brother was a little kid he had a ton of freckles. The nurse told my mother the freckles were where angels kissed his face. If this is true the angels apparently thought he had kissable cheeks.

A similar story is told in, "What Kids Need Most In A Dad" by Tim Hansel.  Here is Tim's story:

"I heard a story some years ago about a teenager who had a very obvious birthmark over much of his face. And yet, it didn't seem to bother him....He seemed to be in no way self-conscious about his very large birthmark...Finally, someone asked..., 'Are you aware of the fact that you have this large birthmark on your face?' He replied, 'Of course I am.' The young man smiled and said, 'When I was very young, my father started telling me that birthmark was there for two reasons: one, it was where the angel kissed me; two, the angel had done that so my father could always find me easily in a crowd.'"

What a touching story of a boy with perspective and an awareness of angels. My brother's angel kisses have almost all faded. But the reality of our need for His angels is ever present.

Keep sending us your angel pictures with your angel kissing your kids, or your dog, or their grandpa. We love getting your pictures!

Remember U.S. shipping rates are only $5.00 this month for your own angel book and watchman angel. Go to the "Shop Now" page and order yours today! Get your angel and get ready for our summer contest. Details to come next week.

#angelkisses  #angelbooksforkids #whereisyourangel #childrensangelbook #angelwatchingoverme #watchmanangeldoll #angelkiss #5dollarshipping
 

Do you ever use a cutting board and it shifts a little? In some kitchens, I have even seen cutting boards built into the countertops. You don't have to go that extreme to keep your cutting board stable. My husband taught me a trick that I want to share with you.

Yesterday another Mom and I were cutting watermelons. These were big clumsy watermelons. I put a washcloth underneath each cutting board and it made for ease of cutting. When you have a sharp knife in your hand the last thing you want is to slip and miss your food and cut your finger instead. It made a difference putting a washcloth or hand towel under the cutting boards.

So next time you take out your cutting board, put your dishcloth down first then your cutting board on top. You'll be surprised how well it works!

#safecutting #cuttingboardtip #whereisyourangel #angelbooksforkids #kidsbooks #angelwatchingoverme #safetyangel

We have a plethora of books in our home. In fact probably more books than toys. My kids are book junkies. They are constantly looking at or reading books. We still read books together even though they can read on their own. I came across this quote by Strickland Gillilan who was an American poet and humorist in the early 1900s. He wrote a very popular poem titled The Reading Mother. This is the last stanza of that poem:

"You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a Mother who read to me." 

When we sit with our children curled up in a book it is one of the greatest gifts a mother (or father) can give to their children. Give a gift that keeps on giving - a lifelong love of reading and fond memories pored over books.

Remember, for the whole month of May we have a shipping special. Order one or both of our books and it ships for only $5! Go to "Shop Now" and order your angel book/s with your own plush watchman angel!

#happyreading #mothersandreading #childrensangelbooks #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #angelbooksforkids #readtogether  #watchmanangel

Moms and angels. Do the two go together? Some people would say,  "Absolutely"! In honor of Mother's Day weekend, here are some tips for treating the Moms in your lives special:

1. Let them sleep in. When our kids were little (4 and younger) one of my friends who also had young ones said, "Sleep is the new sex." Or to put it more discreetly, "Sleep is the new s--." I was talking to someone this morning and they said "sleep" was in the top 10 of what Moms want. So turn the alarm clock off and have a happier Momma!

2.Flowers brighten up any day. Sans allergies, giving flowers to your Mom is a long term reminder of your love for her.

3. Get her angel jewelry. This one of our favorites here at Where Is Your Angel?™ When she wears it she can know that Someone bigger than her is watching over her.

4. A homemade heartfelt card. This is one of my personal favorites. When I see one of my kiddos hand made cards that say, "I love you Mommy!" my heart melts. 

5. Do the dishes. My love language is "acts of service." So when someone does something for me (i.e. a chore) that has LOVE written all over it!

6. The way to a woman's heart is through her stomach. Especially if she doesn't have to clean up after dinner! Take her out to a favorite restaurant or cook her favorite meal. You will be catering to more than one of her senses.

There are many ways to make your Mother's Day special. Even just being there investing time into your relationship. Once I heard someone say the way you spell "love" is t-i-m-e.

Happy Mother's Day!

#happymothersday #mothersarespecial #angels #whereisyourangel #childrensbooks #angelwatchingoverme #kidsangelbook

Recently my husband and I were talking about how splintered our families of origin are. We have a lot of family nearby but we don't see some of them very often outside of Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a special holiday. Everyone's busy and going in their own direction. So we made the decision to start hosting Sunday Suppers once every 4-6 weeks (outside of holidays).

We both have fond memories of going to our grandparents' houses on Sundays and having supper. We thought it would be great for our kids and our extended family to replicate that on a more regular basis. It will remind us that family is important and that healthy relationships require invested time.

In this "connected" world of dis-connect we need to reconnect. No false hopes. No hyper expectations. No casting judgment if someone can't come - or chooses not to come. Just an open invitation with a promise to have a seat at the table. 

How can you foster relationships that make America great again? Drop us a line and let us know.

#sundaysuppers #greatagain  #childrensbook #angelbookforkids #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #healthyrelationships #family

​Looking for something delicious and easy to make for dinner? Have we got a recipe for you! We tried this one a week or two ago. Several families loved it. My family even scraped the bottom of the dish! I knew it had to be shared with you all. It's a twist to Chicken Cordon Bleu. You don't have to wrap anything and it's pretty tasty. Here's the recipe with some helpful tips too:

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
2 c. diced ham (we had ham slices and I slivered and cut up the ham slices)
3-4 c. diced cooked chicken
(I just so happened to have extra chicken breasts so I cooked off a bunch of chicken with garlic. Then divided the cooked chicken in ½ for different dinners. The cubed garlic chicken was wonderful in this dish! The recipe calls for 4 c. but I used 3 c. and it worked for us.)
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
(you can use Swiss cheese slices placed on top or Sargento has a delicious shredded Swiss & Gruyere cheese combo that I used)
1 c. chopped onion (sweet, yellow, or vidalia)
1/3 c. butter (you will need more butter for the crust)
1/3 c. flour
1/8 t. mustard (use dijon or spicy brown)
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 ¾ c. milk

Crust:
½ c. bread crumbs
½ c. shredded swiss cheese
¼ c. butter

Preheat oven to 350. (We were a little short on time so I cranked it to 375 and shortened the baking time to 20 minutes.)

Grease or spray bottom of baking dish.
Add to dish, diced chicken and ham. You can layer it if you like. One layer chicken, one layer ham. I mixed the chicken and ham together then put them on the bottom of the dish.
In a separate bowl mix chopped onion, butter, flour, and milk together. Stir until well blended.
Pour mixture over chicken and ham.
In another bowl mix together bread crumbs, cheese, and butter.
Evenly distribute crust on casserole.
Cook uncovered (yes, uncovered!) for 30 minutes.

This is one that we will make again and again. Share with us some of your recipes and be sure to check out our Pinterest page that has over 400 recipes. Pick out an angel food cake recipe for dessert!

#pinterestwhereisyourangel #childrensbooks #angelbooksforkids #yummy
#whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme  #dinner #leftovers 

We are having a special this month for anyone who wants to start their angel's mission. All month long, for the month of May, we will have $5 shipping on all books. This is to kick off our first ever Angel Summer Photo Contest that will start in June. So get your angel book set, register, read, and take photos of all the things you do with your angel.

Next month we will announce the details of the Angel Summer Photo Contest. But you can probably guess it involves an angel and a camera. Happy posing!

#angelphoto #childrensbook #kidsangelbook #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #summerphotocontest #angelsummer #angelbook