Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. As we finished this Fourth of July holiday week, I marked my second anniversary with RiseUP and writing this blog. Thank you for looking me up on Fridays and reading my posts. In this third year, I want to take things a step further…I want to hear from you! If you have a movie, book, or song you think others might enjoy, please let me know. If a specific quote has impacted your life and you want to share it, just drop it in the comments. I will be sure to mention the reader who sends in anything I share. This week, I am also adding a new feature: a Recipe of the Week. For the next while, I will list recipes for a slow cooker, which are extra helpful in hot weather because you won’t need to turn on the oven and heat up your kitchen.
Quote of the Week: “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
Movie of the Week: At a glance, the chihuahua-toting, ever-smiling main character in Legally Blonde had it all. Elle Woods came from a wealthy family, was pretty, and could work a room. But when her boyfriend broke up with her to go to Harvard Law School (and get a different girlfriend), Elle decided to go to Harvard, too. People laughed at her when she first tried understanding how the classes operated. Then, she reached the point where she knew she could not only make it through law school, but also do it on her terms. And at the end, she graduated as valedictorian of her class.
Fortune (Cookie) of the Week: Assert yourself. Your ideas are worthwhile. I know that our lives aren’t like that of Elle Woods. She is a movie character, and that ending was what the female screenwriters chose for her. But like Elle, we do need to stand up for ourselves. I am not saying that every day or every decision should be a battle. When you are working with a group of people and have good ideas, know when to press forward to make sure you’re heard. Nothing is more disheartening than having great ideas you want to share but feel that no one listening. Eventually, we can get to the point where we stop voicing our ideas for fear they will be ignored. So, remember: Assert yourself. Your ideas are worthwhile!
Recipe of the Week: For the first recipe, I want to share how to make Crockpot Green Beans.
What you’ll need:
2 lbs fresh green beans
32 oz beef or chicken broth
½ sauteed onion
3-4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
salt to taste
Wash green beans and cut off tips. Size is a matter of preference. Pour broth into the crockpot. Add the beans, crumbled bacon, and onions. Cook for four to six hours on low (or three hours on high). Salt to taste, then enjoy!
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to shout out to all of the volunteers and board members who are making a difference at RiseUP Cooperative. I have really enjoyed writing snippets for the blog during the last two years. Thank you, readers, for letting me do a little something to give back to families involved in foster care and adoption.
Have a great weekend. Remember, you are most awesome, and YOU ROCK!
Marion Rhines is a foster-turned-adoptive parent. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn., with her husband and five children. She has written and published two children’s books as well as two foster-care-themed novels. She has a Facebook blog, Tips from the FLIP Side, and enjoys working with children of all ages.
