Happy Easter

Waitress Teaching Fellow Employees Sign Language

Watch Video: Local Waitress teaching fellow employees sign language for school project.



PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - “Hello, welcome to Kings. My name is Ashley. I’m your server. What can I get you to drink?”



Waitress Ashley Carney uses sign language as she waits on Taylor Doyka. Taylor, Deaf since birth, appreciates the effort made on her behalf.



Her friend, Emily Gabriel, herself a part-time waitress at Kings in Delmont, taught fellow employees the art of sign language.



“Emily had everyone come back in the back and we all came in and learned a little bit of everything,” Ashley recalls. “She went through as much as she could, and then we tried to copy her.”

Emily is a junior, minoring in sign language, at Saint Francis University in Loretto. As part of a class project, she asked manager Jim Pochedly if she could teach sign language to a couple of waitresses.



“He was actually like, why don’t you teach everyone?” Emily says. “And it just kind of snowballed.” She’s thrilled by the response of fellow waitresses. ...READ MORE: http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/03/28/local-waitress-teaching-fellow-employees-sign-language-for-school-project/

Sign Language Advocates Create Visual Book For Deaf & Hearing Students

VIDEO: Sign language advocates create visual book for Deaf and Hearing students.



Concordmonitor.com: The Boy Who Cried Wolf, The Princess and the Pea and Rapunzel are classic children’s stories that have been adapted, retold and redrawn in classrooms and homes over and over again.



But Dublin resident Laurie Meyer has found a new way to tell those stories: through American Sign Language. She believes the books her company, ASL Tales, is creating can revolutionize the way all children, Deaf and Hearing, learn about and access language.



“We don’t want to be targeted as a book for kids with disabilities,” said Meyer, co-founder of ASL Tales. Instead, her team is thinking, “How can we change the world if everybody had access to this language?”



ASL Tales published its first book in 2008, and its latest project, The Boy Who Cried Wolf, will be released next month. Each book comes with a DVD on which a professional retells the story in sign language, going page by page alongside the illustrations. The DVDs also offer clues that help viewers break down what the signs mean and how they fit together.



Meyer and ASL Tales’s co-founder Pinky Aiello have worked with people from across the country to create the books, but The Boy Who Cried Wolf was made almost exclusively by New Hampshire residents. Concord residents H. Dee and Connie Clanton did the sign language and illustrations for the book, respectively, and other contributors come from Bedford, Dover, Manchester and elsewhere. Parents, teachers and others who want to purchase the books can find more information online at asltales.net.



The goal of ASL Tales is to help children learn language in a visually rich way, and they are not meant exclusively for people who want to become fluent in sign language.



“You don’t have to be curious about American Sign Language to have these books be helpful, that’s the part that people have the hardest time understanding,” Meyer said.



Visual learning can improve the way hearing students learn language, and it allows students with disabilities or language problems to understand stories and words in a different way, Meyer said. The books have also been translated into several other languages, including Arabic, French and Portuguese.



“One of the things that I’ve said for a long time is that ASL, I think, could be a universal precaution against language delay,” Meyer said.



Although the company has been producing books for nearly five years, its been difficult to get the books into classrooms, Meyer said. Many librarians will put them into the section for students with disabilities, but the books are meant for all children, she said.



Another goal of ASL Tales is correcting misunderstandings about what American Sign Language is, she said. Sign language is not simply stringing together a series of signs for different words. Like any language, there is a specific way to put signs together to construct sentences and communicate messages. ...READ MORE: http://www.concordmonitor.com/community/town-by-town/concord/5331184-95/sign-language-advocates-create-visual-book-for-hearing-and-deaf-students

ASL Tales The Princess and the Pea.

Video by ASLTales



Alisha says, "Hi, I'm Alisha Bronk and I want to tell you about an exciting new book with an ASL DVD. The ASL storytelling, done by Pinky Aiello, will delight Deaf people, Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs), grandparents, students, interpreters, and anyone interested in learning sign language. Please check www.ASLTales.net. It's worth your time!

Break The Silence Run: Stop Deaf Child Sexual Abuse

VIDEO: Break the Silence Run: Stop Deaf child sexual abuse.



Gmanetwork.com: CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES - Gualandi Volunteer Service Programme, Inc (GVSP) continues its mission for the Deaf community to live in a deaf-inclusive society. Established in 2005, the non-stock, non-profit organization has been working with volunteers in projects for and with the Deaf community.



Deaf children and women are vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. In a study conducted by the Philippine Deaf Resource Center, it was revealed that 65-70 percent of Deaf boys and girls are being molested. The large amount of cases continues to rise and remains concealed. However, the Deaf community receives little attention.



In an effort to raise awareness on putting a stop to the increasing number of cases of sexual abuse of Deaf children and women, the five-year program Break the Silence Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Network Project was started by GVSP under the guidance of Stairway Foundation, Inc. It focuses on abuse prevention, identification and response and advocacy both in the hearing and Deaf community through different projects set in agencies, schools and communities.



The sense of urgency on this issue also paved the way in the organization of a run for a cause event by GVSP entitled Break the Silence Run: Stop Deaf Child Sexual Abuse. It is set to happen on April 21, 2013, Sunday, 5:30 a.m. at Ayala Center Cebu Terraces, Cebu Business Park.



There will be four categories: the regular 4K, 8K and 16K and a separate category for Persons with Disabilities (wheelchair, blind and deaf). ...READ MORE: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/300871/cbb/break-the-silence-run-stop-deaf-child-sexual-abuse

GVSP Break the Silence Documentary.

Video by John Paul Maunes



Break the Silence: A GVSP initiative in creating a Deaf child sexual abuse prevention and exploitation network in the Philippines in partnership with the Stairway Foundation,Inc., the Australian Agency for International Development (AUSAID) Lets combat and stop the rising cases of child sexual abuse in the Philippines. Defend and protect the Deaf. Lets empower them. Support GVSP! SAVE the Deaf children and women! credits by: Julie Rose Benabaye of the De LaSalle College of St.Benilde, SDA.

Deaf-Blind Pedestrian Killed In Virginia Crash

Watch Video: Deaf and blind pedestrian killed in crash. Death of disabled, mentally ill man raises questions.



RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - A Deaf and nearly blind man died after being struck by a car on Saint Patrick's Day.



44-year-old Randy Pease died on Creighton Road in eastern Henrico. Family members say he should have been in a hospital to keep him under watch at all times. Pease struggled with a condition that gradually took away his sight and hearing.



The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports his home is 100 miles away in Virginia Beach, but there wasn't any room for him in any of the state healthcare centers. The Virginia Beach Community Services Board said there was only room for him in a group home in Hillcrest Farms.



Police say Pease got out of the home on St. Patrick's day and wandered on the road around 11 p.m. Henrico Police and the VA Beach Community Services Board are investigating.

NBC12.com - Richmond, VA News



SOURCE: http://www.nbc12.com/story/21826307/deaf-and-blind-pedestrian-killed-in-henrico-crash



Related Article:

Timesdispatch.com: Death of disabled, mentally ill man raises questions

Deaf Websites Server Crashes 3-28-2013

VIDEO: Deaf Websites Server Crashes 3-28-2013.



The social network services for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. The sites allows for registered users to upload and have available for the public their videos for viewing, However, the users saw on a screen appear "unable to connect and can't establish a connection to the server" in which the problems accessing internet server services that happened on 3-28-2013, it was actually possible mostly all server services crashes as DeafRead, DeafVideoTV, DeafCube, DeafPirateVideo, DeafVloggers, KissASL and more.



Some sites server services finally restore, otherwise cannot restore which are moving to a new server as seen on Tayler Mayer's who known as an owner of DeafRead and DeafVIDEOtv's video statement on YouTube to an explaination the benefits of server services that caused. Check this out!



For instance, Deaf vlogger find a bizzare and digusting on a server content as it appear "unable to connect and can't establish a connection to the ---HOLES server" which it appeared from DeafPrirateVideo by server service. Here's a vlog to watch the video in American Sign Language....

Deaf who owner website breakdown 3-28-2013.

German Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Caramel Filling

German Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Caramel Filling
and Traditional Coconut Pecan Frosting 

There is nothing "skinny" or "healthy" about these cupcakes so if you are looking for that check out Fresh Strawberry Muffins or Greek Yogurt Berry Mug Cake. These also take some time but they are worth it!  As I mentioned in my last post, I made these for my husband's birthday and in that post I also explained the SHMILY cupcake toppers. 

I started with the traditional German Chocolate Cake recipe, which is my hubs favorite, but I wanted a way to make it where I would eat it.  I am not a fan of coconut (honestly I think it's really gross!) and wanted to be able to enjoy the cake with him unlike the others times we've made it. So I added a chocolate caramel filling/frosting inspired by something I had seen on Pinterest (this).

German Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Caramel Filling and Traditional Coconut-Pecan Frosting
adapted from Baker's German Sweet Chocolate Cake


The Cupcakes:
Heat oven to 350°F.
Filling:
Frosting:

1 pkg.  (4 oz.) Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate

½ c.  water

4 eggs, separated

2 c.  flour

1 tsp.  baking soda

¼ tsp.  salt

1 c.  butter, softened

2 c. sugar

1 tsp.  vanilla

1 c.  buttermilk

Place liners in pans for 36 cupcakes. (If you have that many, I made 24 and bake the rest in a loaf pan). Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on high 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Beat egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. 

Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

Add egg whites; stir gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake 20 -25 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Let sit in pans a few minutes before removing. Let cool completely before adding filling or frosting.
When completely cooled insert a paring knife into the top of a cupcake at a 45-degree angle. Aim for a point between the edge of the cupcake and its center.
Push the knife about an inch deep into the cupcake. Cut a circular cone out of the top of the cupcake.
Remove the cone and slice off the point, but keep the circular base of the cone. This is your plug once you have finished filling the cupcake. (These directions came from eHow.com. Since that's where I learned how to do it) 

The Filling:

adapted from Cafe Latte's Turtle Cake Chocolate Frosting

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. whole milk

3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

1 c. semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 c. purchased caramel ice cream topping

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and milk. Add butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add semisweet chocolate pieces. Using a wire whisk, stir until smooth.  Then add caramel topping and whisk until smooth.  Let stand several minutes before filling cupcakes. 

Spoon filling into prepared holes in cupcakes and top with cupcake pieces you saved. Now it's time to make the frosting.

Frosting:

2 egg yolks

1/2 can (12oz) evaporated milk

3/4 tsp.  vanilla

3/4 c.  sugar

3/4 c. butter or margarine

1 1/3 c. coconut 

3/4 c.  chopped pecans

Beat egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add coconut and nuts; mix well. Cool to desired spreading consistency. Spread on cupcakes. 

As you can see I choose to frost some of them with the chocolate filling and not the coconut-pecan frosting. I also left the filling out of some for those who only wanted the traditional flavors. The directions above are for filling and frosting them all so we will need to adjust accordingly.

I can't personally vouch for the ones with coconut-pecan frosting but the chocolate filling only ones were fantastic! I had no idea how good German Chocolate Cake was. My husband may be getting it a whole lot more often.

Printable Recipe

Check out our link parties here.

Gardening with Kids

* This post is part of our March Top 5.  Check out the other top posts here.*

Last year, I let Miss Magoo plant and grow some basil in the kitchen window. She loved it! When people would come over, she wanted to show them "her" basil. One of the best things about it was that is germinated within maybe 2 days, and if you have preschoolers, you know how their patience is... well, non-existent!  The following picture shows it on maybe day 4 or so.

Once the weather got nice, we took the plants outside and divided them into 4 pieces and replanted them in the garden, so she got to continue watching them grow. When we would cook dinner, I would ask her to go out and pick a few leaves to add to our food. The whole experience was a lot of fun for her.
This year, we started some black bean seeds in wet paper towels inside a ziploc baggie. I wet a paper towel and then folded the paper towel into quarters. Miss Magoo set the beans on one part of the paper towel, and then I folded some of it over the top. Then we sealed it shut and taped the baggie in the window.

Less than a week after putting them in, I opened the bag and was shocked to see a plant inside the bag! One of the seeds germinated so quickly!  The other 2 just had little roots coming out.

I helped Miss Magoo fill 2 jars with soil, and we placed the plant in one of the jars, and the other 2 beans in the other jar, and they are growing like crazy! The following picture is the day we planted the bean.

While we were at it, I let Miss Magoo and Little Man fill jars up for me to transplant some lettuce starts that were in serious need of transplanting.

I won't lie: gardening with kids is a lot more work than just doing it yourself. However, including them in the process is a great way to get kids who don't typically like veggies to give them a try. There's something so exciting about having grown the plants themselves. And getting to go outside and pick food? That's pretty cool, too!

If you haven't tried this before, do! If you live someplace like Kerry and I (in Idaho), start a few plants-- you know we've still got time! If you live someplace warm like Texas (like Lucy), you can go plant outside.

Gardening with Kids: Miss Magoo's black bean plants after less than 3 weeks

 Maybe you don't have a special garden area, and don't want that kind of work?  Get a container (any kind will work- you can even use an old bucket!). Drill a couple holes in the bottom, or use a hammer and nail to "punch" holes. Then put some gravel or rocks in the bottom to help with drainage. Next, put in some soil. Then let the kids plant a couple plants. Think about what your kids might like. I don't have a hard time convincing my kids to eat veggies (my 1 year old LOVES broccoli, lettuce, asparagus, etc), but if you do, think about what they might be willing to try, and plant that!

Most of all, have fun with it! Let your kids get their hands dirty!

Follow us on Pinterest: Coffee With Us 3

Check out our link parties here.

Liebster Award

We were nominated for a Liebster Award!  Don't know what that is? Don't worry neither did we.
The Liebster Award is an award given to bloggers by other bloggers. A "High Five." A you're doing a "Great Job" award.  It's a great way to get to know the blogger and to recognize fellow bloggers. It's like a fun chain letter in the blog world that helps bloggers connect and support each other and to discover new blogs. 

We were nominated by Jackie from Rediscovering Lost Arts From Our Mothers. If you haven't checked out her blog before, take the time to do so.  She has some great passed-down recipes.

The award is given to blogs with less than 200 followers and there are a few rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself.
2. Answer the 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
3. Pass the award on to 11 other blogs, who have less than 200(ish) followers, and link them in your post.
4. Ask the blogs you nominated 11 questions.
5. Go back to their blog and tell them you have nominated them.

11 random facts about us:

1. We all like cookies (a lot).
2. We all grew up within 2 blocks of each other. 
3. Lucy and I have three year old girls who are 3 days apart, and almost 2 year old boys who are 2 days apart. -Jamie
4. Kerry's and my mom taught us to have very active imaginations. - Lucy
5. I am a Gilmore Girls addict and Lucy is too. - Kerry
6. I wear Christmas socks year round (well when I wear socks). - Lucy
7. Even though I grew up in Idaho, I don't really miss snow at all but I do miss not so hot and sticky summers. - Lucy 
8. I hate cooking dinner, but I love baking. - Jamie
9. I taught myself to crochet, sew, and play bass guitar. That's why I'm not amazing at any of them! - Jamie
10. I LOVE to read. Possibly to the point that it's unhealthy. - Jamie
11. I love to ride horses and want to live on a ranch. - Kerry 

11 (she threw a bonus one in there) questions from Jackie

1. What do consider your biggest accomplishment in life? Marrying a kind, Godly man, and then having 2 (almost 3) amazing kiddos. -Jamie
2. What is your favorite thing to cook? BBQ Pork Ribs - Kerry, Cookies - Lucy (ok, that's bake but whatever), Anything that's baked- Jamie
3. What is your biggest vice? Sugar - Kerry 
4. Who is your favorite movie character? Princess Buttercup - Kerry 
5. What is your biggest pet peeve? Sticky Floors - Kerry 
6. If you were an animal, what would you be and why? A cat, because they just laze around all day-- only, I would need to be a coffee-drinking cat!  -Jamie 
7. What is your biggest regret in life? That I gave up on piano lessons...I'm sure I would have been a concert pianist by now if I hadn't..ok probably not. - Lucy 
8. What is the first word that pops in your head after reading this question? Cookies! - Lucy 
9. If you were in a beauty pageant, what would your talent be?  Hula Hoop- hahahaha -Jamie
10. Would you rather run down the street naked or eat a worm? Eat a Worm - Kerry 
11.  Zombies or vampires? Superheroes! Especially Batman, Wolverine, Iron Man...well you get the picture - Lucy 
12. Do you have a secret tattoo? Nope. None of us.

Our 11 questions for our nominees:

1. How many countries have you been to? 
2. What is your favorite household chore? 
3. Least favorite chore? 
4. Mountains or Oceans? 
5. Bob or Larry? 
6. If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? 
7. Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter (and yes we are talking about cookies)? 
8. Do you garden? 
9. Favorite old school cartoon?
10. As a kid, what was your nickname?
11. What would your perfect day entail? 

11 Blogs We Nominate:

The View from the Pew
Project Life: Anything But Boring
Simple Serendipities
The First Year Blog
Foster Care Dad
Living the Life Aquatic
Two and a Half Hearts
Another Broken Hallelujah
Diamonds in the Rough
A Little R & R
Fit Little Foodie

Deaf Patient Denied Interpreter By Scottish Hospital

Deaf patient left unable to communicate with hospital staff for 12 days after staff failed to provide sign language expert.



Scotsman.com: DUNDEE - A Deaf patient was left isolated and unable to communicate for 12 days in Ninewells Hospital because of a failure to provide her with access to a sign language interpreter, according to a report by Scotland’s public services watchdog.



The female patient who had been admitted to Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital for surgery to have her appendix removed had a very limited lip reading ability and did not have a good understanding of written English.



And it was “impossible to say” with any certainty whether the deaf patient had given informed consent for the surgery,



Jim Martin, the Scottish public services ombudsman, has ruled that NHS Tayside failed to adhere to the board’s informed consent policy and found that the failure to obtain a sign language interpreter for the patient was “unacceptable”.



He states in his report that a complaint had been raised on behalf of the patient, known as Ms A, that the board failed to provide a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter during her 12-day stay at Ninewells where she had been admitted for surgery to remove her appendix.



Ms A was a BSL user with very limited lip-reading ability. She did not use verbal communication and did not have a good understanding of written English.



Mr Martin states: “Although hospital staff took steps to try to communicate with Ms A, at no point did they provide an interpreter. This was despite Ms A repeatedly pointing to a poster on the wall, which was for interpreter services, and handing staff a BSL interpreter’s card on two separate occasions.”



He continues: “In the course of my investigation I took independent advice from my equality and diversity adviser and a medical adviser. The equality adviser said that staff had not taken reasonable and appropriate steps to obtain a BSL interpreter for Ms A in line with their legal duty to do so under section 20 of the Equality Act 2010. She said that once they had been alerted to Ms A’s need for a BSL interpreter, a clear plan should have been drawn up to try to coordinate the availability of doctors and others communicating with Ms A and a BSL interpreter, sufficiently trained to be able to communicate complex medical issues.” ...READ MORE: http://www.scotsman.com/news/health/deaf-patient-denied-interpreter-by-dundee-hospital-1-2862772



Related Article:

The Limping Chicken - Deaf News: Deaf patient in Scottish hospital left without an interpreter for twelve days

Tanzania's First Deaf Mechanic

VIDEO: English Subtitles - Tanzania's First Deaf Mechanic.



In a Country where the Deaf are classified with animals & non living things, its almost near impossible for any Deaf person to make a headway in life. Johari, just like a few other Deaf is one of the first to show the communities in Tanzania & the World that " Deafness is not Inability & everyone deserves a fair chance in life" Deaf people can do anything except hear!

Video by Love Potya



Related Videos

Deaf People DO Have Interesting Jobs!

Deaf People Can Do Anything Apart From Hear!

SMU Ads Targeting Deaf Students

VIDEO: (Captioned)

Discover how Ginny's SMU experience encouraged her to start up a social enterprise for the Deaf.



Ginny Ong Jing Yun

Undergraduate

Bachelor of Science (Information Systems Management)

Started up a social enterprise for the Deaf.



"I thought that nobody would understand what I was saying. Over the years, Singapore Management University (SMU) slowly gave me a lot of tips on how to participate effectively. I learnt how to be more outspoken, more confident of myself.

Video by SmuTubeSg



Two years ago I set up this social enterprise it's called iDeaf-Connect. My aim is to use this company to create Deaf awareness. Also, we wanted to have a business to provide jobs for the Deaf. We aim to use this place as a training hub.



I will go out and meet my clients. I will give talks and I will share with them how they can work with the Deaf better. The broad-based curriculum at SMU gave me a lot of knowledge. It helped me to understand better how companies run their business.



You have a lot of projects so you have to face a lot of deadlines. It motivates me to be quick, be creative, think out of the box to finish the project. So the same thing can apply to my company as well. To me, if not for the interactive style (of education) in SMU, I wouldn't be here talking to you today." Welcome to SMU. Discover a Different U at http://www.smu.edu.sg/admissions

SHMILY

No I didn't completely lose my mind and just throw random letters together to title this post. Each letter stands for something. See How Much I Love You.  (See I'm not totally crazy...well at least about this).

My dad read in a book or somewhere, who knows now, about a man who left his wife little notes around the house that said SHMILY. My dad started doing this for my mom. He hid little strips of paper all over the place that read SHMILY. My mom even found some of these after he had passed away. Little reminders that she was loved.

My husband and I have randomly done this for each other over the 9 years of our marriage. He would stick it in a card or hide a few notes for me and then months (or years) later I would hide some for him.
As his birthday was approaching this year, I realized I hadn't done this for him in awhile. So I thought, I would make his favorite German Chocolate Cake (I decided to make this into cupcakes) and put these letters across the top.

I also let the kids help me hide some around the house. Not sure that was a good idea since they told him everywhere they were the second he walked in the door. I also made sure to tape one to the remote (you know, man tool!).
I love that I'm continuing a tradition, or little act of love, that my parents did.

This pic was taken the day after his bday
 at a wedding on a boat (it was windy and sprinkling). 

Do you have any little things you and your spouse do to show each other you love them? Any traditions?

March's Goal - Biscuit Making

* This post is part of our March Top 5.  See the rest of the best here.*

Well it was a good thing I didn't leave this month's goal to the last minute.  I chose biscuits for my goal for March.  Going in, I thought maybe biscuit making is too easy of a goal.  Most people whip these things out with no problem.  Until this month, I had not attempted them.  I always bought can biscuits.  I attempted them 6 times prior to this week.  None of them worked out for me.  Some of them tasted great but were flat - FLAT! So it came down to Monday and Tuesday of this week.  I had to get them right.  I feared that it wouldn't happen.

A while back I downloaded an app for my iPad to easily store and access my recipes.  It came with some recipes.  A biscuit recipe was one of them.  After trying all the other recipes, I decided to try this one.  It was a bit different because it was more like my croissant and bear claw recipe. I knew I could do this, but would it rise?  I nearly jumped up and down in the kitchen when I saw they rose.

Some things I did different this time: I bought a biscuit cutter, I weighed the ingredients rather than using measuring cups, I folded the dough (I will explain this later), I chilled the dough, and I baked them on a stone. My mom says a biscuit cutter has nothing to do with the success of them rising. But I wanted to do everything I knew to help me get them to rise.  I chose to bake them on a stone because the previous biscuits seemed to get done on the bottom before the top was brown.  I knew the stone would help them cook evenly.

I used this recipe:
9 oz flour (about 2 cups)
3 oz butter, chilled (about 6 Tbsp)
6 oz milk or buttermilk (about 3/4 cup)
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp baking powder

Cut the butter into about 1/2" cubes and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl. Add the cubed butter, stir to coat with flour, then cut butter in using a pastry blender or two knives.  Blend until butter is pea sized.  Add milk, mix until combined.  Don't overwork the dough.  Turn out onto the counter.  Roll out into a rectangle about a half inch thick. Wrap in plastic and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

On a floured surface, roll dough until it is about tripled in size, fold the dough in thirds length wise.  Roll dough again to triple it's size and fold again in thirds.  Roll dough to 1/2" thick.  Cut the biscuits.  I cut them with a round biscuit cutter, but you can also cut them into squares.  You use more of the dough if you cut them into squares.  I got 6 biscuits.

I also baked some of the pieces that were left over.  Bake at 400º for 20 to 25 minutes.

Because of the folding, the biscuits will be very flaky.  And soooo yummy.  The Hardworking Husband ate almost all of them.  You can also add herbs, cheese, or jalapenos during the folding stage.  I may try that next time.

Want to check out my other goals for the year? You can find them all on this post.

For a

Printable Version

Recipe adapted from SaltandFat.com

Check out our link parties here

Sign Language Production Makes History

Watch Video - iol.co.za: Sign language production makes history.



SOUTH AFRICA - For the first time in history, a South African Deaf Theatre organisation is set to perform in Europe at the Clin d’Oeil Festival, which is a one-of-a-kind, multi-disciplinary event that aims to highlight the richness of the sign language community. And the chosen body is the Catalina Theatre for its breakthrough performance of Listen with Your Eyes.



The Tonight caught up with the director of the Catalina Theatre, Alison Swannick, to chat about this honour that’s been bestowed on South Africa.With an interpreter joining us, Swannick said she was elated that the play was chosen for the European fest.



“When I got the e-mail, I screamed. I never expected to get that invitation. On the other hand, I am a bit scared. At first it felt like it wasn’t even real. The first thought I had was, ‘where is the money going to come from?’, because the only difficulty was that we would have to pay half the airfare. And we’re looking for funders.



“But I was amazed that South Africa is going to be in the European Deaf Festival.

(If seen blank, refresh this)

It’s like our time has finally come. It’s more for the young actors who are involved in this, so I’m ecstatic for them.”



Last year, Swannick hosted the first Deaf theatre festival in South Africa, Talking Hands. Chatting about the response to that event, she says: “The festival was a success, but there was not enough audience support. It was the first time, so we learnt a lot. But it was a difficult experience and we had no sponsors.



“But in terms of the performances at the festival, they were very good. Everybody reported that they enjoyed it. There are no deaf filmmakers in South Africa, so many people enjoyed the international films that we showed at the film fest. But, now when I look at it, it was successful because one of our performances is going to France. It was a major breakthrough in Deaf performance art.”...READ MORE: http://www.iol.co.za/tonight/news/local/sign-language-production-makes-history-1.1488616#.UVK3pjfNmSo

Puppet Teaches Students Sign Language

Watch Video (Captioned) Puppet teaches students sign language in the mainstream school.



TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - From their ABCs, to different types of animals, Friday, students at Wea Ridge Elementary School learned how to communicate with the Deaf through sign language.

Yet, students didn't learn from just anyone. They were taught by Mandy the Puppet.

The play is put on by a group called "Kids First."



Program Coordinator Gail McCormick said the program began locally in 1994.

"The goal of the program is to make the students realize that they can be accepting of children with special needs, of individuals with special needs," said McCormick.



McCormick said the play focuses on a girl named Mandy. Mandy is approached by a young girl who loses her kitten, and together, they find the lost kitten by using sign language.



Volunteer Beata Ribeiro said using puppets to illustrate the communication barrier allows kids to kick down their own barrier when it comes to asking questions. ...READ MORE: http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local/puppet-teaches-students-sign-language

Minor Deaf Girl, Gang Rape Victim Gives Birth

VIDEO: Minor Deaf girl, gang rape victim gives birth to child in India.



Deccanherald.com - BANGALORE - Kalpana, (name changed), 15, Deaf and mute cannot convey her feelings through words to others. But her eyes reflect her trauma and agony.



A gang rape victim, Kalpana’s agony has compounded when she gave birth to a baby at a hospital in Allahabad.



She was gang raped last year at her village in Allahabad district allegedly by two youths of the same village. The culprits later convened a panchayat and forced her parents not to approach police but to settle the matter outside. The panchayat had held that the culprits should pay Rs 21,000 each to the family of the victim.



However, police got wind of the matter through the local media and registered a case and arrested the alleged culprits.



None bothered to think about the victim who became pregnant. Sources said the families of the culprits also tried to force an abortion but did not succeed.



The minor gave birth to a baby a few days back. The poor parents had to borrow money from a money lender to admit the girl to the hospital. ...READ MORE: http://www.deccanherald.com/content/321942/minor-deaf-mute-gang-rape.html

A story of the history gang rape targeting hearing impaired women in India.

Deaf Woman Suing Former Employer

Watch Video: Deaf woman suing former employer for not providing sign language interpreter. Discrimination suit filed.



ROSEVILLE (CBS13) – A local nonprofit dedicated to helping people with special needs is being sued for allegedly discriminating against a former employee with disabilities.



The lawsuit says Placer ARC violated federal law when it failed to provide reasonable accommodations to a Deaf employee.



Homeyra Kazerounian is Deaf and uses sign language to communicate. And according to a lawsuit, her supervisors failed to provide an interpreter for her during daily staff meetings and forced her to speak only in English.



“Literally she doesn’t speak anything. She uses American Sign Language,” said David Offen-Brown, Kazerounian’s attorney.

Kazarounian started working at Placer ARC’s Auburn office in 2005 was always given an interpreter during mandatory staff meetings, according to the federal lawsuit. But when she transferred to Roseville three years later, her attorneys says that all changed.



“They required her to communicate by writing notes,” said Offen-Brown.



According to a lawsuit filed by an attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Kazerounian’s consistent requests for an interpreter went unfulfilled.



“This didn’t allow her to participate in the meetings, to ask questions, to make statements, to participate in discussions,” said Offen-Brown.



Placer ARC Executive Director Barbara Guenther wouldn’t go on camera, but released this statement: ...READ MORE: http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2013/03/26/deaf-woman-suing-former-employer-for-not-providing-sign-language-interpreter/

KissASL - A Social Network

VIDEO: KissASL is a free social networking site for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing. It makes it easier to browse and locate Deaf, Hard Of Hearing, CODA and Hearies people from all over the world. Everyone is welcome! It is a place to meet new faces and share your stories and topics.



KissASL is an online public communications site. The site allows for registered users to upload and have available for the public their videos for viewing. Anyone who goes to the site can view the videos that are posted on this site.



All members have to be 18 and up So we can have adult conversations and lot of laughs. We want this site to be respectful at all times. We accept discussions, Of course, but always be courtious when vlogging and commenting. Most of all we want this site to embrace American Sign Language as it is the language of our hearts. Welcome everyone, Now get to vlogging! http://www.kissasl.net

Video by KissASL

April's Menu Plan

March was such a busy month!  There were several meals I didn't get to make so I have transferred them over to April.  I have found that every time I plan to make Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts, something comes up and I don't get to make it.  I think I'm going to stop planning it

April is another month than can be iffy on weather, so I don't want to start grilling a ton.  But I am ready to stop eating soups.  I am ready for spring! We've been getting snow flurries for the last few days. And the mountains have a good coating. But winter is definitely on it's way out.  Or at least that's my hope.  I know we can still get snow for the next few months.  But we will not be eating winter kinds of foods again for a while.

I like to eat fruits and vegetables seasonally.  Late March begins asparagus season and is the beginning of the spring/summer produce season.  I am looking forward to great prices on the veggies we like to eat.

The menu for April is as follows:

Week 1:
French Dip Sandwiches
Chicken Quesadillas
Eating out for our anniversary
Grilled Mozzarella Sandwiches & Spaghetti
Burgers

Week 2:
Enchilada Casserole
Rotisserie Chicken
Skillet Sausage & Rice
Skillet Lasagna
Pizza

Week 3:
Meatloaf & Sweet Potato Casserole
Cream Cheese Filled Chicken
Bacon Guacamole Grilled Cheese
Garlic Pesto Chicken with Tomato Cream Penne
Burgers

Week 4:
Chicken Fried Steak
BBQ Chicken Salad
Breakfast
Macaroni Beef Skillet
Pizza

Week 5:
Shelley's Hominy Taco Casserole
Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto & Cheese

For a Printable Calendar

or

Printable Calendar

Check out our link parties here

Why We Are Making Easter a Big Deal

I know that as a kid growing up, my favorite holiday by far was Christmas. I'm sure that's the favorite for most kids, and many adults. I mean, who wouldn't love a month full of fun activities, baking, buying and wrapping presents, having a tree inside the house, decorating, and of course receiving presents?

The runner-up was always Halloween, because dressing in a costume and getting to go door-to-door in the dark and receive candy always seemed pretty exciting, too.

Now, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with kids liking Christmas and Halloween, but I am going to tell you why Dan and I have decided to make Easter a big deal at our house.

When we look at what the different holidays are celebrating, Easter seems like the most important holiday to us. Christmas is great-- it's the day we celebrate Jesus' birth (despite the fact that it obviously isn't the day of his birth), which was a really important event. I loved the pageants at the church we went to when I was little. Christmas is a great holiday!

But because we believe in the Bible, Easter is a better holiday. When we celebrate Easter, we aren't celebrating spring, or bunnies, or eggs. We are celebrating Christ's resurrection. We believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross, taking our sins upon Himself so that we could be washed clean of those sins. But it wasn't just that He died. I mean, everyone dies, right? But on the 3rd day (the day we celebrate on Easter), Jesus rose from the grave. This was an event that was witnessed by hundreds of people, and even written about by secular historians of the time.

The birth of a baby is such an amazing event, and definitely worth celebrating. But the forgiveness of sins seems like such a bigger deal to us, and that's why we are choosing to make Easter a really big deal at our house.

How are we doing this?

• We are doing crafts for Easter, and talking about why we celebrate Easter. Miss Magoo, my 3 year old, showed her stained glass crosses to her grandma today. When Grandma R. asked if the cross was for Easter, Miss Magoo replied, "No, it's for getting to Heaven." There's a lot she's not understanding yet, but she gets the main idea.

• We are cooking special Easter-y foods and baking special treats. We are talking about how Jesus is the bread of life, and that when we come to Him and know Him as our Savior, He will nourish our souls. Maybe a bit too deep for the kids at this point, but they will begin to understand as we talk about these things year after year.

• We are buying presents for the kids, and I'm so excited for them to get them! We aren't getting out of control crazy (we aren't the type that get crazy at Christmas, either), but the presents we've gotten will be so much fun for the kids. We found a real mini-wheelbarrow. Not a cheesy one, but one that will actually last. We bought the kids a pair of gardening gloves each, and each one gets a folding camp chair. We spend a lot of time outdoors during the summer, and these will all get put to good use. And of course, we got a couple candies for each kid. In the week after Easter, we will talk about gifts, and how salvation is Christ's gift to each of us, if we only choose to receive it and follow Him. As the kids get older, we will also talk about how God gifts us with spiritual gifts. 

• We will be doing Easter egg hunts with the kids. This is obviously a secular activity, but afterwards we will talk about the story of the lost sheep (Matthew 18:12-14), and how Christ cares just as much about finding those who are lost as the kids care about finding the Easter eggs.

If you are interested in doing any of the fun Easter activities we've shared on the blog, I'm going to list them here, so they're easy for you to find.

This chart helps you and your family follow the story of the week leading up to Easter. To access the printable, click HERE

This can be a fun activity for the family that you incorporate into your Easter egg hunt. For more information and a tutorial, click HERE

For a tutorial on the stained glass crosses I talked about, click HERE

These treats are made from peanut butter balls that are rolled in pretzels and cookies, and they are a fun treat to celebrate Christ's resurrection. For the recipe, click HERE