Thanks to all of you who left comments on last week’s Random Acts of Kindness blog post! I always love reading what you’re out there doing, and I know a lot of people are being blessed by your actions. What great ideas you had last week. We drew a name from last week’s comments to win one of our Blue Sky Alpaca Royal Petit Knit Kits and that will be going to Sarah in Illinois, who has been knitting toys for a sweet little girl named Mary Cate. We’ll do that one more time, so please let us know in today’s comments, what you’ve been doing for Random Acts of Kindness this week! We’ll draw and announce the winner when we are back to the blog after the holidays.
This week, Elf Carolyn brought in this awesome peppermint fudge. We were sold on it after one taste, but even more so when she told us how easy it was to make. She used a recipe from The Pioneer Woman.
Easy Peppermint Fudge
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
red and white peppermint candies, crushed for the top
Combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour into an 8 x 8 baking pan that has been lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the crushed candies on top. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
When set, lift the foil out and peel off the fudge. Cut into squares and enjoy.
Can’t get much easier than that!
Have a great weekend, and I hope you’re all done with holiday knitting so you can start in on some knitting for yourself!
Sheri whohasawholelistofthingsshe’sreadytomakenow
I helped work a Chanukah party for, mostly, little kids at our local library.
The church secretary emailed me to inquire if I preferred the early or late Christmas Eve service, as they are looking for servers and lectors. I replied to put me wherever she needed, just let me know. I thought that was pretty logical, but she was thrilled by my response. Taking some holiday pressure off for others is a kindness.
A fellow church choir member was cleaning out her deceased mother’s fabric. She gave me some of it. I made her a log cabin quilted pillow with it, because I know how much she is missing her mom. It was perfect. Tears were shed. I told her that when she misses her mom in the future, she should give the pillow a hug.
I volunteered for our annual Celebration of Lights, helping take admission and canned goods for those wanting to tour one of our parks decorated for the season. We got an extra $5 from one car who said we should put it toward the next cars admission. I threw in the rest of the admission, to start a pay it forward. I hoped it would have gone on longer then it did, but it was fun to see what would happen.
This year I found a charity called Project Night Night. You buy at least 10 of their tote bags for $3.50 each and fill each tote bag with a blanket, a soft toy and a book. I knitted a Schoolhouse Press puzzle quilt, made a teddy and put. Coloring book, crayons and a book in each bag. They went to a domestic violence shelter in the Bronx, NY. Check out their website and you may want to get involved too. I just ordered ten more tote bags to work on over the winter.
I don’t need to win anything. I just love reading all of these nice things!
I have been helping out one of Daniel’s friends for almost a year now. His dad died last January and so Dan and I have kind of been guiding him as much as we can. His family life is not the most efficient – he’s left on his own a lot now, doesn’t eat regularly, is behind at school, etc. Dan, Daniel and I have him over to eat, do activities with us and try to get him on track with his homework and daily needs. I hate seeing kids like this fall in the cracks. Once it happens, it is so hard to help them. I commend everyone who shares with you, Sheri. So many good Loopies doing wonderful things!!!
I worked the local Christmas Light Parade, and assisted with helping the fire engine ‘escape’ the parade to get to a call. We had to clear a crowd back from the street so the fire engine could drive alongside the other vehicles.
Thanks to Elf Carolyn and Elf Sheri for the fudge recipe! Yum!
I baked Peanut Butter Roundup Cookies (many). My son took them to work to share with all the other employees. He said they all loved them! I think it is the best peanut butter cookie recipe, especially if you like them soft and chewy rather than crispy. I’ve been baking them since I was a girl.
I did some commissioned knitting for Christmas. The money I got from that combined with money from selling a knitted wrap came to $465. I gave that money to a friend who is having some financial difficulties. She was so appreciative.
I helped my neighbor on Thursday when his car would not start. I jumped his car with my car. It was enough to get him to the repair shop where he found out his battery had to be replaced.
I gave to Doctors Without Borders. After this year of health scares and worries donating just seem like the thing to do. All people need health care.
With school swimming they needed volunteers so rather than saying I could do 1 particular day I told them which days I couldn’t do and that way they could choose which days they needed me for and fill gaps. As it turned out on 2 of the 3 days I was down for I was the only parent who turned up
I gave a close friend who was very tight on money a gift card to Target so she could buy gifts for her nephews for Christmas. She was very stressed out about not being able to make them happy.
I donated baby formula and formula coupons to the food bank. Each month they put out a list of most needed items, and formula was the top thing this month. It’s one of those things that is always needed but few people donate it.
I was Secret Santa for someone at work. It warmed my heart to surprise her!
I have moved to a new state and have volunteered to help a mom who is having issues with her daughter, who is being abused. I offer emotional support and some information. and Hugs as needed.
My dog has had some recent surgery and I wanted to thank his vet for her amazing kindness not just towards him but the bedside manner she showed me. I took her a card and a box of chocolates on Friday. I know it’s her job but I am so grateful to her.
I also knit a hat and cowl for the woman who owns the dog and cat food store I shop at. She’s seriously like my dog and cat nutritionist 🙂
And lastly, this week I will be tipping my favorite little coffee shop’s barista $20. She always makes us feel so welcome and goes the extra mile.
This seems pretty minimal compared to some kindnesses other have shown here, but maybe some day I will need someone to help me —-
I was in the grocery store last week and saw a woman going back and forth seemingly searching for a specific item. I observed her asking one of the employees where to find the lima beans, but he didn’t seem to know where they were either. She asked a second employee (both of these people were stocking shelves at the time). I took it upon myself to find out where they were (even though I rarely eat them myself) — once I found them above the green beans, I found her and showed her where they were located.
I decided to make a couple knitted monster toys over the weekend and gave them to my neighbor’s sweet little boys in a Santa bag to put under the tree 🙂
I don’t know if this is a Random Act of Kindness or a Random Act of Craziness! Today as I was getting out of my car to go into the grocery store, I saw a man pulling away with his cup of coffee on the roof of the car! I ran after him to the stop sign to get it for him. When I approached his window I thought I was going to give him a heart attack. I felt bad for startling him, but boy was he grateful!!
Started a pay-it-forward at Starbuck’s yesterday. Paid for the drink for the person following my order. Let’s hope it lasted for a good long time. At least I know that I brightened one person’s day!
Veterans are near and dear to my heart. It was my great pleasure to contribute to the collection of personal items for a local vet shelter.
I took my 4yo son to an orphanage, and brought each of the 88 kids a little gift (colouring sets for the preschoolers and alarm clocks for the primary and middle schoolers). We came with Santa hat and reindeer headband and were such a hit with them. They were all either abandoned by their parents or were wandering the streets as beggars before the sisters picked them up (it’s a Catholic orphanage). I was happy to be able to introduce my son to giving for those who need more than us, but seeing the kids brought me to tears (when we were safely back in our car). I hope we can come more often.
A friend from church has been on bedrest with a difficult pregnancy. She and her husband weren’t expecting to have her go on leave so soon, so I anonymously bought them a gift card to Target to help with the change in their budget.
My brother and sister-in-law were needing some rest and some time to shop for Christmas. I volunteered to watch my niece for whatever they needed over the Christmas holiday.
My sister and I each purchased a child’s gift for the angel tree at our church. I had not done that in a few years…felt great to hopefully put a smile on a little one’s face.
Leaving the store today, saw an elderly woman standing outside her car in tears.She had a flat, and didn’t have AAA I can’t physically change a tire, but I have roadside on my phone. So I called and have to be there with the phone when they come. They were there within 15 minutes, had her tire changed and ready to go in 5 more minutes. When I told the tow driver what was going on, he said he wouldn’t charge my roadside for it, and called them and told them it was no charge. Double RAK and thanks to Rick’s Tow for paying it forward!
Hi i would like to get the pioneer woman father in law fudge recipe. Thank you for your time Ron.
I also joined a community who helps needy people. Our community finding peoples who need any kind of help.