"To Get One's Goat"

Did you ever wonder how people come up with the phrases they do?



www.DonnaPerugini.com

 How about this one:  How did the phrase, "He's getting their goat" become an expression?  Was it as simple as your real goat went missing?  Here's how the Word and Phrase Origins reads.  Never heard of that?  It's actually titled, "The Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins":


"High-strung racehorses often have goats as stablemates, on the theory that the goats have a calming effect on the thoroughbreds.  But the horses grow attached to their companions and become upset if they are removed, throwing off their performance on the track.

It is said that 19th-century gamblers capitalized on that fact by stealing on the preceding day the goat of a horse they wanted to lose a race and that this practice gave us the phrase to get one's goat...they got the horse's goat and the horse became upset or angry."  taken from "The Henry Holt Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins."

And when was the last time 'someone got your goat'?  

You want to get FREE updates by email or RSS.

What's in That Box?



www.DonnaPerugini.com for BOOK PURCHASES

 Do you have a friend in your group that just moved away? 

Maybe she's pregnant and trying to adjust to a new home, surroundings, church or MOPs group.  What can you do to help smooth the transition for her?

Pregnant and New in Town
Jackie was pregnant with her first baby, living away from her parents and knew no one except her husband's sister and boyfriend in the new town.  The church she went to with her parents heard about her move from the mother as they had moved to another state away from the church too.  Church friendships can be 'forever friendships'.  The Pastor's wife talked with some women who knew the mother and her daughter well.  They pulled together a 'baby shower in a box' surprise for Jackie.  When it arrived in the mail, she was so overwhelmed she sat on the floor....nine months pregnant and bawled.  They were tears of joy, sadness because she missed the friends, and pregnancy hormones! 


The Pastor's Wife Served it UP!

Jackie sat and pulled present after present...all wrapped in beautiful designs and colorful papers.  There was handmade clothes, thoughtful purchases and items that reminded her of the women who loved her so dearly.  They may have been far away from her Texas location, but she'd never forget the loving kindness that was packed in a large box that day.  The mother was happily surprised, but expected nothing less because she knew what the people were capable of in that body of believers.  She knew how the Pastor's wife, always so loving and giving  towards others kept loving and cherishing you even when you moved away. 

Smooth the Transition for Someone!

When your friend is sitting in her new home or apartment alone with fresh memories of you, why not pack a 'we love and miss' box...or a 'baby shower' in a box?  Fill it with scrapbook memories or just baked items.  Put in the latest book you loved and want her to read and the recipe for the baked goods.  You knew her while she was with you in your group, so pull on those memories to know what to put in the box.  Wrap each item to be a special gift.  Don't short her the luxury of opening gifts from everyone, one at a time. 

Be the leader and pull it together.  You'll never regret loving someone that way!


Did you ever get a box filled with presents?  Have you thought about someone who you can do this for?

You want to get FREE updates by email or RSS.

"The Winner of the Sculpted Orville Pin is..."

www.DonnaPerugini.com for book purschases The Flight of Orville Wright Caterpillar

The winner of the Orville Wright Caterpillar sculpted ceramic pin is:  Angie Vinez! 

Angie has been informed and she is one 'happy camper'!  She says, "I am *so* excited that I won! Lucy is obsessed with Caterpillars, so she is going to flip when she sees it. :) "  

Our next giveaway is this Friday, Nov. 19-24

This giveaway will be for my children's book, Do Angels Go Camping?.  I'm including a book trailer for you to see and hear at the end of this posting. 

What You Need to Do to Enter  

•  Leave a comment on this OR Friday's posting titled, "What's In That Box?"
• Tweet about it OR say something on Facebook about the giveaway. 
• Promise to do a review of the book and post it on Amazon.com at this url http://www.amazon.com/Do-Angels-Camping-Donna-Perugini/dp/0881445363/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290039575&sr=8-4  The review link is right under the title and author of the book at the top of the page.  Then tell me you did it!

Remember to get these FREEBIES!

There's coloring pages of the book's characters (including caterpillars) songs with illustrations that are in a movie format (just subscribe by email), ceramics for sale of the book's characters (see the Children's Books Ceramics page) and the informative postings on the blog!  Look up in the header of this blog and click on the tabs there.

The Author Website for Purchases is Up and Running...come on over www.DonnaPerugini.com



You want to get FREE updates by email or RSS.

"Does Your Child Cheat In School?"

www.DonnaPerugini.com

Your first grader is caught copying their neighbor's paper during a test.  The teacher gives a failing mark, so what should you do now that you know what happened?  This was a question posed to four parents with varying answers: 

"Approach the teacher to know how to help my child and then punish the child".
"The Teacher should have spoken with my child before giving the failing grade. Then I would talk with my child about how it's wrong to copy, and it's more important to learn".
"A test is given to see how well the teacher is teaching and how much my child understands".
"Accept the failing grade and talk with my child about consequences".

Is it possible your child had the idea that to 'win the good grade' was the most important objective?
From an early age children are more focused on succeeding than learning.  Look at how they play games and compete.  They want to win a good grade for prestige, teacher, classmates and parental admiration, and just plain 'winning'. 

1. Find out why they looked at their neighbor's paper.  It could have been to know what to do or a fear of not 'getting the answer right'.
2. Sit down with your child..this is your time to teach. Cover 'why they take tests' and integrity.
3. Discuss how copying someone else's answers doesn't give the teacher a chance to help you because they're not your answers.

Children are honest until they know telling the truth gets them in trouble

4. If there is discipline, keep it in perspective.

When they're honest with you, encourage them to be listening to the 'inside voice' that prompts them to tell the truth.  Be careful not to impress them with the fact that if they cheat they'll be caught or worse yet, you will punish them severely when you find out what happened.  You won't always be around to direct them with threats, but if you promote that inward conscience by having them listen and obey it, they'll take away a life lesson.
 
Can you help your child to listen to their conscience?  Should all punishments be the same with each child?  Leave your 'intelligent thoughts' for us here!

Giveaway! Orville Wright Caterpillar Pin Nov 19-24

Ceramic sculpted Orville pin. Great for a hat, coat or sweater. Sculpted and painted by Donna Perugini (C) 2010 http://www.donnaperugini.com/

 A big thank you to all who entered to win the book.  Don't feel left out though, because there will be more Giveaways NEXT FRIDAY, November 19 - November 24 Ends 5pm PST.


This time it's a sculpted and handpainted Orville Pin (photo above) by Donna. 

1. Comment on "Does Your Child Cheat in School"?  a posting on my blog ( not on Facebook ) 
2. Subscribe by Email ( only my blog, not on Facebook...come on over! ) 
3. Tweet about the contest  (optional..some people don't have the ablility to Tweet ) 
4. Promise to take a photo of you with the pin on and send it to me donnaperugini@gmail.com

Easy-Peasy!  Tell me you did all the above.  Sometimes your email addresses are not recognizeable when I try to match it up with your comment. 

There will be more Giveaways after Thanksgiving....more books, more Orville pins and child's dish and cup set.  Remember you can go to my Author Website www.DonnaPerugini.com now for book purchases!

You want to get FREE updates Subscribe by Email or RSS.