Happy Friday, RISERS! I hope this week has been good to you. It is hard to believe we have reached the fourth Friday in 2025! I want to give a huge shout-out to Debra Hicks, who has been the blog manager/editor since it began in 2021. She had to step away from blogging and I wanted to tell her “THANK YOU!”. She took what I sent her every week and made it look fantastic. I also want to give a shout-out to Angela Sparks as she will be taking up the baton going forward.
Happy Birthday to all of you who turned a year older this past week. Also, Happy Anniversary to you and your loved one for reaching another milestone year together.
Quote of the Week: “Be a bush if you can’t be a tree. If you can’t be a highway, just be a trail. If you can’t be a sun, be a star.” — Martin Luther King, Jr
Song of the Week: This week, I want to flashback to the year 2018. In May that year, “High Hopes” by Panic! At the Disco hit the airwaves. I must admit I first heard it when my son, Jacob, listened to the Kidz Bop version. This song hits home for me because of the encouraging message it has–keep trying to make yourself better and believe you can do it.
This year has been off to a rocky start for me. From adjusting to life outside of working at school, my mother passed away last week. So, getting used to my “new normal” has been quite challenging. I hope that whatever you have going on right now, you are succeeding big time.
Joke of the Week: Why do dreams love books? They get lost in the storylines.
Recharge Tip of the Week: To keep with the joke theme of books, my recharge tip for you this week is to spend time lounging around with your face in your favorite book. When I’m not writing a book, I find comfort in rereading books that make me feel good. I have a Star Trek: The Next Generation book that I go to when I want to get lost in a winter memory when my husband served in the Army. When I need a touchy-feely moment, I reach for my How to Write a Swoon-Worthy Sweet Romance Novel book. Reading can be scary, especially if you don’t like to read. Find the format that’s best for you–whether it’s a graphic novel, a book on plants, or a book that has been made into a movie.
Recipe of the Week: I don’t have a recipe this week, but I want to tell you about some super delicious cookies. Kroger’s Private Selection Sea-Salt Caramel cookies are to die for!
What you’ll need:
1 package of Sea-Salt Caramel cookies
1 sheet of parchment paper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet. Line the cookies on the pan, fitting as many as possible. I always look at the cooking time and subtract two minutes since I like the cookies to be on the softer side. Bake until they are at your desired crispness. It is important to use parchment paper because it will make it easier for you to get the ooey-gooey goodness off the sheet.
Shout Out of the Week: This week, I want to give a shout-out to all of you who are doing something new and maybe a little bit challenging in the new year. You got this!
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.