December 2012
26 posts
Day 25 #ROMP4good Snowflakes for Sandy Hook
When we heard that the children of Sandy Hook Elementary would return to their new building in January surrounded by thousands of snowflakes made by people all over the world, we had to help. My daughter (who does not know about the shooting) and her friend spent much of the day making snowflakes. All she needs to know is that it her contribution will brighten the day of a child her age when...
Day 24 #ROMP4good AARDA
I’m the spokesperson for the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association. The thing that makes AARDA special is that it looks at all autoimmune diseases as a category of disease rather than a group of single diseases.
I’ve had many people in my life affected by autoimmune diseases and feel honored that I can raise awareness and research money on their behalf.
To learn more,...
Day 23 #ROMP4good Blankets 4 Doggies
Baby, it’s cold outside (and inside sometimes too). Today we donated a few of my daughter’s baby blankets to keep some dogs and cats warm during their stay at a shelter.
Day 22 #ROMP4good Christmas Cookies
There is a Christmas tradition in my family and it involves cookies with frosting shaped like Santas and stars. My mom has been making these cookies since I was a year old! I’ve continued the tradition with my daughter. We make these and give them to neighbors. They are without a doubt my favorite cookie on the planet and they’re too good not to share!
Day 21 #ROMP4good Food for the Pantry
Today we dropped off canned food to a local food pantry. Tried to pick holiday necessities, protein and some spicy favorites!
Day 20 #ROMP4good Salvation Army
We put a bit into the Salvation Army’s red bucket. Every little bit…
Day 19 #ROMP4good Children's Nature Institute
Living in Southern California is pretty awesome in the winter. Even in January we can go for hikes in the mountains around here and not take much more than a sweatshirt. With all the noise of modern life, it’s essential to get out into nature and just turn off the world. I’ve been trying to teach my daughter how important the natural world is to our sanity and happiness. The Children’s Nature...
Day18 #ROMP4good Baby2Baby
If you have a baby, you need baby gear. Stocking up on that gear is one of the exciting parts of preparing for parenthood. But for a lot of families out there, buying it can be a financial hardship, and that’s where organizations like Baby2Baby come in.
When the founders of Baby2Baby, who are all moms, found themselves with more kid stuff than they knew what to do with, they decided to create an...
Day 17 #ROMP4good Aviva Family & Children Services
Maggie and I spent the evening filling mason jars with markers, gems, little stars and small bottles of glue. A jar full of creative possibilities for the impoverished children helped by the Aviva Family and Children’s Services. Aviva is a non-profit social service organization with a mission to provide therapeutic and educational services to abused and neglected children and their families....
Day 16 #ROMP4good Tree People
I’m a treehugger. Trees make life in a city a lot sweeter.
TreePeople is a fantastic nonprofit that is dedicated to expanding the tree canopy thereby creating a sustainable future for Los Angeles. Their mission is to “inspire, engage, and support people to take personal responsibility for the urban environment, making it safe, healthy, fun and sustainable and to share the process as a model...
Day 15 - #ROMP4good Children's Hospital LA
my daughter visited Children’s Hospital Los Angeles last year with a broken arm. I was overwhelmed by the care and attention she received—the same care and attention every child who walks through their doors receives, regardless of whether or not they have insurance. I’m grateful that this hospital exists and cares for so many who need it.
team ROMP donated a toy for a child...
Day 14 - Prayer
I wish we could go back in time and erase yesterday. There are no words right now to describe what we are all feeling in the wake of the shooting, and that is nothing compared to the families directly affected.
What I did to give back yesterday was pray. That was my offering, my way to help.
May we all move forward with a little more awareness of those around us and love in our hearts.
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Day 13 #ROMP4good Our Salute
Sometimes when saying thank you, words are not enough. Our soldiers and the families who support them give so much of themselves on a daily basis without asking for a thank you.
My daughter and her friend spent the afternoon making holiday decorations to brighten a soldier’s day. We’re sending these gifts to Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit volunteer-based corporation that works to...
Day 12 #ROMP4good Secret Shopper
An unsuspecting Trader Joe’s shopper is going to get a grocery gift card. Fun, surprising, just because.
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Day 11 #ROMP4good The Pencil Project II
So our little pencil drive for a school in need has grown! We just received a few hundred pencils, colored pencils, erasers and sharpeners from our friend Kelly and her sweet son (photo below). Thank you!! And team ROMP member, Kiran, just picked up a box full of pencils from her cousin. We are so excited that this elementary school will be set for awhile! Again, if you want more info on this...
Day 10 #ROMP4good Close to home
In 1998 my family spent a few months at UCLA medical center. My 19 year-old sister was diagnosed with lupus and admitted a few days later with one of the worst cases they’d seen in awhile. Our time there didn’t end well, and, as many of you know, my sister died from complications of lupus.
I know that miracles do happen at that hospital, and I’m hoping that the young man we...
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Day 9 #ROMP4good Run for it!
This morning I hauled myself out of bed and out into the chilly (but still Los Angeles) weather to run in the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run. I’m very involved in autoimmune disease awareness and arthritis hits close to home for me because it affects my mother-in-law. The thing that touched me most was seeing those kids who live with rheumatoid arthritis on a daily basis out...
Day 8 #ROMP4good Pass it on!
A friend’s 6 year-old son has asthma and frequently needs to be treated at the ER with a nebulizer machine. She had mentioned that she wished she could afford to get a nebulizer for her home.
Here’s where a good idea hatched:
My nephew has a nebulizer he no longer needs and when we inquired, he was happy to pass it along. Here’s hoping my friend can avoid long waits at the...
Day 7 #ROMP4good Good Intentions
Sometimes the best laid plans get derailed. I had planned to give blood today. Just a pint. Apparently, I wasn’t adequately hydrated because my body decided that it only had 20 ccs to spare : ( It wasn’t an argument I was going to win. So, I tried … and I’ve got a pretty pink bandage to prove it. Sigh.
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Day 6 #ROMP4good - Hillsides
This morning Maggie and I brought a holiday gift from ROMP for a child at Hillsides.
Hillsides, the Episcopal Home for Children in Pasadena, provides care for children who have no family or who cannot live with their family (often because of abuse and neglect). Hillsides creates safe places for children by treating abuse, neglect and mental illness; strengthening families; providing special...
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Day 5 #ROMP4good Bet Tzedek
The House of Justice or Bet Tzedek provides free legal assistance to people who would otherwise not have access to the legal system. They work with issues including elder abuse and neglect, patients’ rights, and Holocaust reparations. Today’s ROMP4good is in support of the work the lawyers and volunteers do to help the needy and impoverished of Los Angeles.
I made a donation in honor of...
Day 4 #ROMP4good Shoebox Project
My daughter’s amazing former preschool does a shoebox project each December. Not only do we miss her old school but we wanted to continue the tradition of stocking a shoebox full of goodies for a child. Teachers, Miss Suzie and Miss Karina go to Mexico each year and bring these boxes to kids a an orphanage in Mexico. This year we put a little art kit together with colored pencils,...
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Day 3 - Foster Children's Resource Center
Team ROMP recently visited the Foster Children’s Resource Center in Northridge, CA to find out more about their needs. This organization is run by the sweetest ladies! The FCRC provides children in foster care a chance to “shop” for toys, clothes, books, toiletries, and so forth. The merchandise is bought by the volunteers for the children. As part of this month’s...
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Day 2 #ROMP4good - Christmas Tree
‘tis the season, so we thought we’d get a tree! Huge bonus: all proceeds from our church’s Christmas tree lot go to benefit the organizations pictured below. So, ROMP4good just fell right into place today. I love it when others make it so easy to give!
PS: that’s my kid, Maggie, with her little tree.
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The Pencil Project #ROMP4good
We’re starting our month of giving with the simple act of providing pencils to a needy school. The Pencil Project, founded by Maria Vick, believes that “education is the only sure way out of poverty.” On a trip to Africa, Maria realized that many of the children at a village school didn’t have the basic tools needed to attend school. The few pencils she saw were broken...
3 tags
Give Back this Holiday! #ROMP4good
I’m issuing a challenge to all of you for this holiday season: Do at least one thing each day during the month of December that gives back to your community, brightens someone’s day, and/or makes the world a better place.
This is something I did 2 years ago on my own, and this year I’m doing it with the staff of my kid’s online boutique, ROMP. So, most of what we do this month will...
April 2012
1 post
1 tag
Earth Day to a Four Year Old
When I was a kid we didn’t have an Earth Day. Although, I suppose if we had it back then, we might not need it today.
I didn’t know anything about recycling until I was in high school, and then it was just the crazy neighbors down the street who recycled soda cans to make some extra cash. In college I started using the scratchy recycled paper tissues and cleaning my dorm with vinegar and...
March 2012
2 posts
Get your walkin' shoes on, y'all! →
I am the spokesperson for Autoimmune Diseases Association because autoimmune disease has touched my family and friends. I’m hosting a series of walks around the country to raise $ and awareness please check out this link and tell your friends! thanks! xo kel
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talking childbirth options with Ricki Lake and... →
July 2011
2 posts
1 tag
Pals for Life
I still have my favorite stuffed animal from childhood. He’s a raggedy, strange, little dog named Poppy. He was (and is!) one of my most cherished possessions. He was by my side all through childhood, and even when I went through tough times as an adult, there was Poppy, happy to listen and snuggle. Yes, I did bring him to college with me. Don’t act shocked, he learned a lot at Yale.
My...
4 tags
Required Summer Reading
Do you remember when you were in school and had a required summer reading list for the summer? Call me crazy, but I really miss it. I remember sitting under a tree barefoot scaring myself half to death over my latest Nancy Drew book. Or hiding out in my room all day, no one bothering me until dinnertime, reading The Catcher in the Rye. It was kind of a luxury, that required summer reading...
June 2011
1 post
May 2011
2 posts
1 tag
Cool Rider
Ever since I found out I was going to have a little girl, I’ve been beyond excited for the moment when she would learn to ride a bicycle. I clearly remember my dad racing behind me as I pedaled with all my might and all my courage, terrified that he would let go, yet giddy with the idea that I could do it all by myself. It is one of the most important and poignant moments in a child’s life.
...
2 tags
Bonjour, Mes Amis!
I love anything French. I love croissants, the Eiffel Tower, champagne, Degas…. And I so hoped that my daughter would aspire to be a little Francophile too. Of course, like any proper 4 year old, if I said let’s read “Le Petit Prince,” she would insist on “Clifford,” and if I suggested an éclair, she would insist on—actually she’s good with éclairs (who isn’t?).
My family is full of...
April 2011
5 posts
Kellie,
Thank you for your work on behalf of those of us with autoimmune disorders. I am in the unfortunate situation of apparently having those genes on both sides of my family, so I guess I was kind of doomed to develop at least one (or the 4 I have developed). Once I knew the extent of what was going on with my health, I was relieved that my only child is a boy, given how predominantly...
3 tags
Happy Easter... Cookies!
Growing up at my house we made my mom’s frosted sour cream cookies for every holiday; we just altered the decorations and cookie cutters depending on the occasion.
Today, my daughter and I continued the tradition by making some delicious Easter cookies. They are so good and remind me of my childhood. Oh, and don’t tell my mom, but I’ve improved the frosting recipe. Shhhhh!
Kellie’s Mom’s...
4 tags
Put a Bow Tie on that Cauliflower!
I have a major obsession with pasta, probably because I can always get my kid to eat it. Even when she’s tired or grumpy, put a little pasta in front of her, and presto. Lately I’ve been experimenting with combining vegetables that my kid claims to hate with her favorite pasta shapes. So, the following recipe is a happy marriage between cauliflower (not a fave) with adorable bow tie pasta (a...
1 tag
When You Gotta Go... Again
Ever try sneaking out of the house without saying goodbye to your kid? Just don’t want the waterworks, the tantrums, the “you said you’d never leave mes?” Yes, saying goodbye, even when you’ll be gone only 20 minutes, can be a rather unpleasant affair. I get it. I didn’t want to do it either, but just recently, now that my daughter is 4 years old, I’ve started reaping the...
carrymesouth00 asked: Kellie-
My husband & I moved our family to Alaska 21 years ago and the girls grew up on Kellie Martin movies. I have tried to get every DVD that you were in sometimes to no avail. Do you have any suggestions to where I could purchase all of your movies? When the girls come home we always curl up with our blankets and a Kellie Martin movie.
-Carrie
My husband & I moved our family to Alaska 21 years ago and the girls grew up on Kellie Martin movies. I have tried to get every DVD that you were in sometimes to no avail. Do you have any suggestions to where I could purchase all of your movies? When the girls come home we always curl up with our blankets and a Kellie Martin movie.
-Carrie
March 2011
3 posts
1 tag
Rosemary Olive Bread Recipe
I’ve made this bread 3 times and am finally getting it right. This recipe is super straight forward. Make sure all your ingredients are fresh, especially the yeast. Seriously, the smell of this homemade bread just makes you happy to be alive!
This recipe is from an amazing cooking/baking teacher, Carol Cotner Thompson. Please check out her fantastic...
3 tags
Helping Kids Process a Disaster
Around the time of the New Zealand earthquake, we started putting together our earthquake kit. Way overdue, I know, considering we live in Los Angeles.
I hadn’t planned on including my 4 year old in the kit preparations. Why scare her? Did I really want to sit her down and tell her that sometimes, out of the blue, the ground beneath her can start shaking… violently? It seemed like worry that...
1 tag
WatchCrazy Thursday night!
February 2011
1 post
mysouthernheart asked: Hi, Kellie!
Thought you might like to know that I have featured you on my blog this week: http://www.mysouthernheart.com
By the way, I loved SMOOCH!
Blessings,
Dianne
Thought you might like to know that I have featured you on my blog this week: http://www.mysouthernheart.com
By the way, I loved SMOOCH!
Blessings,
Dianne
January 2011
3 posts
meme4thought asked: Hi Kellie!! Are you still directing?
Sneak peek at my new movie "Smooch"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqflG6KtGqo&feature=share
2 tags
“Maggie, Dr. King’s Birthday is More Than Just a...
I asked my daughter if her teachers had spoken to the class about today’s holiday. She said: “No, but I don’t have to go to school. Yay!” I was about to launch into a “this is why we need to know about Martin Luther King Jr.” speech when I paused because I didn’t know how to explain his impact to a four year old. To explain the importance of Dr. King, I would have to tell her about what our...
December 2010
28 posts
Coffee and a Muffin
Having muffins with my family at our local coffee shop this morning, I noticed a homeless woman looking through the window. She seemed to want a cup of coffee, which we were happy to get for her. As I moved to the door, a man approached the woman and gently led her inside. He had the same idea. At the counter he asked her what she would like to order. “Just a cup of coffee,” was her reply. ...
#ExtremeGiving Day 25: Christmas Dinner and...
I can’t sing but I can cook. On Christmas Day, my ExtremeGiving was to make a feast for our friends and to keep my singing voice mercifully low during our caroling.
Here’s the menu of food:
Green Herb Dip with Vegetables
Parmesan and Thyme Crackers
Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Portabella Mushroom Lasagna
Green Beans
Goat Cheese Beet Salad
Gingerbread Cookies
Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice...
#ExtremeGiving Day 24: Prayer
We went to a beautiful church service on Christmas Eve. It was quiet, filled with candles and was a nice time to stop for a moment and remember why we celebrate Christmas. I’ve been so caught up in baking and shopping and the stress of this holiday season that I often forget to really count my blessings. So on Christmas Eve I stopped to pray—to give thanks and to ask for a few things that our...
#ExtremeGiving Day 23: Cinnamon Rolls for Grandma
My grandma is 86 years old and has a wicked sweet tooth. Whenever I see her I try to bake something delicious for her. For Christmas I thought the cinnamon rolls I learned how to bake in my baking class would be just the thing. And they were, she went mad for them.
