I was at a loss for how to handle the fights among my kick- Many activities had been tried, but they didn't work. After reading What I Know for Sure written by Oprah Winfrey, a thought occurred to me one day.

    “Starting with Dora, I want everyone to find the chance to say 'thank you' .” I declared.

    “What?” Ashley asked. “What's going on?''

    “Just do it.”

    Naturally, the kid^ all thought I had lost my mind. I wasn't sure if they were wrong, but I pressed on.

    “Now, we're going to keep going around and everyone tells what they're thankful for.”

    Clearly doubtful and frustrated, the kids launched in, and I kept them going.

    “I'm thankful for our house.”

    “I'm thankful for my clothes.”

    “I'm thankful for my whole life and everyone in the world.”

    “What? What am I supposed to say?”

    "Keep going."

    “I'm grateful for my underwear!” Instant laughter erupted, music to my ears!

    “Great, lei it out!” I encouraged. “What else?”

And that was all we needed. The gratitude--great and small, serious and funny—came rolling out.

    “My backpack.”

    “My teachers.”

    On and on it went until every face was lit with a new kind of joy and laughter. I could sense a new feeling of peace and comfort in the air a reminder of not only our blessings, but the love we really did have for each other.

    “I'm grateful for being grateful!” Dora declared.

    “Me, too!” was the unanimous response.

    I don't remember the activities that took place the rest of the day. But it was a day when our family was transformed by two simple words: thank you. Since then, it's become a family motto.

    Car Hire

    Hiring a self-drive car really adds to the enjoyment of your holiday.There are so many places of interest to visit,and if you enjoy seeing more than just the city center there's no better way to explore than by car.

    Hire Charges:

    What's included

a) Unlimited mileage （英里数）.

b) Expenses on oil,maintenance and repairs,which will be repaid on production of invoices.

C) Full insurance except personal accident (see below).

What's not included

a) Personal accident insurance.

b) Garaging,petrol,parking and traffic fines.

    Conditions of Hire:

    The shortest rental period at these special low prices is three days.For prices for periods of one or two days you only see our representative at the hotel.

    Car hire must be booked six weeks or more before arrival in London to guarantee a car.But if you have been unable to make a booking in advance please see our representative at the hotel who may still be able to help you.

    The car types on the sheet are examples of the types of cars in each price range,but particular car cannot be guaranteed.

    Upon delivery the driver (s) will be asked to sigh the car hire company's Condition of Hire.

    If you decide to hire a car,just fill in the Booking Form and return it to us.A booking fee of £ 12 as part of the car hire cost is required.

    Should you be forced to cancel your car hire booking after payment in full (two weeks before date of hire),a cancellation charge of £ 12 will be made.

    Guide Dogs of America, A History is the book that we all have been waiting for. It's a book that tells how and where the guide dog movement really started, with information never before revealed--until now. After reading this 200-page, picture-filled work, you will know about every aspect of Guide Dogs of America(GDA) from its inception to how it has become one of the top guide dog schools in the country.

    Joseph W. Jones, Sr., was refused a guide dog because of his age--he was fifty seven--but he would not accept defeat. He researched the guide dog movement and with the help of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, established his own school, one that would provide guide dogs free of charge to visually impaired people regardless of their age.

    The school graduated 18 guide dog teams the first year with students staying at, GDA's first trainer, Lambert Kreimer's house on South Virginia Avenue in Burbank, and Jones manning the office on Lankershim Boulevard in North Hollywood.

    In 1952, Jones addressed the quadrennial(四周年纪念的) IAM Grand Lodge Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. “I sincerely prayed to God for two things,” Jones said. “After my wife passed away and left me with a ten-year-old boy, I prayed that I would be spared long enough to see this organization well established and that my ten-year-old boy would become a man. Both prayers have been answered. The organization is well established, it is in the hands of the IAM and my boy is a man, and I am proud to say that today he is a member of the IAM.”

    Jones' pray for a successful organization had been answered now, ten years after he was rejected for being too old, his dream of having a guide dog for himself, hundreds of others had already been given the gift of sight because of his drive and determination. That school, now known as Guide Dogs of America, has provided guide dogs to thousands of people free of charge.

    Last year, when our three-year-old great-granddaughter Kylie was taken to see Santa Claus, she made sure to give him her wish list of toys. A week later, she ran into a different Santa in a mall. He stopped to ask what she wanted for Christmas. Kylie was surprised and let him know: “If you can't remember what I told you last week, how are you going to remember on Christmas Eve?”

    Mary Paul, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

    As my son Mike and I drove to the mall, we passed a Salvation Army Santa ringing his bell. “Mike,” I said, “there's Santa!” He shook his head. “That's just some guy in a Santa suit,” he said. It saddened me to think that maybe my son no longer believed in Santa, and we drove the rest of the way in silence. At the mall, we spotted another Santa greeting young believers. Suddenly, Mike took off toward him. Turning back to me, he shouted. “Now, there's the real Santa!”

    Michael E. Fahey, Huntley, Illinois

    We immigrated to America from China when I was six. Because I was shy and didn't speak English, I had few friends. My days were spent at home with my brother. Sometimes we'd help our neighbor Mr. Mueller pull weeds. One Christmas Day, there was a knock at the door. Grandma opened it, and there stood a big fellow in red with a snow-white beard, laughing, “Ho, ho, ho!” He handed out presents and made us laugh. I had so much fun. It was years later when I learned that our special Santa was our neighbor Mr. Mueller.

    Joanne Tang, Litchfield Park, Arizona

    You can tell a lot about a country by what's on its television sets. Britain's TV screens are completely steeped in class, and have long been so.

    From laughing at poor people in reality shows to laughing at posh people in Downton Abbey, this is how Britain likes to unwind in the evening: by laughing at other classes, and laughing at people for laughing about class.

    Like it or loathe it, many see the class system as a quite essential element of British life, together with our obsession for tea and cake and talking about the weather.

    Whether you are a lord, a lady, or just the king of your own middle class kingdom, everyone in the UK fits into the class system. How the class system works is a hard question even for a British person to answer.

    There are four main groups in the British class system: lower, working, middle and upper class. Although recently the BBC has tried to confuse everyone even more by adding three more categories.

    The British are very aware of class; it is often said that we have an in-built 'class radar'; we pick up on subtle social clues which indicate which class a person comes from. Class is not just about your job, where you live and how much you earn. It's about who you are.

Young Adult Groups

    ●Around the World in 80 Books — 9,186 members

    If you love exploring the world through books, you have come to the right place! It all started as a challenge on TNBBC in 2009, and now we have our own group! Challenge participation is not a requirement of joining. Anyone who loves reading books is welcome.

    Website: http: //www.worldinbooks.com

    Rules: Respect each other's opinions and have fun!

    ●Readers That Love Giveaways — 734 members

    This group is for readers that enjoy entering give-aways and finding freebies(免费物)! Follow us for the newestbargain, discounted, and free e-books, as well as new releases and book recommendations. Website: http://www.fireandicebooktours.com

    Rules: Please share your items in the appropriate folders!

    ●Book Loving Kiwis — 706 members

    A group for New Zealand book lovers（and authors）and lovers of New Zealand books（and books in general）. Aplace to share what we're reading, introduce books we have written, and discuss and recommend books. Please recommend us to your friends.

    Website: http://www.kiwisbook.com

    Rules: Enjoy reading! Respect all group members and their opinions.

    ●A Book and a Cappucino — 77 members

    This group is for anyone who likes to read and likes to read at their own pace. It does not matter how much or how little you read. It's just a friendly place to discuss what you're reading and to get ideas for your next read. You can participate as much or as little as you like.

    Website: http://www.bookandcappucino.com

    Rules: Be respectful to all. Everyone has a right to share opinions.