Beat for about 2 minutes.  Pour in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Blend slowly until properly combined.     Slice the cookie into pieces. Top with vanilla ice cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Summary: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease a 14 inch round pizza pan. Cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Crack in the eggs and blend until fully combined. Stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips and mix well. Flatten and spread the cookie dough on the pizza pan. Bake the cookie in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. Allow the cookie to cool for about 10 minutes. Serve.


Do not be surprised if your guinea pig wiggles when you do this. If he/she wiggles too much, release his/her leg and let him/her calm down before you try again. Using the hand that is holding your guinea pig's legs, steady the nail between the thumb and index finger. Do not squeeze too tightly to keep the nail in place; this may hurt your guinea pig and cause him/her to squirm. Selecting a nail on one end of the foot and working your way to the inside or outside of the foot will help you keep easier track of which nails you've trimmed. Position them in front of the nail that you are about to trim. Identifying it will be easier to do with a clear nail than a darker nail. In clear nails, the quick will look pink. If you can see the quick, trim the nail down to just above the quick. If you cannot see the quick, use caution and trim a little bit at a time. If you cut the quick, the nail will start to bleed. Although this will be painful to your guinea pig, you have not caused any serious damage. Simply dab a small amount of the styptic powder or cornstarch on the nail and the bleeding will stop quickly. If you see that your guinea pig is becoming restless, give him/her some time to calm down before trying to finish trimming his/her nails. Giving your guinea pig a treat after trimming each nail can provide positive reinforcement and keep him/her distracted. Make sure that he/she finishes eating before starting on the next nail to prevent him/her from choking on his/her food. If this was your first time trimming your guinea pig's nails, don't be too hard on yourself if things didn't go quite as expected. Guinea pigs will wiggle when getting their nails trimmed at any age.  If this time didn't go well, consider trimming your guinea pig's nails over several days instead of all at once. This may be easier for both of you. If you put styptic powder or cornstarch on any of the nails, check these nails to make sure that the bleeding has stopped. Wipe off the substance from the nail before you put your guinea pig back in his cage to prevent him from eating it on accident.

Summary: Choose a leg and gently pull it out. Secure one of his/her nails. Pick up the nail clippers with your other hand. Identify the quick in the nail. Trim the nail. Proceed with trimming the rest of your guinea pig's nails. Put your guinea pig back in his/her cage and tidy up the nail trimmings.


Send in the donations you received. You've done a great and challenging job for a good charity. If the donations you raise reach a certain threshold, World Vision will present you with a "thank you" gift.

Summary: Find your group leader or (if you signed up on the Internet), go through the World Vision website. Congratulate yourself.


Show those around you that you care by offering them assistance when they need it. Help them without expectation of repayment so you can feel connected to them in a generous way.  For example, you may go see a family member who is feeling ill or unwell. Bring food for them if they are too sick to cook. You can help your neighbor by trying things like shoveling snow for them or taking care of their pet while they are away on vacation. You can also spend time with a friend dealing with a recent break up. Cheer them up by inviting them out or by taking them on a special friend date. Look online for local organizations and charities in your area that need volunteers. Pick up a volunteer shift at your local homeless shelter or women’s shelter. Donate your time to a charity drive or at a local arts festival. Volunteering your time can help you feel connected to others in a positive way. Volunteering is also a great way to meet like minded people and make new friends or acquaintances. This can broaden your social network and make you feel less alone in the world. You can also put your money towards a cause you believe in. Give a donation to a local advocacy group in your area or to a national campaign that speaks to your goals and values. You may try donating money to a worthy cause once a year or once a month, based on your income. Look for mentoring programs in your area at local community or arts centers. Check your local schools for mentoring programs where you work with young people. Try mentoring in a program like Big Brother, Big Sister, where you are paired with a young person and act as their mentor.  You can also mentor others by being a volunteer tutor at an after school program. Some alumni associations at colleges and universities have mentorship programs for students to connect with professionals in their field of interest. Give back to your local economy by frequenting local businesses in your area. Seek out local businesses and support them by spending your money there. Get to know local vendors so you can feel in sync with your community. For example, you may shop at your local farmer’s market and get to know the vendors who sell their goods there.
Summary: Help a neighbor, friend or family member in need. Volunteer at a local organization. Donate money to a worthy cause. Become a mentor. Shop at local businesses.