The Monday Before Christmas!

How is your Monday going?  I have been listening to Christmas Music, wrapping presents and also finishing up creating a special present for someone!

I just stumbled on Never Growing Old Blog and decided to finally restart posting again.  I have been sick and not feeling like doing much of anything, so have neglected my poor lonely blog!   If you would like to join in on the fun click on her blog link above or the icon below.

So here are the Questions:

1.  What will your Christmas dinner consist of?

2.  Do you watch commercials or flip through the channels?

3.  How long will you leave your Christmas decorations up?

4.  What movie makes you cry every time you watch it?

5.  Do you have a Facebook Page?

My Answers:

1.  Christmas Dinner will be on December 23rd this year.  My son is leaving for NY and I want to celebrate Christmas and his birthday before he leaves.  

Regarding the menu we haven't decided yet, it will either be leg of lamb, roast beef or turkey and ham.  Depending on the main course then I will decide on the fixings, however there are a few items that my kids love.

The green bean casserole of course!

 

Cranberry Pineapple Jello Mold

 

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

2.  Do you watch commercials or flip through the channels?

I usually turn the sound off the commercials, except for the cute E-Trade Babies!!

3.  How long will you leave your Christmas decorations up?

We actually leave the decorations up through January 6th, which is The Epiphany or Three Kings Day!

4.  What movie makes you cry every time you watch it?

To tell you the truth I cry at almost all Romantic movies, but to keep in the spirit of Christmas here is the one I cry at during the holidays!

5.  Do you have a Facebook Page?

Yes I do, here are my pages, My Personal page and My Company page!

I had fun answering these questions, if you want to do the same just click on the icon below!  Have fun and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

May You Be Blessed-Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, if not the favorite.  This year is a little odd because I will be spending it alone.  Not because I have no family to spend it with, but my husband is out of the country and I am sick with the flu and do not want to pass that along to all my kids.  I was hoping that by now I would be better, but I had to make the difficult call to my son this morning not to make the trip over here since I didn't want him catching this. Thankfully his girlfriend is also stranded there so they will be together for their first Thanksgiving!

So Christmas will be extra special this year as then we will all be together, at least most of us.

I decided instead of feeling sorry for myself, I would look at all the past Thanksgivings and wonderful memories I have.  As far back as I can remember my mom prepared the Thanksgiving meal like clockwork.  I in turn continued with that tradition.

On Wednesday we would bake the apple pie and pumpkin pies.  My mom always had Christmas music on while baking. Here are some of her Wednesday before Thanksgiving recipes!

 
My Mom's Famous Pumpkin Pie
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
4 large eggs
1 can 29 oz of Libby's Pure Pumpkin
2 cans 12 oz each  evaporated milk
2 unbaked 9 inch pie crusts

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.  Beat eggs in a large bowl.  Stir in pumpkin and sugar and spice mixture, gradually stirring in the evaporated milk.  Mix well.  Pour into the pie shells, cover crust edge with foil.

Bake in pre-heated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees, bake for an additional 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for 2 hours and serve or refrigerate.

Perfect Apple Pie
6-8 tart apples, pared, cored and thinly sliced (6 cups)
3/4 to 1 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch of ginger
2 tablespoons of butter
dash of salt

If apples lack tartness sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.  Combine sugar, flour, spices, salt and mix with apples.

Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry, fill with apple mixture, dot with butter.  Adjust top crust, cutting slits for escape of steam, seal.  Sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar mixture.  Cover crust edge with foil and bake in a 400 degree preheated oven for 50 minutes until done.



Thanksgiving Bread
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of salt
2 packages of act. dry yeast
6 cups of all purpose flour pre-sifted 
1 egg
salad oil
margarine

In large bowl combine sugar, salt, yeast and 2 1/4 cups of flour.
In 1 quart saucepan 1/2 cup margarine and warm water, on low heat, warm only, not HOT.

With a low speed mixer, mix in warm liquid to dry mixture, blend together, increasing speed to medium for 2 minutes.  Beat in egg with 3/4 cup more flour, beat 2 minutes more, adding additional flour slowly and mixing with hands until smooth.  Knead for 10 minutes.  Place in a large greased bowl, cover with damp towel and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.  Punch down, turn over and brush top with salad oil and cover bowl with saran wrap, place in refrigerator.

Thanksgiving Day, 2 hours before the meal, grease a squared or round cookie sheets.  Makes 30 small balls, placing them with a small space in between.  Cover with towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 - 1 1/2 hours.  Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven, melt butter and with pastry brush, brush over golden brown rolls.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy the movie below!

Disclosure:  This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.  This post includes "Affiliate Links", of which the blogger will receive a small commission if the links are clicked.  The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.  This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. 

Stealing and Ripping, A Sunday Tradition?

The 14 Question Meme

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing. Sunday Stealing originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go

Today we ripped this meme off a blogger named Jayne at the blog Journey Through Grace. She states that she was tagged by her friend The Bug at the blog Bug Eye's View. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!







1. What do you consider your hometown to be?

I grew up in a few towns, but we ended up in Naranjito, Puerto Rico in 1973, when I was 15 years old.

 

2. What’s the hardest part of your average day?
Dealing with Dysautonomia and not being able to do all the things I used to.
 

3. The easiest? Why?

When I am laying down, I have less symptoms

4. What beverage do you reach for to quench your thirst?

 

5. What is one not-so-secret goal you have for your life? I’ll let you keep your secret ones to yourself.

Enjoy everyday to the fullest because life is too short

6. What physical pain do you fear most? For example, I’m trying to decide how bad my jaw pain needs to get before I risk a potential needle from my dentist. So, for me, throbbing is preferable to jabbing.

I fear the chest pain that I get frequently

7. Where do you find solace?

When I am talking to my best friend

8. What makes you the saddest when you read/see the news?

The lies that are always told

9. What do you eat for a favorite snack?

I have a few snacks that I like, but when I asked my husband, he said, "See Food", everything I see I eat.  Wasn't that so sweet and loving?

10. What movie could you/would you watch more than two or three times and still enjoy just as much as the first time?

I don't know why I love this movie, I did grow up watching the original Bewitched back in the day, but I have watched this one over and over.

 
11. What boy/girl first made you cry?
J.G.S.
 
12. What brand of coffee/tea do you drink most often?

 
13. Dig in the dirt with or without garden gloves?

 
14. James Taylor or Carly Simon?

My Forgotten Passion

Ever since I was a little girl I loved to write.  I think it started back in the third grade.  Our teacher would have us pick pictures from magazines and we would have to write a story about the picture.  I remember the first day we did this assignment, I was so scared.  I didn't know if I would be able to write about anything.  I looked at the picture I chose and all of a sudden I started to write a story.  It was fun! I looked forward to those days that we would pick our picture from that old cardboard box. 

I wish I had kept all my stories, as it would be wonderful to read what I was thinking back then.  It was so much fun sitting at my desk in my room creating magical plays and writing so many stories.  One of my dreams was that I was going to write a novel. 

However, in just one quick moment all those dreams would be taken away.  Why would I allow that to happen?  I had now been writing for a few years, I was no longer in the third grade, I was sitting in my 9th grade classroom.  

We were reading OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck.  Our assignment was to take the book home and finish reading the story and stop right before the last chapter.  We were not to read it, just close the book and write the last chapter ourselves.  I wasn't even intimidated about finishing John Steinbeck's story, it didn't even occur to me until now that I am writing this post!  I just remember being so excited to get started!

I did what I was told.  I sat and wrote what I thought should be the ending of this amazing book and the next day handed it in to my teacher. 

A few days later the teacher handed out the books to all of us and we were to read the last chapter silently.  As I was reading the ending my stomach began to knot up, I know I must have changed several shades of red.  I had written an ending almost word for word, identical to Mr. Steinbeck!  Instead of being proud and excited, I was sick as I knew I was now in trouble.  

To this day I remember that old desk that I sat at, the American Flag to the right of the chalkboard, the posters on the wall and even the aromas coming from the cafeteria, as it was soon going to be lunch.  My heart was pounding out of my chest.  I didn't know how I was going to explain this, no one was going to believe that I hadn't cheated.  

The teacher then said those dreaded and expected words, "Someone here decided not to follow directions and copied the last chapter of the book."  She also continued on with a long discussion about plagiarism.  

Inside my head I was screaming, "No, I didn't cheat, I swear, those were my words, I didn't read the last chapter!"  I knew no one would believe me, I just sat there speechless, sickened and sad.  I had never cheated or lied in my life and to be accused of something that I hadn't done was devastating.  

My dreams were stolen that day.  I never wrote again until now, almost 40 years later, as I write on this blog. Would I have written that novel by now if that hadn't happened?  I will never know. 

I chose this writer's prompt from Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop, "If you had made a career out of whatever you were passionate about when you were ten...what would you be doing?"

Disclosure:  This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. This blog accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation.  This post includes "Affiliate Links", of which the blogger will receive a small commission if the links are clicked.  The owner(s) of this blog is compensated to provide opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. Even though the owner(s) of this blog receives compensation for our posts or advertisements, we always give our honest opinions, findings, beliefs, or experiences on those topics or products. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the bloggers' own. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer, provider or party in question.  This blog does contain content which might present a conflict of interest. 

Another Sunday Full of Questions, Answers and a Whole Lot of Stealing!

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing. Sunday Stealing originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!

Today we ripped this meme of a blogger known as Wayfarer at Wayfarer's Journal. Wayfarer doesn't explain if he wrote it or stole it. But if he did, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Cheers to all of us thieves!


Sunday Stealing: The Presuppose You're Living in New England Meme

1. Have you turned the heat on in your house yet this fall?

Yes

2. Do you allow your pets on the furniture?

Need I say more?!

 

3. What were your final words for September?

I can't believe summer is over

4. What are your first words for October?

5. Do you think you’ve ever seen a ghost?

No

6. What is the one color that represents this time of year?

Deep Red Orange

7. Which of your senses do you think is most sensitive this time of year?

Smell

8. What is your favorite thing to do at the county fair?

Eat

9. What do you like when you have a cold?

10. Are you willing to spend over $100 for a piece of winter clothing, like boots or a coat?

Sure, are you paying?

12. What do you have too much of in your kitchen?

13. What gripes do you have about this time of year?

That it rains all the time here in Seattle

14. Other than yourself, are you responsible for getting anyone ready in the morning?

No

15. When was the last time you cleaned your gutters?

Just put new ones up

16. So, it’s after Labor Day. Will you still be wearing white?

No

17. What shows are you most looking forward to this Fall?

The Talk and Dexter

18. What three things have you just not gotten around to from the summer, but probably should do before snow flies?

Put away all my summer clothes and bring down the winter ones

Clean and organize our empty rooms, which have become storage units

Organize my photos 

Any Thoughts About Facebook and Teachers?

With the recent news about teachers being fired for inappropriate actions on Facebook, I wanted to see what you thought. I have attached one of the articles below.  Another teacher was fired recently for posting negative comments about her school.

Of course most teachers have the integrity and common sense not even to establish any contact with their students on Facebook or any other social media outlet for that matter, and this is not about the majority of teachers.  There are always going to be a few bad apples in the bunch, in every profession.

However, as Dr. Phil would say, "What were you thinking?"  What happened people?!   I am a Registered Nurse by profession, I do not "friend" my patients!! That would be unheard of, at least in my mind!  

So as you can imagine I can not understand why in this case they felt that they could do such a thing.  Do I think they should be fired, well yes.  Do I feel a teacher can use Facebook, yes.  I think anyone can use Facebook for personal use, but do not "friend" your students, simple.

I live on the west coast and my sister is on the east coast.   I have asked her to create a page so that we can share our updates all in one place.  She is a teacher, she has said several times that she does not want her students knowing anything about her private life.  Even with Facebook's "privacy" settings, she doesn't feel comfortable having one.  So we resort to email and phone communication!

When it comes to communicating with your students online, the only place I feel is appropriate is on the school website.  At least here in our school district both parents and students can communicate with their teachers on that site.

Of course these cases are extreme, and Facebook would not have been an issue if the teachers would have just not added their students as "friends"!

I would love to hear your thoughts!

• Do you think the teachers should have been fired?
• Should teachers have a Facebook page? 
• What actions should teachers or the school take when using social media?
• If you are a teacher, do you feel you should "friend" your students?  Why?

Am I the Monkey in the Middle?

The Monkey in the Middle

I love stopping by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop a few times a month, preferably weekly.  Her writing prompts stir up all sorts of memories to write about!  This week I chose, number 1, In what way were you labeled as a child and how did it affect you?

I am the oldest in my family, I have a younger sister and brother.  My mom was a Social Worker, and bless her heart she did not want my sister to become the "middle child"!  

So with all the attention thrown at my sister to make sure she did not have any of those "pesky" little traits and of course while raising my baby brother, guess who became the middle child by default?  You guessed it, me the first born!

I even remember friends of the family doting on my sister and comparing her to me, usually always putting me down at the same time.  

My personality is typical of the middle child and my sister although younger has most of the traits of the first born!  So Mom, you got one anyway!  

I did miss out on some of the typical first born traits, which may have made my life a little easier, but I can't complain, I am who I am. 

When I was raising my sons, I tried to give the same amount of attention to all three.  I am sure I failed many times, as life with three children and working gets pretty hectic, but I was aware of my participation with all of them.

All three are independent and have a great future ahead of them. They did not follow in their Mommy's shy and insecure footsteps!

So was I labeled as a child and did it affect me?  Oh yes to both!

Click on the banner below and join in on all the fun!

A Book Review: Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel by Shelley Shepard Gray

Amazon's Product Description 

"It's never too late to go home.  It's Christmastime at the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast, and everyone is excited about closing down for the holidays.  But when two unexpected visitors appear seeking shelter, the family's commitment to hospitality is tested.

First Levi arrives, sullen and angry.....but insisting on staying for five days.  Next Melody shows up.  She's almost nine months pregnant, but won't say a word about why she traveled all the way from Kentucky by herself.

As the two strangers settle in, the Brennemans try to make the best of an uncomfortable situation, except for Katie, who and knows a thing or two about keeping secrets.  She is determined to learn the truth about these two strangers....all while keeping her own secret safely hidden away.

All is revealed when a snowstorm traps them at the inn."

                                                      About the Author

"Shelley Shepard Gray lives in southern Ohio with her family where she writes full-time. She is the author of the Sisters of the Heart and the Seasons of Sugarcreek series."

Read More by This Author

A Penny For My Thoughts

The story takes place in a beautiful Bed and Breakfast during the holidays.  The tale comes alive with the holiday season approaching and all the preparations and traditions are richly portrayed.

As the family is preparing for Christmas, two guests arrive out of the blue, bringing with them some additional baggage to say the least! 

Ms. Gray transports the reader to this warm and cozy inn, which made it difficult for me to checkout of this beautiful B&B! 

I definitely recommend this book.  I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did and it will get you in the spirit of the upcoming Holiday Season.

Disclosure

I chose this book to read and review.  I was given an Uncorrected E-Proof-Not for Sale Copy of this book and did not receive any compensation for my review .  The views and opinions expressed in this post are purely my own.  There are affiliate links in this post, if someone were to click on the link I will receive a small commission if purchased.

Sunday Meme: Another 50 Questions Part Two

Here is the second part of Sunday Stealing: Another 50 Questions Meme, Part Two Indeed!

Another Sunday has rolled around.  The weeks just fly by!  This has been pretty fun and you are welcome to join in,  just click on the banner below. 







26. Do you like someone?


27. The last song you listened to?


28. What time of day were you born?
8:30 a.m.

29. What’s your favorite number?
7

30. Where did you live in 1987?
Tampa, Florida

31. Are you jealous of anyone?

No

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
I don't think so

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?

At home getting ready to go to work and watching the news

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
Yes

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
On somebody else

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?


38. Would you move for the person you loved?
Yes

39. Are you touchy feely?


40. What’s your life motto?

Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

Mother Teresa

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Underwear, socks, glasses

42. What’s your favorite town/city?

Luquillo Beach, Puerto Rico

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Gas

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
When my son was in Iraq

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
No, but I am really good at watching my husband do it!

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
That he is doing well with two children, divorced and happy

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?

Great grandparents.  My great grandfather was murdered in his kitchen by my

great grandmother's live in lover, but she went to jail for it.

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
In 2005 at our son's wedding

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No

50. Have you been burned by love?

Yes 

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing. Sunday Stealing originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme. Let's go!

Today we ripped this meme of a blogger known as Nigel Vanstone at Away for a Bit. Nigel explains that he was tagged to do the meme, but does not credit the blogger. But, it was probably stolen there as well. So, of course, that will be as far as we go. Tracing back our theft's thieves might take some time. He promised to post the next 25 questions and he came though. We know some are the most common questions ever, but overall we hope that you'll enjoy Nigel one more time! Link back to us at Sunday Stealing!

Happy Halloween! You Are Invited!!

I am getting ready for my first Halloween Party!  I am so excited and I can't wait to get there.  Where is my hat?....

Oh here it is!  Love candy corn, it is my favorite. I better get going before it gets dark.  Let me make sure I have my invitation.

Vanessa from A Fanciful Twist was so nice to invite me.  The directions are on the back, 112  Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, why does that address sound so familiar?  I hope I don't get lost.  

Wow, it is getting pretty foggy up here.  That place looks a little spooky.  
Keep going, where is that darn turn off?

Oh no, what is that sound?  Sputter, clunk, kurplunk, spit, spat,.........what could be wrong? Now the engine is dead, I can't start the car!

No gas?  Why didn't I check that?  Of all things to go wrong.  Gosh, I was so distracted I didn't even remember to get gas before I left.  I don't think the house is too far from here, I am going to have to walk it.  I am so scared, why didn't I bring someone with me?  Why is it so darn foggy? 

What is that I hear?

I think I have to go through those trees up there.  At least the fog is gone!! I have never been so scared in my life.  

I don't see the house yet, where the heck do you live Vanessa? And why do I hear all these stupid noises?  She must have some Halloween music on....... yeah that must be it.  

I hear someone!  Run....  Oh I see the house!!

Thank goodness,  this has to be it, please be it, the moon is already out and the noises don't stop, please stop.

VANESSA, where are you?  Hello?  Are you in here? Oh NOOOOO...................

I hope you enjoyed my Halloween Party, please remember to visit Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist, where you will find paintings, art dolls, jewelry, illustrations and much more! 

Photos and Halloween Stock Photos used in this post were not harmed in any way, and their well-being and safety was assured by me!