Hope of the New Year

Count down…this is it!
Out with old – in with the new.
The kiss…oh the kiss,
The first of the year.
Tingling all the way to the toes,
My heart is aglow.
Full of friendship, laughter and love,
Cherishing all of the above.
Shouts abound welcoming the New Year.
Champagne corks bursting in air,
Boisterously singing Auld Lang Syne,
Fireworks lighting the midnight sky,
Giving hope to all that pass by.
A new beginning, a new life,
A new slate…fresh and clean,
God has granted us this chance,
Look above and seek His Love,
Guidance and Strength…

Debbie L Wahl

The New Year's Resolution

Should I or should I not? That’s not the hard part. I can make a New Year’s resolution, but can I stick with it and follow through? My intentions are good but my willpower is not always strong. As I was thinking about New Year’s resolutions, I begin wondering how they got started in the first place. So, I was off to do a little research.

I know that making a resolution is a time-honored tradition, a chance to start over, rid yourself of bad habits and have a fresh, positive outlook on life - but how did it all get started? The history of the resolution began over two thousand years ago. Our first month of the year is named after the mythical Roman King Janus, who is a two-faced symbol. His two faces do not represent hypocrisy, but they do represent the ability to look back on the past and look forward to the future. The Romans asked for forgiveness from their enemies in the celebration of the New Year.

I did not realize that the start of the New Year had been moved around and had not always been Jan. 1. Various people of the world have celebrate New Years on: the night of the first moon after the vernal equinox – the first day of spring, the winter solstice, and phases of the moon. There may be more so don’t take this as an all inclusive list. Even today, the New Year does not begin on Jan. 1 for all cultures. It does begin on Jan. 1 for people who use a 365-day solar calendar. Jan. 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 BC. For people using a lunar calendar with the phases based on the moon rather than the seasons, the new year begins at the time of the first full moon over the Far East after the sun enters Aquarius – sometime between January 19 and February 21. The New Year – new beginnings, a clean slate no matter how you celebrate or when your new year begins.

If you know of any interesting facts on how New Year’s resolutions got started, please feel free to add to this post.

Pumpkin Squares

24 single graham crackers, crushed
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted margarine

Mix graham cracker crumbs & sugar. Stir in melted margarine - pat in buttered 13x9x2 baking dish.

2 eggs
1 - 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar

Beat eggs, sugar & cream cheese until fluffy. Pour over crust - bake 20 minutes. Cool.

1 (1 lb.) can pumpkin
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. water - cold

Beat pumpkin, egg yolks, sugar, milk & cinnamon in top of a double broiler. Cook over boiling water, stirring frequently until thick - aobut 8 minutes. Sprinkle gelatin on water in small saucepan. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Cool.

3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar

Beat egg whites until foamy. Beat in sugar, continue beating until thick & glossy. Gently fold into cooled pumpkin mixture. Pour over (cooled) baked mixture. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Spread cool whip over the top of pumpkin mixture. Garnish with finely chopped pecans. Cut into squares.

This recipe was handed down to me from my mother-in-law. It is a family favorite and is a big hit any place I've ever taken it. There is not much baking to it. Hope you enjoy it!

Gobble 'Til You Wobble!

It’s that’s time of year. What does Thanksgiving mean to you? I take time to reflect on the many blessings I have received. I have much to be thankful for this year. My life has been enriched by the many people whose paths have crossed and intertwined with mine. I have experienced some sad times this year but even those have left me thinking that I have much to be thankful for. I have truly enjoyed a blessed life. I will continue to seek the joy in each and every day. I will spread it around whenever possible and help others along the way.

Some of the things I have to be thankful for (not necessarily in the correct order):

*God (and the freedom to worship in any way I choose)
*My family
*My friends (here and online)
*Love
*My health (and my family’s)
*My Dad’s steps in his recovery
*My son-in-law’s recuperation from his hunting accident
*Freedom
*The men and women who protect our country.
*Our home (warm and welcoming)
*That I don’t owe a large mortgage
*That I don’t owe large amounts of credit card bills
*My business is prospering
*Laughter
*Sunshine
*To be able to help others or to lift their spirits

Life is good and for that I am very thankful. Blessings to each and every one of you.

And remember Gobble ‘til you Wobble!!!! You can always diet the next day! If you are a Black Friday Shopper you will shop off all of those calories.

I Received This From Nina's Window

www.ninaswindow.blogspot.com
Thanks, Nina! I am honored that you chose me.:)


Here are the guidelines for receiving this award.
1. Put the logo on your blog (check)
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you (check)
3. Nominate 10 other blogs for this award (done)
4. Add links to those blogs (done)
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs (done)
6. Give a reason why you consider their blogs cool (done)
Here are the 10 coolest blogs I have chosen to receive this award!

Here are my ten blogs:

Weird Stuff In My Desk http://weirdstuffinmydesk.com/
The Mom Lady http://themomlady.wordpress.com/
White Iris Designs http://whiteirisdesigns.blogspot.com/
Uniquely Pampered http://pamper-you.blogspot.com/
Just Right Candles http://justrightcandles.blogspot.com
House of Raquel http://houseofraquel.blogspot.com
Country Keepsakes http://countrykeepsakes07.wordpress.com/
Petit http://petitcomau.blogspot.com
Artisanne http://artisanne-scotland.blogspot.com
My Bizzy World http://mybizzyworld.blogspot.com

Braided Bird Wreath

During this cold weather, please don't forget our feathered friends. Here's an easy treat you can make for them. They'll flock to this treat, and you'll enjoy watching them!

1 lb. frozen bread dough, thawed
peanut butter
wild birdseed

Roll out dough into a 30" rope. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into thirds lengthwise and braid. Place braided dough on a greased baking sheet, forming a circle. Seal the edges of dough by pinching them together. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise one hour or until double in size. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 or 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and let cool. Spread peanut butter on top of wreath and sprinkle with birdseed. Hang outside for the birds to enjoy.

Soapbox Giveaway

Here’s a pretty awesome giveaway that Rachel from Weird Stuff In My Desk (you may know her from the bloggy carnival) found out about this week. She thought everyone would like to enter since she knows how much we love entering and winning prizes! So if you want a chance to win some great free items visit http://ismellgood.com/bonanza. You may follow the link or click on the banner.

You must to go each week and re-enter. It says you have 3 chances to win - I think that is 3 chances each week, if you take advantage of all 3 offers.

A new prize is posted every week (on the Mondays) for seven weeks! You can fill out the official entry form one time (each week) for each prize, so be sure to go back every week to enter the new giveaway. At the end of the Bonanza they will draw a winner to receive $100 in Soap Box Bonanza Bucks to spend at thesoapboxco.com! All accumulated entries from the start of the Bonanza (Monday, November 3rd ) to the end of the Bonanza (Sunday, December 21st ) will automatically entered to win The Soap Box Bonanza Bucks giveaway! If you enter each week you will have more entries for the Soap Box Bonanza Bucks. I saw lots of items to choose from, so I would have no problem spending those bucks!

I'm entering, I hope I win! If you win something, let me know and send a picture. I'll post it for all to see. Good luck to everyone!

Thanks Rachel for letting us know about this great giveaway!