The Crafty Cupboard Journal

Festive Foods for St. Patrick's Day

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day!

We dress in green, drink green beer, and eat traditional Irish dishes. Traditional foods for St. Patrick’s Day include Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Stew, Soda Bread, Guinness Beer, and Irish Coffee. Recipes rely heavily on potatoes and cabbage, corned beef, and lamb, Reuben’s, Irish whiskey and Irish Cream liqueurs.

Here are a few more festive foods to eat on St. Paddy’s Day:

Breakfast:
Lucky Charms Cereal and milk, green tinted Scrambled eggs and ham, shamrock shaped toast, pancakes, and French toast with green tinted butter or whipped cream, and green tinted oatmeal.

Lunch:
Potato soup, split pea soup, shamrock shaped sandwiches, salad, lime Jell-O with green vegetables or fruits, Rainbow Fruit Kebob: Thread a skewer with the following fruits: watermelon or strawberry slice, orange slice, pineapple or banana chunk, kiwi slice or green grape, blueberry, and purple grape, green pasta, green tinted egg salad or cottage cheese, Lucky Clover Salad: Place a glob of green tinted cream cheese on a plate and arrange 4 slices of cucumber and one celery stick into a clover shape.

Dinner:
Traditional foods: Corned Beef and Cabbage, Irish Stew, Soda Bread, Corned Beef Hash, Shepherd’s Pie, Irish Banger Sausages, and variations of these. Beef Dishes with green tinted mashed potatoes, green beans or peas. Chef Salad or Rainbow Salad: lettuce, tomatoes, cheese slices, and shredded purple cabbage, carrots, ham, and turkey, cucumber slices. Stuffed Green Peppers.

Drinks:
Irish teas, Irish coffees, green beer, Guinness Beer. Green tinted milk, milk shakes, ginger ale, 7 Up, Sprite, Beer. Make green tinted ice cubes. Green Gatorade and green Kool- Ade. Grasshopper cocktails and Appletinis.

Desserts:
Shamrock shaped cookies, green decorated cupcakes, cookies, and cakes. Pistachio Pudding. Lime Jell-O and lime Jell-O cake. Grasshopper Pie. Mint or Irish Cream flavored desserts.

Snacks and Appetizers:
Green tinted Rice Crispy Treats, green apple slices, spinach dip and crackers or soda bread chunks, potato skins and roasted potato wedges and cheese sauce, celery sticks frosted with green tinted cream cheese, guacamole dip, green tinted popcorn balls, green tinted deviled eggs: add a little green food colored to water when boiling, and vegetable plate of green pepper slices, celery sticks, green onions, broccoli, and olives with dip.

Erin Go Braugh! Ireland forever!

Terry fator is the Best show in Las Vegas!

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:35:00 +0000

If you are going to Las Vegas, you must see the Terry Fator Show. It is the best! Terry is a singer, comedian, impressionist, ventriloquist, and puppeteer. He is extremely talented and funny!

Our friends told us that we just had to go see Terry Fator when we went to Las Vegas. We ordered tickets before we went because he only has shows on Tuesdays through Saturdays and we could only make the Tuesday night show. Tickets at the Mirage are $59, $79, $99, and 129$. We wanted the $59 ones but had to settle for the $99 ones. I’m so glad we got tickets because this is the funniest show I have ever watched!

The Mirage is a beautiful casino/hotel. The Terry Fator theatre is small but very elegant and comfortable. The doors open 45 minutes before the show. Before you go in, you can buy drinks, popcorn, candy, etc. just like a movie theatre. We were thrilled with our seats. We were up on a balcony with one other couple and we had our own table and chairs. It was so comfortable and you had the freedom to get up and around to get more drinks or use the restroom although once the show started you didn’t want to miss a moment of it because it was so good.

Terry is funny, talented, and so likeable. He will let you take pictures and videos of his show. He is a very charitable person. He asks for all servicemen to stand up and be applauded during his show. He gives all the profits from his fan store to charity. He has a meet and greet after his show to sign autographs and talk to his fans. He is a fine person and it is so easy to like and respect him.

There is a full band with drums, guitars, saxophone, piano, and trumpet and a DJ Ben Harris that creates lots of energy for the show. Terry introduces several muppet-like puppets who have funny and unique personalities and can imitate Cher, Garth Brooks, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, the Pussycats Louie Armstrong, and many more. Terry brings them to life as they interact with each other and also with Terry. You almost forget that Terry is controlling the puppets because so much is happening at once. I don’t know how he does it and I can’t figure out how he can sing with his mouth closed! He is so talented! You will laugh and laugh!

One of the best parts is when he chooses a volunteer from the audience and makes him into a human puppet – so funny!

It is top notch entertainment and worth every penny. Terry Fator is a down to earth person who is grateful for his fans and humble enough to show it. Best of all – you leave the show with a warm, content, energized feeling of being completely entertained and appreciated!

Seeing Las Vegas

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:03:00 +0000

We wanted to get away somewhere a little warmer and relax and have a good time. We were not disappointed! We only had 3 nights and 2 ½ days to explore Las Vegas and we were on a tight budget. We tried to see a little of every casino on the strip but we didn’t make it to all of them. We also missed the beautiful pool areas because most of them were closed until spring.

Our favorite three casinos were Wild Bills. O’Sheas, and Casino Royale. They all have drink specials, slots, and blackjack and were not far from Bally’s. They were older establishments, less expensive, and more our style than the richer and more luxurious casinos. Wild Bills was across the street from Bally’s and was like an old West Saloon. It has a Victorian Restaurant with lots of Chinese food and a $6.99 steak and egg breakfast starting at midnight which is truly delicious. There are 99 cent bottles of Newcastle and strawberry margaritas and $2.00 drafts. Karaoke begins at 9pm and there are many props and costumes you can use. Karaoke is really fun here!

O’Sheas is a little farther down the strip and is an Irish themed bar. Ask the bartender for the $3.00 hot dog-beer deal. Drafts are $2.00. There is a food court with a Subway and a Burger King, pizza, Mexican food, and chicken wings. There is a beer pong gallery which is really fun to watch. There are lots of young people there.

Casino Royale is across from the Mirage. It has a free outdoor slot machine where you can win free slot play and drink specials. We signed up for a slot card and got a free coupon booklet for lots of free play and food and drink specials. Bottles of Michelob are $1.00 and margaritas are $2.00. Trust me, the strawberry margaritas are delicious! They have a food court with Subway, Dennys, and an Outback Steakhouse. We ate dinner at Outback and it was very, very good although maybe a little more expensive than the Outback at home. We were able to watch the Volcano Show across the street at the Mirage while we ate. It was awesome and we could feel the heat from it!

The second day of our trip was a little colder and windier but we walked up and down the other side of the strip. We walked through and played a few plots in each of the following: Planet Hollywood, MGMGrand, Hooters, Tropicana, Excalibur, New York New York, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, the Mirage, Treasure Island, and the Venetian. It was a long walk and our middle aged feet and legs were aching when we got back to our hotel. But we saw the Lion Habitat at the MGM, we toured the 3 story M&M’s Store, we joined the Owl club at Hooters and got $100.0 in free slot play, we ate lunch at the food court at The Excalibur, and we watched the choreographed fountain show at the Bellagio which would have been better at night but was still very impressive. The Bellagio is beautiful and luxurious. We saw the conservatory which is so pretty. It was decorated in the Chinese New Year theme. Apparently the theme changes with the seasons. We watched the Pirates battle the Sirens at the entrance of Treasure Island. It was surprisingly good but not for children. It gets very crowded too. We saw gondola rides at the Venetian and I definitely want to ride a gondola next time around. It is so romantic!

The Bellagio, Caesar’s Palace, Mirage and the Venetian are all very beautiful, luxurious, and expensive. Caesar’s is full of very exquisite and ritzy shops.

We were tired the last day of our trip and took the bus down to Circus Circus. The bus is very easy to use and very inexpensive. I wish we had used it the day before. We watched a couple of free circus acts that were very good and entertaining. Circus Circus is full of little kids and it is a fun place. Right next door is Slots of Fun. We played games for a while and ate lunch at the food court. There are a lot of food courts on the strip. We walked across the street and visited the Riviera. We stayed there quite a while playing slots and swilling free beer brought to us by the cocktail waitress. We hiked back to the hotel and got ready for our show.

We had the best time! Las Vegas has everything you could possibly want except for a beach and I’m sure there is a replica somewhere. You can have fun on a budget and even more fun if you have plenty of money to spend! There are all kinds of restaurants to try and shows to see. The shopping is awesome. There are museums. And there are lots of games. You won’t go home disappointed unless you lose lots of money!

Las Vegas is Fun!

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:39:00 +0000

I can’t wait to go back to Las Vegas! We had such a good time!

We flew out Sunday morning at 9:15 on Southwest Airlines. It was a little bumpy but tolerable. If you are flying Southwest, you must print out a boarding pass 24 to 1 hour before boarding. The pass tells you which group you are in: A, B, or C and gives you a number in that group. Group A boards first, Then B, and then C. You can also buy an early boarding pass for $10.00 per person, per flight which assigns your group earlier. We paid the extra $10.00 and it was well worth it. We were first to board and choose the first row which was very roomy and close to the restroom and drink service. Southwest serves a complimentary drink and snack on every flight. Our flight stopped in Denver on the way but we didn’t have to leave the plane. It was cold and snowy and our plane had to be de-iced before we left which was a little scary! Some passengers got off and we got some new ones in Denver. We landed in Las Vegas at 12:30PM , got our bags, and found a shuttle to our hotel. It was warm and sunny there!

Beware the time share sales people! They are everywhere and they are relentless! They offer free tickets to shows and free vouchers for gambling if you will just come to their info meetings about timeshares. It starts in the airport and continues into the hotels and casinos and on the street. Just keep walking and say no thank you and make no eye contact. Once they get a hold of you, it is nearly impossible to get away!!!!

We stayed 3 nights at Bally’s in the North Tower. The pool was closed due to cool weather. Our room was very spacious but old and worn. Everything is very expensive at Bally’s and a little worn but it has the perfect central location in the strip. We unpacked and had lunch at the pizza place in Ballys, then walked through the Paris Casino/Hotel which is connected to Ballys. Paris is very elegant and I think I would like to stay there on our next trip. It has a blue lifelike sky and a 540 foot Eiffel Tower. You can buy tickets and ride to the top for a great view of the strip! There are a lot of nice restaurants and shops at Paris.

Then we started walking down the strip! I'll tell you more about that tomorrow!!!

Longing for spring

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:00:00 +0000

I am looking for signs of spring and I can’t find any. There are 10 more days of February and 20 days of March until spring officially arrives- that’s almost another whole month! We are expecting 7 inches of snow this weekend. We’re flying off to Las Vegas Sunday morning so I hope most of the snow holds off until after we leave. What a long, cold, snowy winter!

It is 64 degrees in Las Vegas right now! That’s not bad compared to the 39 degree cloudy weather we are experiencing. I can’t wait. It’s been 15 years since we’ve seen Vegas. I’m guessing there will be a lot of changes. We’ll be flying on Southwest for the first time and that should be a new experience too! I’ll tell you all about it when we get back. Someone sent me this card trick this week: http://officespam.chattablogs.com/archives/2007/07/david-copperfield-card-trick.html.

Try it out – it will blow your mind!

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on my new store and making spring crafts. Making bunnies and chicks cheers me up. I also put out some St. Patrick’s Day decorations and a new screensaver on my computer. That bright green is cheery! I think I’ll buy a shamrock plant when I get back.

Did you ever wonder how they make green beer? They put shamrock juice in it. Just kidding! There are a lot of ways to make green beer but the easiest way is to add a few drops of green food coloring to a frosted mug and then pour in a beer. Very refreshing!!! Darker beers will require a few more drops to get a good emerald green color. You can also make green milk and milk shakes (a la McDonald’s shamrock shakes) by adding a few drops of food coloring before mixing. You can add mint extract for a mint flavored drink.

A Precious Jewel by Mary Balogh Book Review

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:27:00 +0000

If you like Regency romances, you will like this book. It is a re-release, so if you have read a lot of books by Mary Balogh, you may have already read this one.

A Precious Jewel

by Mary Balogh
336 pages
Published 2009

Priscilla Wentworth is a precious jewel. She is graceful, educated, accomplished, and must work for a living. Misfortune has caused her to end up as a prostitute in a very elite brothel. It is not a difficult job and she learns to do it well. She is a practical and cheerful woman and has a knack for looking on the bright side. She begins to fall in love with a new client and to her surprise, he asks her to become his mistress.

Sir Gerald Stapleton hates marriage and attachments but he is worried about the safety of his new paramour. He sets Priscilla up as his mistress for her own safety and to keep her exclusively for himself. Despite Gerald’s attachment issues and Priscilla’s unsuitability, they become deeply attached to each but neither will admit it.

Mary Balogh wrote this book in 1993 and re-released it in 2009. Priscilla and Gerald were 2 characters in another book she had written. She wrote this book in 2 weeks and it has been a very popular book.

I especially like the character development of Gerald. At first, he seems like a typical young hero of the Regency time period. He is a handsome, selfish, gambling, drinking, social young man. As time progresses, you learn that he is insecure, not very bright, and lacks self confidence. He has issues about attachment and being loved. I like that he is so flawed. He is not who you would expect to be the hero of an historical novel. I also like the novelty of having a prostitute as the heroine even though her character is not very realistic. You will like her and feel sorry for her.

If you can fall in love with these interesting characters, you will like this book. It chronicles the ups and downs of their budding, impossible romance as you get to know them.

EBay Dilemma

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:29:00 +0000

EBay Dilemma!

What to do?

On March 30th, EBay is raising seller fees. As a store owner, I will be paying $116.00 per month instead of $31.00 just to list the items in my store. I will still have to pay 9% for sales plus PayPal fees. This will not work for me.

My plan is to reduce my EBay inventory to 100 items for a month or two and see how it goes. I am in the process of opening my own store: The Crafty Cupboard at http://mycraftycupboard.com/. It is very time consuming and I haven’t had a single sale yet.

I sell crafts and used books and odds and ends – things that I absolutely love! There is not much profit in those things especially considering the work I put into them. I have known for a while that I need to find an item that will generate more income but until then, I am sticking with the crafts and books.

I have had stores at EBay (http://stores.ebay.com/The-Crafty-Cupboard) and Etsy (http://www.etsy.com/shop/jewelgirl22000) for several years now. EBay has a lot of rules and problems but has good traffic. I have had over 1300 sales there and have met a lot of really nice people. Etsy is a craft store mall site that does really well. I have had 85 sales there.

My new store is in progress but my St. Patrick’s Day items are listed and also my Easter things. Payment is by PayPal. I will be listing more things every day. I plan to add book reviews, recipes, and free patterns. I have had excellent feedback on EBay and Etsy and plan to continue this service.

Please stop by and check out my new store. Free gift with every order!

Pay It forward

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:03:00 +0000

Last Wednesday, the Starbucks in Springfield thought they might have set a record for the longest chain of pay it forward coffees. They sold a chain of 172 drinks starting at 7:30 AM and stopping at 2:30PM.

Pay it forward is a concept where a good deed is done for a person with the stipulation or expectation that the receiver do a good deed for another person. It is also known as generalized reciprocity, generalized exchange, random acts of kindness, or alternative gifting.

Benjamin Franklin was the first person to describe the concept in a letter to Benjamin Webb. He loaned Webb someone money and asked that Webb loan money to someone else in the future so that his small loan might do a great deal.

Most recently, a novel written by Catherine Ryan Hyde called Pay It Forward was adapted into a movie. In the book and movie, “pay it forward” is described as an obligation to do three good deeds for others in exchange for one good deed received. The idea is make the world a better place exponentially. The book and move spawned The Pay It Forward Movement and the the Pay It Forward Foundation. Their goal is to spread the idea to children, parents, and educators in order to make children more socially aware and also to make the world a better place.

In 2006, Ophra gave $1000.00 debit cards, a camcorder, and a pay it forward challenge to 300 show guests. They were to use the money to help charitable organizations and people within one week and record it.

Pay It Forward has become a valuable social movement. You can read dozens of testimonials at the Pay It Forward Movement website. It is easy to do. If someone performs an act of kindness for you, make a mental note to do three things for other people. If they ask to repay the kindness, ask them to perform three acts of kindness for someone else. It could be as simple as opening a door for a mother pushing a baby stroller or shoveling snow from your neighbor’s sidewalk to more complicated deeds like finding a home for a homeless person. It is a wonderful way for an ordinary person to make a difference and it feels good. You will feel warmth and contentment when you make someone else smile or feel happy. You will feel great satisfaction when you do something that makes the world a better place.

You can get a free bumper sticker at the Pay It forward Foundation:
http://www.payitforwardfoundation.org/bumper_stickers.html.

Pay It Forward.

Happy Chinese New Year

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:56:00 +0000

The Chinese New Year is this Sunday, February 14, 2010. This is the year of the Tiger. It is the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar which is based on the cycles of the moon. It is also called the Spring Festival because it marks the end of winter and the beginning of Spring!

What are some of the traditions of the Chinese New Year?

It is traditional to clean your house starting a month before the New Year to make room for good luck. The color red represents happiness and is used to decorate. Gold is a sign of wealth. Doors and windows are decorated with special red cutouts called Jianzhi and scrolls with good wishes for prosperity and wealth. Families wear red and celebrate with a feast followed by fireworks which are thought to scare away evil spirits. Red envelopes filled with an even amount of money are given away as a symbol of good luck. Lions are considered to be good omens and the lion dance repels demons. The dragon represents strength, wisdom, and good fortune.

If you want to have your own celebration you can buy decorations from the Oriental Trading Company or Partycheap.com. Wear red clothes and buy some Chinese takeout food or try some simple Chinese dishes. Afterwards, set off some fireworks.

Here are a few of my favorite Americanized Chinese dishes:

Pepper Steak
1 ½ lbs. sirloin
½ tsp. salt
2 medium chopped onions
1 cup beef broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic
2 green peppers cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp corn starch
½ cup cold water
Trim fat and bone from sirloin and cut into strips. Spray skillet with Pam and brown meat. Season and push to side of skillet... Add onions and cook until tender. Stir in broth, soy sauce, and garlic. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add sliced green pepper. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend cornstarch and water. Gradually stir into meat mixture. Cook stirring constantly until mixture thickens and starts to boil. Serve over rice.

Sticky Chinese Chicken
1 cup finely crushed onion and garlic croutons
¼ cup cornstarch
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
1/1 cup canola oil
In a large bowl: whisk crouton crumbs, and cornstarch. Stir in soy sauce. Add chicken and toss until completely coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook covered for 20-25 minutes until crispy and cooked all the way through. Turn 4-5 times during cooking to avoid burning. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately over rice.

Sesame Chicken
1/3 cup sesame seeds
2 tbsp. flour
1 egg white
¼ tsp. Asian sesame oil
½ tsp salt
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp butter or margarine
Mix sesame seeds and flour. Beat egg white with sesame oil and salt. Dip chicken breasts into egg white, letting excess drip off, coat with sesame seed mixture.
Heat oil and butter in 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through.

Serve any of those dishes with rice and sugar snap peas.
For dessert have some fortune cookies.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!!!!!

Dessert Party

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:05:00 +0000

A few years ago when Valentine’s Day was on Saturday, I hosted a Dessert Party for my friends. It worked out really well because they could go out for dinner and come by for dessert. This party works well for Christmas too and just about any other Friday or Saturday evening.

Invitations: Buy readymade invites or download and print your own from http://www.purpletrail.com/. You will also find party ideas at this site.

Decorations: Choose a theme and buy some partyware from a discount store or go with a romantic theme and use a pretty tablecloth, candles, flower arrangement, crystal or glass plates, scattered rose petals, paper hearts or Hershey’s Kisses.

Music: Play your favorite CDs or love songs. There are some good lists at http://www.lovetripper.com/love-notes/love-notes.html.
Drinks: Serve coffee with an assortment of flavored creams or tea if you prefer and dessert wines like Riesling or champagne. Make a festive punch or cocktail and have some beer and soda available.

Valentine’s Day Punch
1 qt. cranberry juice cocktail2 c. pineapple juice1 1/2 c. sugar2 qts. ginger aleLight rum (opt.)
Mix juices with sugar; chill. Add ginger ale and rum at serving time.(Cooks.com)

Chocolate Martini
1 oz. vodka
1oz crème de cacao
1 ½ oz.milk
Pour over ice cubes, shake then pour into glass drizzled with Hershey's syrup.

Food: Serve an assortment of appetizers like raw vegetables and a crockpot of little sausages or meatball for contrast. Make or buy and assortment of luscious desserts and a cheese plate with crackers. There are dozens of dessert recipes at: http://www.joyofbaking.com/other/ValentinesDayDesserts.html

February Celebrations

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:24:00 +0000

It’s snowing again. We got two inches last night and are expecting more today. Winter is here to stay.
At least we have a cluster of holidays coming up.

Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is February 12th.

Valentine’s Day and the Chinese New Year are on Sunday, February 14th. Mardi Gras is February 16th. More snow! We got two inches last night and are expecting more today. George Washington’s Birthday is February 22nd. We can do a lot of celebrating this month! Here in Springfield, we have a lot of events happening. Check your local newspaper and see what events are happening in your area.

We have a huge celebration for Lincoln’s Birthday starting with a new display of artifacts in the Abraham Lincoln Museum. A new Lincoln penny will be released on Thursday. There will be lectures, banquets, and storytelling programs for children. A new Lincoln penny will be unveiled Thursday. There will be pilgrimages to Lincoln’s tomb. Valentine’s Day is on Sunday this year and we have a lot of specials dinners and events for lovers. Specials meals, desserts, and hotel packages are available. Mardi Gras will be celebrated here starting with a costume party on Monday, February 15th. A family parade will be begin on Tuesday followed by a pub crawl led by the Jambalaya Marching Band. Several restaurants will be serving Cajun and Creole foods.

To celebrate at home: Read the Gettysburg Address and make a log cabin out of pretzel sticks or bake a log cake for dessert for Lincoln’s birthday. Make or buy a Valentine’s Day Card for your sweetheart, cook a special meal with a chocolate dessert, and watch a romantic movie. Cook some Chinese dishes or get takeout for the Chinese New Year. Listen to jazz and bake a King Cake for Mardi Gras. Read a biography of George Washington and bake a cherry pie or cherry dessert.

So, if you have cabin fever like me, you can get out and enjoy some of these events and foods. Go to the mall , a movie, or to an indoor event like a flea market or trivia contest. Try a new restaurant. Read a book or article about George Washington or Abraham Lincoln. Try something new. Winter can't last forever!

Delicious Homemade Valentine Treats

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:56:00 +0000

Need some ideas for decorating treats for Valentine's Day? Homemade treats are a wonderful way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It can be very satisfying to make homemade goodies for your family and they will love it. They also make great gifts!

Cakes, Cookies, Brownies

If you have a heart shaped cookie cutter, you can make a lot of heart shaped treats. You can cut out cookies, brownies, cakes, rice krispy treats, jello, sandwiches, biscuits, toast, pancakes, and lots of other stuff. Cookies, cakes, and brownies can then be frosted and decorated. Cookie cutters are relatively inexpensive and come in all kinds of sizes and shapes. If you don’t have one, you can cut out a cardboard heart pattern and cut out your treats using the pattern and a sharp knife

.
To decorate: You can frost with white or pink or red tinted frosting. Here is where you can really get creative. Write messages on them like “Love Ya” or “Be Mine” or simply write their names. Decorate with pink or red sprinkles, icing, tinted sugar, conversation hearts, pink M&Ms, chocolate pieces, tinted coconut, raspberry jam, cherries, strawberries, the list is endless. You can decorate cakes with cut out and decorated cookies. You can also make a heart stencil, place it over the cookie, and sprinkle sugar across the heart cutout. (You can make your own tinted sugar by placing some granulated sugar in a ziplock bag, add a few drops of food coloring, seal bag and massage until mixed.)

Heart Shaped Cake or Cupcakes

If you are lucky enough to have a heart shaped cake pan, you can easily make a heart shaped cake to frost and decorate. You could also make a jello mold, banana bread or even a meatloaf. Wilton makes heart shaped cake pans and cupcake pans. If you don’t have a special pan you can still make a heart shaped cake. Mix up a cake mix and bake it in one square pan and one round pan. Cool for 10 minutes and gently remove from pans. After it has cooled, cut the round layer in half. Arrange the square layer on a flat cookie sheet in a diamond and place one of each of the round layers with the cut side against each side of the diamond. Frost and decorate.

You can make heart shaped cupcakes or muffins with a regular cupcake pan and some marbles. Fill each line half way with batter. Drop one marble between the liner and the pan to make a heart shape and bake as usual.

Candy
You can buy many pretty candy melts and molds at craft stores like Michaels. They even come in kits. You can make all kinds of candy and it is easy and fun. You can also make traditional candy and decorate them.
Here are my favorite candy recipes:

Fudge
2/3 cup carnation milk
1 2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 ½ cup minimarshmellows
1 ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla.

Mix milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until boiling, then cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add marshmallow, chocolate chips, and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Pour into butter 8 inch square baking pan. Cool. Cut into squares. Decorate.

Peanut Clusters

½ pound vanilla coating
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cups peanuts
Melt chocolate and coating in the microwave for 2 ½ to 3 minutes until melted. Stir in nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on to cookie sheet cover with wax paper, chill until firm. (Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

Truffles
21/2 packages Baker’s Semi Sweet Chocolate
1 package cream cheese, softened

Melt 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Refrigerate until firm.
Shape into 36 balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Melt remaining chocolate. Use a fork to dip cream cheese balls Return to cookie sheet. Decorate. Refrigerate for one hour. (Kraft)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

16 oz milk chocolate chips
2 tbsp Shortening
Strawberries

Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler stirring occasionally until smooth. Stick a toothpick into each strawberry and dip into chocolate. Stick strawberry upside down into Styrofoam until cooled. (Allrecpes.com)

Valentine’s Day is about making the special people in your life feel loved and appreciated. Cooking or baking them a special treat is one perfect way to show your love.

Give From the Heart

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:20:00 +0000

According to US Census of 2006, the top 5 gifts for Valentine’s Day are:

1. Greeting Cards
2. Dinner Date
3. Flowers
4. Candy
5. Gift Card or Stuffed Animal.

The first year I was married, my husband bought me a large file folder to organize bills for Valentine’s Day. I was crushed and he didn’t understand why I was so unhappy with what he considered to be the perfect gift for me. He thought he was choosing something I would really like because he knew that I liked to be organized and an organized bill folder would be very helpful. It was unromantic. I want romance for Valentine’s Day. I don’t want something that says, hey, this gift will help you be a better person, wife, mother, cook, etc. I want something that says I love you and I adore you and you are the most wonderful woman in the world! I want to feel loved.

It’s tricky to find a romantic gift. Romance means different things to different people. You have to really listen and observe your partner to figure out what they think is romantic.

I am very happy with a night out, flowers, or candy and a card. I like traditional gifts. I usually give my husband something related to his favorite sports teams and a funny card that makes him laugh. I am lucky to have a husband that likes whatever I get him. As I have said before, we are going to Las Vegas this year for Valentine’s Day and I think it will be a very romantic trip.

Giving a gift is almost better than receiving a gift. Giving a well thought out gift makes you feel good. While you are in the spirit of giving, maybe you can give something back to the community. Donate some money to the food bank or to the Red Cross for Haiti. Donate blood. Clean out your closets and give to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. St. Jude’s Ranch for children is accepting greeting card fronts so they can make new cards for a fundraiser until the end of February. They especially need angels and teddy bears. It is a good way to recycle cards. Send the card fronts to:

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

Their website is: http://www.stjudesranch.org/help_card.php .

Southern Nights by Danielle Steel Book Review

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:02:00 +0000

Need to escape a long, cold, dreary winter? I recommend reading this new book by Danielle Steel. Much of it is set in sunny Charleston.

Southern Lights by Danielle Steel
326 pages
Copyright 2009

Southern Lights is Danielle Steel’s 79th novel. I like about 30% of her novels as some of them are very tedious. This one was very enjoyable. It is a story of betrayal, family secrets, loss, bitterness, grace, and healing.

It is mostly set in Charleston and Manhattan. Charleston is described as a beautiful, historic, Southern city with gorgeous architecture, lovely beaches, nice weather, and friendly people. “It is just like the ‘War Between the States’ never ended.” It sounds like a lovely place and this book will make you want to visit.

I feel sympathy for the main character, Alexa Hamilton. She has suffered and has never recovered from her past. Alexa is a Yankee from Manhattan who has been dumped by her rich, Southern, banker husband from Charleston. He dumps her after 8 wonderful years of marriage to remarry his first wife. Heartbroken, Alexa flees back to Manhattan with their 8 year old daughter to become a public defender. Ten years later in the middle of prosecuting a dangerous serial killer, her daughter receives threats from the killer. She is sent to Charleston to live with her father and his unfriendly family until it is safe for her to return home.

What makes this book so engaging are the two simultaneously occurring story lines and the intriguing characters. The trial of the creepy serial killer flips back and forth with the challenges of establishing relationships with a disapproving family. You can easily sympathize and admire Alexa and her daughter Savannah while hating and despising Tom and his mean spirited wife Luisa.

This is not the book for you if you are expecting a lot of suspense and twists and turns. This is a good story about family and healing.

Super Bowl Nachos

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 13:56:00 +0000

Do you want to have hot, cheesy nachos for your super bowl party?

Here are some suggestions for making the best nachos ever:

Start with fresh, crispy chips from the super market or buy some from a Mexican restaurant. Better yet, make your own:

Slice corn tortillas into 6-8 wedges. Heat oil in deep pan or deep fat fryer until 375 degrees. Drop a handful of chips into fryer, stir, and cook for 1-2 minutes until light brown. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Start next batch.

For spicier chips: Place freshly cooked chips in a bowl and sprinkle with the juice of half a lime, kosher salt, and chili powder. Toss to coat.

Chips can also be fried in a skillet in 1 inched heated oil for 1-2 minutes per side until lightly browned and crispy. Turn once.

To make healthier chips: Spray tortillas with olive oil cooking spray and season with salt and chilli powder if desired. Cut into 6-8 wedges, arrange on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 6-7 minutes until edges start to curl. Watch carefully after 5 minutes because they burn easily. Cool on paper towel lined trays.

Spread chips in a single layer on oven safe platter, shallow baking dish, or foil lined cookie sheet. Layer toppings as follows to prevent sogginess: a thin layer cheese, a thin layer topping, and a 2nd layer of cheese. Do not mound toppings. Bake at 475 degrees for 5 minutes or until cheese is just melted and starting to bubble.

You want to be able to taste all layers on each chip.

Experiment with different cheeses: cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey jack, Gouda, Muenster, Swiss are all good choices.

Toppings: hamburger, sausage, sliced chicken, smoked salmon, shrimp, bacon, crab, chili, refried beans, sundried tomatoes, olives, onion, pepper, garlic, chilies, avocados, enchilada sauce, sour cream, and salsa.

Here is a simple and delicious nacho recipe from the Betty Crocker Cookbook that I like to use:

Skillet Nachos

1 tbsp. oil
1 med green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup canned corn
1 cup Old El Paso Thick and Chunky salsa
1 cup chili beans in sauce (from 15 oz can)
4 oz tortilla chips
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey cheese
Sliced black olives

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add bell pepper and corn; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa and the beans; cook until hot. Remove mixture from skillet.

Wipe skillet clean. Arrange tortilla chips in single layer in skillet. Spoon vegetable mixture onto chips. Sprinkle with cheese.

Cover and cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with olives. Serve with remaining 1/2 cup salsa.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Your Family

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday this year so why not celebrate it all day with your family.

Beginning with breakfast, you can easily make a heart themed meal. Make heart shaped toast, French toast, or pancakes and top with strawberry or raspberry jam. You can use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes out of toasted bread or thawed French toast or pancakes or even waffles. You can make your own heart shaped French toast by using a cookie cutter to cut out shaped from bread before cooking. You can make heart-shaped pancakes by pouring batter into a ziplock bag and cutting off one corner. Pipe batter onto skillet in a heart shape. Serve with cranberry juice.

Serve tomato soup for lunch. You can easily cut a heart out of a slice of stick margarine to top off the soup. Serve with heart-shaped toasted cheese sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly and maybe some Strawberry Quik mix in Milk.

These activities could be done anytime during the day:

Bake some cookies or cupcakes and decorate with frosting and colored sugar or sprinkles.

Play bingo and use conversation hearts for the pieces. Older children can play the old card game – Hearts. Hide a bunch of paper hearts around the house and give a prize to the person who can find the most.

Do a craft together. Make bracelets out of string and beads and use some letter beads if you have them to put messages or names on them. You can also string large pony beads on a pipe cleaner and bend it into a heart shape for a pretty decoration or gift. Make cards for each other using construction paper, scissors, crayons, markers, glue and tape. There are also many websites with pages Valentines that can printed out and colored or decorated.

Pop some popcorn and watch a romantic movie. Small children will like Lady and the Tramp or Shrek. Older children will like A Cinderella Story, High School Musical, or Ever After.

Put on some good music and dance, dance, dance.

For dinner, you can make a heart shaped pizza. Some pizza places sell heart shaped pizzas on Valentine’s Day. You could also serve spaghetti and meatballs with heart-shaped garlic bread slices and salad. Let the kids decorate the table with heart cutouts from construction paper chocolate kisses, and red and white or heart shaped balloons. Serve the leftover cookies or cupcakes for dessert or make a special dessert like chocolate pudding, red velvet cake, or your family’s favorite treat.

Lastly, read a romantic story or Valentine’s Day themed book together such as I’ll Love you Forever, I Love You the Purplest, Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink, or just about any Disney classic.

Your family will love the extra attention and love they will be receiving this Valentine’s Day.

Groundhog Day

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:23:00 +0000

Whew! We survived a very cold, dark January. The sun is shining today but it is only 17 degrees.

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day. If it is a sunny day and he sees his shadow, he will be scared and will run back into his burrow and we will have 6 more weeks of cold, freezing, snowy, icy winter. If it is a cloudy day and he does not see his shadow, spring is just around the corner. I hope he doesn’t see his shadow. Isn’t that silly? The reality behind groundhog day is that people used to watch for small hibernating animals to come out of their burrows for a sign that spring was imminent. It has nothing to do with shadows except that a winter of sunny, cold, clear days is an indication of a weather system that blows away clouds and pulls down cold air from the north and is likely to stick around for awhile.

Have you heard all the protests about abusing groundhogs? PETA says that groundhogs are being poked out of their holes with sharp sticks roughly handled, and frightened by huge crowds and the flashing lights of cameras. They want all groundhogs that are used for Groundhog Day ceremonies replaced by robots. There is a lot of controversy about it. Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXPkHMkgTZ8 .

I hope that the groundhog in your area does not see his shadow and that we all have an early spring. Meanwhile, I will be watching for signs of spring: robins and other singing birds, budding trees, and the sight of spring blooming plants popping up.

Super Excited About Super Bowl 44

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Saints vs. Colts. It is going to be a super exciting game!

It would be super fun to watch the game at the Miami Dolphins Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida. It should be beautiful weather. The Stadium is newly improved and you can tour it now until February 5, 2010. New interactive exhibits have been added as well as more concessions and restaurants, suites, and high definition TV monitors.

The game will begin at 5pm CST on February 7, 2010. It will be televised live by CBS. Kick-off is at 5:28pm. It is predicted to be a high scoring game.

Carrie Underwood will be singing the national anthem.

The Who will perform during the half time.

Ads for the Super Bowl are a bargain this year although most of the slots have been sold. The cost for a 30 second commercial will be $ 2.5 to 2.8 million which is less than last year. Pepsi won’t be advertising their drinks for the first time in 23 seasons although its’ Frito Lay company will be advertising Doritos. You can preview the 2010 ads at http://www.superbowl-ads.com/. I don’t get to watch them during the game because I am usually at a very loud party so I like to watch them on line before the game starts.

Who will be the champions? Saints or Colts?

This is going to be a really good game!

Energy Equals Happiness

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:00:00 +0000

I have signed up for the Happiness Project at Gretchen Rubin’s website: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/ . I couldn’t find her book at the library or in the bookstores here in town. They must be sold out. I had a discount from Christmas shopping from Amazon.com so I ordered one. I should get sometime next week. I can’t wait to read it.

If you are following the Happiness Project, this month’s focus is energy. You can’t be happy if you are tired all the time. It makes you cranky and unable to function. We are supposed to try to improve our energy levels this month. It is impossible to feel happy if you feel tired and drained of energy all the time. I think it is reasonable to expect to feel happy every day although maybe not every minute of every day. Life is stressful, stuff happens, and some days it is all you do just to crawl out of bed. If you can drag yourself out of bed, you should be able to find a way to be happy about it.

Here are Gretchen Rubin’s tips for increasing your energy: 1. Exercise, 2. Listen to lively music, 3. Get enough sleep, 4. Take a 10-30 minute nap, 5. Act energetic, 6. Talk to friends, 7. Get something done, and 8. Do not use food to energize. Those are great ideas that could help anyone get more energy!

I think there are several things that contribute to my fatigue. I know that I need to lose weight. I have lost 5 pounds and feel a lot more energetic so losing even more weight should help. I know that I feel weak if I don’t drink enough water. I try, but sometimes I just don’t want it. I need to get into the habit of drinking water, juice, tea, all the time. Most importantly, I do not get enough sleep.

I have never slept well. When I was a child, teenager, young adult, I could not get to sleep at a decent hour and then wanted to sleep away the morning. Not possible if you have to go to school or work. Now, I go right to sleep but I wake up at 4 or 5AM and my brain wants to get up and get going but my body is still exhausted. Why on earth can’t I get back to sleep and get the rest I need? I have tried sleeping pills, melatonin, calcium, reducing my caffeine intake and several other things but nothing works. I am going to start a sleep diary and start researching ways to get a good night’s sleep. Meanwhile, I’m not going to worry about it. Worrying makes it worse and I can survive on less sleep.

Here is a new blog about diet and exercise: Live it Up Fitness at:
http://www.liveitupfitness.net/ . It is a very energetic site that will help you lose weight, get fit , and increase your energy!

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut,Jr. Review

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:25:00 +0000

This was my first Kurt Vonnegut novel.
Little did I know that it is usually recommended for high schoolers. Nevertheless I really enjoyed it. Sometimes it is fun to read something a little different than you usually read.

Slaughterhouse-Five
by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
190 pages
Copyright 1969

Slaughterhouse-Five was a building that served as a German POW camp during World War II. Kurt Vonnegut was a prisoner there and witnessed the firebombing of Dresden. The long lasting impressions of this incident inspired him to write a fictional story about Billy Pilgrim’s experience as POW, mixing fiction with reality.

I think this novel is about the horrors of war, the sacrifice of young men who are still like children for the purpose of defending your country, and the helplessness of humans to direct their own destiny. The author accomplishes this in a jumble of events where Billy’s experiences and observations of war and encapturement are mixed with his mental time travel through his life. Billy’s time travel occurs after he was abducted by the aliens know as Tralfamidoreans on his daughter’s wedding night. He was transported to their planet for several years to be observed like an animal in a zoo. The Tralfamidoreans believe that life occurs in 4 dimensions and whereas you cannot change how it enfolds, you can visit any moment in your life as it is occurring. Death will not exist because you can always visit another part of your life at the same time.

Slaughterhouse-Five is a very enjoyable novel. The sadness and horrors of war are balanced with the absurdness of Billy’s postwar life and the Tralfamidorean influence. Two things in this book have really made an impression on me. First was the terrifying reference stating “the candles and soap were made from the fat of rendered Jews and Gypsies and fairies and communists, and other enemies of the state”. This made a terrible impression on me and I really hope it is a myth. Second was Vonnegut’s repetitive “and so it goes” statement whenever someone or something dies. I like that phrase and now find myself using it quite often. This was my first Kurt Vonnegut novel and I can’t wait to read another.

Other books by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.:

Breakfast of Champions
Cat’s Cradle
Slapstick
Jailbird
Player Piano
The Sirens of Titan
God bless You Mr. Rosewater
Hocus Pocus
Mother Night
Galapagos
Bluebeard
Deadeye Dick
Timequake

Quick,Easy,Romantic Valentine's Day Dinners

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:15:00 +0000

My Valentine’s Day gift this year will be a trip to Las Vegas the week following the holiday and that is what my sweetheart is getting too. We’ll be staying home and cooking steaks on the grill with baked potatoes, green beans, rolls, and maybe a nice chocolate dessert. What if it is snowing and we can't grill outside? Well, here are two other delicious, romantic and very easy to prepare meals that you could also make for your sweetheart:

Meal #1

Baked Chicken

Roasted Potatoes

Green Beans

Crescent Rolls

Chocolate Mousse

This is a tasty meal and is easy to prepare if you are pressed for time or hate to cook. Pick up a rotisserie chicken, 2-3 baking potatoes, and 1 can of green beans, a can of crescent rolls, a package of instant chocolate pudding and a tub of Cool Whip. You should have Butter Pam, seasoned salt, milk, and butter at home. Be sure to allow time for the Cool Whip to thaw before beginning. Preheat oven to 375 degrees about 1 ½ hour before you want to eat. Wash and cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Spray a cookie sheet with Pam and arrange potatoes. You can also add carrots or other vegetable chunks. Spray vegetables with Pam and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Put chicken in a separate baking dish and bake with vegetables for one hour. Cover chicken with foil if you want it to stay moist or leave uncovered if you want a crisper chicken. Season the green beans with salt and pepper and simmer in a small saucepan while chicken is baking. Prepare mousse by whipping instant pudding and 2 cups cold milk for 2 minutes. Blend in 1 cup thawed cool whip. Spoon into dessert cups or wine glasses and garnish with remaining cool whip. Refrigerate. Shape crescent rolls and place on greased cookie sheet. Remove chicken and vegetables when done and start baking rolls. The rolls will only need to bake for about 10-12 minutes so you can arrange the chicken, potatoes, and vegetables on a pretty platter and set the table

Meal # 2.

Spaghetti

Meatballs

Salad

Garlic Bread

Neapolitan ice cream

If you have ever seen Lady and the Tramp, you know that spaghetti is a romantic meal. It is quick and easy to prepare also. Pick up a pound of spaghetti, a jar or can of Spaghetti Sauce (I recommend Del Monte), a package of frozen meatballs, bag of salad, salad dressing, loaf of garlic bread, and a pint of Neapolitan ice cream. One hour before serving: Preheat oven to recommended temperature needed to bake garlic bread. Combine sauce and meatballs(you probably won't need the whole package of meatballs) in a large sauce pan and simmer for about an hour. I like to add a tbsp of sugar to my sauce for a sweeter flavor. Stir frequently and you may also need to add a little water if sauce gets too thick. Meanwhile, start heating a large pot of water on high until it begins to boil. Set the table. Wash salad and arrange on salad plates. Spoon ice cream into dessert dishes and refreeze. Fifteen minutes before serving, arrange garlic bread on cookie sheet to be reheated. Add spaghetti to pot of boiling water, stirring frequently and boil for 10 minutes, reducing heat slightly so spaghetti will not boil over. You should put garlic bread into oven as soon as the spaghetti begins to cook. After 10 minutes, drain spaghetti and toss with 2 tbsp. of butter to prevent stickiness. Pour sauce and spaghetti into serving dishes. Remove garlic bread from oven, slice, and arrange in napkin lined basket or platter. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic salt if desired.

For a really special and elegant dinner: Chill a nice wine or make a special drink. Light some candles. Put on some relaxing music. Set your table with pretty linens, dishes, silverware, and flowers. Wear something that makes you look and feel good. Smile and make good conversation.

National Take Back Your time Week

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:07:00 +0000

Today is January 25th. It is National Take Back Your Time Week. I discovered this in yesterday’s newspaper. You are supposed to decide what is important to you and what you truly value and use that to balance the demands on your time.
It’s true that people seem to be overworked and overscheduled. We are exhausted and irritable and burned out. It’s time for a change.

Here are a few things you can do:
1. Simplify. Decide what you can do to simplify your life. There is a whole list of fantastic ideas at the Get More Done website. The link to the list is http://www.getmoredone.com/tips7.html

2. Prioritize. Decide what is most important to you and how you can spend more of your time on the things that make you happy. Is there something you can do to work more efficiently in order to reduce your work hours? Is there an activity you can eliminate in order to spend more time with your family or doing a favorite hobby? Can you make chores and errands a family activity? For example, when I was a young working mother, I would involve my young children in cleaning, cooking, and paying bills. We would talk or sing as we dusted or washed dishes side by side. They loved it and they learned how to do things.

3. Reduce demands on your time. If someone asks you to do something or volunteer for something, you have 3 choices. If it is something that you want to do you can say yes and everyone wins. If you do not want to do it, saying no is the right thing to do. Having to do something you don’t want will make you unhappy and resentful. The person or thing requesting your help or attention will not appreciate a reluctant helper. The third choice is to negotiate. Maybe you want to do part of the request or at a different time. Or maybe you just want to think about for awhile.

4. Reduce people and events that drain your energy. There are people and events that give you energy and some that take away your energy. Make a list of these and cut back on the time you spend with people and things that suck the life out of you! Spend more time with things and people who are uplifting and positive and make you feel good.

5. Make time for yourself. Last but not least, set aside some time for yourself everyday to exercise, mediate, read, relax, do a hobby or anything that makes you feel good.

NFL Playoff Sunday

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:44:00 +0000

Who will play in this year’s Super Bowl? It is just two more weeks until Super Bowl XLIV. The playoffs for the remaining 4 teams will be this Sunday, January 24th.

In the AFC, The Indianapolis Colts will face the New York Jets at 2:00 pm CST at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. It will be televised on CBS. According to ESPN, the Colts are favored to win. The Jets have a powerful defense and are overconfident but the Colts have Peyton Manning and are mostly undefeated.

In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings will face the New Orleans Saints at 5:40 PM CST at the Louisiana Superdome in Metairie, LA. It will be televised by Fox. According to ESPN, the Saints are favored to win although it may be a close game. Viking Brett Favre won his Super Bowl title 13 years ago at the Superdome.

Sunday will be an exciting day of football. It’s fun to go out to watch football with other fans. It really brings out the camaraderie and rivalry between fans and adds to the enjoyment of watching the game. If you are staying home, start chilling your favorite beer or soda and stock up on your favorite snacks.

This and That

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:40:00 +0000

We had freezing rain this morning! It was so slick. Winter will just not give up. Oh well, at least I have a couple of things to look forward to. We have booked a trip to sunny Las Vegas in the end of February and are planning a trip to Playa del Carmen with the whole family in May. The average temperature in Las Vegas is 62 degrees during the day but it drops down to the 30s in the evenings. I hope it will be warmer there than it is here.

I had such a good birthday. My husband gave me presents and a card and took me out to dinner and then out to watch karaoke (I can’t sing but I love to watch it!). I got a dozen yellow roses and a small box of Godiva chocolates from one of my sons. I am now officially in love with Godiva Chocolates! They are the best! Then I had a surprise lunch with my daughter and son-in-law, younger son and his girlfriend, and my husband and more gifts. I am so lucky to have such an awesome family.

We went to see The Book of Eli this weekend. What a good movie! It has a little bit of everything – suspense, mystery, action, humor, and some violence. There is nothing better than going to a good movie on a cold winter afternoon and sharing a huge bucket of buttery popcorn. In the movie an apocalypse has occurred and people are running wild looking for food and water and whatever they can take from other people. Denzel Washington must deliver a book that will save mankind to an unknown place in the west. Gary Oldman desperately wants that book and they collide several times. There are many twists and turns and surprises. I highly recommend this movie.

The earthquake situation in Haiti does not seem to be getting much better. So much tragedy. My friend, Bruce works for the Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach and has been to Haiti many times delivering medical equipment and setting up clinics. He would like to share a YouTube video of what they are doing here in Springfield: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgwXD6WYgLo and their website: http://www.mission-outreach.org/ . There is a lot you can do to help. You can donate money to the Hospital Sisters or Red Cross or you may be able to help load supplies or prepare personal grooming kits or medical kits. Check with your local newspaper to see if there is anything you can do in your city.

The Bargain Bride Review

jewelgirl22000@yahoo.com (julie's journal) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:00:00 +0000

The Bargain Bride seems to be a promising title for a Regency novel about arranged marriage, but I’m not sure that Penny is such a good bargain. West gets a lot of money out of the deal but Penny is a very unlikeable woman. She is angry and vengeful about being unclaimed for 13 years although he is very beautiful. It is her beauty that causes West to fall in love with her and carry out the bargain making her the wife of a viscount. After a 13 year engagement and at the insistance of Penny’s rich merchant father they wed and set up housekeeping in London. In order to fulfill the bargain, the couple must launch Penny’s stepsisters into Society and find them rich and titled husbands.

Penny and West begin to fall in love as several things go wrong. West is called away to his country estate to find the arsonist who set fir to his stables and killed several of his prize horses. Penny becomes angrier at being abandoned for the second time and has a trying time finding suitable husband for her unattractive stepsisters, managing her unruly brother-in law, and fending off the advances of her money hungry step brother.

I liked the humorous dialogue and comic antics of the zany characters. I did not like the main characters. Penny was always angry and resentful and West was too bland and accommodating. There are too many unrelated things happening at once. The plot and subplots are easily resolved with very little suspense. Despite a bevy of comical characters and a budding passionate romance, I thought this book was rather boring and disappointing.