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Small Business Saturday: November 24, 2012
I am really intrigued by this idea of “Small Business Saturday”. The premise is the Saturday after Thanksgiving you go to your local family-owned, small business stores to do your Christmas Shopping.I got this ‘chain email from my mother-in-law a couple weeks ago. Usually I immediately hit delete on chains. I get over 100 emails a day so the delete key is my friend. But this one caught my eye and hits right along the Small Business Saturday concept: As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods — merchandise that has been produced at the expense…
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Full of Thanks
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday by far. Christmas and Easter shape my life but have become way too commercialized and, in general, we’ve lost the meaning. There’s not much pressure with Thanksgiving though. Wednesday I’ll turn the music up, bake some cookies, pies and bread. I’ll enjoy having the kids’ help once in awhile (especially with the cookie part) and then Thanksgiving, this year, we’ll head to hub’s family gathering; sixty to seventy of his closest relatives. No fuss, just family. I also love taking the time to enjoy what we are thankful for. This year, at dinner, we have gone around the table each day and said something we are thankful for. …
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Apple-Oatmeal Yeast Bread
Thanksgiving is zooming at us with rocket speed. Today might be Monday… but watch out! Thursday is coming into focus. Slow down and make some yeast bread. This recipe calls for apple cider which is prominent in the aroma. Welcome Thanksgiving week with a fresh loaf of bread. I think we all need something ‘to hold us up’ for the hard work of eatting a fantastic meal later! Oh yes, bring it on. Simple to make and bake, and totally wonderful to relax and taste the wholesome goodness of oats and apples. Yeast BreadApple-Oatmeal Bread1 c quick cooking rolled oats (not instant)¼ c packed brown sugar1 T butter 1 ½…
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Two Very Different Veteran Day Celebrations
Last week I was privileged to be invited to the 3d Annual USAA Influencer Conference in San Antonio, TX. Today, I was invited to Pine Ridge Elementary School in Ada, MI. Both had Veterans Day celebrations that impacted me but in two very different ways. Both sent and had a wonderful message! USAA is built around veterans and their members are veterans and their families so there is a natural appreciation and their Veterans Day program certainly showed their affiliation. A dignified and respectful ceremony with flag officers, wounded warriors from the nearby medical center, family members, USAA team members and a crowded, standing room only audience. Captain Smiley speaking…
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Veterans Day – The Battle Hymn of the Republic
I can honestly say I’ve never criedfor the song ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’. Until today. It had been too many weeks since we made it to the pews of our church. Between a special monthly kids service (called Kids Stuff) for the parents too, nursery duty, lice (ya, bleck!), an annual soccer tournament that was on a Sunday (boo hiss), and Frankenstorm Sandy (no heat, no electricity that week) I hadn’t sat in the sanctuary to worship since September. I missed it. I was a little emotional to begin with (Congregational Worship stirs up an emotion I cannot explain. It is my soul, the Spirit, unleashed.) But then to top it all off it was Veterans…
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Away for the Holidays – Care Package Ideas and More
There are a few Christmases that stand out in my life. I remember our first Christmas in Iceland after being separated from my dad for six months while we waited for a house to open up at Keflavik NAS. He had to report without his family but just before the holidays new friends opened up their home to us so that we could be together as a family. Our house would be ready when they returned from a vacation back to the states. That was the Christmas of Homecoming. (Although a new home, but home none the less). Another very memorable Christmas for me was the year my husband was in…
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Frankenstorm and Gratitude
My friend, Ann Marie over at Household 6 Diva recently posted on Facebook this epiphany: There is always, always, always, always, always,something to be thankful for. #pinterestproverb We were really walloped by Frankenstorm Sandy. Folks in my area lost power in the storm on Monday, October 29th, and finally had it restored Sunday morning, November 4th. (I’m one of the lucky few to never have lost it.) Kids were out of school for ‘inclement weather’ (to say the least) for two, three and four days. Basements were flooded. Trees were down. Roads impassable. Yet, there were SO FEW posts on Facebook from my friends that were negative. A Hurricane and Gratitude? Can it be? Keep Reading…
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November is Military Family Month
As a fellow member of the Military Family I want to take time to say ‘Thank you’. Thank you to ourAirmen,Marines,Coasties,Soldiers,Sailors.Thank you to our VeteransThose that have served (and continue to serve today) in:World War 2,Korea,Vietnam,Bosnia,Persian Gulf,Iraq,Afghanistan,Africa,Cuba,Panama,Libya, and around the world. Thank you to our FamiliesWives,Husbands,Children,Moms & Dads,Friendsand Prayer Warriors 101 Ways to Thank a VeteranI appreciate when the ‘powers that be’ send out notes or in this case videos of thanks and appreciation. Enjoy these two videos geared for you the Veteran and Military Family: Chairman Dempsey & Sgt. Maj. Battaglia’s 2012 Veterans Day Message: Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman, and Mrs. Lisa Battaglia share…
