Extending the giveaway!

I've decided to throw in a little extra into the giveaway! I've added a really beautiful and soft flannel throw blanket from IKEA. It has a really cool scallopped edge! Just the right thing to wrap yourself up in as you enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and and a fun read!

I'm extending the deadline for the giveaway until January 3rd 2010 at 11:30am

Just leave a comment on one of my posts or e-mail telling me about your favorite New Year's traditions!

emilyrsps@gmail.com

:D Emily

Right Now!

This is what I'm looking at right now!

Christmas 2009

New York City

A Chilly Day and a Give-away

Taking an extra day off of work to just relax and unwind from the Christmas holiday! Feels great to do nothing. I did throw in a load or two of laundry.

It's snowing right now! In Kentucky! (Insert a happy little dance). Enjoying a cup of hot vanilla in my favorite mug. Yummy

Hot Vanilla

• 1 cup Milk
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Cool Whip
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup plus a little more to drizzle

1. Pour milk in mug

2. Add sugar and vanilla. Heat for 1 ½ minutes

3. In a separate small dish combine cool whip and chocolate syrup.

4. Take warmed milk out of microwave. Top with the chocolate cool whip mixture

5. Drizzle with chocolate syrup

In honor of my new blog. I have put together a little giveaway. Just leave a comment below with your name and a favorite winter tradition. On January 1st at 10:00am Eastern time I will draw a name and send out the goodies!

On my New Year's To-Do list is to add to my collection of childrens books. This is one of my favorites!

Have a lovely day!

Emily

From the Welcome Wagon!

(A little something I saw while at the library one day)

Welcome to my NEW blog!

Please come back again for

*Giveaways

*Life Happenings

* Recipes

*Projects

Thanks!

Emily

PS: I have brought over all the posts from my other blog!

Live from PA: It's Christmas!

Me in front of the Statue of Liberty

Me in Ellis Island

Michael and I are still on vacation in PA. What a lovely trip! Very relaxing!! We are enjoying good times with family and friends!

A few new changes for the new year. I am starting a new blog! Life of a preschool does not really fit anymore! More info about that later!

I am going to be hosting a little give-away on my new blog so be on the lookout for that!

Until later!

Have a lovely weekend!

Emily

Scamming a Charity at Christmas Time

About once or twice a week I read the articles in the online edition of the local newspaper from the town where I grew up. It helps me feel connected to home, and gives me some talking points to discuss with my family. I love reading the wedding announcements and birth announcements the best.

Today one of the articles really disturbed me. It was about a local program run by the local fire department. The program provides gifts and food for needy families in the area. The article talked about a Craigslist ad that told people how to get "free" gifts by applying to be part of the"Santa Fund" program. The author of this "ad" described how they have been scamming this program for years and nobody has ever asked questions. The gifts and food just show up on their doorstep.

I have been poor before in my life. It is a very humbling experience. For many poor people it is very difficult to ask for help, even when you really do need the help.In our society we are taught that if you work hard that you will always have what you need. There are many hard working people out there who still struggle to pay the rent, provide clothing and food for their families. Are they less deserving of a nice place to live, a full belly and a good education? I don't think so . It just turns my stomach to hear of people abusing the systems set up for people who are really in need.

After reading this article I just wanted to cry. How dare someone who is just greedy and lazy take handouts just because they can. Just because its easy and nobody asks any questions. They should feel downright ashamed of themselves. It is situations like this that cause many social services to be limited, because lets face it, people don't want to give to greedy people. Most people are willing to give something for someone who is really in need.

Is this going to cause me to think twice about donations to charity? No. Am I able to give millions of dollars? Not at this point. Can I give a pair of shoes, or pants, or a book to a cause I care about ? Yes I can.

While honestly, I sometimes get bogged down with horrible stories like this, I still try to remember all the good that really does happen out there.

Have a lovely evening

Emily

Tis' the Season to be Jolly!

I am really into the Christmas spirit this year! Been having a lot of fun making/putting gifts together for family and friends. I love having projects to do. I love the whole process of coming up with an idea, getting the supplies together, creating, and then seeing the finished product and then sharing it with others. It is so gratifying to start with something as simple a pretzels and M&Ms and then creating a cute little treat for my co-workers.

So I found this recipe on Becky Higgins' blog. Soooo yummy!

Am super pleased with how the whole packaging came together. I found the little bags at Walmart. Just printed out the sentiment on my home computer and punched them using a tag punch! Easy!!!

Thanksgiving

Sorry about the late update on Thanksgiving. Michael and I have been pretty much sick since Friday :( We are on the mend. Enough about that.

We went to our friends the Feldkamp's for dinner. Michael made a cherry pie and a blackberry pie. Yes, I have a husband that bakes pies. I'm lucky I know! I finally used the Trifle dish, that I just had to have from my wedding registry. Ha! Ha! So for my 1st attempt at trifle, I chose a raspberry chocolate. So very easy! I suppose you could make it with homemade stuff, but I just wanted quick and easy!

Raspberry Chocolate Trifle

2 Boxes of Instant Chocolate Pudding

1 Frozen Pound Cake

1 Tub of Cool-Whip

1 cup of Raspberry preserves

2 pints of Fresh Raspberries

1. Dethaw pound cake and cut into cubes

2. Prepare pudding according to package directions

3. Mix raspberry preserves with Cool-Whip

4. Place pound cake cubes in bottom of the trifle bowl

5. Spoon pudding on top of pound cake cubes.

6. Layer Cool-Whip/preserve combination next

7. Follow up with with a layer of fresh raspberries.

8. Repeat layers again!

The Feldcamps invited a couple of other families from church over to their house. Michael played football with the guys before and after lunch. The ladies stayed inside and looked at the blackfriday ads! Ha! Ha! The food was pretty good, I did notice that the food was all similar in color. The stuffing, turkey, potatoes, and corn bake were all in the same color category. Ha! Ha! Reminder for next year, bring a tossed salad!! We ended the evening with a guys against girls game of Pictionary. The girls beat the guys 18 to 10!

I printed out our Christmas cards last week. Yay!! Here is a sneak peek. There is going to be a surprise sent with the Christmas cards this year. I'm not going to share that part yet. :D Here is the card!