1 box Old El Paso Stand n Stuff Taco Shells
3 cups cut up deli rotisserie chicken
1 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning mix
½ cup ranch dressing
1½ cups shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato chopped (¾ cup)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)
¼ cup sliced green oinions
Additional ranch dressing if desired.
Heat taco shells in oven as directed on box
In medium microwave bowl place chicken. Sprinkle with taco seasoning mix; toss gently to coat.
Microwave uncovered on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until hot. Stir in ½ cup dressing
Spoon warm chicken mixture into heated taco shells. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese and onions. Drizzle with additional dressing.
Substitution: instead of rotisserie chicken used any diced cooked chicken.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad
1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad ranch & bacon pasta salad mix
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1½ cups snow pea pods strings removed,c ut diagonally into ½" pieces
½ cup sliced almonds
leaf lettuce if desired
Empty pasta mix into 3 quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes stirring occasionally.
Drain pasta, rinse with cold water shake to drain well
In large bowl stir together seasoning mix mayonnaise lemon peel and lemon juice. Stir in chicken, pea pods and almonds serve on lettuce leaves
serve immediately or refrigerate
High Altitude: Make pasta mix following high altitude directions on box.
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp grated lemon peel
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1½ cups snow pea pods strings removed,c ut diagonally into ½" pieces
½ cup sliced almonds
leaf lettuce if desired
Empty pasta mix into 3 quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes stirring occasionally.
Drain pasta, rinse with cold water shake to drain well
In large bowl stir together seasoning mix mayonnaise lemon peel and lemon juice. Stir in chicken, pea pods and almonds serve on lettuce leaves
serve immediately or refrigerate
High Altitude: Make pasta mix following high altitude directions on box.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Very Berry Parfaits
1cup Berry Burst Cheerios cereal (or any flavor)
½ cup fresh blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries
1 container Yoplait Thick & Creamy yogurt (any berry flavor)
Place cereal in resealable food storage plastic bag. Seal bag. Use rolling pin, slightly crush cereal.
In parfait or drinking glasses layer half of the berries and half of the yogurt. Top each parfait with half of the crushed cereal
Makes 2 parfaits
½ cup fresh blueberries, raspberries and sliced strawberries
1 container Yoplait Thick & Creamy yogurt (any berry flavor)
Place cereal in resealable food storage plastic bag. Seal bag. Use rolling pin, slightly crush cereal.
In parfait or drinking glasses layer half of the berries and half of the yogurt. Top each parfait with half of the crushed cereal
Makes 2 parfaits
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Incredible Family Needs Our Assistance.
The Estes Family needs our help. There is a fundraiser that is going on now until January 29, 2010. You can learn more about it by clicking on the following: homeschool-sale-help-estes-family-in-need
In 2005 we became a home schooling family. Shortly after embarking on this new journey we were left searching for a way to help reinforce the lessons we were covering. We didn't want just rote memorization of facts but a deeper understanding of them. A friend recommend that we go to a site called Hands and Hearts. What a blessing it quickly became for us through their fabulous history kits. Because of the success we experienced with these kits and the other great products they offered, we frequented the site regularly and even began to follow their blog.
We have through Kate's blog followed this family on their amazing journey for awhile now. It's amazing to see how they handle the curve balls that have been thrown their way. I don't think we'd do as well as they have with the string of serious issues they've faced. None of what they have been hit with seems particularly fair. It's almost like they have a particularly large bulls-eye hovering over their heads.
They have a young son named Noah who has a mitochondrial disease. The future is very uncertain for him because of this rare disease. It will at some point claim his life. There have been numerous hospitalizations in the past and there will always be the potential for more in the future. Unfortunately that is just the nature of life with a mitochondrial disease. His mom quite literally has to drop everything else and rush him to the hospital and then stay with him for unknown lengths of time. The hospital that Noah must use is several miles away from the family home. Which adds another degree of stress to an already overloaded highly stressful moment.
Last spring, they were dealt a very nasty blow to their financial situation. The unreasonable CPSIA regulations temporarily forced them to stop their business. This created a tremendous hardship as their profitability took a major nosedive.
Before the CPSIA blow, Jeff had been out of work for many months because of being downsized. He's been unable to land another job that will give him the flexibility that is needed in order to care for their other 7 children when Kate is at the hospital with Noah.
This family has a lot to juggle in a given day.Who doesn't you might say? But seriously stop a minute and think of what they face each day. There is the normal daily living activities of meals, laundry, and keeping the home for a household of 10. That takes a good chunk of time. Then there is the schooling, running a family business that's been crippled by CPSIA, appointments that must be kept with different doctors, clinics, etc. and manage a lot of the medical care that Noah requires on a day to day basis. The last thing they need is the worry that they may lose their home because their savings is exhausted.
Please take a minute and consider what you can do for the Estes Family. If you can help with a donation, or a purchase through the special link. If it's just to pass on this special offer to others, if it's even just to take a minute and say a prayer or two. Please consider doing it.
Again here is the link to how you can help this Incredible and Very special family homeschool-sale-help-estes-family-in-need
Friday, January 22, 2010
Chicken Fajita Salad Wraps
Chipotle Lime Dressing
1 cup ranch dressing
1 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can)
1 tsp grated lime peel
Wraps
3 cups chopped cold deli rotisserie chicken
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 cup frozen corn niblets cooked cooled
1 small tomato seeded chopped (1/3 cup)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (4 oz)
1 pkg flour tortillas ( 8" size)
Sour Cream
in small bowl mix dressing ingredients; set aside. In large bowl, stir together chicken, lettuce, corn and tomato. Add dressing; toss to coat.
To assemble each wrap, spoon 1/8 of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. sprinkle with cheese Roll up Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.
1 cup ranch dressing
1 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can)
1 tsp grated lime peel
Wraps
3 cups chopped cold deli rotisserie chicken
2 cups thinly sliced iceberg lettuce
1 cup frozen corn niblets cooked cooled
1 small tomato seeded chopped (1/3 cup)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese (4 oz)
1 pkg flour tortillas ( 8" size)
Sour Cream
in small bowl mix dressing ingredients; set aside. In large bowl, stir together chicken, lettuce, corn and tomato. Add dressing; toss to coat.
To assemble each wrap, spoon 1/8 of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. sprinkle with cheese Roll up Serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Warm Caramel Apple Cake
Cake
½ cup butter
¼ cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
2 large cooking apples (Granny Smith) peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mix
1¼ cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
¼ tsp apple pie spice
Topping
2/3 cup Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting (from 12 oz container)
½ cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
Caramel topping
Heat oven to 350°F
In 1 quart heavy saucepan cook butter, whipping cream, and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally just until butter is melted. Pour into 13 x 9" pan. Sprinkle with pecans; top with sliced apples.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan; carefully turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake about 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan
In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzled with caramel topping
½ cup butter
¼ cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
2 large cooking apples (Granny Smith) peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 box Betty Crocker Super Moist yellow cake mix
1¼ cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
¼ tsp apple pie spice
Topping
2/3 cup Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting (from 12 oz container)
½ cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
Caramel topping
Heat oven to 350°F
In 1 quart heavy saucepan cook butter, whipping cream, and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally just until butter is melted. Pour into 13 x 9" pan. Sprinkle with pecans; top with sliced apples.
In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan; carefully turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake about 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan
In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzled with caramel topping
Monday, January 18, 2010
Crunchy Onion Potato Bake
2½ cups milk
1½ cups water
¼ cup butter
1 box homestule creamy butter or roasted garlic mashed potatoes
1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can french fried onions
Heat oven to 375°F
Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In 3 quart saucepan heat milk, water and margarine to boiling. Stir in contents of both pouches of potatoes (from potatoes box) just until moistened; let stand 1 minute. Stir with fork until smooth. Stir in corn.
Spoon half of potato mixture into dish. Sprinkle with ½ each of cheese and onions. Top with remaining potatoes sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and onions are golden.
High Altitude: Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
1½ cups water
¼ cup butter
1 box homestule creamy butter or roasted garlic mashed potatoes
1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can french fried onions
Heat oven to 375°F
Spray 13x9 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In 3 quart saucepan heat milk, water and margarine to boiling. Stir in contents of both pouches of potatoes (from potatoes box) just until moistened; let stand 1 minute. Stir with fork until smooth. Stir in corn.
Spoon half of potato mixture into dish. Sprinkle with ½ each of cheese and onions. Top with remaining potatoes sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions.
Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and onions are golden.
High Altitude: Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars
Cookie Base
1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix (1lb 1.5 oz)
½ cup crushed gingersnap cookie
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup cold butter
Filling
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 Tbs all purpose flour
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
2 Tbs whipping cream
2 eggs
Topping
1/3 cup chocolate topping
1/3 cup caramel topping
Heat oven to 350°F
In large bowl stir together cookie mix, crushed cookies and pecans. Cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of ungreased 13 x 9" pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
In large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients beat until well blended. Pour over warm cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved cookie mix.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Before serving, drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings. For bars cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude: Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
1 pouch Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix (1lb 1.5 oz)
½ cup crushed gingersnap cookie
½ cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup cold butter
Filling
2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
2 Tbs all purpose flour
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
2 Tbs whipping cream
2 eggs
Topping
1/3 cup chocolate topping
1/3 cup caramel topping
Heat oven to 350°F
In large bowl stir together cookie mix, crushed cookies and pecans. Cut in butter using pastry blender or fork until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom of ungreased 13 x 9" pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
In large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients beat until well blended. Pour over warm cookie base. Sprinkle with reserved cookie mix.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled.
Before serving, drizzle with chocolate and caramel toppings. For bars cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude: Bake 40 to 45 minutes.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Sausage Cheese Balls
3 cups Bisquick mix
1 lb bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ tsp dried rosemary leaves crushed
½ tsp parsley flakes
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F
Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan
Stir together all ingredients using your hands
Shape mixture into 1" balls
Place in pan
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown.
Immediately remove from pan.
Serve warm with sauce for dipping
High Altitude: heat oven to 375° Decrease Bisquick to 2½ cups stir in ½ cup of all purpose flour bake 25 to 30 minutes.
1 lb bulk pork sausage
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup milk
½ tsp dried rosemary leaves crushed
½ tsp parsley flakes
Barbecue sauce or chili sauce, if desired
Heat oven to 350°F
Lightly grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan
Stir together all ingredients using your hands
Shape mixture into 1" balls
Place in pan
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brown.
Immediately remove from pan.
Serve warm with sauce for dipping
High Altitude: heat oven to 375° Decrease Bisquick to 2½ cups stir in ½ cup of all purpose flour bake 25 to 30 minutes.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
A New Year: A Reminder to Check Your Life Paperwork.
Ah, we have survived another year. What a blessing it is to be able to enter into another year of life. What will it bring? Will it be filled with joyous occasions or miserable moments? Are you prepared for either?
As I was waiting for a dear friend to join me for lunch at our favorite restaurant I couldn't help but to overhear a conversation of the neighboring table. There were 4 participants at it. Each was observed to be in a highly emotionally charged state. The looks of shock, grief, anger, and uncertainty even fear was very apparent.
As there conversation became more audible it was soon quite clear what the problem was. A family member had died suddenly and the party had met to discuss what to do about it. It was heart wrenching to know that some of their suffering could have been prevented if the deceased's life paperwork had been done and kept up to date. It brought up memories of my own experiences with death. I am no expert but I do understand the importance of clear instructions and legal documentation through life paperwork vs. muddle instructions, fanciful thinking, and no legal documentation or life paperwork.
When my friend showed up she had a large envelope that was rather over stuffed. Because of the natural curiosity such an unusual item in her possession brought out and the continued conversation that we were hearing from our neighboring table. Our topic of conversation turned to life paperwork.
While I won't bore you with the nitty gritty details of our discussion; I will share a few key points from it. See the large envelop was a part of her life's paperwork. Her current husband has a yearly tradition of reviewing the life paperwork for them and some immediate family. She was a little unnerved by it the first year they did but as they have gone through the process for awhile now. She can really see the benefit of it. She's very zealous in encouraging others to do the same.
It's quite simple to do as she explained it to me. Every January they get out their wills, life insurance, medical information, titles, etc. and they review them together. This way they make sure that everything is up to date and current. This way they can also make sure that any changes that need to be made are gotten done.
An excellent example she used was about a trust document and finacial guardianship for one of her children. There is a trust document that will have to be dealt with in March. Because of the review they did last week, they are aware that the attorney needs to be contacted and certain things must be done now in order not to miss its deadline. They also became aware that they needed to make a change for one of the children who is now in need of someone to handle their finances should my friend not be able to do it. Now is clearly the time to find someone else that could assist the child so the child doesn't run into horrible financial problems in the future. They need someone they can trust and who can be brought up to speed on the situation. Again something that would more than likely been off their radar had it not been for the yearly review.
Another example of the yearly review involves my friends elderly mother. Her mom has been seriously ill and has a very complicated medical history. There is now a new doctor in the picture so my friend needs to update the medical contact information to include this new doctor. They also must find a new POA because of her father's ill health. He's no longer the best choice as the main POA. Little things they may appear now. But not so little in the midst of a crisis. Suddenly you could either be frozen with too many decisions to make, kicking yourself for not doing something or for having done something you regret or breathing a sigh of relief.
Some people use tax time as they are already dealing with paperwork then to check their life's paperwork which is what my friend's sister does. Some like my friend picks the beginning of the year which happens to be January for the reoccurring reminder to check this paperwork. Or maybe, it would be better to use a birthday or anniversary or another date that is significant to you.
If you can't bring yourself around to do this, consider what you want for your loved ones. Or consider what you would want someone to have done for you if you were put into x scenario with a, b, c resources? Its far kinder to be prepared even slightly than left adrift in a sea of uncertainity.
So what does your life's paperwork look like? What your Life Paperwork looks like can and should vary greatly from person to person, situation to situation. After all not every situation can be carbon copied or cookie cutter made nor should it be.
Here are somethings to think about including from what my friend and I have done along with the experiences I've had.
Your Life's Paperwork might contain:
Wills
Guardians Here is something that should be reviewed periodically. Does the need still exist? Is the chosen person still willing and able to do it?
Life Insurance
Titles or verification of ownership to vehicles, property, accounts, etc.
Location of important documents such as birth certificates, social security cards, passports, wills, policies, etc.
Important medical information to include in your life paperwork can vary greatly and be highly unique per person. Some are obvious like insurance card and doctors phone # and address. Others might not be quite as obvious like vitamins or alternative practices that you use (Acupressure/Acupuncture, Chiropractic, etc.) Here are few that I have seen or have in my life paperwork.
Medical diagnosis
current medications being taken
current supplements being taken
medications that were discontinued between visits to the doctor
same with supplements
medications that have been questionable or uncertain
ex. I can take a specific allergy medication when my allergies flair up but when I do I become like the Energizer bunny. I tend to be on the move and unable to sit or stay still for periods longer than a minute and I have a very high pulse rate. It's not an allergy but it is something the doctors need to be aware of that happens so they don't think something else is happening if I have taken this particular medication.
Allergies
Situations that could be handled in certain ways.
Don't allow the fear of embarrassment or being seen as silly to stop you from speaking up. I am not sure if I'm claustrophobic or if it's something else, but I intensely dislike being in situations where I am trapped. My first MRI was a horrible experience because of it. By mentioning it to the doctor the second time I had one it was a lot better because he was able to give me something to take the edge off. The staff seemed to give me more of a blow by blow and count down as to what was happening and that made all the difference. One staff worker even mentioned how she wished more people would be so frank. Another said it would be beneficial for family members to know because it can make a difference between someone resisting a test because of intoxication or head injury versus someone resisting because of claustrophobia and panic when they are unable to communicate. (the last was very obvious when a rather mild mannered family member who'd had a stroke became a brawler)
List of special words or phrases that might not be commonly or easily recognized that the patient uses
ex. someone who has speech impairment, stroke, or other reason that makes them hard to understand. Here's one from the immediate family the child has a hard time saying the word police. it comes out something like Koplise with a stong K beginning sound and a lot of hissing s sound at the end. It makes absolutely no sense and is hard to copy. So to those outside the inner circle of family and friends. No one would get that the need for police is what was being requested.
Another example was observed by a family member who had a stroke with dementia. She would say car to indicate her desire to be moved in some way. Turned in bed, pushed closer to a table when in a wheelchair. Once it was figured out there was far less frustration for her, her caretakers and visitors.
List of medical procedure with dates and locations.
List of items put in.
ex. Another family member has had a hernia surgery that required a piece of mesh to be put in to reinforce the body. Now that may not seem like a huge issue but with the advancement and popularity of using a scope to do surgery these days it's an issue. Especially if they want to go near the bellybutton.
Medical testing. List the type, date, location here to.
Next of kin in case of emergency.
Alternate in case of emergency contact. This is in case the 1st person can't be reached immediately.
Advanced Medical Directive form sometimes called 5 Wishes.
Medical POA who has it? where is it located? Does the person listed still able to be in charge? This is very important to review periodically.
Having witnessed or
experienced first hand a situation where simply having a will, being
aware of a doctors name, having an up to date POA, etc could have made
a world of difference. I see the value in what my friend is doing.
Suddenly that large envelope seemed as an extremely important, valuable treasure chest and our lunch
date less.
So please take a moment
and make sure that your life's paperwork is in order. I know it can be
a challenge to remember to do this. After all who wants to entertain
morbid thoughts of death, dying, illness? But trust me it's far better
to take a moment now to do so than to not have done it and deal with a
nightmare it can become.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Your 2009 Calendar: A Very Important Tool
The year 2010 is off to a fair but still young
start. At only 8 days into the year, perhaps your turning your eyes
from
looking behind you at where you've been to the bright future that is
now before you.
Before you get too far forward in your thinking about the year ahead,
have you taken your 2009 calendar and moved it forward to 2010?
It could be very valuable for you tp do so. As your 2009 calendar
really is a very valuable tool. How? you ask. Let me show you.
Before we get to far, I'd like you to take a look at last year.Then honestly answer the
following questions.
- How was your overall 2009 year?
- Did you have the success you wanted or was it a bit lack luster?
- Did you take steps in
2009 to grow your business?
- Did you make any new contacts?
- Did you start or follow a path for your business?
- Will you continue on that path during 2010?
- Can you see your progress?
- Was your calendar involved in this process?
If you answer yes to the last question. Ask and
answer how your calendar helped you. If you answered that your not
sure or your hmmmmm.... right about now. Or aren't sure what I am
talking about. Then read what Christie Northrup says about Keeping the
Calendar.
Keep the Calendar
©Copyright 2010 Christie Northrup,
The Lemon Aid Lady™
Feel free to forward or copy this article to your direct sales friends
as long as the ENTIRE article is left intact, without any editing.
Don't you
love looking at the fresh new pages of a calendar, either the tangible
kind you hang on the wall or the electronic kind you carry around?
Before you toss last year's calendar, do the TWIST and SAVE IT!
Why?
1. You'll be surprised at all the names of
potential customers you have on the pages.
How many times have you been at a party and a guest asks you to call
in three months? You put her name on your calendar three months from
that time and then did as she asked. Except she didn't answer. In
fact, you called her three times with no answer.
So, call her again!
If someone doesn't return my call (in fact, I
don't even ask customers to do so), I assume she just can't connect
with me at that time. In other words...she probably wants to talk to
me, but has other priorities at the moment
2. Look at all the
hosts' names on your calendar. These same
people might want to rebook a party in same month this year as
they did last year. You'll create a professional impression when you
can call your host and say, "Monica, can you believe it's been a year
since your last party? I bet your friends are waiting for one this
year."
3.
Year-to-date-improvement. Rather than
compare yourself with others, compare yourself against your personal
performance from last year. If you see that your first party last year
wasn't until March, decide now to hold your first party in
February...or sooner.
Next week's article will give you more fun
calendar TWISTS. Stay tuned and invite your friends to
subscribe to my creative ideas by forwarding this article to them...Now with Christie Northrups words in your ears, take another look at your calender from 2009.
Do you see where you record important contacts and information on those pages for your business? Have you transferred that information to another spot for easy access in 2010 or did you just leave it buried in the calender your about to toss out? Do you now see why it is a good idea to keep your 2009 calendar and use it as a tool to improve your 2010 year?
Several years ago I was able to listen to an audio presentation by Christie Northrup called "Connect Your Calendar to Your Checkbook". That was the start for me to use my calendar as a business tool. I know that by my implementing several of her strategies from that presentation it's had a positive impact on my business. I also realize that using my calendar has become very routine and dull. See I had forgotten the reason behind my battered and tattered #1 business tool. Reading the information in Keep Your Calendar has reminded me just why it's #1 for me.
That is why I believe I needed to share this information with you. Your 2009 calendar is a very important tool for your 2010 year. So please think about and consider your 2009 calendar before you toss it out and as you restock your business toolbox for this new year.
Take Time to Reflect...
2009 has come and gone. 2010 is here. What will the new year hold for you? What lessons did you learn in 2009 that will make 2010 better? To help you determine this, reflect back on the the year you had in 2009. Below are some questions to help you with your reflection.
Reflection Questions for 2009
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe 2009.
6. Pick three words your
spouse would use to describe your 2009
(don't ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
(don't ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2009 (again, without asking).
8. What were the best books you read this year?
9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
15. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?
16. What was your most challenging area of home management?
17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
19. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?
20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2009 for you.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Cereal S'more Bars with Peanuts*
3 cups chocolate puff cereal
3 cups graham cereal
1 cup peanuts
½ cup peanut butter
1 (10½ oz) bag of miniature marshmallows
2 Tbsp Milk
Spray bottom and sides of 13x9" pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In large, bowl, mix both cereals and peanuts.
In 3qt saucepan, heat peanut butter, marshmallows and milk over low heat, stirring occasionally, until peanut butter and marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.
Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture; stir to coat well. Press mixture in greased pan. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into bars.
Makes 24 bars
*Allergy warning: Contains Peanuts, Milk, Wheat
3 cups graham cereal
1 cup peanuts
½ cup peanut butter
1 (10½ oz) bag of miniature marshmallows
2 Tbsp Milk
Spray bottom and sides of 13x9" pan with cooking spray or grease with shortening. In large, bowl, mix both cereals and peanuts.
In 3qt saucepan, heat peanut butter, marshmallows and milk over low heat, stirring occasionally, until peanut butter and marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth.
Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture; stir to coat well. Press mixture in greased pan. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into bars.
Makes 24 bars
*Allergy warning: Contains Peanuts, Milk, Wheat
Monday, January 4, 2010
Hot Tea Month
January is National Hot Tea Month
Tea contains thiamine, drinking a pot or two may help strengthen your immune system and help fend off illness like colds.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
2010 New Year Goals
Here are my 2010 New Year Goals. Why goals? Because I want to get off the resolution/failure wheel I've been on for the last several years. Goals just sound more realistic, more exciting to do and successfully scratch off. Besides I've not started and failed at goals but I have with resolutions. With that said here is my small list of goals for 2010. There not really in a particular order and only numbered so that I could see that I came up with the correct number.
Drink 1 mug of water daily
Get active 3 times per week (Qigong, Taiji, Ttap, Walking)
Drink 1 green tea a day.
Regularly take vitamins daily not monthly.
Cut drinking soda to ONLY when no other choice.
Blog 2 times per week
Find & Participate in 2 craft/vendor shows in 2010.
Bake 1 special treat each month.
Get brochures on a recurrent and regular cycle.
Participate in 4 Charitable events in 2010
List 1 new item in shop monthly.
Have website C up in running by the end of June, 2010
Have website M up in running by the middle of February, 2010
Find 3 new products to add to website M.
Get min of 1 sale at each site each month.
Learn 3 new patterns
Learn to take better pictures for shops.
Pay off 1 credit card completely.
Get out of debt by getting serious with debt snowball.
Reach out of my comfort zone by participating in book reading with fellow PLURK friends.
Not beat self up for being behind in reading of book since I will get a late start.
Complete chakra work with family.
Make HS before deadline in 3-2011
Find a space for shop with good traffic, handicap accessible, 4 sections.
Find graphic artist to make banners, buttons, logos.
Keep better records- Medical, Financial, Customer, Inventory, Suppliers, etc.
Say and show I really care to family and friends each opportunity that presents. No longer taking it for granted that there will be a next time.
Clean out my closets and storage areas to remove unnecessary and stagnant items.
Learn to play musical instrument.
Learn to sew, crochet, knit, craft better by reaching outside of my comfort zone.
Follow serving sizes on packages thus strengthening myself control and will power with treats.
Meet and exceed quotas that have been established for me.
Surround myself with positive and supportive friends who are in the work at home business.
Seek out mentors who can assist in guiding me in my business ventures.
- Learn how to use Facebook.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Happy New Year!!!
May 2010 bring you...
Beauty
Chocolate or Candy to sweeten your year
Day dreams
Effortless creativitiy
Fun
Good friends
Hugs
Inspiration
Joy
Kindness
Laughter
Music
New Discoveries
Opportunities
Prosperity
Quite moments
Resources
Sunshine
Technique mastery
Unique books to explore
Vegetative moments of R&R
Warm Wishes for the Best 2010 Ever!!!
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