Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas

     Another Christmas has come and gone and the retail circus has passed, though with after holiday sales starting today I am sure that it is just as crazy out there.
     What saddens me is that so many people forget the reason for the season and see it as just another party or gift to be given or received. Christmas is a time for family and caring, it is not a reason to see how many gifts you can get and who gets more or better gifts. Don't get me wrong, I love giving and receiving gifts as well as anyone, but there is more to this time of year than just gifts and parties.
     Without Christ in our hearts Christmas would never have come.  It is because of him that we have this holiday and it is for this reason we need to remember him at this time of year more so than others.  His birth brought great joy to his family and his life to the world.  Many people forget he is the reason for the season, not the parties and gifts.
     It brought me great joy to see one branch of my family put aside their differences for this holiday season and spend Christmas together as a family, all nineteen of them.  My uncle is ill and I know it made him very happy to have all of his children and grandchildren under one roof for Christmas.  This is what Christmas is all about and what Christ wants us to keep in our hearts.
     To me this is what is special about Christmas, more than the tinsel and the gifts. Showing love for one another is an important part of the season.  Seeing friends and family and sharing news through letters and cards with those that are far away. The joy that you feel when you get a card or a note from someone you have not seen in many months or years, but still feel close to in your heart.
     It is the memories of laughter and joy that make the season special, the tree lit up, and the smells of Christmas that make it special.  The gifts are an added bonus, not the reason to celebrate. Don't get me wrong, I love the gifts and the wrapping paper, but the memories we make are more important and last much longer than the gifts. 
     You do not have to spend Christmas Day itself with them, but making sure you let them know that you care during this season is important. Be a dinner out, a phone call, or a card or gift, touching base with those you care about is important at any time of the year, but more so during this season of the year.
     It saddens me that many simply see this as the time of year when getting more expensive gifts is the most important thing. I enjoyed time watching movies with my youngest son and dinner out with my oldest. Both were times spent with family and meaningful.
Wishing everyone a very joyful end to 2012 and a very happy start to 2013.

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Today's Ramblings about grocery shopping, cleaning the pantry, and clutter

      Today I went grocery shopping.  Let me tell you the commissary at JBER is a mess. Nothing is where it used to be and things are so confusing. I hate to shop to begin with, unless of course it is for fabric.  I was looking for Miracle Whip and it took me forever to find it, and it was of all places over by the potato chips, as was the peanut butter. Now please tell me, why they would put Miracle Whip and peanut butter together?
     Then I went searching for other things on my list and of course most of them were not where I thought so I had to spend more time going up and down isles looking for them.
      I know why I do not like to go shopping for groceries, unless it is at the farmer's market. It is way to complicated.
      I did go to the farmer's market to as well.  that I love doing. Yes, we still have a farmer's market in Anchorage in the winter. It moves inside the Sear's Mall and is on Wednesdays instead of Saturdays.  It is not as big as the summer market, but my favorite farm is there and they have the best carrots. They are sweet and crunchy.  I love. Today they had carrots, beets, snow apples (turnips), sweet pumpkins, parsnips, Daikon radishes, cabbage, and a wide variety of potatoes to choose from.  I bought carrots, of course. I love munching on carrots every day.  They go very good with hummus, or alone.
      I also like the spice, nuts, teas, and dried fruits that another vendor sells at the farmer's market.  They have salt free pepitas, and sweet crystalized ginger, as well as fresh dried spices, and other dried fruits, mushrooms and flavored salts.  They also have a few flavored olive oils for sale as well.  I love the pepitas, and crystalized ginger. They make great snacks.
      I also cleaned out the pantry. I put everything that is out dated or that we do not eat in bags to get rid of.  I told my husband I do not care where it goes, I just want it out of the house.  There were about five large bags of crackers, noodles, soups with too much sodium, and cereals.  All were foods we do not eat because they are too high in carbohydrates, made with wheat, or too high in sodium. I hope that they find a good home and help keep someone's belly filled.  I like my nice neat organized cupboard.  I can find things now.  I also did a little cleaning out of the refrigerator, but will save the rest of that for after the holidays.
     I am continuing to clean out other areas of the house, though it is an on going job and will take a while before I get through everything. Twenty years in one house is a long time and stuff does pile up.  I think I need to hire some one to help me who does not have an emotional attachment to things so I can get rid of more. I get side tracked by some things and others I am just not sure if I am ready to let them go, or if I might need them again.  That is the problem with trying to sort through stuff, that some call clutter and others call treasures.
     Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!  I am off to bed for the night.


Saturday, December 1, 2012

Pumpkin and Black Bean Taco

In November I went to a craft fair here in Anchorage and Two Fat Guys Catering had a booth. They were selling several items but the one that caught my eye was their butternut squash taco.  I tried it and it was to die for. This sent me on a mission, find a recipe that was similar and make them at home.
I spent several hours searching the internet and came up with several recipes that I then used bits and pieces of to make my own version of the tacos. I made them last week and my husband said they were a keeper. In fact I am thinking that I may make them again tonight.
My version is below.


It Is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to Pay Off Your College Loan

  There is a key point that the leftist are totally missing in their, asinine argument, saying that the government should pay off student lo...