New Years Eve

New Years Eve is a time when the young people are looking forward to staying up all night and celebrating

and the old people are just hoping to make it to midnight

but both wake up to a New Year

and so, young or old--------------I wish you a

2009

Cold heart

I am one of those people who attend Church regular and give to different charities but there is still a struggle to keep check on toting around a cold heart. Seeing a homeless man on our way to Starbucks this morning was one such incident.

It is cold for here and I could only see the person from a distance...My first thoughts were why was this person sitting there with a sign, this is a nice area, not downtown!

We went inside and had our usual morning specialties, one being hot oatmeal with nuts and fruit and as I looked at that cup of hot oatmeal a thought popped into my mind......"we need to buy that person some hot oatmeal" well of course I tried to cast it aside but to no avail so I finally mentioned it to my hubby. Well, I am really blessed because I have one of those hubbies who is always ready to give so just before leaving he went up and bought the oatmeal to go as well as a very large cup of hot coffee.

You may think that we did something really special for this young man with only a sweatshirt to keep him warm, but in truth....he did something really special for me.....He helped put a crack in an old cold heart and all for just a Starbucks oatmeal...........................

Home Made success

I love to make things for people but many times they aren't what is popular or wanted or needed but his year I hit the jackpot!

Of course I had good subjects to work with:)

Merry Christmas

On my Dec. 4th post I promised to post pictures of my surprise Christmas gift:

Day view

Night view

May the spirit of Christmas be in you heart all year long

The gift that keeps on giving

Go to http://www.worldvisiongifts.org/ to find out more about these gifts that keep on giving. It is an amazing program, only wished I would have done it as a family or group and been able to give more.

Christmas Tree tidbit

The Druids in ancient England & Gual and the Romans in Europe both used evergreen branches to decorate their homes and public buildings to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Over the years, these traditions were adopted by Christians, who incorporated them as part of their Christmas holiday celebration.
Trees used specifically to celebrate Christmas are mentioned in the early 1600's in Germany and surrounding countries. The families would set up these trees in a prominent location of their home and decorate them with colored paper, small toys, food, and sometimes candles. As these people moved or immigrated to other countries, they brought this tradition with them.
Through the years many different things were used to decorate Christmas trees. As the world moved into the 1900's, many trees were decorated with strings of popcorn, homemade cards and pictures, cotton to look like snow, candy in all shapes and sizes, and occasionally, fancy store made glass balls and hand blown glass figurines. Candles were sometimes used, but often caused devastating fires, and many different types of candle holders were devised to try to prevent tree fires. Electric tree lights were first used just 3 years after Thomas Edison has his first mass public demonstration of electric lights back in 1879. The early Christmas tree lights were handmade and quite expensive.
Today, Christmas tree ornaments can be found in nearly every size, color, and shape imaginable, and they are used to decorate the millions of Christmas trees used throughout the world.

A few pictures of some Christmas trees around the world:

found in front of a small chapel in Germany

In Italy

The Czech Republic

Our State Capital

O Christmas Tree

(composed by a German author)

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging;

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging;

Not only green when summer's here,

But also when 'tis cold and drear.

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy leaves are so unchanging!

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me;

How often has the Christmas tree

Afforded me the greatest glee!

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy candles shine so brightly!

From base to summit,

gay and bright,

There's only splendor

for the sight.

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

Thy candles shine so brightly!

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

How richly God has decked thee!

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

How richly God has decked thee!

Thou bidst us true and faithful be,

And trust in God unchangingly.

O Christmas Tree!

O Christmas Tree!

How richly God has decked thee! !"

Puerto Penasco Sonora Mexico

Hubby and I have been to many places in Mexico but, only to the ones you can commercially fly into. This time we ventured to the closest one to us "Rocky Point" only 215 miles away. We have always avoided having to drive our car into Mexico but decided to brave it with special Mexican insurance, of course.

First let me say that Rocky Point in NOT Mazatlan but for a little small town it was pretty nice. We chose to stay in town rather than in the northern condo area and the hotel "Penasco Del Sol" had recently been renovated. We found it to be very nice and comfortable. The surprising thing to us was that it was off season and when they say off season....they mean it. We felt pretty much alone, (with the exception of the last night when they put a group of young people right above us and they raised he-- all night long including going down to the beach and setting off firecrackers and smoke bombs). But in the restaurants and etc. we were mostly alone and did indeed get some good service! It was a bit sad to see it so empty and the people hurting for business, one place that we stopped in all but begged us to stay for dinner.

Like most Mexican towns they have a Malecon and this picture exemplifies the most popular thing here.................shrimp!

When they say off season in Rocky Point it means it is too cold to play in the water and indeed it was about the same temp. as in Phoenix which is sweater weather. It does not however, deter the people from going shrimping and we took full advantage........bringing home about 70 lbs.

At $7.00 per pound you can't really go wrong and of course we shared some with our kids and friends:)

We chose to go by Taxi to our nightly restaurant ventures and both were good. The first one "The Friendly Dolphin" had the most interesting menagerie of things. From the outside it was all lit up like a Christmas tree and there were three stories...here is a shot of the bar on the top story where we ate.

The second one (The Lighthouse) which is on the highest point of the city and overlooks the bay, was truly EXCELLENT!! Beautiful view, wonderful food and great entertainment and....very reasonable. I had a steak with all the trimmings and it was $18.00 American with an exchange rate of 13 peso's to the dollar.

It was nice to have our car and to be able to venture around the little town but we found out real quick that you best follow their rules perfectly! The roads are not real well marked and there are many that are one way. You can't tell that until you see all the cars parked in the same direction and so by accident we went down one dirt road the wrong way. Much later we were chased down by a bicycle cop that said they had a picture of us in the middle of this infraction (sure...they have camera's but no street lights or signs) and we would have to go to court...but of course there was another person there that could speak English and translate and told us "This is just about money" which means you give the cop $20.00 and you can go on your way. We had two of these little experiences and yes both times we had done something wrong. The last one, the cop kept hinting how much he liked my husbands hat and I told him he wasn't getting the hat...with a smile of course so he settled for the $20.00. For the most part the people are very nice and treated us just fine so guess this just goes with the territory and when you are in their town you play by their rules. Most people that go frequently rent a condo out on the north side and don't drive around the town.

Rocky point is located at the inside tip of the Sea of Cortez so you don't get much waves and the beaches are really long....so much so that they use special trucks on stilts to help you launch your boat but it is still a pretty view................

Now the big question is....will we go back? We really enjoyed the restaurants and etc. but there was not a lot to do during the day. No tours, no museums and etc. I might would like to see if there is a boat that could take you over to San Felipe for a little day excursion and I would consider coming with our kids and renting a condo.

It was a nice little Christmas present and we seem to always manage to have a good time just being together............................

Oh..........on a side note we stopped at a little casino a few miles out of a town called "Why" on our way back and hubby won $25.00....I told him we gave it to the Mexicans and took from the Indians....we aren't prejudice.

Christmas present

Hubby and I stopped exchanging Christmas gifts several years ago in lieu of taking a little jaunt so we are off to enjoy......................................MEXICO

....and the best part???

You don't have to wrap it:)

Giving

It only takes a moment to send some cheer and you can do it as often as you would like.

Tidbits

The hummingbird

The swift

The Kingfisher

The Grebe

And

The Loon...............................................................are all birds that cannot walk.

My surprise Christmas present

Yesterday, my daughter and I spent a few hours Christmas shopping together (a real treat in itself) and one of the places we went was my favorite store (Savers) as mention before. As we walked up...there in the front window was this amazing nativity scene...all made of metal and it was Joesph, Mary and baby Jesus in the manger....it had light rope all around each figure and Joesph stood over 4 feet high. I told my daughter I was sure it wasn't for sale (as I drooled) and was only a display for Christmas. My daughter marched right in and asked if it was for sale and it was!!!!!!!!!!!! It came home with me and it all lights and everything. I have wanted one for a couple of years now and they are so expensive and most of them not that attractive so who would have ever guessed that I would get one that I love for all of $39.99.
Now that, is a Christmas present! I will post a picture when it is up and lighted.............................

Just the two of us

Summer or Winter

Ham with Potatoes & Asparagus

2 sheets 12x18 inch foil

2 medium potato, sliced 1/4" thick

1 Ham steak

12 asparagus spears (snap off tough ends)

1/2 container Alfredo sauce

Preheat oven to 450 or outside grill to med. high

Spray dull side of foil with Pam

Center half of the potatoes on the foil, top with half the asparagus and ham.

Top all with the half the Alfredo sauce.

Bring up sides leaving room for circulation inside.

Bake for 20 to 22 min. on a cookie sheet or grill for 13 to 14 min.

Serves two

You just can't believe how good this is!