Thank-You Notes

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One thing my mother taught me and I taught our daughter is to always write a thank-you note within a couple of weeks after receiving a gift. It seems to be the trend now-a-days to not write thank-you notes. However, I think it’s always best to communicate appreciation with a nice note especially for a graduation, wedding or baby gift. It doesn’t have to be long, just sincere. And maybe the two week time period could be extended, but I think a month at the longest. If a person has given the effort to give someone a gift then they deserve a thank-you note. Especially when gifts are mailed, the giver of the gift likes to know their gift was received.  (I must admit that the older I get, every once in a while I forget.)  Some things never go out of style…they are timeless. And I think thank you notes are one of those things!

Vat 19 has “Curiously Awesome” Products

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Vat 19 has “curiously awesome” products that you don’t find just anywhere. They sent me some samples of a few of their products. One product called Insta Snow Powder, my favorite, is pretty cool. All you have to do is add water and this white powder expands and really looks like snow. Kids of any age would love it! I also received an Ambient Fire Video Fireplace DVD . It makes your TV screen look like a fire burning in a fireplace. That’s neat for those who don’t have fireplaces. The third thing I received was gourmet-scented-pencils which smell like cotton candy.

If you would like a “space efficient electronics charging valet” that is an electronics charger stationwhich neatly hides cords for charging adapters, then check out Vat 19. It will hold three adapters and charge them while concealing all the cords in a neat little station. It also has a surge protector and a little drawer to hold small items.

Four Foods on Friday #10 Questions

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From Fun, Crafts and Recipes

#1. Lasagne noodles. Do you find a difference in taste between the regular and the no bake noodles?

I haven’t tried the no bake noodles. But I have used the kind that doesn’t have to be cooked first before making the lasagna. I can’t tell much difference, but I prefer to use the regular noodles in the easy recipe that doesn’t require the noodles to be precooked.

#2. What is your favorite flavor PopTart?

I haven’t bought Pop Tarts in ages. Seems like it was strawberry.

#3. What’s your favorite type of pasta? Not how served, but the type – elbows, ziti, spaghetti, shells, etc. Why?

I prefer rotini. It drains easily, it’s easy to eat, and I like the way it looks.

#4. Green beans. What’s your favorite way to make them or dish to use them for?

My favorite way is to add toasted almonds and sauteed mushrooms.

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

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I make chicken tortilla soup different ways, depending on what I have on hand. Sometimes I use left-over rotisserie chicken, sometimes I used canned chicken, and sometimes I stew chicken breasts on the bone. (I always skim any fat off the broth if I stew the chicken.) Here’s the recipe:

  • 1 can of chicken broth (or broth from stewed chicken)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 large can of chicken breast (or left-over chicken)
  • 1/2 – 1 cup salsa, depending on how spicy you like it
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans of beans (black beans & red kidney beans)
  • 1 cup frozen corn (or 1 can of corn, drained)
  • 1 cup sliced carrots (I slice baby carrots or you can use canned)
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon fajita seasoning, optional
  • 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • fresh ground pepper
  • salt to taste

Cook the onion, baby carrots, and spices in the broth for ten minutes. Add everything else and bring almost to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Serve in bowls and top with grated cheese, chopped avocado, and tortilla chips (broken into bite-sized pieces).

Cables Plus

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Cables Plus ranks 54th in the “top companies in telecommunication,” according to Inc Magazine, and they are one of the companies listed in Inc Magazine’s 2007 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America. They have all kinds of cables and accessories such as fiber optic cables, and the really neat thing is that they contribute 10% of their profits to organizations that help the community. They have made contributions to the following organizations and plan to continue:

  • Central Virginia Food Bank
  • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • Disabled Sports USA
  • U-Turn for youth
  • Crisis Pregnancy Center
  • March of Dimes

If you go to their site, be sure and click on testimonials to read their customer reviews. This company is committed to supplying superior performance, quality-assured products, and outstanding service to customers.

I’m Home!

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We have been gone for over a week visiting my mother-in-law and got home tonight. (We had a wonderful trip and visit, by the way!) I thought I would be able to write more posts this week, but I haven’t had access to a computer like I thought I would. So…now I have access to my computer and should be able to get back into my old schedule of writing. Of course, there’s all the unpacking and laundry to catch up on. I think everybody has been really busy visiting relatives, having kids out of school, and being busy with everything else that’s going on right now. Next week should return back to normal…maybe! 🙂

Reuse Plastic Liners from Cereal Boxes

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I save the plastic liners from cereal boxes to reuse in several different ways. I use them to line the bottom of paper grocery bags which I use for garbage sacks under the kitchen sink. They are great to keep wet or damp items from soaking through to the bottom. Those items might be wet paper towels, wet tea bags, or some type of moisture that leaks to the bottom of the garbage sack. Another great use is to put chicken bones in them and then tie up the open end of the plastic with a twisty. That works great to keep the smell contained within the liner instead of stinking up the trash. If you think about it, the liners are designed to keep moisture out of cereal, so they can be used all sorts of ways to keep out moisture.  Or they can be used in the reverse way to keep moisture inside.  Maybe you have another use for them.  If so, I’d be interested in hearing about it.  

Happy New Year!

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I wish each and every one of you a happy New Year in 2008! We will be spending New Year’s Eve with family and friends, eating all sorts of yummy food, visiting, and playing games. We’re supposed to take Rotel Dip and chips, Coke, and Sopapilla Cheesecake, so I had better go get busy in the kitchen. But before I start cooking, I want to say, “Blessings in 2008!”

What a Busy Week!

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I have been so busy this past week with Christmas and visiting with different relatives that I haven’t written much on my blog.  Hopefully, this next week will not be quite so hectic and I’ll be able to write more.  So… please bear with me and I should be back to writing on a daily basis real soon.  Also, our daughter and son-in-law gave me a digital camera for Christmas, and I’m so excited to have my very own camera and to not have to borrow our son’s anymore.  I plan to incorporate pictures into more posts starting in January. 

The Party Starts Here.com!

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“The Party Starts Here.com!” has just about every kind of invitation you can think of, including your traditional kid’s party invitations as well as holiday invitations, first communion invitations, open house invitations, wedding invitations, and even pet party invitations. They also have photo cards, graduation announcements, thank you cards, and birth announcements.   They have cards for all occasions and also offer exclusive designs and custom designs.

North Carolina Outer Banks Vacation Rentals

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For more than 19 years, Outer Banks has been a reliable source of vacation rentals.  They have been featured in the Washingtonian magazine and have had more than 6500 customers this year alone.  They represent only the finest rental beach homes and have rentals in Corolla, Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Nags Head & Southern Shores where you can enjoy the beach and relax.  Sounds like a great place to retreat and get away from the stresses of this busy world.