525,600 MINUTES ARE ALMOST GONE

Well, another year is about to end. Were did the time go?

I remember when I was little my mom and aunt's used to say "The older you get the faster time goes by." I couldn't understand that. I figured a year is a year no matter how old you are. But now, I full understand what they were talking about.

When you think that a year is only 525,600 minutes it really makes you see how every minute counts.


The parties will be going on all through out the World today. People saying good by to 2008 and hello to 2009!

I have big plans for 2009. I've made a list of goals that I want to reach. I'm even going to post them on my blog so it will help me to be accountable and look back next year to see how many I've done.

Do you make goals or resolutions? If you do, let me know what they are. I would like to see what everyone is planning on doing in 2009.

Have a wonderful New Years! If you do go out please be safe.

See you next year!

SHOPPING FOR FREE

Look what I found today! Beautiful china cups, saucers and dessert plates.

The best thing about these are they were free! Yes you heard me right. Free. How, you ask? Well, I decided to save money and go shopping out in my garage.

I have bought so much stuff over the years and never even brought everything inside after I bought it. OK, I know, I'm a shopaholic.

I decided rather then go buy more things I would start going through what I have in my garage that I've forgotten all about. So I will take the boxes out one by one and go through them.

I know it's not really free because at one point I did pay for it. But it sure seems free when stumble across things you didn't even remember you had.

I've washed these up and put them in my china hutch so I can remember to use them.

I have 6 dessert plates, four saucers and 5 cups. So I figure it's really a set of 4 with a few extras in case something should break.

I just love them and can't believe I never brought these in before. I can't wait to do more shopping later. I'll be sure to share with you what I find.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Cindy over at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ is having a year in review party. She asked us to all post photos showing our year.

I thought rather then showing photos of my house, garden or trips I would show items I made in the kitchen and shared with you. Since I had a few extra spaces to make my mosaic a square I added photos of my dogs on the corners.

If you see anything that looks tasty to you, you can go back through my blog and find the post for each of these items as I did a post about each one.

Hope you enjoyed them and I promise to post more good recipes this coming year. Though they may be low fat, low calorie ones. But, still yummy, I promise.

WINTER GIFTS FROM MOTHER NATURE

Mother Nature is so good to us! Sometimes we go about complaining about how she makes things to cold or to hot. But she is always giving us wonderful gifts.

We have a miniature orange tree in our back yard. Right now we are starting to get several oranges.

Let me tell you, if you have never had a fresh orange picked right off the tree you are missing out. They are wonderful! So sweet and juicy.

Today I went out and picked several and made some fresh squeezed Orange Juice. It was so good!

Wish you all lived by me so I could pour you a nice big glass too!

A WONDERFUL MOVIE!

I went to go see this movie today. I loved it! It was a funny and also a sad movie. I don't normally cry at movies. In fact I never do. But even I cried at this one.

So bring a box of tissues if you go.


I hear they used 12 different dogs to play Marley. Each and everyone was so cute.

This is a must see movie for anyone who loves dogs.

IT'S NOW TIME TO RELAX

Now that Christmas is over it's time to sit back and relax. Read a magazine or enjoy a cup of tea.

I'm not ready to put the decorations away yet. So I'm just going to slow down and enjoy the day.

I have the latest Victoria magazine that I have saved just for today.

There are always pretty things in there to look at and stories to read.

I can not believe that 2008 is almost over. Where did the year go to? I have no idea.

I'm going to start making my list of my goals for 2009. I'm going to keep it at my desk so I can cross them off one by one as I get them done. Do you make a list?

I'm also going to start planning the finishing touches on Trinity's 8th birthday party which is only 2 weeks away.

But for now, I'm going to enjoy the quiet day and reflect on the wonderful Christmas I had.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Today we celebrate the day the Savior was born.

Without Him there would be no Christmas. Please take at least a few minutes to remember this.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

I'LL BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Today I was going to post more stuff about Christmas. But then I got an email with URGENT as the subject.

Quickly I opened the email and read the plea asking if there was any way I could take some time out of my day to go to the pound and rescue four little dogs that were going to be put down if I couldn't make it.

Thankfully I was able to do so. Now these four dogs will be able to say "I'll be home for Christmas".

I got up early and picked up this little guy. He couldn't weigh more then 2 or 3 pounds.

Poor guy has an infection that is making him lose all his fur. He was so cold as all the dogs at the pound are in outside cages.

This sweet little one has a broken pelvis and since the pound doesn't do any type of medical care of the animals this sweet little thing was actually going to be put down yesterday. With several phone calls, emails and pleading we were able to find a vet that was willing to do the surgery.

So thankfully this little one will get better and live a happy life.

This darling little one also had a skin condition that caused not only major itching but pain. His whole under side is a flaming red. You could just tell it had to hurt so bad.

But, now he is getting treatment and will have a nice warm bed to sleep in.

This little one had kennel cough. With meds and some extra love she will be as good as ever in no time.

It's so sad to see these loving animals being mistreated and dumped at the pound. There they have only a few days to find a home or be put to sleep.

Even though they have been neglected, abused, injured or are sick they still have so much love to share. They still want to trust you and have you love them.

I am so thankful for all the rescue places out there. They not only save the life by getting them out of the pound but they provide all medical treatment and will never put the animals down. They will either find a loving home for them to live at or they keep them.

So please, if you ever get a chance to adopt a dog, donate money or give some of your time to any rescue I hope you do. You will not only be helping to save a life but you will find your heart is over flowing with joy.

Merry Christmas to you all!

P.S. I think I didn't explain myself correctly. I did not keep these dogs. I only picked them up and drove them to Oceanside which is about an hour away from me. There is another wonderful lady, Rebecca, who is the one who finds the homes and gets them all the medical treatment.

I would love to be a place that could rescue dogs. However, I don't have the space and I don't think my two dogs would take kindly to having several other dogs around.

My part in the rescue is a tiny one. Yet I'm still pleased I can help out whenever possible.

THIS IS MY CHRISTMAS JOY

To me Christmas is so much more fun with children around. Since I never was blessed with my own children I was over joyed to have my nephews and nieces around at Christmas time.

But now they have all grown up. However, I have a great niece that you often hear me talk about, Trinity! She is such a sweet little girl.

Today I spent the day with her and my sister, Maureen. We made cookies and candy.

While I was there I was given these darling photos of Trinity.

I can't believe how big she is getting. I asked her to please stop growing and stay small forever but she said "No, she has to grow up".

I guess she is right. But, I'm going to miss having a little girl around once she does.

I'm so happy I get to have her come over this Christmas.

She is very excited about Santa coming. Her grandma, Maureen, just got her a new baby kitten. Trinity named him Charlie. I asked Trinity if this was her best Christmas ever and she quickly said "YES". So then I asked her if she would be happy to just have Charlie even if she didn't get any other presents. She said "Yes" but then turned asked "But, I'm still getting presents. Right?"

Yes Trinity. You will be getting lots of presents. Not only from Santa but from all of us who love you very much.

A BETTER ME!

http://cottageinthemaking.blogspot.com/2008/12/thinking-ahead-to-january-2009.html

Thanks to Deb, at Garage Sale Gal, I've named our up coming diet/exercise group A BETTER ME! I've also made the above button to use on our side bar. Of course it won't be that big on the side bar. Just save the picture and add the link under it.

I've had several people email me and leave me messages that they are going to join in. Some are going to go on diets, some will start to exercise, some will just be eating heathier. Everyone is invited to join.

The only requirement is to have a desire to be a better you!

I plan on starting the first of January but won't really be posting much about it until the first Wed which will be 7th. That will be our offical start day with A BETTER ME!

For those of us who are going to be losing weight I would love to have everyone email me and let me know how much you lost. Then I will post about our total weight loss for the week.

I know lots of people don't like to have others know how much they weigh or how much they lose so we can keep it private by emailing me. You never even have to tell me how much you weigh.

Of course if you do want to share how much you lost you can either leave a message on the post for the week or you can post about it on your own blog.

I'm excited about us starting this group/club. I hope you are excited to be a part of it too.

By having the button on your side bar others will know you are member and we can share our excitment over reaching our goals and help pick up each others when when we hit a bump in the road.

So I hope you will all add the button to your side bar. If you would post about it that would be great! The more people we get to join the more fun this will be!

THRIFTED CHRISTMAS FINDS FOR UNDER $3.00

I decided to get out and go to a few thrift stores. I wasn't looking for anything really but you never know what you may find.

Today I found several items to add to my boxes and boxes of Christmas items I have.

This cute little ornament still had his tag on and it's hand painted from Italy. I couldn't pass him up for just a quarter.

I know most people will think this snowman is ugly or funny looking but he stole my heart and for 75 cents I had to bring him home to get added to my snowman collection.

I do have a Santa collection but I didn't even put them out this year. However, I couldn't leave this one sitting alone at the thrift store when he was only 30 cents. So home with me he came!

This little vintage candle also called out my name. Well, I think it was my name.

I thought these ornaments were pretty too. I'll pack them away for next year with the other ornaments I got since I didn't even put up a tree this year. I know, what a Scrooge!

This ornament is so much prettier in person. I love it.

Yet another little snowman was just waiting for me to buy him. I love finding cute snowmen.

I almost passed up this Santa. He is a vintage plastic Santa that looks like he is from the 50's. I'm not sure why I got him. Maybe next year I'll do a 50's theme area on one of the tables.

I couldn't pass up this Shiny Brite ornament. Since it's blue and white it will go in my blue bedroom.

I don't think I did to bad for spending less then $3.00. Everything Christmas was on sale.

I walked around a little bit, got some treasures and didn't break the bank.