THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT REIGNS SUPREME-DECEMBER 5, 2012

Today on HLN, I saw a story about a veteran who paid the electric bills of several people in line behind him at the power company where he was from (I at first thought they meant a veterinarian-silly me).  The man said that he had been homeless just the day before.

I shopped with baby girl yesterday for our Angel Tree gifts, two young people wanted simple gifts-boots for the girl and a gaming store gift card for the boy.  While I was out shopping earlier in the day, I overheard a man say that he "sadly needed to buy a Cape Central sweatshirt".  He revealed that he too was shopping for an Angel Tree child.  I politely tried to eavesdrop as to why he said "sadly".  Turns out, his kids attend Notre Dame, the regional Catholic high school.  It was then that I rudely laughed out loud, turned to him and rudely said "Glad you are able to lower yourself."  I wasn't feeling his pain, as my poor little tropical storms very proudly attend Cape Central High School.

But the truly important part of the story isn't my rudeness or his pride, but rather that we both had taken it upon ourselves to shop for someone else for Christmas.

For the past 5 years, Mr. Hurricane, the little tropical storms and I have participated in The Advent Conspiracy-a program to encourage families to give each other homemade, handmade, or other such gifts, and then take the money that they would have budgeted and give it to charity.  This year, we have opted to give through the Angel Tree program, and are actually buying gifts for the little tropical storms too.  Either way, we are giving more than we ever have.  Perhaps it is a trend everywhere?  We hope so.

If you would like more info on The Advent Conspiracy, go to their website:  www.adventconspiracy.org

                                

Happy Giving!

TUESDAYS WITH COFFEE, A BAGEL AND SCHMEAR...?

TUESDAYS WITH COFFEE, A BAGEL AND SCHMEAR...?

Some mornings you wake up and all you want is a bowl of cereal.  The little tropical storms often have cereal for breakfast-so does Mr. Hurricane.  But I love bagels and cream cheese, and English muffins, and nuts, and substance.

Sometimes you need more.  Sometimes you need substance.

Baby girl says I should enjoy having some time off, but I am struggling to keep my patience in check. I have been working multiple jobs/roles for so long that "just being at home" is tough for me. I feel like my day of work should have more substance.

I realized today that taking care of my family-particularly the boy who threw up this morning-is my priority. For now, for today, I will let go of my desire to have a job that defines me and just be comfortable being me...with the substance that God provides.

Then there are those times that you want more out of someone else...Blake Shelton on the Voice knows what I mean.

THE PAST IS...PAST?

NOVEMBER 25, 2012 - THE PAST IS...PAST?

Today is one of those days that your past meets up with your present, and you wonder how you ever got to be this old...or at least how all this time has passed so quickly.

I sat on the sofa with Baby Girl, and we began watching STAR WARS Episode III.  I tried to tell her who the characters were, and how they were related to Luke and Leia.  I began to count back how far it was since I was sitting in a theatre watching Episode IV.  I was in 5th grade.  Wow.

When you realize that it has been that long, and then how some films stand the test of time, and some do not...it makes you wonder whether anyone will remember the finer things of the 20th century.  Disco, the Muppet Show, and Pop Rocks.  I'm kidding, but there are some things that we hold on to from literature for decades that kids hate:  Wuthering Heights, the Catcher in the Rye, and even Moby Dick.  Why haven't we moved on from some of the past?

This morning in Sunday school, we were reading John 3:16-20.  Perhaps the things we try to hold on to are not always the worst for us, but the messages that we must carry forward.  Our pastor preached on Revelations and Doomsday Preppers today.  I used to think that "doomsday" meant the world coming to an end, but then I realized recently that the New Madrid Fault could be the "doomsday" that comes sooner than later.  If I had only a few minutes to pack and go, what book would I take in my "doomsday pack"?  At first I thought about pictures, or books to read.  Then I remembered.  The Bible.  It has more information, more stories, more lessons, and more history than any other book in my possession.  More importantly it has the hope of the risen Christ, the only comfort I would find in a world devoid of electronics, books, and tv.

Letting go of our human past is difficult, whether our childhood, or that of our own children...and what of the past-and the Bible of the past?  It has all the history you need in the future you find~today or tomorrow.

HAYDEN ADOPTS TAYLOR'S GUITAR

HAYDEN ADOPTS TAYLOR'S GUITAR - NOVEMBER 16, 2012

While living in Nashville filming her show Nashville, Hayden Panettiere has made friends with some of country music's leading ladies including Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe, Kelly Clarkson, Kellie Pickler and with Taylor Swift. Panettiere was recently on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live and while on the show, Jimmy Kimmel asked her if she had ever borrowed a cup of sugar from any of her new friend's and she said, "I went to go write a song with a friend of mine who is an amazing songwriter, Jessi Alexander, one night, and I freaked out because I didn't have a my guitar -- I'd left it in my trailer. I literally texted every one of those girls: 'Does anybody have a guitar?' Finally, Taylor Swift came through for me. Two of her security guards brought down this guitar ... I had to fill out a form. It was very intense." Hayden told Kimmel that she still hasn't given Swift her guitar back yet, saying, "I still have it! I've adopted it. I saw (Swift) at the CMAs and I was like, 'Hey, girl - good to see you! You know, I still have your guitar.' And she looked shocked. She was like, 'Oh. Oh, yeah?' I was like, 'Wait a second, two security guards and piece of paper later and you don't know that I have your $10,000 guitar?"

Click the link for Hayden's official "Telescope" video:     http://youtu.be/u7cN-zeLUuI

A COOKING PLAN THAT WORKS

A COOKING PLAN THAT WORKS - NOVEMBER 15, 2012

COOKING AND BAKING IS NOW EVEN EASIER!

If you are like me and enjoy cooking and baking, but sometimes struggle to have all the items on your menu come out at the same time, you will love the new app i found for my iPhone.  It is available online as well.  

                                         

Cookingplanit.com, or the app cooking plan it are both incredibly easy to use, and while the app cost me $2.99, the online service is free.  

                                   
              

        

The menu choices are great, and you can modify the sides or the entrée, without wrecking your entire plan.  There are settings to choose what you do not want included in your choices.  I prefer not to cook with pork-i just don’t care for it.  And i rarely have wine in the house, so i also set it to exclude alcohol in the recipe choices.  Perhaps that will narrow my choices considerably, but ease of prep, without going to the store for non-standard ingredients is my approach.

See what you think, and email me if you come up with any good menus!  Enjoy!

TODAY IS A NEW DAY!

TODAY IS A NEW DAY! NOVEMBER 14, 2012

I FOUND THIS POSTER ON A WEBSITE CALLED COOLPEOPLECARE.ORG.  IT IS PART OF THEIR CAMPAIGN TO MAKE THE WORLD A POSITIVE AND CARING PLACE FOR EVERYONE…

                                        

HERE IS A SAMPLE OF THEIR DAILY EMAIL:  http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=8ccdfc0dc22f10c6f14890677&id=547de1d342

AND THEY SEARCH FOR NON-PROFITS TO ASSIST IN ADVERTISING TO THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS, WHO ARE ALL ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA:

Cool People Care's audience is comprised of motivated do-gooders of all ages. They like to buy and share things that make the world a better place - including your products and services.

More specifically, Cool People Care's online audience is made up of Generation Y (also known as Millennials - people born after 1980), nonprofit professionals all across the US, and moms who care deeply about the future for their children's sake. So, if you're looking to reach any of these groups and want to present your nonprofit or company to a group of people actively looking for ways to save the world, then we need to talk.

THIS IS THE FB POST THAT LED ME DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF CARING:

BLAKE DEFENDS NASHVILLE

BLAKE DEFENDS NASHVILLE - NOVEMBER 13, 2012

BIGGER THAN NASHVILLE

Country Music's newly crowned CMA Entertainer of the Year Blake Shelton may be working mostly in Hollywood these days on NBC'sThe Voice and on the new Christmas TV special he finished up over the weekend in LA, but Nashville is never far from his mind.

As he shares, he wants to take Nashville and his beloved country music everywhere:

BLAKE GETS INVOLVED IN ANOTHER TWITTER WAR 

The "AdvoCare 500" NASCAR race on Sunday saw a fight break out after Jeff Gordon (#24) had clipped the car of Clint Bowyer (#15) causing them  both to wreck, taking the cars of Joey Logano (#20) and Aric Almirola (#43) out in the process. After Jeff had got out of his car in the pit, Michael Waltrip's racing crew members came over to Jeff and a brawl ensued. Blake Shelton, always known for expressing his feelings on Twitter, took to the site to share his thoughts on the NASCAR incident. Blake tweeted, "Hey @Elliott_Sadler... Did you see that s**t the 24 car pulled today?!! Glad Clint wasn't hurt..." and then later tweeted, "Hey @mw55... I still can't believe that s**t... Ha! Ha! And then to run and hide?!!! Ha!" Gordon's wife, model and actress Ingrid Vandebosch, then got involved in the discussion tweeting, "@blakeshelton Hey Blake did you see that #$^^%^*()) the 15 pulled on the 24 the past 5 weeks?" To which Shelton replied, "@ivandebosch: Explain that to the 43 and 20. Waiting..?" Blake was of course referring to the racers Logano and Almirola, who were also involved in the wreck. NASCAR officials have said that they will be looking further into Sunday's incident at the "AdvoCare 500" this week.

Shelton is very vocal on Twitter about any number of things:

“I'll defend anyone in my life that I love until the end.... And I respect any person who does the same. Even if it pisses me off! #life” – Blake Shelton 

"Folding the third pile of laundry Miranda has handed me tonight... This is bull*&%3!! Clothes should be disposable like toilet paper!!!" ” – Blake Shelton

"Disclaimer: I can't say Massachusetts OR Worcester correctly even when I'm sober..." ” – Blake Shelton

ALDEAN AND POPCORN?

ALDEAN AND POPCORN? - NOVEMBER 12, 2012

ALDEAN NUKES POPCORN LIKE A PRO

We had movie night on Saturday night, watching “We Bought A Zoo”, the Matt Damon film about a widower who buys a zoo in a desperate attempt to reconnect with his children.  Popcorn being the staple of movie night, I prefer mine cooked on the stove top-in a pan with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt.  No butter, that is for sissies.  One country singer likes his from the microwave, though:

Jason Aldean has sold out stadium shows and reached multi-Platinum status for the music he creates, but there is another talent the singer is proud. Jason tells People, "I'm a popcorn lover, and at night if I'm watching a game, I'll throw in a bag and snack on it. I can cook popcorn in the microwave like nobody's business."

Some delicious homemade popcorn recipes are out there, and here are just a few:

Popcorn With Brown Butter and Parmesan

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 05m| Total Time: 10m

Ingredients

·         1  3.5-ounce package microwave popcorn or 1/2 cup popcorn kernels

·         3  tablespoons  unsalted butter

·         3  tablespoons  grated Parmesan

·         kosher salt

Directions

1.     Pop the popcorn according to the package directions.

2.     Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a skillet or small saucepan over medium heat. Swirl or stir the butter with a wooden spoon as it starts to foam and sputter. Remove the butter from the heat as soon as it begins to turn golden brown and smells nutty, about 1 minute.

3.     Drizzle over the popcorn. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and ¼ teaspoon salt and toss well.

By Sara Quessenberry , May, 2007

Garlic Oil and Pecorino Popcorn

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 03m| Total Time: 06m

Ingredients

·         1  3.5-ounce package  microwave popcorn or 1/2 cup popcorn kernels

·         2  tablespoons  olive oil

·         2  cloves  garlic

·         1/2  cup  finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

·         1/2  teaspoon  salt

Directions

1.     Pop the popcorn according to the package directions.

2.     Heat the oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Discard the garlic.

3.     In a large bowl, toss the popcorn with the oil, Pecorino, and salt.

Caramel Corn

Makes 6 cups| Hands-On Time: 20m| Total Time: 1hr 00m

Ingredients

·         nonstick cooking spray

·         3  tablespoons  canola oil

·         1/4  cup  popcorn kernels

·         6  tablespoons  unsalted butter, cut into pieces

·         1/3  cup  packed light brown sugar

·         3  tablespoons  light corn syrup

·         1  teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

·         1/4  teaspoon  kosher salt

Directions

1.     Heat oven to 300° F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with the cooking spray.

2.     Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the popcorn kernels, cover, and cook, shaking the saucepan constantly once the kernels begin to pop, until there is a 2- to 3-second interval between pops, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3.     In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and lightens in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour over the cooked popcorn and, with a rubber spatula, toss to coat.

4.     Spread the popcorn mixture on the prepared baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until deep amber, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven, toss, and let cool on the baking sheet. (The popcorn will crisp as it cools.)

By Emily McKenna , October, 2011

NASHVILLE HAS MORE TO OFFER

NASHVILLE HAS MORE TO OFFER - NOVEMBER 9, 2012

There are some breakout stars on the new ABC show “Nashville”…and some are young! The girls who play the daughters of character Rayna James are adorable:

                                                         

On last week's episode of "Nashville" (Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC), Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) recorded a music video for her original song "Telescope."  Rayna (Connie Britton) certainly wasn't a fan, but when her daughters Maddie and Daphne (played by YouTube sensations Lennon and Maisy Stella) do an acoustic version of "Telescope" at their school talent show in this week's episode (which you can watch-click the link below), she can't help but beam with pride over how "amazing" they are.

                   

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/24/nashville-telescope_n_2008580.html

"It's a cover. It's of Juliette Barnes (Hayden Panettiere) on the show ... there's a bit of conflict there between our mom and Juliette Barnes," Lennon said of their performance. "She's not too happy ... it's a little intense."

See how it all goes down on "Nashville," Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

For more on Lennon and Maisy Stella:

 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/06/04/lennon-and-maisy-stella-dish-on-their-viral-stardom.html

BRAD PAISLEY LOVES HOME

BRAD PAISLEY LOVES HOME - NOVEMBER 8, 2012

HOME TO TENNESSEE

Brad Paisley is stepping out of the country this week with shows in Norway and then on to Dublin, Ireland, for a show on November 13th. As Brad sings his new single "Southern Comfort Zone," it makes his return to his adopted home of Tennessee a bit sweeter. He shares:

"As I tour, places like Canada and Europe and the North and California and the Northwest and Japan over the years, and that there’s this home base — there’s this circle of wood at the Opry, and it’s back here in Tennessee where everything is as I remember it. And everything is…it’s just…it’s the Shire in Lord of the Rings, it’s the place that’s this beautiful, ideal place to live, which I appreciate more now after having seen the world."-Brad Paisley, a West Virginia native

In other news from Nashville, TG Sheppard has been hospitalized:

                         Rick Diamond, Getty Images

T.G. Sheppard is back in the hospital just weeks after being released from a Nashville-area facility. According to a Facebook post from his wife, singer-songwriter Kelly Lang, the veteran entertainer is suffering from a “severe” blood infection.

Sheppard, who placed a string of 10 No. 1 hit singles on the country charts during his prime in the ’70s and ’80s, still tours actively at age 68. But in October, just days after a performance at the Reunion of Professional Entertainers banquet, he was admitted to the hospital with a bladder infection that progressed into his blood stream, as well as causing an elevated heart rate.

The ’Devil in the Bottle’ hitmaker was discharged in mid-October, but apparently the situation is still dire. “Without going in to too much detail, TG has been admitted into the hospital again with severe blood infection,” his concerned wife posted to Facebook Tuesday morning (Nov. 6). She added, “It is very serious. We need prayers.”

There is no further information available at this time.  We extending our prayers and well wishes to T.G. Sheppard and his family in their time of need.

EASTON CORBIN CHARITY WORK

EASTON CORBIN CHARITY WORK - NOVEMBER 7, 2012

EASTON RECOGNIZED FOR HIS CHARITABLE WORK

Easton Corbin graces the cover of the November issue of Nashville Lifestyles magazine that is themed "Heroes – Meet Our City's Most Inspiring Humanitarian." Corbin's featured article entitled "Southern Gentleman" highlights his charitable activities including his work with the "Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund," which is an organization that awards college scholarships to the children of military members who have sacrifice so much in defending our nation. Easton, in partnership with Dodge, is driving a 2012 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn truck that will be auctioned off early next year with all proceeds going to the charity. Corbin will also take part in the "Dodge Ram Jam" concert in Nashville on December 29, with the money raised there also going to the charity.

For information on applying for a scholarship, visit:  http://www.fascholarship.com/


EASTON PERFORMS AT ANNUAL FESTIVAL IN HIS HOME STATE

The "19th Annual Founder's Day Festival" got underway over the weekend in Ocoee, Florida and on hand to perform at the event was Florida native Easton Corbin. Easton says, "It's always good to get back close to home and to have so many people come out to the show was just amazing." The weekend long festival featured a number of events including a golf tournament, a 5k run, a car show, live music and more. Some of the other acts that performed at the festival were Lee Brice, Tyler Farr, Marty Stuart, Chris Cagle and LoCash Cowboys.