Pineapple-Pecan Cheese Spread

2-8 ounce cans of crushed pineapple

1-8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened

4 cups of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of finely chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup of minced green onions or chives

Drain the two cans of pineapple. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and blend in the che ddar cheese, mayonnaise, and the soy sauce and mix until smooth. Stir in the pineapple, pecans, green pepper, and onions or chi ves. Refrigerate covered until chilled through. Serve as a stuffing for celery stalks or with assorted breads or crackers.

09/2009 www.freecookingrecipes.net

Women's Need for Beauty

Have you ever gazed at a painting by Monet and felt as if you had been instantly transported to a lovely garden in Giverny, France? Have you ever walked into a flower shop and felt wonderfully overcome by the blended fragrances of sterling roses, stargazer lilies, and English lavender? Or have you perhaps recently redecorated your master bedroom in your favorite colors and have now created your perfect sanctuary?

As women, we tend to be the caretakers of everyone around us, leaving little, if any, time for ourselves. For that reason, it’s important that we circumvent the outer chaos of our hectic lives by surrounding ourselves with things that evoke calm and tranquility, if only for moments at a time. And those “things” can be as different and unique as each woman is different and unique. We’ve all heard the old saying “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.” And so it is with this concept of surrounding ourselves with beauty. It’s whatever elicits and captures this visceral response for you. And if you’ve been tightening your purse strings of late, try any of these budget-friendly, simple, but effective, “beauty” tips:

1. Buy fresh flowers from your local Farmers Market, where they‘re generally less expensive than the flower shop or even the grocery store. Or if an entire bouquet is beyond your current budget, one single rose stem will do the trick. Place them on your nightstand so that these fragrant blooms are the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning and the last thing you see when you retire in the evening.

2. Instead of listening to the news, play a feel-good CD as you’re getting yourself ready in the morning. This may be your favorite music artist or perhaps a personal-growth audio. The key is that it moves you in some positive, uplifting way.

3. Commune with nature by taking a walk through a local park, or stop by one on your way home. Enjoy the simplicity of nature and all of her inherently calming ways. Let Mother Earth nurture you.

4. De-clutter and organize your office space or work area. You’ll discover this will do wonders for reducing stress levels (not to mention create a more efficient environment).

5. Take a luxurious candlelit bubble bath before bed. Be sure to play soothing music. Then close your eyes and picture your body soaking away all of the day’s anxiety and worries.

6. Reach out and offer to help someone in need. Run an errand for a neighbor who has been under the weather lately. Call a loved one who has been facing challenges and offer your support or simply a listening ear. Visit your local library and offer to be a volunteer reader.

7. Give yourself permission to indulge in a favorite treat on occasion, and do it without guilt. That tiramisu may be just what your soul has been craving.

So, whether your “beauty” is visual, auditory, sensory, or tactile, begin surrounding yourself daily with whatever that is for you. Be good to yourself. You’ll soon begin to see your days magically transform into more positive and enjoyable experiences. After all, that’s the “beauty” of it. 

09/2009 by: Tina Clark Article Source: http://www.articlecity.com/articles/women/article_3200.shtml

Proverbs 20:15

 

 

Sensible words are better than gold or jewels.

3 Reasons That Can Cause Your Family Budget To Fail

There is no question that family budgeting should be taken seriously by every family. A positive budget balance is the only tool in your control to secure your future and the future of your family and to live a good life starting now Unless you get your cash flow under control and start treating your household like a Chief Financial Officer,

Here are the major blocks most people face when trying to take control of their family budget:

Family Budget Blocker #1 - A Fearful or Negative Attitude
 
I cannot stress this point enough --a positive attitude about family budgeting is essential to your success. If you think of budgeting as a major chore (such as a lifestyle diet, lifestyle handcuffs, deprivation, penny-pinching, a major sacrifice), you are sure to fail. Of course you may have a martyr or a masochist complex and are addicted to a punishing and stressful experience. However, let's think positive and assume that you are really desperate to get a handle on your finances.

A positive attitude towards money will help you think of your family budget as a positive means to a positive end. You will learn that it is a way to achieve your personal dreams and financial goals. You will see that postponing the instant gratification of debt induced lifestyle is worth the rewards you will earn in the end.
 
Family Budget Blocker #2 - Poor or Weak Motivation
 
What is your motivation for creating a family budget? Are you trying to make a mate happy? Are you being forced to follow the terms of a debt repayment plan with a consumer credit counseling agency? Complying with judge's order made in bankruptcy court?
 
These are not the best motivators because they are external motivators and will probably not be easy to maintain under constant stress. The best motivators are internally generated. You must be motivated by the idea that family budgeting will really help you meet your goals and give you a better life.
 
Family Budget Blocker # 3 - Magical Thinking
 
What do you expect to gain from instituting and following a family budget? Do you think that setting up a family budget will somehow magically make tons of extra cash available quickly? Perhaps you think that the family budget will somehow magically transform your spending habits next week and make you a financially responsible person who has all their bills paid and money left over for luxuries?
 
Sorry, but, family budgeting is just as serious as any business. Only those who with with it personal finances, through every obstacle, will reap rewards financially. Do not expect pennies from heaven. What you will get, if you work your family finances, is steady and measurable progress towards the goals that really matter to you and your family.
 
Creating a family budget without a positive attitude about your abilities to handle it; internal motivation to overcome all obstacles, and realistic expectations, will likely set you up for failure before you even get started. You can greatly increase your chances of success by overcoming the three Family Budget Blockers before you even begin.
 
Family financial crises make most people want to shut off the telephone, stop answering the door, and crawl into bed but the solutions are really simple.
 
One of the easiest steps for any debt or credit repair strategy, is to take a in depth look at the spending habits and financial patterns within the household especially if you have a family! It is almost like running a diagnostic on your vehicle.
 
You need to get family members together and put your family budget under critical examination. This can prove both daunting and stressful because all family members will be asked to face their spending habits. This is the first step.
 
A close second, and sometimes overlooked, is using a reward system for those family members who get with the new budgeting strategy. Rewards will keep the motivation going! In other words, as you achieve budget goals give yourself or your family members a treat as a reward for a job well done.
 
As you begin your family budget plan it may seem to be an uphill battle at first but, if you stick with it, you will begin to experience the benefits of family budgeting. Before you know it, you will see big financial benefits on many fronts.
 
Active and hands-on cash management, including savings, planning for retirement, and setting financial goals are becoming increasingly important for the survival and well-being of our families. The marketplace has become extremely competitive for jobs, prices fluctuate wildly for basic commodities such as food and energy. More than ever we need to be prepared by getting our family budgets under control.
 
It will take a leader in the family to make this work. You can be the one who motivates others to come up with new ideas on how to save money, budget better and spend less! Together you can create unique strategies from a deep understanding of your own situation, demands, and needs.
 
Discover which tips and ideas work best for everyone because money management and financial strategies are definitely not one-size-fits-all. Your lifestyle, needs, and wants are personal and unique to your situation and so are the solutions you need to find. Find them and apply them to your family budget plan as soon as possible. 

06/2009 Jim Desantis http://www.articlebiz.com/article/361427-1-3-reasons-that-can-cause-your-family-budget-to-fail/

Bacon Potato Pie

1 pound bacon, lean, thick-sliced
1 each onion
1 pound potatoes
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
8 each eggs 

Cut the bacon slices into square pieces. Fry the pieces until well-cooked, then drain on paper towels. Peel the potatoes, then grate them. To prevent the grated potatoes from discoloring while you prepare the other ingredients, you can put them into a bowl of cold water. When you're ready to use them, be sure to drain well and squeeze them dry. Grate the cheese. Mince the onion. butter a 9x13 inch shallow baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients and stir. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

NOTES: * You can prepare part of this ahead. You can cook the bacon, grate the cheese and potatoes and mince the onion the night before. Store all these things separately in the refrigerator, covering the potatoes with water. Then in the morning just mix it all up and bake it. 

06/2009 www.freecookingrecipes.net

Who You Spend Time With Determines How Your Feel

Tell me who you spend your time with and I'll tell you how you feel. Sounds impossible? It's really not. You see, we often take on the feelings, behaviors and attitudes of those we spend time with. For example, let's say you have a friend or coworker who's always complaining. She's speaks negatively about her body, her job, her relationships and her life. She looks forward to spending time with you because it gives her an opportunity to vent and find relief. Once she's through, she feels lighter, freer and ready to go on with her day. She enjoys speaking to you because you're a great listener, enabling her to be heard and valued. That works for her but how do you feel? Chances are you feel drained, deflated and uninspired. Although your intention was to be a good friend, once you became involved emotionally in your friends negativity, you were brought right down with her.
Now on the other hand, let's say you have plans to see a friend who is lighthearted, enthusiastic and embraces life with eagerness and zest. Just thinking about this friend brings a smile to your face because you know you'll be having fun and enjoying each other's company. After your time together, you're excited about the rest of your day. You want to capture every moment and see all the beauty that's around you. Your friend may not have intentionally tried to alter your thinking but her positive approach and attitude was infectious.
Which person is better for your health? Studies show that positive thinkers have a 55% lower risk of death from all causes and 23% lower risk of death from heart failure. That's not to say that the more positive person doesn't experience anything unpleasant. In fact, the positive, optimistic person may have experienced more unfortunate situations than the negative, pessimistic person. The result of these experiences however leaves the positive thinker with a greater appreciation, perspective and sense of gratitude. They are grateful for what they see and have because they may have something less pleasant to compare it with. When they encounter a stressful situation, they look for ways to improve it versus letting it consume them. When a problem arises, they use it as an opportunity to find the most appropriate solution, rather than dwelling or magnifying all that's gone wrong.
The negative person works much differently. They expect negative results and when it happens, it only confirms what they'd originally predicted. They're more comfortable judging, gossiping or criticizing because putting others down offers them some relief from their pain. The negative person maintains the role of "victim" in a script she's written for herself. She feels other's are responsible for her "lot in life" and often uses it as an excuse to stay exactly where she is.
Within each of us is a broad range of emotions. An optimist doesn't only experience joy and the pessimist doesn't only experience negativity. It's just that the optimist chooses to expect happiness, success and pleasure and as a result, that's what they find. The pessimist chooses to replay negative thoughts which lead to negative results. It's a choice. We choose how we want to think, feel and act. Although we may be conditioned to think or react a certain way, if we don't like the results it is our choice to change. That's why if we're working towards changing the way we think, feel and react, it's important to be careful about the people you're spending your time with. Look for like minded people who support, encourage and inspire you. Limit your time with people who drain, upset and frustrate you.
This is your life. You are the driver of your car on the road to fulfillment, greater purpose and happiness. While there may be many detours, you have the power to steer yourself in whichever direction you choose to go. If you want to feel good, steer yourself towards an optimistic perspective and let your relationships support your cause. If you choose pessimism, misery loves company and you'll find many people welcoming you into their negative club. Life is a journey and we don't travel alone. Who are you bringing on your ride?

06/2009 By: Debi Silber, Ms, Rd, Whc Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/article/94902-1-who-you-spend-time-with-determines-how-you-feel/

Proverbs 22:9

 

 

The LORD blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor.

Conditioners are formulated to restore moisture, replenish protein, add strength and soften the hair. - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com

Gray hair is a result of the natural aging process, some serious illness, nervous shock or emotional tension. - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com

Gray hair grows that way from the hair bulb. It does not begin to grow as another color that turns gray. - BodySoulAndSpiritSalon.com