See you in July

Hi,
This season's posts from us are winding up, until we start again in July. Christmas in July, as Cathy noted.
Please leave topic ideas in your comments if you are so inspired.
This Christmas of 2008 was a joyful one for my family, and I hope for yours, also.
To add to my own fun was our book's debut and the enthusiastic reception it is getting.
I made the toffee recipe, from our book's postcard, for a Christmas party at work, and got many requests for the recipe.
I have two post-holiday Christmas activities lined up at my house.
I gathered pine cones and will make a wreath from them, and bought a DVD copy of "A Christmas Memory", starring Patty Duke and Piper Laurie. It arrived in January and so I will watch it soon, and report back to you on how I like it.
Meanwhile come visit me at my own blog, where I post lots of garden tips and have book giveaways at

http://terragarden.blogspot.com
Terra

Honoring Those Who Passed Away During the Year

My husband’s maternal grandfather passed away in March of 2007. He lived a full, happy life, going to be with the Lord and his beloved Madge at the age of 93. Even at his funeral, family and friends laughed at stories about his life more than we mourned his passing.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the death of a loved one, we all need to grieve in our unique way. We need to process what the loss means to us and acknowledge our pain. To that end, one way to help do that over the holidays is to set up a tribute to the deceased loved one.

Our family has done this several times—for my or my husband’s grandparents. We covered a card table with a solid tablecloth and placed on this table items that reminded us of the vibrant lives of Papa Dee, Mama Madge, Nana and G.G. We enjoyed looking at photos of them in younger years and swapping stories about the way they had influenced us. Rather than ignoring their deaths and pretending like nothing had changed from the previous Christmas, we were able to respectfully acknowledge their special and significant influence on each of our lives.

My hope is that my children will do the same when I’m gone . . .

Salad Dressing Tip

The advice on weight loss doesn't change much--eat fewer calories, move more. Doing it is the hard part.

Here's a way to reduce some calories and certainly fat. Instead of using a bottled salad dressing or even an oil and vinegar mix, take a packet of Splenda or Equal (I haven't tried any of the others) and sprinkle it over your salad. Then take a fresh lemon quarter and squeeze that over the top. It gives you a sweet/sour dressing taste that is really quite pleasant and even wakes up the taste of those bagged salads. Add a little pepper if you are so inclined and you'll have saved calories and fat.

Now as some of my favorite movie characters say, "Move it! Move it! We got to move it, move it!"

Losing Weight the Easy Way

This week we are posting about tips on losing weight, and after Christmas at my annual doctor appointment I learned I lost 5 pounds in the past twelve months.
I did this in an easy way; a year ago I changed to eating more healthy whole grain carbs and limiting refined carbs.
My favorite bread now is Health Nut; it is whole wheat and nuts and delicious.
Instead of the usual snack crackers and pretzels I buy Ry Krisp crackers and other whole grain crackers.
Every day for breakfast I have oatmeal or Shredded Wheat. I have read that oatmeal helps lower cholesterol, a side benefit.
The oatmeal is easy to fix. I buy Quaker Oats quick one minute oatmeal, put 1/2 cup in a bowl with 1 cup of milk and cook it in the microwave for 1 and 1/2 minutes, stir it and cook for 30 seconds more.
Add craisins, raisins, brown sugar, a dollop of light whip cream, or anything you like for a yummy breakfast.
So that turned out to be an enjoyable way to lose five pounds.
Do you have any tips to share?

Leslie's Weight Loss Tips

This tip always works for me. Part of our challenge in weight loss is that we can easily access new clothing to fit our ever-expanding frame. Just buy new clothes. That’s always fun, right? However, to help your weight loss efforts, don’t allow yourself to buy new items to replace those that have gotten a little snug.

In fact, avoid wearing anything stretchy altogether! Instead, find the tightest pair of jeans—ones you already own—that you can still fit into. If you have to, lie down on the bed to zip them up.

Doing so will accomplish two things:

1. Serve as a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish—losing the five (10? 15?) pounds you put on over the holidays.
2. Keep you from eating very much anyway. If they’re that tight, you’ll feel full after only a few bites. Listen to your body and stop eating. Remember, you’ll have another eating op in a few hours!

It’s interesting to me to note what you have when you take the “e” out of feasting. Fasting. While I’m not insisting that you do that, most of us could stand to skip a meal or two, or—at the very least—cut back a little on our consumption.

Finally, I’ve always liked the Weight Watchers slogan: “Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!” Can you say amen?

Snow Angels Revisited

Ohio has had its share of cold and snow this week. I find it a little confining and frustrating when the roads are bad and the wind chills get dangerous. But not my mother-in-law. Yesterday we went to pick up my grandson for the weekend and stopped by her condo to drop off some Christmas gifts. Since we had cruised for the holidays, we didn't get down to see her before Christmas.

As we walked up to her door I looked to my right where the new coating of snow had been disturbed. There in the middle of it was a fresh snow angel--just her size.

If you have a copy of A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts, my story, Grandma's Snow Angel, is on page 95. When I first wrote it she was about to turn 80. This year she will be 88. And she's still making angels in the snow!

The Good and Not-So-Good of this Past Christmas

Christmas 2008 has presented itself with both good and not-so-good elements. As is God’s Way, though, the two seem inextricably woven together. The economic woes of our nation hit my family particularly hard this year. My husband works as an independent investment advisor, and he gets paid when his clients make money. And for the past few months . . . well, you get the idea.

At first, I railed against our circumstances, which had required that I take on a part-time editorial position with Joni & Friends (www.joniandfriends.org) , a non-profit organization for the advocacy of people with disabilities. Only a few weeks later, I can see God’s had in all of it. I admire my boss, Pat Verbal, who ranks as one of the women I wish I could be like when I grow up. I enjoy the work, which has stretched me already, and I eagerly await our bigger projects.

I lamented our meager—and I do mean meager!!!—Christmas gifts. However, I had a Very Special Gift to give: my new book! And we re-gifted in some cases. Shhh, that’s just between us! Our kids understood. All through this process, they’ve looked for creative ways to save and make money. It’s been good for them.

As with most trials, I would not have chosen to take on these challenges; however, my family and I are stronger for having faced them, given them over to God again and again and again, and allowed Him to provide in miraculous and creative ways. Dependency on Him is ultimately a good thing.

Maybe my not-so-good is actually very, very good.