Have you ever wanted to start your own home business? This is the year for many to really think about doing so.

With so many firms laying off many people will begin to re-think how to bring income back into their homes. I know that it is something that many will have a hard time thinking of a new business but with some intense thoughts you can do it!

In thinking about starting a business think about what it is you like and what you are really good at. Whether it is a product that you make or even a service that you can offer it is important that you find something that you like doing.

The internet is a vast bowl of opportunity. You can find one idea, put it into play and make money. If it does not work try again with something else.

Make a list of things that you are interested in and start slowly. It can be done!

        

With my father being ill I have taken a good look at protecting my family in case anything like this were to happen to me. One way I began doing this and that was looking into term life insurance at Wholesale Insurance. Checking the rates against other firms that I have seen.

None of us wish to think about our passing but in reality you really need to. It is important to think about what you will be leaving behind. Besides if you have ever looked into funeral rates you will know that they are so expensive. My father did not plan for the future so he had no real insurance plans under his belt. So all the expenses are out of pocket and for me to pay. I am not complaining but it could have been avoided by having insurance coverage.

That is why I have began to seriously look into upgrading what I already have. I do not want my children to have to go through the expense of what I am going through right now.

        

One thing that I do not own and that is a flash drive. I should have one so I can utilize resources from my PC and lap top but that can wait.

Right now my PC is ill. Seems that while my son was using it he clicked on something or went to a site that had spyware on it and BAM my computer is sick with things on it that should not be there.

Having my own personal computer techie living in the house does come in handy. The diagnosis was to do a complete re-install of the PC which really makes me mad. Yet there is nothing that can be done.

Later this afternoon a full back up will be done and the re-install will be started. It also affected my email software shutting it down so I can not receive any emails at all. I rapidly changed a few important accounts over to another service for the time being to receive emails but for the main site there will be no emails received until I have the PC fixed.

If you are trying to send emails wait until mid week until all is really updated and fixed to insure that I receive them all.

What a pain in the neck!

        

Right now we are making plans for the up coming New Year.

An executive meeting of the minds will be taking place the first week of January to throw out new ideas on how to improve the publication.

This means that new sections will be added and some of the older ones might just disappear entirely.

This is an exciting time here as with each new year there are always new and improved ideas that are implemented into action. With our ever growing subscriber list it shows that what we are doing works so very well for one and all.

There also will be plans about expanding the web site. That is the major work plan for the New Year. Instead of having it just a static page to implement news and briefs as an additional teaser for the publication.

Do you have any ideas? Send them in to us

        

Who says that it is to late to sit on Santas lap? I know that I got a wish that I forgot to make. So I went over to the site and uploaded my fave pic of Star and then sat and listened to Santa and his elf. Whoa, was I glad that I was still on the good list haha I have one last gift to send to a friend in California. I sent him the video so he could take a look at the CEIVA Digital Photo Frame. I wanted to make sure that he thought it was something that he would like to have from myself and family.

It did not take him long to answer back with a big YES! Thinking that this would be a great way to share pictures of things that our family does and other special pictures that I know that he would like to have immediately. Plus he liked the style of the frames that he saw as it would fit in his retro styled home decor.

It was all really easy to do. Finding a picture and uploading it was a snap. I was just glad that it was that easy. So, now it is a simple matter of the purchase and set up. Which once more is easy and the cost is very reasonable.

I am so excited that we both decided on a gift that would be appreciated. It will be so much easier than sending by email or regular mail. I love the ease of the entire product. Not to mention the cost. I have seen others that are more expensive.

This is one last minute gift that I am sending that will be perfect for all concerned.

Plus there is a contest going on where they are giving away $500 a week to the lucky winner! Never know you might be the lucky one to win!

For more info stop by the site and take a peek at this great gift at Sit on Santa's Lap

        

It seems that we have been waiting and waiting for Yule to get here and now it is over and already in the past. What memories have you made for this Yule season?

I know that this year has been a special one as it is the last Yule we will be sharing with my father as he has terminal cancer. So we tried to make it the most festive and happy as possible.

In the January issue we would like to have those special memories that you would like to share with our readers sent in. We thought that it would be a fun way to bring in the New Year to share Yule with everyone.

If you would like to send in your Yule memory please send it before January 15th

        

With this being a very crazy time in most of our schedules one thing that I enjoy is our one night a week that is strictly for the family. We plan an easy dinner that is mainly finger food, along with a yummy sweet snack made by my daughter. Very little clean up is the main thought here so we can relax and not worry about the big clean up mess in the kitchen. Before hand we have also picked out a movie or two for the entire family to sit together and watch.

Enjoying the closeness of just being together, commenting on the plot of the movie and of course the characters. choosing a movie that is suitable for all ages is important as the youngest is 9. Watching something that will teach him something during the movie is always considered. Enjoying his critical views at the end at why the characters did what is always another high point in listening to him during and after the movie.

One such movie that is a really good family movie is, All Roads Lead Home The Movie. A cast of good actors that you begin to find something that you are able to relate to on not just an intellectual level but an emotional level as well. Teaching a lesson that the family can talk about together for days ahead not just after the movie. I highly suggest placing this movie on your family must see list. My youngest really did enjoy it a lot.

For those of you that have not seen the movie, please sit back and enjoy the trailer that is presented here. Once you see the teaser trailer you will want to rush right out and rent this movie for a night of pure family inspiration!

        

Since the children will be out on vacation pretty soon you might be at wits end trying to think of some things to keep those busy hands and minds focused on fun things to do! I found this a few years ago and my sons loved doing this. Even the older girls joined in as it is a quick and simple activity to do.

Bagged Reindeer Oatmeal Food

Ingredients and Supplies

Makes 4 bags * 1/3 cup butter
* Saucepan
* 1/2 cup of brown sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
* Spoon or spatula
* 1 1 /2 cups of oatmeal
* Greased 8-inch square pan
* Knife
* paper towels
* pencil
* 12 x 18 inch brown craft foam
* Scissors
* Four brown paper lunch bags
* Glue gun
* Four 1 1/2- inch red pom-poms
* Eight 20 mm moving eyes

Variation:

Store-bought crunchy oatmeal granola bars

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in the saucepan over low heat.
2. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the brown sugar and baking soda. Mix well.
3. When the mixture is foamy, stir in the oatmeal.
4. Dump the oatmeal mixture into the greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
5. While hot, cut the oatmeal into four bars.
6. Wait about 10 minutes, then take out each bar out of the pan and lay it on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Don't worry if it crumbles- the reindeer like it that way.
7. Trace eight reindeer antlers (click here to see them), pattern is on this page, onto the brown craft foam and cut out.
8. Put a bar of the oatmeal mixture into each lunch bag.
9. Fold the top right and left corners of each lunch bag down to form a point at the top of the bag. Then fold that section down and glue a pom-pom (reindeer nose) at the point, which is now facing down.
10. Glue two moving eyes above each nose.
11. Glue two antlers onto the top of each bag so they're sticking up.
12. Eat the reindeer oatmeal on Christmas Eve, but save some to sprinkle on your lawn for Rudolph and his friends!

Variation:

* Purchase store-bought crunchy oatmeal granola bars and use them instead of making the granola recipe.

* Note: Chances are animals will eat the food you sprinkle outside, but the oatmeal granola won't hurt them.

        

(picture by Hello Naomi)



Are you starting your Yule baking yet? I know that a lot of people begin baking the first of December but I am not one of those! We start here on the 20th with the official home baking. There are no diet pills to be seen anywhere during this time!

This year my youngest daughter will be joining the baking fun in the kitchen. Last year it was my oldest and I baking and it was a lot of fun. My sons did join in as well. Especially the youngest which he loved the decorating of the sugar cookies.

This year I was forced, yes forced, into having a family cookie making day. My girls brought up how I used to prepare rolled cookie dough and all the children would be able to cut out, decorate and bake the cookies. Having the time of their lives. My mouth dropped open at this as they are a lot older now and I do have the youngest help with decorating. Just not the entire gang. It was easier for me to just give in and make an official day of doing this. Even the older guys have to join in. They were grumbling more than I was!

Sometimes family traditions come back to bite you in the rear. haha

        

During the Yule holidays you see a lot of home decorators using pillar candles as part of their motif. I know that I personally use candles as part of my Yule decorations but am one of those that do not light them.

While candles are a lovely way in which to decorate and use as a warming touch to your seasonal decorations they are dangerous when left unattended. There are so many times that people light candles and then leave them for one reason or the other. The bottom line is that fires may indeed be started this way. An animal might knock into them toppling the candle to the ground.

Using candles is a great idea but use common sense when using. Never leave a candle unattended. No matter if you are just popping out for a moment. It only takes a moment for an accident to happen!