Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Tuesday, November 30

Want to make that tree stay alive (without all the shedding needles) longer?

Here's a special recipe that should do the trick...

Pour 2 gallons of hot water into a five gallon container, add the following:

1 pint of clear Karo syrup
4 oz of liquid chlorine bleach
2 oz kitchen vinegar
1/2 tsp. 20 Mule Team Borax
2 oz liquid Woolite

Stir ingredients into water, cut 1/2 inch from stump and stand tree in container to soak for 4-5 days. Prop in a shady area or in garage.

Monday, November 29, 2010

Monday, November 29

Holiday season is in full swing!

Here are some tips to protect yourself from December stress:

1. Say "No" to projects that will not fit into your time schedule. Choose those where you know you are “serving” and drop those things that are just time fillers.

2. Have back-ups- extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key , extra stamps, and extra batteries.

3. Most importantly, find time to be alone and pray.

*CyberMonday Find: Check out repossessed items from the police at: www.propertyroom.com

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Wednesday, November 24

Getting Ready for Thanksgiving--One Day Ahead Checklist:

-Peel Potatoes and place in a pot of cold water. Keep in the fridge.
-Clean veggies
-Prepare stuffing
-Spot clean (Again!)
-Check the TP in the bathrooms
-Put up decorations
-Buy flowers (for the table, if you use live flowers)
-Set the table (after dinner)
-Bake dishes that can be made ahead
-Put new batteries in the camera

This is an e-mail I once received and I've held onto it over the years:

I AM THANKFUL...

-For the wife who says “it's hot dogs tonight” because she is at home with me and not with someone else

-For the husband sitting in his recliner after dinner because he's at home with his family instead of out drinking with his friends

-For the teenager who's complaining about doing dishes because that means she's at home and not on the streets

-For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, gutters that need fixing because that means I have a home

-For my huge heating bill because that means at least I am warm

-For the pile of laundry and ironing because it means I have clothes to wear

-For the alarm that goes off early in the morning because that means I am alive

For all these things and more...I am thankful

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Tuesday, November 23

Time for some Midday Joy!

*If you haven't already, be sure to get the Flu shot! This year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has modified its recommendations for influenza vaccination. Everyone over the age of six months should now be considered for the vaccine.

*What to do two days before Thanksgiving at your house:

-Chill beverages
-Shop for perishable items
-Set out bread for homemade stuffing
-Make cranberry sauce
-Fill salt and pepper shakers, along with butter dish
-Clean your house (Then chase the kids around for the next two days trying to keep it clean!)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Thursday, November 18

Turkey Day is exactly one week away!

Here's a way to organize "who" is bringing "what" at Thanksgiving...

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH: Congratulations to TMP Cleaning Service in Salisbury!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Wednesday, November 17

The old-fashioned paper card with a stamp or an e-card...

Which will you be sending this holiday season? Let me know which one and why! (email: bswitala@wolc.org)

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Tuesday, November 16

What is a date exactly when you are married? I think everyone has their own ideas and expectations, which of course can lead to conflict in marriage. Here are mine:

1) No kids!
2) An invitation...one person asks the other one out on a date.
3) It's a planned, agreed upon event.
4) It's a time to impress like you did before you were married. (Pretend like you haven't caught him/her yet and you want to win their heart!)

What are your expectations for a date? Do you date your spouse?

Monday, November 15, 2010

Monday, November 15

Love fried turkey on Thanksgiving? There may be a safer way to fry.

Consumer Reports says that electric turkey fryers are much safer. Testers checked out a new model from Butterball that costs as little as $117 and can go right on the countertop.

Testers fried a 12-pound turkey in the Masterbuilt Butterball Professional Series Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer. Forty-eight minutes later, out came a nicely browned, juicy turkey.

"It's definitely faster than roasting. The turkey was great. The thighs were a little bit oily, but other than that, it was delicious," Bernie Deitrick, with Consumer Reports, said.

Clean-up was easy, too. A lid helps prevent spattered oil, and a drain makes it easy to empty out the oil.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Friday, November 12

Happy Friday, and welcome to the Midday Joy blog!

-Need encouragement to maintain your healthy weight this Thanksgiving (and avoid that extra slice of pecan pie?!) Check out this blog...

-Next week is the collection week for Operation Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse. There are many local drop off sites where you can bring your filled shoeboxes. Use this weekend to go shopping!!!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Thursday, November 11

THANK YOU VETERANS!



*Wondering what to watch this weekend? Ramona and Beezus (out on DVD this week) received 5 out of 5 stars by the family-friendly movie reviewer Pluggedin.com. Check it out here!

*Take a look at these thoughts from frugal organizer and deep thinker Rachel Meeks, who's also a believer. (This is my favorite blog!)

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH: Congratulations to Becker Morgan Group in Salisbury!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Friday, November 5

Welcome to the Friday edition of Midday Joy!

Pass the breath mints, please!...Garlic may not make you that popular at the office, but it may help protect you from getting sick. Find out which foods (and spices) may help boost your immunity and keep cold and flu at bay.


Thursday, November 4, 2010

Thursday, November 4

Want to make Thanksgiving easier and less expensive for your family? Perhaps you want to bless someone in your church with a Thanksgiving meal...

Check out Angel Food Ministries. They have inexpensive food that is available each month as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas family meals- already prepackaged. You can see where there's an Angel Food Ministries site at a church close to you.

LUNCH FOR A BUNCH: Congratulations to the staff at Mroh's Gas in Crisfield, MD!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Monday, November 1

Welcome to a new week and a new month! I'm Brittney, your Midday Joy host--thank you for visiting my blog!

Have some leftover chocolate? (I hear you saying, "Yeah, right! Women don't have leftover chocolate!") Well, if you happen to have more than you can reasonably eat, here are some recipes that might fill the bill....I think that candy corn white chocolate bark looks good to me!

Someone to root for while watching the World Series--Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton. After some difficult struggles with drugs and alcohol, here's what he has to say:

"You don't necessarily wake up in the morning and think about it - I'm not going to drink today or I'm not going to use drugs today," Hamilton said. "You have things in place. You wake up in the morning and pray. I do my Bible study in the morning and at night when I get home. I listen to Christian music and country music. There's a lot of things I had to change as far as what I was doing and what kind of life I was leading to make my life better."