Debra LaValley's Blog

Happy New Year!

Have a Very Happy and Healthy 2012 Everyone!

I would write more – but I am tired … so is Molly! That is the only way I got the hat on her!

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

“Twas the night before Christmas . . .”

Christmas Eve! Such a special night. I just finished watching IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. It is one of my all time favorite Christmas movies – even though I find myself crying through parts of it. Most of the tears are tears of joy. It is such an uplifting movie with a great message. I like that it shows that it isn’t the folks with money and power that influence our lives – but everyone we come in contact with. Everyone makes a difference in some way in the lives of others. It is a good thing to remember – not only on Christmas Eve. I like Clarence the Angel’s message written in the copy of Tom Sawyer, “Remember no man is a failure who has friends.” As you spend the holidays with your friends and family – remember how blessed you are – it isn’t about the material gifts. The real gift is the time you can spend with family and friends.

I should probably close before I get too sappy. I truly wish you all a wonderful Christmas! Take care and be careful out there and remember Christmas Cheer (aka drinking) and Driving don’t mix. 🙂

Merry Christmas – Everyone!

PS – I still am “a little” excited to see what Santa has brought me … 🙂

Happy Holidays!

Winter officially starts at approximately 12:30 a.m. EST (12/22) with the winter solstice. Today is the day when the daylight hours are the shortest and the longest night. It is a turning point though, and the days will start lengthening little by little! We didn’t have much in terms of light today. It was a gloomy drizzly day (with some freezing rain). When I left for work this morning, it looked like 3:30 in the afternoon! It is a day for comfort food and luckily there has been plenty of comfort food around since Christmas is almost upon us. There has been so much food and desserts around at work – we all will be in need plenty of dieting and exercising after the holidays. Tomorrow, is a pot luck day in our “wing” at work. There will be so much yummy goodies for us to graze on all day long! Luckily, I am in a meeting all morning – so that should help me stay away from the goodies for a while. I love how everyone is in the sharing and giving spirit this time of year (as long as you stay away from the malls and other stores where folks in last-minute shopping frenzies can be a bit rude). I will NOT be stepping into another department store or the mall until well after the holidays!

Tonight, I have to wrap presents. I do not like wrapping presents at all. Maybe, I hate it because I never seem to be able to do a good job. I hate wrapping about as much as Molly liked wearing the Santa Hat. However, I am watching The Santa Clause and sipping a glass of Pinot Noir – so wrapping will not seem so bad. I may even manage humming a Christmas carol or two.

Have a great evening everyone!

Here is a recipe a friend at work gave me that I think you may enjoy. I would have to use fake chicken since I am a vegetarian – but it sounds good.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot Original Sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cans (12.5 oz. each) white chunk chicken, drained

Preheat oven to 350
Mix cream cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, then stir in 1 cup shredded cheese. Spoon into an 8×8 glass or metal dish/pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through, then stir. Spread dip with remaining cup of shredded cheese, bake about 5-10 minutes more until the cheese melts.

Our family lost a lovely lady on Wednesday – my Aunt Audrey. Though, we are sad at her passing – she left us with many memories. I will remember her last days when she was thanking folks for coming and telling everyone she loved them and to remember all the good times. She didn’t complain and was always thinking about others. This year, Aunt Audrey will be spending Christmas in Heaven with her beloved husband Donald, their son Donny, and other loved ones who have left this earth. Sleep in Heavenly Peace – Aunt Audrey! Sleep in Heavenly Peace . . .

Molly Helping Wrap Presents

I love buying Christmas presents for my friends and family – but I hate wrapping. Tonight, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was on so I was in the mood to wrap a few gifts. Molly decided to help. I swear – even the most shy feline will come out and plop down on any paper you place on the floor – especially if you don’t want any help. She is such a little goon. 🙂

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

There is so much to be thankful for no matter what is going on in our lives. I cherish my friends and my family! Let’s all count our many blessings today! I remember when I was young, when we would all pack in the family car and head for our Thanksgiving dinner singing the Over the River and Through the Woods song! I have linked the song to a download on YouTube. This is a Thanksgiving song – though some have changed it to a Christmas song. It really is a Thanksgiving song. It always reminds me of Thanksgiving and one of my wishes to go on a real sleigh ride . . . maybe this year!

Pumpkin pie is my favorite Thanksgiving pie (my favorite pie is Lemon Meringue but it rarely makes an appearance at Thanksgiving in our family). When I think of Thanksgiving dishes – I also remember my grandmother LaValley’s Cranberry Salad. It may not have been my favorite when I was a youngster – but through the years, I have come to enjoy it. It reminds me of my grandparents. Grammy and Pepe used to pick wild cranberries (high bush) located somewhere behind the Renfor’s home. I don’t know the spot, and I am sure there is a development now located where they used to be. In keeping with the sharing spirit of Thanksgiving, here is my grandmother’s Cranberry Salad recipe. It may be too late to whip up for your meal today – but it can be served other times of the year. You may be having a special meal or two in the next month or so 🙂

Grammy’s Cranberry Salad

1 cherry Jell-O
1 1/2 c boiling water – let set until thick as egg whites
add 1 can whole cranberry sauce
chopped celery and nuts

Serve with mayonnaise thinned with pineapple juice.

Have a wonderful day and drive carefully!

Pepe & Grammy

Thanksgiving is in two days and the turkey is not the only one who will be stuffed. I love the food and the time spent around the table with friends and family. Did I say, I love food? I especially love PIE! I also love squash . . . mashed potatoes . . . hot rolls with butter . . . and more PIE! Since, I don’t eat meat – there is more room for PIE! However, I am not talking turkey when I say that I am going for a Christmas miracle and loose 5 pounds by Christmas. This will be a jump start on my 2012 resolution to eat better and increase my exercise. So – will I have PIE for Thanksgiving? YES, I will – but smaller pieces and incorporate a walk or two during the day. I have a trip to Bermuda scheduled in April, and my goal is to lose 20 pounds by then. With all this pie talk – I am getting hungry. I think I will go and grab a diet fudgicle and pretend it is pie 🙂

Om

Healing the Planet

Some of us in my weekly yoga group are participating in a year long meditation to heal the planet. This special meditation began on 11/11/11 and is being done all over the world, I believe. We have made a commitment to recite the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra which is a healing and nourishing mantra for five minutes a day for an entire year.

Healing Mantra on YouTube

The YouTube video with the mantra being sung – really helped me learn it. I hear it in my head through out the day. If I ever get a number of how many people are taking part – I will let you know.

Namaste

. . . now if I could only commit to eating in moderation and exercising more . . . I think I can do it!

Heading for Sanctuary

Last Saturday on the way grocery shopping – I saw these turkeys in the Blossom Hill Cemetery near the Perkins Chapel. I thought it was very amusing for a group of turkeys to be in front of a chapel. They must have sensed Thanksgiving will be here soon (and it is hunting season). The cemetery is most likely the safest place for them to be this time of year 🙂

Speaking of Thanksgiving. Below is THE BEST Pumpkin Pie recipe. It was my Grammy La Valley’s and is the recipe my mom uses. It is simply delicious!

Grammy La Valley’s Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 3/4 c pumpkin
3/4 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 T flour
1 2/3 cup evaporated milk

Mix in order given. Bake 15 minutes at 425. Then 45 minutes at 350.