New Year's Eve Party Ideas

Wow-can you believe that 2010 is almost over? This year went by fast for me! 2010 was a very good year in some ways and a sad year in others. (I lost a favorite uncle and my godmother.) However, I'm looking forward to a new year and a party to celebrate it.
So to help you ring in 2011, here are a few places to find fun party games, activities, appetizers, great non-alcoholic drinks and more appetizer ideas. This site has a fun party theme for kids. How about some free printable New Year's Eve subway art?

On this last day of 2010 I am thankful for my sweet wonderful family that I have enjoyed to the fullest over the holiday! I am thankful for you dear readers.
I am thankful that tomorrow I will awake to a New Year filled with hope, joy, and a plate overflowing with new projects and possibilities. Have a safe and festive night and a wonderful start to the New Year!

I’ll be spending the next week with my family–wrapping up loose ends, celebrating and enjoying time with our kids and grandkids. (Son and daughter-in-law flying in from Florida. Daughter and son-in-law flying in from Colorado. I'm hoping for a break in the snow so they can make it here!)

I hope you’ll be doing the same! Thank you for following along and posting your comments this past year. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Some Thoughts On Faith

One of the e-newsletters I get is from a guy named Jim Blasingame. He has great insight and advice for small business owners. His latest newsletter had some inspiring words about faith....


"As we continue the holiday season and move into the New Year, I encourage you to contemplate your capacity to have faith, and how faith manifests in your life. Not just religious faith, which is important to many of us, but faith in yourself and faith in others.

August Wilhelm Von Schlegel said, "In actual life, every great enterprise begins with and takes its first forward step in faith." How many things have you accomplished in your life where, regardless of your research and experience, the first forward step was taken in faith?

Awareness of faith can be very exciting. William Newton Clark wrote, "Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see."

Exercising faith can be very powerful. Sherwood Eddy once observed, "Faith is reason grown courageous."

Faith can transcend mere facts, and can actually be a lever for reason. Blaise Pascal believed that, "Faith is a sounder guide than reason. Reason can go only so far, but faith has no limits."

Have faith and take that first step. Have faith and dare to go farther. Have faith and be courageous. Have faith and leverage reason.

Have faith in yourself, and when you do, anything is possible."

Isn't this great advice--especially heading into the New Year?

All I Needed to Know About Life I Learned From Santa

Encourage people to believe in you.
Always remember who's naughty and who's nice.
Don't pout.
It's as much fun to give as it is to receive.
Some days it's ok to feel a little chubby.
Make your presents known.
Always ask for a little bit more than what you really want.
Bright red can make anyone look good.
Wear a wide belt and no-one will notice how many pounds you've gained.
If you only show up once a year, everyone will think you're very important.
Whenever you're at a loss for words, say:
"HO, HO, HO!"

Peppermint Fudge Cupcakes in a Jar

I just had to share this with you! An easy recipe and directions on how to make a great little gift. (I especially love easy!) Need someone you want to impress? Or...just make some for yourself. Either way, you're going to want to check this out. Click here for recipe AND tags! Yay.

Book Review Outlive Your Life by Max Lucado

I am a big fan of Max Lucado. I have several of his books including ones he has written for children. His new book Out Live Your Life is an inspiring read. Once again Lucado has given us insights into how to improve our life and the lives of others. This was an easy book to read and to digest.

Lucado starts his book out with a fable. He then uses biblical references and real-life stories to get his points across. He is a master storyteller so each chapter is a lesson in itself. He knows how to relate each story/chapter to the ordinary person. In this way he calls us each to action.

Some of the stories are hard to read because they aren’t necessarily pretty. He tells us the nitty-gritty story of Jose, a fellow in Brazil who sells medicine out of a tin-walled shed. He tells of Bzuneh Tulema who lives in a dirt-floored house in Africa. He tells of Xu Yonghai who was locked in a Beijing prison for working to get house churches legalized. He tells of Necati Aydin, a Christian in Turkey who was murdered for standing up for his faith in a Muslim country.

This book asks each of us to look at the world around us. We see poverty, famine, disease in the news but it seems very far away at times. But watching and reading about these how can we not realize that we need to make a difference? Lucado says that those who suffer belong to all of us. He says that “God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.”

Lucado points out that most of us really want to do good, to make our life matter. He asks us to reconsider our role in this world. At the end of the book are questions for discussion. Here Lucado give us ideas for action. They are ways to use our gifts, passion and opportunities to serve others.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to make a difference in their neighborhood, community and in the world. (It would make a great Christmas present!)


Please note that Thomas Nelson Publishing has provided me a complimentary copy of this book for my review; however, the opinions are my own. I have not been required to publish a positive review.

Inspired Gift Wrapping

I'm always in awe of the gifts my sister-in-law Mary gives because they are always so beautifully wrapped. (They are almost too pretty to open!) So when I saw these pictures of creatively wrapped gifts I just had to share them with you.

You'll also find links there to get directions for jazzing up your packages. (You might not want to give those beauties away after you try some of these!)

Friends are Life's Greatest Accessory

My best friend Gail and I don't see as much of each other as we'd like. Grandchildren, jobs, hobbies all take up precious time. When we do get together we have so much fun!

I thought of Gail when I saw this girly picture frame on the Infarrantly Creative Blog. There's a tutorial and more pictures. Wouldn't this make a great gift for your best friend?