*** Your Title Here ***

Emerson Publications
Live for today... Prepare for tomorrow!

The Family First Newsletter
Promoting family unity one issue at a time
Vol. 9 Issue 43 - Week of November 20, 2006
ISSN: 1527-6201
©2006 - Joyce Pierce --All Rights Reserved

In this issue:

Keep the Joy, Ditch the Debt - Smart Spending During the Holidays
Fabric Gift Bags
Putting Family First
Four Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

Good morning!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope you'll be reflecting on those things you're thankful for as this holiday approaches. What a wonderful time to gather your family together and share those things you're grateful for. Watching a grandmother struggle with bad health almost her entire life has certainly made me grateful for my own good health. Now, watching friends suffering with cancer and other illnesses has made me even more grateful not only for my health, but for their friendship.
So...what are YOU thankful for?

As soon as the Thanksgiving dishes are done, it seems that people are out there in the big lines ready to officially start their Christmas shopping. One other thing I'm grateful for is online shopping! This year, as in years past, I'll be doing most of my shopping from the convenience of my own home. Stop to think about how much your time is worth. For me, ordering online saves me money, even if I have to pay shipping.

This month you're going to see a wonderful children's book available from Zodiac Publishing. I hope you'll visit the site on Amazon and read more about it. Books are always a great gift for children. Toys seem to have a limited lifetime, but books take on a life of their own. So...read about Betty the Fairy and see how she saves Christmas!

Please forward this issue to someone who may benefit from it!

Joyce Pierce

Join Betty the Fairy as the fixes a problem so huge, so monumental that it may compromise the entire Christmas Present Delivery Operation. Tensions are high in the Claus household this Christmas Eve; there's only one way out of this particular pickle.

Priced at only $10.99, Betty Saves Christmas is available in paperback from www.amazon.com and www.zodiacpublishing.co.uk

Walking With Gratitude
Keep the Joy, Ditch the Debt - Smart Spending During the Holidays
by Faye Prosser
Picture this: You are gathered together with your family while they excitedly open their holiday gifts. The anticipation of this moment has been building for months. Gift after gift, the kids move from one present to another, in a wild frenzy of unwrapping abandon. In some cases, they barely glance at the gift before they move to the next. When all is said and done, you are left with a huge pile of torn gift wrap and toys your kids may only play with once or twice. But there is one thing about the gift giving whirlwind that will make a lasting impression – your credit card debt. That $500 or more you spent on all those things will follow you for months and possibly years to come. The toys will be long broken, lost, and stuck in storage, but you will still be paying for them, plus interest.
Sound like the picture perfect holiday? Definitely not. Unfortunately, for many people, this is exactly what happens every year in December. People get caught up in the joy of giving and end up spending well above their means. The result is that they continue to pay for those items long after they are discarded. If this is a familiar holiday scenario in your house, you will be thrilled to know that there are alternatives to the spend and suffer debt cycle.
If you sincerely want to enjoy a debt free, joy filled holiday, consider the following suggestions.
Agree on a Budget: If you and your family and friends agree on a gift giving budget or method, everyone’s holidays will be less financially draining. Although it may seem awkward to bring up the subject, ask relatives to agree to stay within a set budget. This can make the entire gift giving adventure more fun and easier to live with in January, when the bills usually start showing up.
Pick a Name: If your whole family agrees, you can each choose a name, with each person responsible for buying a gift for only one other person. If you set a maximum dollar amount, it will keep costs down even more and ensure the gift exchange is fair for everyone. Capping the gift cost at $15 to $20 per gift is a good rule of thumb. This method of gift exchange is especially frugal when very large families get together. Everyone will still take home a gift but costs will be contained. Gift cards are often a welcome present if you are not sure what to purchase.
Just for the Kids: Another sure way to decrease costs is to buy gifts only for the children. How many times have you received a gift from a distant relative that wasn’t exactly something you would use? Save your relatives some time, trouble (what in the world should I get for my second cousin who I haven’t seen in five years?), and money and agree to only purchase presents for the little ones.
Made with Love: Handmade gifts are a thoughtful and frugal way to give during the holidays. If all the adults agree to a homemade gift exchange, you will all save more money and you will be able to enjoy the talents of your friends and family. Don’t worry – you don’t need to be named Martha and have your own TV show to give great homemade gifts. Food gifts are always welcome including baked goods, homemade mixes for various foods, chocolate dipped fruit or pretzels, and fruit baskets. If you are crafty consider knitted scarves, themed scrapbooks, ornaments, coupon books and homemade cookbooks.
Discount Dining Deals: One of the best kept secrets when it comes to dining out is www.restaurants.com . You can purchase $25 gift certificates to restaurants all over the country for only $10. When you are ready to order a gift certificate, first go to http://www.gonicofish.com and select “restaurant.com” from the pull-down menu on the left. There is a good chance you will find a coupon code for 40% - 60% off the already low certificate prices. Enter that code in the coupon section during checkout at www.restaurants.com . It is not unusual to spend $5 for $25 gift certificates when you use a coupon code! You print the gift certificate from your printer and give it to the recipients when you are ready. There is no waiting for the certificates to arrive in the mail. Make sure you read the fine print as some restaurants have requirements such as a minimum purchase in order to use the certificates.
Buy for Next Year: Purchase clearance items from this year’s post-holiday clearance and use them next year. Many of the super stores begin marking down holiday décor the day after most holidays. You can find artificial trees, ornaments, dishware, themed tablecloths and napkins, holiday cards, gift wrap, candles, and more at savings of 75%-90% off the regular retail cost. Make sure you wait patiently for a couple weeks after the holidays for the best buys. Store the items and use them to decorate next year. For instance, buy up those 75% off colored glass ball ornaments and place them in a nice crystal bowl as a centerpiece next December. Purchase the clearance gift sets such as holiday themed plates and cookie sets or cheese, plate and knife sets. Open the package, enjoy the cookies (you would hate for them to go to waste since they won’t keep!) and keep the holiday themed ceramics to give as a gift with your own homemade cookies next year.
Gift the Gift of Time: Not sure what to get for the person who has everything? Consider volunteering your time to help them around the house. Does your aunt need help cleaning out the gutters? Has your grandmother wanted to paint the kitchen for years but can’t manage the job herself? Does your neighbor need a babysitter so she can enjoy a night out with her husband? Offer a gift certificate for a home cooked meal to a new mom or an outing to the zoo with your nephew. Volunteering your time can often be the best gift you can give.
Go Treasure Hunting: Hit the yard and garage sales for holiday decorations. Great décor can be purchased at yard sales for a fraction of the retail cost. Often you can find brand new items with the tags still on.
Go Natural: Use natural items like pinecones from your yard or a large bowl of fruit for decoration. Placed in a large glass bowl, they make a lovely centerpiece. Use evergreen branches and pinecones on the mantel to invoke the winter theme.
Take Baby Steps: If you are in a new home or just starting out on your own, don’t feel like you have to decorate every corner of the house in one season. Collect a few decorative items each year and add to your decorations after the holidays during those great clearance sales.
Creative Wrapping: The $3 you could spend for each roll of wrapping paper that will be torn and discarded can definitely be better spent. How about making your own wrap using recycled brown grocery bags cut open and turned inside out (you don’t want the grocery store name on the outside of the package). Then let the kiddos use holiday stamps or handprints to add lots of color and cheer to the paper before you wrap the gifts. Finish off with some inexpensive twine and a sprig of evergreen from the yard for a real holiday look. Martha would be proud! For a colorful and frugal wrap option, use the comics section from the Sunday paper. Top it off with a colorful bow and you are all set. A number of packages wrapped similarly make a nice presentation, even when the wrap has cartoons on them! Remember that you can buy holiday wrap at 75% - 90% off during January clearance.
Recycle that Bag: Gift bags often survive the frenzy of the holidays much better than wrapping paper. If you received any gifts in gift bags, save the bags for next year and cut down on wrap expenses. The same goes for bows, as well. Save the ones that look good and use them next year. If you receive solid color gift bags, you can use them throughout the year for most gift giving occasions.
As you prepare for the holidays, remember your reasons for celebrating…..getting deep in debt is probably not one of them. If you focus on giving reasonably and enjoying family and friends, you will have a much more comfortable New Year. Your family will thank you and so will your wallet!
Copyright Faye Prosser, 2006
Faye Prosser is the author of "The Smart Spending Guide", December 2005. Her mission is to help others become effective advocates for themselves and their hard-earned money. She teaches people how to budget, reduce debt, and save tremendous amounts of money on groceries and everyday purchases. She has been profiled on various TV stations, newspaper articles, websites and radio shows. For more information on "The Smart Spending Guide", the Smart Spending Coupon Organizer or Smart Spending Workshops, visit www.SmartSpendingResources.com . Faye Prosser may be contacted at http://www.smartspendingresources.com or saving@smartspendingresources.com

If you don't change anything, what will be different in 1, 5 or 10 years?

Let us help you achieve your goals! Get out of debt, quit that second job, stay home with the kids, save for college or your own retirement. If you are looking for a continual, unlimited income to last you a lifetime, join us! We are looking for hardworking, dedicated, passionate people who want to make a difference in their lives. Not MLM. Registered by the BBB and approved by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. No risk. Must be 18. http://www.emersonpublications.com/wahm.htm

Fabric Gift Bags
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce

As my children were growing up, it always bothered me to buy wrapping paper only to see it ripped open and thrown in the fireplace or trash after Christmas gifts were opened. I tried using comics but soon discovered I didn't like the black newsprint it left on my hands and everyone else's. For me, gift wrap was right up there with fireworks - we spent good money only to see it go up in smoke. I began to look for a solution.

I bought craft paper and stenciled things on it, but still, I felt the paper was going to waste. Then one year after Christmas I saw holiday fabric on sale and had an idea! I bought yard after yard of it on clearance and brought it home to make gift bags.

I cut the fabric in various sizes. Sometimes I only got 2-3 bags out of a yard, but I knew that they would be able to hold the bigger items, and better yet - I would be able to reuse them next year. I basically cut and sewed them like a pillowcase. I sewed a seam up three sides and left the top open. Then I turned that edge in slightly and stitched it on the machine to finish it off. Then I folded it in about 3 inches (or more on bigger bags) and hemmed it. I then put another row of stitching about a half inch above that one to create a casing for the ribbon. I slipped a piece of ribbon through the casing and tied it shut. If you have nosey kids, you may want to tie a knot!

Once the gifts are stuffed in the fabric bags and poofed up with tissue paper, stand them up around the tree and enjoy your creative artwork! They look like miniature Santa bags. The best thing, besides the fact that in the long run you are saving money by not buying wrapping paper, is that you don't spend hours wrapping the gifts and don't need scotch tape or bows. One satin ribbon will last the lifetime of the bag. I still use gift tags and punch a hole in them so they can be run through the ribbon. You might save old Christmas cards and cut them up for gift tags.

At first my kids hated it - I guess they liked the sound of the ripping paper and the big mess it created. As years went by, I was determined to make this work, and feel I have now succeeded. I continue to buy fabric occasionally because my family has grown and now includes in-laws and grandchildren. I make the bags big enough that I can insert a shirt box, or whatever size I may be using. Sometimes I just wrap the item with a lot of tissue paper and then stuff it in the fabric bag. Tissue paper allows people to hear the crunching of paper and seems to satisfy the need for noise! Tissue paper is also reusable for the same purpose next year. Just fold it up and put it away with the bags. All of the bags can be folded and stuffed inside the largest bag. You can save space, time, and money.

If you have wrapping paper left over from last year (some people unwrap gifts and save the paper) try running it through a shredder to use as stuffing for your bags. The fuller the bags, the cuter they look under the tree. Use whatever fabric catches your eye or whatever is on sale. I like the red and green holiday fabric, but I've since incorporated some blue and gold into the group. Even plain muslin or pillow ticking can look good if you spice it up with fancy ribbon. Be creative.

Copyright 2002 Joyce Moseley Pierce

Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of Emerson Publications. Her latest release is “24 Days of Christmas,” to help families center on the birth of Christ during the holiday season. She is also the creator of “All They’ll Need to Know,” a book that will be invaluable to your loved ones when you can’t be there to guide them. Visit www.emersonpublications.com for lots of good family-friendly information.

24 Days of Christmas is BACK! The weather is starting to cool and your mind is starting to race with ideas for Christmas gifts. Print the e-book and put it in a binder to share with your own family or give to your friends. Take time to share the stories of Christmas with those you love. To read more about it, or to order, go to: http://www.emersonpublications.com/24days.htm

Putting Family First

by: Joyce Moseley Pierce

I once knew a man who spent his life working and trying to provide for his family. More than

anything, he wanted to be successful. In his mind, that meant making a lot of money and

having material things to show for it - nice house, new car, expensive suits, cash in hand.

Because he worked all the time, he rarely had time for his family, and when he was home,

he carried the pressures of the job with him. He didn't have much to say, but he could lose

his temper without warning and send his children running to their rooms. To escape

reality, he sat in front of the television every night and lived someone else's life.

When things didn't go his way, he'd complain about how ungrateful everyone was. After all,

he was working hard to give them everything they needed, wasn't he? It sure wasn't that he

enjoyed working. He wanted to be home with his family, but in trying to give them everything

he missed as a child, he had to work. Why couldn't everyone see that?

Years later he lost the job he'd had while his children were growing up. These empty days

gave him time to think and when he thought about everything he'd given for that job, he was mad.

He was mad at the company, and he was mad at himself for being such a fool. He thought of all the things he had missed with his family. Birthday parties, games, activities, and just time. For years he felt he was making sacrifices for his family; now he realized that he had actually sacrificed his

family. In his absence, he had lost their affection and they had basically learned to live without him.

If he could have gone back in time and done things differently, he would have gladly done it, but unfortunately, the past is over and gone, and the only time we have to make changes is today.

Little children are forgiving and if you recognize that you've made some decisions that aren't good for your family, then do something about it today. You won't change overnight, but by putting

your family first, you will begin to see a change in attitudes all around. If your children are grown,

it may take more than a simple apology and vow to do better. You're going to have to show them

that you've seen the light and that you're serious about being there for them.

You may want to pull your family together and tell them what you're feeling. Tell them

you realize you've made some mistakes but you want to make things right. Let them know

you want to be a part of their lives. It will help you to say the words and it will help them

to know that you realize it. When I was growing up, my father would have died before he ever admitted that he made a mistake. Unfortunately, he did pass away at the age of 51, and all of us were left to deal with unresolved issues.

I've always believed that the best work we will ever do is right here in our own homes. Too

many times we seek for the riches of the world when the true treasures are those

little ones who want nothing more than to feel that they are loved. Years from now

your children won't place any value on the gifts you've given them, but they will remember

the time you spent together.

Copyright 2005 Joyce Moseley Pierce Joyce is a freelance writer and has been published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. She's the owner of Emerson Publications and publisher of the Family First weekly ezine. Visit www.emersonpublications.com and learn more about family unity and preparedness.

Do you want time with family? Safer consumer decisions? A better environment?
Then Choose Us!
If you ever thought about wanting your own business at home, this is the time to see what's available. We have a very special promotion going on this month. All we ask is that you switch stores. In return, we will give you $100 in product. Request information by following this link: www.emersonpublications.com/wahm.htm

Four Pumpkin Recipes for Fall
by Rachel Paxton
Fall is a great time to try out some new pumpkin recipes. There's nothing like the smell of fresh baked pumpkin bread or cookies in the kitchen! You have to give this pumpkin cornbread a try.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 eggs, beaten slightly
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup chopped cranberries
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.
Pumpkin Cupcakes
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin
Cooking Instructions:
Combine butter and sugar, beat in eggs 1 at a time, sift in dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into greased cupcake pans. Bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Pumpkin Cornbread
1 cup pureed pumpkin
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
Cooking Instructions:
Heat milk, butter, and sugar in saucepan to melt butter. Put pumpkin in a bowl and add milk mixture. Add corn meal, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir to blend. Add salt and egg yolks and stir in. In another bowl, beat egg whites and fold in batter. Grease an 8 inch square pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.
Pumpkin Cookies
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup cooked pumpkin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts
Cooking Instructions:
Mix oil, sugar, egg, and pumpkin together and add remaining ingredients. Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com .

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of the "What's for Dinner?" cookbook, a cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, and frugal living, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com . Rachel Paxton may be contacted at http://www.creativehomemaking.com or rachel@creativehomemaking.com

All They'll Need to Know
www.emersonpublications.com/atntk.htm

"The information in this book, in my opinion, is something everybody should be considering no matter what their age or health. The feeling of knowing that you will have everything you need in one place in the event something happens is worth its weight in gold. I have my copy and I'm already getting it setup."

Terry Rigg, Budget Stretcher http://www.homemoneyhelp.com

Support Family First - visit our sponsors and friends

To view past issues: http://www.emersonpublications.com/famfirst.htm
To subscribe: familyfirst-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Links | Toxins in Your Home?

Emerson Publications
Live for today... Prepare for tomorrow!

The Family First Newsletter
Promoting family unity one issue at a time
Vol. 9 Issue 42 - Week of November 13, 2006
ISSN: 1527-6201
©2006 - Joyce Pierce --All Rights Reserved

In this issue:

Getting Into the Holiday Spirit
Ten Ways to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving
Unconditional Love and Acceptance are The Best Christmas Gifts for our Kids
Microwave Caramel Corn

Good morning!

Just a month ago we were laughing and having dinner with a very good friend. A week later, we found out he has cancer. Today he's at MD Anderson Cancer Center trying to find out what his options are. He's a firefighter who should be retiring in just a few years and we're asking for prayers from everyone we know to help him do that. If you'd remember Steve and his family in your prayers, I would be very grateful.

We have another dad with two young daughters who has had cancer for a few years. He has a brain tumor, and on Friday, his platelets were so low that if he had not had a transfusion, he wouldn't have lived to see today. He's been fighting, but is now at the point that he has accepted his own death. While you're praying, would you include John and his family in your prayers also?

This is the Thanksgiving season and I hope you'll spend more time than usual giving thanks for all you've been given. One way to give gratitude for what you have is to share with others, and more often than not, sharing your time is worth more than anything else you can give.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of having your affairs in order. If you need help in doing that, visit www.emersonpublications.com and read articles that will help you understand why it's so important. We don't always have the gift of "time" to tell our families what they would need to do if they had to continue life without us, so don't leave them guessing. I hope that it will be many more years before they need to refer to the information, but in my own life, it gives me a great peace of mind to know that if that's not the case, at least I've given them all the information I can.

Please forward this issue to someone who may benefit from it!

Joyce Pierce

What comes to mind when you think about the holidays?

Do you groan, feeling burdened by all you have to do? Do you dread going shopping for gifts or cleaning up after a Christmas or Chanukah celebration?

Or, do you feel a sense of fun, of delight, of joy in the celebrating, giving and receiving?

Which part of you is in charge of the holidays – your judgmental self or your loving self?

Think for a moment about the little child in you – the child that loved the holidays. What delighted you about Christmas or Chanukah? Most kids are really excited about receiving gifts, but many children also feel equally excited about giving gifts. Did you enjoy decorating your house?

Or, were the holidays a sad time, a time of heartbreak due to not having enough money? Or a time of loneliness due to the loss of a loved one? Were they a time of stress in your family? Was there abuse around the holiday time?

Whatever the situation of the past, you have an opportunity now, as an adult, to give your own inner child the Christmas or Chanukah he or she wants and deserves. You have an opportunity to move into gratitude for what you have rather than anxiety for all you have to do. Instead of choosing to dread or resist the holiday spirit, why not open to it, embrace it, feel the grace of it?

Let the child in you do the shopping for gifts. Let the child in you receive the delight of picking out just the right gift for a friend or loved one. Or let the child in you find some way to give, some way to share your love. Even if you are alone or poor, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, find a way to give your caring to someone who has less than you.

The holiday spirit is about gratitude and giving. Take the opportunity to notice how fulfilling it is to joyously give rather than to resist or be angry about the work involved. Take this opportunity to discover how full your heart feels when you choose to feel grateful rather than grumpy.

Feelings come from thoughts. If you choose to think, “Oh no, the holidays are here already. There is just too much work to do,” you may feel anxious and overwhelmed. If you choose to think, “What a drag to have to go out and buy presents,” you may feel resentful. If you choose to think, “Another holiday season and I am still alone,” you may feel depressed. If you choose to think, “This is just a commercial holiday so business can make money,” you may feel angry.

However, if you choose to think, “How can I make this fun?” you may feel excited. If you choose to think, “How can I give to others this holiday?” you may feel open hearted. If you choose to think, “I get to buy things for the people I love,” you may feel grateful.

So who do you want to be this holiday season? You can choose to be a Grinch, close-hearted and angry about Christmas. You can choose to be tense, anxious, judgmental, depressed, fearful, withdrawn, or resistant.

Or you can choose to be happy, peaceful, excited, grateful, loving, open hearted, and joyous. It is all up to you. How you feel is the result of how you choose to think about the holidays.

Why not try an experiment this holiday? Refuse to allow negative thoughts. Instead, make a list of positive thoughts and as soon as a negative thought comes up, imagine changing channels on a TV, switching to the positive channel. Then notice how you feel!

Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books, including "Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By You?" and “Healing Your Aloneness.” She is the co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding healing process. Learn Inner Bonding now! Visit her web site for a FREE Inner Bonding course: http://www.innerbonding.com or email her at margaret@innerbonding.com. Phone Sessions Available. Margaret Paul, Ph.D. may be contacted at http://www.innerbonding.com or margaret@innerbonding.com

If you don't change anything, what will be different in 1, 5 or 10 years?

Let us help you achieve your goals! Get out of debt, quit that second job, stay home with the kids, save for college or your own retirement. If you are looking for a continual, unlimited income to last you a lifetime, join us! We are looking for hardworking, dedicated, passionate people who want to make a difference in their lives. Not MLM. Registered by the BBB and approved by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce. No risk. Must be 18. http://www.emersonpublications.com/wahm.htm

Ten Ways to Have a Stress Free Thanksgiving
by Tips to Organize Life

So, you're hosting Thanksgiving this year and you're worried because you have this vision in your head of a house decorated by Martha Stewart herself and a meal, the likes of which Julia Child would be envious of, laid out on a table that looks like the cover photo of Gourmet Magazine. Stop right there! None of that is what Thanksgiving is all about. Thanksgiving is a day to enjoy the company of your friends and family. It is a day meant for you to be together and be thankful. Here are ten ways you can be thankful to avoid stress this Thanksgiving.

1. Plan, plan, plan. I can't stress this enough. If you have a lot to do to get ready for Thanksgiving Day, plan ahead and get it all done in an orderly, stress-free fashion. Make a list of everything you need to do and how far in advance you can do it. Consult your list often to make sure nothing gets forgotten.

2. When planning your meal, choose dishes that can be made in advance. The more you can do ahead of time, the less you will have to do on Thanksgiving Day. You might even get the chance to step out of the kitchen and enjoy the company of your friends and family.

3. Shop early. Do not leave anything until the last minute. Start buying non-perishable items now. You don't want to be caught in the supermarket the day before Thanksgiving wrestling over the last can of cream of mushroom soup for your green bean casserole.

4. Involve your family. Talk to your family about your desire to have an enjoyable Thanksgiving. Explain to them that it is unfair for all of the burden to be on one person. Ask them to pitch in and help with the preparations and the clean-up as much as possible so that everyone can have a great day.

5. Involve your guests. Most people do not like to show up empty-handed, but you don't want to wind up with five boxes of assorted chocolates so don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Tell your Aunt Martha how much everyone raves about her sweet potato casserole and ask her if she wouldn't mind bringing it to share.

6. Forget Martha Stewart. You don't have to take a walk through the woods gathering twigs, berries, leaves and pinecones to hand make the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving Day table. It is also unnecessary to decorate the entire house in an Autumn theme. As long as you have plates and forks your family will be able to eat - even if they do it standing in front of the television watching the football game. If you want a pretty centerpiece go to your local florist and buy one.

7. Take a tip from Sandra Lee of The Food Network and make it a semi-homemade Thanksgiving. Nobody has to know that the cranberry sauce came from a jar or the gravy wasn't homemade. Take some help from the wonderful assortment of already prepared foods that are available in grocery stores today. Give yourself some time to relax on Thanksgiving instead of slaving in the kitchen while everyone else is watching football or the parade.

8. Make dishes that you are comfortable preparing. A simple rule of thumb for entertaining is to know your recipes. It is never a good idea to try a recipe that you have never made before and ask your guests to be the guinea pigs. It just leaves too much room for failure and frustration. If you come across a new recipe that you really want to try this Thanksgiving, practice making it ahead of time and work out any kinks before the big day.

9. Follow the rule of: It's better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Always err on the side of caution when it comes to preparing to entertain a crowd. Buy more of everything than you think you will need and rest assured that you will have everything you need.

10. Go with the flow. No matter how much you plan, something is bound to go wrong. Don't let it ruin your day. Last year I didn't allow enough time for my turkey to thaw so when it came time to prepare it for the deep fryer (something new we were trying that year) it was still frozen. My mother-in-law and I spent an hour in the kitchen massaging the turkey under cold running water until it was thawed enough to cook. Then came the debacle of trying to inject the flavoring which is another story entirely. In the end, we wound up eating dinner almost three hours later than planned. Good thing I had plenty of appetizers so nobody starved and we all got a good laugh out of it. No harm done.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tips to Organize Life is the website that provides shortcuts, tips and tricks to help you get things done faster and better. Tips to Organize Life focuses on all aspects of life, including organzing your home, cooking, entertaining, money management, children, communication, gardening, planning for emergencies and more. http://www.tips-to-organize-life.com Tips to Organize Life may be contacted at http://www.tips-to-organize-life.com

24 Days of Christmas is BACK! The weather is starting to cool and your mind is starting to race with ideas for Christmas gifts. Print the ebook and put it in a binder to share with your own family or give to your friends. Take time to share the stories of Christmas with those you love. To read more about it, or to order, go to: http://www.emersonpublications.com/24days.htm

Unconditional Love and Acceptance are The Best Christmas Gifts for our Kids
by Eva Fry

Christmas morning is the most exciting morning of the year, for most children.

Why do we give gifts to our children? What do gifts represent? To most parents, gifts represent their love. But gifts alone are not enough to express our love to our children.

A letter from a young boy, printed in a midwestern newspaper several years ago, proves that point. It was sent to the editor, by his parents, with hopes it would help other parents avoid the mistakes they had made.

Here is the letter exactly as it was written.

Dear Folks

Thank you for everything, but I am going to Chicago and start some kind of new life.

You asked me why I did those things and why I gave you so much trouble, and the answer is easy for me to give you, but I am wondering if you will understand.

Remember when I was about six or seven and I used to want you to just listen to me? I remember all the nice things you gave me for Christmas and my birthday and I was really happy with the things – for about a week – at the time I got the things, but the rest of the time I just wanted all the time for you to listen to me like I was somebody who felt things too, because I remember even when I was young I felt things. But you said you were too busy.

Mom, you are a wonderful cook and you had everything so clean and you were tired so much from doing all those things that made you busy; but you know something Mom? I would have liked crackers and peanut butter just as well – if you had only sat down with me awhile during the day and said to me, “Tell me about it so I can help you understand.”

And then Donna came and I couldn’t understand why everyone made so much fuss because I didn’t think it was my fault that her hair is curly and her skin so white, and she doesn’t have to wear glasses with such thick lenses. Her grades were better too, weren’t they?

If Donna ever has children, I hope you will tell her to just pay some attention to the one who doesn’t smile very much because that one will really be crying inside. And when she’s about to bake six dozen cookies, to make sure first that the kids don’t want to tell her about a dream or a hope or something, because thoughts are important too, to small kids even though they don’t have so many words to use when they tell about what they have inside them.

I think that all kids who are doing so many things that grown-ups are tearing out their hair worrying about, are really looking for somebody that will have time to listen to them for a few minutes and really and truly treat them as they would a grown-up, who might be useful to them. You know – be polite to them. If you folks had ever said, “Pardon me.” When you interrupted me, I’d have dropped dead!

If anybody asks you where I am, tell them I’ve gone looking for somebody with time because I’ve got a lot of things I want to talk about. Love to all, Your Son.

Doesn’t this letter break your heart? Can you see his pain? Can you see the mistakes the parents made? I understand this boy. For ten years I had a volunteer program at Juvenile Hall in San Diego. From my experience I came to understand that what these troubled youth needed the most was “Love.” If they’d had the proper love, I felt that many of them would not be in that place.

Several years ago a man named Doug Hooper had a program called “You Are What You Think” at San Quentin and Folsom Prisons. He asked the prisons “what was the single factor that contributed most to their starting a life of crime?” The majority came up with the same answer: At a vital period in their youth, they desperately needed understanding and advice, but their parents were too busy, so they sought advice elsewhere. It invariably proved to be the wrong source.

Today, many of our young people are on the wrong track and need our help. Our children need to be loved so they will not go looking for it elsewhere and get themselves into trouble.

We all need love and understanding. We all need acceptance.

I wrote a song called “Love Isn’t Love Unless We Show It, Love Isn’t Love Unless They Know It.” I believe this is what this young boy was trying to say.

How do we show our children that we love them? We express it. We say it! We tell them “I Love You.” And we mean it! We say it often and regularly, until they believe it. Then we never stop saying “I Love You.”

We physically show it with hugs and kisses. We all need hugs and kisses, even teenagers. Even grown up children. Even adults.

We treat them kindly, with respect. We smile at them and give them a gentle touch. We have a cheerful disposition and attitude that teaches them how to be loving and kind.

We never yell or scream at them. We never treat then with anger or hatred because we don’t want these damaging habits to become who they will grow up to be.

We take time for them. Special time. Time to listen, to share thoughts, not by force but with gentleness. They are not our possession, which we own or control. They are gifts from God to teach us love.

We accept their uniqueness. We never compare them to others. We understand them, unconditionally. We make them feel important with compliments and praise. We recognize their gifts and talents and encourage them. We help them overcome things that are difficult for the, without taking away their free agency and growth.

We chastise them when they need it, because we love them and then give an outpouring of love afterwards.

We live our own lives in a way that will be the best example to them of a decent, good, happy and well adjust life.

We simply deeply love them.

So this Christmas, as you are out shopping for that special gift for your child, don’t forget to give them the gifts they really need; unconditional love, acceptance and you time.

Then, on Christmas morning, not only will your children be excited, as they tear open their gifts, they will enjoy the best gift of all, a happy and contented heart because they know they are loved by their parents.

Eva Fry's mission is to help others become better and happier. She is an inspirational author,singer/songwriter/ motivational speaker and seminar leader. Eva has published three books - "YOU MUST HAVE A DREAM" -for seniors, "BE A WINNER IN LIFE"-for good kids, troubled kids and their parents. "LETTERS FROM JUVENILE HALL, KIDS HELPING KIDS" - Actual letters from kids at Juvenile Hall, intended to save other kids from messing up their lives. She has produced 7 Music CD's - "Remember" - (new music for seniors), "Oh What Joy, Christmas", "The Little Things" (Inspirational Country), "I Love Living The Teachings of The Lord", "Classical Style", (Instrumental Music. Her music and books can be purchased on her web site www.evafry.com . Her books can also be ordered at any book store. She invites you to use the free articles she has written, at www.evafry.com - for: at- risk kids. Also other free articles of inspiration to help meet Life's challenges. Her articles have been published, all over the world. www.evafry.com - for booking shows and presentations. Eva Fry may be contacted at http://www.evafry.com or eva@evafry.com

Microwave Caramel Corn
by: Joyce Moseley Pierce

Part of the hesitation in making caramel corn is the sticky, gooey mess that remains once you've finished making it. You almost need a blow torch to remove the hardened
sugary stuff from your pans.

Help is on the way! This recipe can be made in your microwave, and when you're finished, you can just throw the paper sack away.

This doesn't mean that it doesn't take a little preparation time, but at least you can relax and enjoy the finished product without having to worry about a lot of cleanup.

Next time you go to the grocery store, ask for your groceries in paper bags. You'll need one bag per batch.

Here's what you'll need:

3-4 quarts popped corn
1 stick of butter (no substitutes!)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Karo Syrup
1 tsp baking soda - add last

Pop the corn and discard the unpopped kernels. Put the popped corn in the paper sack. While the corn is popping, put the butter, sugar, salt and syrup in a glass bowl and bring it to a boil in your microwave. Stir after one minute, and let it boil for an additional minute. Add one tsp of baking soda and stir well, until thickened. It will turn light in color and look like taffy. Pour this mixture over the popped corn in the paper bag and shake well. Put the paper bag back in the microwave and cook an additional 1-1/2 minutes (90 seconds). Remove and shake well again. Return to the microwave and cook another 1-1/2 minutes. Shake again. Open the bag and let it cool. You can even tear the bag down the side and speed up the process.

Plan to make more than one batch because you'll want to eat the first one! Great for Christmas or birthday gifts. I gave this as a Christmas gift to my co-workers one year and the next year they started hinting for it again in September.

Once completely cooled, break up the chunks, put it in a plastic holiday bag and tie with a festive ribbon. If you eat a lot of ice cream the containers with lids make a great receptacle for packing the caramel corn. Save your ice cream containers throughout the year, wash them out, line with plastic wrap and stick a bow on the top. Include the recipe and directions unless you want to tell them it's an old family secret, but let me warn you that if you don't share the recipe, they will come back next year begging for more.

Joyce is a freelance writer and owner of Emerson Publications. Visit www.emersonpublications.com for information on putting your personal and financial information in order, to protect your loved ones, or to be prepared for an evacuation. Register for the Family First ezine, read family-friendly articles, and inquire about working from home.

Support Family First - visit our sponsors and friends

To view past issues: http://www.emersonpublications.com/famfirst.htm
To subscribe: familyfirst-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Links | Toxins in Your Home?