I STILL BELIEVE IN SANTA!!

No, I'm not crazy, I don't literally believe that a jolly fat man on a sleigh will jump down my chimney and put presents underneath my Christmas tree! It sure would be nice though! I do however believe in the spirit of Santa that seems to live in each one of us this time of year. During this season people seem so much kinder toward one another (usually!). We all seem to rush around looking for the perfect gift for those we love and I've even witnessed people putting money in the Salvation Army buckets. We go to Christmas programs at schools, holiday parties, and even bake cookies for our neighbors. We wish each other a Happy Holiday or a Merry Christmas when we meet. We wrap presents, plan menus, send greeting cards, donate food to the local food bank, and watch Miracle On 34th Street. We spend so much time, energy, and money to make this season special.

If only we could slow down just a little and make it last throughout the year. I would love a greeting card in February, a party in May, or home baked cookies in August! The food banks and charities would love donations in June. Imagine friendly smiles and warm greetings in April. This year I am going to try to pace myself and save some holiday cheer for after Christmas. So although I still believe in Santa I am old enough now to know that he could use the help!

GIVING THANKS

I've been so crazy busy lately that I thought while I had a quiet moment it would be a good time to reflect. I love Thanksgiving and the simplicity of it, just a great dinner and being together! Great time to count your blessings. I am so thankful for my husband, my three children, family, friends, and of course my two crazy dogs. I am also thankful for Etsy this year and am looking foward to what the future will bring! I'm also looking forward to Black Friday and Cyber Monday!!

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart


Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake

"This is a wonderful pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust. The gingersnap really does make a difference."
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Ingredients
• 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the crushed gingersnap cookies, pecans, and butter. Press into the bottom, and about 1 inch up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Blend 1/4 cup sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the remaining mixture.
3. Spread the pumpkin flavored batter into the crust, and drop the plain batter by spoonfuls onto the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, or until filling is set. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Allow to cool before removing pan rim. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Question: Paper or Plastic?

Answer: Neither

Shopping bags create an insane amount of waste for something we use just to transport our items from the store to the car and then from our car to our home. The correct answer is to always bring your own bag.

Did you know that in a single year Americans throw away 100 billion plastic grocery type bags? The benefits of bringing your own bags are huge:

Save oil and/or trees. In the US, about 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year.

Reusing makes cents. Stores may soon start charging for their bags. SanFrancisco has already passed this legislation.

Be a role model. Other shoppers' will watch and learn.

Make sure plastic bags don't harm sea creatures. They're one of the most commonly found items in coastal cleanups.

Always remember the three R’s: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Hi! This is my first blog and I just wanted to share the opening of my new site on Etsy. I combined my love of crafting with my passion for recycling. I make t-shirt grocery tote bags out of upcycled t-shirts. They are durable, ec0-friendly, and can be machine washed and dried. I also have a variety of other t-shirt crafts on this site. Please visit me at http://teecycle.etsy.com