DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   The holiday shopping season is quickly descending upon us, which means this year's more popular toys and consumer electronics are soon to become in increasingly high-demand. In recent memory, the Sony Playstation III, Beanie Babies, and of course, the Tickle-Me-Elmo have generated a considerable amount of hype - quickly selling out, and then establishing a re-sale market. But have you ever wondered what the "it toys" have been throughout the decades? We have, and as a result, we decided to compile a time-line which illustrates the top toys from the last 50 years. Here they are, the most popular Christmas toys since 1960: (click image to enlarge) How many of these do you recognize? All 50? Let us know if you do, and feel free to comment with the names of your favorite Christmas toys, and share some of your favorite memories. We will be sharing this full list (which include the names of all these toys) later in the week, so make sure to check back.

   What to do with that extra can of pumpkin during the holidays? Here are some easy recipes that go well beyond pie filling  1. Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Stir canned pumpkin and grated sharp cheddar cheese into a béchamel sauce. Toss with cooked elbow macaroni and pour into a buttered baking dish. Top with more grated cheese and bake in a 375° oven until bubbling and browned on top, about 20 minutes. 2. Pumpkin Rumshake In a blender, combine canned pumpkin, ground nutmeg, vanilla ice cream, milk and rum. Blend until smooth, adding ice cubes for a more frozen consistency, if needed. 3. Pumpkin Shrimp Curry 4.  

This is brought to you from one of my favorites, www.lillun.com .  She always has something creative for almost any holiday.  This one is a take on the one that she did at Halloween time.  This one is a little bit of a twist on that one.  Again, a get diy gift for that someone special!    I made a similar one for Halloween and knew I'd have to make one for Christmas because they're so whimsical and easy! Here is what you'll need: SUPPLIES: - Box/Vase/Cart to use as Centerpiece Base -Floral Foam (Found at the Dollar Store) -Paper Shred(Found at the Dollar Store) -Skewers -Paint -Foam Brush -Scrapbook Paper -Hot Glue -Embellishments INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Begin by picking out your Centerpiece box. I just bought one for a buck at my local grocery store and painted it red. I also cut some vinyl dots and added them to the box, just because I am OBSESSED with polka dots! 2. Put two strips together and fold back and forth until you are all the way through. Th

   This comes to you from www.kingarthurflour.com .  Make some of this for a nice breakfast meal with your favorite drink, to get you started in the morning. Recipe: Cranberry-Walnut Bread & Muffins Here’s a baking truism: The plainer, simpler, and more common the dish, the more recipes you’ll find for it. And boy, doesn’t that turn simple into complicated – fast! I was recently looking for a simple (yet not boring), plain (but still tasty) recipe for cranberry nut bread. One that could easily morph between loaf and muffins. And, most important, one that didn’t include orange. To many people, cranberry and orange go together like software and bugs. And I admit to enjoying the odd cran-orange muffin every now and then. But my real love is the tart-sweet flavor of cranberries paired with the buttery nuttiness of walnuts. Orange, go sit in the corner; you’re not wanted here. Looking the place I usually look first, I opened my grandmother’s wooden recipe box

    All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas ), often shortened to All Saints , is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honor of all the saints, known and unknown.    In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls' Day, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven (the 'church penitent' and the 'chur