A Father for Christmas

I am very happy that I was given a copy of 

Rachelle Ayala's "A Father for Christmas" to read and review.

This book was a really nice, easy read that was full of hope and a bit of romance, that made you want to believe in Christmas miracles.

The book is set in California during the Christmas season. Right away you have to know that your heart strings are going to be "pulled", but it is still a definite must read.

Bree, who is 4 years old, doesn't understand that Santa can't make every dream come true, so she asks him to bring her a father for Christmas.  Of course Santa "pwo-missed" he would be under the tree ....

Kelly, Bree's mother, is a single mother who has had her fair share of bad luck. She was an investment banker who made a mistake, a mistake that cost her everything. Everything that is except Bree, but she doesn't believe that a father is what Bree needs.

Tyler, is a war hero, who thinks he is anything but a hero.  He has returned back to the United States with his own struggles, including PTSD.  It is unfortunate that he doesn't believe he is worthy of anything.

The three of them become part of a Christmas miracle, that will heal the broken spirit of both Kelly and Tyler, complements of a Santa's wish, that should melt even the coldest of hearts.  I told you it would be pulling at your heart strings.

As I was reading the story, I found myself hoping that Kelly and Tyler would get together and stay together no matter how difficult it would be.  You just want them to let their guards down and learn to trust again.

The book is well written.  Although you believe you know how it will end, you don't want to put this book down until the end.  A Father for Christmas is a really nice book that is suitable for young adults, as there are no questionable chapters, and makes you believe in love and forgiveness.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free from Rachelle Ayala, using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Happy Halloween 2014

You just know I had to stop and wish you all

I hope it is a great celebration for each of you ... but I did have to pass this on so that everyone will be safe on this holiday ....


Don't be like this witch!



But you can still be having lots of fun .....

Share the fun with the kids.





You remember going out Trick or Treating right?
Was a great time to be a kid.











Be safe out there!

Anything Goes Fall Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my portion of the 

Anything Goes Fall Giveaway Hop Event.  

Disclaimer:  Products for the grand prize were provided to The Simply Me Blog for review, with no payment received to write the review.  All opinions are her honest opinion.  
The sponsor is responsible for shipping the Grand Prize, not the bloggers involved in the giveaway event.

 Anything Goes Fall Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the 
Anything Goes Fall Giveaway Hop Event! 
Hosted By: The Simply Me Blog
The Event will run from October 30 - November 11th

 Several bloggers have joined together to bring you some amazing prizes in this giveaway hop!  
The complete list of bloggers can be found below.  

Each prize has a value of $25 or more! 
 Have fun and good luck :) 

The grand prize is being sponsored by 
Winning Moves Games and ECBC!
You can see the Grand Prize here.

My prize for this giveaway will be a
$30 Tupperware E-Certificate

www.kat1126.my.tupperware.com

AND 
if you use it on MY Tupperware website
you COULD BE my 
Mystery Hostess of the month
and get more free Tupperware

If you haven't seen us in a while, 
you will be surprised
We are so much more than those "burp" bowls
although you could find those too.

Once you have entered here, I hope you will be hopping along to the other bloggers and see what they have to offer.  
I wish you good luck as you make your way along all the stops in this event!

Healthy Lung Month

Did you know that October was Healthy Lung Month?
I didn't but now that I have the some facts, I know that having and keeping your lungs healthy is not just because you were blessed with "healthy" genes.

Did you know that you breathe 11,000 liters of air each and every day?
I didn't - but WOW that is a lot of air!  Or that children and women breathe faster than men?  I did know that about children, but didn't know about women ... but you would have thought I would have, I mean I am a woman.  So if you are like me, you have already learned something from this post.

There are all kinds of things that you can do or steer away from, that will help keep your lungs healthy and thereby allowing YOU to stay around and influence others to do the same.

Just the very simple act of minimizing or eliminating your exposure to air pollution, avoiding toxic substances or stopping the use of tobacco products, or even better to never start smoking, will help keep your lungs healthy.  See I told you there are things that you can do to keep your lungs "clean".

I'm sure you have seen or heard those commercials/ad spots for Mesothelioma. For a while I thought every time we turned on the TV we heard at least one of those spots, but to be honest, I don't think I really paid attention.  But now that I have seen some of the facts, it is really scary!

There are so many ways, innocent ways, that you can be exposed to the Number One cause of Mesothelioma, that we need to be aware of.

There is a possible exposure to asbestos in commercial products, through commercial and industrial job sites and even our Military Vets were possibly exposed.  Prior to the 1970's asbestos was used in all kinds of construction materials - I remember seeing pipes in my house (originally built in the 20's and remodeled/added on to for years) wrapped in what was "assumed" to be an asbestos product.  I think that we all must take control and make sure that we are not exposed to asbestos or if we must, that we are protected and our families are protected from secondary exposure.

Because Mesothelioma can have a very long latency time period (as long as 35 - 40 years) the baby boomers and their families are those that are probably at greatest risk.  We didn't really know the extent of the potential damage/problems with asbestos during those years that so many were exposed.

I think that you need to know the symptoms and treatment so that we can be pro-active in seeking treatment.  But PLEASE don't become a hypochondriac when you see the symptoms.

Remember as you are reading them, that just because you have a particular symptom, it doesn't mean you have mesothelioma.  There are many symptoms of mesothelioma that are also common to other illnesses, which is one of the reasons that this is so hard to diagnose in the early stages.


Be informed, be vigilant, be proactive in your own health and that of your family and loved ones.  Remember that the lines of communication between you and your doctor are crucial.  He/She will help you get answers to questions that you need to ask. so that you can understand what is happening and how to go forward at each step of diagnosis and treatment along the way.

Need more information?
Check out the Mesothelioma blog where you can also request a free comprehensive Mesothelioma information packet.

Southwest Cheese Spread

This reminds me of the Pimiento Cheese Spread that you can find in the South.  But if you are looking for something towards the holiday season or something towards "happy hour" snacks.

Southwest Cheese Spread

The Power Chef™ System makes it so easy to pull off.

• 1 whole (about 2-oz./60 g) jarred fancy pimiento, drained
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 4 oz./115 g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1–1½ tbsp. Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend

Place pimiento into base of Power Chef™ System fitted with blade attachment, replace cover and pull cord 2–3 times to chop. Add mayonnaise, cream cheese, shredded cheese and seasoning blend to Power Chef™ base. Cover and pull cord to blend until smooth.

Place seal on base and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. Serve with crackers or on a sandwich.

Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 80 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 4.5g Cholesterol: 20mg Carbohydrate: 2g Sugar: 0g Fiber: 0g Protein: 3g Sodium: 220mg Vitamin A: 8% Vitamin C: 6% Calcium: 10% Iron: 0%

All the Tupperware pieces noted in the recipe are available on my Tupperware Site

Candy Treasures with Pretzels

These are going to be perfect for the holidays
So super easy, but look so interesting and taste even better!

Can't you see their faces when you put these on the table?  Or even better yet, how about having the kids help out with these recipes?

I am so sure they will be in 7th heaven when the holidays roll around and they get to "announce" that they made these, with your help of course.

Check out my Tupperware Site to see the Tupperware products used in making these recipes and so much more!


Keep these recipes in mind for after the big Candy Hunt the Trick or Treat Event coming up soon.  You know when there is so much candy either collected by the kids or left over from those that didn't make it to your house ....

Korean Galbi Marinade to bring your BBQ to the NEXT level!

I LOVE going to Korean BBQs, when I was working for an international export company we always did a BBQ for our holiday celebrations that was so awesome.  This recipe brings back those memories.  I'm going to try this one for the holidays this year and see how the rest of my family feels about a nice beef BBQ or maybe some boneless pork .. mmmm

Korean Galbi Marinade

Brown sugar and soy sauce form the base of this sweet and savory marinade inspired by Korean galbi recipes.

Makes 2 cups
(Enough for 2 lbs./1 kg of meat)

• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tbsp. sweet mirin
• ½ small onion, peeled and finely chopped using the Chop ’N Prep Chef
• 1 small Asian pear, peeled and finely chopped using the Chop ’N Prep Chef
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. Tupperware Steak & Chop Seasoning Blend

In small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk. Best for beef short ribs, this inspired marinade takes you beyond barbecue. Marinate 4 hours or overnight in the Season-Serve® Container.

All the Tupperware pieces noted in this recipe can be found on My Tupperware Site.

Nutritional Information (per 3 tbsp. serving):
Calories: 200 Total Fat: 3.5g Saturated Fat: 0.5g Cholesterol: 0mg Carbohydrate: 39g Sugar: 32g Fiber: 1g Protein: 3g Sodium: 1290mg Vitamin A: 0% Vitamin C: 6% Calcium: 4% Iron: 2%