Grout no matter how many times you wash it after awhile it begins to look really YUCKY…
Peroxide to the rescue
I continued spraying my bathroom tile grout with a solution of water and peroxide and I can honestly say the grout looks so much better and cleaner…Here’s to Peroxide and the Grout….
mb
I love to invite family and friends over to my home. Over the years, we all got assigned a holiday. I got New Years Day. I don’t like to go out New Years’ Eve, I spend the night with my mom and who ever else wants to drop by. We order in and drink champagne and I get to watch as many Twilight Zones episodes as I can before someone starts complaining. I start planning for New Years’ Day around now. 
I start shopping around for sales on everything from paper plates and napkins, cups …..canned goods too….peanuts, beans, artichokes, olives, roasted peppers..and champagne…soda…water.. 
I always look for filet mignon on special…..the best buy I think, there is no waste, so easy to prepare and everyone seems to like it. I get a 5 lb one and freeze it…..frozen raw shrimps too…..always a sale just have to keep a sharp eye out.
A day before the party I get the fresh vegtables, salad stuff, bread and cold cuts and cheese.
So you might ask…..why entertain at home?
It is an opportunity to nurture relationships. When you invite guests into your home, you are inviting them into your personal space and offering them an invitation to connect with you and vice versa.
It is a way for you to socialize with family and friends whenever you want to…..you can make it happen.
It is an economical alternative to hosting a party in a public venue. Control costs by setting a time, style and menu that fits your budget.
It is good for you (and your guests). It is a proven fact that people who socialize more are healthier mentally, emotionally and physically than those who do not. Laughter is good medicine…..so have some fun.
It is a liberating experience to have a successful party in your home. You have complete control and creative license over all aspects of your party. It also builds your self confidence as you realize that you can be a great host.
It is fulfilling and satisfying to experience partying with a purpose – nurturing relationships and forging new ones – what a fun way to enrich your lifestyle.
13 days before Christmas!
My daughter Vera, passed this book to me and I just love it….I hope you do too.
Happy Holidays!
Add the first three ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass. Add one or two cherries. Makes 2 drinks
14 days til Christmas
Martini photo source: idrink
Love this cocktail shaker set……remember shaken – not stirred 🙂
Reading through the new Guiness World of Records 2012 book can change even a rainy day into an amazing day!! Share hours of family fun together. 
The worlds’ biggest, fastest and most extraordinary are revealed in this beautiful book. Lets’ have some fun – Do try this at home – you may get in the book – here is what you need – 20 pairs of socks (preferably clean!) Most socks sorted and hung in one minute (team of 2).
The most socks sorted and hung in one minute is 19 pairs and was achieved by Melanie Truby and Kimberly Brewer (both from the United Kingdom) on August 14, 2011. For this record, each pair of socks must be different colors and patterms. No two pairs may be the same!
Let the fun begin!
To learn more record-breaking facts visit: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/
ls
16 days til Christmas 🙂
WELCOME CHRISTMAS!!
Christmas with all of the trimmings and all of the joy that children can bring to it. How sweet it will be when my grandchildren come to help me trim the Christmas tree.
How sweet indeed.
I dubbed them my little helpers, you know Christmas elves…
My little Christmas elves, Sophie and Christian…aren’t they cute, helping me trim the tree…well for the first five minutes the trimming went well then MUTINY!
As the boxes of ornaments were opened my little elves forgot their goal and who was in charge.
One elf wanted to handle the trimmings, one ornament at a time, and the other elf, well, let’s just say he wanted to handle all the ornaments at one time.
Sophie, bless her littel heart, was very careful with the ornaments.
The problem was she became the head elf and took over the whole tree trimming. She gave me explicit orders, I was to give her one ornament at a time, and that I had to wait until she places it on the tree before I could give her another ornament.
Yes, this elf was the head elf…THEN.…
THEN we ended up with an elf that went went renegade. There was no holding him back, all the ornaments now became his property and he needed to play, run, and maybe throw, if he could have, all the ornaments in sight. See every Christmas ball was exactly that a BALL…
Christian kept Mr. and Mrs. Claus hostage while he tried to figure out where exactly does this Christmas item belong… the neck seemed like a perfect place.
Ok, Sophie the reindeer ears look really great on you, but can you please continue with the tree trimming, reindeer play time was not exactly what I had in mind.
What kind of face is this? Oh, a reindeer face…I thought it was more like a chipmunk, but elves know best.
No, no Christian, that is not your Christmas gift and the tray is not a toy.
At this time I realized that Christian needed to be stripped of his elf title and was ordered to stay with Grandpa. 
Look at that face. How could I keep him away when all he wanted to do was destroy everything I had…Yes, I gave in to him, I thought he could still be a good elf.
Lovely skirt Sophie but that is for the tree. Let’s get it wrapped around the legs of the tree… you are wearing pants. 
Getting some cooperation from these elves was not easy, and getting the elves to work in harmony, well, lets just say they did not sing Jingle Bells…more like Rock-in Around The Christmas Tree.
So after a few hours of don’t touch Christian and stop playing around Sophie, we need to get this job done. The tree was finally all decorated.
My two little elves really did not make tree trimming easy…a challenge to say the least…now on to see Santa at Macy’s…maybe I should write Santa a letter and give him fair warning…
THE ELVES ARE COMING!!…
mb