Karen’s Opinion

Hot Christmas Graphics!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Club House. All opinions are 100% mine.

I have never been able to make gravy. It is pitiful, I know, but I admit to my lack of skill when it comes to making a sauce that does not taste like water or cling to my tongue like a wet sticky paste. I have resorted to buying jar gravy. I am so embarrassed to put it on the check out counter at the grocery. I can just hear the thoughts of the cashier as she thinks I am such a failure.

There may be hope for me! I recently discovered a website for Club House Gravy products that offers help for people like me! They even have a gravy tips video that has inspired me to give it a try. I am so excited to make Christmas dinner and offer REAL gravy this year! It looks so easy to use Club House Gravy Mix and meat drippings and have a delicious and creamy gravy. I am thrilled just thinking of the money I will save not having to buy those expensive jars of gravy.

The Club House website offers tips on how to cook steak, learn about flavours, recipes, spice pairing, aging and more. It also has a great organizational tool where you can organize your recipes. Every Tuesday a new recipe is offered so you can get out of your cooking rut!

Check out their newsletter sign-up and contest entry to win a Club House gravy gift pack! This website will change the way you cook and give you the kicker to make great gravy!

This week’s theme at Heads or Tails is TAILS – “Show ‘N Tell”

Remember playing Show ‘N Tell back in school? This is pretty much the same. Post something you want to “show” and then “tell” about it.

I have to show you the beautiful table my son and daughter in-law set for our Thanksgiving dinner. It was beautiful. Next time, I will show you a picture of all the food. It was amazing.

This is a sponsored guest post written by Jason Harvey on behalf of Achieve Anything In Just One Year. Post powered by Sponzai.

On January 1, more than 100 million Americans will make a New Year’s resolution, according to a University of Washington survey. By March, however, most resolution-makers will already have broken their newly minted promises. 

In his new book, Achieve Anything in Just One Year: Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals (Amazing Life Press, $29.95, http://www.amazinglifepress.com/), Jason Harvey provides a blueprint for personal success that can make 2010 the year that resolutions become reality. 

Most resolutions fail because people try to change too fast and accomplish too much all at once,” said Harvey, a Certified Life Coach. “My book is about learning how to make small daily changes and be your own personal life coach.”

The most common resolutions – to quit smoking, lose weight, exercise more, spend more quality time with family, etc. – are also the easiest to break. “The truth is, we set ourselves up to fail by making resolutions that are sweeping and unrealistic,” explained Harvey. 

The resulting cycle of making and breaking promises is self-defeating – so how can individuals make resolutions stick? Achieve Anything in Just One Year equips readers with the tools to: 

• Be truly committed.Don’t just go through the motions – act like you’re making a promise to your company, or to your best friend. 
• Be specific. A resolution like “I want to lose weight” is easier to ignore than “I want to lose five pounds by March.” 
• Set a deadline. A timeframe equals commitment and helps quantify success. 
• Avoid overwhelming yourself. You may want to lose weight, quit smoking, achieve moderation with martinis and cut up your credit cards all at once, but let’s get real. Focus on a limited set of goals and plan on taking stock mid-year. 
• Change one thing at a time. Recognize that change is hard. Wait to achieve one goal before starting on the next. 
• Be realistic. Taking charge of a fitness regimen is a realistic goal, while exercising seven days a week may not be. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment with lofty goals. 

The idea is to take daily action that creates a ripple effect in your life,” said Harvey. “By transforming your life with small steps, you can stay motivated, focused and balanced. Best of all, you’ll feel happier about pursuing your personal success.” 

Achieve Anything in Just One Year is available to BUY NOW at Amazon.com.

While watching the Colts vs Jaguar game in Jacksonville, Florida, the network was showing pictures of local places of interest. One such place was St. Augustine.

Saint Augustine Florida is the oldest European city in the United States. The area was first visited by Ponce de Leon in 1513, but it was Juan Menendez de Aviles who established the first settlement, almost half a century before the first English settlers landed at Jamestown. St. Augustine grew to become the Spanish center of power in North America for almost 200 years.

Today, the heart of St. Augustine retains the distinctive plan of a 16th century Spanish Colonial walled town, much of which has been preserved or restored. The numerous remaining colonial buildings in the historic district present an impressive array of architecture from 1703 to 1898.