How about Bourbon Coolers?

Directions

Combine 6 ounces each bourbon and fresh orange juice in a large cocktail shaker. Add 5 to 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup and fill with ice. Cover and shake vigorously for 1 minute, then strain into 6 chilled champagne flutes. Top with your favorite dry sparkling white wine and garnish each drink with an orange peel twist.

These will make quite the impression on your guests. Not only are they quick and easy to make, they are class too! They look a lot like mimosa, but wow the taste is teasing and pleasing!

How Do you Say Good Bye?

Have you ever felt like you had had the life sucked out of you? Have you ever felt like you're best friend in the entire world left you just when you need them most? Losing someone close to you changes your entire world. The pain you feel will often times be different, depending on the type of loss you have suffered. There is no easy way to move on. I know, it feels like your legs are stuck in quick sand and you can't move. The pain in your heart is so intense that your whole body aches. You cry a million tears, and then cry some more. Time to heal is what you need. Time to remember the good times that you had with this person(s) you loved, Time to say goodbye. I don't like to say goodbye, in fact when I lost my grandmother I refused to say goodbye....so I said, until we meet again.
 

The death of a parent:
 
This is one of the hardest deaths because it creates a sense of being "˜abandoned'. Our parents seem omniscient to us, and their death can leave you feeling vulnerable to death yourself.

The death of a spouse or partner:
Depending on the amount of time spent with the partner, feelings can vary, however, over all, the feeling is one of insecurity, of no longer "˜belonging"˜. Where you were once a couple, or partnership, you are now alone.

The death of a child:
We, as parents, are here to protect and guide our children. Therefore, when one of our children dies, it can be an overwhelming sense of failure, or blame on yourself because you were unable to protect or "˜save' your child.
 

The death of a companions:
Our life is spent in a warm, comforting, circle of brothers and sisters, friends and co-workers, as well as family pets. The loss of a close companion can be very painful, creating a desire or need to reminisce so as not to forget about someone who was very important in your life.

These are all very different emotions and reactions, however they are all normal, healthy emotions.

There are 7 stages of grief, and it no set time period or order in which to pass through these stages. You may find that you go from one to seven and then back to two. Or, you may experience them in reverse order, or exactly in order. Any way you experience these stages is normal, for you. Do not rush yourself, or expect too much. You will work through these stages, on your own time, in your own way. One day at a time, life will get better, and their memories you will have to treasure forever.
 

DISBELIEF
 
Immediately after a death it can be hard to accept that the death has occurred. You may try to deny it, or feel numb with shock. You may expect to continue seeing your loved one, even though you know they are dead.
 

ANGER
 
Some people feel angry at their loved ones for leaving, or angry at God for taking their loved one away. They may even feel anger at themselves or at life in general for the unfairness of having lost the one they love. Others may feel a need to blame another "˜actual' person.

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Life,...A Strong Dose of Reality

Have you ever in your life felt as if you were part of a family, yet you didn't seem to fit in? Have you ever felt as if you were stuck in the middle, sort of like how they say when you die, you your spirit lingers before it leaves this earth? You feel as if you are caught in the middle of two worlds. Welcome to my world! At age 19, I thought I knew it all. I was too smart to listen to my parents while theoretically did nothing but love me, nurture me and raise myself and my siblings, a younger brother and a younger sister to the best of their ability. We learned by the grace and love from them as well as our grandparents how to love and respect others. This is great because little did we know then that when we grew up, because adults and stepped into the "real world" what life was about to throw our way. Life as I knew if in my own naive world, a world similar to LaLa Land was about to be tarnished forever. I was about to get my first strong dose of reality, one that I will carry with me forever.

When I married at 19, I left home and moved to Michigan. There I was away from my family and learning how to care for a new family, "my own family." I lived in Michigan for some 24 years and certainly experienced my share of ups and down, but with the grace of God watching out for me as I believe I've used up too many of my 9 lives, never let me down. Having faith is the key. Without it, you have nothing. My grandmother used to always say "Michele God doesn’t give you anything that he doesn't think you can handle!" Ok, for a while that say with me all right, but after the divorce, the attack on my life, and cancer 4 times in the past year, you sort of have to ask yourself "When is enough, enough?" When will I get my break?

For a long time I thought I was being punished. After years of not feeling like I fit in, being the black sheep of the family, I realized that really, I didn't fit in. Perhaps it was because I married and moved away so young? Maybe it was because I was so different than my siblings? I used to spend a lot of time, (days in fact) at my grandparents house (Baba and Dedo.) through out life nothing came easy for me, except being loved. That was the gift that so few get to experience and so many take for granted. Love, one of the most precious of gifts had gifted me, and I then realized that my place in this world was to love others and spread the love.

At young ages my kids were given less for Christmas as their gifts from me. After the divorce 13 years ago, I needed to show my children the world and let them experience life, first in their own back yard, and then in other countries where they would see firsthand how bad others really do have it. At 14 and 12 years of age, I made them surrender a gift at Christmas that they wanted and I donated the money that would have been spent on it on families who had very little for Christmas. They did this and it made them feel good. Afterwards, they actually wanted to do more. This was music to my ears, so we did. We donated to homeless shelters; we helped to stock food pantries all the while knowing that we had nothing to eat in ours. Single mother with low paying job didn't get us much, but when you had the bond that we did, you really didn't need much.

Now as my kids are grown, I find them doing things on their own without me to lend a hand to those who need it. My son donates clothes and volunteers for any kind of fashion shows that raise awareness and monies for those who need it. My daughter volunteered at the Children’s Cancer Hospitals in Houston Texas, where she got her employer, a large oil company to donate generously and contribute funds to allow her marketing and sales team the opportunity to make holiday baskets for this family and for these children knowing in all reality that these kids would not be coming home. Sad that you are put on this earth and for such a very short time. My daughter said that nothing touched her heart more and filled her with sadness than to see these children with cancer on their final destination. As difficult as this was for her, she continues to do work for them out of love. She also has, like myself a special place in her heart for Shelters for battered and abused women. She donates business attire and whatever else these women and children need whenever they need it because 12 years ago, a bunch of strangers helped me and my children. I truly believe in karma, and I say most definitely, PAY IT FORWARD!!!

I was violently attacked and beaten in the year 2000 at my office by an intruder. It made me a victim until I refused to let this horrible man who did this to me win. I went to counseling and a very special woman who I met with twice a week brought me back to reality and gave me life again...this time a renewed life. While I laid on a cement floor getting the crap beaten out of me, I prayed not to let me die,...and my prayers were answered. I am here today because I had the faith and the courage to fight and not be a statistic. My daughter and son lived with me as I was black and blue from head to toe for 11 weeks. They sat while I went through surgeries for nerve damages in my hand, with blurred vision and hearing loss due to a severe ear drum nearly being shattered. As painful as this day February 10th still is to me, I now look at it as a second chance at life. The moral of this story here is this: Life is not permanent. You can be taken away tomorrow. Always remember to tell your loved ones how deeply you care for them and say "I love you!" This was my new beginning, my opportunity to make my life right.

What did I get out of this all you wonder? Well, as I sat here pondering just what I would say and how I would share this with you, it dawned on me. I attribute all of who I am to my family. I am the woman who is strong, and no longer weak....the woman who is independent never again to be codependent. I am the caring, loving woman who left home at such a young age to start my own family and missed out on the one I left behind....I believe I have been giving a second chance to start anew and catch up on 28 year of history that I never had the opportunity to know other than short weekend visits.

To my parent who never stop amazing me, I say "Wow" they should be patting themselves on the back for raising 3 awesome kids who turned out better than great. To the grandparents that have since perished who left impressions on me that will live forever. To an aunt of mine who gives me much strength and determination to be a better person, and who is probably the only only one besides my children that still laugh at Babas goofy sayings and quotes. To my children both of whom saved me in more ways than one when I felt I had nowhere to go, and no one to turn to, they are my rock, and I attribute all of whom I have become to these two wonderful young adults; they taught me to be patient and how to appreciate life and all that is truly has to offer. I look at them sometimes and it's as if I am looking in the mirror; to my brother and sister who I love more than anything and hope to reacquaint myself with now that I am back, and hopefully drive them a little crazy. (Hey, I have some catching up to do) They turned into two really great people, married and are happy with their spouses and their families. My brother-in-law "Tim" whom I call "Nancy" (inside joke) but he knows I love him. He is the best brother-in-law a gal could wish for. He makes me laugh. He's a doctor and he is so smart.My sister-in-law who after years of not knowing at all, now I am beginning to see that she clearly loves her family and would do anything for them. Last but not least....we always save the best for last....My little sister, who is 8 years younger than me. I feel as if I left behind at such a young age. I didn;t get to see her go to prom, or on her first date, and I was never here to stand up for her when someone picked on her.To the woman who still looks 16 and has a heart the size of Texas, I say "I love you" and we have much making up to do. I'm not sure if she will ever know how proud I am of her for her education, and all of her accomplishments, but I truly am. She was such an inspiration to me with her business savvy ways, her spunk, determination and her stubborn streak...perhaps I got my energy from her? At any rate...She rocks!

What I realized is that life doesn’t get better than this. Material objects make us happy, sure. But you can’t take them with you, and if you could heaven would need a very large storage closet. I realized that 1) I never needed a man to make me happy, I thought that I did, but I didn’t. 2) Accept the things that we cannot change and grant us the strength to move forward having learned some very good lessons about love and life, and 3) Respect others as you would want them to respect you. 4)  Follow the path of destiny. 5) Love yourself for all that you are good and the bad and realize that everyone makes mistakes, for if we didn’t we would never learn. 6) Life, I have learned is like playing roulette. It is a gamble. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you lose. But if you don't try, you'll never know.

 'What' and 'If" the two most nonthreatening words,...both harmless as can be, but but them together; combined and they could haunt you for the rest of your life..... What If?

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Shell & Dee Provide Marketing Tip for Simply Delicious Lingerie

So You Got Dumped?

So what do you do when you get dumped? Breaking up hurts because it activates a grief reaction. It touches a lot of senses actually. You're angry, and mad, you cry....or you just get on with your life. But you feel as if you've lost something, especially if you spend a great length of time with this person. No one every likes to get dumped. I was always the dumper. Never be the dumpee. Either way, its still difficult when you ditch someone. If you have any shred of humanity, you feel bad about it, but you realize that it just wouldn't work long term. Some people think that they can remain friends after a break up. I don't think so. Why not just cut your losses and move on? Easier said than done.

Most often people go through sadness, anger and hurt. Feelings of betrayal, rejection and abandonment are common at the end of a relationship. Although this is a normal response to losing someone important, you will feel anything but “normal.” Take good care of yourself during this time, don't try to run from your pain, and reach out to friends and family for support....and don't look back on this person, they sure a shit didn't think much of you when they dumped you. Don't waste your time wondering "what if?" ...At least not with this matter. You'll beat yourself into the ground and still come out feeling poorly.

Break up quotes are plentiful because as as Neil Sedaka said in a song “Breaking up is hard to do.” All kinds of feelings come up: grief, loss, sadness, anger, betrayal, abandonment. To make matters worse, getting over a break up is not something that can be rushed.

Attempting to hurry past emotions or avoid them altogether is never advised. When unrecognized, minimized or dismissed the pesky things tend to linger even longer! Therefore, the common tricks of keeping so busy you don't notice yourself or beginning to date immediately are counterproductive. Instead, make time for your feelings, take good care of yourself, and turn to family and friends for support. Get out and start a new. There is a big world out there waiting for you,...and there is someone who lays his/her head to sleep at night that wishes for the same things you do. Love find you when you least expect it. First you must get past the heartbreak.




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How Will I Know...If He Really Loves Me?

Both women and men for years and years have asked the same question that our grandparents asked: "How will I know?" Well, in todays society, love is a two way street. It takes two to make a relationship and two to break it. Most often, it is not one sided. Love conquers all. Some will tell you that they stay clear from it and as Bonnie Tyler sang it best.... "It's a Heartache" nothing but a heartache. So, the question at hand is this; How will I know if he really loves me? Well, don't ask Whitney Houston, we all know how her relationship with Mr Bobby Brown turned out...my advice...follow your heart and listen to your gut. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. I've taken the liberty to dig up some questions and answers to the top worries we have in relationships....I thought you might want to take a lookie.



1.  If you observe his actions rather than his words, what have you learned?  You know they always say that actions speak louder than words. Is he nice, and kind and caring...or does he mistreat animals, talk down to the wait staff at restaurants when you go on dates, or act prejudice? Pay close attention...both men and women are silent threats....but actions sound our horn loud and clear. I have built in radar. My kids always laughed at me when I said that while they were growing up, but I always knew when something didn't feel right. Use your better judgement. If it feels wrong, it probably is. Like a leopard, sooner than later his true colors will show, and these are some serious spots you'll want to stay clear from if this is the case.

2.  Does he constantly treat you with respect or does he do so sparingly and inconsistently?  People who are truly in love know this... treating the one you love with respect is a full time duty!
You cannot pick and choose the time and place to be kind, considerate, and respectful.  He is either respectful full-time or he is not.  It really is that simple.  He is not entitled to pick and choose!


3.  In your relationship, are you treated as an equal partner?   Listen sister...you damn straight should be! When someone really loves you, they treat you as an equal partner - as a person who has an equal voice in your relationship. Your voice does matter...and if your partner thinks that it doesn't....cut your losses and walk away now. If he makes the significant decisions in your relationship and relegates you to following his directives, then he really does NOT love you.  In the best loving relationships between a man and a woman, both share equally in the relationship.


4.  When you are in love, you can't imagine life without him!  So try this question on him - "Honey, do you love me more than life itself?  Can you imagine life without me?"  If his answer makes you wonder about the depth of his commitment to you, he doesn't truly love you.  He is not the man you should commit your life to!


5.  People who truly love each other say it and live it daily!  Does he tell you he loves you?  Does he do it without prodding?  Does his love for you come naturally, repeatedly, and frequently? The truth of the matter is this - when you love someone, you tell them.  And don't fall for that old line that goes like this - "I don't need to tell her I love her because she knows."  This notion is just plain wrong!  If he doesn't tell you, then your relationship is in trouble and in my own words... "Houston, We have a Problem!" My advice is don't wait until it becomes an issue....watch for signs and talk about it.


6.  I trust him more that life itself. Your trust in him is unequivocal and without hesitation.
Here is the question of the day - Is the man you purport to love a man you trust without question?  If the answer is no, then you need to reconsider the question, does he really love me? It's not  hard to do...and this is not a multiple choice question. He either loves you or he doesn't! End of discussion.


7.  In the end, if he really loves you, he is always there for you - through the good times and the bad.  When somebody loves you, they love you through thick and thin.  They love you without conditions.  They love you when you are at your best and when you are at your worst.
When you are really in love, he makes you feel good and you do the same for him. You are stronger because he is a part of your life.  He makes you excited about where your relationship is going. It's a positive reality!


Remember...The measure of his love for you is always, in the end, about consistency.  When you love someone, you cannot pick and choose the times you show you care, when you express love, and when you demonstrate your affection for the one you love.  If his love for you is conditional, sporadic, and only comes when the times are good, you have to answer yourself this simple question - does he really and truly love me?  You decide....and that my friend....is HOW YOU KNOW!

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Define Love...

Often times, I ask myself, and I am not the only one. We define crush, puppy love, infatuation, or in reality, is it really true love? We fall in and out of love as often as we change our underwear. Do not get me wrong. Many believe that one goes through many different lovers before you find your soulmate. What is a soulmate? Will you know who your soulmate is? There is a mothers love. A childs love. Gods love. Those are all unconditional love.

Romeo and Juliet sacrificed their life for love so that they could be together forever. We watch romantic movies and listened to love ballads to get an understanding what you must do to find love.At times we work to hard with the wrong person to find that we have it a dead end and often times get frustrated but we brush ourselves off and get back on the rollercoaster of love!

We find enjoyment and the love for shopping and fall in love with a pair of shoes or a handbag that is right for us. My love is lingerie because it is always there and it is always the right piece for me. We are selective on what we love for us but we should be selective on the type of people who choose to be in our lives. Diamonds are a girls best friend. Wear it like there is no tomorrow. We deserve to be happy, right? Love like there is no tomorrow. Who knows?...There may be a surprise maybe waiting for you around the corner.


 Hugs and kisses girls!

Tantalizing Tina

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Caribbean-Western 4 Day Cruise $169 Per Person!!

Need a vacation? Don't we all! What are you waiting for? Where else can you go and eat the finest of foods all day and all night without getting a bill at the end of each meal, sleep in comfort, and relax on sandy beaches or at the ships pool for $169?

Caribbean-Western 4 Days • Carnival Cruise Lines • Carnival Imagination

Inside cabins start at $169. Outside cabins start at $189. Oveanview staterooms at $199. Suites $419
These prices are for the month of January and can go up at anytime without notice.

Date (2012) Port Arrive Depart

1

Mon, Jan 2

Miami 4:00 P

2

Tue, Jan 3

Key West 7:30 A 2:00 P

3

Wed, Jan 4

Cozumel 1:00 P 10:00 P

4

Thu, Jan 5

At Sea

5

Fri, Jan 6

Miami 8:00 A

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The Imagination Ship, Carnival Cruise Ship

All prices are per person, in US Dollars, based on double occupancy. Government taxes are additional. Prices change frequently, to get current pricing you must make a selection.

ONLY MAJOR GATEWAY CITIES ARE AVAILABLE VIA THE CRUISE ENGINE. If a smaller airport gateway is selected the cruise lines system will automatically default to the nearest major airport and an air deviation request will need to be submitted which may result in additional fees to the cruise customer. Please contact your YTB travel site owner for assistance if needed.
For bookings made within 14 days of sailing and during peak holiday periods, the air portion of your trip is NOT guaranteed. Please read the following important information.

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***Click on "Cruises" all ports, 3-5 day western caribbean cruise January 2012.

Copyright ©2011SavinTravel.com All Rights Reserved.

Like Big Cities? How About Living in NYC

Who doesn't love the big city life? It certainly is not dull and gloomy. If you're just visiting, enjoy the hustle and bustle,..I'm a small town girl who married, divorced, raised two kids on my own for the most part, and sent them off to college and to study abroad in Europe during the summer months. I worked two jobs to give them a better perspective on life. I wanted them to experience the social economy so that they would appreciate living in the good ole' USA, and I wanted them to view how others live politically, socially and partake in their cultures. They backpacked all over Europe and came home 9 weeks later at the end of the summers with such wonderful photos and stories that will be memories for their children some day. I grew up in a small town, just outside of Cleveland Ohio and relocated to a larger city...or so I thought? Not! Perhaps by population, but nothing like my children were about to embark on. My children taught me to get my feet wet and travel the globe, experience life and big city living, and never to be afraid to take chances...so I did! Why then did it not surprise me that the two of them now live in cities ranked amongst the top 5 largest cities in the USA?

NYC It is alive and bright and people fill the streets shopping and site seeing area landmarks. Sure New York is legendary for high prices, but it’s not an unlivable city. On the contrary to things that you hear, it is one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen. I've heard that people are rude in NY but having visited there a few times and now spending time there visiting my son who works in Manhattan and lives in one of the Burroughs, Brooklyn, I can't wait to visit time and time again! We go to work and some of us commute via transit stations. My son sold his car when he left Houston, Texas and loves the subway! He tells me that he does not miss driving and dealing with the nut jobs on the roads that are accidents waiting to happen. Anyone that has ever driven day in and day out the Houston I-10 commute with connection to 610 Loop knows that it is chaos and a nightmare. Your 20-25 mile drive (if you live in the burbs like I did) to work now becomes an almost 2 hour commute each way... and that's on a 14-20+ lane highway. You want to talk about wanting to pull your hair out...try it sometime! It is STRESS x 100...and here I thought my sister living right outside of Washington, DC in Maryland and driving 18 miles with about the same commute time was awful, until I found myself in the same boat as her. I relocated to Houston to be near my kids for a few years and to get out of Michigan's ice cold tundra winters. 200+ inches of snowfall each winter was more than I cared to experience again, and when my daughter suggested sunny high temps and palm trees, I jumped on that idea. Big cities are only as scary as you allow them to be. Do not let them intimidate YOU!

NYC scares a lot of people because they hear that it is expensive to live there...It is, but no more expensive to live in any other large cities such as Miami, FL, Chicago Ill or San Fran, CA. There are thousands of students who manage to get by every day on limited funds. Here are some suggestions for living in the city that may make your experience a bit easier, more fun— and cheaper.

 

Getting Around NYC:

One of the best things about New York is that it’s got the oldest and most elaborate subway system in the country.  Get yourself a subway map and use it!  You can also find subway and bus maps online at the MTA website. If you know where you want to go, but don’t know how to get there, you can visit hopstop.com just type in an address and a map of the location pops up with nearby subway lines highlighted.  Pay close attention to what I am about to say because it is crucial if you don't want to get lost...keep in mind, you will. They say most often that sometimes we find the best places when we fall off our sense of direction and go the wrong way, take the wrong exit, or get off a station of the subway too early, or too late.

When riding the train, take the time to make sure you are getting on the right train in the right direction, otherwise you can end up somewhere that you really don;t want to be. That said, at some point during your stay, you will inevitably end up on the wrong train. Don’t feel bad, it happens to everyone. Look for signs in the station and listen for announcements about track changes due to construction. Some trains don’t run at all (or run on a different track) late nights or on the weekends, so be sure to read the signs carefully. There is an "AP" button that you can upload on your iPhone or Android of NYC and the Subway routes that you can upload before your trip. For my son who moved to NYC in June this is his bible. Without it he would be lost. Remember, that some subways shut down early so if you are out bar hopping, make sure that you know when the last train out is, otherwise you may be in for a real treat or a very expensive taxi ride!

Manhattan, for the most part, is a nice, neat grid. The avenues run north/south. Most of the avenues (11 of them) are numbered, beginning in the east and getting higher as they go west. Streets run east/west and the numbers get higher as they go north. In order to figure out where to go using a map, you’ll need to know which way is north. If the street numbers are getting higher, you’re heading north. Also, on one-way, even-numbered streets, the traffic runs east and on odd-numbered streets, traffic runs west.

You can also bike in New York City, either for recreation or to get to work. There rre several greenways in the city, including the West Side Greenway, which runs along the west side of Manhattan along the Hudson. You can also bike in Central and Prospect Parks. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys sing the song that bests describes New York City; "Empire State if Mind"







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