Merry Christmas 2014! Best Wishes to You and Yours

Hello everyone, I would like to wish everybody a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous prosperous new year, 2015.
Christmas is a time for togetherness and being with our loved ones which one of the most important aspects during Christmas and it should not stop there. It should be everyday.

It is not about the presents, the food, the decorations, but its about Jesus and his birth.

Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year 2015.
May 2015 create new beginnings, spread around goodness, being kind to one another and raising awareness on important issues of the world that we all have the power to make positive and happy changes if we all work together to empower, enrich our souls, minds and hearts with goodness all the time, everything will fall into place. God bless everyone.

2015 is about a week away, and I wish you all happiness, health, love, success and all the great things of life with a positive and optimistic attitude.

What are your expectations and what are you planning to accomplish?
Will you be attaining and achieving the goals you set out?
In what ways will you approach it?
How will you achieve them?

First Day of Winter – Days Are Going to get Longer

It is the First day of Winter. I know some complain of the snow, freezing temperatures and all the chaos from winter like me, and trust me when I say this, I despise winter a lot and have my very own Facebook page called “The I hate Winter Club”, however looking at the bigger picture in a different perspective, things can be worse. Look at it this way, It is just temporary until we see green grass, beautiful flowers blossoming, the warmth in the air, the sun and more brightness again. count our blessings, be grateful for the people in our lives and the things we have. As long as we are with the people we love, we have health, and were doing well, it is all that matters.

After today, the days start getting longer, the daylight increases by a couple of minutes per day and before we know it, it will be back to springtime. I know we have to deal with the freezing and the craziness of winter, but I am looking things into a new light.

I am blessed for all the people I have in my life. I love you all very much. I am excited to create more incredible memories with them all, no matter what season, no matter what day and time it is. Each moment we have with our loved ones is something that is important more than anything else in this world. Not material growth.

I believe that materialism is not something that I value. To me, togetherness with my loved ones is all that counts in life. Some people are just so materialistic that they get so angry if they do not receive a gift or they do not get what they want from other people. Should not work that way. It is the thought that counts. Time and energy was put in to buy that gift and people should learn to appreciate what they receive, and what they have. People in this world do not have anything. We must count our blessings and appreciate all we have. Some people have a hard time to make ends meet and can barely keep up, while some others are so materialistic and want want want, but they do not give back and they don’t acknowledge anything else.

It is not about the food, the decorations, and everything, It is about people coming together to enjoy each other and keep that bond going strong as it should be year-round.

What are your traditions? What is it about Winter you like?

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. May 2015 be a year filled with love, health, happiness, new beginnings, and all the great things of life.

Pinterest Obsessed – Awesome Website

So, you are probably thinking in the back of your head on why I am obsessed with such a website like Pinterest. It is quite easy to answer that question for you. I set up my account on Pinterest last year in 2013, and as I began to skim through the website, I found some pretty neat, interesting and cool stuff. I said, wow a website that I really enjoy and like.

Pinterest is a website where you gain ideas on what to do at parties, weddings, showers, at home decorating, crafts, creating new things in the office, efficient ways to do things, how to save space, new ways to cook food, decorating food, getting quotes, inspiration, you get a visual idea on what to do, things for families, friends, travel,. You name it, Pinterest has it. I get excited every time I search for something there. Once I didn’t keep track of time, and I was on the website for more than 2 and a half hours, just searching and saving stuff so I can do it myself. So far I have done a few things which is cooking new types of food and the decorating. I have gotten lots of compliments because of that.

No matter what is that you are interested, Pinterest has everything to cater to individual needs, that are handpicked by internet and social media users across the globe.
http://www.pinterest.com is such a cool website. If you do not have an account yet, I suggest you make one. Happy Pinning and enjoy a wonderful world of ideas, suggestions, advice and more.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year – Love Talin Orfali

It is that time of year again. I cannot believe how quickly 2013 flew by. Just yesterday we were celebrating Christmas and New Years for 2012/2013, and now as 2013 is coming to a close, were doing it all over again with putting up the lights, the decorations, finding that perfect tree, or putting up a tree that has been in storage. I love Christmas time when everywhere is decorated with beautiful colours, beautiful Christmas lights on homes, wrapped presents, ornaments, tinsel, snow globes, candles, manger, stables, the nativity scene, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, the Elves, Snowman, Mistletoe, Cookies and Milk, candy canes, the food, the celebrations, and of course and especially celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with Mary and Joseph and the Three Wise Men and how Mary was chosen to give Birth to a King.

What are your Christmas traditions in your family? What exciting things do you do? Some families put on Christmas Sweaters, some families play games, and so on and so forth. What do you like to cook and serve to your loved ones? Christmas for me every year is always different, either we have a lot of people come over, some Christmases are spent going to other peoples homes, or going out to a party, so I cannot really say what is tradition with my loved ones, but every year is always different, but we do manage to always find a way to get together. When we do, we love cooking turkey, ham, rice, vegetables, gravy, and other things. I love baking my signature cinnamon cake which people I know love it, so they want more and more of it. It has been such a long time I have not decorated a Gingerbread house, but I think I will do that this year.

I love watching Christmas movies at this time of year like Miracle on 34th street, Home Alone 1 and 2, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, Jack Frost, Four Christmases, Santa Clause, Santa Clause 2, I also love watching the Santa Claus Parade on television. I must have watched Home Alone 1 and 2 8 or 9 times this year alone on TV and I just love that movie especially. There is something about Home Alone 1 and 2, that make you get pulled into it and its so hard to flip the channel. After that Home alone 3-5 was all downhill and I did not enjoy them as much because when you change Characters, when you change the setting, it won’t be the same as the first 2. I know Home Alone 1 and 2 by heart, and if you put the movie on mute, I can say the whole script.

Anyway, lastly, I also want to acknowledge those people who are not so lucky during the Christmas and New Year Holidays, that are alone, but not really alone because there are people in this world that are thinking of them and one of them is me, people who do not have a warm home to go to, those who are less fortunate, those who cannot afford or who do not have enough to provide for their families and I’d like to reach out to all of those people around the world and tell them that I am thinking of them and they are in my heart, mind and soul and my thoughts and prayers are with them all and I wish them the best for 2014 and I hope that they too can have a nice and lovely Christmas. I want them to know that they are not alone and that I am with them all. The presents and Materialism shouldn’t matter, but all that matters is togetherness and creating memories.  I wish everyone peace, harmony, happiness, health, success, and all the great things of life. I wish everyone a prosperous, great, and lovely new year. Many blessings to all and wishing everyone all the best. With love always, Talin Orfali

Kitchen & Time Saving Tips for The Upcoming Holiday’s

It is that time again and it is quickly approaching where we are just a few weeks away from Christmas and New Year holidays, and a lot of people get so frustrated, and are confused with what to cook, what to do to save time in Kitchen and so much more. The Holidays are about spending time with your loved ones, making memories and cherishing precious and personal moments with them and to spend less time in the kitchen, which is why I have these tips and tricks to help you in that department. Well, without further a do, here they are:

— 1 or 2 weeks before your big dinner night with your loved ones, decide on the menu and what you will cook and serve as snacks, as dinner and dessert. We know how hectic it can be to make several types of dishes, but simplicity is key. Do not overload your table with so many options of foods. Limit the amount.

— a week before the big event, do all your grocery shopping. Do not wait until last-minute as that time is to start preparing the day or 2 before, but if they are foods that will need to be prepared on the day of, make sure you start early in preparations.

— If you have more than 10-20 people or more or less, it is a good idea to buy Christmas Holiday style disposable cutlery and plates to set the table or set them to the side like a buffet table along with of course napkins, disposable cups and glasses for juice, soft drinks, wine, beer, alcoholic beverages, so that no washing dishes are involved. Keep the garbage bags on standby where you can get a reach of it quickly. (The only washing of dishes would be servers, and plates, pans that have the food that is cooked from it.

— Before your loved ones arrive, set all the desserts to the side where it will be quick to bring out.

— Do not spend half your time in the kitchen. Besides your loved ones came to get together and spend time together, to see each others faces. Preparation in advance is so important to do. Do not be afraid to ask for help, and delegate tasks for the whole family to do before others start coming over.

— Of course the house should be clean and tidy, use a rug at the front of the door to put people s shoes and organize them so that shoes will not be everywhere. make room in your closet for people’s coats. So take all the coats out that you and your family who live there and take them and put them in another room. If you have enough space for all jackets in your closet, then its all good.

— Before the meal, when people start knocking on your door and come in, have vegetable trays and chips bowls on the table or whatever snacks you will serve, but not over indulge in the snacks so that you have room for the main dinner. Then after the dinner is done, put out the snacks and dessert table. again limit the desserts as well.

— In the kitchen when you are about to start cooking, take out all cooking equipment out and once you use something and will not need it anymore, simply wash them, dry them and put them away, so that you have less dishes to wash later.

— when your loved ones are over, make sure everything is ready, then all you do is just bring them over to the table which won’t take more than 5 minutes, keep the food warm on the oven, until it is time to serve. After serving your food, and after eating, clear the table and of course throw out the disposable plates, cutlery and cups and glasses, then just give the table a quick wipe. Then quickly convert it to the dessert table where everything is self-serve. Also use disposable dessert plates and cutlery as well.

— Leave the washing of the big dishes until later so that you can enjoy your loved ones to the fullest and if people want to volunteer to help you clean and wash, allow them and it will be fun as well-doing things together. just not all on you.

— make the coffee, espresso and put the water into the coffee maker, in advance. after dinner, just press the button and the coffee will start to brew. Also make those disposable cups. Remember less washing the better it is for you.

— decide on decorations on table, centerpieces and theme. I have read that people dress up in Christmas sweaters, and same colours, sometimes people just come in anything.

— This is super important if your loved ones have a little too much to drink, do not allow them to drive a vehicle and make sure they stay over, until they are sober to drive again. Do not drink and drive and enjoy the holidays responsibly. You can save your life, your loved ones lives and others lives who share the road with you. When you know there is alcohol involved and you know that your loved ones will drink, ask to collect everyone’s car keys and place them in a basket and put the basket in another room and keep the door locked and when people leave just bring the basket out and let people grab their keys only if they have not drunk. or if they had one drink or something that still gives them the capability to drive.

— When nature calls, some of your loved ones will want to use the washroom. It is a good idea to have paper towels on standby so that your towels won’t be soaking wet when another person decides to dry their hangs, and a couple of rolls of toilet paper on the side, and extra hand washing soap if need be.

That is all for now, but if there is any particular questions you need to ask, do not hesitate to comment or personally e-mail me. You can find my e-mail on my contact me site which is located on top of the page. Thank you and have a great, safe, happy Christmas and Holiday season!

 

Nothing Like Organization, Neatness, & Cleanliness

Since I was a child, I have always learned the importance of organization, neatness and cleanliness. I do not like things out of place, and I even fold my clothes, and hang my clothes according to colour and type of clothing it is. I make filing systems for all my things, I organize my things with the new modern looking storage boxes, dividers, drawer organizers, pen, staple, scissor holders, plastic drawers, I clean all the dust at least twice a week, regular washroom maintenance every other day. I really enjoy cleaning the house, and cleaning my own space and being neat, vacuuming, washing dishes, doing laundry, washing sheets and towels weekly, folding laundry, cooking, mopping and washing the floors. I really enjoy doing it. I know some people don’t, but it is fun when you make it fun. I listen to music, think of happy thoughts, and just going through a fun time. I just love being organized too so that I know where everything is in the house, so that if I am looking for something, I know exactly where to find it and I don’t have to spend hours just looking for something. I remember when I was in my teens, and a few people came over to my house, and I remember them saying, your home is spotless, and I said thank you so much. It felt good when others notice that instantly when they come over. When you least expect it, people can come over to my place, so I like to upkeep it all the time and even if people don’t come over, it will be a clean house to live in and being proud of it being clean and tidy. I usually use vinegar and water most of the time to mop the floors, clean surfaces, and then the whole places smells like a salad for a couple of hours and then it goes back to normal.  I don’t use harsh chemicals that are bad, I use natural cleaners like vinegar and water. It is the best form of cleaning ever. It is exciting to me and I find to be so awesome to clean and to know that my house is in tip top shape. I love it
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