Maggie's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa Claus,

I have been a very good girl this year...well except for the time I tried to kill our neighbor's two labs (they were teasing me about being short like my mom) and the time I snuck daddy's dinner off his plate (he shouldn't have tempted me with it)....oh, and the time I tinkled on Mommy's new Turkish rug (I think the rug is ugly anyway). Other than those tiny, minor things I've been an angel...promise!

I thought it would be a good idea to get my letter to you early so there would be no screw ups this year. Santa, I didn't appreciate the stupid jacket and sweater you got me last year. No more crap like that, ok?!?

Well here's my list. I made it short and sweet for you so there would be no confusion.

I appreciate it Santa! I'll leave you some cookies out (oh, don't worry, I won't leave any of mommy's cookies out as I know they make you sick).

Maggie's VERY important Christmas list;

1) I would like several boxes of my favorite treats.

2) As many 'babies' (stuffed animals) as you can fit in your bag. You know how I love to rip the heads off of them.

3) I would like the groomer to go away (I'm not sure if you can help me with this but these groomer appointments are VERY traumatic for me)

4) Lastly, I would like a brother or sister to play with. (Mommy said her and daddy are working on this but I wasn't sure if you could speed up the process for them. I don't care which one I get but I'd love someone to play with).

Thanks for everything Santa. Hope you get some sleep after your big day!

Love,

Maggie

Time to Give Thanks

In November my mom gave her clients an opportunity to show their thanks for people that have made a difference in their lives.

My mom then let the people know how they have affected the lives of others by thanking them with a gift certificate to a restaurant. Wow...there are some very special people out there! Here are two of the wonderful submissions.

"We moved here 1 1/2 years ago & I met Barb (Bandelow) at church. I had just been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemo. I went through chemo for a year. In that time, Barb faithfully took me to all of my chemo appointments, brought us meals, called to see how I was doing, came to visit, etc. Due to the side effects and only a 10 - 20% chance that the chemo would work, I chose to stop chemo six months ago. Since then, Barb continues to be there for me. We go out to eat, work on crafts together and go shopping. She knows my cancer is progressing and continues to support me in every way as a true friend would do." Roger and Ginger Erdman

"Jonathan and I would like to give thanks to our very special Butte des Morts neighbors, Mike and Mary Rebman.

We are thankful to Mike and Mary in many ways. After Tifani helped us purchase our second home in Butte des Morts, Mike and Mary "showed us the ropes". As Chicagoans, we really needed the fast track on where to boat, where to eat, where to shop and where to have fun in the Fox Valley (plus Mary is hysterically funny). Moreover, as part time neighbors, we always knew Mike and Mary kept an eye on things for us without ever asking. They even baby sit our dog!

Mike and Mary are very hard working people at many levels; truly, rolling up their shirt sleeves. They run Triumph Electric in Appleton and work very long hours. They give back to their community through charitable giving. Mike and Mary even mow the shared community park in their spare time!

Knowing people like Mike and Mary made our transition to a lifestyle on the water fantastic! We also developed a deep friendship. We are grateful for Mike and Mary this Thanksgiving as true examples of people who we should be thankful for every day of the year." Jonathan and Beverley Rohde

Maggie's first video ever!

Mommy's Making Cookies

Oh Lord.....I'm not sure what I should do. My mom's in the kitchen attempting to 'make' her favorite cookies at the moment, Unbaked Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. She plans on delivering them to some of her clients this week. Now, my mom isn't known to be the best cook in town and, in fact, has ruined a lot of things she has tried to cook. It is sad but true.

I thought I'd better warn those who are getting the cookies to tread cautiously and I also thought it might be a good idea to put the actual recipe on here so, if by a small chance they actually turn out, you might want to make them yourself (they may taste better if you make them).

I'll be praying for all of you who are 'lucky' enough to get some cookies. Have a great weekend!

Love,

Maggie

UNBAKED CHOCOLATE OATMEAL COOKIES

1/2 c butter

1/2 c milk

2 c sugar

1/2 c peanut butter

3 c quick cooking oatmeal

5 tbl cocoa powder

Cook butter, milk and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.

Add peanut butter, oatmeal and cocoa. Boil for 5 to 7 more minutes.

Spoon onto wax paper and cool.

Time to Give Thanks

November is the month we celebrate Thanksgiving. We give thanks for the people in our lives, the things we have, our health, family, friends and so much more.
This month Tifani wants to help you ‘give thanks’ to the special people in your life.

Nominate another family, couple, close friend or relative to receive a $50 gift certificate to enjoy a nice dinner at a restaurant in the Fox Valley. Tell Tifani why you are thankful for them.

The story that is picked will be posted in Tifani’s next e-newsletter and on Maggie’s Dog Blog located on Tifani’s website www.TifaniAndCompany.com.

The winning nominee will win a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant located in the Fox Valley.

All stories must be submitted by November 22nd to qualify. You can send all entries to Tifani@TifaniAndCompany.com.

Happy Thanksgiving all November from Tifani And Company!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! Don't forget to set your clocks back an hour tonight.

Love, Maggie

A Historic Time to Buy

Young people just starting to invest and buying their first homes are potentially the winners in this recession.First-time homebuyers, most between the ages of 25 and 45, accounted for about 45 percent of home sales from January through July 2009, according to the National Association of REALTORS®"This is a historic time," says George Jaramillo, a 35-year-old business analyst in Atlanta, who recently bought three homes, two of them foreclosures. "It's a great opportunity to make some great gains in the future."A study by investment company T. Rowe Price points out that investing when prices are low can result in amazing gains. For instance, between 1970 and 1990, the annualized rate of return for the S&P 500 was 11.5 percent."We need to be shouting from the rooftops that this is not the time to get out of the market if you're young," says Christine Fahlund, a senior financial planner with T. Rowe Price. "This is the time to be in the market."Source: The Associated Press, Chip Cutter (10/05/2009)