Don't Sweat The Mess When Baking Cookies With The Family

My husband and daughter are both very busy most of the time. My husband is very busy with his job as Managing Editor at SET Magazine (Sports and Entertainment Today). He also is a writer and works in local television. My daugter is a freshman in high school. On top of that she is in band and also an Equestrian.

The holidays are the perfect time to make things special at home. Christmas holidays are the busiest time of the year not to mention the most expensive. I try to make everything festive and fun leading up to Christmas. We enjoy being together as a family and I want it to be the happiest it can be.

One of the ways to make things festive is to bake cookies. My daughter and I bake cookies every year and have fun decorating them. We get my husband somewhat involved with the decorating process; however, his favorite part is the eating process. Sorry honey, but you definitley can't bake.

Most of the baking we do is usually with an Italian flare because my family background happens to be Italian. Over the years, however, we have tried many other types of cookies and they have become part of our family holiday baking tradition as well.

We make everything from Struffoli (Italian honey drenched fritters),rum balls, anise cookies to good ole American type cookies from sugar to mint chocolate chip. My husband doesn't like anise so if you or someone in your famiily doesn't like anise flavor (licorice) you can substitute with any extract (almond, lemon, vanilla etc.)

This first cookie we make is one of my daughter's favorites. It's delicious and fun because you can decorate them with icing and little candies. Kids love to decorate cookies. If your kitchen gets a little messy, it's a small price to pay for family fun and togetherness.


CREAM CHEESE CUTOUT COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Almond Frosting (recipe follows)
Assorted candies for decoration

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well combined. Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. In a small bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to cream cheese mixture; beat until well mixed. Divide dough in half. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough, half at a time, to 1/8 -inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut out with cookies cutters. Place two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Frost cookies with Almond Frosting; decorate with assorted candies, if desired.

ALMOND FROSTING

In a small bowl, beat 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of softened butter and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract until smooth. For piping consistency, beat in 4 to 5 teaspoons milk. For spreading consistency, add a little more milk. If desired, tint with food coloring.

The two main tips I have for these cookies is make sure to use butter and also extracts -- not imitation flavor. This will make a big difference in your cookie's taste.

These cookies are so much fun to decorate. I buy an assortment of candies from Michael's. You can decorate these with the little silver candies, sprinkles, and colored sugars.

My dogs also love these cookies. Don't forget they are a big part of our family too!

The holidays can be stressful on everyone, but relieve some of the stress by baking and having fun with your family during the holiday season! Slow down a little and enjoy each other -- family togetherness and love that is what Christmas is all about. No present can replace love and happiness.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

P.S. Don't forget to have the kids leave cookies for Santa! Homemade cookies -- that's one sure way to get on Santa's Nice List!

Ham Wraps Quick, Easy Appetizers Your Kids Can Help You Make

I love the holidays and I enjoy all the cooking and preparation that leads to the festivities.

My daughter who is now 15 years old helps me out with everything. She will be in America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year and has been very busy leading up to Thanksgiving. However, she asked me the other day when we were going to start baking and cooking. I thought this year she wouldn’t want to get involved with all the preparations, but she surprised me.

This is allowing us to become closer and talk, while at the same time it teaches her how to cook. At 15 years old she does a pretty good job of cooking, but she started helping me with little jobs in the kitchen when she was small. I always took time and made it as fun as possible starting with her Easy Bake oven.

I’ve tried to teach my daughter during our cooking marathons to always make sure everything tastes terrific, but at the same time to try to keep the cost down. Not an easy task in this economy! However, there are some things you can do to keep the cost down. One thing I’ve found is that you don’t necessarily have to buy brand name products. If you can get them on sale, great, but if not, I’ve found the store brand products (Meijer,etc.) taste just as good. The other thing I’ve noticed is that the week before a holiday most stores have wonderful sales on groceries. Look at the weekend flyers and compare prices to make sure you get the best deal.

Another example is cream cheese. I love the Philadelphia brand, but if you are putting it in a dip or appetizer it doesn’t really matter.

Here is a quick appetizer you can make with your kids. This is fun and will get children in the kitchen so you can spend more time with them during the busy holiday season.

I’ve used prosciutto (dry-cured Italian ham), which is very expensive, but I’ve also tried deli ham. They both taste great. I’ve found deli ham as low as $2.99/lb. at my local deli counter. I also make sure I’ve blanched the asparagus spears before my daughter even gets into the kitchen so they are cooled and dried completely. That way you don’t worry about your kids getting burned and you can get started right away.

Also a little added note, I am from Michigan, and Michigan ranks third in the nation for asparagus production. So I can boost the economy a bit as well!


ITALIAN HAM & ASPARAGUS WRAPS



1 8 Oz. package cream cheese
1 teaspoon of dried chives
1 teaspoon parsley
Salt to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon of lemon juice
½ lb. ham or prosciutto (at least 10 pieces of ham)
10 large asparagus spears trimmed and blanched for a few minutes to retain crispness.

Let cream cheese come to room temperature. In a bowl mix cream cheese, chives, parsley, salt, pepper and lemon. Set aside. Place a slice of ham on counter or cutting board and spread thin layer of cream cheese on the meat with a spoon. Place a piece of asparagus on top of the cream cheese and top of the ham slice and roll. Cut each roll into pieces. About 4 to 5 pieces per ham slice.

Makes about 40-50 bite sized pieces.

These little appetizers are great to serve with a glass of wine before dinner. Ham wraps taste great and they don’t cost much to make.

So get the ham on sale and no name brand cream cheese. This is something you can make that will make the holidays a little more festive while being affordable at the same time.

Most of all, get your kids in the kitchen and spend time with them during the holidays!

Happy Holidays!

Stress in Michigan Is Nothing New

Stress here in the Detroit Metro Area has been a way of life for many years. A saying I heard recently: “When the United States gets a cold, Michigan gets the flu.” I have lived in Michigan my whole life, and I believe truer words have never been spoken.

I am very upset with Congress, again. Auto executives yesterday pleaded with them for some kind of financial relief and all they did was put them through the wringer. I didn’t see Congress treat their banker buddies on Wall Street as disrespectfully as they treated the auto executives from Michigan. Yes, of course the Auto Industry is somewhat to blame, but they made the cars that were in demand. Yes, all of America wanted their big SUVs so that is what the auto industry gave them. Now Congress wants to put all the blame on the Big Three. How many members of Congress have or had these big SUVs?

I keep hearing about how great small businesses are. If that’s true, don’t you think by letting the auto industry go under you will affect small businesses across this country? Who do you think supplies many of the parts for the auto industry? The auto industry doesn’t just mean the Detroit Metro Area – it also includes small businesses across the country. The Detroit Metro Area gets a whole lot of beating up by the media, but I’m here to tell you some of the most wonderful down-to-earth people live in this area, and they are decent, hard working people with wonderful families who deserve better.

It seems like anything to help the middle class is taboo in Washington, D.C. Oh sure, help the rich right and left, but middle class and poor people? Forget it, you’re on your own! If you want help to stop a foreclosure on a poor or middle class home, too bad. If you’re rich, start lining up at the front door of Congress because they are handing out all the billions to you guys.


So after the Wall Street bailout, is there anything left for the U.S. auto workers and the millions of people who depend on that industry?


I’m sick of Congress laying most of the blame on the middle class about the financial situation in this country. I’ll tell you who is to blame for this mess. It’s all the wealthy, greedy people in this country. Do you want the truth? I’ll tell you exactly what happened, because it happened to my family and many others. Big business didn’t want to pay the American worker enough to make a comfortable living. They were greedy and wanted more profit to line their own pockets. So what did they do? Out-sourced our jobs and sent them overseas for cheap labor so they could make more money. They raised prices on everything from food to heating your home with deregulations on just about everything. Well, now they have completed their mission. However, who can buy all these products if we (middle class America) don’t have the money to spend? We don’t have jobs. Maybe that’s why the economy is in such a mess. If we the middle class don’t have decent paying jobs and money to spend, who is going to buy all these products? To me this is Economics 101 and Washington needs to go back to school so they can figure all this out. I’ll tell you what will help. GET OUR DECENT PAYING JOBS BACK! The middle class doesn’t want a hand out; we want our jobs and homes back. We want to be able to pay our bills and still have a little money left over. We want to be able to buy food to feed our families without worrying what bill not to pay this month. We want our children to have presents under the Christmas tree. We want to feel like we make a difference in this country, because we do. We want to not have to fight with our spouse because of all the stress. We want to be able to buy clothes and shoes for our children. Our kids want to be able to go to college without a $45,000 debt hanging over their head when they graduate. We want our pride back. Is that too much to ask for? Apparently it is.


Supply and demand: America's thirst for big SUVs like this one prompted the Big 3 to make them at the expense of smaller, more fuel efficient cars


You see, Washington didn’t want to help and acknowledge the problem until it hit their rich banker and Wall Street friends. The stock market drops and all of a sudden we have a financial crisis. Well, we’ve had a financial crisis for years here in America, but they didn’t want to pay attention until it hit them and all their buddies. What did they do? Race to help them while the rest of the country continues to drown. Job well done!

When you don’t help the auto industry you don’t help get our jobs back. The economy won’t get better until the middle class is restored. Why can’t Washington figure this out?

On the front page of the Detroit Free Press today it says, “Congress Ready to Sink Bailout” and “Anxiety Is the New Normal”. Need I say more?

I have hope, however, with all of the above now that President-elect Barack Obama won, and I, like millions of Americans, can’t wait until the day he takes office. I am also happy about a new Congress who will also take charge in January. I know things won’t get better overnight, but I know they will get better eventually.

On that note I wish you a good day, and a bright and happy future!

How to Keep A Parading Kid (and others) Warm? Here's How!

My daughter’s high school marching band will be in The America’s Thanksgiving Day Parade this year in Detroit. I am so proud of the band, and of course Nicole. However, putting that aside, this started to create a problem in the beginning and that was: how to keep her warm all morning beginning at 7:00 a.m. until the time she returns home?

Keep in mind, we live in Michigan and November can be pretty cold. Our neighbors are Canada and I can see Russia from my back door. You betcha! Of course, I’m just kidding about Russia, but we do get the Canadian winds and we are also surrounded by the Great Lakes. I’ve lived in Michigan my whole life and I know from experience how cold November can be, especially early in the morning. For instance, we already have snow on the ground and it’s only November 17th.

When I went to our parent’s monthly band meeting, they mentioned getting the kids a product called Under Armour. Now I had never heard of this product before-- so off I went dragging my poor mom along to our local sports store. Ouch! We looked at this product and it looked to us like long underwear except for the price. For a top and bottom it would cost around $127.00, and that’s before the tax. If you can afford it by all means go buy it because I heard it really does keep you very warm. However, if you are like I am and you’re on a budget and about a month away from Christmas this is simply not an option. My first reaction was being mad how expensive the Under Armour is. Now my problem remains: how do I keep my child warm and be able to afford it?

My first thought was to layer her clothes. This is affordable, but it may be bulky. I have to keep in mind she is marching and I also have to get it under her band uniform. So we continued to look around the sports store. We ended up finding some pretty cool products all for under $4.00 each. We found hand warmers with an adhesive body warmer which was included in the package. The hand warmers with body warmer cost only $2.79. I also found mini hand warmers and foot warmers. The mini hand warmers were $0.99 and the foot warmers were $2.99.

The company that distributes this product is called Grabber. Even though they are made in Japan they are distributed by Grabber which is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. So hopefully I am helping keep some Michigan people working. The economy could sure use it around here.
The website is http://www.warmers.com/, which shows them in bulk. However, the warmers I bought were sold individually and that made it more affordable. My suggestion would be to go to your local sports store first and just ask about them.

The only negative is you can only use them once. The mini hand warmers last about 7+ hours according to the package. The foot warmers last 5+, regular hand warmers last 7+, and the body warmer last 12+ hours, which is plenty of time for our use. Regardless, it's a great and affordable product.


Another advantage the products have, other than being affordable, is that they are non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and odorless. Plus they have all-natural ingredients and are non-combustible, so they are very safe. Like any product you use, please make sure to read all the directions on the package.

After I picked up this product I drove to Target and bought long johns for my daughter. The top and the bottom were $4.99 each. I may still add layers depending on how cold it is on Thanksgiving, but all and all I am able to keep my daughter quite warm for under $20.00. In this day in age that is saying something.

These hand and foot warmers could have many uses. If kids are playing in the snow for long periods of time this is a great source of added warmth that is quite affordable. They would be great for any winter outdoor sport. My mom has arthritis and I’m sure it would be wonderful for helping that also.

Again, the website is http://www.warmers.com/ and the phone number is 800-423-1233. What a super way to stay warm during winter with these wonderful, affordable products!

Good luck to my daughter’s band in the Thanksgiving Day Parade! We’re all proud of you!!!

Here’s to the beginning of a long, but hopefully warmer winter. Cheers!

Barack The Vote!

Yes, America did "Barack the vote"!

It was a moment that brought tears to your eyes. It was a moment that brought hope to humanity. It was a moment that will mend many fences. It was a moment that showed the world we are Americans first and it is a bond that holds us all together in this country.

Yes, it’s true that there hasn’t been a woman president yet. But what this proved to me is that anything is possible with drive, determination and hard work. I can now say to my daughter, a middle-class child, "Yes you can be anything you want to be and here is the proof."

Mothers and fathers can now say to their children -- “Joe or Josie the Child”-- that with hard work, determination and a belief in yourself, you can be anything you choose to be. We can now mean it. Even a child who is poor or middle class without all the money has hope and an opportunity to become President of the United States.

I don’t want to bring race into this post, mainly because I have always believed we are all mutts. White, black, Hispanic, Asian -- whatever you think your background is, there is a mix in you somewhere. I look at my daughter and to me she looks Asian. She has beautiful long dark brown hair and her eyes have a lovely tilt. Now as far as I know we are Italian and Polish, but my aunt who has two Italian parents like my mom also has the same look. So yes, I believe somewhere in our past their may be some Asian blood.

My point being, no one is pure anything, but our common thread is that we are all Americans. I still believe most people care about each other and we love our country. However, to love your country you must love warts and all. I think Tuesday’s election proved that we can remove some of those warts. No, our country isn’t perfect. Yes, you will always have a few people who are racist, no matter what. However, that being said, this is still the greatest country on Earth. Where else can this type of election be possible?


Barack needs YOU to help America!


We should all be proud of ourselves. Yes, we put our country first. We put our children first. Our children will grow up in a country that may not be as racially divided.

When you look at me you will see a white woman. However, how I feel inside is that I am an American. I voted for the best person. A person who I feel has compassion for each of us. A person who cares. A person who is smart. A person who will put the best interest of the entire country first. Not just the rich and special interests!

Here is a sign of our new times already: my daughter’s math teacher approached them yesterday and asked who wants to start doing community service right now! He wants to get them started on that path. He is giving them choices to help the elderly or to help tutor other kids. I think it’s a wonderful thing. Community service gives you a sense of purpose and will give us a new generation of caring people. It will teach them to have compassion for others.

My daughter said she was scared to do community service. Now begins my challenge as a responsible parent to get her over that fear. Just like I make sure she does her homework. I have to make sure she has enough confidence in her ability to be able to meet this new challenge. I know she is capable and one thing I know for sure is that my daughter has compassion for others. She is a loving and caring person and just needs some guidance to overcome this fear of community service. She gets wonderful grades and I know she relates to others well. I think she could tutor another child and not only help that child, but make a difference in her own life. What a great gift to give and receive. You can’t put a price on that!


Tutoring younger children is a great example of community service that teens can perform


I know over time I will not always agree with President-Elect Obama. However, I do believe he will be honest with us. I know he is smart and I know he will do what he believes is best for the majority of this country -- not just a few of us. What more can you ask from a president?

I know these next several years will be tough on his wife and daughters, and let’s not forget what they are giving up. Michelle is giving up time with her husband. His daughters are giving up time with their daddy. This family will go through much over the years, and I thank them for that alone. It is a sacrifice they are making as well. So see, we all have to sacrifice something. Of course, some will always sacrifice more than others and that is how it has always been.

Last year at this time I didn’t have much faith in this country, but now I have hope. Like President-Elect Obama said, we have to be willing to work hard and sacrifice. I think any American should be willing to do this to leave our children with a brighter future. I know I am!

God Bless America!

Fondue Can Make An Ordinary Evening Special & Fun

I always try to make every day as special as I can for my family and tonight will be no exception.
The Academy Awards will be on this evening and it is always fun to watch it together as a family.

My husband's boss just sent him a beautiful gift basket to welcome him to the family of SET Magazine. His new position as the magazine's Sports Editor and also Editor in Chief of the SET Magazine Website is reason to celebrate alone, but combine it with the Academy Awards and it will turn into a fun family evening while also celebrating his new position.

It is amazing how may things can be turned into family time together. By making everything special it gets kids excited as you build it up. It makes them want to spend time with their family and that is always a good thing.

On top of the gift basket I am going to make fondue. This is truly a throwback from the 1970s, but I think it's fun. If you've never done fondue with your family before give it a try. The kids love it and as adults it isn't too bad either.

I typically make two different types of fondue. One is a cheese base and one is more of a dessert type with chocolate.

When you make any type of dish with wine the alcohol typically burns off as it heats through, so it's fine for kids. However, if you aren't comfortable just make the one with chocolate. Either one tastes great and are both safe for kids.

Classic Cheese Fondue

6 cups coarsely shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese (24 ounces)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 clove of garlic, halved
2 1/2 cups of dry white wine
2 tablespoons kirsch or dry sherry
dash pepper
dash ground nutmeg
French or Italian bread, cubed

Toss together cheese and flour; set aside.

Rub bottom and sides of fondue pot with garlic cloves, discard garlic.

Set fondue pot aside.

In a large saucepan heat wine over low heat till small bubbles rise to surface. Just before wine boils, stir in cheese, little by little, making sure cheese has melted before adding more. (Stir constantly and continue to add cheese till all is mixed in.)

Stir till fondue bubbles gently. Stir in kirsch or dry sherry, pepper and nutmeg. Pour into a fondue pot; keep fondue bubbling gently over fondue burner.

Serve with bread cubes.

Serves 10



Chocolate Fondue

8 squares (8 ounces) semisweet chocolate
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup milk

Assorted fondue dippers:

Angel Cake
Pound Cake
Banana (sliced in disc shapes)
Pineapple Chunks
Strawberries (always everyone's favorite)
Mini or Large Marshmallows

In a heavy saucepan melt chocolate over low heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and regular milk till well combined. Heat through.

Transfer to a fondue pot; place over fondue burner. (If mixture becomes too thick, stir in a little more milk.)

Spear desired fondue dipper with a fondue fork; dip into fondue and enjoy!!!

Serves 8

Making every day fun is what keeps families strong and together. Any reason to make something special will help your kids want to have more family time.

I really believe that kids want to be with their family -- even teenagers. As long as we as parents make things special and fun our kids will remain close to us and out of trouble.

Special times can be any time and you can make anything fun if you are creative and just try.

Video Games: A Way To Bring Parents & Kids Together? Sure!

I believe we should as parents spend as much time with our kids as we can. I think it is good for them and also for us.

I am thankful and very lucky that my daughter and I have a great relationship. It has come from consistent parenting over the years and being able to enjoy some of the things that she enjoys.

One of the things we do as parents is constantly complain about all the time our kids spend on these game systems. Yes, it can get out of hand and the kids never seem to want to quit playing. However, we as parents should take time to enjoy them with our kids too.

Yes, I said we can enjoy these games also. Of course, I am always busy with other things, but I make sure that my child always comes first in my life. I believe trying to enjoy some of the games and things she enjoys can only help the closeness and relationship we have built together.

My daughter, Nicole, has two game systems. She has Playstation 2 and Game Cube. Believe it or not I have actually played and done battle with my daughter on these systems. If you have two controllers and a game you can play with them, you would be surprised how much fun you can have.

It also makes you realize how involved you can get in these games, and maybe that will help you understand why these kids can get so addicted.




When you are playing you will be amazed how fast time can go, and then maybe it won't cause so much friction between parents and children.

Now I'm not saying to not set time limits or control the amount of time your kids spend on these systems. What I am saying is give these games a chance and spend some time enjoying them with your kids. You will be surprised how much you can really have in common with your kids.

I actually felt like a kid again myself, and at 46 years old sometimes that is just what I need to keep my relationship with my daughter happy and fun.

What's wrong with having fun with your kids? What's wrong with getting down to their level? It's just another way to turn something that is usually a negative with parents into a positive. Make these game systems bring you closer to your kids.

I also was happy how receptive my daughter was to me playing one of these games with her, and we had so much fun. Of course, she beat the pants off of me, but that was OK because we had fun together, and isn't that what it's all about?

Like I said before it doesn't mean to not set time limits. All I'm saying is get to know your kids and spend time enjoying the things they enjoy. Because let's face it -- these game systems are here to stay. You know the old saying "If you can't beat em' join em'.

So have fun with your kids, and get to know them better. You'll be surprised how close it can bring you to them.

Let's use these systems as a way to get closer to our kids, not a divider. It's just another reason to have fun and be a kid again yourself. Turn a negative into a positive and enjoy your children.

It will also make us understand where they are coming from with these games. I was shocked to see how time had past quickly. The other positive is that we talked before, during and after playing.

I used this as another way to get closer to my daughter, and what a blast we had. Try it with your kids and see how much fun you can have too!

We do battle with our children everyday; let's also do it in a positive way, thru video games.

Happy game playing!!!

Don't Complain Too Much; Winter Can Bring Families Together

I may be one of the few people who actually enjoys winter.

Yes, I love a good snow day. When it snows and you are in a nice warm cozy house, there isn't a better feeling in the world. Sitting by the window looking out with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa. What could be more enjoyable.

To allow your child to sleep in and not have to go to school is another thing I enjoy. It's a great feeling when your child wakes up at 8:00 am instead of 6:45 am and comes to you with the realization that there isn't any school today. Yippee!!!

As families we should all enjoy the amount of time we can spend together. It seems like it is always go, go, go, and not enough time to just sit and enjoy each other. The precious time we get to be together and have fun is few and far between.

I love to see my daughter playing in the snow with one of our dogs. Not only does she enjoy it, but the dogs love having her home to run around and play with them.

This week in our area is winter break, which breaks down to 10 wonderful days of being a family, being able to stay up late and wake up whenever you get around to it. This means no homework, no tension and plenty of time to enjoy the time you have together. This gives us all a chance to relax and truly be a family.

With my husband in a new job, a new year upon us and a week to breathe it is something I am already enjoying and it is only Monday.



My daughter and I can spend some much needed mom and kid time together. She can spend time with her dad and also get some one-on-one attention with him. You can feel the tension release and that is good for everyone.

My daughter also gets to spend time with my mom -- or Nana, as we Italians like to call Grandma, which is also good for both of them.

So when your kids get a day off or a week off look at it as an opportunity to spend quality time together. With the crazy world we live in sit back and relax for a change; we all deserve it!

Have a great day!

Back To Blogging!

It's been awhile since I have been on my blog, let alone write an entry. So much has been happening -- one of which was moving my family.

Moving alone can take up so much time and energy. Which doesn't leave time for much else let alone worrying about writing in my blog.

We are semi-settled and things are quieting down a bit. My dogs seem content with our new home, and my daughter has come to terms with some of the decisions her parents had to make over the last several months.

My husband now has a job and that is the biggest and most exciting part of our lives right now. After almost 9 months with no job, finally things are looking up.

However, that being said, there are so many other people still losing their homes and without jobs and with no food on the table. I know because back during the Christmas holiday we were in the same situation.

I am not ashamed to admit this and neither should anyone going through this type of turmoil. It upsets the family and can tear it apart. The best thing anyone can do is to hold your family together and get through it. You need each other for strength and support.

During the whole moving process I've been trying to keep updated on the mortgage crisis. As I watched television this morning, I still am seeing these lenders blaming this mortgage crisis on the American people.


That's their point of view and now here is mine. You want to place blame let's just do that, but let's be truthful about it.

I'll tell you first of all who is to blame is the government; plus banks, lawyers, and anyone else who has gotten rich during these turbulent times.

The government has allowed jobs to be lost. Jobs go overseas and we can't do a thing about it. Fair trade -- what a joke that is! When you're lucky enough to finally get a job you make probably half of the amount of money you were making before. Gasoline prices are through the roof. Natural gas has gone up in price, water has gone up, electricity has gone up, food prices have risen. The American workers have no jobs or make half of what they did before. You do the math.

Then you have these lenders who have the nerve to blame the average American for this crisis and say they will work with the homeowner, but that is a bunch of B.S. Lenders and the government have done nothing to help anyone. It's a big joke and a smokescreen to take the focus off of them.

Then you have the lawyers who have gotten rich off of this foreclosure crisis and people's misery. They charge you for sending a foreclosure notice. Duh, I think people know they are in foreclosure without a letter from a lawyer. But, gee thanks for letting so many families know. Without a letter from you we would have never figured it out. We appreciate the heads up! For that nice little letter they charge thousands of dollars. Probably as much or more than what you are behind on the house payments. How nice of them!

Then you have the wonderful lenders who say they will work with you, but guess what-- no they won't. It's all a joke and people have nowhere to go in some cases. Families are being torn apart and have no options.

Guess what, government? If no one has a job you get no tax money. No one in the government will do a thing because they are so rich and out of touch. They have no idea what it's like to struggle and lose everything you have after working so hard for so many years.

The city of Cleveland is suing these lenders. Good for them! That's the only way they will get the message. Hit them in the checkbook like they've hit many of us. I feel no pity for them whatsoever.

As for the border it still isn't closed. Our security is falling apart just like everything else. Just because we haven't been attacked here at home doesn't mean we won't be. We will, especially with a wide open border and everyone around the world knowing about it. The next attack will be far worse because they are just waiting for the chance.

Well, yes my husband has a job and I am grateful at least for that. I am not going to forget others who are searching for employment and trying to feed their families. I pray for you to find employment. I hope you can make enough money to support your family and keep a roof over your head.

As for help out there to keep your home most of us can't find any. It's sad to say, but many people have gotten rich off of this whole crisis. If you can live with that more power to you. I for one couldn't do that and am proud of that fact.

I hope everyone struggling right now will have peace of mind, and stay strong. The most important thing is to keep your family together. You can replace homes and money, but the people you love can never be replaced. Don't let anything or anyone tear that apart otherwise they really do have all the power!