Christmas Mega-Contest

YOU COULD BE THE WINNER OF THE FOLLOWING!

- $25 Kumori Gift Certificate

- $25 LOLOS SMART CUISINE Gift Certificate

- $25 Copy Plus! Gift Certificate

- 4 tickets to RGV Vipers Game

- 4 tickets to RGV Killer Bees Game

- 4 tickets to Comedy Night at Cine El Rey

- Wine tasting for 4 at SAHADIS ($40 value)

- $25 gift certificate to Marylu's Flowers & Gifts

- In Studio Christmas Card Session - Comes with 25 Christmas Cards  ($85.00 Value) by Milestone Photography

- (we are still going to be adding more gifts)

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:

- send us a picture of your Christmas tree

- if you have a theme, tell us why you chose that theme

- A small bio of people who decorated the tree

- And share with us if you have any favorite ornamnets

HOW YOU WIN:

- 1 winner will be chosen

- You need to submit info to ilovemcallen@gmail.com

-Your picture along with information will be posted on www.ilovemcallen.com

-Website guest (such as yourself, your friends, family.. and page visitors) will then vote by commenting on the picture that they like best

((you can not cheat by commenting several times on your picture, we can track your IP address and see if you've submited comments more than once))

MEANWHILE My husband and I (The Muriel's) already put up our Christmas tree..our theme this year is "Candy Land" it is filled with nothing but sweets, from cupcakes, to lollipops, to candy, hershey's kisses ornaments, and giant candy canes.. we made over 20 different ornaments this year..although it is not completely finished.. here is a picture of how it looks so far.

Here is a Picture of our hand-made ornaments,

this particular one is about 12 inches long and 5 inches in diameter

last but not least, our lollipops that we made as well, they are 15 inches tall

here is how we made our ornamnets:

bought styrofoam cylinder, cellophane metallic paper and colored tissue paper.. and about 5 different ribbons!! all with cute patterns!! it was SUPER easy.. the value of each candy came about $1.56 with everything I used.. and I also made lollipops.. some using the same materials for the candy and using a bbq skewer and the other one buying a styrofoam flat circles.. and again the same sticks.. the cost for those were about $4 each.. but they were so much bigger and I only made 2! HOPE YOU ENJOYED!

LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MANY CHRISTMAS TREES!!

- XOXO -

Lizbeth Muriel

What to do with your Halloween candy...

Many of us look forward to Halloween because of all the delicious goodies that we/ or our kids bring home.. now what?? LET US HELP YOU!! you can even start prepping for Christmas!!

BUT FIRST LET'S TAKE CARE OF THESE 3 STEPS

1.First of all CHECK the expiration dates... ((some people may have gotten the candy last year..)) you can never be too safe..

2.Then check that the candy is sealed, wrapped the right way and that it is not spilling from any side..

3.A good way to figuere out what to do with your candy, is first by assorting it, lollipops in one pile, gum in another, chocolate pile.. and so on.. NOW LET'S MOVE ON..

1.Colorful candy can make a BEAUTIFUL Candy Garland for Christmas..

2.Recycle Chocolate: MANY chocolates such as reeses pieces, along with butterfingers, milky ways, and snickers can be used for baking goods and adult beverages... here is a link to this beautiful snickers cake

http://www.grouprecipes.com/75027/snickers-cake.html

chocolate shavings also makes the PERFECT finishing touch to a chocolate martini, red velvet cake, or even a brownie.

3.START working on your gingerbread house.. the best and most delicious ginger bread houses are those which are made outside the box, literally!! make it yourself don't buy the kit.. be your own architect! from the gum drops, to snickers, crunch bars!! get creative!!  

4.SEND SOME TO OUR TROOPS!! chocolate doesn't travel well but gum, along with lollipops are GREAT travelers.. contact your local ARMY office... and see where you can drop off the candy for your troops.. you will be surprised at the positive impact that your candy can have on our troops!!

5.Candy - Caramel apples: first you will need to buy a candy apple mix or a caramel mix ((less than $2 at HEB/wal-mart..) so that it can be sticky enough for the candy.. you can wrap your apple in twizlers, smash the chocolate in tiny pieces,  and stick it on the apple, make some of skittles of your favorite football team, m&m's!! you can even use them as fundraiser!! simple, delicious and FUN!!

share with us what you do with your leftover candy ((besides eating it... hehe))

HOPE YOU ENJOY!

- Lizbeth L. Muriel

Have a FUN and SAFE Spring Break 2010

 

Make sure your Spring Break is a relaxing escape from your semester, as opposed to a dangerous nightmare! Here are some important precautions to ensure your safety.

Looking forward to a getting away from classes and spending a week hanging out with friends on a beautiful beach? Spring Break is a quintessential part of the college experience, and it can be one of the highlights of your college career-- if you're careful. Here are some safety precautions and tips to help college (and high school) students have a fabulous Spring Break.

Property Safety

Be aware that there are lots of people out there who see students on Spring Break as easy targets for theft. Don't prove them correct. When traveling, here are some precautions you should always take with your valuables.

• Take as few valuables with your on your trip as possible,
• Book hotels that give you access to a safe. Lock up anything of value. Do not leave money or valuables around your room.
• Always lock your hotel room door.
• If you are traveling abroad, keep your passport in a secure location at all times.
• Watch out for scam artists who try to rip off students. Avoid high pressure sales pitches, and never go off to a secluded location with someone who wants to sell you something.
• If your cell phone or credit cards are stolen, report this immediately to the companies so they can cancel your service.
• When booking your trip, watch out for Spring Break travel package scams.

Physical Safety

High profile cases such as Natalee Holloway-- a high school student who disappeared during her Spring Break trip to Aruba-- are uncommon. However, sexual violence and other violent acts during Spring Break are not. Neither are accidents. Use common sense and follow these simple safety tips.

• Always stay in the proximity of at least one friend, and preferably two or three. Adhere strictly to this "buddy system" and do not leave with someone other than your buddies. Be sure to choose buddies you can trust.
• Do not leave with strangers, even if it seems like a good idea at the time. Always err on the side of caution and trust your instincts.
• Watch your drink very carefully! Be aware of "date rape" drugs that people may try to sneak into your drink. Never accept a drink from a stranger or let someone else hold your drink.
• Never go to an isolated place with a stranger or someone you do not fully trust.
• Carry a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.
• Carry your identification and important medical information on your person in case of an emergency

Alcohol Safety

If you're going to drink during Spring Break, it's very important that you take precautions. Drunk college students are seen as a target for both theft and rape, so do not underestimate the way to take these reasonable precautions.

• Binge drinking is a big part of the Spring Break experience for many students-- and it's what gets students into trouble the most. The safest approach is to not binge drink and to know your limit with alcohol. If you do drink excessively, always use the buddy system and lots of common sense.
• Make sure you know the signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning.
• Do not drink and drive, ever. You know better.
• Be aware of all local laws and regulations involving alcohol, especially if you are travelling abroad. A night in a foreign jail was probably not on your itinerary.
• Intoxication greatly increases a woman's chance of being raped. If you drink, always rely on the buddy system and be very careful. As stated above, always keep an eye on your drink.

Additional Precautions

• Use common sense when it comes to sun exposure. Always use sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 (higher if you have fair skin), and be sure to wear sunscreen even if it's cloudy. Wear hats and good sunglasses
• Use common sense when it comes to swimming and water safety. Never swim alone, and avoid swimming when no lifeguard is present. Do not drink when swimming or operating a boat.
• Drink lots of water! Don't rely on alcoholic or carbonated beverages to quench your thirst, as these drinks can actually make you more dehydrated. If the local drinking water is questionable, make sure you have an abundant supply of bottled water.
• If you're going to be sexually active with strangers, for gosh sakes, wear a condom if you'd like to avoid a souvenir that requires a hefty dose of medication.

this article is from:

http://collegeuniversity.suite101.com/article.cfm/spring_break_safety_tips

About Veronica

State Representative Veronica Gonzales is serving her second  term in the House of Representatives representing District 41. District 41 is contained entirely in Hidalgo County and includes portions of McAllen, Edinburg, and Mission. Representative Gonzales is the first female elected to represent District 41 and currently sits on the Judiciary and Public Health Committees.   

Rep. Gonzales has had many accomplishments in two short terms.  In her first term, Veronica was elected by her colleagues to serve as Secretary of the State Democratic Caucus. She  further distinguished herself by passing the highest percentage of bills by any Democrat legislator in the House and was subsequently recognized as Freshmen of the Year by the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus and named a legislator to watch by the Texas Observer and as an Emerging Leader by the Dallas Morning News.   In her second session, Rep. Gonzales was re-elected as Secretary of the State Democratic Caucus, elected as Secretary of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, named as Chair of the Immigration Task Force and was recently appointed as a member on the Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership program.  The Aspen Institute is a national organization consisting of only 12 Republicans and 12 Democrats in the country considered rising stars who are brought together to discuss issues of democratic governance and effective public service.   

 Rep. Gonzales has passed numerous pieces of legislation in two short terms.   Her legislation includes protecting women who are victims of abuse with a address confidentiality program, protecting youth along the border with a bi-national substance abuse task force, assuring that divorced parents get all the visitation time permitted, assuring that we have sufficient water for our border citizens by converting water rights from irrigation to municipal use, widening the pool of persons who can become police officers, lighting the streets of colonias, helping students finish college sooner and pay their tuition in payments, giving families greater access to their local musum, creating new courts for our county, increasing a juror’s pay, protecting us from buying a home that has been used for the production of methamphetamines, allowing for wine-tastings in wine-only package stores, promoting products made in Texas with a “Genuine Texas” seal and the list goes on and on.

 Rep. Gonzales was raised in San Marcos, Texas.   As the first in her family to go to college, Gonzales understands the importance of a quality education.  She graduated cum laude from Southwest Texas State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Spanish. After completing her undergraduate studies, she enrolled in the University of Texas School of Law and earned her Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1991.  She is a name partner in the law firm of Kittleman, Thomas & Gonzales, L.L.P.  and has served her legal community in various positions including president of the Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association, president of the Hidalgo County Bar Association and panel chair of the 12B Grievance Committee, the committee that regulates lawyers.  She recently earned the Texas Center Professionalism Award for her ethics from the Hidalgo County Bar Association.  She is a member of many organizations and sits on the board as an advisory member to the Children’s Defense Fund, the South Texas College and Texas Rural Legal Aid.

The scoop on "First Class Engagements"

FIRST CLASS ENGAGEMENTS- Wedding & Event Planning ADDITIONAL SERVICES: Concept Design, Commitments, Corporate Events & Festivals, Honeymoon Planning, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Showers, & More AND Pick Up / Return Service!

CONCEPT DESIGN:

"I know what I like, but I don't know how to pull it together or if it will even look good!" Have you thought that statement? Many engaged couples do. FIRST CLASS ENGAGEMENTS has added a new service called Concept Design. Add this service to your wedding planning package and we will build you a storyboard presentation of creative... See More ideas for your dream wedding. We ask all the right questions to find out what makes you and your fiance "tick" so that the designs we present match your unique personalities and tastes. You pick what you like, remove what you don't like, and we'll finalize the decor and design ideas together. Then, we make it all happen by finding the right vendors to provide certain services or products or by making items ourselves.

COMMITMENTS:

FIRST CLASS ENGAGEMENTS is a supporter of the gay and lesbian community's right to marriage. Though it's not legal, we'll help you plan a commitment ceremony and reception befitting of your love.


CORPORATE EVENTS & FESTIVALS:

Don't make the administrative assistant plan your next corporate event, let a professional take over all of the details and make your company look like a star! Besides being creative geniuses, FIRST CLASS ENGAGEMENTS has the organization and structure you desire for a first class corporate event.


HONEYMOON PLANNING:

We can help you book your honeymoon through one of the more exclusive resort chains around and offer you additional benefits like free spa services upon your stay. There is no additional fee for this service, only benefits for you.

BIRTHDAYS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND MORE:

We don't just do weddings! FIRST CLASS ENGAGEMENTS can help you organize any of these social events no matter the size or degree of flamboyancy!

PICK UP / RETURN SERVICE:

The week of your wedding should be a calming time before the excitement of the wedding day arrives. Let us handle picking up the wedding gown from the bridal salon, the tuxedos, or any other myriad tasks that may take away time from your friends and family. We can also return tuxedos, cake parts, florist rentals or other items following the wedding. Price for this service varies