Happy Holidays

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Winter family traditions to keep you warm all season long

Winter family traditions to keep you warm all season long

 Dark mornings, cold days and snowy roads are all things that might bring you down this winter. But winter doesn’t have to be a time of hibernation. With all of the holidays and celebrations throughout the season, your entire family can get involved in activities to keep the winter days cheery and bright.
An established set of winter family traditions gives everyone something to look forward to when the months get chilly and long. The joy doesn’t have to end once Christmas is over, you can extend the holiday magic until the first sign of spring. Bring your family closer together with these fun winter tradition ideas:
Christmas
Take time out of the normal hustle and bustle of the Christmas season to enjoy the atmosphere. Collect everyone in the car and go for a drive to see the festive lights, attend a holiday concert or go skating or sledding as a family. And don’t forget about the classic traditions, like leaving milk and cookies for Santa and stuffing stockings on Christmas Eve. Unique stocking stuffers and gifts can really make this tradition stand out in the minds of your loved ones.
New Years
The most famous New Year’s Eve tradition in the United States is to watch the dropping of the ball in New York City’s Times Square when the clock strikes midnight. Many U.S. families also celebrate the New Year with a dish called the Hoppin’ John, a southern favorite made of black-eyed peas. The “eyes” on the peas symbolize the completed year and hope for good fortune.
You can also have some fun with your family when you explore traditions from around the world. For example, in Spain there is a ritual to eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve, which is meant to represent 12 months of happiness in the coming year. In Greece, New Year’s Day is also the festival of St. Basil. For this festival, families bake a silver or gold coin into a cake and whoever finds the coin in their piece will be especially lucky for the next year.
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to remind all your loved ones how much you appreciate them. Make it more than just a typical February day when you get up early to exchange valentines as a family. Have everyone write letters of appreciation to each other and read them out loud, or simply go around the table, giving each person a chance to share a tribute to another family member. Even the simplest of praise can do wonders for strengthening and bonding relationships.
Winter birthdays
When your birthday falls so close to other popular winter holidays, the special day can easily get lost among the rest of the festivities. Make the winter birthdays in your family stand out by creating a special tradition to mark the occasion. This could be a long-standing tradition like taking hand prints each year as your child grows, or as simple as a family dinner out complete with gift-opening.
Make every winter holiday spectacular when you create your own winter family traditions. Whether you’re inspired by these ideas or have your own, traditions will keep you celebrating and building lasting memories with your family throughout the winter months.

Your Neighbors Selling Price Does Affect Your Bottom line. House Closing Prices For Plainview and Old-Bethpage, NY (November 2015)

Number		Street Name	Sfx	Town	SoldPrice	Style
15		Colonial	Rd	Old Bethpage	420000	Ranch
20		Fairway	Dr	Old Bethpage	605000	Hi Ranch
15		Simpson	Dr	Old Bethpage	465000	Farm Ranch
46		Simpson	Dr	Old Bethpage	475000	Split
7		Acorn	Ln	Plainview	749000	Splanch
90		Beaumont	Dr	Plainview	635000	Hi Ranch
22		Country	Dr	Plainview	500000	Ranch
20		Cranberry	Ln	Plainview	590000	Split
26		Frederick	Dr	Plainview	470000	Split
27		Janet	Dr	Plainview	430000	Ranch
65		Keswick	Ln	Plainview	598000	Split
52		Lincoln	Rd	Plainview	439000	Ranch
11		Linda	Ln	Plainview	665000	Split
190	W	Main	Pkwy	Plainview	994000	Colonial
25		Melony	Ave	Plainview	415000	Ranch
71		Pasadena	Dr	Plainview	530000	Split
4		Rustic	Ct	Plainview	633000	Hi Ranch
85		Sagamore	Dr	Plainview	1200000	Colonial
42		Sally	Ln	Plainview	640000	Hi Ranch
12		Steven	St	Plainview	940000	Colonial
28		Toni	Ct	Plainview	650000	Split
4		Vegas	Ct	Plainview	975000	Colonial
2		Vera	Ave	Plainview	435000	Ranch
612		Woodbury	Ct	Plainview	467500	Hi Ranch

Have a fun and flavorful Friendsgiving with simple, delicious recipes

(BPT) - For most, Thanksgiving is all about tradition. Many of us have family recipes we look forward to eating year after year, and family and friends we are excited to see every Turkey Day. Thanksgiving family customs may run strong, but for those who like to have fun in the kitchen and celebrate the season with pals, Friendsgiving is becoming a popular yearly ritual.
Friendsgiving is a time to get together with friends and eat a delicious and creative meal. Sushi? Sure! Pizza? Please! Other Friendsgivings may be made up of Thanksgiving staples with the volume turned up (how about a new spin on the classic relish tray?). In any case, Friendsgiving is a time to have fun, eat well and give thanks with friends.
A holiday classic in their own right, California Ripe Olives are the perfect ingredient to give your Friendsgiving dishes a little twist. From the relish tray to the mashed potatoes, there’s always a place on the table for the ever-versatile ripe olive. For a new take on a traditional stuffing, try combining sourdough bread, butternut squash, cranberries, bacon and California Ripe Olives. The sweet squash and cranberries, crunchy bacon and ripe olives combine for a flavor and texture punch that will leave your guests wanting seconds — maybe even thirds.
So this year for Friendsgiving, try dressing up your recipes with versatile and delicious California Ripe Olives to make your dishes pop.

Butternut Squash, Ripe Olive and Cranberry Stuffing
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
1 ½ teaspoons grapeseed oil
salt and pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 medium leek, white parts only, cleaned and sliced
2 cups chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
4 heaping cups sourdough bread chunks
¾ cup dried cranberries
6 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 (6 ounce) can extra large California Ripe Olives, sliced
1 ½ - 2 cups chicken stock
Heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Add the diced butternut squash and drizzle with grapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35-40 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Set aside when finished.
While squash is roasting, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large non-stick skillet and add leeks and celery. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, or until the leeks begin to soften, stirring frequently.
In a large bowl combine the roasted butternut squash, sautéed leeks, celery, sage, bread, dried cranberries, bacon and olives. Season with salt and pepper and add chicken stock until bread is moist but not soaked with liquid.
Transfer to 9x13 baking dish and top with remaining 4 tablespoons of diced butter. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30-35 minutes. The top of the stuffing should be golden brown and crunchy.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

THE DANGERS OF OVERPRICING YOUR HOUSE

                

                    THE DANGERS OF OVERPRICING

·       Many potential buyers won’t even look at a property which is overpriced, thinking it’s out of their price range.

·       Those buyers who look are shopping by comparison, and looking at your home may convince them to make a bid on a different property.  In essence, your property will sell someone else’s property.

·       Since an appraisal is often required in financing a property, it is futile to price a property more than it is worth.

·       Properties left on the market for extended periods of time usually become “shopworn” causing many to believe something is amiss.

·       Overpricing tends to dampen the other salesperson’s attitude, making it less likely to be shown.

·       Overpricing lengthens marketing time, and invariably results in a lower selling price than would have been otherwise obtained.

Plainview New York & Old Bethpage New York Home Sales for the Month of October 2015

Dir	St #	Street Name	Sfx	Town	Selling Price	Style
	16	Crescent	Dr	Old Bethpage	417000	Ranch
	9	Frankie	Ln	Old Bethpage	1049999	Colonial
	23	Locust	Rd	Old Bethpage	690000	Colonial
	32	Melbourne	Ln	Old Bethpage	500000	Hi Ranch
E	3	Park	Dr	Old Bethpage	625000	Split
	50	Simpson	Dr	Old Bethpage	457000	Exp Cape
	40	Amby	Ave	Plainview	495000	Exp Cape
	58	Amby	Ave	Plainview	550000	Cape
	3	Amherst	Dr	Plainview	530000	Split
	58	Autumn	Dr	Plainview	422500	Condo
	54	Autumn	Dr	Plainview	430000	Condo
	105	Autumn	Dr	Plainview	475000	Condo
	20	Bentley	Rd	Plainview	461000	Ranch
	35	Brook	Path	Plainview	536000	Split
	83	Carriage	Ln	Plainview	462000	Condo
	108	Carriage	Ln	Plainview	505000	Homeowner Assoc
	14	Cranberry	Ln	Plainview	600000	Split
	1	Daniel	Dr	Plainview	570000	Split
	4	Donna	Dr	Plainview	597000	Split
	13	Fams	Dr	Plainview	630000	Colonial
	15	Hollywood	Dr	Plainview	658000	Split
	35	Hope	Dr	Plainview	350000	Exp Ranch
	52	Jamaica	Ave	Plainview	405000	Cape
	35	Janet	Dr	Plainview	345000	Ranch
	13	Melony	Ave	Plainview	725000	Colonial
	8	Mitchell	Ave	Plainview	455000	Ranch
	36	Netto	Ln	Plainview	555000	Split
	128	Northern	Pky	Plainview	630000	Split
	35 B	Pal	St	Plainview	400000	Colonial
	580	Plainview	Rd	Plainview	415000	Cape
	97	Roundtree	Dr	Plainview	960000	Colonial
	31	Sagamore	Dr	Plainview	580000	Condo
	123	Santa Barbara	Dr	Plainview	385000	Condo
	33	Virginia	Ave	Plainview	465000	Colonial