Ketchup and Christmas Wishes

There is no time of year more appropriate than now to remind us all of just how special our time with each other and on this earth truly is.  In light of all the bad news, drama and insecurities that try to surround us in our daily lives, we would like to extend this thought....  

Our sincere wish for everyone this year is to find peace, happiness and laughter this Christmas season and all thru the year to come.   The 2013 year can be the "turn around" year.  The one that more and more people have the Ahh-Ha moment.  Find a little more patience with each other, a dab more understanding, be a bit more helpful to those in need.  We can strive to make our loved ones, ourselves and others feel respected, cherished and an important part of this earth... because after all, without each other nothing matters.

On a less heavy note, we have a lot of ketch-up'ing to do.  It's been awhile (yea, I know...go ahead....let me have it.  I'll sit here and wait......   are you done yet??)  Moving on--we have a lot to share, a lot of good info to come your way, and a lot of stuff that would suck to miss out on.   Be sure to subscribe to our blog if you haven't already.  Go hug your family, get the cookies out of the oven before they burn and try to actually enjoy this Christmas.  If it helps at all-we still have Acme gift certificates available for that person still on your list.  Happy Holidays!

Congratulations to our good friends Roger & Susie and the Hi-Way Bar!  Celebrating 50 years of being family owned. 
Stop by to say Hi to all the friendly faces and be sure to grab a cold beer and the best burger ever.  They even serve breakfast starting at 7am.  Follow this link to find out more about the Hi-Way Bar.

Get off your butts and vote...PLEEEEEEEZ

It's that time of year again for everyone in the Manatee County area to speak up and vote for your favorite local businesses.  The Bradenton Herald 17th Annual People's Choice Awards has started.  Voting is pain free (we promise) but it will take a few minutes to complete.  We would sure appreciate your vote for Acme Termite & Pest Control on your ballot...but you have to hurry...voting ends Sunday, February 6 at 11:59pm.   Oh...and if our begging isn't enough of a reason for you to vote--you could WIN $1,000 in CASH for submitting your entry online.   Yep--that's what I thought, now hurry up and vote.

Start off 2011 the right way

If one of your New Year resolutions is to get organized...It's your lucky day. Get a free sample of Post-it durable tabs.  Also check out their website while you are there for organizing ideas, coupons and other free samples.

While you are sitting there getting all organized in your home office, you may find that your home could use a little freshening up.  If so why not take advantage of this Febreeze Noticeables rebate.  Purchase one warmer unit and get a $3.50 rebate by mail.  There has also been some great coupons lately that can be used when you buy it.  If you don't find them in your paper search on line for coupons or sign up at Febreze.com.

So now that your house is all organized and less stinky, don't forget to give your BFF a treat for putting up with you all this past year.  Stop by the Blue Dog Bakery site for a $1.00 coupon off a box of treats.  Our dogs LOVE these and it is a real down to earth company that really appreciates your business.  Sign up for their newsletter and stay in touch with them.

The Twelve Days of Christmas (Our version)

During this season of reflection (and an endless supply of Christmas music constantly playing), we have collaborated in a light hearted list of our Acme version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. 

On the first day of Christmas our callers gave to us:  A barbie doll Christmas tree
2:  broken staplers
3:  Stinky Crawls
4:  Forgot your comings
5:  Tyler's big black eye
6:  I'll pay you laters
7:  I want Gamble
8:  Phones a ringing
9:  Chances only
10:  Billie's razzing
11:  Lindsay's whining
12:  Marshall's stranded

We had fun creating our warped version and found it difficult to narrow down to only 12 days.  And as side notes: our barbie doll tree is oozing with awesomeness and Marshall is no longer stranded in New York.  Yea!

Happy Holidays from the Acme family to yours

 We send out our Happy Thanksgiving blessings from our family to yours.

We hope your list is very long of people and things to be thankful for. 

To our family who can't be with us this holiday just know...

we are thankful to have you in our lives, you will be in our thoughts as we gather around the table...and we call dibs on your dessert (you know..since you won't be here anyway)

A final note: Here is a graphic for you veggie heads (you know who you are)

Roasted Pineapple & Habanero Dip

If you are looking for something new to try this holiday season I have a suggestion for something easy, a little different and a bit spicy.  Stop by Richard's Whole Foods and pick up a jar of Robert Rothschild Farm all natural gourmet dip.  The Roasted Pineapple & Habanero Dip mixed with  cream cheese and served on crackers is a fun and interesting combination.  Give it a try...hope you enjoy it. 

Taco Soup

We tried a new recipe lately that our family really enjoyed.  Several people have asked us to share the recipe so here it is.  It is for TACO SOUP.  I know...at first it may not sound all that pleasing, but if you love tacos like Gamble and I do, then it is atleast worth a try.  I made a few slight revisions but the original recipee can be seen at Sparkpeople.com.  It is very simple and doesn't take long to throw together. 

Ingredients

1 Lb. lean ground beef

1 1/2 cups yellow onion, chopped

1 packet of seasoning mix OR  3 Tbl chilli powder, 1 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp cumin

4-6 cloves of garlic pressed or minced

3 oz. Goya Sofrito tomato cooking base (Mexican tomato paste)

10 oz. Rotel diced tomatoes with green chillies (hot) -do not drain

16 oz can of kidney beans, dark, drained

1 cup water (adjust to preference)

1 cup frozen corn

1 med. size hot pepper (jalepeno or type of your choice depending on amount of heat preferred)-diced -or- 4 oz canned green chilies

1/2 cup garbanzo beans (from can)-smashed or mushed in food processor

Toppings for garnish (fresh cilantro, cheese, sour cream & chips)

Directions
 Brown ground beef and 1 cup of chopped onion over medium heat in a heavy soup pot, stirring occasionally. Drain mixture and blot away excess grease.  Add spices and garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add Goya tomato paste and cook additional minute while stirring.  Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans and water.  Simmer for 10 minutes. Add green chilies (reserving some for garnish), mashed garbanzo beans then corn. Simmer additional 10-15 minutes.  More water may be added to thin the soup or add more smashed garbanzo beans to thicken. 

Garnish  with chopped cilantro, jalepeno pepper, remaining 1/2 cup of onion, cheese, sour cream and chips.

Hope you enjoy it!    

It's about damn time!

Kudos to our dad (Bob Tetzlaff) who has retired from the Belleville, Ill. Post Office after 45 years on the job.  The local news paper interviewed him and you can read the article here.

We have been teasing him for years that he will still be working when we are all old enough to retire.  I guess he had to prove us wrong.  LOL.

Since we live in Florida we missed his retirement party, but I'm sure everyone had a great time.

We are happy for him and wish him a relaxing, healthy and fun retirement with a very short honey-do list. 

PS...It's about damn time Daddy!!!

Borrow or buy?

You know all that stuff packed away in your garage, attic, shed and closet.  That thing, and those boxes of du-dads and all the other stuff that you just absolutely had to have...that now sits unused, dusty and forgotten about.  Well here is an idea for you...
A guest writer for Almost Frugal offers an interesting enhanced version of freecycle (which I have previously blogged about). Read the article here about borrowme.com.  Among the long list of available items that are available to borrow, rent or buy from people in your area, you may find a wheelborrow, canoe, camping equipment, pet carriers, music, DVD's, wedding dress, baby needs, tools, bicycle or my favorite funny find "Ten stupid things women do to mess up their lives" book.  You can even create a wish list of things you are hoping to find. 
So now you can loan or give out your unneeded items to someone who could use them or rent out your unused things-and make a little cash...maybe to spend on your next big "I gotta have!" item.

Making your life a little easier

Acme Termite & Pest Control is happy to be able to offer something that can make your life a little bit easier.  If you are a customer of ours you can now share in the excitement of being able to save time and money.  You can now pay with the security provided by Pay Pal using your Pay Pal account or debit/credit card on line.  Paying your bills on line reduces the amount of mail you receive.  Plus you'll use fewer checks, save on postage and won't worry about your payment arriving on time.  If you are looking for a way to "go green" this is probably one of the easiest.  Call or email our office today and we will send you an email invoice link, using the pay pal site, for payment processing.  Save time, hassle and worry....pay on line today.

We need your help!

The 2010 People's Choice Contest  is under way.   It's that time of year again for Manatee area residents to speak up and vote for their favorite businesses.  You can let your voice be heard and enter for a chance to win $1,000...in cash!  That's worth a few minutes of your time, right?  Acme Termite & Pest Control needs your help to win this year.  Please vote for Acme as your favorite pest control company.  But....you have to hurry - Voting ends February 7th at midnight.

Wanna Be Our Friend?

We are SO EXCITED!  Now you can stay in touch and follow us in even more ways!  Besides our website, email, blog and my space we also have a facebook and twitter page.  Now more than ever it is simple to stay informed with our family and business.  Our facebook site is filled with pictures, pest descriptions, tips on treatment/prevention and... new information is getting added daily (literally).  A Link to our facebook is on the right side tabs of our blog for your future reference. Sign up to follow us on facebook, twitter or blogger so you won't miss a thing.

Of course you have heard that it is great to have a friend in the "business".  This is true whether it is pest control, plumbing or car repair.  Consider us your friend and sign up to get instant updates.  Just imagine you can now have someone you can contact anytime for helpful advise or information that you can trust.  While we service the Manatee and Sarasota counties of Florida, we offer our help to anyone who has questions about pests, termites or rodents.

Whose running the show?

Welcome to 2010! We hope every one's new year has started off great.
Are you still getting used to writing 2010 on all your paperwork or are you one of those people that will continue to absentmindedly write 2009 for the next 6 months on every check you write? I came across a great article from dollar stretcher.com about setting and achieving goals. (Perhaps the first one should be to remember that it is now 2010...lol).

Do you find yourself sitting around waiting for life to happen to you or are you planning, setting goals and heading towards the things you want to achieve in life? Whether your goals include family, financial, getting organized, traveling or millions of other ideas, a vision board may help you reach them. Need a little help getting started? Check this out: Setting Goals, Goal Setting, Achieving Goals

So what kind of cookies will Santa get to choose from this year as his treat for visiting? At our home we have chose to shorten our list of cookie baking. For our Christmas party I'll be making buckeyes, peanut butter balls and truffles of white and dark chocolate. I'll also be making fa-la-la-la's, knock you nakeds and maybe a new chocolate pie concoction that I have been eye balling a recipe for. What is on your confection list? And just as important-what's the best way to keep cookies fresh? Visit Cooks Illustrated for their take on how to store your precious Christmas Cookies after all your hard work of making them.

To all our family, friends, customers and business associates we send you warm winter wishes for the merriest Christmas ever. We hope that you are able to relax into the holiday season and enjoy it at its best. Even if only briefly we hope that your worries, troubles, grief or stress will melt away as you listen to the sounds, see the sights and smell the aroma of Christmas all around you. Merry Christmas!

Getting There

Are you getting ready yet for the holidays? We had some cooler weather in Florida and took advantage of it by bringing home and setting up the tree. It is always more enjoyable decorating when its not 90 degrees outside. lol

As you prepare your home for the holidays don't put your pets in harms way. Remember that some plants, common cleaning products or prescription medication can be poisonous to your furry friends. While things are hectic around the home and new guests may be staying with you it can be easy to overlook the dangers. Keep in mind that Christmas tree water may contain fertilizer or bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal upset. Electrical cords, batteries, glass ornaments and our own special treats need to be considered, as well as, ribbons and tinsel which can become lodged in the intestines (mostly in felines). For their sake {and your sanity!} keep a list of emergency numbers on hand...just in case. If you live in the Manatee/Sarasota, Fl. area here are some numbers.

ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: (888) 426-4435

Sarasota Veterinary Emergency Hospital (941) 923-7260

Animal ER of University Park (941) 355-2884

Keep those 4 leggers safe while you enjoy this holiday season.

Halloween Spirit

Looking for some Halloween Spirit? How about these adorable drunk pumpkins? I love these guys!
We have had some fantastic Halloween parties in the past. I have fond memories of the adults taking our kids around to trick or treat in 40 degree weather all bundled up...some years we even had snow already. It was cold but fun. Of course we don't have that problem here in Florida. Instead, we have to wait until the day before to put our carved pumpkins outside, otherwise they turn to goo by the special night. Ewwwwww.


This year we are gathering at Billie and Jeff's for a Rock-Star themed party. Rock star costumes are required and a Guitar Hero competition will be taking place. Yeah, that ought to be interesting & fun.
Want to see something scary? Check out this website with pics taken of Walmart shoppers.

Feeling Crafty? How about these cute ghost luminaries from empty glass jars. Visit familycorner.com for instructions. You could make these out of small or big containers. and...they wouldn't turn to goo on your front porch step.


When the kids were little we made a bunch of these. I still have them.

They really turned out cool. (I was impressed). Here is the instructions.

Where ever you end up at this year..have a fun and safe Halloween.

Skull Keyring Contest

Want a chance to win this cool skull keyring from Zu-li Designs?

Yes you do, after all this is the newest "in" thing these days. Here is how it can be yours

Go to the Zu-Li blog post for all the details and up to 4 chances to win...

but hurry!! the contest ends Sunday, October 11, 2009. Good Luck.

ATTENTION: All teachers & students grades 4-8

Whether you are a teacher looking for ways to infuse creativity and fun into your lesson plans, an educator facing an added challenge due to cut budgets and programs or a student in grades 4-8 looking for a challenge...here it is!

**You can win $3,000 for your school's science department**

The PPMA (Professional Pest Management Alliance) has announced the "Pest PSA Contest"

Use your biology, entomology and creativity hats to create educational public service announcements (PSAs) that discuss the health and property risks posed by household pests. The grand prize winning entry will receive $3,000 for their school's science department.

Check out http://www.pestworldforkids.org/index.html for full contest rules and details, including sample PSAs and lesson plans for creating PSAs. The website is a great spot for kids to find pest guides, games, science fair kits, & help for writing reports. Check it out.

Ever Changing

If you live nearby or visit often enough, you already know that the Gulf waters are constantly ever-changing, just as life is for us, as well. Some days the water is so clear you can see the bottom, beautiful shells to be found, interesting beauties of nature like star fish and sea horses, and yet other days the water can be murky or filled with sea weed. Some days the water and under toe can be very rough and dangerous or occasionally almost as smooth as a lake. The waters can hold dangers like jelly fish or in a far distance a sting ray, dolphins playing innocently or maybe even a fin of a shark can be seen.

As in life, the easy times and rough ones, the pretty things and ugly ones, the safe moments and possibilities of danger..we all deal with them . As life under the water, some are more pleasant and enjoyable than others, but all necessary.

This past Sunday we had an amazing experience. Gamble, my mother and I were out on the sandbar floating in waist deep water, a couple of feet away from each other, chatting when we noticed a giant dark mass coming towards us. It startled us at first because of all the possibilities that it could be. Then Gamble noticed the characteristic aspects of it-the shape of the body, the rounded back fin, he knew it was a manatee. We thought it would see us and go around or shift direction, but instead it swam right between us. Gamble reached down and petted it as it slowly swam by. It was something very special for us to experience.

If you don't know a lot about manatees they are interesting creatures. You can learn more about them here and read about Snooty who just celebrated his 61st birthday. He lives in Bradenton and you can go visit him daily. It is fun to watch the handlers feed him. They are very gentle but big, not necessarily the prettiest thing that you have ever seen (after all they are also called the sea cow), but they still hold that puppy dog kind of face--at least I think so.