Happy Martin Luther King Day! This holiday is not just about celebrating civil rights but also about serving your community. If you have the day off today, why not try spending it helping others? From volunteering at an animal shelter to helping the homeless, there are hundreds of ways you can make your community a better place to live. Have a great holiday!

Happy New Years! We hope you have a great time tonight welcoming in the New Year and saying goodbye to the old. Forty-five percent of people make New Year’s resolutions; ours is to serve our customers even better than we did last year! If one of your resolutions is to make your home more green, remember that improving your insulation, sealing up any air leaks, and upgrading your HVAC system can have a big impact on your energy usage. A makeover for your house is great way to start off the year; it will make your home more comfortable and more environmentally friendly!

We wish you a very Merry Christmas! We plan on eating lots of great food and spending time with our loved ones. We hope that you get everything you want under the tree this year! Fun holiday fact: the song “Jingle Bells” was inspired by sleigh races that were common in Medford, Massachusetts, where the song was written. It was originally called “One Horse Open Sleigh.” Here are the original lyrics (courtesy of Wikipedia), Merry Christmas!

Dashing through the snow

In a one-horse open sleigh

O’er the hills we go

Laughing all the way.

Bells on bobtail ring

Making spirits bright

Oh what sport to ride and sing

A sleighing song tonight.

|: chorus :|

Jingle bells, jingle bells

Jingle all the way!

O what joy it is to ride

In a one-horse open sleigh.

A day or two ago

I thought I’d take a ride

And soon Miss Fannie Bright

Was seated by my side

The horse was lean and lank

Misfortune seemed his lot

He got into a drifted bank

And we – we got upsot

|: chorus :|

A day or two ago

The story I must tell

I went out on the snow

And on my back I fell

A gent was riding by

In a one-horse open sleigh

He laughed as there I sprawling lie

But quickly drove away

|: chorus :|

Now the ground is white

Go it while you’re young

Take the girls tonight

And sing this sleighing song

Just get a bobtailed bay

Two forty is his speed

Hitch him to an open sleigh

And crack! You’ll take the lead.

|: chorus :|

Don’t be left in the cold this year by foregoing the annual maintenance of your HVAC system. Regular maintenance not only keeps your system working efficiently but it also makes sure it is working safely. Keep your family warm and safe this winter!

Happy Hanukkah from everyone at ACI Northwest! We hope you have an amazing holiday full of friends, family, and great food. Whether you have a Menorah or a Christmas tree in your house, we wish you very happy holiday. And since one of the great traditions of this time of year is delicious food, here is a recipe we found for Crispy Potato Pancakes:

Crispy Potato Pancakes

“Here’s a potato pancake that doesn’t take much time to make and is just right for two people. Weekends become our time to relax and enjoy life, and this is one of our favorite treats. -Nancy Salinas, Grand Rapids, Minnesota”

INGREDIENTS:

2 medium potatoes, peeled

1 egg

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Finely grate potatoes; drain any liquid. Place potatoes in a bowl. Add egg, onion, flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder; mix well. In a large skillet, heat 1/8 in. of oil over medium heat. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls; press lightly to flatten. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately.

For more details, visit allrecipes.com.