Saturday, February 28, 2009

Health Update

I'm going to do my best to keep this short and not torture my Dad...

I talked to the doctor's office yesterday, and their suggestion was to wait until next Thursday and take a pregnancy test - then start some medication that they could prescribe to restart my cycle... if I wasn't pregnant.

Well, lets just say that there won't be a need for a pregnancy test after all. I'll call on Monday to set up the appointment to go in to the doctor's office for more blood work on Tuesday - which would be day 4. I was told to come in on day 3, 4, or 5... so it works out alright in the end. I'll be able to get it taken care of before John's surgery.

I was pretty devastated about finding out that the miracle that I had been praying for didn't happen for us this month, but in the end it's good to know something and be able to move forward.

I'll continue praying for God to do what only he can do for us, and that in the process I'll continue to get healthier...

Mock Race

I did it you guys - I set my treadmill to a 5K race this morning, and off I went!


I made it - and I think in some ways the actual race will be easier... in other ways it might be harder. The important thing is that I made it and it wasn't a really big struggle. Don't get me wrong - it was a challenge, but it wasn't more than I can handle.


I think that it might be easier because the road won't be on a constant incline - and the incline won't be as steep probably in most cases.


It might be harder because I'll have to keep my own pace instead of the treadmill regulating that...


I'm ready for this though - it'll be a welcome challenge.


I took John's "Before" measurements tonight - so we went ahead and updated mine as well. I've lost another inch in my chest and half inch in my hips since November. I wonder if this is the wrong time of the month to do measurements, but whatever... even if I'm bloated - it only means that the measurements are a little higher than they are on most other days, right?

And I Was Worried?

My gosh - this is a horrible picture of me, but it's not a bad shot of John... so I'm posting it again. I'd forgotten just how determined and stubborn this man can be.

I worried when I found out that the 7 days before his surgery his diet would be liquids only, and consist of 4 daily servings of this...

The poor thing struggled with it the first day - apparently these shakes have a bad aftertaste in his opinion. I tried it the first night, and actually liked it - so I bought some for myself. I'm going to add that in as my breakfast and see if that holds me over a little better than the protein bar.

Anyway - back to him - he's doing great, and has lost like 7 pounds in the last 3 days... I'm so proud of him for being able to endure these first 7 days - because I know at this will be the hardest part of the surgery process for right now.

See, when you wake up from surgery of this type - you absolutely DO NOT want a single thing to eat... I mean it doesn't even cross your mind when you wake up. It's this time before that point that I know can't be easy - knowing that you physically could eat... but you aren't allowed to - that's harder to me. The mental game is always harder for me. So while he's hungry and all of that yucky stuff... he's adapting really well.

He's even come up with his own recipe for a soup that he can eat. They told him he could have some veggies - so he's been slicing up mushrooms really thin and putting it into beef bullion. He seems to be doing well - and he's not miserable.

I on the other hand have some serious guilt issues going on - and I'm desperately trying not to eat in front of him. I stand in the kitchen to eat smaller meals, and build barricades for the meals that I can't get away from sitting down to eat. It's only for another few days - then we'll adjust to our new normal again.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Exercise Mistakes

I saw this article pop up when I was looking at Yahoo a few minutes ago - it's written for Shape Magazine, but it speaks to the trials that several of us are having with our workouts... so I wanted to share. There is some great information here - and I plan on really re-reading it again over the weekend to adjust my own plan.

THE TEN FAUX PAS OF FITNESS

People make small but costly mistakes when exercising every day, and one tiny change can have a huge impact on their results, says Los Angeles–based trainer Ken Alan, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise. Thanks to Alan and the panel of training experts who weighed in on these faux pas and fixes, you'll error-proof your exercise and see tremendous payoffs, and the time you invest in your workouts will be smart and well-spent. We begin with five errors often made in your approach to exercise, then we'll take a look at five moves frequently flubbed.

1. Getting married to your strength routine

If you do the same routine over and over, your muscles will simply adapt; you're likely to hit a plateau because each exercise stimulates only a limited number of muscle fibers. However, if you challenge your muscles from a variety of angles by adding or alternating moves periodically, you'll get significantly more fibers into the act and develop more tone and strength.

THE FIX
For each muscle group, learn an additional 2 or 3 exercises, trying new angles and equipment. (If you can't get instruction from a trainer, there are plenty of books and videos organized by routine for each body part.) For instance, if you usually do the dumbbell chest press on a flat bench, try it at an incline. If you normally use the chest-press machine, try the dumbbell chest press or the bench press with a barbell. Expand your repertoire enough so that you can change your entire routine every 6–8 weeks.

2. Performing your reps too quickly

If you zoom through your repetitions when strength training, you'll be using momentum instead of muscle power. You won't get the same stimulus for muscle building, and you won't burn as many calories. You'll also be more susceptible to training injuries such as torn muscles or connective tissue.

THE FIX
Take 6 seconds to perform each repetition: 2 seconds to lift the weight and 4 seconds to lower it. (Since you have gravity to help you lower the weight, you need to slow down even more on this phase in order to give your muscles a sufficient challenge.) Our experts agree that slowing down is the single most significant change you can make to get better results from strength training.

3. Exercising too hard, too often

If you don't rest enough between hard cardio or strength workouts, you'll stop making progress and may even lose some of the fitness you've gained. You're also likely to burn out on exercise.

THE FIX
To keep your muscles fresh and your motivation high, alternate shorter, tougher cardio workouts (for instance, 20 minutes) with longer, easier days (40–60 minutes). Don't go all-out more than twice a week. Keep in mind that the more intensely you train, the more time your body needs to recover. It's a good idea to do a couple of tough workouts and take 1 day completely off each week. On the strength-training front, take at least 1 day off between sessions that work the same muscle group.

4. Coasting on your cardio

Sticking with the same aerobic workout can sabotage your results as much as pushing too hard. To truly boost your fitness (which enables you to burn more calories with less effort), you need to venture outside your comfort zone a couple of times a week, to the point where you're somewhat winded and can feel your heart pounding.

THE FIX
Instead of zoning out or doing moderate-intensity cardio all the time, mix in some high-intensity intervals twice a week. For instance, after warming up for 10 minutes on the treadmill, increase the speed or incline for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then recover with 1–3 minutes of easy-to-moderate exercise. Keep alternating for 10–20 minutes, then cool down. You also may want to do longer high-intensity intervals -- say, 5 minutes -- where you don't push quite as hard as you do on the shorter ones.

5. Lifting the wrong amount of weight

If you lift weights that are too light, you won't see improvements in strength, tone or bone density. If you lift weights that are too heavy, you'll compromise proper form, increasing your injury risk. You'll also be forced to recruit additional muscles, for instance, using your entire body to complete a biceps curl, thus cheating the targeted muscles of a good workout.

THE FIX
For the most significant strength building, perform 4–6 repetitions per set; for more moderate strength building, perform 8–12 repetitions per set, choosing weights heavy enough that you struggle through your final few reps, but not so heavy that your form falls apart. If you get to your final rep and feel that you could perform another one, increase the weight by 5–10 percent. You may find that when you've considerably increased the amount of weight you're using, you'll drop to fewer reps, which is fine, as long as your targeted muscles are fatigued by the final rep. Don't worry: Lifting to fatigue will not leave you with monstrous muscles.

6. Squat

Letting your knees shoot ahead of your toes, lifting your heels, dropping your knees inward The facts These mistakes place excess pressure on the tendons and ligaments of the knee.

THE FIX
Holding a dumbbell in each hand, stand with your feet hip-width apart, legs straight but not locked, chest lifted, abs contracted. Keep body weight toward heels and bend knees to sit back and down, lowering thighs to as parallel a position to ground as possible, torso erect and knees aligned with ankles (shown). Straighten legs to stand back up. Strengthens buttocks, quadriceps and hamstrings

7. Bent-over lat row

Rounding your spine and not flexing from your hips, pulling the weights up too far behind you The facts These mistakes place stress on your spine and reduce the demand on your back muscles, making the move less effective.

THE FIX
Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms by sides. Bend knees and flex forward from hips at about 90 degrees. Let arms hang in line with shoulders, palms facing in. Contract abs to support back. Draw shoulder blades down and together; maintaining body position, bend elbows up and in toward waist until upper arms are in line with torso and forearms are perpendicular to ground, knuckles pointing down (shown). Slowly straighten arms to starting position without changing torso position. Strengthens middle back, rear shoulders and biceps


8. Triceps kickback

Swinging your upper arm, dropping your opposite shoulder, trying to lift your arm and the weight too high behind you The facts When you make any of these mistakes, your triceps aren't sufficiently challenged, and you also may place stress on your shoulder and elbow joints.

THE FIX
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand and stand to the right of the long side of a bench, feet hip-width apart or in a staggered stance. (You also can kneel on the bench with your left knee.) Flex forward at hips at about 90 degrees, and place left hand on bench for support. Keeping torso stationary, bend right elbow so upper arm is parallel to ground and forearm is perpendicular to ground, palm facing in. Position elbow close to waist and contract abs. Keeping upper arm still, use triceps to straighten arm behind you until end of dumbbell points down (shown). Slowly bend elbow to return to perpendicular position. Strengthens triceps

9. Crunch

Jerking your neck, not lifting shoulders, failing to engage abs The facts These mistakes will result in a sore neck, and your abs won't get any firmer.

THE FIX
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on mat, hip-width apart. Place hands behind head, thumbs behind ears, fingers unclasped. Hold elbows out to the sides. Contracting abs, draw hips and lower ribs together, keeping buttocks relaxed. Without pulling on neck or drawing elbows in, curl up and forward, keeping head and neck relaxed as shoulder blades lift off mat (shown). Hold, then slowly lower back down. Strengthens abdominals


10. Dumbbell bench fly

Lowering your arms too far The facts This mistake places major stress on your shoulders and rotator cuff, the delicate muscles that sit underneath the shoulders. Plus, it becomes difficult to press arms up and use the chest muscles effectively.

THE FIX
Lie faceup on bench, knees bent and feet on edge. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended above midchest, in a slight arc, palms in. Contract abs and keep chin level. Maintaining elbow arc, lower elbows down and out to the side until they are even with or slightly below shoulders (shown). Press dumbbells up and in to starting position, without letting dumbbells touch or allowing shoulder blades to rise off the bench. Strengthens chest and front shoulders


Mistake-proof your mind

Your attitude may be the one final adjustment you need to maximize your results. Avoid these three mental missteps:

Focusing on the numbers

Instead of worrying over how many calories you burn or steps you climb, focus on the energy and the strength you feel and how wonderfully you're treating your body. While monitoring your intensity and applying the numbers to ensure you're mixing things up enough is critical for optimum progress, you should simply be aware, not fixating.

Obsessing over one body part

Focusing too much on your "problem area" can backfire, causing you to neglect other muscle groups that are as important for your appearance as they are for your fitness. For instance, if your midsection is your main concern, doing hundreds of crunches isn't the answer; sure, do ab exercises for tone, but don't forget that developing your chest, back and shoulders can take the focus off your middle. Always strive for a balanced workout.

Shying away from the unfamiliar

It's only natural to be intimidated by equipment you've never used or classes you've never taken. But venturing into new territory may be just the ticket to better results. If you've been avoiding free weights, ask a trainer to teach you a few dumbbell exercises; if you've shied away from Spinning, hop on a bike. Getting past your fears also will give you a sense of accomplishment and confidence -- and what could feel better than conquering the unknown?

Stinking Hysterical

The one thing that says authentic Rodeo Trail Ride to me is the new pickup truck with the port-a-potty trailer on the back!! Oh man - I laughed out loud at that one!!

The second thing is the additional truck with the "roach coach" on it for food... aren't these people supposed to be experiencing what life was like back then?! Wouldn't cooking over a campfire add to that experience? Maybe they are only using it to keep the food cold?

I'm Not Even Kidding

Of all the days to leave my camera at home!!

Ya'll my office is less than 10 miles from downtown Houston, and this... is in the field next to my building... (these are just some pics I could find on the internet for a little display of what it looks like)



Southwestern Trail Ride

Key Facts
• No. of years group has participated in the Downtown Rodeo Parade: 30
• Established: November 1973
• Number of Riders: 450 (Yeah that's 450 horses in the field next door!)
• Number of Wagons: 13
• Starts: Feb. 23 in Sargent, Texas
• Distance: 110 miles (They've ridden that far in the last week!)
This is the group that is camped out there right now - I saw all 13 of the wagons - It sure doesn't look like 450 horses, but I'm sure that it is. It looks very different from the second floor window - so it's hard to judge. It's very cool to see a piece of Texas History being lived out in front of your office building.
I've always laughed at the fact that at some point during day before our big Rodeo Parade - they shut down I-10 for these guys to come into town and camp for the night, but I'd never actually seen it live... it's typically done in the middle of the morning - you know - when there isn't as much traffic... but it is certainly a sight!
I seriously wish I had my camera - I'd take my "lunch break" and go get some real shots for you guys to see what we're looking at... but oh well... there's always next year for the real live shots!
How fun would it be to go yell "Howdy Partner" across the street right now?! (Yeah - I don't have it in me to be that crazy... but I'd laugh if someone else did... or maybe I'd run and hide... who knows!)

Oh People!

I'm not feeling well today - so lets just say that work productivity is at a low, and I'm perusing the internet for entertainment. I stumbled across this headline when looking at Fox News -

Chicago Man Arrested for Allegedly Targeting Obama With HIV-Infected Blood
It's only the second time ever that HIV-infected blood has been sent with malicious intent through the U.S. mail system, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said.

Well, I'm glad they cleared up that it's only the second time... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I get the third degree about what's in my packages when I send of holiday gifts... how does this get by people? I mean it had to be in some sort of cooler being that I'd guess he'd would have needed to keep the blood alive in order for the virus to live that long, right?

I don't know - maybe the criminal is dumb and didn't think that through...

Maybe I'm just watching too many reruns of Bones and Law & Order... oh and the Closer... but I digress.

Honestly - these plots just make me nuts - I mean sure... I'm not a fan of B.H.O. either, but seriously? I just can't imagine how people think these types of things are productive... I mean get out there and protest... exercise your right as an American to tell him what you think - at least as long as you can... until we become socialists. (again with the digressing)

Physically harm the man... no... that's just wrong. It's a hard one to live by, but God commands us to love our enemies.

Luke 6:35 (NLT) Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! And don't be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those who are wicked.

We should pray for God to lead us through this time, and that he will guide the actions of B.H.O.'s administration - even when we don't see him working through them... he is in control of the outcomes. It's not always easy to be still and wait for God's plan to come to fruition, but we do know that it is not God's plan for someone to harm anyone else out of malice.

The Breakup

It's official, my friends... I'm ending a relationship that has gotten out of hand. It's time for me to cut my losses and let this friend go - because our time together has become unhealthy. I'm sad to see it end, but at the same time - I know that it is the best thing for me.

I'll miss you Starbucks, but it's time for me to figure out something else to fill my need for a yummy warm beverage in the morning.

I'm thinking of switching to sugar free international coffee mixes for a little while, and eventually over to hot tea. I'm not able to drink hot tea now, but maybe I can teach myself. I know it's time to do something - because the caffeine isn't good for me anyway... and eventually I'd have to quit it for other reasons - so lets just be proactive.

We've had our last date together - and maybe when I've learned to drink other options - we'll meet again for some yummy hot tea.

Rodeo Time

Does every State have a GO Day?

We here have Go Texan Day, and I'm not sure if it's an entire statewide deal or if it's just a Houston thing... but it cracks me up every year.

We got this email at work the other day:

All NCI Staff:

Neighborhood Centers Inc. is pleased to announce that we will honor the city-wide tradition known as “Go Texan Day” and permit staff to wear western attire, including jeans, to work this Friday, February 27, 2009.
This celebration officially begins Rodeo season in our city, one of the largest of its kind in the world. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo website describes “Go Texan Day” in the following way:


“It's been called a spirit. It's even been referred to as a fever. Very few individuals - if any - can explain it. People in Houston just know that there's something in the air, and they know that it arrives early in February and lasts about a month. They smell pit-smoked barbecue for miles. They see their friends wearing jeans and boots. And while driving to work, they pass hundreds of men and women on horseback, some even in wagons. Most Houstonians know exactly what's going on - they've been around it for many years…. It was in 1938 when the general manager of the Houston Chamber of Commerce initiated a motion to immerse the city in excitement for the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition. It wasn't, however, until the mid 1950s that the Go Texan movement was officially launched, as a result of an advertising agency promotion. In 1954, Archer Romero chaired the first Go Texan Committee, and members of the newly-established group encouraged everyone to wear Western clothes. They also distributed posters and other publicity material. This Go Texan spirit has expanded throughout the last four decades, partly due to the efforts of the Show's seven Go Texan committees. These committees help publicize the Show through numerous promotional events and Go Texan contests.”

I always love Go Texan Day... I don't know why - I don't go all out with it - I haven't even been to the rodeo in several years, but I love the excuse to wear jeans to the office and see what everyone else has chosen to wear. I laugh at those of us that don't really pull out the western wear - but get really tickled at those that do go all out. :-)

Happy Go Texan Day Ya'll!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Interesting Look

I've made a point to not hide from my opinions about the abortion issue, and yet I struggled with posting this one...

I stumbled across this commercial the other day, and found it interesting because the very man that is being featured in the commerical spot is against the pro-life movement. I realize that is exactly the point they are trying to make, but WOW!

Watch this, and really let the message sink in for a minute...


I don't even have the words to tell you guys anymore... the video stands on its own.

*** Update - I got a comment that surprised me about this, and I must not have shown my support for this commercial in the way that I intended.

I am intrigued by this commercial because it shows how Obama's life would be so different if his parents had chosen differently... it just proves to me how much of a tragedy abortion really is. Not only does it go completely against my faith, but it also robs so many from the greatness that their lives could have become.

At the same time - I also realize that God's hands are in all facets of our universe and he is with us always...

Parental Rights?

I saw this article on Fox News and I'm honestly so appalled that I had to share it with you... I'm going to take some quotes and respond, but to read the whole thing yourself - go to the link above.

Sen. Barbara Boxer is urging the U.S. to ratify a United Nations measure meant to expand the rights of children, a move critics are calling a gross assault on parental rights that could rob the U.S. of sovereignty.

The California Democrat is pushing the Obama administration to review the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, a nearly 20-year-old international agreement that has been foundering on American shores since it was signed by the Clinton administration in 1995 but never ratified.

Critics say the treaty, which creates "the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion" and outlaws the "arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy," intrudes on the family and strips parents of the power to raise their children without government interference.

Nearly every country in the world is party to it -- only the U.S. and Somalia are not -- but the convention has gained little support in the U.S. and never been sent to the Senate for ratification.
That could change soon.


Boxer has made clear her intent to revive the ratification process under the Obama administration, which may be amenable to the move. During a Senate confirmation hearing last month, Boxer said she considers it "a humiliation" that the U.S. is "standing with Somalia" in refusing to become party to the agreement, while 193 other nations have led the way.

Since when do children need freedom of thought, conscience or religion? Isn't it the parent's job to shape the people that those children become? I for one am glad that up to this point - we have stood alone and paved our own way... and maybe Somalia is just the only country with enough self respect to stand with US.

"Whether you ground your kids for smoking marijuana, whether you take them to church, whether you let them go to junior prom, all of those things . . . will be the government's decision," said Michael Farris, president of ParentalRights.org. "It will affect every parent who's told their children to do the dishes."

And to be sure - I'll bet that they'll teach them in school how to report their parents for doing the unbelievable act of *GASP* showing them the way to eternal salvation... Can you imagine?

I'm sorry, but I see it as the parent's responsibility to raise their children - NOT the government's. We have enough problems in this country with unmotivated children with some sort of strange sense of entitlement, and this would only prove to worsen those problems to an even bigger extreme.

I for one would love to be on the hot line or whatever enforcement entity that is created just to have the opportunity to explain to those kids that their parents discipline them and make choices for their safety. Did I always like the decisions my parents made, NO of course not... BUT I certainly respect those choices now.

You see, I grew up in an extremely wealthy part of town and some of my "friends" had allowances of over $1,000 a month... which made my $20 a week look really pathetic... but over the course of time I learned some things by that.

1) I learned how to get a job and work for what I wanted.
2) I learned that money doesn't buy happiness.
3) I learned that if I truly wanted to be able to be a viable member of society - I needed to work hard and finish school.
4) As an adult, I've learned that without a strong faith in God - you have nothing.

I watched several of my "friends" get everything they ever wanted growing up, while I was sometimes told "No" - but in the end - I ended up with a college degree, a good job, a strong set of values, a wonderful husband, my own home, and a complete sense of self respect.

The aforementioned "friends" - don't. Sadly, some of them have never worked a day in their lives, are struggling financially, are stuck in dead end jobs... and are depressed... looking back wondering how this happened to them. I'd say that honestly - their parents did them no favors by giving them everything they desired and not teaching them the value of working for it.

Discipline isn't done out of meanness - it's done out of love. Just look to the *GASP* Bible for some healthy acknowledgement of that fact:

Proverbs 13:24 (NLT) If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them.

Proverbs 19:18 (NLT) Discipline your children while there is hope. If you don't, you will ruin their lives.

A friend of mine asked recently, at what point do we consider ourselves socialists? Well... it's unfortunate, but it seems like this would be one GIANT leap in that direction.

Isn't being different part of what makes our country great? Isn't that why we formed... on the ideal that freedom is the cornerstone of a great nation. What would George Washington think about this one?

Not Sure

I'm not entirely sure, but I think that I'm having sympathy pains for John... he started the 7 day liquid diet today for his pre-op, and seriously ya'll I just tried to eat a meal and it made me queasy. YUCK! I ended up throwing a good amount of it away... and when you pre-portion things - that means that I ate about 1/2 of what I'd normally eat.

Still waiting on the doctor's offices to call me back with some information - haven't been able to go in for the second round of hormone testing yet because... well... my body clearly doesn't function on it's own - so I've asked how long we sit in this holding pattern before we take a serious look at moving it forward by chemical means and/or make darn sure that there isn't something else creating the problem.

I'll share more when I know more...

*** Update - I just talked to the doctor's office, and she is checking with the doctor. I'm officially on day 31, and they will likely put me on a medication to kick start a new cycle. We are checking about taking precautions and doing some sort of a pregnancy test before starting any medications - just on the unlikely chance that I might be pregnant even with an extremely low progesterone level.

Sad or Disgusting?

This this sad, disgusting or both?

Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Associated Press


MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. — Sheriff's officers have arrested an 82-year-old man after his wife died on the floor of their home, apparently about 10 weeks after she fell out of bed and was unable to get up.

John Klein was arrested for investigation of second-degree manslaughter after he called 911 on Monday to report that his 73-year-old wife Pia had no pulse.

Klein told Spokane County sheriff's Detective Jim Dresback that his wife of 52 years fell out of bed around last Thanksgiving, Dresback said in court papers filed Tuesday.

According to that account, Klein had been working outside, came in and found his wife lying next to the bed in the doorway of the master bathroom. He said she cried out in pain and told him to leave her alone when he tried to help her up.

After that, Klein said he left her lying on her left side on the floor for the next 10 weeks, bringing her food and water, giving her medications and cleaning her but did not summon any medical aid. The woman had no significant medical problems, Klein told detectives. It was not clear what medications he gave her.

Klein's bond was set at $200,000 at his initial court appearance Tuesday. Klein told the judge, in his words, "I don't consider it to be my fault. She did not want help." It was not immediately known if he was represented by a lawyer.

Klein told Dresback the couple have an adult daughter who lives in North Carolina and normally talks with them by phone every other weekend. Asked if the daughter spoke to her mother after the fall, Klein said his wife had told him to tell the daughter she was sick.

When Klein was asked whether his wife had asked him to summon help for her, "he looked down for about five or six seconds, then said, 'No,"' the detective wrote. In the affidavit, the detective alleged Klein was criminally negligent in failing to summon medical help.

Klein reportedly told the detective he thought his wife would eventually get up and start walking on her own, adding he told her to exercise while she was lying on the floor.

The woman apparently had been lying naked on the stained, carpeted floor and had several large ulcers on her left hip and left leg, "consistent with her having been lying on her left side for an extended period of time," the affidavit said. A soiled pillow lay in the bathroom doorway.

There is absolutely NO way that John would leave me on the floor - reguardless of if I told him to or not... especially not for 10 weeks! I wonder if this poor old man has some other problems... say mental... that might have caused him to think that this behavior is acceptable.

Aren't They Cute?

At our church, we've been in the middle of a series on love. Different types of love...

We have a creative team that works on adding different exciting elements to our messages on Sundays so that they can catch people's attention in varying ways... John serves on this ministry and will be working on a slide show for one of the messages in our next series.

Anyway - back to the Love series... as a part of that they've filmed some of the couples from our church talking about moments in their time together - mostly from when they first met... and they happened to choose John's parents to do one of these videos. They joined our church after the first of the year - and are already entertaining us.

I just thought I'd share with you guys my adorable in-laws... enjoy!

It's so funny to watch things like this and realize where certain traits of John's come from... and BOY is he the product of his parents. :-) In a good way!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Moving Their Cheese

At work, I've been tasked with getting the help of our executive assistants to help me build our database. The idea is that each time their executive goes to an outside meeting and collects a business card - they ask for the card, fill out a form, and it goes into the database to build our mailing lists.

I really only have 1 ("M") of the 10 assistants helping me at this point, and I sort of started a little game with her - when she was the first person to turn in a form - I googled crowns, and sent her a picture of a crown... and called her "Princess of the Day." It was a HUGE hit with her, and ever since she gets upset if I don't send her a crown for every form that she fills out. I've had to slow down a bit because I'm running out of good crown pictures these days.

"M" has printed all of the pictures that I've given her and has a display of them in her cubicle... it's funny, but it's working - at least for her!

So I opened this up to the entire group of 10 of them... and got some real crowns... so if they turn in the highest number of forms for the week - they get to keep the crown for the next week. Right now - this same lady is the only one with any hope of getting it, but she LOVES it.

Another one of the assistants, "C", told me that the sad thing is that M is the only one that cares... which is sad to me... but not for the same reason that "C" thinks it is sad. I think its especially sad because "C" is in my own department and doesn't care a lick about doing something that she just might get in trouble for if our boss finds out that she's not doing it. I talked to a co-worker of mine about it and she thinks it's just that she's jealous of "M" getting the attention... but who knows.

It is just funny to me that grown adults can have this much fun joking around over a dollar store plastic crown!

So - what do you think would motivate the other 9 people to get in there and help me? What moves your cheese? (Does anyone out there know about that book?) I'd say that work doesn't move my cheese, but I do have the interest in doing the best I can at whatever task I'm given... so I try to make it fun and I take pride in getting it done well. I'm not sure that everyone from my generation feels the same way... clearly - given the response to a new task.

Q&A Wednesday

I only got questions from two people this week... aren't there things that you guys want to know?! Ask away - just remember to keep it clean.

Jenn asked:

How come you gave up on Wii Fit?

I wouldn't say that I gave up on it, but I realized that it wasn't going to be a good long term source of cardio workouts. It wasn't raising my heart rate enough at all, and once you get to the highest level - it doesn't really pose much challenge anymore. It is good for toning and yoga poses... which challenge my muscle tone. I basically needed something more if I wanted to truly make progress on my physical fitness.

I'd say that the Wii Fit is a great resource to supplement a normal workout, but is not really a good base for your entire exercise program. You've got to continue challenging yourself because your body gets used to doing things repetitively - and Wii Fit can't help you with that specifically. They say that your body stops responding appropriately after doing the same workout more than twice... I think that is a little aggressive, but you do have to keep changing it up or it won't be as beneficial to you. That's why I'm constantly pushing myself to the next level so that my body never gets back into a rut.

Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?

5 Years... hmmm... Well, I'd like to say with a couple of kids - maybe a third on the way - depending on how this ball starts rolling this year? I'd love to say teaching, but I'm starting to give up on that dream... so either continuing to work in the same field, or maybe by the grace of God - a stay at home Mom. (doubtful though - we like our house too much! HA!) The sky is the limit, and honestly - 5 years ago - I would have laughed at you if you would have told me that I'd be so involved at a church and have lost 92 pounds today... so I don't want to box myself in that much.

10 Years... Pretty much the same - only older, wiser, and thinner?

If you had a $100 to blow, where would you go?

$100... hmmm... you know - probably either Hobby Lobby or to get clothes... I'm starting to enjoy shopping for clothes more than ever before - so I'd probably do that. If neither of those were an option... I guess I'd spend it on a massage! OH wait - make that my top answer... I need a massage in the worst way!

Mama Jean asked:

In your quest for losing weight and working out, do you measure yourself weekly?

I don't actually - I don't think I've measured since November... but I haven't noticed any changes too much in my clothes either... so I haven't worried about it. Right now I'm focused on sticking to consistently working out and building that habit - then I'll focus on the next step. That might not make a whole lot of sense... but right now this is the first time I've ever managed to keep working out this long... and I want to make sure that I keep that momentum moving forward so that I can be in a groove and ready to help motivate John as he's recovering from his own surgery.

I really think that his surgery is a second chance for me to look at the things that make weight loss surgery the incredible tool that it is, and try to kick start back into losing. On the other hand though - my priorities have shifted some, and weight loss isn't the only thing I'm looking for. I also want to make sure that my body is as healthy as it can possibly be so that when we do get pregnant - I'm doing the best I can to prepare for the demands that it puts on your body both in terms of physical fitness and vitamin levels.

Now it's your chance to ask any burning questions you might have for me... I know that there are people out there reading from fabulous places I've never heard of... even some places I have heard of. We lovingly call you guys lurkers, but really we bloggers love hearing what people think when they are reading... so feel free to leave comments any time!

How's life in:
Sidney, Australia?
Rancho Cucamonga, California?
Silverado, California?
Los Angeles, California?
Bessemer, Alabama?
Mattoon, Illinois?
Waterloo, Ontario?
Nepean, Ontario?
Ithaca, New York?
Whitehorse, Yukon Territory?
Jacksonville, Florida?
West Palm Beach, Florida?
Wentworth, Missouri?
Mccall, Idaho?
Aurora, Colorado?
Las Vegas, Nevada?
Little Rock, Arkansas?
Irwinville, Georgia?
I'd love to hear from all of you!


I'll be back next week to answer your questions again... leave them in the comments!

Bookworm?

This is something Christi saw on Facebook and posted on her blog... I'm following a long because a lot of these I haven't read, but would love to! I need to really broaden my reading to more of the classics... but some really bad experiences as a child in school - has given me a bad taste for some of history's greatest writers. I wonder if I'd like them a little better now as reading for pleasure instead of reading for a grade?

The BBC says that most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.



Instructions:

1) Look at the list and bold (I'm making them blue) those you have read, italicize those you want to read.

2) Tally your total at the bottom.



1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (hated the movies - not likely to read)

3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling

5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee

6 The Bible (I'm at least in the process - working through it in a year)

7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte

8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell

9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman

10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (one of those bad experience books)

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott

12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

14 Complete Works of Shakespeare

15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier

16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien

17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks

18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger

19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger

20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell

22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens

24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy

25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh

27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky

28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck

29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens

33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis

34 Emma - Jane Austen

35 Persuasion - Jane Austen

36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis

37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini

38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Berniere

39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden

40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell

42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving

45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery

47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy

48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (Another bad experience)

50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel

52 Dune - Frank Herbert

53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons

54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen

55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth

56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens

58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon

60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck

62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov

63 The Secret History - Donna Tart

64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold

65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas

66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac

67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding

69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie

70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens

72 Dracula - Bram Stoker

73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett

74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson

75 Ulysses - James Joyce

76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath

77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome

78 Germinal - Emile Zola

79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

80 Possession - AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell

83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker

84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro

85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White

88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom

89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad

92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks

94 Watership Down - Richard Adams

95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole

96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute

97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas

98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare

99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl

100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo



I have read 18 of them. According to the BBC figures, I have read almost as much as 3 people. What classics have I missed, and where should I start first on my rereading of the ones I've already covered... a good percentage of them - I don't remember that well.



I mainly only remember Lord of the Flies because I thought it was gross, and Great Expectations because I thought it was torture in the 9th grade!



I'm a little surprised that I didn't see any (or more if I missed one) Ernest Hemingway... like The Old Man in the Sea - I read that one in junior high.

Cave Family

I saw this on Fox News and thought I'd share it... Amazing...

ST. LOUIS — In a twist to the U.S. housing crisis, a family that has been living in a home built inside a cave in suburban St. Louis has put it up for sale on eBay.

Bidding starts at $300,000.

Click here to see photos of the cave house.

Curt and Deborah Sleeper of Festus bought about 3 acres of property and a cave in Festus in 2004, after they spotted it on the Internet.

The couple built a three-bedroom home inside the one-time mining cave.

A large payment is due soon, and the Sleepers are trying to secure private financing. If they are able to, they may not sell. They're not accepting financial donations.

Their youngest child, Theodore Wesley, was born at their home over the weekend.

The pictures really are kind of cool - even though I wouldn't want to live in a cave...

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Allergic to Myself

I don't know if I've mentioned on this blog before that I'm allergic to salt water... well... it's reached a new level of ridiculous! Ya'll, I'm allergic to my own sweat! I broke out in the same hives (only smaller) after my workout tonight. I did level 8 on the iFit, and it was tough. It was a great workout though - it really maximized my calorie burn, and challenged me. I am loving being able to step up to the next level AND keep myself on the treadmill.

Honesty... who ever heard of such a thing? How am I ever going to become a marathon runner (pshaw!) if I can't deal with my own sweat?!

You may have to click on these to really see... but here are my arms after the workout - imagine it all up my back, stomach, legs... and neck... lovely, huh? And incredibly itchy!


Don't forget Q&A Wednesday is tomorrow - send me your questions and I'll answer them tomorrow.

Gift of Song

I've mentioned it before, but my husband has a real gift with music. He is a talented singer, and plays several different instruments well: acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitar, saxophone... and pretty much anything else he picks up.

He hasn't been formally trained in anything other than probably the saxophone - so everything else he's learned by ear... amazing, right?

He was off yesterday for some doctors appointments for his surgery - tomorrow too for that matter - but this gave him the afternoon to cook up a special surprise for me in honor of our anniversary.

I went to get ready for bed last night and when I came out to get in bed - I noticed a computer glow from the living room... there he was sitting on the couch with his guitar... I just looked at him funny because when I went to get ready for bed - he was right behind me... I asked him if he was coming to bed, and he said - yes, right after I play you this song...

He learned a song and played it for me... he changed the words slightly to suit us, but you'll have to listen through to the very end to understand how it fit...


Dierks Bentley - M...
It was a very sweet way to end the night - I'm a very lucky lady... hopefully sometime soon - I can capture some of HIM singing... I'll start dropping hints on that today!

Break Over

I took an unintentional break from the Kim's Cuisine blog for the last month, but have added some recipes for this week - I try to make it where something new comes up everyday... even though I originally was only going to post things that I had already tried.

This blog has really evolved into more than that - and is almost like my digital recipe box... I've tried a fair amount of these, but some are also things that I want to try myself when I am able to. I think you can tell when the pictures are mine versus when they are from the magazine - so let that be your guide for the most part - that being said... sometimes I get really excited about the eating portion of the meal... and forget to take the pictures.

Please take some time and jump on over there and gather any inspiration that you can from there. Let me know if you find something you like! I always welcome new ideas too - so shoot those over to me if you have any.

Healthiest Desserts

Oh now this is certainly a post for me - even if I crave salt just as often as something sweet - if it's something sweet that doesn't make me "fly higher than a kite"... even better!

Healthiest Desserts according to Men's Health -

Supermarket Frozen Fruit Bar
Natural Choice Full of Fruit Organic Strawberry
60 calories
0 g fat
13 g sugars

The organic strawberries and strawberry puree in this bar contain a heaping load of cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Supermarket Ice Cream Bar
The Skinny Cow Skinny Dippers
80 calories
6 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
7 g sugars

Not a single other ice cream bar can touch Skinny Cow’s delicious, low-cal recipes. How do they do it!?

Supermarket Frozen Yogurt
Stonyfield Farm Nonfat Frozen Yogurt After Dark Chocolate
(1/2 cup)
100 calories
0 g ft
18 g sugars

Ironically, many of Stonyfield’s dessert yogurts are better for you than their breakfast yogurts.

Haagen-Dazs
Zesty Lemon Sorbet
(1/2 cup)
110 calories
0 g fat
29 g sugars

Sugar, lemon juice concentrate, and fruit pectin flavor this cool, fat-free indulgence. Although sorbet can be high in sugar, it has less than half the calories of ice cream.

Supermarket Sorbet
Ben & Jerry’s Sorbet Berried Treasure
(1/2 cup)
110 calories
0 g fat
24 g sugars

Ben & Jerry’s blueberry, blackberry, and lemon swirled sorbet beats Haagen-Dazs version by using a third less sugar.

Supermarket Ice Cream
Edy’s Slow Churned Rocky Road
(½ cup)
120 calories
4 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
12 g sugars

Edy’s Slow Churned produces one of the safest ice creams at the supermarket. For an extra health boost, go for Rocky Road, which contains real nuts.

Vending Machine Dessert
York Peppermint Pattie
140 calories
2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
25 g sugars

The most reasonable of all mainstream candies, with half the calories of a Snickers bar.

Supermarket Ice Cream Sandwich
Turkey Hill Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Sandwich
160 calories
2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
16 g sugars

In the world of frozen decadence, this low-fat ice cream sandwich is one of the few reasonable indulgences.

Starbucks Dessert Drink
Grande Dulce de Leche Frappuccino Light
170 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat)
25 g sugars

This will cover your liquid dessert desires, but if you’re looking for something in Starbucks’ bakery case, go with the Mini Black and White Cookies instead of the drink. While most of Starbucks’ muffins and cakes weigh in around 400 calories, these cookies have 240 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat.

Dunkin’ Donuts Doughnut
Glazed Donut
180 calories
8 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
12 g sugars

Dunkin’ Donuts’ menu can be deceiving: Sure, a multi grain bagel sounds healthier than a doughnut. But add cream cheese and you’re looking at more calories than a Big Mac. A glazed doughnut has much fewer calories than the seemingly “healthy” items and all other doughnuts on the menu.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut
Whole Wheat Glazed Doughnut
180 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
10 g sugars

With only 19 grams of carbohydrates, the whole wheat clocks in at less than half of nearly every other doughnut on the menu. And it’s the only one with fiber (2 grams).

Baskin Robbins Yogurt
Maui Brownie Madness Low-Fat Yogurt
(4 oz)
210 calories
4 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
34 g sugars

This fro-yo is an excellent stand-in for Rocky Road lovers with less than one-third of the fat. Avoid anything with caramel or chocolate “ribbons” swirled in to cut back on sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

T.G.I Friday’s Dessert
Chocolate Raspberry Mini Dessert
220 calories

Anything with “mini” in the name denotes a portion actually suitable for one. But that doesn’t mean sharing is off-limits—or a bad idea.

Smoothie King Smoothie
Slim-N-Trim Vanilla Smoothie
20 oz
227 calories
1 g fat (0.5 g saturated fat)
44 g sugars

It’s strikingly similar to the Vanilla Shake in taste, but delivers 500-plus fewer calories and 36 fewer grams of fat.

Chili’s Dessert
Dutch Apple Caramel Sweet Shot
230 calories
6 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
280 mg sodium

Chili’s dessert menu is home to the 2008 worst dessert in America (Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream). Stick to their post-meal “shots” to avoid adding major calories to your meal.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream
Strawberry Original Ice Cream
(1/2 cup)
230 calories
13 g fat (9 g saturated fat)
25 g sugars

The healthiest scoops are strawberry, coffee, and vanilla, respectively. If you’re dessert credo is chocolate-only, go with the Chocolate Fudge Brownie Frozen Yogurt with 190 calories per serving. Always avoid flavors with chunks like peanut butter cups, Heath bars, or cookie dough, which contain heavy doses of hydrogenated fat.

Dairy Queen Sundae
Small Chocolate Sundae
280 calories
7 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat)
42 g sugars

This sundae has less than half the fat of a small chocolate-dipped cone alone.

Jamba Juice Smoothie
Peach Perfection smoothie
Original, 24 oz
320 calories
0.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat)
78 g carbohydrates

Stick to all-fruit smoothies: They contain no processed sugars, artificial colors, or preservatives. Bonus: This one has 6 grams of fiber. (Why couldn't it be Caribbean Passion?! - I'll be jonesing for one of those when it gets hot this summer...)

Romano’s Macaroni Grill Dessert
Italian Sorbetto with Biscotti
330 calories
4 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
80 mg sodium

Unless you plan on tag teaming dessert with, say, three or four other people, this is the only acceptable order at Macaroni Grill.

Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream
Cake Batter Light Ice Cream
With Chocolate Shavings Mix-in
(6 oz. Like It size)
330 calories
11 g fat (6.5 g saturated fat)
39 g sugars

Choosing chocolate shavings rather than chips is an easy way to save 40 calories and 2 grams of fat. Cold Stone also offers a fat-and sugar-free version of their Sweet Cream ice cream flavor that makes an excellent base for fruit or nut mix-ins. Pecans, walnuts, and almonds all have less than 2 grams of sugar per ounce. (And let me just say that the sugar-free Sweet Cream is YUMMY!)

Okay, I must admit that this list isn't quite what I expected... but good information for those of you out there eating normally and just wanting to make slightly better choices... enjoy folks! I think some of the Cut & Paste (my weight loss surgery girls for those that are new) girls might have some better dessert ideas though... any of you ladies want to leave some recipes in the comments?

Prayers

The other Kim is having her gallbladder removed today, and extra prayers are always welcomed. She is one of my fellow weight loss surgery buddies, and she's following in my footsteps of having to get that crazy little organ removed within the first year after surgery.

Also keep Laurie in your prayers as she is recovering from a scary ordeal with her gallbladder and a hernia being removed last week. She is recovering nicely, but is such a sweetie - she needs extra care too.

Dear God, Please be with Kim as she goes through surgery today. Also be with her doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff as they give her the best medical care they can today. Kim needs peace and rest while she recovers from this procedure. Help her to recover and get back to a healthy and busy life with her husband and sons. I also pray for Laurie's continued recovery from the scary ordeal last week. You were there to carry her through it, and will be there to get her through recovery as well. Please give her the peace of mind to know that you haven't left her, and that this too is all part of your plan. In your name I pray, Amen.

Monday, February 23, 2009

One Thing...

is for sure... Missy likes the new furniture. :-) I came out to the living room this morning after getting dressed and this was what I found.

She's a mess... but we love her.

Sisterly Advice

7 Years ago my sister Cindy gave me this in a card, and it still rings true today...

Dearest Kim,

Can you believe your wedding day is already here? How the time flies! Robert and I are so excited for you and John - Marriage is a wonderful gift from our amazing God! Sometimes it is hard, sometimes it is so great you can't even believe it, sometimes you will be so mad or so happy...

Marriage dishes out some amazing things - you will feel every emotion, and I pray you and John will enjoy the ride... because it is awesome!

My only advice to my little sister would be this: Let Jesus be your tour guide. Build your relationship around Christ, and enjoy... if that seems odd, or difficult... no worries... its a process of learning and growing together.

My "other" advice would be this: take long walks together, be each other's best friend, laugh a lot, play together, fight fair, live everyday together as if it were your last - because life goes by so fast... enjoy each other.

We love you - and are so proud of you and John. I am so thankful to have you for my sister!

Love to you both,
Cindy and Robert

What I find even more amazing is the fact that these words me so much more to me today - I read them back in 2002, but I didn't fully understand until we went through our trouble spot and found Jesus. My sister's wisdom was given a little before its time, but it is valued... obviously since I still have the card. :-)

7 Years Together

Today is my 7th anniversary - and you guys - it's hard to believe that it's been that long since our wedding. In other ways - I can't imagine my life without John in it... I guess that's just something that the mind can't quite wrap itself around. I wrote this post last year - and you can look there for pictures of our big day... just realize that I don't quite look like that anymore.

On that wonderful day in 2002 - we danced to this song... and I'm reminded today of how amazing it is that the words still ring true for us... I know that people choose songs that are timeless for such occasions, but not only is this timeless - but it's perfectly us.

Kenny Chesney - Me...

On the off chance that you don't have speakers - like my work computer - here are the words.

Ordinary no, really don't think so
Not a love this true
Common destiny
We were meant to be
Me and you

Like a perfect scene from a movie screen
We're a dream come true
Suited perfectly for eternity
Me and you

Every day, I need you even more
And the night time too
There's no way
I could ever let you go
Even if I wanted to

Every day I live
Try my best to give
All I have to you
Thank the stars above
That we share this love
Me and you

Every day, I need you even more
And the night time too
There's no way
I could ever let you go
Even if I wanted to

Ordinary no, I really don't think so
Just a precious few
Ever make it last
Get as lucky as
Me and you
Me and you

I am truly a lucky woman, because not only does my husband support me in ways I couldn't even imagine - but he makes me laugh almost daily too. Today is no exception on that...

So as we celebrate our 7th anniversary today - I hope that everyone knows that this journey is not always easy, but it is ALWAYS worth it! Some days it is a dream come true and others it is a challenge - but it is God's plan for us to join together as one for the remainder of our lives, and I am so thankful that he lead me to the right person for me to spend the rest of mine with.

Happy Anniversary Honey - I love you!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Come and Gone

I just don't understand how it is that a weekend can go by so darn quickly.... it has been a great one though.

I spent yesterday running errands (return clothes, Target, and of course the weekly Wal-Mart run for groceries) and getting some things ready for John's anniversary/surgery gift... and a few other things during the day while John went fishing with his Dad, Aunt Mary, and Uncle Dickie.

We exchanged gifts for our anniversary over the weekend, and John got me a digital photo frame - which I've been wanting for a while. I didn't really get him much in terms of high end stuff - but I got him some practical stuff for surgery recovery, a hand held game, and some art...

I also made him a surgery scrapbook too - it's a little different than mine, but he really liked it. I'm not quite done with it yet, but I've made it where we can enter his picture each month, along with the stats on where he is for that month... so it's a little more organized than mine. I got to use some of my new scrapping supplies - so it was a win/win all the way around.

Today we went to church, went to see a house with Renee & K, had lunch... then when we got home - I read the Bible in an attempt to catch up at some point with my reading... worked out, cooked dinner, took a bath, and now I'm watching Major League with John. Not my favorite movie - but whatever - I'm basically brain dead at this point anyway.

My workout today was great - I stepped it up to workout 7 on the iFit card, and it bumped to a 30 minute workout... and it nearly kicked my butt completely. It started off doing the normal routine stuff (incline of 6, speed of 3.4-3.5) for about the first 10 minutes... then it went to a 4 minute interval with an incline of 10, speed between 3.2-3.3 - the remaining 16 minutes was at an incline of 7 with a speed of between 3.3-3.4... and had Jillian been in the room - I might have actually cried.

I still hold on to the handles of the treadmill - and I know she'd totally bust me on that, but until I can keep up with the workout while not holding on... I'm going to keep doing it. I think the more I push myself - the more I'll be able to do without holding on... but I'm also not willing to hurt myself in the process... trust me - that's the fastest way for me to give up. So as long as I'm doing it consistently and feel good about it - I'm going to remain happy with it. I still sweat like crazy, get out of breath, and can feel my lungs clearing out - so I'd consider that still doing some good things for my body.

It won't be long now before I go meet the sandman for the night, but it's been a productive weekend all the way around. Not super relaxing, but we can't have it all. Maybe next week, I'll get in a little more relaxing. John will be going fishing again next Saturday - and Renee's husband might go with him... so it might be a girls weekend... maybe a chick flick marathon on the new couches or something is in order? Who knows! (It sounds dreamy though!)

John & I

What are your middle names?

From birth or now? Edward and Bailey now... from birth Edward and Kay. (Never did like my middle name - so I dropped it for my maiden name when we got married.)


How long have you been together?

9 years, 11 months, and 50 weeks since our first date. 7 years married tomorrow.


How long did you know each other before you started dating?

I guess technically 2 years - but "knowing" each other only means chatting online off and on.


Who asked whom out?

John asked me out of course - I'm an old fashioned girl after all.

How old are each of you?

I'm 30 and he's 35... both have birthdays coming up toward the summer.

Whose siblings do you see the most?

That's hard to say - his sister technically lives closest - I guess... but we probably see them about equally.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?


Right now - the whole baby thing... it has been a struggle that we've battled since our honeymoon. Just when we feel like we're making progress - we have another bump in the road... and it's frustrating. We try to keep the faith, and most of the time we do alright... but there are certainly days that it is very hard.

Did you go to the same school?

No, we went to the same college - but he is 5 years ahead of me.


Are you from the same home town?

No, John is from a small town north of Houston, and I grew up in the city. It's funny that we sort of met in the middle with where we live now - it's not too far from the country - but close enough to the city to have great shopping and things that I like. Gotta love the suburbs!

Who is smarter?

For sure John on all accounts. He's got an amazing memory and can recall information much better than I can.

Who is the most sensitive?

We're both sensitive in our own ways, but I would venture to say that I more sensitive than he is. I am very emotional - wear my heart on my sleeve, and most people can tell how I'm feeling just by looking at me.

Where do you eat out most as a couple?

This cracks me up because we have such trouble with this decision... or at least I do. I'd say we frequent a Mexican food place called La Hacienda the most... but that is going to change very soon at least for a while.

Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?

Mackinaw Island, Michigan... I think. What a beautiful place... I'd love to go back sometime. It's a great place to relax as they don't have cars on the island... you take a ferry over there and it's all horse-drawn carriages, bikes, or walking... LOVED IT! The million and one fudge shops weren't too shabby either!

Who has the craziest exes?

Oh gosh - I don't know... we aren't in contact with any of them really - but I guess John's last girlfriend before me was the craziest. She called me right after we started dating to tell me that John was cheating on me with her... then she called me to tell me to let John know that her Dad passed away... her mom showed up at John's office once to see why they'd broken up... and then she showed up another time to tell him that she was having a baby.

Who has the worst temper?

I think maybe John... or he's the most vocal about it - when I'm mad, I tend to go off on my own and sulk... then get over it and forget about it. Or well - I get mad, flare up and then move out of that emotion fairly quickly. I don't forget about it - but I don't hold on to the emotion of anger for very long.

Who does the cooking?

I do most of the basics like daily dinners (he does them too to give me a break), but John makes fancy meals, desserts, and big breakfasts. So I do the daily stuff, he does the good stuff!
Who is the neat-freak?

I don't know - we aren't total neat freaks - but we like to have things picked up. Our favorite day of the month is cleaning-lady day!!

Who is more stubborn?

It's even.

Who hogs the bed?

Our dog.

Who wakes up earlier?

99% of the time - I do, but I almost always go to bed earlier than he does. He's more of a night owl than I am, so it ends up that I wake up earlier just by default.

Where was your first date?

I'm not sure of everything we did, but I know we went to Olive Garden.

Who is more jealous?

I don't know - I don't think either of us have ever truly been jealous or had a reason to be.

How long did it take to get serious?

We had already told each other we loved each other before our first date... so ummmm... I think we were serious right from the start.

Who eats more?

I don't know if this is fair - I had a gastric bypass... so John eats normal amounts, but I eat small amounts.

Who does the laundry?

Usually, I do the laundry - but John surprises me from time to time and does it all... so it just depends on the week.

Who’s better with the computer?

That's another hard one - we have strengths in different areas - he is the more technical computer person... I'm more application based in my knowledge. He's the "network administrator" of the house though.

Who drives when you are together?

Usually John, but in our carpool to work - he drives in the morning and I drive in the afternoon... any other time though he drives... unless he's not feeling well.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

20 Worst Foods for Women

More from my addiction to Men's Health...

20 Worst Foods for Women

20. The Worst Snack for Women
Kashi GOLEAN Cookies ‘n’ Cream Bar
290 calories
6 g fat (3 g saturated fat)
10 g sugars

Frankly, we’re surprised “lean” is anywhere in the name of this candy bar disguised as a snack bar. For such a small “snack,” it’s packed with its fair share of calories and sugars. Go with the chewy peanut butter edition and shave off half the calories and sugars.

Eat This Instead!
Kashi TLC Chewy Peanut Peanut Butter Bar
140 calories
5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
5 g sugars

19. The Worst Cocktail for Women
Pina Colada
625 calories
75 g sugars

Made from a blend of sickly-sweet pineapple juice and fat-riddled coconut milk, pina coladas are some of the biggest body saboteurs. In fact, the only redeeming part of this drink is the garnish—that lonely chunk of pineapple hanging from the rim. Switch over to the cranberry-based Cosmo for dramatic caloric savings.

Drink This Instead!
Cosmopolitan
150 calories
12 g sugars

18. The Worst Coffee Alternative for Women
Starbucks Venti Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino Blended Crème
750 calories
15 g fat (9 g saturated)
120 g sugars

Let’s get one thing straight: Neither of these are the healthy, fruity beverages they may masquerade as—both are chock-full of fat and sugar. Little to no fruit goes into the Starbucks Frappuccino, and this drinkable disaster contains as much sugar as four Snickers bars. But the Vivanno contains a whole banana, a healthy serving of protein, fiber and Vitamins A and C, and about one third the calories of the Frap.

Eat This Instead!
Starbucks Orange Mango Banana Blend Vivanno (only available in Grande)
250 calories
15 g fat (2 g saturated)
32 g sugars

17. The Worst Vegetarian Meal for Women
Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12”)
1,106 calories
56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)
2,831 mg sodium9
6 g carbohydrates

Sure, a Veggie Supreme sandwich sounds healthy, but this foot-long comes with three different kinds of cheese, and it’s drenched in oil.

Eat This Instead!
Blimpie VegiMax (6"), without oil
392 calories
6 g fat (4 g saturated)
1,272 mg sodium

16. The Worst Sandwich for Women
Quiznos Regular Tuna Melt
1,420 calories
118 g fat

Tuna melts—with mayo and cheese—are often a deli disaster area. They dish it up with an ice-cream scoop! But Quiznos has outdone itself: It has produced the worst sandwich in America. Eat this and you are the whopper. Einstein Brothers' tuna melt clocks in at just over 600 calories, with a respectable 40 grams of protein.

Eat This Instead!
Einstein Brothers Tuna Salad Deli Melt
610 calories
36 g fat

15. The Worst Healthy Pizza for Women
Cosi Smoky BBQ Chicken Individual Flatbread Pizza
887 calories
21 g fat
123 g carbohydrates

Don’t let the word “flatbread” fool you—each one of Cosi’s “individual” pizzas contains at least 650 calories and 20 grams of fat. You’re much better off with a lower-cal but equally satisfying sandwich.

Eat This Instead!
Cosi Sesame Ginger Chicken Sandwich
480 calories
7 g fat
69 g carbohydrates

14. The Worst Veggie Burger for Women
Ruby Tuesday Veggie Burger
945 calories
51 g fat
60 g carbohydrates

The problem with veggie burgers, as any vegetarian will tell you, is that in order to make them taste good, you’ve got to slather them with a landslide of condiments. Which is probably why Ruby Tuesday’s interpretation contains nearly 1,000 calories—it’s safe to say most of it comes from the garlic mayo and Swiss cheese they use to disguise the veggie burger taste. Since Ruby Tuesday doesn’t offer any other viable vegetarian options, swing by Burger King for a much healthier version (just remember to hold the mayo).

Eat This Instead!
Burger King Veggie Burger without Mayo
340 calories
8 g fat (1 g saturated)
46 g carbohydrates

13. The Worst Frozen Meal for Women
Marie Callender’s Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie
1,060 calories
64 g fat (24 g saturated)
1,440 mg sodium

Marie Callender’s perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: The nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn the title of worst frozen meal.

Eat This Instead!
Marie Callender’s Oven Baked Chicken
320 calories
12 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium

12. The Worst Mexican Entrée for Women
Chipotle Chicken Salad (with black beans, tomato salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole)
1,055 calories
68 g fat (20 g saturated)
2,648 mg sodium

By now, you know that Chipotle is no place for the diet-conscious, unless you’re very careful. But what could be more careful than ordering a salad? Plenty, when the salad contains an onslaught of calories and fat in the forms of rice, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Cut out just three of those (go ahead, enjoy the guac!), and save more calories than you’ll even eat.

Eat This Instead!
Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowl (with black beans, tomato salsa, sour cream and lettuce)
475 calories
18 g fat (9 g saturated)
1,268 mg sodium

11. The Worst Smoothie for Women
Smoothie King Grape Expectations II, 40 oz.
1,096 calories
0 g fat
250 g sugars

Considering that it’s on the King’s “Snack Right” menu, Grape Expectations seems awfully, well, wrong. The large serving has more calories than even an indulgent dinner, not to mention as much sugar as 21 bowls of Froot Loops. Order a lo-carb strawberry smoothie (cut down the serving size), and you’ll save more than four glazed doughnuts’ worth of calories.

Eat This Instead!
Lo-Carb Strawberry, 20 oz.
268 calories
9 g fat (4 g saturated)
3 g sugars

10. The Worst Wrap for Women
Outback Steakhouse Salad Wrap
1,100 calories

The problem with wraps, whether they contain steak or not, is that the wrap part generally adds a slew of extra calories and carbs. But that’s no excuse for Outback’s iteration—cinnamon pecans and blue cheese vinaigrette push it from “bad” to “worst.” You’re actually better off getting a nice juicy steak—just make it a 7 oz. filet and pair it with steamed broccoli.

Eat This Instead!
Outback Victoria “Center Cut” Filet (7 oz) with fresh steamed broccoli
730 calories

9. The Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal for Women
Jack in the Box Chipotle Chicken Ciabatta (with grilled chicken and medium natural cut fries)
1,140 calories
51 g fat (14 g saturated)
3,000 mg sodium

“Ciabatta” is yet another one of those words that can quickly and easily throw you off—it makes whatever you’re eating sound healthy, European, even organic. But what does “ciabatta” mean? Bread. White bread. So, in the case of Jack in the Box, it’s basically a crunchier version of a hamburger bun. Add on some greasy chicken, cheddar cheese, mayo-based chipotle sauce and a serving of fries, and you’re swiftly topping 1000 calories. Switch to the chicken fajita pita and save more than a third of the calories—and isn’t a pita just as exotic as “ciabatta”?

Eat This Instead!
Jack in the Box Chicken Fajita Pita and side salad with fire roasted salsa
335 calories
12 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,275 mg sodium

8. The Worst Chinese Entrée for Women
P.F. Chang’s Kung Pao Chicken
1,228 calories
79 g fat (12 g saturated)
58 g carbohydrates

This Chinese Chicken catastrophe provides just a few calories shy of the total a woman needs in an entire day. P.F. Chang’s doesn’t offer many healthy options, but something less deep-fried, such as the ginger chicken and broccoli, is a much better bet.

Eat This Instead!
P.F. Chang’s Ginger Chicken & Broccoli
660 calories
26 g fat (3.5 g saturated)
45 g carbohydrates

7. The Worst Salad for Women
T.G.I. Friday’s Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1,360 calories

This offering from T.G.I. Friday’s is basically a huge plate of fried chicken disguised as a salad. The chain doesn’t provide nutritional info beyond calorie counts, but the pecan crusted chicken salad is clearly chock full of fat and sodium in addition to more than 1300 calories. Save big with the Cobb salad.

Eat This Instead!
T.G.I. Friday’s Cobb Salad
590 calories

6. The Worst Breakfast for Women
Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes
1,540 calories
77 g fat (9 g trans fat)
109 g sugars

Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as these sugar-stuffed flapjacks. Stick to the Western Omelet and grab 44 grams of protein while you’re at it.

Eat This Instead!
Bob Evans Western Omelet
652 calories
48 g fat (17 g saturated)
1,868 mg sodium

5. The Worst Pasta Dish for Women
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Penne Rustica
1,590 calories
92 g fat (38 g saturated)
4,000 mg sodium

Thanks to its heaping amounts of butter, heavy cream, parmesan cheese and bacon, this penne tops the scales as our worst pasta dish. Stick to a cream-free sauce like that in the capellini tre pomodoro.

Eat This Instead!
Capellini Tre Pomodoro
640 calories
25 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium

4. The Worst Dessert for Women
Chili’s Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories
78 g fat (38 g saturated)
215 carbohydrates

Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth. If you want dessert at Chili's, order one single-serving Sweet Shot; you'll cap your after-dinner intake at 220 calories.

Eat This Instead!
Chili’s Sweet Shot Strawberry Wave Cheesecake
220 calories
11 g fat (7 g saturated)
26 g carbohydrates

3. The Worst Chicken Entrée for Women
Chili’s Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbohydrates

"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of breadcrumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips. Instead, order the Chicken Fajita Pita: At 450 calories and 43 grams of protein, it's one of the healthiest entrées you'll find in a chain restaurant.

Eat This Instead!
Chili’s Chicken Fajita Pita
350 calories
13 g fat (2 g saturated)
36 g carbohydrates

2. The Worst Fish Entrée for Women
Romano's Macaroni Grill Parmesan-Crusted Sole, Dinner
2,190 calories
135 g fat (57 g saturated)
145 g carbohydrates
2,980 mg sodium

You’d think that a fish dish would be a lighter, healthier option—but in this case, you’d be wrong. This one dinner provides more calories than you need in a day, and the saturated fat equivalent of 57 strips of Oscar Mayer bacon.

Eat This Instead!
Simple Salmon
590 calories
32 g fat (6 g saturated)
15 g carbohydrates
1,800 mg sodium

1. The Worst Food for Women
On the Border XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans
2,100 calories
130 g fat
169 g carbs
4,750 mg sodium

Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories. If you’ve gotta have fish tacos, ask for grilled fish, choose the corn tortillas instead of flour (they're lower in calories and higher in fiber), and swap out the carbohydrate-loaded rice for grilled vegetables. Or just order the much-healthier jalapeno-BBQ salmon.

Eat This Instead!
On the Border Jalapeno-BBQ Salmon
530 calories
18 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
1,600 mg sodium