Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Water

So I have decided to drink more water. I know, huge step, huh? I have been trying to lose some weight now for a while and nothing seems to be working (okay, I am not trying that hard, but I thought that maybe just the thought in my mind would make some weight melt off, hehe). I came across an article this afternoon that says drinking extra water may help with weight lose.
http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html
I am not sure if it is true or not, but I figured why not try. It all started this weekend when I got on the scale and thought I could lose a little weight (don't we all think that). I started drinking the recommended 64 ounces of water starting on Sunday. I am running into a wall seeing that I have to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes when I have anything in my system, but it says in the article that the urination station phase will pass (hopefully soon). I haven't noticed any results (and I guess I'm not really expecting any), but know that even if it doesn't help me lose any weight it will at least help me to be a healthier me. Don't worry, I am still drinking my Diet Mountain Dew (I'm down to about 2 cans a day), but am just adding extra h2o on top of that. Wish me luck on the water quest.

A small amount from the article:
The problem is that, though many decide to increase their water intake, very few stick with it. It's understandable. During the first few days of drinking more water than your body is accustomed to, you're running to the bathroom constantly. This can be very discouraging, and it can certainly interfere with an otherwise normal day at work. It seems that the water is coming out just as fast as it's going in, and many people decide that their new hydration habit is fruitless.

Do take heed , though. What is really happening is that your body is flushing itself of the water it has been storing throughout all those years of "survival mode". It takes a while, but this is a beautiful thing happening to you. As you continue to give your body all the water it could ask for, it gets rid of what it doesn't need. It gets rid of the water it was holding onto in your ankles and your hips and thighs, maybe even around your belly. You are excreting much more than you realize. Your body figures it doesn't need to save these stores anymore; it's trusting that the water will keep coming, and if it does, eventually, the flushing (of both the body and the potty) will cease, allowing the human to return to a normal life. It's true. This is called the "breakthrough point."

Facelift

So I was pretty bored of my blog (not posting, duh, but the look of it), so I changed it up a little. Your thoughts on it? Hope you like it!

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Go Veggie!

So I have been thinking more about myself being a vegetarian the last few days (maybe it is because I just went to the doctor to make sure I am still getting the right amount of everything I need since cutting out meat from my diet, or maybe it is because of the church wide fast that CrossRoads is doing for the first 21 days of lent (check it out - Daniel's fast)). People ask me why I don't eat meat, and really instead, I should be asking people why they DO eat meat. I am not trying to make ANYONE feel guilty, but the statistics are outrageous. The world's cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people—more than the entire human population on Earth.19 About 20 percent of the world's population, or 1.4 billion people, could be fed with the grain and soybeans fed to U.S. cattle alone. With all of the starving people in the world, how could I eat meat? In my heart I cannot justify eating meat that is extremely wasteful when there are thousands of people in the world that have nothing to eat. You can save more water by not eating a pound of beef than not showering for an entire year. Now I am not advocating the reduction of showers, but I am advocating doing everything that we can to help those around us. There are wonderful resources out there if you are thinking about it, or even just want to read up on some of the facts about vegetarian vs. non vegetarian. (http://www.goveg.com/) Again, I hope I am not making anyone feel like I am criticising their lifestyle, I am simply stating why I live my life the way I do. I was asked once what difference I, one person, would make, and I the way I think of it (remember, I graduated with an economic degree) is that if I am not eating meat, then I am not buying meat, and if I am not buying meat then there is a lower demand for meat, and instead of over producing the producers will see a small demand and therefore supply less. Yeah, okay, maybe little ol' me can't make that big of an impact, but ANY impact is better than nothing, RIGHT?! Well, now you have a little more insight into why I don't eat meat. People talk about how much of a sacrifice it is and that they wouldn't be able to do it, but if you think of it in terms of others not being able to eat because of what you are eating it is much easier to say NO THANKS to the meaty things. I comend my other vegetarians and would recommend it to anyone!

Silly Jokes


Q. What did the porcupine say to the cactus?

A. "Is that you mommy?"
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Q. What do you get from a pampered cow?

A. Spoiled milk.
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Q. Where do polar bears vote?

A. The North Poll
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Q. Why do sea-gulls fly over the sea?

A. Because if they flew over the bay they would be bagels!
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Q. What letters are not in the alphabet?

A. The ones in the mail, of course
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Q. Why did the boy eat his homework?

A. Because his teacher said it was a piece of cake!
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Q. What happens if you eat yeast and shoe polish?

A. Every morning you'll rise and shine!
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Q. What do you call a man who rolls in the leaves?

A. Russel
---
Q. What do you call someone who is afraid of Santa?

A. A Clausterphobic

Doctors


So I hate going to the doctors, it isn't just because most of the time it is not so fun news, but I HATE the waits. Yesterday I had an appointment at 11:10am. I was told to be there 30 minutes before so that I could fill out paper work. I got there by 10:30 and filled everything out, I then waited, and waited, and waited some more. I finally was called back to the exam room by 11:45 (and hour and 15 minutes after I got there). I then had to wait in the exam room for another 25 minutes before the doctor came in. I wish that appointment times meant the time you would see the doctor. GRRRR. So anywho I had my appointment, and he said that he didn't feel right putting me on any medications because I seem to be handling everything okay and with the risks of side effects he would rather just have me keep on keepin' on until this got worse (hurray for me, right, I would assume he meant they WILL get worse). He also wanted to run a lipid panel and other tests on me, but you need to fast for that blood work. This morning I had to go back in for the lab work and get blood taken. Sadness. I have to OVER hydrate myself every time I need blood taken because my veins are very small and they always have problems locating them. Since I have a bladder problem in the first place making myself drink all that water can lead to BIG problems. Anyway, everything seems to be fine and I will get the results by mail, which is a RELIEF, meaning I won't have to go back in to the doctor's office for a while (THANK GOODNESS)!

Monday, February 26, 2007

Geo Caching

Ryan and I took our first trip out as RC Pirates in our quest for geo caching. We found 2 different caches and looked for another 2. It was pretty fun and I am glad we are finding things to do outside that we enjoy, especially since we have such great weather out here in San Diego. So if you don't know what Geo Caching is, it is sort of like finding buried treasure (which is why we call ourselves pirates, cause we are looking for the 'booty'). There are thousands of hidden 'caches' all over the world. What you do is look up the coordinates of the cache you want to look for (some come with clues and some don't), and then you use a GPS device to go out and look for the hidden treasures. Ryan has a GPS thing for in his car that you can actually use hand held, so we used that for the weekend. It is pretty fun and makes you feel like you are really looking for hidden presents. Then when you find them, there is a log and presents in the cache. In the log you write your name and date and then you leave a gift and take one out. It is super fun and I would recommend everyone trying it at least once (go to geocaching.com to find local caches). Here is a photo with me and one of our caches.



And the cache itself:

Friday, February 23, 2007

iBook for Sale


Hey everyone. I bought this computer after graduating this past spring, but my apartment no longer has Internet so it hasn't been used much. It is an iBook G4. It is the 12" model (so it's small and compact to take places). I have all of the invoices. I bought it refurbished. 1.2GHZ. 256MB. 30/COMBO/-USA. Awesome computer. Light use (photos, music, documents). I went to Apple a couple weeks ago and had it reset so that when you turn it on it will be like new. Let me know if you know of anyone that might be interested (or you yourself are interested).

WINTER STORM



Ha. I know, the term "Winter Storm" should not be in the vocabulary of a southern California girl, but it is. Well, the term is here but the meaning is much different from what I am used to. When southern California gets 'weather' it is normally just a drizzle (and it seems like the world is coming to an end or something). Currently it is about 50 degrees and rainy, and it is considered WINTER. Ha, I love it. I did use an umbrella this morning on the way out to the car to head to work, and I noticed in the rain there were these tiny white things... HAIL. Can you believe it? Hail in San Diego? I love it!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Sorry

Sorry for all my blog fans out there... I didn't blog yesterday and am leaving you with just a short snid-bit today. I have been busy at work and then don't have internet at home so haven't been able to say much. I hope that all is well with you and that you are finding entertainment elsewhere since I have not been able to provide it much lately :) Hopefully more to come tomorrow. Have a TERRIFIC Thursday!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Stacey & Jeff's baby girl

Check out the link:

http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w86/goddesslm22/

She is sooo precious!! I can't wait to see her (but I think the first time I will actually be there to see her will be at Cara's wedding in September, when she will already be 7 months old).

Happy Fat Tuesday!



Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") is the day before Ash Wednesday, and is also called "Shrove Tuesday" or "Pancake Day". It is the final day of Carnival. It is a celebration that is held just before the beginning of the Christian liturgical season of Lent.

Enjoy your paczki [Paczki are similiar to a bismark, but made with a richer, heavier dough. They take much longer to fry and are fried to a deep golden brown. A Lenten treat made on Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday.]!! If you aren't able to get one, stop by IHOP (I saw on the news that they are giving out FREE pancakes - but they are asking for donations to go towards good causes)!

A few funnies...

I got an email with a few funny parts, so I thought I would post them... You all have seen those motivational signs (Teamwork, Achievement, etc), this is just a spoof... ENJOY :)



Excuse the harsh language...

Teeth


I went to the dentist this morning to get my first cleaning in maybe 3 years... I know it may sound like my teeth must have been falling out, but I actually have very nice teeth (and was continually commented on them this morning while I was there). They cleaned and polished them. They were all impressed, so I guess I have my madre y padre to thank for the great teeth genes :) (Hope you like the shout out Mom).

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Cabrillo National Monument

On Saturday, Ryan's parents (Charlene and Jamie), Ryan and I decided to take a road trip to Point Loma (which is a cute military-esk town overlooking downtown San Diego). There is a monument there for Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo. I forget exactly what he did (I didn't read all the info that closely, just more checked out the amazing sites from the park). I took a ton of photos (well manybe only 30 or so), and loaded them into My Photos (the link on the right hand side of the page). I thought I would share a few here.

The lighthouse:



The monument:



The burial site for many, many soldiers:


Friday, February 16, 2007

Long Weekend

We will be closed on Monday for President's Day, which means THREE DAY WEEKEND!! Hurray!! I love long weekends, because not only does it mean a long weekend, but it also means a short work week!! I also love getting paid for holidays!! WHOO HOO!! I don't have any plans for the weekend, I might head up to see Ryan and his parents, we'll see :)

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Today's Weather

When I was watching the news this morning they said that San Diego is the warmest, sunniest place in America today... HURRAY!! Sorry about all of you back in the blizzard, but I will try to enjoy the sunny, 75 degree weather for you :)

Valentine's Dinner

Ryan wanted to 'surprise' me and make me dinner (although I guessed what he was doing). He also got me a yummy candle (that we used to get the smell out of the apartment after the dinner) and some coaster/ picture frames. Here are some photos of the dinner:

Ryan, the cook:



The food:




Us enjoying the food:

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope you all know how much you mean to me and it doesn't take a 'Halmark Holiday' to realize it, but just for grins:

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Ms. Communication

Words Women Use

1.) FINE: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

2.) FIVE MINUTES: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five Minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

3.) NOTHING: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

4.) GO AHEAD: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

5) LOUD SIGH: This is not actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to #3 for the meaning of nothing.)

6.) THAT'S OKAY: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

7.) THANKS: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or Faint. Just say "You're welcome".

8.) WHATEVER: Is a women's way of saying SCREW YOU!

9.) DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, I GOT IT: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking, "what's wrong", for the woman's response refer to # 3.

Not in the mood

For some reason, today has been down in the dumps. It started off poorly, that I had to park down the street because my parking spot at the apartment was taken, and just continued down from there. When I got to work I was checking my back account and saw there was a charge I was unfamiliar with, so I called the phone number that was associated with. It was a charge for a membership I had cancelled over 3 weeks ago and therefore should not have been called. I spent the first 20 minutes of being at work trying to explain to incompetent individuals that I already cancelled the membership and therefore deserved a refund. After being transferred from person to person they finally told me they would not issue me a refund. When I heard that I thought I would go to the Better Business Bureau and file a complaint (maybe they could get somewhere with these people because they obviously aren't listening to me). Then our system have been up and down since Friday at work, so everyone is on edge because we can't get things done that we need to to accomplish our jobs. Then at lunch I was trying to get my taxes done and have run into MANY problems, seeing that I moved to California in May and have to file with California, Michigan, and the fed. Maybe it is the rainy weather, or lack of sleep, I don't know, but I just can't get out of this slump. Oh well, maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Bye Coach

Chargers Fire Schottenheimer
Published: 2/12/2007 6:42:02 PM


In a stunning move, Chargers president Dean Spanos has fired coach Marty Schottenheimer. Spanos blamed the move on a "dysfunctional situation" between Schottenheimer and general manager A. J. Smith, saying the two had clashed throughout the season.

The Chargers had the best regular-season record in the NFL at 14-and-2 but losing the playoff to New England didn't help the coach's situation.

Schottenheimer had a year left on his contact.

Monday, February 12, 2007

California Sun

Nothing makes me appreciate the sunshine of California much like the stories I hear from everyone back in the midwest and out east with their snow. I just talked to my mom online and she said they had gotten about 1.5" today and the weather reports were calling for 4-10 more inches tomorrow. In New York, they are getting pounded. The lack of cold earlier in the winter has allowed the Great Lakes to remain unfrozen, which is causing ridiculous amounts of lake effect snow. I found a story saying: Oswego County, a rustic string of towns and villages on the southeastern rim of Lake Ontario, received 5 to 10 feet of snow over eight days. In one town, Redfield, the National Weather Service reported an unofficial total of 11 feet 8 inches, which would be a state record for snowfall from a single storm event. And the Weather Service said more snow was on the way. NO FUN! I am so glad I am out here! This weekend was overcast, rainy and chilly, but our 50 degrees is much better than the negative 20 they are having back home. If I could send you all some sun, I would :) Think warm thoughs!

Dyed my hair

Yesterday I dyed my hair darker... Here are some photos



NEW LIFE CHURCH

We have been praying, fasting, pleading, believing that this day would come, and it finally has. The University of Michigan now has a building that New Life church can call home. Instead of moving from lecture hall to lecture hall on Sundays, New Life Church has built a beautiful auditorium to praise and worship in. Check out some of the photos on Jeff-O's flickr site.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/donkerdink/sets/72157594530653234/


Friday, February 9, 2007

Funnies

KIDS IN CHURCH


3-year-old Reese:
"Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One particular four-year-old prayed,
"And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

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A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."

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A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.' Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied. The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Hailey Nicole

My cousin Stacey and her husband Jeff are now PROUD PARENTS!! Stacey gave birth to baby Hailey Nicole last night at approx. 9:04pm EST. Hailey was born 6lbs 9oz and 20inches. My mom said that's small, so I will have to take her word for it, since I know nothign about babies. I probably won't see her until Cara and Rob's wedding (another cousin) in September but I hope they send photos :)

HE'S OUT!

Praise God! Mom just called me and told me that my dad is on his way out of the hospital. He is still on a liquid diet (today and tomorrow they want him to be on a 'full liquid' diet, meaning milk, warm ice cream, etc) and they are filling up some prescriptions for him, but he is HEADED HOME!! Thanks for all your prayers!!

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Jokes

Church Noises
In a church, two people are sitting next to each other for a long time. The woman turns to the man on her right and says, "I've been sitting here so long, my rear end has fallen asleep.
The man turns to her and says, "That's funny! I thought I heard it snoring.

Gandhi's Illness
Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath.
This made him a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

PJP Updates

(My dad's initials, if you were confused) I just got off the phone with my parents. My dad is doing better. He is still on the liquid diet, but the doc thinks he might be able to go to solids tomorrow. When he got to the hospital he had a bunch of IVs in his arm. Apparently, some of the liquid that was supposed to be going in to his blood stream was just going into his arm (I guess normally they put the IVs into deeper veins, but since he had so many they didn't move them). Now his arm is very tense and red. For the past couple of days he has had to have heating pads and stuff on it, to see if it would help the swelling go down (they weren't sure if it was swelling or just excess liquid). He has to meet with the vascular surgeon this afternoon to see if everything is okay (like if they would need to repair the veins or drain the liquids). Other than that he is in good spirits. He mentioned he was able to shower and shave this morning, which I'm sure felt nice, seeing that he has been in the hospital now for over a week. His white blood cell count is still higher than normal (meaning there is still infection in his body), but it is lower than yesterday, so hopefully it will just keep going down. Once he starts his solid diet and is monitored for a day or so he will be able to go home. My mom said she would call once she talks to the surgeon today, unless they won't be doing anything and then would call tomorrow. I'll update when I have them.

Buttons

Ryan sent me this cool link:

http://www.prickie.com/

Check it out. A bunch of awesomely designed buttons :)

Love

I found this article in the LA Times:

Prehistoric couple embrace for eternity
From Associated Press
10:12 AM PST, February 7, 2007



ROME -- It could be humanity's oldest story of doomed love.

Archaeologists have unearthed two skeletons from the Neolithic period locked in a tender embrace and buried outside Mantua, just 25 miles south of Verona, the romantic city where Shakespeare set the star-crossed tale of "Romeo and Juliet."

Buried between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago, the prehistoric pair are believed to have been a man and a woman and are thought to have died young, as their teeth were found intact, said Elena Menotti, the archaeologist who led the dig.

"As far as we know, it's unique," Menotti told The Associated Press by telephone from Milan. "Double burials from the Neolithic are unheard of, and these are even hugging."

The burial site was located Monday during construction work for a factory building in the outskirts of Mantua. Alongside the couple, archaeologists found flint tools, including arrowheads and a knife, Menotti said.

Experts will now study the artifacts and the skeletons to determine the burial site's age and how old the two were when they died, she said.

Luca Bondioli, an anthropologist at Rome's National Prehistoric and Ethnographic Museum, said double prehistoric burials are rare -- especially in such a pose -- but some have been found holding hands or having other contact.

The find has "more of an emotional than a scientific value." But it does highlight how the relationship people have with each other and with death has not changed much from the period in which humanity first settled in villages and learning to farm and tame animals, he said.

"The Neolithic is a very formative period for our society," he said. "It was when the roots of our religious sentiment were formed."

The two bodies, which cuddle closely while facing each other on their sides, were probably buried at the same time, possibly an indication of sudden and tragic death, Bondioli said.

"It's rare for two young people to die at the same time, and that makes us want to know why and who they were, but it will be very difficult to find out."

He said DNA testing could determine whether the two were related, "but that still leaves other hypotheses; the 'Romeo and Juliet' possibility is just one of many."



CHECK OUT THE LINK TO SEE THE PHOTOS AND VIDEO!
http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-020707prehistoric,0,773877.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Geo Caching

So I was watching the news yesterday morning and they mentioned this 'game' called Geo Caching. Geo caching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the Internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache. It sounds super fun, like pirates trying to find buried treasure. I told Ryan about it and we are going to try it one of these days. I think I'll go to the dollar store and pick up something that we can leave in the cache. They story on the news was saying that you can track your stuff, like you could put a note saying you want your toy truck that you place in there to travel from San Diego to Peru (and they can take pictures of it along the way). There are tons of caches all over the world. Check out the website http://www.geocaching.com/. I will update you guys on when we do it. I think we should be Team Pirates (or Team Booty, like pirates stealing the booty).

Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Gilmore Girls


It's Tuesday, so that means GILMORE GIRLS is on tonight. I know that a lot of people have lost interest since the new writer started, but I still stick with it. I watch the re-runs @ 5pm every day (I don't get home until about 5:15 or so, but I catch most of it and since I have already seen them before I am not really 'missing' much)on ABC Family and then the new ones are on @ 8pm on the CW. I enjoy Gilmore Girls, even though everyone in my family makes fun of it (mostly at the speed in which they all talk), but it is wholesome goodness!! If you get a chance, enjoy it yourself!

Nuts

As most of you know, I have been a vegetarian now for a little over a year (January 1st, 2006). If you are a vegetarian, or know much about it, you know that nuts are a must have in the diet! I have recently fell in love with nuts. Growing up my mom would eat nuts and I would think they smelled gross, but now I LOVE THEM. I can't get enough nuts. My favorite would have to be the pistachio! They are quite pricey though, so I only eat them when they are provided for me. Fortunately the last couple days there has been a HUGE container of them in the kitchen at work, so I have been able to indulge in the beloved nut. If you haven't tried pistachios, I would highly recommend them. Most of them come salted, which tastes yummy, but also begins to counter-act all of their goodness. I wanted to look up some pistachio facts so that I could enlighten you all on their health benefits, so for your reading pleasure:



Pistachios

Key benefits of pistachios
Pistachios are rich in potassium (helps regulate the body's fluid balance), phosphorus (helps build bones and teeth) and magnesium (important element in the conversion of the body's energy), and are also a good source of vitamin B6 (aids protein metabolism and absorption) and thiamine (enhances energy and promotes normal appetite).

These nuts also have a relatively low calorie value when compared to other nuts and are cholesterol free, high in fiber and low in saturated fat.

These nuts are also a very good source of protein.

Like most other nuts, pistachios can also cut heart disease risk. The high monounsaturated fat content may actually lower cholesterol levels in the blood.

Pistachios also contain antioxidants in the form of phytochemicals. These plant nutrients have been associated with a decreased risk for developing chronic diseases, like cancer.

How much pistachios should you eat?
Pistachio nuts have a high monounsaturated fat and protein content. Don't eat more than 30 nuts (18 g) more than four times a week. To avoid piling on those pounds, substitute other high fat foods with pistachios – don't just add them on to your diet.

Padre

I just got off the phone with my mom. I guess last night was a bad night. Yesterday they thought everything was going well, so they took out his IVs and were going to start him on a solid diet today, but that is no longer the case. Last night my dad got real sick, vomiting a lot. This is obviously extremely painful when you have had surgery, so they hurried to get him some anti-nausea medication which knocked him out for a few hours. I guess my mom left after that and he woke up a few hours later and wasn't able to sleep very well the rest of the night. This morning they took some x-rays and saw that he is having problems with his bowels and has more infection, so have put him back on the IVs and medication. He is now back on the liquid diet, which my dad is not happy about (since they originally thought he would be able to get out of the hospital today and now it for sure won't be until Thursday or later). My mom was on her way to an appointment, but was hoping to get back to the hospital before the doctor comes back and gives the next update. I will update this more the next time I hear anything. Please keep my dad (and mom) in your prayers. (I know that this is all overwhelming for my mom, having to try and be strong, running back and forth from the hospital to the house, and whatnot). Thanks in advance for your prayers!

Baby


Good news on the family front. My cousin Stacey is in labor and will be giving birth to her baby girl any time now. She went into labor earlier and went to the hospital, but when she got there she stopped (I don't know how you can stop being in labor, but that's what happened I guess) and the doctors sent her home, but told her it could be any time now. I'll update you when my grandma let's us all know. (Stacey and Jeff live in Lebanon, Ohio)

Monday, February 5, 2007

A few more park photos

Lions and tigers and bears - OH MY :



Ryan and I infront of the flamingos:



Ryan and I with a gorilla:



Ryan's dad (Jamie), Ryan and I waiting to board the train:

Dad

My mom called at lunch and said that today is looking good. They were planning on taking him off the IVs and take his drainage tube out. He will still be on an all liquid diet (he hasn't eaten anything since last Tuesday), but at least will be able to start drinking things again. They are hoping he will be out of the hospital by Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks for your prayers and support (especially those of you who have gone to see him, it really means a lot)!!

San Diego Wild Animal Park

This past Saturday Ryan's parents graciously took Ryan and I to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. It is similar to the zoo (actually owned by the same company), but the animals are more out in what they would be in the wild - big fields and prairies, in with different types of animals, etc. I had never been there, so it was quite an interesting place to go. You can walk around the park or you can ride a train. We did both. The train ride is cool, and took about an hour or so to ride around and see different areas. It was very nice. I haven't been able to do the 'touristy' things out here, so when we have the opportunity to go it is fun.

Me Kissing a lion :)



An elephant



You could buy nectar and have the birds land on you, I didn't do it, but here is a photo with Ryan and 3 of the birds on his arm



There was an SUV as a prop out with the lions, and I thought it was funny that the lion was on top of it (I also thought I could tell people that it was our car the lion was on :) )



Ryan in front of the gorilla area

Friday, February 2, 2007

My Daddy-O

I talked to my dad on the phone this morning. He is in good spirits. He feels better, so thanks for all of the prayers and kind thoughts coming his way. They were still waiting for the doctor (I told him that they always seem to be waiting for the doctor, but he assured me he did a good job and he is an 'afternoon guy'). He will be in the hospital for a couple more days, they haven't told him when he would be able to get out yet. He is okay with staying there. I guess St. Anne's is a great facility (where my brother was a couple months ago when he fractured a rib and punctured his lung) and he has a single room and a TV. The TV was a big selling point, seeing that he didn't want to miss the Super Bowl (and all the commercials :) ). He said he still has his stomach tube in (going through his nose down to his stomach), so he hasn't been able to eat yet. He is being filled with IVs though, so said he hasn't been hungry yet. He also has a drainage tube in the incision still since there was so much fluid from his bad appendix. The tube in his nose is not fun he said. He doesn't like people touching his nose (he asked me if I ever realized he didn't like people touching his nose, and I told him that I never remembered touching his nose and he reminded me that that was probably the reason). I believe that he is in great hands and I am glad things are progressing the way they are. This has been an answer to prayer (it's hard to be across the country and not be able to do anything or be there). Keep praying and we will bring him back home!

Plan of Attack

Today's plan of attack :
• Work 8-5
• On lunch break, go to bank and deposit check
• On the trip home, pick up dry cleaning
• Watch Gilmore Girls and Everwood (it’s my wind-down time after work)
• Get groceries
• Tan
• Hopefully, if my W-2s are in the mail today from USD I will do my taxes
• Chillax
• Sleep in
• Walk up when my body wakes up and then go for a long bike ride
• Saturday is still up in the air. Ryan’s parents are out to California for a month, so we may do something with them, or we may head up to LA to go to an art gallery that Ryan wants to see.

National Wear Red Day - TODAY

February 2, 2007, is National Wear Red Day!
National Wear Red Day is a day when Americans nationwide will wear red to show their support for women's heart disease awareness. On Friday, February 2, 2007, National Wear Red Day, Americans across the country will wear red to unite in the national observance to give women a personal and urgent wakeup call about their risk for heart disease.
The Heart Truth—a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease—created and introduced the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 to deliver an urgent wakeup call to American women. National Wear Red Day promotes the symbol and provides an opportunity for everyone to unite in this life-saving awareness movement by showing off a favorite red dress, shirt, or tie, or Red Dress Pin.

Every woman needs to know about heart disease.

The Heart Truth is that heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. In fact, one in four women dies of heart disease. But heart disease can also lead to disability and a significantly decreased quality of life.

Unfortunately, most women don't know The Heart Truth. Although significant progress has been made increasing awareness among women—from 34 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2005—most women fail to make the connection between risk factors and their personal risk of developing heart disease.

The Heart Truth is that women don't take their risk of heart disease seriously—or personally. Women often fail to make the connection between risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and their own chance of developing heart disease.

The centerpiece of The Heart Truth is the Red Dress, which was introduced as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness in 2002 by NHLBI. The Red Dress reminds women of the need to protect their heart health, and inspires them to take action.

Goal of the Campaign
To make women more aware of the danger of heart disease, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and partner organizations are sponsoring a national campaign called The Heart Truth. The campaign's goal is to give women a personal and urgent wakeup call about their risk of heart disease.

Who Are We Trying to Reach?
The campaign is especially aimed at women ages 40 to 60, the time when a woman's risk of heart disease starts to rise. But its messages are also important for younger women, since heart disease develops gradually and can start at a young age—even in the teenage years. Older women have an interest too—it's never too late to take action to prevent and control the risk factors for heart disease. Even those who have heart disease can improve their heart health and quality of life. The Heart Truth for Women: It's Ageless

Heart disease disproportionately affects women of color. African American and Hispanic women in particular have high rates of the major risk factors for heart disease, including obesity, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The Heart Truth Women of Color initiative, with its partners, focuses on extending The Heart Truth messages, and engaging in national and local activities to help more women of color understand The Heart Truth—and inspire them to take action to reduce their risks for heart disease.

The campaign tells women that "The Heart Truth starts with you. Talk to your doctor, find out your risk, and take action today to lower it." Its messages are underscored by the moving stories of real women who are living with heart disease. Ann, Paula, Rosario, and others have allowed the campaign to tell The Heart Truth through their faces, voices, and experiences in hopes that their Stories From The Heart will help other women take heart health seriously.

Results
A 2005 survey from the American Heart Association shows that more women are getting the message that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. According to the survey, 55 percent of American women know that heart disease is their leading killer, up from 34 percent in 2000. The survey also showed that women's knowledge about their personal risk of heart disease is associated with increased action to reduce their risk. However, about one-third of women underestimated their own personal risk of heart disease.

The Red Dress also is gaining momentum. Lifetime Television, in conjunction with NHLBI, released a new national poll in February 2006 on women's behaviors and perceptions of heart disease. The poll found that 39 percent of women recognize the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness, up from 25 percent in 2005.

Surveys
Getting the Message:
Heart Disease is the #1 Killer of Women
A 2005 survey from the American Heart Association shows that more women are getting the message that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. According to the survey, 55 percent of American women know that heart disease is the leading killer of women, up from 34 percent in 2000. Although awareness has increased among African American and Hispanic women, these groups—who are at higher risk of heart disease than white women—continue to have lower rates of awareness.

Survey Shows Improvements in Women's Awareness of Heart Disease and Their Acknowledgement of Personal Risk
A 2006 survey conducted by Lifetime Television, in conjunction with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, found striking improvements in women's awareness of heart disease and their acknowledgment of personal risk. According to the findings, more than half of women correctly identify heart disease as the leading cause of death among women, up from 46 percent in 2003, and 31 percent of women feel that they are personally at risk for heart disease.

Survey Shows What Diseases Women Fear Most
In a survey commissioned by the Society for Women's Health Research, data shows that women's fear of heart disease has almost doubled since 2002, but breast cancer remains the single most feared disease.

The Red Dress is a Red Alert
A survey commissioned by WomenHeart: the National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease shows that one in four U.S. women recognizes the Red Dress as the national symbol for women and heart disease awareness. The Red Dress was designed to build awareness that women are at risk; give a sense of hope that women can reduce their risk, and empower them to do so; and provide a clear call to action coupled with a sense of urgency.

Survey Shows Women are Disappearing into a Cholesterol Gap
A survey of 2,700 women sponsored by the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association found that over 80 percent of respondents did not know their cholesterol numbers. Survey findings identified a need for further education about all relevant cholesterol factors that contribute to heart disease.

National Study of Physician Awareness and Adherence to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Guidelines
The primary purpose of this study, published in the AHA journal Circulation, was to determine whether cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive care varied by patient gender among a random sample of U.S. physicians and whether awareness of and barriers to adoption of CVD prevention guidelines varied by physician specialty (primary care physicians, obstetricians/gynecologists, and cardiologists).

Groundhogs Day

SPRING WILL SPRING SOON!!

February 2 is a sacred day.
Punxsutawney Phil is the world's smallest and furriest weather forecaster and February 2 is his day.

February 2, 2007 - around 7:30 am ET - Punxsutawney, PA

Phil did not see his shadow and thus spring is just around the corner!


The legend of Groundhog Day is based on an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."

Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler's Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Residents contend that the groundhog has never been wrong.

The ceremony in Punxsutawney was held in secret until 1966, and only Phil's prediction was revealed to the public. Since then, Phil's fearless forecast has been a national media event.

The groundhog comes out of his electrically heated burrow, looks for his shadow and utters his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative in "groundhogese." The representative then translates the prediction for the general public.

If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner.

Approximately 90% of the time, Phil sees his shadow.

Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.

Thursday, February 1, 2007

Update the Update

My mom just called. The doctor came and told her my dad is out of surgery now. He said that his appendix was inflamed more than he has ever seen before and is surprised that he wasn't complaining more about the pain (but that's the Padot way I guess). He has a tube coming out of the incision, because there is so much fluid in there so it is there to help drain some of it out. He has a tube in his nose down to his stomach so in case he vomits from the anesthesia he will still be able to breath. The doctors said that he will need to stay in the hospital for 4 or 5 more days (usually it is within 24 hours but because it was so inflamed they want to make sure he doesn't have any more infections in his body so they will have him on antibiotics through IVs for the next couple days). My mom said she will call back tomorrow and let me know how he is feeling. My grandma and aunt are there at the hospital with my parents, so hopefully that will help to raise the morale. I'll update you with any more info I may get.

Happy Anniversary Ry


I love you. Happy 3 years and 5 months :)

Another Update

I just got off the phone with my mom and she said that within the hour they were going to be taking my dad into the operating room to take out his appendix. They are not sure that this is what the problem is (they think that it should have exploded by now), but figure that if they cut him open they will be able to see what is going on inside him. He says it feels like something the size of his palm in his side that has immense pressure. My mom said that the surgery should probably take about an hour, so by 3:30 PST I should hear back from her. Thanks for the kind thoughts and prayers!

Dad Updates

So, since the last post some things have changed. The major change is that the doctors are now unsure if my dad has appendicitis in the first place. They didn't want to cut him open for nothing, so he stayed the night in the hospital last night. This morning they did more blood work and re-ran the tests that they ran before. He also was waiting to have another CT Scan when I spoke to them last. His back has been really hurting him, so they have him on some pain medications for that (when I spoke with him he sounded very 'relaxed'). My mom has been at the hospital with him since he went in, and is constantly calling everyone, unfortunately just to tell them that they still don't know what's wrong with my dad. When she calls with more info I'll update you, but as of right now, no one knows what's wrong.

Michigan Love

You might be a Michigander ...
... if you define Summer as three months of bad sledding.
... if your definition of a small town is one that doesn't have a lake.
... if your family breaks into violence during the UM-MSU game (any sport!).
... if snow tires come standard on all your cars.
... if at least 50% of your relatives work for the auto industry.
... if you have ever gotten frostbitten and sunburned in the same week.
... if you can identify an Ohio accent.
... if owning a Japanese car was a hanging offense in your home town.
... if you learned to pilot a boat before the training wheels were off your bike.
... if you think Alkaline batteries were named after a Tiger outfielder.
... if you point at the palm of your right hand when telling people where you grew up.
... if you don't understand what the big deal about Chicago is.
... if someone asks you if you've been to Europe and you answer, "No, but I've been to Ann Arbor..."
... if "Down South" to you means Toledo.
... if you have any idea who Bob Ufer was.
... if octopus and hockey go together as naturally as hot dogs and baseball.
... if traveling coast to coast means going from Port Huron to Muskegon.
... if you refer to your relatives in southern Michigan as "trolls" or "lopers".
... if the "Big Three" can mean either Ford, Chrysler and GM or Domino's, Little Ceaser's and Hungry Howie's.
... if a Big Mac is something you can drive across.
... if you have no problem spelling Mackinac Island.
... if you had to get a passport to go to Ohio.
... if you have as many Canadian coins in your pockets as American ones.
... if your kid's baseball or softball games games have been ever been snowed out.
... if the trees in your backyard have spigots.
... if you know that a place called "Kalamazoo" really exists.
... if you bake with "soda" and drink "pop".
... if you know what a pastie is.
... if you drive 70 mph on the highway and pass on the right.
... if your favorite hockey team's mascot is an octopus.
... if you have a favorite hockey team.
... if you don't have a coughing fit from one sip of Vernor's.
... if you know how to play Euchre.
... if you classify your friends and relatives as "yoopers," "trolls," "Canadians," or "not from 'round here,".
... if you know at least 2 yooper jokes.
... if fudge and Bicycles remind you of your honeymoon.
... if you can name all 5 of the Great Lakes, and point to their locations around your left and right hands.
... if you don't cross picket lines.
... if you used to think Deer Season included an official school holiday.
... if you know that Pontiac and Cadillac are cities.
... if you've been to Hell and to Paradise and back again.
... if you had Tornado Drills in elementary school.
... if you know all the words to Gordon Lightfoot's classic ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"
... if you can actually pronounce Ypsilanti.
... if the first decision you have to make on an international trip is, "bridge or tunnel?"
... if you own only three spices - salt, pepper and ketchup.
... if you design your Halloween costumes to fit over a snowsuit.
... if you have more miles on your snow blower than your car.
... if you have 10 favorite recipes for venison.
... if Home Depot on any Saturday is busier than the toy stores at Christmas.
... if you've taken your kids trick-or-treating in a blizzard.
... if driving is better in the winter because the potholes get filled with snow.
... if you think everyone from the city has an accent.
... if you think sexy lingerie is tube socks and a flannel nightie with only 8 buttons.
... if you owe more money on your snowmobile than your car.
... if the local paper covers national and international headlines on l/4 page, but requires 6 pages for sports.
... if your snow blower gets stuck on the roof.
... if summer takes place the second week of July (and it still rains!!).
... if you know which leaves make good toilet paper.
... if you find -20F a little chilly.
... if the trunk of your car doubles as a deep freezer.
... if you attended a formal event in your best clothes, your finest jewelry and your snowmobile boots.
... if shoveling the driveway constitutes a great upper body workout.
... if you know the 4 seasons: Winter, Still Winter, Almost Winter, and Construction.
... if the municipality buys a zamboni before a bus.
... if you drink "Vernors" and play "Euchre".
... if you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by.
... if you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation.
... if your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March.
... if you instinctively walk like a penquin for five months out of the year.
... if you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time.
... if "vacation" means going up north on I-75.
... if you know several people who have hit a deer more than once.
... if you often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day.
... if you can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching.
... if you see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings.)
... if you carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them.
... if your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce.
... if you were unaware that there is a legal drinking age.
... if down South to you means Ohio.
... if a brat is something you eat.
... if your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn.
... if you go out to a fish fry every Friday.
... if your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost.
... if your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine.
... if you know what a Yooper is.
... if you know that UP is a place, not a direction.
... if you know it's possible to live in a thumb.
... if you actually understand these references.


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Obligatory Michigander Joke
A man dies and goes to Heaven. St. Peter is showing him around. Everything is glorious. There is a music hall with every kind of music to listen to, all played with angelic perfection. The dining hall offers food is beyond compare. And the residences, St. Peter assures him, are comfortable beyond all imagination.

On their way to the residence halls, they turn down a hall where everyone is chained to the wall. St. Peter offers no comment as they they continue down the long passageway. After a few minutes the man asks St. Peter. "If this is Heaven and everything is so wonderful why are these people chained up?"

St Peter answers, "Oh. Those are the Michiganders, If we don't keep them chained up they try to go to their cabins on the weekends."