Photos I have taken

I have turned these photos into book plates for my Book Crossing releases.



Trees in Autum on the Grounds of the St. Louis Arch in St. Louis, Missouri



Trees outside of the Field Museum in Chicago

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Flowers at the zoo.

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The Desert Botanical Gardens


You can tell me what you think of these photos in the comments section of this entry. All I ask is that you be kind. Constructive critisim is fine, just be nice in the words you choose please.

Pink Elephant

A few days ago my daughter & I made this money bank for her. She wanted a pink elephant. I have been trying to use things I already have on hand. Instead of going out & buying a bank we made this. We used an old, clean chip container, acid free construction paper, gel pen, glue, foam stickers & embrodrey floss. The floss was braided by me & turned into a tail that is not shown in this photo.

When her Uncle & Grandpa came by for an unexpected visit, she just HAD to show it to them. Gee, I guess she likes it!

Michael Moore is at it again

'Sicko' Spawns Moore Fever in Cannes

From Associated Press
May 21, 2007 4:39 PM EDT

CANNES, France - In Cannes, Michael Moore is a rock star - mobbed by fans, assailed by cameras and forced to wolf down a plate of pasta between his latest interview and his next live TV appearance.

Moore's documentary "Sicko" - a ferocious attack on the U.S. health care industry - is the talk of the film festival, and he is hot property. Moore caught his breath Monday to tell The Associated Press about the urgent need to reform America's health system, and why he thinks the Bush administration is out to get him.

"It's a government that's funded by the pharmaceutical companies and the health insurers, so I'm not surprised they're coming after me," said Moore, who is being investigated by the U.S. Treasury Department for traveling to Cuba for one of the segments in his film.

"I'm surprised they're doing it so soon. I didn't think they'd want to draw attention to the movie this early on."

Hurriedly eating spaghetti near the end of another whirlwind day, Moore said he was informed he was under investigation just days before the film's premiere here on Saturday. He was given 20 days to respond to questions about the trip, which he took accompanied by a group of sick Americans that included Sept. 11 rescue workers, to Cuba seeking treatment.

"They want me to name names," he said.

Moore says the group went to Cuba only after failing to gain admittance to the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay - where, he claims, al-Qaida suspects receive better medical care than millions of Americans.

Treasury officials will not comment specifically about Moore's case.

The Cuba segment of the film has drawn most of the attention, but occupies relatively little screen time. Much of "Sicko" consists of moving testimony from Americans who have suffered at the hands of insurance companies, drug firms and HMOs. That includes a mother whose daughter died because the nearest hospital could not treat her, and a man who was told the cost of reattaching his two severed fingers would be $60,000 for the middle finger and $12,000 for the ring finger.

Several interview subjects died before the film was completed.

"It was pretty somber working on this film," Moore said. "We just kept thinking, the only reason this person is dying is because they hold American citizenship. If they lived in Canada or Britain or France, they'd have a chance."

"Sicko" has been rapturously received by audiences and critics at Cannes, where it is screening out of competition. Moore's last film, the President Bush-bashing documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11," won the festival's top prize, the Palme d'Or, in 2004.

The acclaim means Moore's schedule has been frenetic. Almost as soon as he sat down with the AP for a quick supper, he was hauled from the table and bundled into a van - reporter in tow - to head to a live appearance on French television.

As Moore's driver crept along Cannes' packed main drag, tourists and paparazzi thrust cameras at the van's open window until motorcycle police carved a path for the vehicle.

Moore knows that a rockier reception awaits back in the United States.

While Cannes has embraced him, Moore's critics say "Sicko" is overly rosy in its depiction of other countries' systems of socialized medicine. In Canada, happy emergency-room patients speak of short waits and free treatment. A British doctor in the state health system speaks happily of his six-figure income and million-dollar house. French interviewees glow with satisfaction at their quality of care.

"The facts are indisputable," Moore said as the van pulled up at a beachside TV studio. "People in those countries live longer than us, they have a lower infant mortality rate, they spend only half the money that we spend per person on health care and yet they have a healthier nation. There's no part of that picture that I'm painting that is untrue.

"Are there flaws in those systems? Absolutely. But those are flaws for the people in those countries to correct, not me."

And with that, he disappeared into another cheering crowd.

The end of April

Let's see, I got really sick on my Husband's birthday. That meant no B-Day nookie of him. By sick I mean, a fever, coughing & hacking, painful sinuses & the runs. Yes I was REALLY VERY SICK. It lasted about 4 days.

Next my daughter came down with a mild version of what I had, but husband had the same thing as me. Luckily, the youngest never got more than the sniffles.

Last weekend, we drove up to Roosevelt Lake to scout out possible camping sites. We were very dissappointed with the. In addition to our dissappointment, it was only about 10 degrees cooler there than it was at home. It will be a great winter camping site, but not for Memorial Day weekend. I did get some good pictures of Superior, Miami & the Queen Creek Tunnel areas.

I have always thought he did it.

Brown Simpson estate wants in book auction

From United Press InternationalApril 14, 2007 10:30 AM EDT
SACRAMENTO, Apr 14, 2007 (UPI via COMTEX) -- The estate of O.J. Simpson's slain wife wants to be able to bid in the Sacramento, Calif., auction of his book, "If I Did It."

In the book, the former NFL star and actor explained hypothetically the killings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Nicole Brown Simpson's estate has asked the judge to be allowed to use a portion of the $33.5 million civil judgment against the football player as a "credit bid," estate attorney Greg Hafif said.

Hafif asked Fred Goldman, Ron Goldman's father, to join with the Brown Simpson estate in making the bid at Tuesday's auction. But David J. Cook, who won the court order giving the Goldmans the rights to the book, balked at the request.

Cook said the Goldmans spent the last decade trying to collect from Simpson, who was found innocent in the criminal case.

When Los Angeles County Judge Gerald Rosenberg ordered the auction, he specified that its proceeds and profits from a resulting book be awarded to the Goldman family. Sacramento was chosen because it's the California headquarters for HarperCollins, which canceled the book's publication in November.

URL: www.upi.com

How was Easter?

Lets see, we woke up before the kids...of course & played Easter Bunny.

I told the oldest that the Easter Bunny had called me & asked to to go to the store to look for a few things. I had to say something because I needed a few things for the baskets & I had to bring the kids with me. This year it worked. She even told me that she has the Easter Bunnys phone nu,ber & has called him on her pretend phone!

Anyway, he filled eggs with a few jelly beans, some pretty hair ties & some pocket change for the kids piggy banks. The kids really enjoy hunting for eggs & have fun opening them all up.

In the baskets he left them each a small chocolate bunny, some Easter lollipops from the dollar store & one small toy each. Since I knew he would be visiting both fo the Grandma's houses, I didn't do as much as I have in years past.

We got to my MILs house & indeed the Easter bunny had been there as well. This time he left REAL hard boiled eggs to hunt, complete with melted crayon names on each egg. He also left about 4 toys each & a box of Animal crackers for each girl.

When we reached my parents house the Easter Bunny had struck yet again! They each got a few more toys, a stuffed animal & ....another box of animal crackers each. Who would have guessed that the Easter Bunny liked to give out animal crackers! LOL! I had nothing to do with the kids getting animal crackers. I just thought it to be a bit funny.

We had left our home about 9 am & returned home about 9 pm. It was a long day & the girls slept well shortly after we returned home.

The weather was beyond beautiful, yet it was too chilly to go swimming at Grandma's. That was fine with me. I'm not big on swimming pools since I got fat & even sassier than I once was.

Right now, we are working a project for my husbands birthday. It is a book. The story was made by my oldest daugter, age 5. She told me it was about our trip to Disneyland in Feb of 2006. She told me the story as I wrote it down. I of course helped with the wording & she requested that I draw the pictures. She just wanted to color them.

The little one will be scribbeling on 2 pages. One being the title page & the other will be the page that only reads "The End". I am sure my husband will love it, even though he isn't big on books.

I am excited to get it finished & see how it turns out.

So, how was your Easter?

Happy Birthday! Where does the time go?

Today we are celebrating a birthday at our house. Our oldest is 5 today.

It doesn't seem like five years ago today my water broke, & 10 1/2 hours later she came into the world....without pain meds. Where does the time go?

2 years ago today we took her to the zoo. It was SUPER hot, I was SUPER pregnant & beyond uncomfortable. She was so excited to see the animals she wanted to run from one exhibit to the next. I finally told my husband to go ahead, I had the cell phone & I could call him to see where he was.

Today we are expecting MORE rain. As I type we are hoping that we can get off our property tomorrow to take the kids to the birthday girl's party at my MIL house.

My parents are making her a Barbie house along with having made most of the furniture for it. There will be about 30 people at her party, including us. All but 3 are family members. They will only be 6 children, but that is plenty for me.

This week we also celebrated our wedding anniversary. I woke up to a pair of drawings my daughter had made for me & her saying "Happy Anniversary Mommy!". Next I see a card on the island in the kitchen. The note on the back said "Look Outside". I look out the back door to see a huge bag of potting soil, several packets of seeds & a large pot to start a mini-garden. I have been wanting to start a garden for YEARS, but we never had the money, or no time, or I was pregnant & in no condition to start one, or ...you get the idea. To say I was touched was an understatement because I had not mentioned starting a garden for at least a year now. My gift to him? A card & some homemade bread. He LOVES my bread & I don't make it often...plus money is still tight from our trip to Illinois last November.

I took the kids on a tour of the school the oldest is to attend this fall. She was so excitied to see her school. The school is on spring break but some of the staff & the principal were there. I like that they have a seperate playground & entrance for the Kindergarten classes. She will have to have a uniform though & did you know that Kindergarten has P.E now? It is fine with me, but I was a little surprised about it Registration is sometime in May, I will call in April to find out when that is happening & how much $$$ registration will cost.

Daddy's Day Off (will post photos when blogger will LET me)

Yesterday we had to drive for over an hour to get to the Dr. My husband had a follow up appointment with our Dr. from a physical back in December? I think it was December. Anyway, he had borderline high blood sugar & they are testing his blood for thyroid trouble again. If there are still problems, the Doc is sending him to see an Endrocronologist. His Thyroid meds made him gain like 20 pounds in less than a month, so he stopped taking them. Let's hope we can get it under control.

After the Dr. appointment we headed to the zoo. Daddy rarely has a day off during the week so this was a special treat. The oldest asks to go on the Endangered Species Carousel everytime we are at the zoo. I tell her we have to have Daddy to ride because I can't hold on to both of the kids at the same time on the carousel. Well, the first thing we did was ride the carousel. Daddy took the little one & I took the almost birthday girl. The little one got excited when she saw the shark, the oldest choose the otter.

Next we headed to Sting Ray Bay. This is a new & temporary exhibit at the zoo. It will be there until April 18th. The last time I took the kids in January, Liz wanted to touch the rays but got scared. This time she actually did touch one & loved it. The little one wanted to touch the rays but each time they got close, she would squeal with delight. After about 10 minutes, she lost interest.

After that it was time to see the giraffes at the African Veldt exhibit. In January the zoo was building a new set of steps & observation deck. It was finished this time & very busy. Daddy took the oldest up on the deck & sat her on his shoulders. After she was off her Daddy perch, he took some photos.

It shows that it allows you to be at eye level with the giraffes. I'll go on that the next time we are at the zoo. Since each time we go to the zoo, seeing the Giraffes is a must...I'll go next time when it's not so busy.

Another animal display we must see each time we visit the zoo is the Flamingo display. I think she likes the birds because they are pink. This time we didn't watch them for long.

This time we saw the Giant Tortise, Elephants, Turtles, Wallabys, the Giant Anteater & a small Toucan type bird.

We packed our lunch & found a secluded shady spot to eat. Daddy had fun throwing popcorn into the lagoon to get the ducks & turtles to come over for food. Thankfully, the ducks stayed in the water & didn't approach us for food.

After lunch we headed back up to the Elephants, as it was feeding time for them. The zookeepers passed out carrots to all the kids so they could throw them into the Elephant display. Then one was talking about the Elephants & asking for questions. The oldest child asked me how elephants talk. I told her we could ask the zookeeper, so she did. He looked a bit surprised at her question because she isn't even in school yet. He said it was a good question & talked about it for at least 5 minutes.

Then it was to the Water play area. It was 90 degrees yesterday so the waterplay area was busy. Unfortunately, the water smelled like swamp water. It has never smelled that way before. My only thought about this was that it must be in it's first days of operation for the 2007 season. Thank goodness I had extra clothes for the kids.

After that, we headed for the gift shop, bought less than $10 in zoo stuff & headed for home. All in all we had nice, hot, inexepnsive day at the zoo. being zoo members, we don't have to pay to get in. That saves us $$$ each time right there. Next, we had to pay $1 each for String Ray Bay instead of $3 each. We also get 10% at the gift shop with the basic membership we have.

I always pack a lunch....so that saves mega $$$. Since refills on drinks in zoo cups are $1 each, I always take both of them...just in case I want some soda pop. After going to the zoo, seeing how easy it is to use the membership & the money it can save, I don't think I'll have any trouble talking my Husband into renewing our membership this year.

This Week In My World

Last night I finally got my blogs upgraded here on blogger. Then I had fun making a few changes. I did things like changed colors, changed a couple of fonts & FINALLY added a few of my favorite links under "Puddles I Splash In". I will add more, but with the upgrade it was easy to do.

This week my best friend got a puppy. The pup is beautiful & she looks much like my "Scooter". I almost got teary eyed when I saw pictures because she looks so much like my beloved Scooter. It has been 1 year & 4 months & I still have this huge hole in my heart from his death. I don't miss having a dog, I miss HIM! I am happy for Barbie & her kids though welcoming a new fur baby to their family. We are giving her a dog house...the one we had for the pup we couldn't keep. She was going to take the DH with her, but the house wouldn't fit into the back of her SUV. We even took to apart & it still wouldn't fit. She said she would have to come back without the kids to get it.

My friend brought her kids out yesterday for a play date. It was the first time since we moved here 1 year & 5 months ago that she has been here. Her & her husband helped us move so she had seen our place before....after moving us all day, driving an hour one way with two exhausted kids in the car & going back to her house at 11 pm. So, she saw our house...but full of unpacked boxes & only a couple of lights.

She really liked it & until she saw the boundaries of our property, she didn't realize just how much landscaping we have to do here. We have 1 1/4 acres to landscape. That is equivalent to 9 parcels of the property we moved from when we moved here. All we have done is part of our driveway. We were going to use our income tax refund to finish it & make a few other improvements but the fuel pump on our car took a dump. replacing that ate up the "extra" from our refund. It sucked to have to spend it on that, but at least we had the money to replace it. I have to find the bright side...right?

As for me, my activities on PX are picking up. I will do my best NOT to get over my head on exchanges this year. I plan on going back to taking part in my tags & fewer travelling notebook projects. The notebooks get expensive to send across the Pacific & Atlantic Oceans. I had fun with them, but I want to be able to do more & or save a few bucks. Therefore, most notebook projects are out of the question.

My husband wants to have child #3. I told him at my weight I feared another pregnancy would literally kill me. I told him in March of 2oo8 we can seriously discuss it with a few stipulations.

1. I had to lose no less than 50 pounds.
2. He had to lose no less than 50 pounds.
3. We have to improve our communication skills.
4. He had to help out more around the house & with the kids.
5. If we have another child, I get to have my tubes tied while they do the c-section.

So when March of 2008 rolls around, we will see if all 5 stipulations have been met. I don't think it is unreasonable to request those five things. Especially since I weight 235 pounds at 5 ft 2 inches tall & my sweet husband weighs 285 pounds at about 5 ft 7 inches tall. Since I don't want my kids to be without either of their parents, I don't wish to be a widow or make my husband a widower...losing the weight needs to be done. It needs to be done with or without another child in the house.

As far as the tubes being tied go...that one is NON-NEGOTIABLE! My husband has a problem with it, but it is a must for me. I will be 40 very soon & I don't want to be having children at age 40+. Not only because pregnancy is hard on me, but I don't want to be raising teenagers while I approach my 70's! It doesn't make emotional or financial sense to me to be doing that. His attitude is 'Whatever happens, happens!". Well, I'm sorry but when it comes to my body...that doesn't work for me at all.

This makes me sad.

Chief Illiniwek to Perform for Last Time

By DAVID MERCER (Associated Press Writer)
From Associated PressFebruary 21, 2007 11:02 AM EST

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - After 81 years of war paint and feathered headdresses, the University of Illinois' controversial American Indian mascot is performing his last dance.

After that, Chief Illiniwek's image and regalia will continue to be a subject of negotiations.

The mascot, whose fate was decided by school officials last week, will take center stage at Assembly Hall for one last performance Wednesday night during the men's basketball game between Illinois and Michigan.
Removing the chief frees the university of NCAA sanctions after the organization deemed Illiniwek - portrayed by buckskin-clad students who dance at home football and basketball games and other athletic events - an offensive use of American Indian imagery and barred the school from hosting postseason athletic events.

The sanctions, which were issued in 2005, will end after Wednesday night's appearance.

"We knew we were going to have to do something to get off the list," chairman of the University of Illinois board of trustees Lawrence Eppley said after the decision was announced.

Still, the students who currently portray the chief and their predecessors want the chief's image and the mascot's related history to be celebrated by the university, perhaps in a museum.

And merchandise containing images of the chief continues to be made by suppliers and sold by vendors at Assembly Hall and sporting goods stores. No deadline has been set to stop making Illiniwek paraphernalia, which the university is paid for the rights to use.

The chief, who debuted in a homemade American Indian costume during an Illini football game in 1926, has been a controversial subject for decades.

Supporters see the dancing mascot and his elaborate costume as an honored symbol of both American Indian tradition and Illini sports.

Detractors, including some American Indians and university academics, say the chief and his dance are racist and insulting.

Under the plan announced last week, the university still will be able to use the name Illini because it's short for Illinois, and the school can use the term Fighting Illini, because it's considered a reference to the team's competitive spirit, school officials said.

Neither of those ideas sit well with the activists who opposed the chief. They say they next want the university to end the use of the names.
Graduate student Dan Maloney, who dons the costume at men's basketball and football games, was to portray the chief for the final dance Wednesday.

Maloney, along with assistant chief Logan Ponce, a sophomore, even launched legal action to keep the mascot out of retirement, but a judge rejected their request.

Last Friday's decision by the school meant that Ponce had already appeared as the chief for the last time.

"My last performance, my parents were here for that," he said. "If it was my last, I was happy with it."
---

On the Net:
University of Illinois: http://www.uiuc.edu/

Giving MORE than 100% (received via e-mail)

This is strictly a mathematical viewpoint . . . it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then: H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K 8+1 +18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But, A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And, B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T 2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you. A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G 1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's
the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.

"REMEMBER SOME PEOPLE ARE ALIVE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL TO SHOOT THEM."

*****************************************************************
I agree with the entire e-mail, with the exception of why some people are alive.

Prince Kicked ASS during half time!

Prince Rocks Super Bowl Halftime Show
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Prince performs during the halftime show at Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2007. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Alex Brandon

By DOUGLAS J. ROWE (AP Entertainment Writer)
From Associated PressFebruary 04, 2007 9:12 PM EST

Phew! CBS got through the halftime show without a "wardrobe malfunction." The Artist Formerly Known as a Munchkin of Wardrobe Dysfunction began by singing "Let's Go Crazy," but he didn't.
Prince, who became a Jehovah's Witness in the mid-1990s, no longer wears yellow, butt-baring pants as he did at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards (prompting Howard Stern's send-up at the '92 VMAs). The closest thing to a fashion statement Sunday night was an odd kerchief on his head. So the NFL had no repeat of the 2004 Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake show, which happened the last time CBS broadcast the game.

The 48-year-old Prince, who rose to stardom in the '80s with his distinctive fusion of R&B, funk, soul and rock, once looked androgynous and produced songs that (lest we forget) drove Tipper Gore nuts (and made her a fat target for anti-censorship types like Frank Zappa).
Musically, the diminutive, erstwhile prodigy from Minneapolis kept it old-school, rockin' the house with "Purple Rain" and other golden hits.
He delivered one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows - ever. Consequently, he didn't come across as a painfully safe choice - or a has-been, the rap against the previous couple of Super Bowl halftime acts, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.

By the time Prince took the midfield stage (shaped like his symbol when he was The Artist Formerly Known As Prince), Jim Nantz and Phil Simms had already given a bravura performance in the booth.
Making his Super Bowl play-by-play debut, Nantz kept viewers on top of the action. Simms managed to be self-effacing about at least one comment that was off the mark. He insisted the weather would not be a factor; after the third of four turnovers in the first quarter, he chuckled about what he said.

"The rain is absolutely having a little effect," he acknowledged. (Speaking of the rain, some cameras were foggy and speckled with drops, but the quick cuts made it less noticeable).

Now in their third season together, Nantz and Simms have a nice rapport.

As usual, much of the day's viewing diet had more to do with quantity than quality.

But, how can the nation's highest-rated TV program - and the run-up to it - NOT be bloated?

Ingesting 10-plus hours of Super Bowl coverage forces you to act like an anaconda: Just unhinge your jaws, swallow your prey and try not to be too conscious of your distended, distorted body.

There isn't enough party dip in the world to give you that much indigestion (although the food segment with chef Bobby Flay came close).

The six-plus hours of pregame hoo-ha began at noon EST with an NFL Films recap of the season, "Road to the Super Bowl," with Tom Selleck capably filling the old John Facenda role of narrator.

Next came "Phil Simms All-Iron Team," which the neurotic Caveman from the Geico commercials gave a lighthearted beginning, middle and end.

The ever-needy Caveman tried to wheedle the picks out of Simms on the golf course before they were announced on the selection show - with limited success, and limited satisfaction.

Derrick Brooks? "I just don't get it," said the Caveman, who would have picked, uh, Bonnie Raitt.

The quality of the players' character (including Brooks') was a big determinant in being chosen for Simms' squad, which gave the show a heartwarming touch and made it appealing to casual fans.

Then came the four-hour "The Super Bowl Today," which - in the true commercial spirit of the whole affair - began with Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., who also was promoting "Norbit."

Just like every other Sunday of the football season, the CBS studio quartet of host James Brown along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe made you miss the guys on Fox. They simply lack the chemistry of Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long et al. And no one on either show is as funny as Fox's Frank Caliendo.
T
he heart-tugging stories really kicked in during the last pregame extravaganza, almost ad nauseam - among them, Everson Walls' willingness to donate a kidney to former Dallas Cowboys teammate Ron Springs; Chicago Bears running back Thomas Jones' supportive family; a visit with soldiers in Iraq; and Bill Walsh's much-chronicled battle against cancer.

They even went all the way back to the tragically early deaths of long-ago Bears running backs Walter Payton and Brian Piccolo. (Hmmm. Might Netflix get a run on "Brian's Song")?

Almost all of the ground covered was well-trod: Marvin Harrison's taciturn tendencies; the Jekyll-Hyde performances of Rex Grossman; the matchup between the first two black coaches to lead their team to the NFL title game.

As you can imagine, all the feel-good segments got a lot more airtime than, say, the story about the Bears' Tank Johnson needing a judge's OK to get out of house arrest on gun-possession charges and travel to Miami.
The story barely got four minutes (remember: out of four hours!) including Esiason, Sharpe and Marino weighing in on whether Johnson should have been allowed to play. (Predictably, Esiason opposed Tank's participation, Sharpe defended it, and Marino came down hard in the middle of the issue).

Katie Couric, who can chant "We're No. 3" about CBS News, joined the guys, for yet another "very touching story indeed," as Brown put it after introducing the high-priced "Evening News" anchorwoman by citing her sports reporting credibility. ("She brings a sports background to the desk. She ran track - an outstanding cheerleader).
She tackled the topic of Hines Ward, last year's Super Bowl MVP, and his Korean mother, who was shunned in her native country because of her biracial marriage, winding up a single mother here, and the bigotry that mother and son were subjected to.

But isn't this a year-old story? Where's the fresh, hard-hitting news?

Before all those hours fully dedicated to hyping the game, "Face the Nation" with Bob Schieffer was broadcast from Dolphin Stadium. At least the conversation was a little more serious with new league commissioner Roger Goodell as a guest.

Meanwhile, Tim Russert's "Meet the Press" was busy with presidential candidate John Edwards. Who cares about that, right?

Political Correctness (sent in an e-mail to me)

Due to the climate of political correctness now pervading America, Kentuckians, Tennesseans and West Virginians will no longer be referred to as "HILLBILLIES."

You must now refer to them as APPALACHIAN-AMERICANS.And furthermore ...

HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT WOMEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:

1 She is not a "BABE" or a "CHICK" - She is a "BREASTED AMERICAN."

2. She is not "EASY" - She is "HORIZONTALLY ACCESSIBLE."

3. She is not a "DUMB BLONDE" - She is a "LIGHT-HAIRED DETOUR OFF THE INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY."

4. She has not "BEEN AROUND" - She is a "PREVIOUSLY-ENJOYED COMPANION."

5 . She does not "NAG" you - She becomes "VERBALLY REPETITIVE."

6. She is not a "TWO-BIT HOOKER" - She is a "LOW COST PROVIDER.

"HOW TO SPEAK ABOUT MEN AND BE POLITICALLY CORRECT:

1. He does not have a "BEER GUT" - He has developed a "LIQUID GRAIN STORAGE FACILITY."

2. He is not a "BAD DANCER" - He is "OVERLY CAUCASIAN."

3. He does not "GET LOST ALL THE TIME" - He "INVESTIGATES ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS."

4. He is not "BALDING" - He is in "FOLLICLE REGRESSION."

5. He does not act like a "TOTAL ASS" - He develops a case of RECTAL-CRANIAL INVERSION."

6. It's not his "CRACK" you see hanging out of his pants - It's "REAR CLEAVAGE."

Sick as a dog

Right now, I am sick as a dog. I was feeling great all day long. I got a lot done & even spent some time on the floor with my kids. We were playing with toys & i even read them both a couple of books. They each spent time in my lap individually & together. It was a great day!

Then I deceided to make french toast for dinner. The girls don't like that so I made them scrambled eggs with a little pepper, vanilla & shredded cheese. They gobbbled it right up, as always. I ate my french toast & about an hour after doing so it hit me hard.

Without going into detail, I rear got acquainted with my toilet seat very well tonight. I made more than 10 trips in less than 2 1/2 hours. I probably lost 5 pounds, but that is NOT the way to do so. Gee, think I was feeling very well? I was hot & then cold & then hot again. I really hope it's not food poisoning, but I think it might be. I've never had it before to my knowledge. I do know that I won't be eating or making french toast anytime soon. I am glad that the kids didn't have any. My husband either for that matter.

I also got news Friday morning that my Grandfather (88) fell in the bathroom & broke his hip. My Aunt called & told me that the ball popped out of it's socket. Due to his age they replaced the socket & reset the ball. The Dr. said that if they replaced the hip, it would never heal. He already is at risk of serious complications due to his age & his weakened heart (a stroke in 2005). Today I got an e-mail saying that the Dr's are having trouble keeping his blood pressure stable & they are really concerned with fluid building in his lungs. They also told my Aunt that there is a high probability that he may suffer another heart attack or stroke. If that happens, I pray that he passes & doesn't suffer any longer. Since Grandma is basically willing herself to stay alive long enough to care for Grandpa, I expect that she will follow him to heaven not longer after his passing.

I told my husband what is happening & he asked if I was wanting to go see them. I told I didn't need to becasue we just saw them in November. He said that is good because we could not afford to go. I told him the truth. I told him that I was glad we went in November because I would rather have seen him one last time in life than to see his lifeless body in a coffin. I also told him that I fully expected that the trip home in November would probably be the last time I saw at least ONE of my Grandparents, probably all three of them actually. They are aged 88, 84 & 84 after all & all are in poor health. The T's live in an assisted living home full of Seinors. Grandma G. lives alone, but I'm not sure how much longer that will be the case. She gets a lot of help from her neighbor David & her 92 year old sister Margaret. My Uncle also drives down from the Peoria area everytime she needs to go see a Dr. in Saint Louis. We would go & help but we live over 1000 miles away. That makes it impossible for us to help out with things.

I am headed to bed. I will fix typos when I feel better.

Thursday Thirteen Week #4

Thirteen Things about This week 1. My husband went to Illinois to help his mom move across the country. 2. They thankfully avoided being involved in any of the crashes near Amarillo, Texas due to the severe 3. My Mom kept my oldest daughter for a sleep over to give me a mini-break. 4. All I did was worry about my husband's safety & take care of the little one. 5. My daughter had a blast at Grandma's house. 6. The little one & I had some fun as well. 7. Missed my husband so much it hurt. 8. My oldest one is acting up & testing her limits with me. 9. She has a little sassy mouth on her & it needs to stop. 10. I have not written any Haikus this week, even though they are all pretty bad. 11. I completed my 40 day Fast Food Fast this week. 12. It felt REALLY good to acomplish the fast successfully. 13. I am writing this on Wednesday while I have time to do so. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)


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Why does this have to be so hard?

I LOVE both of my children SO much. WHY disciplining them have to be so hard sometimes.

My oldest is at the age where she is testing the boundries & asserting herself. She seems to forget that I am the Mommy & I am the one that makes the rules around here. She flat out ignores me! When I tell my hubby about it he generally rolls his eyes & gives me the impression he could care less about what happens when he isn't here.

Today she was mouthy & rude all day long. At 4 pm I had had enough. Daddy has been home all day & he finally got to witness what I deal with more often than not. She deceided that she wasn't going to eat the Chicken noodle Soup I made for dinner. Here comes the battle royal. After an hour of her refusing to eat & sent her to her room. She continued to ignore me. I don't know how it got to the point of me removing all of the toys, TV & movies from her room but I did. Daddy finally stepped in & HELPED me with her. She throws this BIG hissy fit, screaming & crying & stomping all through the house. This happens often. I stood my ground even when I felt horrible about removing all the fun things from her bedroom. I even tried to talk to her in a calm manner. She begged for her TV back & I told her again she could have her TV & movies back tommorrow if she was good all day tommorrow. Then she begged to her Daddy & he told her the same thing. He told her that he was tired of her talking to me that way & it needed to stop.

I don't know what to do. It doesn't matter how much time I spend with her alone or what we do. She is not happy unless she has ALL of my individual attention. I have TWO kids & I really do my best to spend individual time with both of them as well as together.

When I actually did get to TALK to her tonight she told me that she doesn't know how to pick up her toys. I KNOW she does because she can pick them up & put them away properly when she wants something.

I am at a total loss of how to deal with her. She is good to her sister & good to her Daddy but she seems to have a real problem with me for some reason. Maybe it is because I am the one that stays at home with the kids. Maybe it is because I am the one that handles the discipline. Maybe it is just because...I don't even know anymore. All I know is that I am completely exhausted by the constant power struggle with an almost 5 year old. I THOUGHT I was good Mom but many days I have my doubts. She behaves when we are out places, puts things that she gets out away without me even asking, she says please, thank you & excuse me. I KNOW I am doing something right. WHY am I her constant target of frustration. She doesn't even talk to me, she YELLS everything to me. She stands right in front of me & YELLS intead of talking to me. I nicely remind her to use her indoor voice & it works....until the next sentence.

I just don't know what to do anymore. I told her, once she calmed down, she was going to have to earn her toys back by being good & listening to me. She seemed to understand that. I hope it works because I am flat out of ideas on how to deal with this.

SA Blog Challenge for week of 1/8
1. I've come to realize that my life is...on hold right now because I choose to be a stay at home mom Life as I envisioned it at least. I am happy for the most part.

.2. I am listening to...my kids playing in the playroom, which is something we didn't have 18 months ago.

3. I talk...about losing weight & this year I am taking steps to reach that goal...25 pounds at a time.

4. I love...my family.

5. My best friends...friend actually lives 70 miles away & I don't get to see her often but i cherish the times we do get to see each other.

6.Love is... something that takes dedication & hardwork. It doesn't stay around if you neglect it.

7. Somewhere, someone is thinking...why in the he!! can't he put the toilet seat down when he's finished his business! LOL!

8. I'll always...love my husbad & my children. They come first..no matter what.

9. The last time I cried was because...my husband & I had a fight. We don't fight to the point of tears often, but ti is part of the course of our relationship.

10. My cell phone...lets me call my Grandparents every Saturday without long distance charges.

11. Before I go to bed...I have no routine. I need to establish one for a better nights rest.

12. Right now I am thinking about...how I don't feel like cooking dinner. Since we are broke & we have stopped buying those prepackaged meals..I have no choice so I'd better learn to enjoy it!

13. Today I... played Dance Dance Revolution for 2 hours with one child while the other took a nap. Good sweaty cardio fun!

14. Tonite I will...read more of "Lisey's Story" by Stephen King...a Christmas gift from my husband.

15. Tomorrow I will be...sore from playing the dance game, but I at least take a 30 minute walk with the kids.

In these wee early morning hours I found myself mindlessly websurfing. I went to You Tube. I had never been to You Tube so I was curious.

I looked up the videos of Saddam & hesitated. I asked myself....did I REALLY want or need to see video of man dying? The answer was no. No I did not want or need to see this mans execution. Regardless of what many people may think, Saddam was a human even if his actions were less than honorable in the views of many. I don't agree that it is right to dance in the streets due to the death of ANYONE....not even for the death of the Butcher of Bagdad.

Now as for our former President Gerald Ford, many in the country are in mourning. I was VERY small when he took office. I can't remember him being sworn in as President of the United States of America. I only have glimmers of memories of President Ford from watching the news. It's ashamed that more politicans aren't more like President Ford. He wasn't perfect, nobody is. I think that honesty & a level head is a much needed change in Washington. I don't just mean in the oval office either.

I find myself now living in country where many of it's BORN citizens feel it necessary to censor themselves on the web & in public. Heaven forbid an AMERICAN actually feels comfortable enough to speak their mind. I know that I certainly don't! I feel as if some of us have had enough of the government spoon feeding us their crap & want to do something about it. Some of us are tired of the government spoon feeding us their crap & are afraid to try to do anything about it. Then there are a few that believe whatever the government tells them to believe.

I find myself somewhere between being afraid to do anything about it & wanting to do something about it. I honestly don't KNOW what I can do about it other than try to educate myself about the issues, the canidates & try to make the best educated decesion I can in the next election. Of course, one must actually vote to make his or her voice heard.

Big issues for me are the same many other Americans. Immigration is among the most important to me. Education & healthcare are probably the two MOST important issues to me. Not only do I have children & also have 2 parents that are approaching retirement age & have no assests, no healthcare, no pension & are living on borrowed time.They will have no choice but to work until they die. I don't have room for them here & I will never be able to afford to place them in any type of care facility.

I think it's time to stop rambling & go grab a nap before everyone in my house wakes up. Being a MOM I don't have the luxury of sleeping in.

What are you doing New year's Eve?

We have elected to stay at home, as we do most years.

It is much safer to stay home...not to mention less expensive! The last time we went out on New Year's Eve was on the eve of 2001. It was an expensive celebration for my husband. We went down to Tempe for the Fiesta Bowl Block Party & we left right after the battle of the bands (marching bands that is). Before we left my husband got down on one knee & asked me to marry him with the little purple stone ring & chose from Wal-Mart. I was thrilled & called my best friend immediately after I said "YES!". It was getting crowded & the crowd was getting rough, so we went home to our little apartment. We got home about 11:30 pm so I could turn my dog Scooter out before midnight. We didn't live in the best area & we didn't know if we would hear gunfire or not at midnight.

I walked back into our little apartment, looked at the time (11:55) & saw my new fiance down on one knee! He said " You mean so much to me & I wanted to do this right." Then he opened the little box as he asked me to marry him for the second time in less than 2 hours. I cried tears of joy & of course I surprised. See, I wasn't expecting to get a diamond & I would have been happy with the first ring. I was unable to find a diamond I liked that didn't look like the diamond I had from my first marriage without going over my fiances budget. It wasn't his budget that was the problem, it was finding a diamond that wasn't a marque cut like the first one I had.

The ring he presented me with was a set of three round diamonds, the largest one in the center with a smaller one on each side. It was white gold (like I wanted) with a small veritcal band of yellow gold on each side of the diamonds. It was perfect! I loved it from the moment I saw it. I was touched that he even gave me a diamond & doubly touched that he picked it out with no help from me. He gave me the opportunity to pick a different diamond out when we went to have it sized, but I declined. I told him I loved it because he picked it out. I do still to this day.

About three months after we got engaged, we got married. No we weren't pregnant. We became parents to be 3 months or so after we tied the knot.

Nearly 6 years later we have a mortage, a car payment & I stay at home with our children. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I am very happy not going out for New Years every year. See why I said staying home is cheaper?

So, what are YOU doing on New Year's Eve?

Happy New Year Year, Best wishes & stay safe in 2007!

Touching AND funny

I received this via e-mail recently. I THINK it was from my friend Burke...honestly I can't remember at the moment though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Post Office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a man who worked for the Post Office whose job it was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses.

One day, a letter came addressed in shaky handwriting to God, with no actual address. He thought he should open it to see what it was about.

The letter read:

"Dear God,

I am an 83 year old widow, living on a very small pension.
Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had $100 in it, which was all the money I had until my next pension check.

Next Sunday is Christmas, and I had invited two of my friends over for dinner. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope.

Can you please help me?

Sincerely,
Edna

The postal worker was touched. He showed the letter to all the other workers. Each one dug into his or her wallet and came up with a few dollars. By the time he made the rounds, he had collected $96, which
they put into an envelope and sent to the woman. The rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of Edna and the dinner she would be able to share with her friends.

Christmas came and went.

A few days later, another letter came from the same old lady to God. All the workers gathered around while the letter was opened.

It read ;

"Dear God,
How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your gift of love, I was able to fix a glorious dinner for my friends. We had a very nice day and I told my friends of your wonderful gift.

By the way, there was $4 missing. I think it must have been those bastards at the Post Office.

Sincerely yours,
Edna"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See? It's both touching AND funny!