A New Blog, Yo

Hello kids! I have reconnected with 3 of my high school friends and we have created a blog (based mostly on politics for now but I also see religion coming into play in the future). The address is elpisian.wordpress.com As of right now I have not posted yet since we just got up and running today. Its a very cool idea as we all went to the same Christian School, where we were all traumatized so badly that all of us questioned our beliefs to such a degree that at least one of us now categorizes herself as agnostic/atheist. We all have common political views (for the most part) which are all left leaning. We are finally finding our own beliefs and own voices after being raised in the "religious right" by "values voters" whom we find ourselves arguing with on a common basis (when they aren't busy hearing "the truth" from FOX News- Hi Mom and Dad) The reason I now hold the political view I do is because I was forced to figure out (at the age of 17) exactly what I believed, what I didn't and why (so I guess I am a little bit thankful for having to go to that school, maybe). And also because I believe and strive to follow different parts of the Bible than the right winged conservative christian may. I believe that Jesus meant it when he said give up all you have and come follow me. I believe that we are to love our enemies and, I could be wrong, but I think that going to war and killing your enemies doesn't really go along with the whole "loving them" thing. I believe that any sin we commit is just as wrong as the other girl's. So being homosexual is no different than cheating on your taxes, or looking lustfully at another man's wife. I believe that life is precious both before and after birth. I believe that, yeah, taxes suck. But isn't it nice to be able to call the police when you have been robbed, or the fire dept. if your house is burning down, or having sidewalks and streets to walk on instead of having to hike through rough terrain to get anywhere, or that however crappy they are (and in Milwaukee they are crappy), that every child has the opportunity to go to school? I believe that yeah, some people take advantage of welfare but for the single mom who works to pay her rent and bills, she still needs to feed her family and 1. being single 2. being a woman and 3. raising children with irresponsible fathers makes everything that much harder. Do you want to be the one to tell her, "Sorry lady, but since some other scumbags have been scamming me out of some of my taxes so you either have to shut off the heat or leave your kids at home alone (because, by the way, we are not paying for your child care either) in order to continue to provide your children with the food they need?" I, for one, do not. The Bible tells us that (Im paraphrasing) whatever you do for the least of you (poor, sick, etc) you are doing for me. So yes it sucks to pay taxes for things like new baseball stadiums and ridiculous pension plans for city officials, taxes are necessary and as Jesus tells us "Give unto Ceaser (the gov't) what belongs to Ceaser" . So anyways, check out our new blog. I am super excited about it and will probably be up all night writing something. And for those who don't appreciate my political rantings (don't worry-nothin but love!) then fret not, because you don't have to read them anymore. Anything having to do with politics will now appear only on the wordpress blog I contribute to.

More Miscellaneous Ramblings

Ok, yes I know that it has been forever since I posted anything and I am sorry to disappoint you but I have nothing big and exciting to report. Lately, I have been trying to keep myself busy especially because its getting cold and winter is fricken coming. Usually in winter I just hunker down in my house, stay in my pjs 24/7, snuggle with the dogs, drink coffee or hot cider, and watch tv or movies. I usually gain about 10 lbs every winter. I hate driving in the snow. I hate walking on ice (especially in heels), I hate that when I let the dogs back inside their paws are wet and muddy (or the fact that one member of our family who shall remain nameless is too much of a diva to walk on the cold ground or the snow so just pees on the floor...and no it is not John). So I pretty much do nothing all winter, which in my opinion is really lovely.
But, I digress. Back to being busy. I am working on a reasonable family budget that I can actually stick to. Usually John tries to make the budget and all of our money after bills go into savings and I get like 10 bucks to do what I want to do for the week. Which is ridiculous because I would have to save up for weeks to do anything- shop, get a haircut, go tanning, go out on the weekends, go out to dinner. I can hardly buy a chai latte with that! So I think mine is more reasonable. I am reading a book that has some good budget strategies and money saving tips. It is by this couple who has 5 kids and only spent 350$ a month on groceries. And they paid off their house in 9 years. Crazy! But they only shopped for groceries once a month, so now I am up to shopping for 2 weeks at a time, but we have still had 1 or 2 of those "quick trips for one thing" to the grocery store that end up costing $15. And looking over our debit card statement, we've been going to the grocery like 5-6 times a week every week. So, pretty much, Pick N Save is raping us of our savings account hard core. So anyways, about being busy, trying to get that implemented is time consuming. And I also have a home cooked dinner ready everynight. I take like 2 nights a week and make a few dinners and freeze them, so then we just eat leftovers of it. And since there is just two of us, it lasts about 3 nights! So, since I am not a huge fan of cooking sometimes, that feels like it sucks up my time.
Ohh! And, I also got a job. I am probably going to be working only 1 or 2 nights a week, but on weekends, I guess you make at least $100 night for like 5 hours. So not too shabby. Im waitressing at O'Donoghue's, which is an irish bar in Elm Grove. Well, its technically a pub cuz there's food and stuff. But on weekend nights, its mostly booze.
And I joined "Curves" last week. I really like it. If you don't know what it is, its a fitness place for women. You go in and all of the machines are in a circle, and it goes machine, mat, machine, mat...all the way around. So you jump in wherever you want in the circle and there is music playing and every 30 secs. it tells you to switch stations. So you move the the station next to you. On the mats, you just do something that keeps your heart rate up (jogging in place, jumping jacks, etc) Oh, and if you don't go in for a week or something, they start calling and stalking you to come in which for me is great!
Well I think I am going to go to bed. I have dialysis at 12 but I think I better go to Curves in the am before I find one of the coaches peering through my windows!

Warning!!! If you are my mother, stop reading now!!!

Ok, so allegedly, my parents do not read my blog, but I think they are lying and actually do read it to snoop on what I am up to. They found out about my scooter and I didn't tell them, so unless my brother is the snitch, there is no other explanation. So, Mom, if you are reading this, first, I am proud that you figured out how to do things online besides email, but for your own good, quickly go back to hgtv.com and do not read any further...

Alright, now that that's taken care of, I have been thinking about getting a tattoo. I have been contemplating it for a few months now but I had a little bit of trouble deciding what to get. I am not asking for ideas, because I did figure out a few options, but I am not disclosing them until I actually get inked. One of them is about the size of a half dollar and would be on the back of my neck. I like that idea because if I didn't want it to show, I would just wear my hair down. The other idea that I had is having a quotation done, but I am not sure where that would go. I think it would look good on my lower back, but I don't want it to end up looking like I wanted a trendy tattoo so just went with a tramp stamp. I may go with it on my shoulder blade. We will see. So, if anyone has any recommendations for a good tattoo shop, I could use the tip! I spent a while looking at different tattoos at checkoutmyink.com and while I didn't find an exact one that I want, I got some good inspiration. And yes, I know it will hurt, but I get two giant needles poked in my arm 3 times a week, so I might as well get needles shoved in me for a reason that I want, right? That was the philosophy behind getting my nose pierced....twice. The first time, I had to take it out for an unexpected ct scan and then I got it redone and it fell out while I was sleeping. I was pretty mad about that, since it isn't like the worst pain ever, but its not exactly like getting licked by kittens. Anyways, back to the tattoo thing, Ive been watching LA Ink whenever I can catch it and the people getting theirs done on tv don't look like it hurts too bad. And I have heard that it hurts alot on your foot or hand or right on a bone. Listen to me, can anyone else tell that I am rambling on trying to convince myself that it won't hurt? Haha. Well, I've had my share of pain so I don't mind it when the pain is for a reason that I choose instead of some sadist doctor. Thats a good enough reason to get ink pumped into my body forever, right?!?

PICTURES AS PROMISED!!!

This is a picture of baby Nora from my trip to North Carolina. My little Goddaughter. awwww







Me and baby Nora.....she is so precious. In these pictures she was about 3 weeks old.


This is Nora and the Baby Mamma, melissa!


This is Melissa's dog, Charlie, who I also miss! He just needs a monocle and a top hat, because he is a total old gentleman!

Well, this is a long one...

Hi Everyone...

I don't have anything super exciting to say today, I am just writing because I am super bored. I have had kind of a rough week as my allergies have started up with a vengeance. It got really bad last weekend on Monday night. It was really hot out, but at about 8:30 pm, John and I decided to go up to Hart Park and play a little bit of tennis (I have not played tennis in years, and by years I mean probably 10 years). After about 10 minutes, I was soaked with sweat from the humidity and had a headache, runny nose, sore throat, and was sneezing up a storm. We still stayed for another half hour or so, but I was miserable. Luckily, I had a scheduled doctor appointment the next day so I got some new medication, because I was all doped up on Benadryl and not feeling any better.
I have been feeling better, although it is only because my house is totally closed with the air on and I am only outside when necessary, which is not fun. But I am hoping that with my medicine I should be able to be outside a little more this weekend. We would like to go to Tosa Fest tonight, which is outside, so we will see.
Speaking of being at the doctor on Tuesday, I walked into the hospital and got a call on my cell phone from one of the Transplant Nurses, asking me to come in to get my blood drawn for a crossmatch as they had a potential kidney for me. Well, I was pretty much blown away because I was not aware that I was even anywhere close to the top of the list for receiving a cadaverous kidney. But, of course I took this information with a grain of salt since I have been through 2 false alarms for my liver transplant, and 3 possible donors for the kidney. I went upstairs and met the nurse who started looking at me with this weird happy/confused face going "THIS IS SO EXCITING, ISN'T IT?!!?!?! WHY AREN'T YOU EXCITED? THIS IS SO GREAT, ISN'T IT GREAT! AREN'T YOU EXCITED?" and other miscellaneous crazy person exclamations. Well, my reply went something like (*token mean/annoyed look*) "umm, not really since I have been through this like SIX times before" (*disgusted scoff) So, needless to say, that kidney didn't work out. Oh well, I am kind of getting used to it. Although, it would be nice to not have to go to dialysis anymore.
Hmmm, I know I had other things to add today....oh a few words about the election. It has been a few days now since the Republican VP candidate has been announced. And at first, I had mostly pleasant thoughts about a strong, outspoken, woman being nominated. But after listening to Sarah Palin speak and learning more about her, she comes off as more of a mean-spirited bitch than anything else. (pardon my language, but if there was ever a time for that word, it is now) Now I admit that I did not watch her whole speech. I was at my parents house, who are both ridiculously staunch Republicans and I was getting a little bit annoyed by both their hooting and cheering along with the speech itself. But I digress. My first thought was how interesting it was that the day before Palin spoke at the RNC, Cindy McCain got on television and was whining and crying about how Obama was being mean to her husband. And then Palin gets on television and spent more of her time making quick one-liners about her opponents than she did discussing policy. I also noticed that concerning the issues with her family, (her young Downs Syndrome son and her daughter's pregnancy and upcoming marriage (!) ) republicans were surprisingly tolerant. It brought back thoughts of the revelation that Dick Cheney had a lesbian daughter. Had the tables been turned and these issues were tied to a Liberal candidate, we all know that their values and dedication would be brought into question by many, especially the religious right. So while I suppose I am relieved to see a bit of compassion (and I do agree that these issues do not have a place in a candidates qualifications), I can't help but believe that the right is not being caring, as much as they are just on the defensive.
So enough about the rnc, what about the democratic convention? I was only able to watch the speeches of Michelle and Barack Obama, but hopefully, I will be able to catch a youtube version of the others soon. I thought that Michelle proved intelligent, classy, and confident. She is someone whom I could trust and respect, and feel comfortable that she may be whispering into the ear of our nation's leader. Barack's speech in Denver was nothing short of inspiring and powerful. I, along with others I have spoken to, was moved to tears listening to his passion for our country, the world's people, and for change. I have only been able to vote for 6 years (and have been following politics for about 8) and it was so refreshing to hear someone speak about our country and its people with hope and promise and passion. It feels so different than the last election where I felt as though I had to pick the lesser of two evils, and that I was voting against someone instead of for someone. I am proud to be part of the election promise and excited for what 4 (or maybe 8) years of an Obama administration could bring to not only our country, but to the world.
Ok, moving on from politics, well, I don't really have a ton to say, but I do have some pictures that I will post for you all to see, so be excited!!!
TaTa

Good news, a new addition, and same old, same old.

I know I know, its been a really long time since I posted and I am really sorry. I had a great time in North Carolina. It was really great to see my friend and her house and new life there. And of course it was FABULOUS to meet her new little daughter (and my Goddaughter), Eleanor (Nora) Larsen Brummond. She is just the cutest little bugger! We had a nice time just lounging around with the baby (well, I lounged, she fed, changed, and burped the baby....but I helped!), and spent one day out shopping and stuff in Wilmington (where Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill are filmed). I was sad to leave and hopefully I can get back kind of soon. Although, I really did not enjoy driving from D.C. to her house alone and sleeping in my car. I also got a speeding ticket which didn't go over too well upon my arrival back in Milwaukee.
My friend, her husband, Nora, and their puppies will be coming for Christmas so I will definitely get to see them then. I took a bunch of pictures, I just have to find the cord to transfer them to my computer and then I will share them with everyone.
Speaking of puppies (kinda), yesterday, we added a new member to our family. Yes, we have another fur child! She is a 3 month old Labrador Retriever. She weighs about 20 lbs now and is just the prettiest little thing. We have not settled on a name yet, but I have been calling her Stella (and I have been suggesting Hilary to John, but he hasn't taken the bait! hehehe). She was one of 3 in a litter that, before being transferred from a shelter in Indiana, was a group of strays. She is VERY shy and kind of skiddish, but we are working on it. Mostly she has just been sleeping, but she did snatch Johns socks, the container of fish food, and on of my sandals, so I think she is coming around.
I found out today that the person who was being worked up to be a kidney donor is not going to work out (again), so now we are down to 1-2 people left. I am not really surprised or upset about it, because I have just come to expect it, but I am getting frustrated that we just keep going through people and no one works out. So, not a whole lot to say on that point right now I guess.
Tonight I have dialysis, and I think I may go a little earlier so I can get settled in by 9 so I can watch Obama's speech without interruptions from the staff. I am excited to hear what he has to say. As most of you know, I cut John's hair during the summer with a buzzer. This time when he needs it cut I am going to shave a big O in the back for Obama! Do you think he will notice and do you think he would get revenge by shaving a W into the back of my head? Feedback appreciated! Ta Ta

Don't get excited, this isn't an actual post...well, kinda

Hello all of my dear readers!

It is now 2:20 a.m. and in 6 hours and 50 minutes I will be leavin on a jet plane! Whoo hoo! I am flying out to D.C. and then very early (like dark out early) on Monday I am going to be driving to North Carolina to visit my dear Melissa and new baby Nora! I am super excited! I will be there until Thursday afternoon, when I will be driving back up to D.C. and then returning to Milwaukee on Friday afternoon. I will miss you all, but if you are nice and leave me comments, I will post pictures. And I can't guarantee you anything, but I might post on location! I have a few good ideas to blog about soon, but I need to organize my thoughts. I am thinking maybe a book review, a post about women's/equal rights and how far we've (allegedly) come, or maybe something about friendship and the difference between having male and female friends. We shall see. Anyways, I talk to you when I talk to you. Oh, and for those of you who know me personally, please make sure my husband doesn't starve to death without me! Thanks! TaTa for Now!

Eat Right....and other ramblings

Hello all!

Again, sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. No good ideas. First, an update! My birthday was Thursday, and it was a pretty good day!
I went to lunch with a friend down at Beans and Barley which I had never been to, but love! All of their menu options look totally healthy and they have a huge selection of tasty vegetarian things. So I highly recommend it and will be visiting back often! John came home from work and I got my present from him which was a gift certificate from Azana spa. So, I think I have narrowed it down to getting a facial and a massage- yum. We went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, which was tasty. I am not a huge fan of this place because I generally do not like chain restaurants (if I never see the inside of an Applebee's, I can die a happy woman!) but they have pretty good food and we don't go there that often. I had a tasty chopped salad with corn, apples, eggs, tomatoes, etc along with an appetizer of crab wontons. Well, the "side salad" I ordered was GIANT so I couldn't finish all of it, but I did finish the wontons. That is another reason I don't like chains: they give you astronomically sized portions. Anyways, a good time was had by all.

The real purpose of this post is to tell you about my weight loss/get healthy plan. Well, its kind of a plan, but not really. You all know that I am not organized enough to have a plan! Anyways, I have been wanting to loose about 30 lbs that I gained since I started dialysis, due to me being wiped out and crashing on the couch and doing nothing usually. So, me becoming a vegetarian was the first step to this "plan". I do eat fish occasionally, because my dietician wanted to make sure I ate enough protein. But no beef, pork, poultry, or any other weird animal meat. I also do not eat any white flour. I eat whole grain bread, cereal, pasta, etc. I have been doing this for a few months, actually, and have noticed a small difference. With the "no white flour" you are also supposed to do "no white sugar" but I can't do that. I have really cut down the sugar I eat, but once and a while, you need a little kick. Lately, though, I have been eating tons of fruit, which gives you the natural sugar, so I have been able to eat less processed sugar. One other big change I have made is that I do not drink soda anymore at all. It is just plain bad for you. Period.
Next I wanted to share what my normal meals look like. My meals are pretty varied especially in the summer when I am just not as hungry as normal. Its just to hot to eat sometimes! But, here goes:

Breakfast:
Whole wheat bagel with margarine or fat-free cream cheese
Scrambled egg on whole grain toast
Small bowl of organic rice krispies with skim milk
FRUIT!

Lunch:
Tuna Salad (made with low sodium tuna in water and low fat mayo- I add celery and green onions also)
Apple with organic peanut butter, cheese wedges, and whole grain dinner roll
Egg Scrambler (Scrambled eggs with veggies and cheese)
Fresh fruit
Veggies and dip

Dinner:
Veggie burgers, or Soy "chicken" patties
Salad with cheese and eggs for protein
Tilapia fillet (they sell them frozen and flavored at Pick N Save for cheap!) with steamed veggies
Whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce
Fish Tacos (made with wheat or corn taco shells/tortillas)

Snacks:
Kettle Chips (they actually have less sodium than you may think)
Nuts (Sorry, no honey roasted peanuts)
100 % fruit popsicles
Yoplait "Whips" Yogurt
String Cheese (Low fat Mozzarella)
Fresh Fruit

Beverages:
100% fruit juice (I love Juicy Juice juiceboxes)
Iced tea (Usually a good bet at restaurants or vending machines)
Ice water!


Yeah, so thats pretty much what I eat. Although, I did come across a blog that I would love for you to visit. In my "Favorite Blogs" list, there is a blog called ConfessionsofaCFHusband that you should definately check out. It is basically about his experience stemming from his wife, Tricia's struggle with Cystic Fibrosis. One of the readers of that blog decided that he wanted to loose weight, but also do something to further the cause of curing CF . So he has decided that he wants to loose 65 pounds. He is raising money for his efforts and all donations will be sent to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Tricia's name. His blog has TONS of awesome ideas and tips and whatnot, so you should really read over some of his past posts. Go there NOW.

And now, this is a ridiculously long post, but now you all have to help hold me accountable for eating healthy. Next post will be about exercise. Anybody have suggestions? Please send them ASAP! Thanks.

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been pretty busy this week! But it was mostly a good busy so that's usually ok. Sunday was John's Birthday (he doesn't read this or else I would've wished him a happy birthday). We had a lovely day. We went out for a birthday dinner with some friends from church. We went to Hector's and indulged in Mexican food which was fabulous as always. He loved his gifts which, aside from the suit, included a giant target that my dad painted on a piece of plywood for John to use to shoot his paintball gun. Lately he has been shooting it wherever he feels like and our white picket fence ends up looking orange.
Anyways, John usually isn't a huge fan of his birthdays so we just had a laid back, relaxing day. Tonight, we head over to my parents to celebrate a combined birthday dinner for John and I. We also get our presents! John is getting a tennis racket, tennis balls, and a bocce ball/croquet set, but don't tell! So those of you who play tennis, invite John to play (he isn't bad and loves to play). I already got my present (a shower curtain that I had been lusting after for a while) but if I know my mother (and I do) I will probably be getting something else tonight, so we will see.
I am having a hard time coming up with something interesting to blog about. I am inspiration-less. So I guess today, I will just ramble about miscellaneous items.
First, the sad story that is the Brewers. Now, I must confess, I don't really follow baseball unless they are winning. I think going to games when your team is losing is boring. (Or did you watch the all-star game? Now that was bo-ring) So I turned it on late last night and it was the bottom of the 9th. The score was 7-0, with Chicago winning. So why, you ask did I watch the game for another 15 minutes? I have no idea, but I am pretty mad at myself for wasting my time. Poor Brewers. They were really doing good. Oh well.
I leave for NC in 11 days! I am super excited. I am a little nervous because I haven't flown since 2003 and haven't had to do the whole "3 oz containers in a 1qt. bag." So hopefully I will be able to get through security. I also am hoping not to have to check any bags. But, I am going to visit because my friend just had her baby so I am going to have lots of presents, and my shoes will take up like half of my carry-on. So it is going to be tight.
My birthday is tomorrow and I don't know what we should do. I need some ideas. We want to go to dinner and then do something, but we don't know what yet. So any suggestions would be welcome.
And a few things about the blog! Thanks to all for voting on the "What kind of Dog should we get?" poll. It looks like the Cocker Spaniel won the vote. Now, how about a poll of "How to trick husband into getting another dog NOW!"? Also, thanks for the comments about the issue of the picture on an earlier post. Apparently, I didn't post the picture right, I just posted the link. And because of that, anyone could change the pic if they wanted. (I think thats how it went) So not 100% sure, but I guess I just have to be more careful with how I post pics. I didn't know that blogging was so complicated!
I just want to also thank my dedicated readers! I appreciate your feedback and welcome more of it.

I would like to apologize...

Hello all,

I would like to apologize to anyone who has visited my blog today. Someone hacked into my account and posted some seriously offensive and inappropriate pictures on my blog. I am hoping that it just happened today, because I only noticed it tonight. The pics are gone and I have changed my password. I have absolutely no idea who would do this. But if any of you saw that picture and were offended by it (which I am sure you would've been) I am very sorry and please know that I have done what I can to end it right now. I really don't want anyone to stop visiting because of that. Has anyone else who has a blog ever had this happen or do you have any advice on how to keep it from happening again? I would appreciate any feedback. I am also trying to find some info online from Blogger that would give me some advice.

Thank you for understanding!

Advice on Special Needs Kids Needed!

Good afternoon all! I had dialysis last night and am a little more tired today because I only got like 3 1/2 hours of sleep last night. But I came home and slept from 7 till 11 and am awake and ready to go! Today I have lots to do. I must clean up the house, finish shopping for John's birthday present, go for my walk, and help John with math. Although, he may be working overtime tonight. Which, I don't like that I don't get to see him, but it would be nice right now if he would work late. First, we need the money. And second, it gives me more uninterrupted time to get my stuff done.
Anyways, I'm looking for a few tips or any advice you may have! I signed up at our church to volunteer with the kids as a "Special Needs Buddy". I wanted to work with the special needs kids because I really feel a special appreciation for them. Many times, when you really get to know them, they are very sweet and gentle hearted. But, I don't know alot about how to help them. I spoke with the coordinator today, and it sounds like most of the kids are either autistic or in some way developmentally disabled. They are all school aged, but many are put into lower aged classrooms because of their limited abilities. My job would just be to be with them, form a relationship, and if they need extra help or are having a hard time, to take care of them (as the actual Sunday School teachers are pretty busy with all of the other kids). I am really excited about this opportunity, but a little nervous. Does anybody have some tips about how to build a good relationship with an autistic/special needs child?

Just a quick update

Hi Friends,

Tonight I go for my 3rd overnight dialysis treatment. Sunday (my 2nd) went pretty well. I got 4 1/2 hours of sleep (1/2 hour more than the time before) and starting to feel more comfortable there. I really can't say enough good things about this place. The 3 people that are there overnight are all really nice. And I do enjoy the overnight part of it, although I will admit I do not like sleeping alone. That makes it a little hard when I have to leave at night. But hopefully, I will get used to it over time. It really has started making me feel better. Yesterday I got home at 5:15 am, went back to bed until about 10:45, and then woke up refreshed and ready for the day. I went for a long walk and completed a few errands. Before right after dialysis I would be totally wiped out for the whole day. So, I am hoping not to waste my whole day today messing around on this stupid computer! (really, once I get on, its like a drug!)
Yesterday, I bought John part of his birthday present. I bought him a really nice suit from Boston Store with a matching tie. It is a brown/taupe color with super thin pinstripes. The tie is shades of brown and blue. I think it will look really nice on him. He has a suit now, but he has had it for more than 10 years and it really doesn't fit him right. I just have to find some shoes. Mens shoes are EXPENSIVE! I was shocked. Even the clearance shoes were like 60 bucks. (which I would have paid but none were in his size) So I will be searching for shoes today.
Today I will also be going for another walk, grocery shopping, and cleaning the house...oh yeah, and trying to teach John how to do algebra.
And as much as I LOVE hot 85 degree summer days (thats not sarcasm, I really do), this cool front that started yesterday has been really nice. I can actually open my windows! It makes it a lot easier to exercise outside, also. The humidity tends to make it hard for me to breathe.
Well, I guess I should go get ready for the day. Oh! And, I am going to start taking my camera with me and posting some pictures for you so don't worry, they are coming!
Thanks for reading!

"Retro Humor" LOVE IT!

You Better Be A Donor or Else....

As most of you know, organ donation has already saved my life once, thanks to a very special family who made a decision that their young son's death would not be in vain. They chose to donate all of his organs after loosing their precious boy due to a 4-wheeler accident in July of 2001. I will be forever grateful to them for their gift. There are over 100,000 people on the waiting list in the U.S. for organs needed to save their lives. Unfortunately, many of those people die waiting. So that is why I am dedicating this post to convincing you that you need to make your wishes known to your loved ones (along with putting the sticker on your license) that if you should be in that situation, you want your organs to be donated.

So, first I am going to counter a few myths about donation that are commonly heard:
1. "If I am in the emergency room and there is someone else that needs an organ, they wouldn't try as hard to save me"
This is not true at all! First of all, a doctor "whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency"* will be the one treating you. Transplant teams are not even made aware of the patient until the patient is brain dead, with their body still working. The doctors conduct numerous tests to see if there is any chance of recovery, and only after that is your family consulted about possibly donating your organs!
2."I'm under 18, I can't make that decision anyways"
Well, technically that is true. But if you speak to your parents seriously and make them aware of your desire to donate your organs, most parents will want to respect their children's wishes. While you can't control what is done when you are dead, you can help influence their decision. It may also help them cope with their loss by knowing that part of you is still living in someone else, or that they did exactly what you would've wanted.
3. "I want to have an open casket at my funeral, but if I donate, I can't"
If someone donates their internal organs, it is not noticeable once the body is clothed. If they donate their eyes, a glass eye is inserted and the eyes are closed during the viewing anyway. For bone donation, a rod is placed where the bone is removed. And for skin grafts, a thin layer of skin (similar to what would peel off with a sunburn) is taken from the donors back where it will not be noticeable.
4. "Celebrities always get organs quicker than everybody else. I want to make sure that my organs go to the person that need them most"
While it may seem that celebs get organs faster, they really don't. It may seem that way because of all the media surrounding their circumstance, but they really don't. The United Network for Organ Sharing (the group in charge of the waiting lists and sending organs to the correct recipient) conducts an internal audit on all celebrities to ensure that their organs were received just like everyone else.
5. "My family will have to pay more to have my organs taken out."
Untrue! Any procedure (including tests) that relates to the possibility of organ transplant is paid for by either the hospital or the transplant recipient.
* info found on mayoclinic.com

The second way I am going to try to sway you into donation is to appeal to your emotions so here goes:
I would have been dead 7 years ago if it were not for organ donation. I had been put on the "heart-lung bypass machine". Once you are one that, you have about 10 days to 2 weeks to live because after that time, the machine can cause you to get horrible, untreatable infections. 24 hours after that, I was in surgery. I believe in God's hand in everything, but I know that I would not be here if my donor's family decided not to donate his organs. I have known one family who lost their young son to the bypass machine. I have lost a friend because she was waiting for a lung transplant. I have read horrible accounts from people with Cystic Fibrosis waiting for a transplant, being in constant pain, gasping for air, hospitalized for months, close to years, waiting for their new lungs and a second chance at life. Everytime you go for a jog, or run towards the street to grab your child out of harms way, think of all the people who are waiting for lungs so they could do that along with simple things such as climbing a flight of stairs or doing the laundry. Everytime you eat an ice cream cone, think of the person who was born with diabetes and has had to test their sugar and give themselves shots numerous times a day for their whole lives and are now waiting for a pancreas transplant. And everytime you get up and go to work, think of all the people who wish they could do that, but are too sick or tired to keep a full time job and are now waiting for hearts, livers, and kidneys. And I don't say that to make you feel guilty, but if you are not an organ donor, think over your decision long and hard, remembering these people. And like they say "Don't take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here".

My First Post on the New Site!

Hello Everyone!

Obviously you have found your way to my new site. I like it alot better than my old one. You can choose the background and theme of your site and customize it anyway that you want it! So I have been having fun with it.
We had a really nice dinner last night. We ended up at Louise's downtown on Jefferson. We enjoyed the outdoor seating on the patio. It was beautiful out last night. Of course, I canceled our plans to have our friends over for a cookout because the meteorologists said that it was for sure going to rain. Oh, and it was supposed to rain all day today. I guess it rained a little in the morning, but we went to a birthday party for John's cousin's daughter outside in Waukesha where it was beautiful. We also went to our friends house from church for a get together...John played tennis and I ate outside. No rain. I think I am going to write a letter to all of the meteorologists and give them a piece of my mind!
So, today I headed to Target to buy a birthday present for a 4 year old girl. Now, I don't know if it is just me, but I think that Barbie is getting really slutty! Now, I should say that I am not a fan of Barbie to begin with. If I ever have a daughter, she will not be allowed to play with Barbie. First of all, as I said before, the dolls are dressed like hookers and I would want my daughter to know that the outfits that Barbie wears are completely inappropriate until you are 18 and out of my house. Second of all, I don't want her to get the idea that to be "pretty" you have to look like Barbie, or even that Barbie is the sort of woman she should want to look like. (I read an article saying that doctors have looked at Barbie's proportions and if a woman would have her measurements, she would have to be like 7 feet tall and have no internal organs). But now, it's not even just Barbie. They have High School Musical dolls, which are a little less slutty but still inappropriate for young girls. There are also America's Next Top Model dolls, who are definately will not be allowed. Although I do have to say, the new Bratz dolls are the worst. The dolls themselves are ghetto-fied with the thick liquid liner, big shiny hair, collagen-pumped lips, and high cheekbones. The clothes are seriously ridiculous. Not only are they hoochie looking, but, at least in my group of friends, there is no self-respecting woman who would wear these clothes in public. So why are they trying to sell them to little girls? Well, my guesses would be to a.) to hook these girls early to spend (or get their parents to spend) money on the line of dolls, clothes like the dolls, all the things that go along with the kind of image one would want to portray by wearing these clothes.
b.) they have no souls and are ignoring the fact that little girls are being abused and taken advantage of everyday and that by them dressing like this is just making them appear more available to the perverts that are on the loose and
c.) the people responsible for it are all men without daughters.
Anyways, I ended up buying a stickerbook of the Disney princesses, and a Disney princess accessory set with a little purse, some jewelry, her own "credit car", etc. When I have to buy for a kid, I like buying either books or craft supplies. My all-time favorite gift to give is the Curious George Movie Soundtrack Cd. All the music is by Jack Johnson and its a mix of some lullabies and just plain old fun music ("reduce, reuse, recycle" is my personal favorite!) And by the way, the pic of the dolls on the left above curious george is actually an offshoot of Barbie called "Wee Friends". Although, to me they look less"wee" and more"teen", I think they are a wholesome option for girls that want to play with teenage or adult looking dolls.

So, readers, what are your opinions of toys for girls? What kind of toys do you buy instead of the aforementioned dolls? Post your opinions under the comments section!