Monday, July 19, 2010
Book Club - Little Bee
We have started book club again. So far, we have read Super Freakonomics and Little Bee. Both books were great and we had great discussions. The book club meets the first Thursday of the month at Panera in Kernersville at 7 pm. Upcoming books:
June - Super Freakonomics - Discussion led by Beth & Jess
July- Little Bee by Chris Cleave- Discussion led by Rhonda
August- The Road by Cormac McCarthy- Discussion led by Kipp
Sept- Book Theif by Markus Zusak- Discussion led by Jason
Oct- Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger- Discussion led by ?
Nov- Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire- Discussion led by Jess
Dec- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell- Discussion led by Beth
June - Super Freakonomics - Discussion led by Beth & Jess
July- Little Bee by Chris Cleave- Discussion led by Rhonda
August- The Road by Cormac McCarthy- Discussion led by Kipp
Sept- Book Theif by Markus Zusak- Discussion led by Jason
Oct- Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger- Discussion led by ?
Nov- Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister by Gregory Maguire- Discussion led by Jess
Dec- Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell- Discussion led by Beth
Funniest Video Ever
I know I haven't blogged in ages, but this video deserves a comeback:
http://www.wwaytv3.com/video/gotta_see_bigfoot_spotted_western_nc/06
This man saw Big Foot. I am also copying an article re this video:
CLEVELAND COUNTY, NC (WCNC-TV, CHARLOTTE) - The legend of Bigfoot is resurfacing in Western North Carolina. A man in Cleveland County says he encountered the mythic beast just last week.
Tim Peeler says he tried to call him, but thought at first he was calling coyotes, but he got something that frightened even this self proclaimed mountain man.
"This thing was 10 feet tall," said Peeler. "It had beautiful hair."
Sgt. Mark Self is a Cleveland County Deputy and says he didn't see the creature this time but remembers the stories of a Sasquatch when he was a kid.
"It was killing animals breaking into chicken houses, killing chickens," he says.
It's the same M.O. that Tim says he saw for himself: the Sasquatch going after his dogs.
"I come out here and rough talk him and run him off," he says.
Peeler got him to leave, called 911, then the creature came back!
"I said get away from here, get, get... and he went back down that path again," Peeler says.
Deputies filed a suspicious person report, and Peeler is still recalling the details.
"He looked like he had 6 fingers on each hand," says Peeler.
But even those sworn to serve and protect are left manning up for the cameras.
"It doesn't bother me now. I don't think there's anything to it," says Self.
http://www.wwaytv3.com/video/gotta_see_bigfoot_spotted_western_nc/06
This man saw Big Foot. I am also copying an article re this video:
CLEVELAND COUNTY, NC (WCNC-TV, CHARLOTTE) - The legend of Bigfoot is resurfacing in Western North Carolina. A man in Cleveland County says he encountered the mythic beast just last week.
Tim Peeler says he tried to call him, but thought at first he was calling coyotes, but he got something that frightened even this self proclaimed mountain man.
"This thing was 10 feet tall," said Peeler. "It had beautiful hair."
Sgt. Mark Self is a Cleveland County Deputy and says he didn't see the creature this time but remembers the stories of a Sasquatch when he was a kid.
"It was killing animals breaking into chicken houses, killing chickens," he says.
It's the same M.O. that Tim says he saw for himself: the Sasquatch going after his dogs.
"I come out here and rough talk him and run him off," he says.
Peeler got him to leave, called 911, then the creature came back!
"I said get away from here, get, get... and he went back down that path again," Peeler says.
Deputies filed a suspicious person report, and Peeler is still recalling the details.
"He looked like he had 6 fingers on each hand," says Peeler.
But even those sworn to serve and protect are left manning up for the cameras.
"It doesn't bother me now. I don't think there's anything to it," says Self.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
A sad loss for the NC Legal Profession
I had the honor of clerking for Judge Osteen after law school. You can learn more about this great man here or below:
William Lindsay Osteen
GREENSBORO � The Honorable William Lindsay Osteen, an incredibly kind, handsome, brilliant man, left us and went to be with the Lord on the ninth of August, 2009. He loved the Lord, his family, and all people.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, at First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends following the church service in the church atrium. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery
Judge Osteen is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joanne Snow Osteen. He is also survived by his three sons and their families, Judge William L. Osteen Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth Holt Osteen and their children, Anne Bennett and Bill of Greensboro; John Snow Osteen of Long Beach, California; and Robert Bennett Osteen and his wife, Jennifer Justice Osteen and their son, Chace of Charleston, South Carolina.
Bill and Joanne are grateful for our immediate family's support, love, devotion, and caring hearts. He is also survived by extended family who have been greatly caring: his brother, Major General John Luke Osteen Jr. of Brevard; his niece and her husband, Colonel and Mrs. Robert Sanders and their children, of Greer, S.C.; niece, Ann Voigt and her children, also of Greer, S.C.; and his nephew, Luke Osteen and his son, of Highlands, N.C. Additional caring relatives include Mrs. Mabel Souther Herzberg of Brevard and her children, Ruth and Fred Osteen of Brevard, Anne and Van Conn of New York; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Richardson, and Colonel and Mrs. Dan Dopp, all of Virginia.
Bill treated all people he met everywhere with great respect, always remembering their names. Bill's love for people was evident. His sense of humor was well known, with many practical jokes and humorous words. At 79 this great man still had his lifelong keen sense of humor and was an admirable and excellent husband, father and granddaddy.
Our three sons, who are Eagle Scouts, agree that their Dad embodied in his life the Boy Scout laws; he was trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
A native of Guilford County, Bill grew up on a farm on Muirs Chapel Road with his wonderful parents, Ruth Tatum Osteen and John Luke Osteen, and his brother John ("Jack"). Guilford High School and Guilford College provided education, where he was an outstanding athlete and lettered in football, basketball, baseball and golf. Between high school and college he spent two years in the United States Army and received an Honorable Discharge.
In 1956 Bill graduated from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law with an LLB and began a career in law which continued for over 50 years with the start in North Wilkesboro with the McElwee firm. In 1957 he moved back to Greensboro where he practiced law in the firm of Booth, Osteen, Fish and Adams.
In 1960 he was elected to the North Carolina State Legislature where he served two terms as Minority Leader. While in the State Legislature an outside group selected him as "Most Handsome". In 1969 Bill was appointed United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, where he served until 1973. In 1973 he returned to private practice with J. Patrick "Pat" Adams and together they founded the firm of Osteen & Adams, which grew to include the Honorable N. Carlton Tilley Jr., the Honorable Ralph A. Walker, and Bill's son, the Honorable William L. Osteen Jr.
In private practice, Bill Osteen was generally considered one of the finest criminal and civil trial attorneys in the state. While in private practice he served as a director to the Greensboro Bar Association and as a counselor to the North Carolina State Bar, where he served on the Grievance Committee. He was selected to the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Throughout his career, Bill remained interested in young lawyers and their education. He was significantly involved in both the Wake Forest and the UNC Schools of Law. He was a member of the Chief Justice Joseph Branch Inn of Court at Wake Forest. Bill Osteen's impact on the legal profession, and on attorneys in general, has been outstanding.
Many awards and recognitions have been presented to him: North Carolina Bar Association Award, Guilford College Alumni Association Award, American Inns of Court Foundation Professionalism Award, University of North Carolina School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, Judge John J. Parker Award in recognition of conspicuous service to the cause of jurisprudence in North Carolina, Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Codes of Conduct Recognition, Greensboro Bar Association Distinguished Service Award, United States Court Security Officers Certificate of Appreciation and several others.
We are grateful to our many friends and relatives who have shown us love and support, including our ministers and many friends from First Baptist Church; Greensboro and North Carolina lawyers, assistants, and judges; the court security officers and all his friends and fellow employees at the Federal Courthouse; The Fourth Street Barbers; and many judges, lawyers, and friends throughout the country.
Our family is most grateful to the dedicated doctors, nurses and support personnel at Wesley Long Cancer Center, at Wesley Long Hospital, Wake Forest Bowman Gray Hospital, and Charlotte Blumenthal Cancer Center, and the many other doctors who cared, worked, prayed for and supported Bill Osteen throughout his life, but in particular the past few years as he courageously battled cancer.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill Osteen's memory will be greatly appreciated by our family if donated to First Baptist Church of Greensboro, 1000 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, NC 27401; American Cancer Society, 4-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407; or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405.
Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Offer condolences at www. news-record.com/obituaries
William Lindsay Osteen
GREENSBORO � The Honorable William Lindsay Osteen, an incredibly kind, handsome, brilliant man, left us and went to be with the Lord on the ninth of August, 2009. He loved the Lord, his family, and all people.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, at First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends following the church service in the church atrium. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery
Judge Osteen is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 50 years, Joanne Snow Osteen. He is also survived by his three sons and their families, Judge William L. Osteen Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth Holt Osteen and their children, Anne Bennett and Bill of Greensboro; John Snow Osteen of Long Beach, California; and Robert Bennett Osteen and his wife, Jennifer Justice Osteen and their son, Chace of Charleston, South Carolina.
Bill and Joanne are grateful for our immediate family's support, love, devotion, and caring hearts. He is also survived by extended family who have been greatly caring: his brother, Major General John Luke Osteen Jr. of Brevard; his niece and her husband, Colonel and Mrs. Robert Sanders and their children, of Greer, S.C.; niece, Ann Voigt and her children, also of Greer, S.C.; and his nephew, Luke Osteen and his son, of Highlands, N.C. Additional caring relatives include Mrs. Mabel Souther Herzberg of Brevard and her children, Ruth and Fred Osteen of Brevard, Anne and Van Conn of New York; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Richardson, and Colonel and Mrs. Dan Dopp, all of Virginia.
Bill treated all people he met everywhere with great respect, always remembering their names. Bill's love for people was evident. His sense of humor was well known, with many practical jokes and humorous words. At 79 this great man still had his lifelong keen sense of humor and was an admirable and excellent husband, father and granddaddy.
Our three sons, who are Eagle Scouts, agree that their Dad embodied in his life the Boy Scout laws; he was trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
A native of Guilford County, Bill grew up on a farm on Muirs Chapel Road with his wonderful parents, Ruth Tatum Osteen and John Luke Osteen, and his brother John ("Jack"). Guilford High School and Guilford College provided education, where he was an outstanding athlete and lettered in football, basketball, baseball and golf. Between high school and college he spent two years in the United States Army and received an Honorable Discharge.
In 1956 Bill graduated from the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Law with an LLB and began a career in law which continued for over 50 years with the start in North Wilkesboro with the McElwee firm. In 1957 he moved back to Greensboro where he practiced law in the firm of Booth, Osteen, Fish and Adams.
In 1960 he was elected to the North Carolina State Legislature where he served two terms as Minority Leader. While in the State Legislature an outside group selected him as "Most Handsome". In 1969 Bill was appointed United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, where he served until 1973. In 1973 he returned to private practice with J. Patrick "Pat" Adams and together they founded the firm of Osteen & Adams, which grew to include the Honorable N. Carlton Tilley Jr., the Honorable Ralph A. Walker, and Bill's son, the Honorable William L. Osteen Jr.
In private practice, Bill Osteen was generally considered one of the finest criminal and civil trial attorneys in the state. While in private practice he served as a director to the Greensboro Bar Association and as a counselor to the North Carolina State Bar, where he served on the Grievance Committee. He was selected to the American College of Trial Lawyers.
Throughout his career, Bill remained interested in young lawyers and their education. He was significantly involved in both the Wake Forest and the UNC Schools of Law. He was a member of the Chief Justice Joseph Branch Inn of Court at Wake Forest. Bill Osteen's impact on the legal profession, and on attorneys in general, has been outstanding.
Many awards and recognitions have been presented to him: North Carolina Bar Association Award, Guilford College Alumni Association Award, American Inns of Court Foundation Professionalism Award, University of North Carolina School of Law Distinguished Alumni Award, Judge John J. Parker Award in recognition of conspicuous service to the cause of jurisprudence in North Carolina, Judicial Conference of the United States Committee on Codes of Conduct Recognition, Greensboro Bar Association Distinguished Service Award, United States Court Security Officers Certificate of Appreciation and several others.
We are grateful to our many friends and relatives who have shown us love and support, including our ministers and many friends from First Baptist Church; Greensboro and North Carolina lawyers, assistants, and judges; the court security officers and all his friends and fellow employees at the Federal Courthouse; The Fourth Street Barbers; and many judges, lawyers, and friends throughout the country.
Our family is most grateful to the dedicated doctors, nurses and support personnel at Wesley Long Cancer Center, at Wesley Long Hospital, Wake Forest Bowman Gray Hospital, and Charlotte Blumenthal Cancer Center, and the many other doctors who cared, worked, prayed for and supported Bill Osteen throughout his life, but in particular the past few years as he courageously battled cancer.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bill Osteen's memory will be greatly appreciated by our family if donated to First Baptist Church of Greensboro, 1000 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro, NC 27401; American Cancer Society, 4-A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407; or Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, 2500 Summit Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405.
Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm Funeral Home is assisting the family.
Offer condolences at www. news-record.com/obituaries
Monday, August 10, 2009
Redheads
I also learned why I have a legitimate fear of the dentist and that the outlook is not good for people with red hair.
Based on this my kids should be geniuses!
I hope this article is true - if it is, my kids will be really really smart. I was sick for 16 weeks with Jacob, and I had to get IVs with Maria. I have had to take prescription nausea meds with all three pregnancies. So if mom's sickness = smart kids, we should be golden:
Study: Morning Sickness Tied to Higher Child IQ
The Scoop: Although it can be a major nuisance for moms-to-be, morning sickness may actually make for smarter kids, according to a recent Canadian study. In an effort to understand the effect of first trimester nausea on fetal brain development, researchers followed 121 women who had contacted a pregnancy hotline. Among children (now between ages 3 and 7) born to these women, those whose mothers experienced morning sickness scored higher on certain tests of IQ, memory, and language skills, compared to those whose mothers had no symptoms of nausea or vomiting during pregnancy.
For Baby: Women in the study who reported the most severe bouts of morning sickness symptoms tended to have children with the highest test scores (this was even more pronounced if the mom also had a high IQ). According to researchers, morning sickness is most likely triggered by a rapid rise in human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and thyroxine—two hormones needed during pregnancy to grow and maintain a healthy placenta. While morning sickness is viewed by most as an unwanted side effect of pregnancy, researchers now speculate the condition is a sign of a healthy pregnancy and nourishing placenta. Other studies have linked morning sickness to lower rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm delivery.
Study: Morning Sickness Tied to Higher Child IQ
The Scoop: Although it can be a major nuisance for moms-to-be, morning sickness may actually make for smarter kids, according to a recent Canadian study. In an effort to understand the effect of first trimester nausea on fetal brain development, researchers followed 121 women who had contacted a pregnancy hotline. Among children (now between ages 3 and 7) born to these women, those whose mothers experienced morning sickness scored higher on certain tests of IQ, memory, and language skills, compared to those whose mothers had no symptoms of nausea or vomiting during pregnancy.
For Baby: Women in the study who reported the most severe bouts of morning sickness symptoms tended to have children with the highest test scores (this was even more pronounced if the mom also had a high IQ). According to researchers, morning sickness is most likely triggered by a rapid rise in human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and thyroxine—two hormones needed during pregnancy to grow and maintain a healthy placenta. While morning sickness is viewed by most as an unwanted side effect of pregnancy, researchers now speculate the condition is a sign of a healthy pregnancy and nourishing placenta. Other studies have linked morning sickness to lower rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm delivery.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Halloween
I love Halloween, so I decided to dress up this year. I got dressed while M napped. She walked in and said, "mommy, did you lose a tooth?" Then she asked, "what happened to your hair?" I think she felt sorry for me because she said I looked pretty. J said I was scary!
Below is a picture of us not dressed up and then pics from tonight:
The family downtown:
Below is a picture of us not dressed up and then pics from tonight:
The family downtown:
Monday, October 27, 2008
National Chemistry Week & Mole Day
I missed this great event - National Chemistry Week & Mole Day. I didn't even know that chemist had such a celebration! Although I am not a chemist now, I did major in Chemistry, and Chemistry will always have a special place in my heart. : )
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
I met Poverty - blog action day
Call it coincidence or simply fitting that blog action day, focusing on poverty, falls just on the heels of my return from Mexico City.
In Mexico, I met poverty face to face. I cannot express in words the impact that this trip had on me. I only know that I am different.
Upon my return, I wondered, “How do I go back to the way I was?” How do I worry about the typical middle class American issues – the election, high gas prices, whether I will get through the pile of contracts and policies that need review on my desk, whether I will get my kids into the right school, whether I will be able to retire, what will I have for dinner tonight, whether or not to buy a new tv? The answer is that I do not, in fact, I cannot go back to the way I was. I am changed. My perspective is different – my worldview has been broadened.
Despite this, I cannot live my life in guilt. Just after returning, I felt guilty for everything – for having a home, for having a toddler that “wasn’t hungry” for dinner and wasted food. I felt guilty for having an education, for being born – it seemed as if everything was luck of the draw – I was born in America, not in Mexico, thus I had the basic necessities (food, clean water), while others do not. And to make matters worse, work felt like torture. The job that I had taken pride in, and the career that I felt was centered on “making a difference” – working at a nonprofit hospital, impacting the lives of patients daily – it all seemed so irrelevant in the face of hunger, homelessness, abuse, and hopelessness.
Now, I am working through this. I am trying to find a way to continue to care, and to continue to make a difference, without losing my joy in the process. Feeling guilty and hating myself will not make the world a better place. I am trying to work through what I need to do to make a difference.
I also want to stress that I was not unaware of poverty prior to this trip. I’ve been on numerous mission trips in rural and urban areas. I’ve fed the homeless, repaired broken homes, and ministered to the sick. I’ve seen pain and suffering. I also read, I watch the news, and I am aware that there is heartache. However, something different happened to me in Mexico. I fed fruit and gave juice to a child that lived in a shopping cart. When I looked into that 2 year old’s eyes, I saw my children. When the child came to show me his toy and we tried to communicate, I saw a child that simply wanted to play. When I met the child’s parents, they, like me, were proud and did not want to accept help. However, in the mother I saw desperation when she asked if we had a diaper (the child was wearing a paper towel). There is something powerful in meeting poverty face to face – now poverty is not just a social issue, but it is a child – poverty is the people – a city full and overflowing with beautiful people that desperately reach for a glimmer of hope.
I have no answers, I only have pictures – this is my only way to share a glimpse of the poverty that I witnessed.
In Mexico, I met poverty face to face. I cannot express in words the impact that this trip had on me. I only know that I am different.
Upon my return, I wondered, “How do I go back to the way I was?” How do I worry about the typical middle class American issues – the election, high gas prices, whether I will get through the pile of contracts and policies that need review on my desk, whether I will get my kids into the right school, whether I will be able to retire, what will I have for dinner tonight, whether or not to buy a new tv? The answer is that I do not, in fact, I cannot go back to the way I was. I am changed. My perspective is different – my worldview has been broadened.
Despite this, I cannot live my life in guilt. Just after returning, I felt guilty for everything – for having a home, for having a toddler that “wasn’t hungry” for dinner and wasted food. I felt guilty for having an education, for being born – it seemed as if everything was luck of the draw – I was born in America, not in Mexico, thus I had the basic necessities (food, clean water), while others do not. And to make matters worse, work felt like torture. The job that I had taken pride in, and the career that I felt was centered on “making a difference” – working at a nonprofit hospital, impacting the lives of patients daily – it all seemed so irrelevant in the face of hunger, homelessness, abuse, and hopelessness.
Now, I am working through this. I am trying to find a way to continue to care, and to continue to make a difference, without losing my joy in the process. Feeling guilty and hating myself will not make the world a better place. I am trying to work through what I need to do to make a difference.
I also want to stress that I was not unaware of poverty prior to this trip. I’ve been on numerous mission trips in rural and urban areas. I’ve fed the homeless, repaired broken homes, and ministered to the sick. I’ve seen pain and suffering. I also read, I watch the news, and I am aware that there is heartache. However, something different happened to me in Mexico. I fed fruit and gave juice to a child that lived in a shopping cart. When I looked into that 2 year old’s eyes, I saw my children. When the child came to show me his toy and we tried to communicate, I saw a child that simply wanted to play. When I met the child’s parents, they, like me, were proud and did not want to accept help. However, in the mother I saw desperation when she asked if we had a diaper (the child was wearing a paper towel). There is something powerful in meeting poverty face to face – now poverty is not just a social issue, but it is a child – poverty is the people – a city full and overflowing with beautiful people that desperately reach for a glimmer of hope.
I have no answers, I only have pictures – this is my only way to share a glimpse of the poverty that I witnessed.
Maria's latest injury - the drama never ends
The story below is in Mike's words. I guess we should get used to the injuries and drama - it seems that these issues are just a part of having kids. But it does seem like Maria has already had her fair share of heart stopping, scary injuries!
When Maria was one she fell down our steps (13) at our house. When she was two she passed out at a Doodlebops concert because of a fever and had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Now that she is three I've been waiting for her next traumatic physical accomplishment. The wait is over.
Yesterday Jacob and Maria were busy chasing each other around the house. I warned a few times that they might want to slow down before someone gets hurt. (I sound like my mother). Finally the sounds of laughter were filled with cries of pain. I was in the next room and just casually asked the kids what happened. Maria was crying but not in a "emergency" kind of way. As she walked into the room with her hand over her mouth the first thing i noticed was the large amount of blood running down her arm. I rushed over and carried her into the bathroom. Once she saw the blood her tears and cry turned to curiosity as she casually asked me where the blood was coming from. After cleaning her up I did a quick exam and didn't really see anything out of the ordinary that would have caused that much blood. As I looked in her mouth I noticed some blood around her gums so I went to wipe it off with my finger. That is when I realized her front two top teeth were now loose.
The story I have been able to piece together from her and Jacob was as they were running she ran up and bent over our coffee table. Jacob then ran into the back of her causing her to fall face first onto the top of the table. Basically she did a face plant on our coffee table.
I called the dentist who wanted to see us first thing this morning. Her prognosis is 50/50. There is just as likely of a chance that her gums will heal up and everything will be back to normal in a few weeks as there is a chance she might lose both teeth. The dentist said everyone was different in the way they healed and we'd just have to wait and see.
So for now Maria is on a soft diet for a few days and no more thumb sucking for a few weeks. Other then that you would never know what happened. She was as wide open 5 minutes after it happened as she was 5 min before. I thinking she'll either grow up to be a stunt woman or a MMA cage fighter. She's a lot tougher then anyone else in this house.
When Maria was one she fell down our steps (13) at our house. When she was two she passed out at a Doodlebops concert because of a fever and had to be rushed to the hospital by ambulance. Now that she is three I've been waiting for her next traumatic physical accomplishment. The wait is over.
Yesterday Jacob and Maria were busy chasing each other around the house. I warned a few times that they might want to slow down before someone gets hurt. (I sound like my mother). Finally the sounds of laughter were filled with cries of pain. I was in the next room and just casually asked the kids what happened. Maria was crying but not in a "emergency" kind of way. As she walked into the room with her hand over her mouth the first thing i noticed was the large amount of blood running down her arm. I rushed over and carried her into the bathroom. Once she saw the blood her tears and cry turned to curiosity as she casually asked me where the blood was coming from. After cleaning her up I did a quick exam and didn't really see anything out of the ordinary that would have caused that much blood. As I looked in her mouth I noticed some blood around her gums so I went to wipe it off with my finger. That is when I realized her front two top teeth were now loose.
The story I have been able to piece together from her and Jacob was as they were running she ran up and bent over our coffee table. Jacob then ran into the back of her causing her to fall face first onto the top of the table. Basically she did a face plant on our coffee table.
I called the dentist who wanted to see us first thing this morning. Her prognosis is 50/50. There is just as likely of a chance that her gums will heal up and everything will be back to normal in a few weeks as there is a chance she might lose both teeth. The dentist said everyone was different in the way they healed and we'd just have to wait and see.
So for now Maria is on a soft diet for a few days and no more thumb sucking for a few weeks. Other then that you would never know what happened. She was as wide open 5 minutes after it happened as she was 5 min before. I thinking she'll either grow up to be a stunt woman or a MMA cage fighter. She's a lot tougher then anyone else in this house.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Mexico City and other information
So I know that many of you want to hear about our mission trip to Mexico City. I really want to write and share about the powerful things that happened there. However, when I returned home, I've been hit with some personal tragedies (sickness of friends, etc.) Until I can update you, check out Mike's blog . Mike is updating his blog each day detailing the activities of a day in the City.
Also, please pray for my dear sweet Anne (the kids call her their Fairy Godmother). She is very sick and in the hospital. She had a kidney transplant a year ago. Some pictures of Anne are below - I love you girl!
Also, please pray for my dear sweet Anne (the kids call her their Fairy Godmother). She is very sick and in the hospital. She had a kidney transplant a year ago. Some pictures of Anne are below - I love you girl!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bad News For Those of us that are Required to Think
My friend Julie and I often pondered why we felt the need to eat throughout the day during our federal clerkship. Although we spent some exciting time in court, a lot of our time was also spent researching, writing, and thinking. We wondered if our bodies simply needed to use all of our senses - taste, smell etc. A new article sheds some light on this.
Basically, thinking burns more calories than relaxing. However, the calorie burn is minimal - thinking only burns about 3 extra calories in 45 minutes. The really bad news is that people are likely to eat a lot more when they are thinking and involved in intellectual activity. The researchers found the following:
The scientists noticed that even though the differences in calorie expenditure were minimal, those engaged in thinking work had much larger changes in blood glucose levels during and after the session. Glucose is the main fuel for the brain and thinking may increase the brain's requirements for fuel, leading to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
The researchers guess that these fluctuations in blood sugar might trick the body into thinking it has burned more calories than it actually has, leading you to overeat.
This further emphasizes the need to exercise for those of us that are paid to think and use our brains all day.
On that note, I failed to blog a few weeks back that I reached 30,000 fitlinxx points at the Y. Mike and I have been in a race to see who can exercise the most (we make everything a competition). The YMCA has a great program where you get points for different activities. Generally, an hour long cardio workout may earn about 300 points. You also get points for doing weights on the weight equipment (points are based on machines used and total weight lifted). I am generally in a routine where I do an hour spin class 2-3 times a week, 45 minutes to an hour of pilates 1 time a week, yoga one time a week, weights 2 times a week, elliptical hiking 1 time a week and/or walking on the treadclimber.
Basically, thinking burns more calories than relaxing. However, the calorie burn is minimal - thinking only burns about 3 extra calories in 45 minutes. The really bad news is that people are likely to eat a lot more when they are thinking and involved in intellectual activity. The researchers found the following:
The scientists noticed that even though the differences in calorie expenditure were minimal, those engaged in thinking work had much larger changes in blood glucose levels during and after the session. Glucose is the main fuel for the brain and thinking may increase the brain's requirements for fuel, leading to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
The researchers guess that these fluctuations in blood sugar might trick the body into thinking it has burned more calories than it actually has, leading you to overeat.
This further emphasizes the need to exercise for those of us that are paid to think and use our brains all day.
On that note, I failed to blog a few weeks back that I reached 30,000 fitlinxx points at the Y. Mike and I have been in a race to see who can exercise the most (we make everything a competition). The YMCA has a great program where you get points for different activities. Generally, an hour long cardio workout may earn about 300 points. You also get points for doing weights on the weight equipment (points are based on machines used and total weight lifted). I am generally in a routine where I do an hour spin class 2-3 times a week, 45 minutes to an hour of pilates 1 time a week, yoga one time a week, weights 2 times a week, elliptical hiking 1 time a week and/or walking on the treadclimber.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Books that I've read
I found this on my good friend Kat's blog:
“The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.
4) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve only read 6 and force books upon them.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
I don't know how this list was compiled but I am surprised by how many I have read!
“The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Strike out the books you have no intention of ever reading, or were forced to read at school and hated.
4) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve only read 6 and force books upon them.
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
I don't know how this list was compiled but I am surprised by how many I have read!
Dave Crowder Obsession
J is obsessed! He wants to dress like Dave Crowder, sing like him, act like him, draw him, etc. He told me last night that he was wearing jeans and a shirt like DC. He asks which instrument Dave plays in each song. M also loves David Crowder and loves to sing at the top of her lungs.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
My Babies
The other night, I was sad because M is so grown up. I told her she was not a baby anymore. She smiled and told me that she would always be my baby. She has a way with feelings - she is very perceptive and knows the perfect way to tilt her head, open her eyes wide, and tell me that she loves me SOOOOO much. J warmed my heart too yesterday. After I soaked J & M with a waterhose in the backyard, J wanted to take a shower. As he showered by himself, I heard him singing at the top of his lungs - Jesus Loves Me. He then went on to sing some of his favorites by Dave Crowder - Never Let Go and La La La.
A few pictures of my babies (that aren't babies anymore).
A few pictures of my babies (that aren't babies anymore).
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Mullet Shampoo!
This may be the coolest product ever:
The description says:
Vibrant Mullet Shampoo is formulated for all mullets and rat tails. New muscle car scent.
The description says:
Vibrant Mullet Shampoo is formulated for all mullets and rat tails. New muscle car scent.
Where are the women?
I attended a legal event this week. As I looked around the room, I counted 40 lawyers in attendance. Only 4 (including me), were women. Where are the women?
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Birthday Wishes - Just Kidding - Dumb Product of the Day
I have found what I want for my birthday! (just kidding). This rules as dumb product of the day.
For only $500, you too can have a great phone with these features:
You can save up to four speed dial numbers in the bear, one in each paw, which are activated by pinching internal sensors. It vibrates and makes custom noises for incoming calls, which can be answered and finished by pressing the tail. Read more about this product here.
For only $500, you too can have a great phone with these features:
You can save up to four speed dial numbers in the bear, one in each paw, which are activated by pinching internal sensors. It vibrates and makes custom noises for incoming calls, which can be answered and finished by pressing the tail. Read more about this product here.
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