Even at 40 I learn new things!

Today's life lesson - when your cactus is falling - LET IT FALL!!!
Do not catch it!!

Where are those tweezers?

In case you didn't get the President's 4th of July email...

Email from our President -

This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let's also remember the remarkable story that led to this day.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the proposition that all of us were created equal.

Our country began as a unique experiment in liberty -- a bold, evolving quest to achieve a more perfect union. And in every generation, another courageous group of patriots has taken us one step closer to fully realizing the dream our founders enshrined on that great day.

Today, all Americans have a hard-fought birthright to a freedom which enables each of us, no matter our views or background, to help set our nation's course. America's greatness has always depended on her citizens embracing that freedom -- and fulfilling the duty that comes with it.

As free people, we must each take the challenges and opportunities that face this nation as our own. As long as some Americans still must struggle, none of us can be fully content. And as America comes ever closer to achieving the perfect Union our founders dreamed, that triumph -- that pride -- belongs to all of us.

So today is a day to reflect on our independence, and the sacrifice of our troops standing in harm's way to preserve and protect it. It is a day to celebrate all that America is. And today is a time to aspire toward all we can still become.

With very best wishes,

President Barack Obama

July 4th, 2009

P.S. -- Our nation's birthday is also an ideal time to consider serving in your local community. You can find many great ideas for service opportunities near you at http://www.serve.gov.

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July. Happy Birthday America. My fourth was quite shitty, literally - I stepped in dog crap at my girlfriends wonderful party so I took off my flip flop and I was good. Then I stepped in another landmine and guess what, um no shoe on - squish. And it got on my pants cuff, gross. So I had to borrow pants and flops. Man. The rest of the party and fireworks was fine.

When I got home however there was a huge dead bluejay on my welcome mat. Welcome my ass. I screamed like a girl, for lack of a better expression, three times. I had almost stepped on that, that goodness I didn't. Damn cat, what the hell that pisses me off. The natural cycle is not excuse either because she didn't eat it. I guess it was a present but I could have lived without it. I hope all of this wasn't a bad omen, and the blue jay on the mat hasn't but a pox on my house!

I did get to see my ex-fiance and that went well, and someone I loved and haven't seen in ten years. And I was so proud and happy. So I am blessed for that and shit on every other way.

I hope everyone's fourth wasn't as crappy as mine! My jeans are soaking in the sink, off to the laundrymat tomorrow... Good night.

Wow it's been a whole month, sorry... Cookie Alert!

If you've seen me in person you may be able to tell by my stylish physical form, hee hee, that YES I am on Nestle tollhouse's email list. Of course! In case you aren't I wanted every one to know that they are recalling their refrigerated cookie dough because of e-coli. This stuff is so great for moms. Everyone thinks you baked all day but you didn't. Here is a copy of what they emailed to me:

We want to keep you informed of the latest information regarding the situation with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough. Nestlé continues to work closely and in full cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its ongoing investigation. Unfortunately, on Monday, June 29, Nestlé was informed by the FDA that it confirmed evidence of E. coli 0157:H7 in a sample of our refrigerated cookie dough (for more details please see our press release on www.VeryBestBaking.com). We are very concerned about those who have become ill from E. coli, and deeply regret that this has occurred.

Nestlé was first made aware of the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) investigation late Wednesday, June 17. Less than 24 hours later, we made the decision to voluntarily withdraw all of our retail NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough from the marketplace because the safety of our customers has always been and will continue to be our number one priority. We announced the voluntary recall on Friday morning, June 19.

As we have stated before, you can rest assured that no other NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® products are impacted, including already baked NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® cookies purchased outside the home, all varieties of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® morsels, chocolate baking bars, or cocoa, and Dreyer's and Edy's ice cream products with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® cookie dough ingredients.

We are asking that if you have any unused NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® refrigerated cookie dough at home that you return it to your local grocer for a refund. I would also like to ask you for your support by helping us spread the word to your friends and family and remind them that raw cookie dough should not be eaten.

Please visit VeryBestBaking.com for regular updates or contact Nestlé Consumer Services with questions at 1-800-559-5025. I will continue to send you updates as we learn more.

*Did you see that they don't want you eating raw cookie dough. I say well then don't make it, because it is delicious! Although now that I have matured, a little tiny bit, I do not take a spoon to the whole raw roll and eat it anymore! Ha ha, those were the days.

I have taken my stand for the cookie, don't abandon the toll house, just make your own!

Why do they even ask us?

My daughter is on PBS kids, “Mom, what is another name for a puma a mountain lion or a lynx?”

“I don’t know honey, it could be either one, they are all similar. I think it is the lynx...”

“...Okay I got it right. It’s a mountain lion Mom.”

“Well, didn’t you get it wrong because you put in lynx like I just told you?"

“No Mom, if I listened to you I would have been wrong, I put in mountain lion.”

-Why does she ask when she is clearly so much smarter! Ha Ha

12 POUNDS DOWN!!!!

Did I already tell you? Yay. I want to take out a full page ad in the paper, but alas I am too frugal to waste my dough.

Diet tip: At almost 200 calories for one serving (1/2 cup) of Ben & Jerry’s low fat frozen yogurt, you could get the same serving of Breyer’s ice cream for 70 less calories.

I say eat two Tablespoons of the real stuff. My new love, the teeny tiny Haagen Daz ice-cream cups, they are 16 grams of fat. I eat half. It is only a few bite, but those few bites are heavenly.

My new goal to lose 12 more pounds without giving up ice-cream. Hee Hee

Turbo Jam is Jammin'

I have started exercising again, and I am hopeing for better results this time than the jogging last summer and fall, and better results than The Gazelle this winter. Which I sold! I have finally found an exercise program that I like. I purchased the Turbo Jam DVD's and they are incredible. I HAVE FINALLY FOUND AN EXERCISE PROGRAM THAT I LOVE, CAN TOLERATE, WELL CAN GET MYSELF TO DO EVERYDAY! And that is a miracle. I just got her new DVD Punch, Kick, Jam and that is even better than the first set. You wear weighted gloves in that one.

When I was in high school I was thrown out of a Jazzercise class for not trying and insulting the teacher. The sad thing was that I really, really was trying. I don't know, they were going right I was going left, they were up, I was down. So it is not my age, I am not too coordinated from birth. The nice thing with this video is I can keep up. It took a couple days to get each of the routines, but I was sweating my butt off (literally) trying!

I recommend this exercise program to people who don't like to exercise like me. For someone who can't lose weight, or hasn't been about to since I had my thyroid removed a year and a half ago, I have lost 12 pounds. Yes twelve! I have also lost five inches from my waist since 4/8/09. Yeah 5 isn't that insane. I'm not walking around in half shirts yet, and I have a long way to go but feel like I have pushed over the retaining wall or something, and if I eat too much one day I add an extra workout. I take one day a week off, and feel great! Whoo Hoo, I even have more energy.

Now I am going to working on sleeping 7 or 8 hours a day, which is hard but may help my weight loss too.

Go out and get your Turbo Jam with Chalene Johnson and have fun and tone up!

Fishing Update

Well - I have shattered my fly rod. I don't know how. I was trying to imitate Robert Redford in A River Runs Through It, in a fast river on a very windy day. The pole separates into section and right above where the bottom section slides in the pole cracked and split. It is weird because it didn't split in half like you would think but it got lots of splits up and down. I wonder if I didn't have it in tight enough... Usually Shakespeare makes good products.

I think this year we may have to stick to regular rods and reels and try fly fishing at a later time. The kids flypole set was $79.99 at Walmart, and if I need a new pole too, it's going to be too much. Next year after we buy a house, we will definitely try fly fishing. I still want to get big rubber boots so we can stand in the river though. I'll go in barefoot or in little sneakers and my girl will wear her water shoes, the bottom is too icky for her without htem. But that is in like July, when the water finally warms up from all of the snow meltoff from the northern mountains.

Happy Fishing!

Happy Mother's Day Mothers!

My mother's day was fantastic, my mother was even visiting for the weekend! We all went to brunch. It was fun. I love being a mom, I think Mother's Day is my new favorite holiday. Well, besides my birthday of course, which I think should be a national holiday and last a week! The older your kids get the better it is. My daughter hid a card under my pillow, made me a cool black, grey, and white graphic picture. Yes, laminated, thank you to Mrs. W. She made me an awesome T-shirt at Michael's arts and crafts. They had something each night last week for kids to make things for their moms. She also made me a coupon book, one night without dishes, hugs, and a breakfast in bed. I'm using my breakfast in bed next Saturday, for sure!

I hope all of the moms of the world had a wonderful day full of love too!