Jane Austen and Kitchen Villains?

The above image was found here.

What do Jane Austen and kitchen villains have in common? Not a thing. I am combining them today anyway.

You should check out a new blog I found. This one is called "Kitchen Table Medicine".

"Who do you think the top enemies of the kitchen table are? Alcohol? Caffeine? Oh no! Those are just the small time crooks of the kitchen table. When enjoyed in moderation caffeine and alcohol are welcome at the kitchen table as a normal part of human socializing. So let’s talk about the REAL bad guys that should never be invited to join you at family dinner time."

You can go click on the following link to enjoy reading all of this post.

After checking out the oh-so-serious post above (wink, wink) all of you Ladies need to go over here and find out what Jane Austen hero you are.

If that is not enough for you today, I give you. The Bloggers Prayer...

The Bloggers Prayer

Lord help me to learn to spell without spellcheck, manage to visit all that visit me, and post regularly - all in 5 minutes a day, so that I can clean house and take care of my family.

Help me to not look at every occurrence in my life as a blog post, and to quit taking pictures of weird things to share as well.

Please Lord, help me to stop talking about my blog friends as though they are next door neighbors or someone I have known all of my life.

And help me dear Lord, to think of something witty and wise to post tomorrow.

The Dust Bunny Hostage

Losing the Right To Disagree?

Image source : How Stuff Works
"A pioneering expert on hurricane forecasting says he may soon lose funding due to his skepticism about man-made global warming, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.

Dr. William Gray, who once said that pro-global warming scientists are "brainwashing our children," claims that Colorado State University will no longer promote his yearly North Atlantic hurricane forecasts due to his controversial views.

Gray complained in a memo to the head of Colorado State’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences that "this is obviously a flimsy excuse and seems to me to be a cover for the Department's capitulation to the desires of some (in their own interest) who want to reign [sic] in my global warming and global warming-hurricane criticisms," the Chronicle reports. "
To read the rest of this article, click here.

Have You Seen It?

Have you seen the movie, "EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed" yet? If not, why? You really do need to see it. When we were done watching at our theater everyone applauded! Read the following and then find out when the movie is playing in your area. Be sure to leave us a comment on what YOU thought of the movie.

I found the following article here at Soo Today.Com

Set to open on 1,000 screens April 18, Ben Stein's Expelled stirs major controversy

"The battle over evolution is only one skirmish in a much larger war." - Oxford professor Richard Dawkins, in 'Expelled'

LOS ANGELES, April 16 - Even before its April 18 release nationwide, Ben Stein's movie, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed has triggered heated reactions from both sides of the debate between religion and science.

Atheists are "crashing" Expelled screenings and conference calls; critics are slamming it; and leaders are raving about it.

One organization is urging theaters to reject the film, while another is holding a movie marathon for all 15 Expelled showings at their theater.

And Expelled screenings for legislators in Florida and Missouri are causing political firestorms and driving "Academic Freedom" bills that challenge Darwinism.

The controversy has made Expelled one of the most talked about movies of 2008:

- The Expelled controversy was rated #1 blog on the Internet (3/24/08)

- "Expelled rated #6 on Yahoo's "Top Searches" (4/8/08)

- Expelled made the front cover of the New York Times (10/27/07)

- Nearly 2 million visitors have come to the Expelled movie site recently

"The reaction to Expelled is threatening to ignite a new cold war between religion and science -- and the implications are enormous," says executive producer Logan Craft. "The atheists are going ballistic over our little movie. I want to remind them: It's just a movie. Relax!"

Early pre-screenings of the film have been met with both rave reviews and harsh criticisms.

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh called it "powerful" and "fabulous" while critic Roger Friedman called it "sloppy" and "not just a little boring."

The Orlando Sentinel's Roger Moore said "it's not particularly funny," while MovieGuide called it "wry, funny, and well crafted."

And in the blogosphere where EXPELLED is creating the most buzz, bloggers like Bryan Swaggerty are calling Ben Stein "an idiot," while others like John Villareal are praising Stein as "a genius."

"It's amazing to see the totally opposite reactions to ,Expelled," said Logan Craft. "At most of our pre-screenings, audiences are giving standing ovations. But others are calling it pathetic. We think it has more to do with one's worldview, than with the film itself."

According to one prominent U.S. movie theater chain, people are even sending emails to boycott Expelled.

An email which the theater chain forwarded to the producers of Expelled read, "I urge the management of this theater company to consider rejecting the highly controversial film EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed ... [as it] undermines science in our nation's schools."

"This is the first time since Passion of the Christ that we've become really engaged," said pastor Jerry Johnston of First Family Church in Kansas City, who is hosting multiple screenings of Expelled.

"We think the debate about the origin of life isn't settled yet, despite what's being taught in our public schools. This is more than a movie, it's a cause," said Johnston, who will explore the topic in a four-week sermon series in conjunction with the release of Expelled.

Similarly, the Association of Christian Schools International has urged its thousands of member schools to use Expelled as a springboard for discussion.

"Many of our atheist friends are deeply angered by our film and we can't figure out why," noted producer Walt Ruloff. "This is America and we should all be ready for a little debate. My hope is that instead of trying to shut down the movie, they'll join the debate. Let the conversation begin."

Helpful Grocery Shopping Tip

Busy today but found a little something to share. I thought this was a good idea. Check out this helpful tip.

Are You Bitter?

The photo above came from here.
...You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. So it's not surprising then that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations. ~Obama

The comments above by Obama have absolutely infuriated me, what about you?

Then I read this and had to share. This is a small part of the article. To read the whole thing just click on the link below.

....absolutely everything you need to know about Barack Obama happened last week, and I've read a lot of people, you know, their comments: "He's an elitist. Oh, he doesn't understand God, he doesn't understand religion. Oh, we're not bitter....

You know who else was clinging to religion? You know who else was clinging to their guns? Oh, those bitter founding fathers. Oh, I hate them. They're so bitter. No, they weren't. They were pissed off at the king but they weren't bitter. They were bitter maybe at George: "Hey, what's up with that?" But they were not unhappy people. They were inspired people. They were people with great hope because of their religion. Not because they were clinging to it. Not because they ran to it. It was who they were. It is why they left everything to come here. They didn't hope for change. They changed it. That's what they did. People who hope for change, you're on your own, man. You'll be hoping all you want. You hope for something, what you're creating is hope. I mean, the hope that something will change. Not the change. I don't need the hope. I got hope. I need change. And the last people I depend on for change are the weasels in Washington. This might explain Obama's understanding of religion. Why would people go to a Marxist faith, a Marxist theology?.......

Read the rest of this here.

Then I found the following at another blog.....

Obama informed the San Francisco plutocrats that these crazy working-class people are so bitter, they actually believe in God! And not just the 12-step meeting, higher power, “as you conceive him or her to be” kind of God. The regular, old-fashioned, almighty sort of “God.” ....The rich liberals must have nearly fainted at the revelation that the denizens of small towns in Pennsylvania have absolutely no concern for the rich’s ability to acquire servants from Mexico at a reasonable price.

We don’t know much about Obama’s audience, other than that four fundraisers were held on April 6 at the homes of San Francisco’s rich and mighty, such as Alex Mehran, an Iranian who went into daddy’s business and married an IBM heiress, and Gordon Getty, heir to the Getty Oil fortune.

It is not known whether any of Getty’s three illegitimate children attended the Obama fundraiser — which turned out to be more of a McCain fundraiser — but photos from the event indicate that there were a fair number of armed (and presumably bitter) policemen providing security for the billionaire’s soiree.....

For the rest of this article click here.

New Look, New Name, New Links!

I have been struggling with the name of my blog for some time. The first title was supposed to be temporary and later I adjusted it. I finally came up with something that makes me happy. Be sure to read the top of my blog for the definition of my new title. Let me know if you like it or not.

With a new blog name I thought a new look would be fun! I hope you like it.

Now for some great new links. I found these recently and thought they were a lot of fun.

Be sure to check out

You Look Fab for increasing your style quotient

Dinner Tonight for help deciding what to make for supper,

and my new personal favorite, Mrs. Fussy Pants where her motto is one I want, "We Can't Both Look Good, It's Me Or The House!"

My favorite part of that last blog is her "Fight the Frump With Fussy" that she does on Fridays. Scroll down to that and then there are many links you can click on to see what others are doing to "Fight the Frump"!

Expelled, No Intelligence Allowed-UPDATED

Just wanted you to know I went to see this over the weekend. It was AWESOME! Everyone should see it. Feel free to leave comments below.

"This movie will be a travesty. It will not make money. It will be ridiculed everywhere. This will go down as Ben Stein's folly. Why don't you read a biology book instead of pandering to the right-wing nutjobs?"-Nathan Daniels

"It's (EXPELLED) going to appeal strongly to the religious, the paranoid, the conspiracy theorists, and the ignorant –– which means they're going to draw in about 90% of the American market."
-Atheist blogger and fabulist PZ Myers, on a film he has not yet seen.

Wow! Those are some very interesting quotes. Interesting that the "religious" are thrown right in with the paranoid and ignorant. If I have faith that this world and everything in it was created by God that puts me right up there with nutjobs, paranoid, and the ignorant? Funny, last I checked the "religious" far out number the rest of them.

I have an idea! Let's all go see this movie. It is supposed to open in 1000 theaters. This will surpass Farenheit 9/11,”(debuted on 868 screens) and“An Inconvenient Truth" (opened on four screens despite all the hype, peaking at 587 before it fizzled).

Their website says this about the movie,

"Expelled” calls attention to the plight of highly credentialed scholars who have been forced out of prestigious academic positions because they proposed Intelligent Design as a possible alternative to Charles Darwin’s 150-year-old theories about the origins of life. Instead of entertaining a debate on the merits of competing theories, the scientific establishment has moved to suppress the ID movement in a “systematic and ruthless” way at odds with America’s founding principles, the film asserts.

Liberals have been going ape about “Expelled” for months as it has been screened around the country"

Watch a short trailer by clicking HERE.

Let's go see the movie. Leave me a comment to let us know what you thought of it.

Just To Make You Laugh-Hot Pockets!

If you love them or hate them you will love hearing this little comedy routine on "Hot Pockets".

Crude Coverage

Isn't that a cool picture? I found it at the 2nd link at the bottom of this blog post.

Media ignore OPEC’s control of oil market when covering America’s pain at the pump.

By Nathan Burchfiel

The media are awash with historical flashbacks. Is this the worst economy since the Great Depression? Or is it a repeat of ’70s-era financial woes? For the most part, the comparisons have been less than accurate. But there’s one the media have missed: an old villain from the ’70s causing Americans grief over oil and gas.

Oil prices have soared to more than $100 a barrel and journalists are looking for someone to blame for Americans’ “pain at the pump.” They call “Big Oil” “thieves” and accuse them of reaping “excessive profits” driven by “greed.” But the networks ignore one of the big causes of high gas prices – the hostile leaders of the world oil cartel – the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The American people “know that companies like Shell are posting record profits,” NBC’s Meredith Vieira said to Shell Oil Company President John Hofmeister on the “Today” Show May 14, 2007. “Now, it may not be fair, it may not be right, but there is a perception out there in the country among certain consumers that the oil companies are a bunch of thieves, that you’re ripping people off.”

Vieira wasn’t alone in her thinly veiled hostility toward oil companies.

In an interview with Hofmeister Nov. 14, 2007, ABC “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts suggested that “in an economy when people are truly struggling to try and make ends meet, could you cut back a bit on your profit?” Roberts also criticized Shell’s investment strategies, asking if the company invests “enough” into finding alternative fuels.

Despite economists’ reminders that supply and demand are at work – that oil companies don’t set gas prices – the networks have hammered away at that point. But Roberts wasn’t urging OPEC leaders to “cut back a bit” on their profits.

In fact, network reporters covered oil companies’ profits 14 times as often as they covered the profits of OPEC – an actual cartel that controls supply and directly affects prices, according to experts like Ariel Cohen, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation who wrote in June 2005 that OPEC “facilitates” high oil prices.

Many Americans still remember the cartel’s embargo against the United States in 1973. It caused record prices at the pump and led to gasoline rationing and long lines at service stations. Record prices have returned, but journalists now depict OPEC as a market follower instead of a market manipulator.

In the last year, OPEC has increased production by only fewer than 3 million barrels per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, while the per-barrel price of oil has doubled. Increasing production would lower the cost of crude oil by increasing supply to meet demand.

Members like Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez have admitted wanting to use anti-market practices to keep oil prices high to hurt the U.S. economy.

The rest of this very interesting article can be found by clicking HERE.

Now at leastm if we are mad we know who to be mad at. :-)

Another interesting article about what oil is (great for explainging to children) can be found HERE.

(Be sure to skip the part about it taking hundreds of millions of years for this process to happen-not true. )

Natural Reader

I haven't tried this yet but it looks like a really good thing. I am planning to download the free version of Natural Reader. It will read text out loud to you. You can pay for a version that gives you more natural sounding voices too also. This would be great for younger children or someone with reading issues.

Homeschool Curriculum Show & Tell-Science

I wanted to start sharing about homeschool curriculum or aids that we have used and enjoyed. It is kind of a blog show and tell.

Today, I want to share about Apologia Science. We have used it for several years for my oldest and 1 year for my youngest.

To find out more go the Apologia web site.

We are using the one on Astronomy this year. That is the photo above. It is really good. It has had some interesting and easy experiments. It says this is for up to 6th grade but I think it can be used for 7th grade also. You can also get Botany, Flying Creatures Of The Fifth Day, Swimming Creatures Of The Fifth Day, & Land Animals Of The Sixth Day.

My oldest has done General Science, Physical Science, and we are currently using Biology this year. So far my oldest has done a dissection on a worm and on a crayfish. Next up is a fish and a big juicy frog. Not looking forward to that last one, as you can imagine. You can order the specimens and the dissection kit from their website. That makes it easy & convenient. However, I found a better deal over here at Homeschool Science Tools . The main reason I went here was because the shipping was less and faster. My daughter was doing the dissections with a friend so we split the cost too.

Now I want to tell you the reasons why I like Apologia so much.

1. Most importantly it it written by a Christian that believes God created the world and that it wasn't just some big random bang. He does not teach evolution and explains the scientific errors in this way of thinking. He doesn't just believe it but has facts to back up the things he says. (Yes, he is a great teacher and a great scientist.)


2. I love that you can order the text book, or the CD or both. We have always ordered the CD. That means that all the work is done at the computer unless you want to print it out. That is not a problem at our house. If that won't work for you then the text book is the way to go or get both.


3. If you have the CD you can watch educational videos when the teacher wants to demonstrate or give you an example.


4. If you have the CD, technical words are pronounced for the student.

Click here to read the frequently asked questions.

If you are interested in this let me explain something to you. They have a CD with the full course on it. They also have a companion CD. That is NOT the full course. The full course is around $65. The companion CD is around $15. Don't want you to think you have gotten some kind of fabulous deal for the full course at $15. The website explains the companion CD this way....."It contains pronunciations for the technical words in the course, animations used to explain some of the more difficult concepts in the course, and videos of experiments that the student would not be able to do on his or her own." The full course has all of these things in addition to the text and more.

If you think you may want to try it or you know you want to try it leave me a comment. Also, be sure to let us know what you think after you have tried it.

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s

I don't think I can do all of these things but I am trying to do as many as possible. I think that is where good health starts. Make the changes you can make. Do a little bit at a time. It took us our life time to get into the unhealthy habits so it may take a while to get out.






In last year’s Alzheimer’s Facts and Figures Report, the number of Americans stricken with the disease was 5.1 million. This year’s report brings us up to 5.2 million, including some 200,000 to 250,000 people under the age 65 who are inexplicably stricken with so-called “early-onset Alzheimer’s.”

By 2050, the report estimates that a full 10 million U.S. “baby boomers” will have come down with Alzheimer’s, which translates to 1 out of 8!

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s (information for this was here)

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your chances of getting Alzheimer’s. These simple lifestyle changes can help keep your brain in optimal working order well past your 60’s.

Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of vegetables...and pay special attention to avoiding sugar

Eat plenty of high-quality omega-3 krill oil or fish oil. Avoid most fish (high in omega-3, but often contaminated with mercury)

Avoid and remove mercury from your body. Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury, however you should be healthy prior to having them removed...You can find a biological dentist to have your amalgams removed.

Be careful as you could be jumping from the frying pan into the fire like I did if you see a conventional dentist to do the exchange. ONLY see a high quality biologically trained dentist or your health could get ruined.

Avoid aluminum, such as in antiperspirants, cookware, etc.

Exercise for three to five hours per week. According to one study, the odds of developing Alzheimer's were nearly quadrupled in people who were less active during their leisure time, between the ages of 20 and 60, compared with their peers.

Avoid flu vaccinations as they contain both mercury and aluminum!

Wild blueberries, which have high anthocyanin and antioxidant content are known to guard against Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases.

Challenge your mind daily. Mental stimulation, such as traveling, learning to play an instrument or doing crossword puzzles, is associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer's. Researchers suspect that mental challenge helps to build up your brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease.

A New Earth?

I don't want any part of this 'new earth'.

Make sure your sound is turned up.

It is hard to even know what to say about this. There is so much to say I don't know where to begin. I guess you should just watch it for yourself. Everyone needs to see this video. This is too important to miss. The world is changing and Christians need to be praying and need to stay informed. If you think this is made up just go to the website. It is not hidden. I can hardly believe this is treated as a "normal" thing on the web site.

Changing Blog Title & Quote

In case you noticed and were wondering. I discovered another blog that had the same name as mine. Just thinking a quick change might make it more unique.

Since this is a pretty short post I thought I would include a quote I just saw.

Sin is the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power, and the contempt of His love.

-John Bunyan

Ouch! That really puts those pesky "little sins" in their place doesn't it? Changes the whole meaning of it's just a little white lie, too. I wonder if we read and thought about this every day if we would live our lives in a different way.

Sunbathing Cuts Cancer Risk in Half

Now that it is Spring I am thinking of sun shine. I have done a lot of research on this topic and found many other sources that back this article up. This isn't the only kind of cancer that could be listed here either.

Exposure to sunlight may reduce your risk of advanced breast cancer, according to new research from Stanford University.

The study followed 4,000 women between the ages of 35 and 79, and evaluated the effects of long-term sun exposure. Women with a light skin color who had high sun exposure had half the risk of developing advanced breast cancer (cancer that has spread beyond the breast) as women with low sun exposure.

High sun exposure was defined as having dark skin on your forehead, since your forehead is typically exposed to the sun often.

Sun exposure may work to prevent cancer because it increases the levels of vitamin D in your body. While you can get some vitamin D from your diet, up to 90 percent comes from your exposure to sunlight.

The above article can be found here.

Go here to find a way to get what you need during the winter, inside.

Need Some Help Getting In All Those Fruits & Veggies?

I thought this article was extremely helpful. I found it here. Let me know what you think. Is it helpful to you at all? (I have added a few comments in red.)

Getting the recommended 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables daily will go a long way toward your quota of antioxidants and other nutrients. You don’t have to munch carrots and raw broccoli from dawn to dusk, but you do need to start thinking about fruits and veggies long before dinner. Four and a half cups – equal to nine servings – may sound like a lot, but don’t throw in the dishtowel yet. Here are 40 easy ways to boost your antioxidant intake.

Start Early

1. A small glass of 100% fruit juice is the perfect energizing start to your day. Vary your juices to balance your nutrient intake. Try the usual orange and grapefruit juice and the not-so-usual pomegranate and blueberry. I have been doing this. I mix pomegranate juice (2 oz.) grape juice.

2. Top eggs with your favorite store-bought salsa. I love to top my fried eggs with sauteed onions! My Dad will be SO surprised!

3. Add sautéed mushrooms, onions, red and yellow bell peppers, or tomatoes to omelets.

4. Slice peaches, bananas, strawberries, or other fresh fruit onto your cereal. Bananas on Grape Nuts! Yummy!

5. Mix dried cranberries or raisins into your oatmeal.

6. Toss frozen fruit, low-fat yogurt and nutmeg or sweetener in a blender for a quick out-the-door breakfast smoothie. Smoothies are great with yogurt, a banana, and any other fruit to throw in. My girls always want me to add some peanut butter though! I also add powdered flax seed and olive oil. So good for you and a small amount will never be noticed.

Punch Up Your Cooking

7. Thread some pineapple, nectarines, bell peppers, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes in with your chicken or steak kabobs.

8. Add canned or frozen vegetables to soups.

9. Build your own veggie pizza. Top a plain cheese pie with spinach, fresh herbs like basil and tarragon, bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, or small pineapple cubes.

10. Use spaghetti squash in place of pasta.

11. Add zucchini, green beans or eggplant to your favorite jarred spaghetti sauce.

12. Pack pasta and potato salads with extra veggies. Be colorful and toss in broccoli, red bell peppers, carrots, and purple onion.

13. Perk up a dull green salad with nuts, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, pomegranate seeds, apple slices, red beans, or jarred artichokes. I have recently tried the cranberries and that was great! Thanks for the idea Beverly! Raisins are good too...and some sunflower seeds.

14. One to two days a week, wash, chop and separate raw veggies into plastic bags. You’ll have carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, celery, zucchini, and more antioxidant-packed foods readily available to toss into salads or add to casseroles.

15. Sneak in some extra beans. For example, thicken traditional chili or a favorite soup with a can of mashed white beans. No one will know they’re there. This could work. My bean hating daughters might never know.

16. Top nachos with kidney beans.

17. Mix apples, grapes and walnuts in your chicken salad. Try white beans and diced carrots in tuna salad.

18. Add fresh herbs to salads. When using them in hot food, add them toward the end of cooking.
19. Learn to cook with the most antioxidant-rich herbs and spices: ground clove, dried oregano, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, turmeric powder, dried basil, ground mustard seed, curry powder, paprika, and chili powder.

Snacks

20. Put individual servings of grapes, cherries or raw veggies into small plastic bags. Keep them at eye level in the refrigerator, not tucked behind the leftover takeout. Grabbing a high-fiber, antioxidant-packed snack should be as easy as grabbing a bag of chips. I am hoping Sun Chips count as something good too.

21. Mix berries and nuts into nonfat yogurt.

22. Keep an old breath mint tin filled with nuts. Pull it out when you’re stuck in traffic and in need of an energy boost. This is a great idea! I always hate throwing out those tins so this could work.

23. Add a variety of dried fruit to trail mix. Making your own granola is easy and good too. Then you can add all the things you want. It makes a wonderful breakfast cereal. My girls LOVE it!

Out and About
24. In restaurants, start your meal with a vegetable or bean soup or a colorful mixed salad. I have been working on this one and doing pretty well. I like salads so it is not a problem for me.

25. Swap French fries for a side salad or steamed vegetables. Now this one is a bit harder! I do love fries!

26. Ask for extra veggies on sandwiches.

27. Bring five pieces of fruit to work every Monday for a different snack each day of the week.

28. If you’re unexpectedly out at lunchtime, run by the grocery store instead of the drive-through. Pick up a prepared salad and piece of fruit. I know this is probably a good idea. However, when I see those salads at the store they always look SO pitiful and not really nutritious with all that ice berg lettuce.

Sip Your Antioxidants

29. Drink brewed black or green tea. Tea is our best source of a class of compounds called catechins, which are potent antioxidants. Green tea contains three times the catechins as black tea. Brew it up at home; bottled tea doesn’t offer the same health benefits. I saw what looks like a good recipe for making Green Tea Soda, just today. You can see it here.

30. Sip on vegetable juice, plain or with some hot sauce for extra kick.

31. Spice up your hot tea with antioxidant-rich ground cloves and cinnamon.

32. Enjoy a glass of red wine. Moderate drinking is linked with reduced rates of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Some scientists credit the antioxidant resveratrol for these positive effects. Moderate drinking is defined as no more than one drink per day for women, two per day for men.

33. Have a mug of brewed coffee as your early morning or midday energizer. Be careful what you put in it, though. Those lattes and mochas can turn coffee into a sugar and fat fest. Bummer, that is the way I like my coffee....basically, when you can't even tell it is coffee any more.

34. Opt for one of these antioxidant-rich juices: grape, pomegranate, cranberry, pineapple, and orange. Or mix and match them for your own unique blend.

Sweet Treats

35. Skewer some fresh berries, grapes and peach slices for a fun dessert.

36. Top ice cream with berries or pomegranate seeds.

37. Freeze fresh grapes for a delicious, all-natural frozen dessert. My girls really like this one.

38. For a sophisticated dessert that does antioxidant double duty, dip strawberries, pineapple cubes, and sliced apples and bananas into a dark chocolate fondue. Oh my! Yummy!

39. Make ice-pops from any 100% fruit juice. We have done this in the past. The girls really liked it and I felt much better about giving it to them.

40. Indulge in small amounts of dark chocolate or cocoa without guilt. Like tea, chocolate and cocoa contain catechins. Research suggests that they may help prevent the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, thus improving your risk for cardiovascular disease. Chocolate! Yippee!!!

I thought this was a great article. What do you think? Do you have any more tips?

Trade In Horoscopes For A Birth Verse!

My wonderful friend Sherry sent this to me. It is pretty neat. Thanks Sherry!

You know, many people pay a lot of attention to their horoscope. As a Christian, we trust in Jesus to plan and reveal to us our future. Looking into HIS word is so much better.

This is a fun website. Click here to find YOUR birth verse. I was really happy with mine.

You can also purchase jewelry displaying your birthverse by clicking here. That is also the location for the above photo.

Easter Is On Its Way!

Found this today. In light of Easter being so close I thought it was a perfect thing to look at. I don't know anything about this website other than the page I am linking to. However, I thought the pictures on this page were great and really tell the story. What do you think?

TRUE AMERICAN

I love this!

TRUE AMERICAN

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: It never occurred to you to be offended by the phrase, "One nation, under God."

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You've never protested about seeing the 10 Commandments posted in public places.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You still say "Christmas" instead of "Winter Festival."

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You bow your head when someone prays.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You stand and place your hand over your heart when they play the National Anthem.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect, and always have.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You've never burned an American flag.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You know what you believe and you aren't afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You respect your elders and expect your kids to do the same.

You might be a TRUE AMERICAN if: You'd give your last dollar to a friend.
God Bless the U S A ! Amen

Cute-ness To Share!

Just a little (actually, a lot) of cute-ness to share with you. This reminds me a lot of my oldest daughter when she was little.

A Homeschool Buyers Co-op?

I am so excited about this. I discovered the greatest thing for homeschoolers. This is a co-op. They are trying to grow to have enough buying power as schools. You must go visit this website. Homeschoolers click here! I am thinking of doing this offer.

If you have this or have heard stuff about it, please comment, and let me know.

Below is just a poem I really like. Hope you like it too.

My Reason For Homeschooling By Anita Doran

I want to be
the special potter,
Who molds and shapes my little daughter.
To keep her
closely to my side,
To teach her why Jesus died.

I think that she is
doing great,
Especially since she’s only eight.
She shops, she bakes,
she mops the floor,
Has two cats she’s responsible for.

She can read
a product label
To see if it’s fit for our table.
I teach her all about
life, you see,
As she tags along with me.

And no matter where we
roam,
We keep on learning, just like home.
We add a little mystery,
By learning the state’s history.

Although she reads and writes and
sings,
She’s learning more important things.
Like love and kindness and
God’s word,
How to be humble, yet still be heard.

Sure it’s hard and
I have my doubts,
“Am I doing this right?” “How will she turn out?”
And
my house gets such a mess!
Too many papers strewn, I guess.

Sometimes frustration rears its head,
She didn’t do what I said.
Yet, all in all, it is a charm,
To have my daughter on my arm.

If I ever have a doubt,
I get our big old Bible out.
In the
book, I always see
That this is how it’s meant to be.

Side be side,
day by day,
Teaching her the Godly way.

Are You Really An Adult?

Here is an interesting little guide. How do you rate? How do your teenagers rate? As I was telling my teen age daughter last night, our job as parents is to teach them how to rely on themselves. How are we doing? I am sure we all have room for improvement. However, using this as a gauge for our current society I think we are sadly lacking in adults in this country.

Diane Dumas and Robert Epstein reviewed academic literature, interviewed adults, and consulted with professionals before concluding that there are 14 different "competencies" that distinguish adults from non-adults:

Love. Adults know the difference between sex and love and know what it means to experience love.

S*x. Adults know about making babies, about self-control, about being pure.

Leadership. Adults know how to act as leaders of others adults, of children, of pets.

Problem solving. Adults know the difference between right and wrong and are able to solve a wide variety of problems.

Physical abilities. Adults are supposed to be physically self-sufficient.

Verbal and math skills. Adults know "reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic" and can apply what they know to their stewardship of time and money.

Interpersonal skills. Adults know how to converse with, show respect for, forgive, apologize to, get along with, and assist other people.

Handling responsibility. Adults know to accept blame for their wrongdoing and how to honor the commitments they've made.

Managing high-risk behaviors. Adults know how to handle risky items and activities responsibly.

Managing work and money. Adults know how to get and keep jobs.

Education. Adults have obtained a basic education and know its value.

Personal care. Adults practice basic hygiene and good nutrition.

Self management. Adults can mange their own behavior: keeping appointments, accomplishing tasks, and preventing their anger from getting out of control.

Citizenship. Adults know about government and how to be good citizens.

Source: Robert Epstein, The Case Against Adolescence (Sanger, CA: Quill Driver, 2007), pp. 148-157.

This article came from this web site. If you haven't already, be sure to check it out.

The Death Of The Grown Up?

We often hear about teenagers who refuse to act like adults. But what about adults who refuse to act like adults? The call goes out--to "grow up" and set a good example--in this edition of Get Ready to Lead!

Will the "death of the grown-up" lead to the death of Western Civilization?

Diana West hits hard for a girl. And she does it all with a word processor. Her recent book The Death of the Grown-up challenges one of the fundamental assumptions of the modern age, namely, that it is a good thing to seek youth and embrace immaturity.

Taking note of people who are concerned with the passing of the baton from one generation to the next, she says:

Even as age has been eliminated from the aging process, they have a hunch that society has stamped out more than gray hair, smile lines, and cellulite. What has also disappeared is an appreciation for what goes along with maturity: forbearance and honor, patience and responsibility, perspective and wisdom, sobriety, decorum, and manners--and the wisdom to know what is "appropriate," and when.

So what is the solution? It's simple, according to West: learn to say "no." In the Epilogue she calls to mind the first issue of National Review, from 1955, in which William F. Buckley wrote,

If National Review is superfluous, it is so for very different reasons: It stands athwart history, yelling Stop, at a time when no one is inclined to do so, or to have much patience with those who so urge it.

Maybe I'm becoming a dinosaur, but in recent weeks I've found lots of practical ways to apply this advice: saying "no" to a speaking engagement that would take me away from my family for too long, asking a restaurant server to turn down the music that was unnecessarily loud and impeding conversation, and turning around to two non-adult men in an airplane and asking them to refrain from using vulgar language.

In each case, I was grateful to have my entreaties accepted gracefully. It wasn't nearly has hard as I thought it would be to say "no," and I'm getting used to it. In fact, I'm starting to like it!


The above article was from a newsletter sent out by this web site.

Just Grow Up!

When looking at society, I can't tell you how many times I have had that thought. "Just Grow Up"! Often, the word selfish comes to my mind too. Then I realize selfishness and immaturity (non-adult like) really do go hand in hand. Now I have read some things that make me realize the reason behind my thoughts. My comments are in red.

Did you know:

~More adults, ages eighteen to forty-nine, watch the Cartoon Network than watch CNN. I have never understood the appeal of cartoons for adults.

~The average video gamester was eighteen in 1990; now he's going on thirty. No way!

~The National Academy of Sciences has redefined adolescence as the period extending from the onset of puberty, around twelve, to age thirty. You have got to be kidding me! So 10 years later they go through their "mid-life crisis"?

~In Italy, nearly one in three thirty-somethings have still not left home. Did I mention, GROW UP! I suppose this explains the society that tolerates and is entertained by the Brittany Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Paris Hilton's.

I found this picture here.

Just in case you are one of those that thinks you have plenty of time to grow up talk to a real adult about how time flies. You can also watch this video.

Adoption

(I don't know anything about the above book but I loved this image. If you know about this book let me know what you thought about it.)

This is a great story. This article is about a friend of mine. I am so excited to see that others are getting to read about their life. As those of you that know me are probably aware the subject of adoption is very close to my heart. You may find their story to be especially interesting when you see how it all happened for them. Be sure to click here to read the article about Connie.

...but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we
are the children of God: Romans 8:15-16

Homeschool Support Group Skit

My daughter did a skit at our homeschool support group meeting last night. I realize if you are not a friend of family member this may not thrill you. However, for friends and family members I am posting it here. This skit is to convince the people in our group to get their yearbook family pages done and handed in by the deadline. At the end of the year we make up a pretty nice yearbook. Hope you like the skit, entitled " A Yearbook Carol". You will even get to see the "Ghost of Yearbook Near Future". Be sure to turn your sound up so you can hear it.

Recent California Attack On Homeschooling-Why Should I Care?

(This article was sent out in a newsletter from this web site. I encourage you to go look around there. They have some great things to read and you will be challenged. If you don't want to read this whole article at least scroll down to where it says,

"Why This Issue Matters To You And Me".)

What the recent California attack on homeschooling means to you and me:

Last week I visited with Mike Farris, Homeschool Legal Defense Association founder. When I asked how he was doing, he replied morosely, "Pretty good considering that an appeals court in California just said that parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children."

I listened in shock as he described the ruling and realized immediately that this is a battle that need to be enjoined by all concerned Christians. Why and how? That's what this issue of Get Ready to Lead is all about.

What is the future of educational freedom?

On Feb. 28, Judge H. Walter Croskey of the Second District Court of Appeals in Los Angeles said that homeschooling is only legal if the teaching parent is a certified teacher. This would disenfranchise virtually all of the estimated 175,000 homeschooled children in the state.

I asked Brad Dacus, the attorney for the Sunland Christian School (the umbrella school at the center of the controversy) about the ruling. "This is not a slam dunk on statutory grounds," he warned. Translation: California homeschoolers are in for a fight, and the outcome is not assured.

Even socially liberal California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed grave concern in his support for homeschool families: "Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don't protect parents' rights then, as elected officials, we will."


The Truth About Homeschooling

On the other side of the issue, California teachers unions seemed almost gleeful about the ruling. A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times that he agrees with it: "What's best for a child is to be taught by a credentialed teacher."

This is an outright lie. In a published study called Strengths of Their Own Dr. Brian Ray revealed data on 5,402 children from 1,657 families from across the United States. He found that homeschooled children performed substantially above the national average in academic testing. The studentsscored, on the average, at the following percentiles on standardized achievement tests:


(a) total reading, 87th,
(b) total language, 80th,
(c) total math, 82nd,
(d) total listening, 85th,
(e) science, 84th,
(f) social studies, 85th,
(g) study skills, 81st,
(h) basic battery (typically, reading, language, and mathematics), 85th, and
(i) complete battery (all subject areas in which student was tested), 87th.


(Note: The average score on standardized tests for the norm group, largely conventional school students, in all of the preceding categories is the 50th percentile).

Dr. Ray also studied 12 variables that he thought might explain the variance in students' test scores. The following seven variables were found to have no statistically significant effect on the variance between the scores:


(1) father's [teacher] certification status,
(2) mother's [teacher] certification status,
(3) family income,
(4) money spent on home education,
(5) legal status of family,
(6) time spent in formal educational activities, and
(7) age at which began formal education.


In other words, most homeschool kids are doing great, and it has nothing to do with whether either parent is certified to teach.


Why This Issue Matters to You and Me

I realize that this newsletter goes out to people who've made all kinds of educational choices, from homeschooling to Christian schooling to public schooling.

If you don't homeschool your first inclination may be to ignore the issue. This would be unwise. If parents lose the right to homeschool their children, who is to say that our right to teach anything at all to our children--especially our values--is secure?

More immediately, all Americans should be deeply disturbed at how far behind American children are. We ought to be embracing trends like homeschooling and private Christian schools that have such a dramatic positive effect on education.

Families in China, India and many developing countries are leaving Americans in the dust to the point that if present trends continue Americans will be the unskilled workers of the world within a generation. Don't believe it? Check out this chilling video on the Christian School Journal blog.

Those who are interested in passing the baton of godly faithfulness to the next generation are right to defending homeschooling, and to be deeply concerned about the quality of education in America.

Three things you can do right now:

1. Buy the Home Schooling: Pointing the Way to a Better Education DVD immediately and show it to everyone you can--skeptics and allies alike.

The video is hosted by Del Tackett (from Focus on the Family's Truth Project) and features interviews with home school experts such as Brian Ray, Mike Farris, Gregg Harris, Chris Klicka and Inge Cannon. It explodes the myths about home education and shows how homeschooling can help children become diligent, thoughtful and socially adept.

I spoke with the video producer yesterday evening and he agreed to give our subscribers free shipping and handling on the DVD. Just enter the code jmyers2008 when you get to the "confirm order" page. Click here to order.

2. Sign the HSLDA petition and encourage your friends to do the same.

The Home School Legal Defense Association is going to petition the Supreme Court of California to "depublish" the Appeals Court opinion. If the opinion is "depublished" then it cannot be used by other California courts and this threat to homeschool freedom will be neutralized for other California homeschoolers. Click here to sign.

3. Get the facts from NHERI (National Home Education Research Institute). My friend Dr. Brian Ray has published volumes of research about the academic achievement and positive socialization value of homeschooling, as well as the high level of success homeschool graduates have experienced in the "real world." Much of the research is free, though I strongly recommend you purchase the Worldwide Guide to Homeschooling.

Psst, Is Anyone There? Anyone Home?

Just wondering if anyone is out there. I think I have only had 5 people comment on this blog. (Don't you feel sorry for me?) Just need a little feedback so I know if anyone is there.

Also, feel free to tell me if there is a topic you would like to see covered on this blog or something you would like to see more of.

After that, you must go to my dear friend's blog. She has a very interesting video on there. Be sure to watch it through the end. Click here to see it.

Is anyone else surprised that it is already March? Wow, the time is flying!

Something To Ponder For Today

"A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away."
- Barry Goldwater

Comments anyone?

Evolution and school violence—a sad connection?

This image came from here.

People have been shocked in recent times at the outbreak of violence in public schools in America and around the world. Some schools have installed metal detectors to try to curb such violent behavior.

What does evolution have to do with this sad—and shocking—situation?

What we see happening is the end result of an education system that has effectively eliminated God from the classroom. When you think about it, generations of young people are being brainwashed each day in evolutionary ideas. They are being told that they are nothing special—they are just animals that have evolved from some primitive form of life over millions of years.

The more society as a whole thinks this way, the more people will act consistently with what they’ve been taught. If life is not special, then it has no value. If there’s no God, and thus no absolute authority, then anyone can decide right and wrong for themselves.

Most of the students probably don’t realize the connection of violence with evolution (though some have)—but underneath it all, this anti-God belief system has subtly caused them to think life is hopeless and without any purpose.

This was an excellent and interesting article from the Answers In Genesis newsletter. You can get their FREE newsletter here.

'Global Warming Is Lies' Claims Documentary'

Check out this article. I am so excited to see an article like this. One of my favorite things that was said is below the link. (Italics bold print are my words or were added for emphasis.)

http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=CZ434669U&news_headline=global_warming_is_lies_claims_documentary

"At the moment, there is almost a McCarthyism movement in science where the greenhouse effect is like a puritanical religion and this is dangerous."In the programme Mr Calder said: "The greenhouse effect is seen as a religion and if you don't agree, you are a heretic."

By the way, as much as I know it was full of political correct junk, I am embarrassed to say I just LOVED the movie "Day After Tomorrow". Love those nifty special effects and Dennis Quaid. I think I love every movie he is in. Great actor in my opinion or maybe he is just a likeable fellow. ~Kim

I Would Vote For This Guy!!!

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

"My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of the Iraq regime has been completed."

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete. This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.


Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short . The United Kingdom , Spain , Bulgaria , Australia , and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains every one not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. THEN EVERY YEAR THERE AFTER IT'll GO TO OUR SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM SO IT WONT GO BROKE IN 20 YEARS.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hellholes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France .

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home . On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany , and Russia . Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bonne chance, meza mies.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. IT's president and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra thousand tanks and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put 'em? Yep, border security.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty - starting now.

We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, 'darn tootin.'

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America . To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thank you guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America . Thank you and good night. "

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

(This came to me in an email today and I just had to share it. Post a comment and let me know what you think.)

Stealing Cinderella

This image was found here.
I should have called this blog post "Bet I Can Make You Cry" but I didn't. I just heard this song for the first time today. It made me think of my Daddy (Dad this is dedicated to you).

This song is also for all the little girls out there (that would be all girls since I am convinced that we always have a little girl living inside of us) and to all the Daddy's out there. Just so you know there is always a special place in the heart of a girl for her Daddy.

Click here to see this video. When you are done with that video if you still haven't teared up check out this one, below. Let me know if you can keep from crying (or at least tearing up) because you will deserve some kind of award. :-) ~Kim



In place of

"She was playing Cinderella"

I would have to say playing the roller skating Queen but that wouldn't make a very good title would it?

In place of

"Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight"

I would have to change it to bouncing on the bed and playing with her Barbie dolls!

You can read all the lyrics below

I came to see her daddy for sit down man to man
It wasn't any secret i'd be asking for her hand
I guess that's why he left me waiting in the living room by myself
with at least a dozen pictures of her sitting on a shelf

- Chorus -

She was playing Cinderella
She was riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

I leaned in towards those pictures to get a better look at one
When I heard a voice behind me say "Now, ain't she something, son?"
I said "Yes, she quite a woman"
and he just stared at me
Then I realized that in his eyes she would always be

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
In her eyes i'm Prince Charming
But to him i'm just some fella
riding in and stealing Cinderella

He slapped me on the shoulder
Then he called her in the room
When she threw her arms around him
That's when I could see it too

Playing Cinderella
Riding her first bike
Bouncing on the bed and looking for a pillow fight
Running through the sprinkler with a big popsicle grin
Dancing with her dad, looking up at him
If he gives me a hard time
I can't blame the fella
I'm the one who's stealing Cinderella

To Christians and Non-Christians -Get Ready

There is a very interesting post on my friends blog. Everyone should see it. If you are a Christian it could be a wake up call. Maybe you need to look at your life a little closer. If you are not a Christian you DO need to see it and you should talk to someone that is a Christian. No, not someone that is a Christian in name only or is "religious" but someone that has a relationship with Jesus Christ. The world is changing and there are things we need to really pay attention to. If you were going on a trip to another country or even another state you would want to be prepared. You would want to research the area and get all the information you could. You would want to plan and pack. You would not just head out the door without a map or a plan.

If you are not a Christian you need a plan......Check out my friends blog here.

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[a] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

No Limits on TV?

TV can be really good or it can be really bad. Right now we have to work together to stop something bad.

Help protect our children!


On Friday ABC joined ranks with Fox and CBS to challenge the Federal Communications Commission's authority to fine broadcasters for airing so-called fleeting profanity. They want to make it okay to air "F-words" and "S-words" over the public airwaves, regardless of time of day or how many children are watching.

We can NOT let this happen!

Your activism last summer helped to move this important legislation out of committee and onto the floor of the Senate. But now it is being blocked from coming to a vote.

We've already seen what the broadcast networks are willing to do when left to their own devices -- unfettered foul language, graphic sex and nudity, explicit violence... Is this the legacy we want to leave our children? Please help us take a stand for decency. Help us give the FCC the tools it needs to get the job done.


Click here for more information and to see what you can do to stop this.