Friday, March 16, 2012

Time for a letter, two in fact

Dear Little Ol' Lady with a Walker,
Please, dear God, use a cross walk.  I'm not fond of slamming on my breaks in the middle of a busy street as you meander across the road.  I get the feeling you feel like you've paid your dues and the rest of us can go f*&k ourselves because you're going to cross the street wherever you damn well please.  I get that.  I agree with it.  You are entitled, you've lived a long life, you've probably lived with deprivation, through wars, and you've probably lost a lot of people in your life.  You are entitled.  I just don't want to live with knowing I hit someone.  So it's not that I don't respect your life and your choices, I just don't want to be the one responsible for ending that life.  So, Please Please, use a cross walk and walk with the light.  I won't even be mad if I have to stay there awhile while you cross....I'd even smile and wave at you.

Thanks,
Concerned Citizen

Dear A$$hole in the big diesel truck behind me,

Were you honking at the little ol' lady crossing the street? Because I'm pretty sure your honking wasn't going to make her move any faster.  Get over yourself already.  Were you honking at me? Because, as much as I disagreed with her decision, I wasn't going to run over her. That punishment -- doesn't quite fit that crime. Seriously, take a chill pill already, that whole two minutes was not going to affect you, you weren't going in a direction of a hospital, you didn't have a siren on you big ol' fancy truck, that I daresay hasn't even seen mud (you didn't look that tough) and there wasn't any other traffic, you could have easily swung into the other lane, that the little ol' lady had already gone through and passed us both.

You were just being mean.

Don't be mean.

Thanks,
Concerned Citizen

Thursday, February 23, 2012

easy peasy breakfast

I did not actually get this one off of Pinterest. Anyone else love those breakfast sausage biscuits from McDonald's? Anyone even willing to admit it.  I do!  They 'stick to your ribs'. After one of those I don't need to eat for hours. And...breakfast is the most important meal of the day -- But I don't like how bad they are for you.  

So here's my version -- granted, still not the healthiest, but better.  Takes almost no prep time -- seriously ripping open a couple packages and throwing something into the oven and microwave. It's high in protein and a moderate amount of calories.  AND -- real biscuits.

 Have you seen these mini biscuits? They're real, you get that biscuit flavor and texture but better portion control.

The biscuits take 17 minutes in a 350 degree oven, and the sausage 70 seconds in the microwave.
 Serving size is two biscuits, we only use one.  It's enough, you get that biscuit flavor with just one.  So using one biscuit and two turkey sausages your calorie intake is 210 kcal, 10 fat gams, 14.5 protein g  & 11 carbs.
I'm not claiming it's a health food, but it's a better choice than the McDonald's sausage biscuit (430 kcal, 27 fat grams, 34 carbs & 11 g protein).  Even if you are one of those people who never ever crave them.

The kids love them too!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Corn Dog Muffins (made it off of Pinterest)


I am all about easy, I'm also all about Pinterest, it's gone beyond addiction and is a full-fledged obsession.  I have yet to 'pin' any pins about Pinterest, which means I have not crossed over to the dark side, I'm sure that's coming.

Found this very Isaac-friendly recipe on Pinterest and it was so easy I didn't even have to go to the original link...It's your favorite corn bread recipe and hot dogs.

that's it.

seriously!

 Mixed up a batch of some corn bread mix, filled 2-6 muffin muffin tins half way full.  Cut some hot dogs in thirds.
 Found these hotdogs at the store...yay, guilt free -- well then looked at the fat grams and not so much guilt free....just nitrate free....but feeling less guilty about essentially feeding my child corn dogs for dinner.
 placed a third of a hot dog in each section of the muffin tins and then poured the rest of the corn bread mix on top.

 Baked at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 16 minutes....yup, that's it! super freakin' easy! Put on some broccoli to steam and cut up some pears and dinner was ready.



Isaac Approved!


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Friday, February 03, 2012

which Paul?


A while back when they were announcing who was running for the Republican candidate I heard the announcer say Ru Paul (I should pay more attention when I'm watching the news....)

What the Heck?
I wasn't sure if I was more shocked that he would be running for office or that it was for the Republicans (more the latter I think)



Then I realized it was this guy....Ron Paul.


okay, that makes more sense (I mean then Ru Paul, not necessarily for the Republican nominee)
I still giggle when I hear his name, I go back to my original mistake.  I even picture Ru Paul in the debates and start laughing.  My husband wonders why I'm laughing as I hear these guys discuss foreign policy, but I just picture Ru up there with the rest of them, behind a podium, with a blond wig, breaking out in a song or something.....

Have a great weekend everyone....I got an extra day thanks to the foot of snow that's dumping on Denver right now! YAY snow days. Love being a school nurse!

Friday, January 13, 2012

What? I'm not a Gemini anymore?


I guess this news wasn't that earth shattering, or at least it didn't enter into my consciousness when it hit the papers...in January 2011.  There's a thirteenth sign.  It ended up moving around all the other signs.

I'm no longer a Gemini. I'm a Taurus.

My identity is really shaken right now.

Jason can no longer tease me about having multiple personalities.
I can't blame my fits of fancy, changes of mind and all around flakiness on my mercurial nature.

Jason's a Leo.

I'm not supposed to get along with Leos.

At least when I was a Gemini I wasn't, I'll have to look it up, maybe I do now?

See what I mean -- I'm really confused now (I was confused before, but that was part of being a Gemini, now that I'm not a Gemini, I'm confused for a specific reason and that's because I don't know how to be a Taurus).

Although, come to think of it, I have been feeling more stubborn lately.

Thank goodness I'm not the new sign,  Ophiuchus -- I can't even pronounce it (it's not even in spell-check right now -- it's been a year come on spell check people!)

It's 2012, we've lost a planet (at least that news I was up to date on) and we have a new astrological sign...

I'm worried.

Do Taurus's worry?







Friday, January 06, 2012

Really?

I was reading candyland to bandland's blog about the new obesity intervention public service ads that are running in Georgia.  As we all know the South has one of the bigger problems with obesity then in other areas of the country and I have to say that I understand the intent was well-meaning.  But if they seriously think the same type of campaign they do for not trying Meth is going to work for obesity then the creators of this campaign have no idea how obesity effects those who are obese.

It's not like you can say, don't try food because once you try it you're hooked and your life will be all about stealing money to buy that pizza you're craving.  At first it's whining to mom you want the sugary cereal while walking down the cereal aisle and next it's stealing jewelry to get enough cash to score skittles in an alley from a dealer.

Here's one of the supporters/creators who talks about the research about being effective, what she's not saying is the research is most likely market research determining if people thought the ad campaign was effective in creating a dialogue about obesity, not if it's effective in the solving the problem of childhood obesity. For that you need evidence based research -- this is the problem when you try to move this out of the health arena and into the marketing arena -- this can not be solved by focus groups.



Okay, maybe they're not as scary as those don't try meth commercials (and have you seen those, they freak the he.ll out of my kids YAY). Yes, I do think that parents should get their heads out of the sand about it.  But what research (and not market research but evidence-based research) shows is that health care providers, especially pediatricians are loathe to bring the subject up.  Where is the ad campaign for them?

My kids' pediatrician? oh my gosh he's on board! My oldest is 95th in height and 70th in weight, he's quick, good in sports eats anything and is skinny and enjoys being active (I think he may have been switched at birth) my younger one didn't get so lucky, he's 97th in height and 105% in weight, which puts him at a too high BMI, even with that massive height.  He's really built big, the kid has muscular thighs and shoulders that would have made the shoulder pads Linda Evans wore  in Dynasty look discrete. But he also has a 'bowl full of jelly'.  The pediatrician said he didn't want to do a weight loss plan for him, he just wants him to grow into his weight.  He does snack too much, he does like junk food too much.  He does Karate, but we've upped the ante and he has to spend some time on the elliptical if he wants to play video games and now only one snack after school instead of grazing.  I tell him it's about health, not about weight.  I tell the older one too.  No sugar treats or soda during the week either, weekends in moderation.

I'm trying.

Even if I hear grumblings that I may be abusive when I tell them they have to eat all their vegetables and their reward is just a hug and not chocolate.

I don't want my kids to struggle like I have.

Okay, back to the actual issue....(if you've been reading my blog you know I digress, I also take liberties with grammar...whatever, oh look I digressed again --- so seriously, NOW back to topic)

Kids are in school more of their life then out of school, where is the funding to have health and nutrition classes? Why is physical education one of the items to be cut out of programs?  Why is recess only ten minutes long?  And have you seen the crap that's served in school lunches.  A sugary fruit cup is NOT a fruit choice no matter how you cut it.  This is particularly important because obesity tends to run higher in low income areas and those kids are getting free and reduced lunches, so if we want to help our children, how about lobbying for healthier school lunches, longer recess and PE every day.

Okay, so I feel a bit passionately about this, it's what I'm doing my Master's project in.  That project I should be working on instead of doing this blog....so  let's just call this research (wink wink).  In an article I'm reading "Fighting an Epidemic: The role of Schools in Reducing Childhood Obesity" by Sara Pyle, et al says "Interventions targeting obesity in the schools should be designed to promote healthy weight rather than focus on losing weight or obtaining a specific weight" in fact focusing on weight reduction may cause other problems, such as growth decline or feelings of failure and exacerbate other issues such as depression or impaired self esteem.

So yes, let's get educated on obesity and obesity in children. We can do something about it, but let's go about it in an emotionally and physically healthy way.

Stepping off soap box now.

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Would hate to break tradition....

Jason and I have been together since we were 16 -- amazing I know, you don't actually meet a lot of high school sweethearts that "made it".  Being together since we were 16 means we've had about 26 New Year's eve's together.  We have stayed awake for only a few of them.

One was in Vermont in 1986.  We were staying in this decrepit bed and breakfast of a friend of his dad's.  The teenage kids were having a party (strangely, Jason and I were technically also teenage kids as we were 18, but we felt so much older because we were in college - 1st semester and not high school, so there was a distinction in maturity, at least in our minds).  I was sick. The bathroom was down the hall.  Our room had two single beds that we put together.  Even with putting them together and both of us having all our clothes on, the thread bear blankets were not enough to keep us warm.  Vermont gets really really cold.  Periodically, I would make my way through the dark hallway to the dark bathroom and throw up.  I would have to climb over making-out teenagers and two girls lamenting over some other girl being a slut and how some boy just didn't know a good thing when he had it.  Jason and I decided we couldn't handle it any more and decided to leave.  But his car wouldn't start (because it was that freakin' cold).  By the time we got back to our room the teen agers had stolen our two pillows and our thread bare blankets.  So we huddled together, miserable and rang in the New Year.  His car started the next morning....thank GAWD.

The only other one I remember was 1999.  My brother and his then girlfriend (who is not his lovely wife of today, and I'm so happy about that because his lovely wife of today is wonderful), Jason's sister and her husband and Jason and I went to a fancy party at a fancy country club, dressed up and partied like it was 1999 in a we're-in-our-early-30's-have a-six-month-old-and-are-sleep-deprived-and-have-never-been-drinker-partiers kinda way.  It was fun, loved being with family, stayed awake to drink champagne with my sweetie.  Very nice experience, not sure I'd do it every year (actually pretty sure I wouldn't do it every year, since it was the only year we did it).

In those 26 years we may have stayed up another time or two and watched the ball drop.

Other then that....it's Z's at the Zimmer's.

Yesterday Jake had two back to back basketball games (won one, lost one).  They only had five players so those poor boys didn't get a break.  He came home, took a bath and passed out.  Isaac desperately wanted us all to stay up and out of the four of us, he's the one who could do it.  But since Jake's basketball tournament continues today we made him go to sleep.  Jason promised him he would set his alarm and wake him up to see the ball drop.  Isaac, didn't trust him so he set his own alarm.

I vaguely remember Isaac coming in, waking Jason up, watching the ball drop, some people yelling outside and getting a sloppy nine year old boy kiss on my cheek and a whispered, "happy New Year mommy", then it was back to Z-land for me.

Best New Year's ever.

Being home with my family, one who loves me, one who I cherish.
I am blessed!

May everyone have a blessed, restful and happy 2012!