fresh and clean?
Air fresheners, particularly those with pine, orange, and lemon scents, may emit harmful levels of toxic pollutants, especially when used repeatedly or in small, poorly ventilated rooms, say researchers at the University of California at Berkeley. Make sure that your office is as free from them as your home, and ask that cleaning staff use natural cleaning products, combat tough odors with baking soda and citrus, and open those windows to let in the breeze. (In communal bathrooms, or any bathroom, for that matter, lighting a match combats odor quite well; so do soy-based candles scented with natural oils.)

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How to Make a Natural Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap | eHow.com

How to Make a Natural Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap | eHow.com

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E-mail quote(s) of the week

Hello Everyone!

Happy September! I really don't have much to share this week. Saturday I worked 13 hours at the farm inn...yes I went back=) I'm happy to be back there and see the people I work with and the "regulars" It seems I'll be working mostly all weekends so if there are things we need to plan for let us know!

Lucy and Lola went to the vet yesterday. Lola had the whole yearly shibang and Lucy had just a few shots and a couple things looked at. Lucy has put on a few more pounds which is frustrating. She also has a strip of hair loss down her tail. We've been so good at our nightly walks and cutting back on her food. The vet mentioned we could take a thyroid test but he thought it would more than likely come back negative for any problem. I think I'll be getting a second opinion. I was wondering if anyone out there has or knows someone who has had reiki or raindrop therapy done to their dog. I'm leaning towards raindrop therapy for now but eventually am interested in both. This fall they are offering classes on how to do both to your pets and am thinking of taking them. This will also give me the opportunity to meet crazy dog lovers like me=)

I'm loving the crisp autumn air and looking forward to the change of season. I've always been strictly a summer girl who likes it hot but as I've gotten a little older I appreciate the change of seasons. I'm looking forward to pumpkins, cornstalks and all the colors autumn brings!

Hope everyone is having a GREAT week!
Trudy Renee

“There is overwhelming evidence that the higher the level of self-esteem, the more likely one will be to treat others with respect, kindness, and generosity.”

—Nathaniel Branden
doctor, author

“To be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness - these are the gifts which money cannot buy.”

—Robert Louis Stevenson
(1850-1894); poet, essayist, author

“There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave most in life—happiness, freedom, and peace of mind—are always attained by giving them to someone else.”

—Peyton C. March
(1864-1955); General, US Army



http://gerdiedaisy.blogspot.com/http://
www.flickr.com/photos/trudyrenee/
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”~Dr. Seuss

The Christmas Sweater

I just got done listening to the Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck via book on cd. I loved it! Even if you don't care for his political views this story was so good!...and has nothing to do with politics.

The wonders of mint

I was happy to come across this beings I love my mint mojitos! I've been buying mint at the farmers market this summer. Tonight when I went there the mint was hard to come across but I found some and will soon be enjoying a mojito on the deck!


Fresh mint is the perfect ingredient for a great summer meal. Whether it’s served in a fruit salad, spring roll, fruit punch, or paired with a vegetable (see recipes below), this versatile herb is a great complement to a warm, sunny day.

In addition to its gorgeous taste and fragrance, mint is believed to hold potent healing properties. Most commonly used to settle stomachs and sooth the digestive tract, some studies have even suggested that mint may contain anti-cancer properties due to a phytonutrient it contains–perillyl alcohol. Does that justify drinking mint julips and mojitos for medicinal purposes?

Mint has been used for centuries for its healing powers, taste and aromatic qualities, and even has its place in ancient Greek mythology. According to legend, the green, fragrant herb used to be a beautiful nymph named Menthe. She was turned into a plant by jealous Persephone who didn’t appreciate her husband Pluto’s affection towards Menthe. Pluto could not turn the plant back into a nymph, but he could give it an appealing aroma

Put in the Big Rocks First

I get all kind of inbox stuff to help me keep the positive outlook on life that I normally have day to day. This is from my Mr. Positive. I've seen this in a fwd. before but what a good little reminder=)

One day an expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and,
to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood
in front of the group of high powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz."

He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed Mason jar and set it on the table in front
of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them,
one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks
would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes."

Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel.
Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work
themselves down into the space between the big rocks. Then he asked the group
once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered. "Good!"
he replied.

He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping
the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks
and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted.

Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it
in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked,
"What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your
schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, "That's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches
us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all."

What are the 'big rocks' in your life? Your children; Your loved ones; Your education;
Your dreams; A worthy cause; Teaching or mentoring others; Doing things that you love;
Time for yourself; Your health; Your significant other?

Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all. If you
sweat the little stuff (the gravel, the sand) then you'll fill your life with little
things you worry about that don't really matter, and you'll never have the real
quality time you need to spend on the big, important stuff (the big rocks).

So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask
yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in
your jar first."

The Rainbows Right Around the Corner

Daily Soul Vitamin
The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain
~Dolly Parton

Toast of the Day
Here's to the rain that brings green and rainbows.

*The above was based on the Awe-Manac.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Today has been rainy with a little thunder. I love days like this because then I don't have to feel guilty about not being outside and enjoying the nice day and can be inside getting things done. We are headed to the cities on Sunday to be with my cousin Tricia who has faced yet another heartbreak. Why are boys so dumb sometimes. One would think by the age of 31 They'd grow up a little. I'm just so super blessed to have found a good one! I will be there through the 24th. When I come back I job hunt.

Quote(s) of the week

When it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.
~G.K Chesterton

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.
~Unknown

A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength.
~Proverbs 17:22

Hi Everyone!

We have finally been able to hit the water some. This summer has not been the summer to sit poolside on most days. Yesterday we finally got to bring Amber to Door County. We ate at Al Johnsons (the place with the goats on the roof) and hung out at the beach in fish creek. It was a beautiful day up until 430ish when the clouds started rolling in. We finished the day with some custard and headed home. This is suppose to be the weekend that Amber goes back but I haven't heard from Deane in weeks after leaving many msgs. We are just enjoying every moment we can with her and are prepared for whatever happens. Today I plan to clean out the garage for the countless time this summer and straighen up the house that tends to never stay in order. Amber has a "band" with her friends and they've been working on their "concert" =D 10cents for whomever wants to come!

My plan is to find a job here in Green Bay instead of traveling the distance for the Farm Inn . I loved working there but it makes more sense that I'd stay in town. Amber and I tried out a new church this past Sunday and we both loved it and I'm hopeful I've finally found a church home for here.

Anyhoo, not much to report on but I'll continue to keep y'all updated on Amber and on my job search.

Keep enjoying what little bit of summer there is left!
Trudy Renee

Enjoy the perseid meteor shower if your able!

Not everyone should be able to have children!

Today while at the pool, we stopped by the concession stand to grab a couple goodies. In front of us is 2 gals, and aprox 5 kids. Then entire time they are screaming at their kids to "GET OVER HERE" and "DON'T DO THAT" If your children are doing something you don't like ASK them to stay by you and if they don't step out of line and deal with the situation! Anyhoo there was a little girl there about age 3 who kept spitting on the ground where others are obviously walking around barefoot. Could the mother of asked her not to do that out of respect for everyone else?? I'm just baffled sometimes at the strange parenting.

I cannot wait to see this movie!!!

Nikon's Digital Camera is the First with a Projector

Growing up my parents never had prints, just slides that we watched from a humming projecter on a screen they owned. I think it would be super fun to share this way of looking at pictures with friends and family as well! I must save the money...maybe in 5 years when the price goes down.


Nikon's Digital Camera is the First with a Projector

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Way to make the best out of a not so perfect situation! My father was on crutches since 18 I beleive and he never complained and never let it limit him!

bees, please

If you saw the Bee Movie then you remember what happened without the bees!


The honeybees of the world are in trouble, threatened by pesticides that weaken their immune systems and lead to what’s known as “colony collapse disorder.” Bad for them, and for us, because they are vital to our food chain, and the honey they produce is the least of it—crops can’t grow without bees to fertilize them. Do your part to help bees and other pollinators like butterflies and moths by avoiding pesticides in your own lawn and garden and planting species they like.
~copied from my e-mail page a day electronic calendar

My New Found Friend

Today was suppose to be a fun adventurous day in Door County. Amber was excited to go to Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant with the goats on the roof and mile high whipped cream on top of the hot cocoa. The plan was I would drop our car off before my 9am hair appt. and we would get the two tires we needed put on during my appt...killing two birds with one stone as some would say. Well I walk to the mall from my appt. and It's coming upon 1130. Grant gets the call that some other things were wrong and it would be 3 more hours and the total would be aprox 1,200. The matinee movies didn't start until 130. I got a pretzel and nasty lemonade from Auntie Annes and wandered the mall a little bit and then crossed the street to Barnes and Noble where I met my new found friend. I wandered a little while and then went to the section I haven't been to in a few years...the self help/inspiration section. This used to be my favorite section and I had no idea that there existed another kind of book. So today I just wander over there beings I had so much time to kill and there she was in plain sight! I didn't even look at any other of the the books. I opened her up and I was instantly in love!
I went and got a chocolate bananna smoothie and the world around me melted away. Every day one names the day and then each day has the same "Daily Headings" Daily Soul Vitamin is a quote of the day (I KNOW! PERFECT) Toast of the day..today's is Heres to the Occasional extravagance. Awe-servances which is dating that happend on that day or a famous persons birthday. For example today is Lucille Ball's birthday and the "daily soul vitamin is a quote from her and every other heading kinda ties into her. There's a dose of Mirh which is as described in the book "you will be provided with funny or sort of funny material almost every day to help you in-jest the spirit of medicinal mirth." Journal JuJu and Aha-phrodisiacs where there are there is something offered to help get your writing on. Some days theres a I get to....which is to help one look at doing things in a more positive way. So I plan to try and do this daily via my blog. I seriously cannot let go of this book and I cannot beleive how happy it makes me=) Stay tuned...hopefully this book helps inspire you as much I think it will me!

Should we really be taking God out of our lives???

I know that this is an old e-mail but it came to me today again and I just really like it!



Subject: Remarks from CBS Sunday Morning
(everyone should read!)

I can only hope we find God again before it is too late!!



The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened .... I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu. If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.


Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events .... terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem. We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves. Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says. Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing yet?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us. Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it ... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards, Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein

'IN GOD WE TRUST'

Another not so green moment!

So today as I'm mowing the lawn I'm just loving how green and plush our lawn is...why is it this way when it's been dry...I water the lawn. So as I'm mowing I'm thinking to myself "the grass is greener on the other side suckers" and then was thinking I'm totally being a hypocrite. Now I'm faced with the choice of watering for a pretty green plush lawn or being the green gal I should be...HELP!

The Foamerator!

I had my friends children today and wanted to do something that would hold their attention for a little while and this was a hit!



Create wacky foam snakes by blowing air through this simple, homemade bubble-making device. (Watch it in action!) CRAFT MATERIALS:
Scissors
Plastic water bottle
Used towel
Rubber band
Shallow bowl
Dish soap

Time needed: 30 Minutes or Less
1. Cut the bottom off a plastic water bottle.

2. Cover the open end with a circular piece of towel that's a few inches wider than the bottle. Secure the towel with a rubber band.

3. Dampen the towel with water, then dip it into a shallow bowl of dish soap. Blow gently through the mouth of the bottle to create snakes of tiny bubbles.
Parents: supervise younger children to make sure they do not suck in any soap bubbles.

e-mail quote of the week

"A life without love is like a year without summer."

—Swedish Proverb

I haven't kept up with my quotes of the week once again. Geez, the days just really fly by though!
We are having a fun filled summer. Last week we went camping from Monday through Friday at Lake Carlos State Park by Alexandria, MN. Grant's parents were there as well. My Nephew Logan joined us and I do believe he had a good time. Logan, Grant Amber and Grant's father did geocaching and that seemed to be something the crew enjoyed. I stayed back and relaxed. Tuesday we had our friends from Fargo come and spend the day at the beach.... Frannie, her daughter-in-law Brenda, and two of Frannies Grandchildren came. Also friend Sharon, came with her husband and son and friend Charleen and her little girl. I felt so blessed that they drove an approx 90minutes to come for a short time to see us! The rain had to come and make it's mark on each day but we had a great time despite only being able to spend one day at the beach. Going back before the camping trip... Sunday we drove all night to get to Fargo so we could rent a car and practice driving with Logan before his 230 driving test. He passed with a 100% I was so happy I cried a few tears of joy! This past weekend we spent Friday night at Grant's parents home and then we headed to my mom's lake place Saturday and spent the night there. Sunday we stopped in St.Paul to have dinner with Grant's brother. I feel that after a vacation one needs a few days to recover from vacation eh'
Today Amber and I spent the day at the pool. Tomorrw night we are going to the farmers market which I find to be such a fun time! Thursday we are headed to door county to bring Amber to the place with the goats on the roof, (Al Johnson's) and check out a couple of the beaches. Amber's departure time is getting near (August, 15th) and I'm not sad about her leaving as much as I feel blessed to have had the whole summer with her and making more memories together. The only other thing we plan to get in before she leaves is the NEW zoo here in Suamico. It's hard to believe that the summer is coming to an end and school supplies are out along with halloween decor!
Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!
Take Care
Trudy

Yesterday Amber and I went to the post office and a nice man opened the door for us and everyone around us were all doing this as well. Amber noticed and said "everyone is being so nice, I like that." I just thought it was sweet that she noticed this

"To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment."
—Jane Austen


"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."

—Judy Garland


Fun is about as good a habit as there is.
-Jimmy Buffet

"My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am."

—Author Unknown

My goal in life is to be as good of a person as my dog already thinks I am.
-Unknown

I'm back and still trying to be green!

I'm back and yes I'm still trying to be green as ever! One thing I've done since posting forever ago is to start using products that are paraben free. I've only switched to a couple so far but as I run out of the old stuff I'll keep switching over. After reading this I'll definetly switch over to a new shampoo after mine is gone. Also tonight I'm going to the farmers market to buy local!


Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS): The agent that makes products like shampoo, soap, detergent, and toothpaste foamy. Though the oft-touted link between sodium laureth sulfate and cancer may or may not be solid, there’s more to the picture. SLS is a package deal with a chemical called 1,4-Dioxane, a probable human carcinogen and a skin and lung irritant that is suspected to cause birth defects and kidney and nervous-system damage.

Because 1,4-Dioxane is an impurity, not an intentional ingredient, it doesn’t appear on ingredient labels. So watch out for SLS, as well as other petrochemical ingredients like “PEG,” “polyethylene,” “polyethylene glycol,” “polyoxyethylene,” and anything that includes an “eth,” “oxynol,” “ceteareth,” or “oleth.” And learn to disassociate “foamy” from clean.

American Idlol RunDown...In my opinion only.

I'm still super bitter that Rose didn't make it for one thing and why is Kris still on there...oh yeah cause the little girls think he's "hot" I guess if you like that silly pretty boy look. Sorry Kris but I don't like John Mayer and we don't need a
3rd rate John. Why is Scott still on there and not Megan? Yes Megan did choose horrible song choices but she had such an original voice and added some non-traditional mainstream top 40. Adam just doesn't do it for me like he does the rest of America. Don't get me wrong, I do think he is phenomenal but I love love Alyson so much more and she is phenomenal also and keeps getting put in the bottom 3! Danny with his changing funky glasses...grrrr! I just love how he does put his all into it. I think Lil is good but forgetable, Anoop should get a job on a cruise ship. I do have to say I did like his song choice tonight though! (true colors). So that's enough of my ranting.

Am I Bad???

Perc: Also known as perchloroethylene, tetrachloroethene, tetrachloroethylene, or PCE. A chemical widely used in dry cleaning, for degreasing metal parts, and in manufacturing other chemicals; also found in consumer products, including some paint and spot removers, water repellents, brake and wood cleaners, glues, and suede protectors. Affects the central nervous system, kidney, liver, and possibly the reproductive system; associated with cancers of the esophagus and bladder, and with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
A certain amount of environmental exposure is almost unavoidable. Control the indoor-air effects by skipping dry cleaning in favor of perc-free processes and avoiding perc-laced products such as spot removers. Always read labels.


So I really try to be a good green gal and if I find out any new ways to be green I jump right on. Well I have read and know that dry cleaning is not good per say but I only dry clean once a year. I should be buying nothing that has to be dry cleaned right? Well tomorrow I'm bringing in a shit load of stuff that has to be dry cleaned once a year like a comforter and winter jackets. Oh how I feel so terribly guilty after reading this little tidbit. Now I'm going to make sure that I start making all my own spot cleaners as well and not use the stain stick I have...will that make up for my horrible dry cleaning???

E-mails I recieved that I thought were worth sharing

E-mail #1

South Los Angeles, a 4 plex was destroyed by a fire.

A Nigerian family of six con artists lived on the first floor, and all six died in the fire.

An Islamic group of seven welfare cheats, all illegally in the country from Kenya, lived on the second floor, and they, too, all perished in the fire.

6 LA, Hispanic, Gang Banger, ex-cons, lived on the 3rd floor and they too, died.

A lone, white couple lived on the top floor. The couple survived the fire.

Jesse Jackson, John Burris and Al Sharpton were furious.
They flew into LA, met with the fire chief, on camera. They
loudly demanded to know why the Blacks, Black Muslims and
Hispanics all died in the fire and only the white couple lived.....?


The fire chief said, "They were at work."

E-mail #2


This letter was sent to the Wall Street Journal on August 8, 2008 by Alisa Wilson, Ph.D. Of Beverly Hills , CA . in response to the Wall Street Journal article titled "Where's The Outrage?" that appeared July 31,2008.

Really. I can tell you where the outrage is. The outrage is here, in this middle-aged, well-educated, upper-middle class woman. The outrage is here, but I have no representation, no voice. The outrage is here, but no one is listening for who am I?

I am not a billionaire like George Soros that can fund an entire political movement.
I am not a celebrity like Barbra Streisand that can garner the attention of the press to promote political candidates.
I am not a film maker like Michael Moore or Al Gore that can deliver misleading movies to the public.

The outrage is here, but unlike those with money or power, I don't know how to reach those who feel similarly in order to effect change.
Why am I outraged? I am outraged that my country, the United States of America , is in a state of moral and ethical decline. There is no right or wrong anymore, just what's fair.

Is it fair that millions of Americans who overreached and borrowed more than they could afford are now being bailed out by the government and lending institutions to stave off foreclosure? Why shouldn't these people be made to pay the consequences for their poor judgment?

When my husband and I purchased our home, we were careful to purchase only what we could afford. Believe me, there are much larger, much nicer homes that I would have loved to have purchased. But, taking responsibility for my behavior and my life, I went with the house that we could afford, not the house that we could not afford. The notion of personal responsibility has all but died in our country.

I am outraged, that the country that welcomed my mother as an immigrant from Hitler's Nazi Germany and required that she and her family learn English now allows itself to be overrun with illegal immigrants and worse, caters to those illegal immigrants.

I am outraged that my hard-earned taxes help support those here illegally. That the Los Angeles Public School District is in such disarray that I felt it incumbent to send my child to private school, that every time I go to the ATM, I see "do you want to continue in English or Spanish?", that every time I call the bank, the phone company , or similar business, I hear "press 1 for English or press 2 for Spanish". WHY? This is America , our common language is English and attempts to promote a bi- or multi-lingual society are sure to fail and to marginalize those who cannot communicate in English.

I am outraged at our country's weakness in the face of new threats on American traditions from Muslims. Just this week, Tyson's Food negotiated with its union to permit Muslims to have Eid-al-Fitr as a holiday instead of Labor Day. What am I missing? Yes, there is a large Somali Muslim population working at the Tyson's plant in Tennessee . Tennessee , last I checked, is still part of the United States . If Muslims want to live and work here they should be required to live and work by our American Laws and not impose their will on our long history.

In the same week, Random House announced that they had indefinitely delayed the publication of The Jewel of Medina, by Sherry Jones, a book about the life of Mohammed's wife, Aisha due to fear of retribution and violence by Muslims. When did we become a nation ruled by fear of what other immigrant groups want? It makes me so sad to see large corporations cave rather than stand proudly on the principles that built this country.

I am outraged because appeasement has never worked as a political policy, yet appeasing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is exactly what we are trying to do. An excellent article, also published recently in the Wall Street Journal, went through over 20 years of history and why talking with Iran has been and will continue to be ineffective. Yet talk, with a madman no less, we continue to do. Have we so lost our moral compass and its ability to detect evil that we will not go in and destroy Iran 's nuclear program? Would we rather wait for another Holocaust for the Jews - one which they would be unlikely to survive? When does it end?

As if the battle for good and evil isn't enough, now come the Environmentalists who are so afraid of global warming that they want to put a Bag tax on grocery bags in California; to eliminate Mylar balloons; to establish something as insidious as the recycle police in San Francisco. I do my share for the environment: I recycle, I use water wisely, I installed an energy efficient air conditioning unit. But when and where does the lunacy stop?Ahmadinejad wants to wipe Israel off the map, the California economy is being overrun by illegal immigrants, and the United States of America no longer knows right from wrong, good from evil.. So what does California do? Tax grocery bags.

So, America , although I can tell you where the outrage is, this one middle-aged, well-educated, upper middle class woman is powerless to do anything about it. I don't even feel like my vote counts because I am so outnumbered by those who disagree with me.

Alisa Wilson, Ph.D. Beverly Hills , California

There are a lot more out there who think just like Alisa Wilson, the only difference, she put her thoughts in an email that will reach thousands. I would like to keep this going and see how big it gets.


E-Mail #3

Rick Warren

You will enjoy the new insights that Rick Warren has, with his wife now having cancer and him having 'wealth' from the book sales. This is an absolutely incredible short interview with Rick Warren,

'Purpose Driven Life ' author and pastor of Saddleback Church in California

In the interview by Paul Bradshaw with Rick Warren, Rick said:

People ask me, What is the purpose of life?

And I respond: In a nutshell, life is preparation for eternity. We were not made to last forever, and God wants us to be with Him in Heaven.

One day my heart is going to stop, and that will be the end of my body-- but not the end of me..

I may live 60 to 100 years on earth, but I am going to spend trillions of years in eternity.. This is the warm-up act - the dress rehearsal.. God wants us to practice on earth what we will do forever in eternity.

We were made by God and for God, and until you figure that out, life isn't going to make sense.

Life is a series of problems: Either you are in one now, you're just coming out of one, or you're getting ready to go into another one.

The reason for this is that God is more interested in your character than your comfort; God is more interested in making your life holy than He is in making your life happy.

We can be reasonably happy here on earth, but that's not the goal of life. The goal is to grow in character, in Christ likeness.

This past year has been the greatest year of my life but also the toughest, with my wife, Kay, getting cancer.

I used to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, then you go to the mountaintop, back and forth. I don't believe that anymore.

Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it's kind of like two rails on a railroad track, and at all times you have something good and something bad in your life.

No matter how good things are in your life, there is always something bad that needs to be worked on.

And no matter how bad things are in your life, there is always something good you can thank God for..

You can focus on your purposes, or you can focus on your problems:

If you focus on your problems, you're going into self-centeredness, which is my problem, my issues, my pain.' But one of the easiest ways to get rid of pain is to get your focus off yourself and onto God and others.

We discovered quickly that in spite of the prayers of hundreds of thousands of people, God was not going to heal Kay or make it easy for her- It has been very difficult for her, and yet God has strengthened her character, given her a ministry of helping other people, given her a testimony, drawn her closer to Him and to people.

You have to learn to deal with both the good and the bad of life.

Actually, sometimes learning to deal with the good is harder. For instance, this past year, all of a sudden, when the book sold 15 million copies, it made me instantly very wealthy.

It also brought a lot of notoriety that I had never had to deal with before. I don't think God gives you money or notoriety for your own ego or for you to live a life of ease..

So I began to ask God what He wanted me to do with this money, notoriety and influence. He gave me two different passages that helped me decide what to do, II Corinthians 9 and Psalm 72.

First, in spite of all the money coming in, we would not change our lifestyle one bit.. We made no major purchases.

Second, about midway through last year, I stopped taking a salary from the church.

Third, we set up foundations to fund an initiative we call The Peace Plan to plant churches, equip leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, and educate the next generation.

Fourth, I added up all that the church had paid me in the 24 years since I started the church, and I gave it all back. It was liberating to be able to serve God for free.

We need to ask ourselves: Am I going to live for possessions? Popularity?

Am I going to be driven by pressures? Guilt? Bitterness? Materialism? Or am I going to be driven by God's purposes (for my life)?

When I get up in the morning, I sit on the side of my bed and say, God, if I don't get anything else done today, I want to know You more and love You better. God didn't put me on earth just to fulfill a to-do list. He's more interested in what I am than what I do.

That's why we're called human beings, not human doings.

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.

Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.

Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.

Painful moments, TRUST GOD.

Every moment, THANK GOD.

Top O' The Morning To You!

Well I think I really officially scared Grant this morning! I was in full out Irish mode! I went to the library got some irish tunes..even a band out of St. Paul! Made him some green eggs and was attemping to talk all irish to him. He is quite the comic himself but I think he just didn't know what to do with me. I'm making corned beef and cabbage (had it for the first time on Sunday and had to attempt it myself now) and I'm making a bailey's cake for dessert. Grant just had this grin on his face like...she is really loosing it! I kept saying to him.."Think of how dull your life would be if you didn't live with a wierdo?!" Seriously, sometimes I even feel sorry for him!

Hope everyone has a FANTASTIC St. Patty's day and you celebrate safely!

Just a nice quote from quoteland.com that I recieved in my inbox and thought it would be nice to share!


May we never let the things we can't have, or don't have, or shouldn't have, spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have. As we value our happiness let us not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have.

- Richard L. Evans

Pretty Grafitti

I would love this guy to come to my house and do a murial...and also talk in his beautiful accent=D Is it Australian???

Love one Another!

I have to admit that I haven't been the best at being at my computer lately. I have many Karma tubes in my inbox I need to watch and share if I feel it compelling enough. This video I did. It's a 25 minute video but worth every second! It really puts a perspective on what could really be if we all respected one another for simply who we are without any judgement. In the video one of the men state how powerful love could be. If we all just possible practiced it starting with one day at a time just simply loving one another and not passing any judgement, I think the power of love could be phenomenal! I liked a lot of what the Buddhist nun had to say although the way she stared at me scared me a little...see, there I go passing judgement...shame on me! When she mentioned just how content we could truly be with so little and how once we have much we keep wanting more. I would like to say Grant and I were really good with this when it came to Amber. We had her enjoy all the simple things in life and she didn't get really any material things. If she wanted something she had to save for it with her $5 weekly allowance. I remember Grant coming home with a movie and it was this big exciting event...one that is not very exciting to many kids whom are indulged with material things daily. Grant and I have not been good at living simply in the past and have really worked at changing our ways and I believe are becoming quite successful. The Buddhist nun said something about buying for momentary satisfaction...Isn't that the truth! Before I started to really thing about everything I buy I would get things only to sell it in my next garage sale. I think it's so important to teach our children to live simply and that gadgets and "stuff" is not what brings us happiness. My new go green goal is to start using the bus lines much more. Yes it gets us from here to there slower but I feel we can all work on a little patience and the ride can give us some quality we time to read a book, enjoy some music, or just enjoy life as it's passing us by while another one is driving for us. My sister Dawn mentioned a system in San Francisco called the zip cars. I'm sure other cities have this as well. They have various lots and one pays a yearly fee and then a rental fee when you would like to use a car. She loves the idea that many people are sharing cars and she feels she's doing her part to be greener as well. Most of the time she takes public transportation so it's not very often she is driving a car around. I like this idea. Grant and I share a car. I haven't needed a car so much since I haven't worked or had Amber so it's worked out. When we lived in the cities and in Clintonville it still worked for us though. I was going to school, working and volunteering and Grant worked most everyday and we still made it work.
So with that I wish for a world someday where we accept one another for our differences in religion, skin color etc and can one day hold hands around the world and sing Kumbaya....as John Lennon sang in Imagine..."You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one"

http://karmatube.org/videos.php?id=1494

It's been a long time!

It's been a super long time! I'm still angry...actually angrier about the state of our country and I'm still a green freak. What's changed is I'm now 32 and I've become less and less of a computer addict. I haven't done an e-mail quote of the week for approx 3 weeks. It's not that I've quit it, I've just been doing other things constructive. So with that I want to share this video with y'all. This song was sang at my father's funeral by my cousin and I've just always loved it!

Soda my love!

Grant and I LOVE soda like many Americans. I really don't drink a lot during the day but come 8ish when we start to play our nightly game of skip-bo or phase 10 out comes the soda in full force. We love the awful stuff too! Grant's soda choice is the ever popular Mt.Dew. Mine is Pepsi. Well I've been looking into some natural alternatives and tried Blue Sky soda the other night. I got the cola and it's good....Kinda like RC cola Grant thinks. We know we have to cut back and soda should only be a treat but at least we've made a change eh'
Mt. Dew Ingredients:
Carbonated water
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
Concentrated orange juice and other natural flavors
Citric acid
Sodium benzoate (preserves freshness)
Caffeine (55.2 mg per 12 oz.)
Sodium citrate
Gum arabic
Erythorbic acid (preserves freshness)
Calcium disodium EDTA (to protect flavor)
Brominated vegetable oil
Yellow 5
I don't think I realized that there was vegetable oil in it..ewwww!
Blue Skyy Soda
Blue Sky Real Sugar has been developed for consumers who have allergies to High Fructose Corn Syrup or wish to eliminate HFCS from their diets. 100% Natural, No Artificial Flavors or Colors, No Preservatives, No Caffeine, No Sodium, Kosher Certified, GMO free, and No High Fructose Corn Syrup.
I see on their web-site that they also have organic which I haven't seen at the grocery store. So as we cut down on the soda we are switching to something better while we get there. It's spendy also compared to regular soda so that is a good initiative to quit also!

I am Blessed!

I used to be the person who thought life was after me and nothing went my way..waaa waaa. Well I have to tell you it's a blessing in itself to know how truly blessed one is. What a great feeling to feel such contentment and satisfaction. for the past year now It's really been hitting me just how blessed I am. I really haven't anything to complain about. Everything I have I've created for myself. Debt..I created but when you come to the realization that it's not going to take over your overall attitude and you decide to take control it's the most wonderful feeling! I never thought I'd say this but I love being budgeted and the feeling of having a handle on things! I know I'm overly blessed having the husband I do, having the friends I do and of course the puppies I do also! I'm truly content and happy in life and my only hope is that others get to feel this way in thier lifetime as well. It seems that so many don't ever get that feeling of true contentment and focus so much of the things that aren't so good and forget to focus on all the blessings we have!

My Grammy Award Update and a little music ranting

Yes, I know it's like a week after Grammy's. I recorded them and watched the 2ND half today and now feel I have to give my feedback. This is my own personal reflection and I don't mean to offend anyone=)
So the nerd I am took notes on the performance and some of the inbetweens..here it is:
U2's performance was good. I haven't loved a lot of their newer stuff and really liked the song they performed.
Whitney Houston..one word..YIKES! Ok I do have a few more..ick, cracked out and to much botox
Coldplay was awesome. Since I lost respect for JayZ(see older post) I liked the effect on the song but he just brought a certain ick factor for me. Chris Martin did a interview before the grammy's and was super cute in his boyish way. Love him!
Al Green and Justin Timberlake was good
Jonas Bros with Stevie Wonder was fun. Joe is the cutest one in my opinion.
I was happy to see Jason Mraz..I heart that boy!
Miley and Taylor Swift was nice. I think Miley was nervous and didn't do a great job.
Jennifer Hudson's performance and win was touching
Katy Perry I think was lip syncing and I HATE that! I'm not a big fan!
Kenny Chesney..nice
JayZ, Kanye, Sean Puffy(whatever his name is these days), lil Wayne, TI, and Mia...I thought it was very annoying and I didn't like her choice in clothing at all! She was super annoying me!
Paul McCartney and Dave Grohl were good and fun to watch. I love Dave and Paul is a good egg also.
Jack Black was so awesome to see! My heart skipped a beat and I was speechless for quite sometime.
I didn't like John Mayer winning an award and when he played with BB King and I believe it was Keith Urban he had absolutely no umph. He seems so smug and arrogant in any situation I see him in. I don't know what Miss. Aniston sees in him. He's so frumpy.
Sugarland was phenomenal! She has a great controlled voice and such passion!
I love Adele's song Chasing Pavement and her voice is nice but she needs more charisma, more stage presence.
I thought that Justin Timberlake and TI were good. I was really impressed by TI..not that I'm going to go out and buy and album though. I loved the strings and the bucket drummers.
Radiohead I love but it's so hard for me to watch Thom Yorke. He's just so bizzare. Grant and I watched him on a music show that was just them and he kinda spooks us both out. I do love listening to their music though.
Neil Diamond is someone I adore. He brings such warm fuzzy's to me like he did the audience. Growing up he was my sister Dawn's fave and my dad also loved him. When I was 24ish I brought my dad to a concert of his. Beings my dad was handicapped we got to sit in handicapped seating which isn't such a bad deal. They had double seated in our area and someone asked if we'd like to sit in the front with his wheel chair and they'd give us our money back. So not only did we get to be right up front, instead of to the side we got to attend the awesomest concert for free!
Robin Thicke and Lil Wayne I just pushed fast forward. It really wasn't doing anything for me.
Robert Plant and Alison Krause I just don't get why they are loved! I personally don't like the song that's popular and that they sang. I was a little disappointed they won album of the year. Green day is looking good though!

So there you have it. I haven't watched the grammy's for awhile and probably won't for awhile again. You know (I'm talking about people in my age group here) how we used to make fun of people for being stuck in the 80's, well I beleive I'm stuck in the 90's. I just love the music from that time and there is just nothing coming out that wow's me or hasn't been done already. Like to me John Mayer is just a bad immitation of Dave Matthews. I love the whole grunge era and I don't like bands like Linkin Park that aren't that good...sorry to the lovers! It's funny because my favorite band of all time R.E.M. even started to make not as good music after the 90's...after automatic for the people where I'm concerned...monster was good to I guess. So today I'm just lying in bed and I see top 20 countdown on VH1. Personally I didn't even know that MTV or VH1 still ran videos..he ha. I cannot even tell you the last time I pushed enter to watch one of them. Well the video that was on was some music I'd hear at some bar I hate in a downtown dance club. Click, off. Thank goodness I wasted a LOT of time recording video's in the 90's!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!

Grant and I usually don't make a big fuss of Valentines Day and I was potentially going to be in the cities this weekend anyhoo. Well last night at 12 Grant says "since it's 12 can I give you your Valentines day card?" Grant is like a excited kid when he has something to give and rarely can make it until the day of to give something. So he presents me with this card he made on the computer. He had found a card envelope in my "craft" area and decorated it with hearts and wrote love on it written all funky. The card reads on the outside To my beloved wife and on the inside it says happy valentines day to the one I love (a little R.E.M. slipped in there), you are my inspiration to be a better person. When it comes to words Grant is so good! In it was 3 coupons he made. One is for free hugs and kisses even doggie kisses from the girls for LIFE! WOW..that's intense! Another for dinner at the Roxy which is a restaurant downtown Oshkosh that has AWESOME steaks! The last one is for a free movie date! The fun thing about the movie one is we never go to movies. We hate spending the money on what it costs and would rather rent them anyhoo..so the movie will be a special treat!
I know many woman say I have the best husband (or at least I hope many do), but I truly feel blessed to have such a wonderful caring man who is sensitive to me and others. I'm going to give in and celebrate cupids arrow hitting me. I'm going to go and get a couple steaks, shrimp, a bottle of wine, and ingredients to make miniture cheesecakes....maybe even light a few candles and well you know=D
HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

The Great, The Wonderful

Stimulus Pkg!

YEAH RIGHT! The bill is 1071 pgs long and 8inches thick. Wow that's a lot to take in right...well yes but if it's your job to make a wise decision for the American people then you should read every word of it..Right? Well when asked if they read the entire thing, a high precentage of the senators hadn't! Ummm isn't this why we pay you?? This bill is a disaster! Another thing they've slipped into it is a railway going from Disneyland to Vegas..is this what you feel we need in an economic slump? I in my heart of hearts do want this to work because I don't want our country to fail but I just don't see how passing a bill with tons of hidden spending is going to.

Simply a Wave

This morning after dropping Grant off at work (630ish), I come to a Kwik Trip driveway. Like any business driveway I stop before it so people can get in and out...something many don't do and is one of my hugest pet peeves! So There is no one in back of me and I could just take off after the car in front of me goes, after all the guy wanting to get out only rightfully has to wait for me, right? Well being the nice gal I am I let him go and not even a wave of thanks! I find that people don't wave anymore when you let them over and such. I don't know if it's my ND upbringing but aren't you supposed to wave when someone lets one over to say "hey thanks, you didn't have to do that but your swell." After all people don't have to let someone in even though it is the polite right thing to do. I've always automatically waved even in the cities where you have to "get over" quite a bit. This may be taking it to far but to me this is just another sign of politeness and human kindness coming to a minimum=(

Dryer Sheets

I bought some Mrs. Meyers dryer sheets a couple weeks back and love them. I haven't found a eco-safe and effective way to take static away from my clothing until I found these. I bought the geranium scent and they smell super good also! I did try the method damp cloths and they didn't work well where static was concerned. So there you have it folks!

Stupid commercials

There are many dumb commercials. My favorite dumb ones are the head on. Now lately with Valentines day coming they are advertising Vermont Teddy Bears and PJ grams. I told Grant I better never recieve a cheesy teddy bear and if he gets me pjs I would hope he'd find some comfy ones that he took the time to pick out and wrap. Or how about the every kiss begins with kay commercials. Kisses begin with a man and a woman treating one another with respect not over stupid jewelry! And why is it always the man giving, why not the woman treating his man to a cute teddy or a nice chain from a jewelry store. Men deserve love to! Grant and I are not big Valentines day people and we choose to celebrate our love everyday of the year not just a hallmark holiday of the year.

Michael Phelps

Really I don't care one way or another that Kellogs pulled away from Phelps. I do think he is young and like young people they do things that are a little crazy. I do think that putting yourself in the public eye and being a role model one should not be doing this kind of stuff. Don't these people know that what they do is going to come out. Well anyhoo now there is a pot group that is banning kellogs. I mean really he shouldn't be doing it in the first place being an athlete and then putting himself in the place of a role model. Go get a job pot heads and worry about something else!

No Apolgies needed!

So O'Reilly made a comment to Allen Colmes who was on his show and said basically that Helen Thomas asked a stupid question and went on to mock her and say that she sounded like the wicked witch. Now this femminist group that no shocker was formed by Jane Fonda is all outraged. Where were they when Palin was getting mocked up and down for anything she did or said...can I say biased!?!? I don't feel that he owes Ms. Thomas an apology.
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If your not outraged your not paying attention!

Oh how I loved this liberal bumper sticker during the Bush term. I hope they still have it on their cars because it's true now! If your not outraged you aren't listening or we just really have different ideas on how America should be. This whole stimulus pkg. has got me banging my head against the wall. I love how they've snuck things into it and are trying to pass it as quick as possible so noone notices. Well if you pay attention you do notice. First of all I don't want our tax money being spent on universal health care...if I wanted to live in a socialist country I'd go live in Canada! I don't want to help with a billion dollar energy plant in Chicago. We need to focus on teaching people how to spend and invest better not just keep throwing money at them and hope for the best or just turn around and say "ok now you get to pay us back with higher taxes!" The money has to come from some where people.
I'm a huge Glenn Beck fan and I think it's safe to say that anything I've heard with my own ears from him I've never disagreed with! He is very good looking, very animated and not to mention a smart self taught man! I love his new show on Fox News. And by the way for people who tell me to watch something else really why would I want to listen to a bunch of liberal gargage? I'm thankful for Fox News and I feel I do get a fair and balanced outlook.
This is a link to the video I couldn't embed
http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3556643&referralPlaylistId=playlist

This is a first....

Tonight while watching the O'Reilly Factor I diasagreed with Bill. I have to be honest and say I don't know if that's happened before. He was talking about the video which I posted below and how it was so wrong and the father who recorded it was exploiting his son. It's not like the father drugged him and took the video the kid was on anestesia after getting a tooth pulled. I think this is hoooolarious and the father just found some humor in the situation.

I loved you Rose!

I forgot to post and was just thinking about it how bummed I was that Rose from American Idol did not make it. I loved her voice and of course she was super cute! I also liked the girl with the pink hair and tattoos who didn't make it. Here's what I fear this season...bikini girl is going to make it to the show with her ok voice. She drives Grant and I crazy...along with tatiana or whatever her whiney name is.

Surprised to say the least

Yesterday Grant and I went and took a visit to our local library. I looked up the following books which are all by authors that lean to the right...
Ann Coultiers Guilty
Bill O'Reilly's Bold fresh piece of humanity
Dick Morris's Fleeced
Bernard Goldbergs A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (And Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media

Although I wanted to bring home at least one of these books I'm happy to report that they were all checked out and Ann Coultiers had 22 holds! I put a hold on all of them. I'll give you an update as I read them.

I recently read Traveling Light by Max Lucado and it was WONDERFUL!!!! A must read for everyone!

Simple lessons in life

I recieved this from Karma Tube and thought it was a nice story to share.

Yikes!

If you belong to my e-mail list you know I do a quote of the week. Well I'm begining to think I could do an Obama administration screw up of the day. And people thought Bush was bad!?!?


Passing the SCHIP's bill.
Republicans, even the one's who support it, fear democrats were taking the program beyond its original intent and were encouraging states to cover middle-class families who otherwise could get private insurance. They also said it will mean an estimated 2.4 million children who otherwise would have access to private insurance will join the State Children's Health Insurance Program instead. And isnt a higher precentage of smokers usually the poor. So we are going to tax the poor more? I didn't think this was a demorcatic policy...hmmm. I believe smoking isn't a good thing for one's body or others but why should an American smoker have to pay for an illegal child to have healthcare?

I watch the news A LOT and I'm appalled by what I hear! I guess if you don't mind our country moving toward socialism and think abortion is ok and don't beleive in morals this is the administration for you!

Still shopping till their dropping!

It amazes me with the economy being as bad as it's suppost to be, the number of cars in the mall parking lot. Now don't get me wrong, I do believe that our economy is not in good standing right now. Two Saturdays ago, Grant and I went to the Appleton Mall (equivelent to Rosedale...I might say even a tad nicer) and the parking lot was so loaded with cars that is was hard to find a parking spot without walking from the near end. Last night I went there again to exchange a shirt a Penny's and it was really busy there. My friend Virginia who works at Penny's at the Rosedale mall in the cities said the same thing about that Saturday. So that's it, I'm just amazed by how busy the mall is and the amount of bags people are carrying around with a Gloria Jeans still in hand.

Here you have it folks...6 more weeks of winter!

update on the octuplets

As David Gray says in one of his songs "my oh my"




LOS ANGELES – The woman who gave birth to octuplets this week conceived all 14 of her children through in vitro fertilization, is not married and has been obsessed with having children since she was a teenager, her mother said.

Angela Suleman told The Associated Press she was not supportive when her daughter, Nadya Suleman, decided to have more embryos implanted last year.

"It can't go on any longer," she said in a phone interview Friday. "She's got six children and no husband. I was brought up the traditional way. I firmly believe in marriage. But she didn't want to get married."

Nadya Suleman, 33, gave birth Monday in nearby Bellflower. She was expected to remain in the hospital for at least a few more days, and her newborns for at least a month.

A spokeswoman at Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center said the babies were doing well and seven were breathing unassisted.

While her daughter recovers, Angela Suleman is taking care of the other six children, ages 2 through 7, at the family home in Whittier, about 15 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

She said she warned her daughter that when she gets home from the hospital, "I'm going to be gone."

Angela Suleman said her daughter always had trouble conceiving and underwent in vitro fertilization treatments because her fallopian tubes are "plugged up."

There were frozen embryos left over after her previous pregnancies and her daughter didn't want them destroyed, so she decided to have more children.

Her mother and doctors have said the woman was told she had the option to abort some of the embryos and, later, the fetuses. She refused.

Her mother said she does not believe her daughter will have any more children.

"She doesn't have any more (frozen embryos), so it's over now," she said. "It has to be."

Nadya Suleman wanted to have children since she was a teenager, "but luckily she couldn't," her mother said.

"Instead of becoming a kindergarten teacher or something, she started having them, but not the normal way," he mother said.

Her daughter's obsession with children caused Angela Suleman considerable stress, so she sought help from a psychologist, who told her to order her daughter out of the house.

"Maybe she wouldn't have had so many kids then, but she is a grown woman," Angela Suleman said. "I feel responsible and I didn't want to throw her out."

Yolanda Garcia, 49, of Whittier, said she helped care for Nadya Suleman's autistic son three years ago.

"From what I could tell back then, she was pretty happy with herself, saying she liked having kids and she wanted 12 kids in all," Garcia told the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

"She told me that all of her kids were through in vitro, and I said 'Gosh, how can you afford that and go to school at the same time?"' she added. "And she said it's because she got paid for it."

Garcia said she did not ask for details.

Nadya Suleman holds a 2006 degree in child and adolescent development from California State University, Fullerton, and as late as last spring she was studying for a master's degree in counseling, college spokeswoman Paula Selleck told the Press-Telegram.

Her fertility doctor has not been identified. Her mother told the Los Angeles Times all the children came from the same sperm donor but she declined to identify him.

Birth certificates reviewed by The Associated Press identify a David Solomon as the father for the four oldest children. Certificates for the other children were not immediately available.

The news that the octuplets' mother already had six children sparked an ethical debate. Some medical experts were disturbed to hear that she was offered fertility treatment, and troubled by the possibility that she was implanted with so many embryos.

Others worried that she would be overwhelmed trying to raise so many children and would end up relying on public support.

The eight babies — six boys and two girls — were delivered by Cesarean section weighing between 1 pound, 8 ounces and 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Forty-six physicians and staff assisted in the deliveries.

Yeah for Michael Steele!

I heart Michael Steele as many know. Today he was given the position of chairman of the Republican National Commitee! I'm so super excited and think he will definetly be able to get our party on the "right" track!

I HEART THESE BOYS!!!

I've been on youtube a few times only to look something up quick. But today I wanted to see if I could find a video of a song that Michael Stipe sings with Coldplay. Well I found this and OMG! It's not the one I first intended on finding. I know that I could become seriously addicted to youtube watching music videos non-stop. Michael Stipe first came into my life when I was in 5th grade and has never left! I think he is one of the hottest men that roam the earth...but then came Chris Martin. Again OMG both of them on one stage how's a girl to breath!

One legged salsa dancer

I thought this video was super fascinating and worth sharing with others!

Pelosi is a joke!

Ms. Pelosi thinks that we should give more money to family planning to help our economy so we won't have as many babies born. As far as I know there is always a way for kids who want to have sex to get free birth control and they don't need to have the babies in the first place. Kids can go to their health nurse at school or a family planning place to get contraceptives. I have a great idea...how about kids practice abstinence??? Us giving more money to family planning is just a liberals way of getting more money for abortions which I'm already funding and don't wish to fund anymore money towards!

Eight is Enough!

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=11732747

The story that the above link leads to is of the 2nd octuplets born and to all make it. YIKES! 8 babies all at once! They won't say if she took fertility but I'd bet she did...(One small reason I choose not to do fertility). I feel for that couple and every age that comes upon them from the terrible two's to teenagers!




Now they came out today saying she has 6 other children and lives with her parents. There is no mention of a father in the picture but it's said she is fairly young. I cannot wait to here more about this story.

Abortion is not ok Obama!

I just read this and I have a frog in my throat and tears coming down. I cannot beleive this is happening to our country. I really have no more to say about this because I'm in a state of shock we would vote in a president who we knew was for abortion. I really hoped for the best but I cannot anymore!




WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Friday struck down the Bush administration's ban on giving federal money to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information — an inflammatory policy that has bounced in and out of law for the past quarter-century. Obama's executive order, the latest in an aggressive first week reversing contentious Bush policies, was warmly welcomed by liberal groups and denounced by abortion rights foes.

The ban has been a political football between Democratic and Republican administrations since GOP President Ronald Reagan first adopted it 1984. Democrat Bill Clinton ended the ban in 1993, but Republican George W. Bush re-instituted it in 2001 as one of his first acts in office.

A White House spokesman, Bill Burton, said Obama signed the executive order, without coverage by the media, late on Friday afternoon. The abortion measure is a highly emotional one for many people, and the quiet signing was in contrast to the televised coverage of Obama's Wednesday announcement on ethics rules and Thursday signing of orders on closing the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and banning torture in the questioning of terror suspects.

His action came one day after the 36th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion.

The Bush policy had banned U.S. taxpayer money, usually in the form of Agency for International Development funds, from going to international family planning groups that either offer abortions or provide information, counseling or referrals about abortion as a family planning method.

Critics have long held that the rule unfairly discriminates against the world's poor by denying U.S. aid to groups that may be involved in abortion but also work on other aspects of reproductive health care and HIV/AIDS, leading to the closure of free and low-cost rural clinics.

Supporters of the ban say that the United States still provides millions of dollars in family planning assistance around the world and that the rule prevents anti-abortion taxpayers from backing something they believe is morally wrong.

The ban has been known as the "Mexico City policy" for the city a U.S. delegation first announced it at a U.N. International Conference on Population.

Both Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who will oversee foreign aid, had promised to do away with the rule during the presidential campaign. Clinton visited the U.S. Agency for International Development earlier Friday but made no mention of the step, which had not yet been announced.

In a move related to the lifting of the abortion rule, Obama is also expected to restore funding to the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), probably in the next federal budget. Both he and Clinton had pledged to reverse a Bush administration determination that assistance to the organization violated U.S. law known as the Kemp-Kasten amendment.

The Bush administration had barred U.S. money from the fund, to contending that its work in China supported a Chinese family planning policy of coercive abortion and involuntary sterilization. UNFPA has vehemently denied that it does.

Congress had appropriated $40 million to the UNFPA in the past budget year but the administration had withheld the money as it had done every year since 2002.

Organizations and lawmakers that had pressed Obama to rescind the Mexico City policy were jubilant.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the move "will help save lives and empower the poorest women and families to improve their quality of life and their future."

"Today's announcement is a very powerful signal to our neighbors around the world that the United States is once again back in the business of good public policy and ideology no longer blunts our ability to save lives around the globe," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Population Action International, an advocacy group, said that the policy had "severely impacted" women's health and that the step "will help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies, abortions and women dying from high-risk pregnancies because they don't have access to family planning."

Anti-abortion groups and lawmakers condemned Obama's decision.

"I have long supported the Mexico City Policy and believe this administration's decision to be counter to our nation's interests," said Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

"Coming just one day after the 36th anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade decision, this presidential directive forces taxpayers to subsidize abortions overseas — something no American should be required by government to do," said House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., called it "morally wrong to take the taxpayer dollars of millions of pro-life Americans to promote abortion around the world."

"President Obama not long ago told the American people that he would support policies to reduce abortions, but today he is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control," said Douglas Johnson, legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee.

___

AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven contributed to this report.

Republican girl living in a liberal world

I saw this on Bill O'Reily last night and probably the only place I would see it. Heaven forbid the rest of the liberal media would show this. We all know it would be pasted everywhere and we couldn't get away from it if this was a white man singing like this. Grant had mentioned but goes along with so many other things...could you imagine McCain getting in and someone singing about their president is white and so on. And by the way Obama has a white mother in case some want to forget that.
WHAT A DISGRACE!
I have fears of Obama and what we don't know about him which is nothing! Stuff that has come out is not the stuff I'd go out and vote for for the U.S. But if I were to go around saying Obama should die and he's hitler and so on I'd be labeled racist and a horrible person. Well how about all the people labeled as just when they would say this stuff about Bush? I'd be told to have respect because he's my president by the same people who showed little of no respect to Bush. I really have a hard time living in this day in age where I have to always watch what I say because I'm a republican and far left loons get away with saying and doing anything!

Take care of the skin your in

pretty risky

Eliminate all harmful chemicals from your personal-care products. Become a habitual label reader. One simple rule: If you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, don’t put it on your skin (the largest organ in the body, and a very porous surface). Finally, opt for minimal packaging, and use refillable containers whenever possible.

get going:www.thegreenguide.com/doc/122/dirtydozen—a primer for label reading. www.safecosmetics.org
www.cosmeticdatabase.com—type in your product to get the scoop on the ingredients.

I cannot say that I would but my personal care products in my mouth but I do make concious decisions when buying them..except our generic use of body wash. As I was cleaning yesterday I thought to myself..."most anything I'm using I'd use in food." This made me especially happy when looking out for my babies.

My thoughts on today's events

On a positive note I thought that everything was gorgeous! People coming together for a historic event down to everyones attire. I thought Michelle Obama's dress was gorgeous. I do think their girls are so super cute too! The composition played right before the oath was gorgeous and well done!
I thought Obama would give a speech to remember or some kind of line I could quote someday in an inaguration day quote but I didn't get anything out of it. I've heard that from other news programs as well.
I don't like the idea when Rick Warren did the prayer (which I thought was phenomenal) Obama didn't say the lords prayer which struck me as not ok but I wasn't surprised knowing what we know about him and his wonderful Christian ways!
I know that there are all kinds of numbers flying around but one I've heard is 150 million which was spent on his inaguration! If he's all about the little people and sharing the wealth why didn't he do something simple yet wonderful like past presidents and share some of his own wealth? A question I feel I'll be asking myself a lot in the next 4 years.
In reality we know nothing about this man and things we do know are all red flags. I do hope that he does well because I live in this country and it would be horrible to wish him bad. Grant and I while praying at dinner tonight did say a prayer for our new president. I do hope to respect him and my fellow republicans do and don't stoop to the liberals level of hating and not respecting our leader. So that's all I have to say about today's events.

Bush is not to blame!

I have a really hard time with hearing people say anything about Bush ruining our economy. C'mon people! Do you really beleive he has that much power to ruin the entire economy! Here's the deal folks; it's because we want everything and want it now and live beyond our means that people have unbelievable credit card debts, bought to much house than they could afford and so on. It's not Bush's fault people buy to much house and now need to forclose because they can't hack the bill every month. If a bank gives you 500,000 to buy a house and you can only afford 200,000 it's your responsibility to realize that and not let a bank try to get you into more you can afford. Same with credit cards. When did it come to that we need everything nice and now and that our children cannot live without this and that and we cannot live without this gadget or that new dining table set. Now I'm speaking from experience because Grant and I have gotten in trouble with all the above but I do not blame Bush for that nor do I blame anyone but our ownselves.

Adios, Au Revoir plastic bags!

bag nationSturdy

reusable totes for groceries are a must, but so is a versatile, take-everywhere bag for errands and impulse buys on the way home that folds up to a couple inches square and can live in your purse, glove compartment, or coat pocket. Practice saying, “I’ve got my own bag, thanks.”

This is one thing I've gotten really good at. Even the other day Grant and I went to the grocery store and we were getting ready to check out without our own bags. Grant and I both said to one another "I'll go get the bags out of the trunk." I did and felt a lot better than taking yet another plastic bag. The big thing for us was just to put the bags in the trunk and keep them there. When I keep them in the house I tend to forget to grab them.

The many blows to Lola's head part 1

Little Lola started out with a tough break. When she was only about 2 weeks old she had a candle opera fall on her head and the people watching over her didn't think she would make it...but obviously she did. We got her when she was 8 months old. Since then she's had a few more bumps including the terrifying one last night! Once I was giving her a bath in our kitchen sink and reached for the shampoo. In that second she was on the floor and hurt her head. Another time she had either fallen or decided to try and jump off the couch and again hurt her head. Last night Grant and I are playing skip-bo..like usual, and Lucy had just gotten a chew treat and Lola must've tried to get it...well next thing you know we hear Lucy barking and see Lola on the ground with her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. She was right next to the leg on of the table so we think she backed up just hard enough into it because I didn't feel Lucy move at all and she lays on my feet. We thought she was gone. Grant kept saying her name and trying to bring her to and it worked. I called a vet hospital and the vet there said as long as she keeps making improvement she'll be ok. Well she has done just that. Last night we couldn't even touch behind her left ear now today I can. She has been lethargic but can walk in a non-clumsy fashion. She does want me to hold her every second which is understandable after what she went through. Needless to say, Lucy will be starting some dog training on treat aggression. She is a GREAT dog in every other way just has been territorial on her treats. Grant and I do feel bad that she was an only dog for 4 years and now she's had to instantly share attention. I know many dogs do this but we cannot have it in our house with a 2 pound dog here. So I will be updating y'all on Lucy's progress progress.

American Idol review

So Grant and I and our neighbors watched Tuesdays American Idol last night. How on earth did that bikini girl get in besides the obvious! She really wasn't that cute with her pushed in nose and her attitude stunk let alone her voice! Do guys in the real world really only care about the superficial? I mean really doesn't a womans personality stand for anything? I'm glad I'm taken and would hate to have to compete in todays market by beauty and body. I sometimes feel that Grant and I are the lone and few who really beleive that beauty is only skin deep. When we discuss people on the market it honestly baffles us. So I took this American Idol review WAY to far. Until next week!

don’t bottle it up

The Earth Policy Institute estimates that it takes about 1.5 million barrels of oil to make the plastic water bottles Americans use each year, 77 percent of which end up in the landfill. Resolve to use a reusable container instead, and pair it with an at-home water filtration system.

My American Idol review so far

We have not watched Tuesday nights episode yet but have it recorded. Last night there were 3 people who got in that Grant and I agreed shouldn't have. One was the white guy with the hat on, the black guy who I believe was also wearing a hat and glasses, and a girl that I cannot think of a description at this point but was not that good! I beleive that these people will leave during Hollywood week but still don't understand why they even put them that far!

My pictures

Ok, so for sometime I've been trying to get my pictures on a web album. I didn't care for picassa that much so now I'm trying out flickr which I seem to like! Please check out some photos that I posted. I was thinking of posting a bunch of photos from long ago even and just decided to start with the pics that are current.

http://flickr.com/photos/trudyrenee/

American Idol

Grant and I being the nerds we are, are very into American Idol and have been waiting since the last show for the new season! I'm so super excited it's finally here!

C'mon Giants!

I was dissapointed by the giants losing yesterday. I know many who I talked to who felt the same way. Is it because McNabb is a snubb ass? Probably so eh' Well, now that the Vikings and the Giants let me down I'll just have fun at my superbowl party eating apps and playing games!

E-Mail Quote of the week!

Future. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our friends are true and our happiness is assured.

- Ambrose Bierce


We are approved by God, we don’t have to win the approval of others and look good in their eyes. We are not perfect people. Too many of us take ourselves too seriously and God not seriously enough.
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-John C. Maxwell This week the quotes don't completely mesh together but both are relative to what I'm feeling this week. The first quote is true to me except our happiness is assured. I think that we tend to not let things bring us down as much when we get older. We know that as we age some things are pretty trivial in the grand scheme of things but I also believe things can happen to people that happiness isn't always going to be assured..Right. If happiness is a state of mind then I do beleive as we get older that bad things aren't going to rattle us as much as they might have because don't we just know that bad things are inevitable and do keep us grounded?.?.? I do beleive that friendships are so much more meaningful and people you do take on as friends are so much more true to us. I remember having friends for years then they would end over some silly little trivial thing that would not rattle me today nor would be worth ending a friendship over. I have to say that I love life more and more the older I get and I used to think it was this big scary thing. I enjoy having a little better grasp on things and my actions...except for the occasional slip ups The next quote oh so true for me. I worry a lot what people think of me. Many know I'm very over the top and can be a tish crazy....no, really it's true! I can get very embarrased by this myself believe it or not and have asked God so many times in my life to make me less annoying. Well again as I've gotten older I've naturally eased up but still have those "OH TRUDY" moments. I've learned to think of some of my craziness as a blessing that I can just let loose and am not afraid to let people know who I really am which I realize is not a fun thing for people who cannot. One thing that I care to much what people think is my home. I want it to be when people walk in they think to themselves "WOW, this girl keeps a clean home!" Is it really necessary..NO! I also want people to feel 100% comfortable. You all know the saying people don't come to see your home they come and see you..I totally beleive this and am comfortable in anyones home I just am scared people will judge me on my home and I'm crazy enough that I'm so scared I'll be judged on my home. Some of the time I spend being crazy clean I could try and focus some of that time on God eh' Hope everyone has a terrific week! Trudy

Green in the office

For Christmas I recieved a page a day calender and the calender has a link where one can go online and get a page a day of your choice everyday. I recieve the green version online and thought this was a good resource for people who work in an office setting and need these everday products. I will not buy certain eggs because they come in a styrofoam container. It's little things like this that we can make changes for the better!


paper, rock, scissorsRecycling only makes sense if consumers “close the loop” on the other end of the manufacturing process by buying products made from recycled materials. Offer to order the supplies for your office or department, and shop around to show you can save money, or at least spend the same amount. Don’t forget about paper towels and toilet paper.
get going: If you work for a large company, you may encounter red tape, but stick to your guns. If you have a choice of suppliers, try:
www.thegreenoffice.com
www.recycledofficeproducts.com
www.waldecks.com
www.officedepot.com/recycle

I sure hope that whoever is the rightful winner of the MN Senate seat will comeout the winner in the end. This is really getting so nuts! I cannot beleive the money Hollywood loons have given to Al Franken. It's interesting to know that many people that voted for Obama in Mn did NOT vote for Franken.


Saturday Night Live alum and ex-Air America radio broadcaster Al Franken has raised more money than any of the other candidates for the U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota, including the Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Now that the dollar numbers have been logged for the second quarter (April through June) of the past six months of fundraising, Franken has tapped Rosie O'Donnell, Bill Maher, Dan Aykroyd, Robin Williams, Ed Norton, Harold Ramis and Meg Ryan. That followed a first-quarter performance for the liberal comedian that included contributions from Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jason Alexander and Larry David. The AP says Franken's friends in the entertainment field helped catapult him to a "surprising" lead in second-quarter money: about $1.9 million, compared with only $1.6 million for Coleman, and $750,000 for other Democratic candidate Mike Ciresi. In fact, Coleman is using Franken's Hollywood connection as a GOP fundraising tool: In a letter to prospective contributors, Coleman wrote: "I need your help to fight back against Hollywood's liberal elite [who] sit atop the Democratic Party's elite clique of big benefactors." But Coleman, who is considered among the Republicans' most vulnerable incumbents, is relying on a more nefarious source of cash: political action committees, raising $367,000 from PACs in the second quarter. More than a dozen PACs have already given him $10,000, the maximum combined contribution for the primary and general election. By contrast, Franken raised just $11,000 in PAC money.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/al-franken-no-joke-as-senate-candidate/
I also got my information from the drudge report and clicking on different newpapers.

Not to metion, David Letterman, George Clooney, Tom Cruise, John Travolta on and on...How is it that democrats always rag on republicans for being the money crazed and they are the ones winning because of money??? Again, I don't think much of Colman either and probably would've voted for him just to keep Franken out. Maybe I wouldn't have been able to vote who knows. I guess this country is already kinda turned into a joke so one more loon isn't going to damage us any more than we already are!

Nice quote I found

Whoever is happy will make others happy too.
— Anne Frank

Sorry Minnesota!

I cannot beleive anyone would vote for Al Franken. I'm not the biggest Norm Coleman fan either but AL FRANKEN PEOPLE??? I'm happy to not be associated with that vote!

Goodbye Myspace

Today I cancelled my myspace account. I really want to try and spend less time checking if I got new msgs etc. I feel by cutting out myspace I will spend less time on the computer..not that it was a huge problem in the first place. So now I'm down to blogger and email. Hope I continue to hear from everyone!

Trudy

Motherhood

This may be as close to a motherhood photo of me as you'll ever get so enjoy! Grant took this of us Christmas weekend at his parents with his parents camera. I hope I can hold my own baby like this someday!

Woo Woo chug ah chug ah

Grant and I have a new found love for the game of mexican train dominoes. We learned how to play it from our neighbor Beth. We wanted it so bad for Christmas and Grant's parents came through for us! Want to learn how to play one of the most fun games...come visit and we'll teach you=)

E-mail Quote of the week

Nature gives you the face you have at 20; it is up to you to inherit the face you have at 50.
— Coco Chanel

"The first wealth is health."-Ralph Waldo Emerson



It's a new year and what is everyone wanting....to shed pounds of course. Well Grant and I are right there with y'all. We have let ourselves go to put in nicely. As I've mentioned we love to play games, drink lots of soda and snack while doing so. We have started making healthier choices in our everyday diets the past year. So today we went grocery shopping and our basket looked awesome! Grant is actually on the treadmill while I type this! With each other I really think we can do this. I've always taken advantage of my good health but as I do get older I do need to start helping my body age the way I want it. Hygenically speaking we've always taken great care of ourselves, now we have to take care of the health part. So I will keep you updated. I started a blog awhile ago that was going to be strictly green articles but now it's going to be everyday things including my quotes of the week. With that change came the change of the link as well. For those who visit me on myspace I will no longer have one after Wednesday. I just decided to do the blog thing and keep track of everyone by e-mail. Hope everyone is having a WONDERFUL new year. http://gerdiedaisy.blogspot