Husker VB Pics

More and better volleyball pictures as promised!!

Set 3 win for us!

Go Blockers!!

Great scramble by Tara Mueller! And a great view of the sea of red that braved the weather.

Kori Cooper getting pumped!! She was great to watch! How awesome that she is so excited and supportive in spite of the fact that she's hurt on the sidelines. Also, did you hear the story about the camo jackets? Coach Cook gave a talk about fight or flight. The team chose fight on the court!

Just a neat shot of the Penn State blockers. Apparently they have a thing for crazy fingernail polish. I was amazed at how well their setter blocked. She was pretty tall and really feisty!

This is after the PSU v Stanford game which we all know PSU won.

And boy are they excited. :)

Husker Volleyball

Wow! What a match!! If you didn't watch the Huskers and the Nittany Lions duke it out last night on the volleyball court, you missed out. Huskers.com says Nittany Lions Nip Nebraska in NCAA Semifinals. It was an awesome 5 sets to watch! Check out some great stats at Post-Match Notes: Penn State vs. Nebraska. I really love watching Nebraska Volleyball. :)This picture is from their win over Washington. Sorry I couldn't find any pictures from last night. I'll update when I find some. PSU has some amazing players. Their hitters were so powerful. Sadly my turncoat hubby was secretly cheering for them. In light of the fact, that we weren't supposed to have a chance against Penn State, I'm really happy we put up such a great fight. And I'm happy we broke their consecutive set win streak! Unless we have it, I think records are made to be broken. :) I've decided to cheer for Stanford on Saturday. I've watched them make it to the championship game the last 3 years and not get the final victory. I've seen Barboza, Klineman and Akinradewo have some awesome games in the finals and walk away disappointed. This is their year! And I just can't go for a PSU repeat and total domination of this year. I love an underdog!

Congrats on a great season Huskers!

Different Christmas

Apparently the Piper family doesn't subscribe to the Santa Christmas either...



Please comment! I would love to hear what Christmas traditions your family celebrate (even if they include the red-suited man)!

I Wish Wednesday

I Wish that it snowed in Nebraska the way it snows in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It's so beautiful! We always had a few feet of snow but somehow it never affected the roads. Apparently road crews are smarter in the mountains.

I Wish there were more days in December.

I Wish I were more dedicated to remember Christ in this Advent season as I anticipate Christmas. This year our church is not doing the lighting of the Advent candles. I actually miss it. I know that the ceremony of Advent is from pagan rituals (or is that only Lent?) but I have always appreciated the goal of Advent. I need to be reminded that Christmas is to celebrate Christ's birth and not a time for presents, family and drowning in busyness!

I Wish "Merry Christmas" wasn't taboo at work. I have never worked at a place where they specifically told me that I can't say Merry Christmas to people because they might sue the company. What is the world coming to when we can't say Merry Christmas because it speaks of Christ but yet I'm being dumb if I'm not a fan of Santa Clause or Halloween!? Yes, I'll say it - I believe telling your kids Santa Clause is real is lying to them. I never believed in Santa or celebrated Halloween and I don't think I missed out. Anyhow, that's a topic for another day! :)

Addendum: To clarify, I think telling children Santa is REAL is wrong, not that Santa is evil. If he is a tradition in your family enjoy, but be truthful so we can learn how to be thankful to those who gave the gifts. If we, as Christians don't encourage our children to learn to thank people in their lives for gifts, how will they learn to thank God for His many gifts and the greatest gift that we celebrate at Christmas?

New Features

1. Weekly Bites - Recent Articles that have Struck a Chord. I enjoy keeping up with the world via Google Reader. Here are some articles that I've read recently. They excite me, anger me or just interest me.

2. My first poll. Vote for how old you think I look! :) Let me explain why I am even doing this poll... A few weeks ago I went to Hyvee on Sunday afternoon for my weekly grocery run. At the deli counter I get the same kind of meat and cheese and the same amounts. And I almost always see the same employee working the counter. That week he said, "Has anyone ever told you that you look really young to be married?" I'd had a rough day and didn't have on a stitch of make-up. I laughed and said, "Yes all the time! I have a younger sister that looks older than me and so I take it as a compliment. I figure when I'm 60 and look young it will be a good thing." So I am curious how old do other people see me as? Vote and leave your comments on this post!!

Runner Hair

My hair drives me crazy when I'm running! I have tried all those cute little headbands and they just slide right off my head. I spend more time adjusting my headband than focusing on running. I usually end up putting in half a dozen bobby pins.
I just read about these headbands from Bondi Bands. I can't wait to try them out in spring. Because I am a fair weather runner! :)

Do you have any other suggestions for me? How should I tame my mane?

I Wish Wednesday

I know Wednesday was yesterday. I'm delayed. :)
I'm going to try a new thing here. Well, it's new for me. I picked 'I wish' not because I really live my life in a wishy way but because it's rhymes with Wednesday and sounded cute. And right now I have a large 'to do' list.

i wish i was 10 and didn't have to worry about family growing pains. Remember the days when you just showed up at family gatherings and ate food and played the day away. Miss those days!

i wish my house was clean. Permanent wish.

i wish my Christmas decorations could hang themselves. Like I said, I'm swamped. I love putting up my tree and all the rest of my Christmas stuff but it sure takes a lot of time.

i wish the day had more hours. ... husband says the days have more hours if you get up earlier. Hmm, very funny hubby. I think more hours to sleep and more hours to get stuff done would be great! Why is it that work takes up most of my hours?

I Love PA

We went to PA to visit family over Thanksgiving. Here are some highlights...

1. Family.

We get to see J's extended family from PA every couple of years. They are a lively bunch and a joy to spend time with. We enjoy some great games of Hand and Foot with his grandparents. We stayed up nearly every night playing cards! If you have never played hand and foot, you're missing out and should definitely try it sometime!

2. Food.

We ate soo much!! Roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy, ham salad sandwiches, the stewed tomato special, cheese steaks (this was J's), sweet potato fries, turkey, GM's stuffing, red beet eggs (not good but better deviled), pickles at every meal, cherry pie, local pretzels, chocolate coffee cheesecake, peanut butter swirl ice cream and the best was a peanut butter filled donut with chocolate frosting! If you are ever offered a peanut butter filled donut, do not turn it down. It should be on your bucket list to try one! :) As you can tell we ate a lot and it was all wonderful. And my Pilates videos will be well used this winter working it all off.

3. King of Prussia Mall.

We went to the biggest mall (well second to Mall of America) I've ever been too. I count this as my biggest because I'm now old enough to truly appreciate it for the shopping. Sorry the only picture I have is on my cell phone. See the directory here.There are 2 buildings and 2 levels in each building.

Let me explain how it is that I was privileged enough to visit this mall while on vacation since we all know J does not view mall visiting as a vacation worthy experience. :) Before we went to PA, J was making plans to go mountain biking with his uncle Junior nearly every day while we were there. They did lots of biking and had a blast and no broken bones, see...

I questioned what I would be doing during that time. He suggested that I go Christmas shopping at a mall with his cousin B. He was referring to a mall closer to his grandparent's house that we had been to last time. I was satisfied with this idea and B was also up for it. Then my mom started telling me about the King of Prussia mall that she wanted to visit when she was out east with sister A. So after finding out that this mall wasn't that far from where we would be and that B would be pumped to go there, I decided we would try to make that work. J and Junior were slightly skeptical of my driving skills and B's navigation skills so they decided to take us to the mall. I assumed that this meant they would drive us and leave us to the shopping. Sadly it ended up being a group shopping trip. I do not shop well in groups, especially when my husband or men in general are part of the group. Needless to say, my frustration got the best of me and the trip wasn't all I hoped it would be. But we accomplished some Christmas shopping and had cheesecake so it all turned out fine! :)

4. Overall cuteness of PA.
I know I've said it before, but all the houses and barns are very cute in PA. I don't know if it's the paint or the rolling hills or that the barns are made of wood and not metal, but I think they're cute. Another thing I enjoyed was the Mennonite grocery store that Grandma F shops at. It was fun to hear the girl at the check out tell how she would be gone after Christmas because she was getting married. I wish we had small grocery stores with home-grown produce and shops with local products and privately owned family bakeries. Oh well, I guess I'll have to keep visiting! :)

Flowers

I know it's pretty gloomy this week and getting colder by the day but I've been dreaming about flowers. Last week a consultant from Campbells came by and is now working on a landscaping plan for us. I like to think I already have a green thumb and don't need that much help. But I am excited to see what sort of plants they suggest and what combos work well.

I've been reading random articles and blogs about flowers and here's some that have caught my eye and I hope to have in my gardens some day.

From The Martha Blog

tulip flowers - I love tulips! The new color they bring in the first days of spring is so refreshing!

Arum lillies - I currently have calla lilies that I plant each year. They're so beautiful, I just wish they lasted longer.

Since Annie ID'd this plant for me I've now been able to share and enjoy it with more enthusiasm - but now that I know that it's not an Aussie native, it's coming out of the backyard native garden soon.

Leschenaultia biloba or Blue Leschenaultia - I'm a big fan of blue and purple flowers. The color just pops!

Kalanchoe 'Quicksilver'

shade-loving azalea

cat's cradle

zinnia

A little something else from the Martha Blog just for Heather...

So clearly I started this post another week because this week is less gloomy but still cold!

Our plan from Campbell's finally came and it looks like I'll have to wait until spring to see any of it in my yard. But there are 3 big things that I'm really excited to get - TREES! We're looking at Red Oaks and a Prairie Willow Tree. This willow is better suited for dryer areas. And since we don't have a puddle in our backyard that's what they recommended. I have always wanted a willow tree at my house. I've always thought willows are so beautiful and romantic. :)
I'll be posting more house and landscaping pictures and thought throughout the winter as we make decisions and purchases and as I yearn for Spring.

Censored?

How does TV censorship affect us?
Here's an article on it that sparked my thoughts...

The who-cares test: The Supreme Court focuses on broadcast decency just when Washington may be losing interest by Rebecca Cusey

Sometimes I wonder if this is not for our benefit. It seems like things that should be censored aren't being censored. The words that are used on evening TV that's supposed to be family friendly are questionable. But the innuendos are what's really bad! But I also worry about particular thoughts or people being censored because the government or broadcaster just doesn't agree with them. I don't think we're hear yet but I believe that Christian's will definitely be censored some day. We should be thankful for the freedom we still have.

As a Christian how should this affect me?
Obviously, I think I should be responsible for censoring myself and what I allow into my mind.
Philippians 4:8 says, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
This is easier said than done a lot of the time. I am amazed when I notice it how much the world affects my thoughts and attitudes. Even though I try to live a godly life, it's hard to be in and not of the world. It's hard to live here and not be influenced in some way by this world I live in. This is why we don't do alone! :)

Political Musing

So in light of recent days, I have some things to say. Of course you all know I have opinions about everything but politics is something I try not to get too worked up about. But I have a few issues this year and a few positives to share in the aftermath.

Why is there hate in politics??? The campaigns were especially brutal this year. Or maybe it just felt that way because I paid attention. Journalists (and I use that loosely because I think they're so biased that there should be another term for them) from the New York Times and other big newspapers and TV stations really seemed to hate Sarah Palin. Examples of bias and hate if your interested to read:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/opinion/13sat1.html?em
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/us/politics/14palin.html?em
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/14/opinion/14rich.html?em
And there are many Slate articles and others that will write a decent article but it's peppered with "she scares me to death" and "he's so old and creepy" in parenthesis. And celebs were saying that they don't want to be Americans anymore if Palin is in the White House. I would have loved to see them move out. :) I have no problem with people feeling strongly about the issues but when it comes down to hating a specific person, I think that's too far!

The other side of the aisle was just as bad. I'm sure you heard the claims or read the emails and articles making personal attacks on Obama. And even though you never officially heard it, I think the race card was being thrown around too. Racism should never be encouraged for gain. examples: the horrible rumors and racism spread by the Republican party.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/7688
http://www.2sistersfromtheright.com/writings/Rich_Carroll/jihadcandidate.html
And Fox News (which I happen to enjoy watching most of the time) has a few shows where the hosts were outright rude! If you watch Fox you know I'm talking about Hannity. He's the type of conservative that makes us all look stupid sometimes. I have to say I prefer O'Reilly over him and I've had my issues with Bill's style too.
Now I'm not saying I'm the authority or have done all the research to prove all of these claims right or wrong, I'm just saying they sound far fetched. If I'm going to give Sarah Palin the benefit of the the doubt that claims about her are made up, I owe Obama the same.

This has also brought up some thought provoking issues for me...
Some final thoughts from John Piper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGjGbZNyIBY . Response to this Piper interview...http://theologica.blogspot.com/2008/11/piper-politics-and-abortion-few.html . More from Piper...Why a Woman Shouldn't Run for Vice President, but Wise People May Still Vote for Her

More from Piper, clarifying his Sarah Palin comments http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1474_why_a_woman_shouldnt_run_for_vice_president_but_wise_people_may_still_vote_for_her/ . Women's role in politics is an issue that I will be thinking about. I've never thought about it that in depth before because it hasn't been an issue.

One thing I have enjoyed about the campaign coverage is Saturday Night LIVE! Hilarious! Sure, I noticed it was slightly biased towards Obama but not outright. And they made fun of both sides. It was just easier to make fun of the Republicans cause they said some silly things under pressure. Example: The Rap on Palin . I laughed so hard!

Now the elections is over and I feel reflective, apprehensive and curious about our new president. These verses are my rock in the midst of my worry:

Excerpt from a blog I'll link further down but verses I am thinking on... And surely politics is included in "all things." God removes kings; God sets up kings (Dan. 2:21). God does all that he pleases (Ps. 115:3), and he "works all things according to the counsel of his will" (Eph. 1:11). Even though a king (or a president) appears to be the most powerful person in the land, "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will" (Prov. 21:1). Amen and amen.

2Chron 20:6 says "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

Psalm 47 says
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
2 For the LORD Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth.
3 He will subdue the peoples under us, And the nations under our feet.
4 He will choose our inheritance for us, The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
5 God has gone up with a shout, The LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
7 For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.
8 God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne.
9 The princes of the people have gathered together, The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.

Daniel 2 says "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. 23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king."

I am resting in the power of God's sovereignty. I know He is on His throne and so I don't have to worry. This is His plan for His purposes even though I may not understand! I've read a few articles that have really impressed me. The tone of thoughtfulness and graciousness towards our new president that they didn't vote for is amazing to me. I'm sure there are people spewing hate out there but I haven't been reading that yet. Check out these articles...
this whole website is amazing and all the posts have been very gracious and thought provoking http://theologica.blogspot.com/ . This wraps up my thoughts from reading at this blog spot = pray, there is no time to lose! I also enjoyed

The Possibilities of President ObamaIn historic victory, he reaches out to the loyal opposition. By Andrew C. McCarthy (linked here - http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YWQ5ZDU3MDM4ZTAxNTQ4NDkzY2NiYTAwYTc2ZmVjMmY=) I love his closing paragraph: For the moment, however, let’s accept defeat with the same purposeful grace President Obama exhibited in victory. And as power once again shifts peacefully from one hand to the next, from one party to the other, let’s remember how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation in human history.

My worries about the next 4 years (maybe 8) are calling me to prayer. And I hope your concerns (or joys) take you to the throne of grace as well.

P.S. vote independent! :)

House Dreams

I have design dreams for our house and I know many of them will take years to become a reality. So for now they're just dreams.

I love wall art like you see in these pictures. We have a long narrow room in the basement that I hope to break into a couple different spaces. I think wall art is an awesome, creative way to do. I'd rather not just paint a line on the wall. I hope our basement will be a fun space. We'll use it for TV watching and lounging and someday for kid's toys and the office. Even though it's a walk-out basement, I still don't want it to feel dark or unused. These designs were featured by desire to inspire. Wallter carries some really fun shapes that are available through 2Modern.

I would also like a new a desk with dividing shelves like they have from IKEA. Justin found this one. And I really like the concept!

We've also been furniture shopping! We looked at a few different places here and in Omaha with little success. But I kept thinking of this cute set we found at Slumberland. It's not the style I had pictured but I love it. The more I think about it in our house, the more I think it's the one. And the subtle pattern that you can't see in the picture is so cool. I love texture so it really appeals to me. Now the challenge is to find the right coffee table and side tables. But this is a challenge I can enjoy!!

Here's one house dream that has come true...

My beautiful rug! We ordered this rug from Pottery Barn. We decided a rug was worth splurging on a little. And I couldn't find one that I like more than this one. I couldn't even find another one I really liked. So this rug is the first step in decorating our new (it still feels new to me) home. And now that we have the rug, I can start nailing down paint colors. I hope we have time to paint before Christmas!

Hope

Today's verse reminded me where to put my hope and where to find joy.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again. Psalm 42:11, NLT.

This really hit home as I consider the death of a friend's father. I don't understand how you grieve without the comfort of the Father. And this verse was encouraging on a daily level as a reminder to praise Him even when the days feel long.

Ghouls on the Run!

I ran a 5k on Sunday! It was called Ghouls on the Run for the Girls on the Run program. We ran with a whole bunch of upper elementary girls and their families and coaches. I think it's great that they have this program in their schools to encourage exercise.
Sorry there will be no pictures because, we didn't want the pressure. Some of us (Heather) get nervous at these events. So the goal was to view this as just another practice run.
Heather, my mom and I started out together but it didn't last long. It was so windy! Thankfully they changed the course so we didn't have to run across the dam Holmes Lake. But we still had to run across the bridge and I thought I was going to blow away! Even though I walked some, I really happy that I finished. I think Heather ran the whole thing and Mom ran most of it. Great job girls! We'll have to do some more races next summer.
Next time we schedule a race, I plan on practicing a lot more. I was so sore earlier in the week. I could barely walk down stairs and I walked like a little old lady. Sadly, this shows what bad shape my thigh muscles are in. Oh well, I have a whole winter of Pilates to fix that! :) I didn't start running regularly until this spring and it did drop off a little mid summer but I am so happy that I started. Now that I know I can finish these races, I'm excited for spring so I can start running again with the hopes of doing better on next year's races. So if you feel that you're not really a runner, try it! You might be surprised.

2 Timothy 1:7

I get a verse of the day sent to me and this was today's verse. Here are three different versions and I found they each bring more meaning to the verse.


NKJV For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

NIV For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

NASB For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

AMPLIFIED For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.


Being a NKJV-er, I had always heard this verse with the words "of a sound mind". But hearing it with the words "discipline" or "self-control" is so much stronger and impacts me more. Discipline and Self-Control are things I have to work towards having instead of something God just gives me. I realize that it says that God gives us these things but clearly I have to use them.
So just wanted to share my thought illumination from God for today!

Good Eats

We spent this past weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina for GD's annual Ethics Film Festival. J and co-worker K's video was a finalist again. Friday night we ate at a great new (or new to us) restaurant in Downtown Charlotte.

Here's the hype: Zink American Kitchen’s creative menu and “speakeasy” décor offer Uptown Charlotte guests a unique and memorable experience. The menu, which is overseen by Executive Chef Tom Condron and Chef de Cuisine Jon Fortes, takes traditional American comfort foods and reinvents them into “cool” dishes that give this restaurant its distinct style. From small plates of Maryland crab fritters to sushi and Artisan cheeses, fresh seafood, apple cider pork chops, and grilled burgers and steaks, guests are presented with a variety of New American cuisine to consider. As “cool” as the food, is the restaurant’s deep crimson décor which offers a relaxing ambiance that’s both modern and fun. This chic, understated elegance is the perfect backdrop for the restaurant's impressive 30’ Zinc bar and bustling patio which overlooks the heart of Uptown Charlotte. Zink’s impressive menu together with its extensive wine list, beer selections and specialty drinks makes it a great place to dine anytime.

J got the American Wagyu Burger. Apparently Wagyu Beef is like Kobe Beef from North Carolina. I ordered the special which was the same kind of meat but in steak form and with a side of mushroom gnocchi. So yummy! Find more info at their website. I wish I would've taken pictures!! But really, how weird would I be for taking pictures in a nice restaurant.

It was a great trip and we have all good food! We were full after Zink's, a great luncheon at the hotel and a night full of eating catered food at the races.

Inspired

I've been inspired in a few different ways recently...

This is Customer Service week at my work. As a receptionist I've been in charge of going through all the nomination emails that have been flooding in. As I enter them into a spreadsheet, I have the opportunity to read what people are saying about their co-workers. There have been emails coming in that are just ridiculous and funny because some people just want to nominate their friends. But there have also been truly inspiring emails. I think it's sad that it takes reading about how other people are being praised for a job well done for me to want to do better at my job. I've never been the worker bee type. I've always wished I could stay home and be a home maker and mother. This has led to a lot of discontentment in my job situations. There is never the right job if I don't have the right attitude. Anyhow, I have been inspired my the dedication of my fellow employees. And I have been reminded that as a believer I should have a better attitude about the daily routine.

I am inspired by my mom. She can run like 3 miles! She started running this year and I never ever remember her running. She did the race with me in the spring and has faithfully continued. I even saw her wearing her "skinny jeans" the other day. Go MOM!! Another area that she inspires me is as a wife. Before I got married, I never realized what a thankless job it is. It's hard to serve my household by cleaning and whatever else is asked of me without expecting a thank you. I now realize the perseverance she has shown in our home.

Heather also inspires me in a similar way. She is always striving to be a good housekeeper. I admit I am not. I hear Heather talk about how she cooks and cleans and does her family's laundry while she works at least 40 hours a week and has a social life. I'm impressed! I think I'm going to start taking notes.

Abby inspires me with her dedication to growing spiritually. We are doing a Bible Study once a month on the names of God. I know how busy Abby is with her family but she still finds time to spend with the Lord, searching through His Word. We have a month, a MONTH between each study and I still manage to wait until the night before and hope to have something valuable to share. It's not that I don't want to study, I actually enjoy it a ton when I get going. I love studying my Bible with my Strong's concordance! I just don't exercise the discipline to set aside time to dig into the Word this way. Thanks Abby for inspiring me with your openness and words of wisdom.

This could get long if I go through everyone I know! But these are the people that have been on my mind and I've noticed in recent days. I'm also noticing a trend... I keep talking about exercise both physical and spiritual. And I'm sure I need emotional exercise! Don't we all! :)

Healthy Ideas

I just read this interesting article from SELF Magazine via the Today Show. Please read the full article at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27069944/ for more info and to find out where their research is from. I just outlined the main points.
9 ways to lose weight without dieting
Self magazine on how to shed the pounds and not stress over a single bite.
Great news! You can ditch your diet for good and still hit your happy weight. Science has finally proven what you've probably suspected for years — that following a restrictive food plan can make you more likely to overeat. We at Self have a better way to slim down: nine simple lifestyle switches that will help you shrink your waist effortlessly!
Eat more good stuff. Focus on healthy foods and eat fiber.
Go to the dogs. Volunteering at the pound could help you lose pounds.
Sleep it off. Getting enough sleep can keep your body from storing fat. Sleep deprivation increases cravings for sweets and starches.
Spice things up. The spices like garlic and pepper make people focus on the sensory characteristics of the food — its smell and taste. The foods were more enjoyable, so people felt fuller faster and didn't eat as much.” Sniffing the dishes was key because 90 percent of what you taste is determined by what you smell.
Give yourself props. Simply applauding your everyday calorie-burning activities can help you shed pounds. Previous research suggests that having a positive attitude may help reduce overall stress levels — which can make eating healthy easier.
Eat when you're hungry. Women who eat when hungry and stop when satisfied have a lower average body-mass index than those who eat for other reasons. Women who are satisfied with their body are more likely to eat when they're hungry, and vice versa.
Breathe away weight. Inhale, exhale and then step on the scale. Meditating before and during meals helped the dieters eat less and enjoy their dishes more. In other words, enjoy your food instead of scarfing it down.
Surrender the salt shaker. Salt may be calorie-free, but it can still contribute to body fat — and not only because it piggybacks on greasy snacks such as fries and chips. Salt leads to thirst. So if you indulge in something salty, don't wash it down with something sweet.
Savor a good laugh. Watching a funny show caused adults to experience a 20 percent jump in heart rate and resting metabolism in a study at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Laughing uses up a lot of energy because it engages a variety of muscle groups, including your abs.
For more health and fitness tips, visit Self.com

So I found this article interesting. I feel like most of the 9 steps are helpful even though some of their suggestions are silly. And they're all such easy and obvious tips. I mean, who doesn't need to laugh some more! I've been trying to exercise more and be more conscious of what I eat. I never paid much attention to what I ate or how much exercise I got as long as my jeans still fit. But my husband has pointed out that fitting in your clothes or staying at the same number on the scale doesn't mean your in shape. Earlier this year I did my first "competitive" run. Even though I waited until the last minute to start running was still happy to participate. I was proud that I ran the entire 3K without stopping. Believe me, I wanted to stop. I hadn't run consistently since a few early morning bleary-eyed adventures with my roommate and before then not since Jr. High track. I was hoping that this would inspire me to have a love of running and a desire to do it a few times a week.
Sadly this didn't happen. I found that I do enjoy running but only when it's not too hot or cold. I enjoy the fresh air and the sense of accomplishment I feel went I make it back to the house in one piece. But I am very easily distracted and fill my time with other things. So this month, Heather asked me to do another race. I am once again putting off preparing to run until the last minute. This time it's a 5K so some training might really come in handy. I am praying for discipline and nice weather for the next 2-3 weeks! :)

Party!

Last week I hosted a Mary Kay party for my sister-in-law. It was Heather, Carlene, me, Kim and Amber. This is our after picture.Here's a 'in process' picture including Amy.
I don't feel like writing so I'm just sharing these pictures and saying it was a blast!

Long Days

Just a quick post since it's been so long since I've blabbed.
Life has been busy these days! We have started our house decorating projects. We ordered a rug which will arrive soon and then I'll have pictures. We started looking at furniture, blinds and landscaping options. I'm really excited to start seeing some progress in this area. I'm looking forward to completing our home!

When I started this blog, I felt like I had a lot to say. I admit the feeling is fading. I still enjoy blogging and will keep posting updates but they will be a little sparse. It's too easy for me to spend too much time on the computer trying to think of words to write that I put my life off schedule. And when I get focused on writing a certain amount of times on my blog, I get grouchy when that doesn't happen. Blogging was supposed to be fun and stress-free. So in an effort to return to stress-free, fun blogging, my new goal is only one post per week! So until next week (unless I have something actually exciting to share)! :)

Day with Granny

Sorry, there will be no pictures. I actually didn't think about it until I started this. But, really who takes pictures of a regular day at your grandparents? I sure don't. I'll have to take some pictures of the final product.

Yesterday I attempted to wake up at a decent hour and get to my grandparents house by 10. This did not happen. My morning plans are always a mess! I did finally make it on the road and arrived at almost 11. And Granny was ready! We spent the day canning peaches. Yum! I can't wait until they're ready to eat. We had watermelon and roll kuchen (yes I know I don't know the official spelling) for lunch. I was excited to learn that I could request whatever I wanted for lunch! This is my favorite summer lunch and summer's about over.
Back to the peaches - I was pleasantly surprised that canning peaches really isn't hard. It was in fact down right easy!
First I asked Granny to order peaches from Pameida. They get them from Colorado. Then we let them wait a couple days in Granny's basement until they're nice and ripe. Then have a canning day...
Step 1: start boiling water in a big canning pot, in a regular saucepan with a strainer that fits in it and in a pot that holds 2 quarts of water.
Step 2: mix 13 cups (i think) of sugar into the 2 quarts of water. This will make as simple syrup once it boils.
Step 3: put a couple peaches at a time into the saucepan of nearly boiling water. This makes the skins soft and loose so you can just peel them right off.
Step 4: peel off all those peach skins and half the peaches. Soak the halves in salted water to save the nice color while you work.
Step 5: once you have a crock full of peaches (very scientific measuring) start filling jars. Get the jars as full as you can and then drain out the salt water.
Step 6: fill all the jars with the simple syrup and put on the lids. Make sure the rims are clean before you put on the lids, otherwise they won't seal and you'll have a mess.
Step 7: boil the jars in the big pot of water for 15 minutes.
Step 8: take out the jars and let them cool completely before you transport them to your basement for storage. I've been warned that if you move them too soon they'll explode in your car. Not good.
So 8 steps to canning. And it only took about 4 hours to do 2 lugs of peaches! Now we have peaches to enjoy all winter and tease my dad with. :) Two years ago my sister canned peaches for Dad's birthday and he's down to 2 jars or so. I heard someone is hoarding their peaches! But then, I would too.

So after a day at Granny's, I went to my parent's for supper. We ate waffles and Mangzel. Yum, yum. If you haven't heard or aren't Mennonite, Mangzel is heaven in pudding form on waffles! I also was given the grand tour of Dad's barn. I'm beginning to think this is more of a castle than a barn. I'm pretty proud that my Dad is so creative in his building projects. My (future)kids are going to have the most broken bones and the best Grandpa ever!

A day at home is always a restful day, even when it seems like you're working.

Foodie

I wanted to share with you all a great site I have been reading. I have enjoyed the Pioneer Woman at the recommendation of my husband. She just did a dairy recipe contest and they look delicious. Check out the Pioneer Woman for more great recipes and great reading.

This picture is a collage of the winners dishes. The Cheese Muffins, Blueberry Muffins and Black bean soup sound amazing. I am planning on trying out these recipes! You can find them linked in the dairy section.

Well, when I started this post I was drooling over the wonderful sights of these dairy inspired foods. I am not feeling that way now. I had the flu today and that really doesn't inspire me to dream about food. Today's diet consisted of water, applesauce and saltines. Yum. But I know this day will pass so I will look forward to trying out these recipes down the road.

Please share your food fantasies! What are your favorite recipes? And what recipes are you dying to try?

Birthday Finale

This weekend concluded my Birthday Celebrations. Sorry there will be no pictures. Do you know how weird it is to take pictures at regular places, especially when you're eating? Awkward.

On Friday, Fran and Melissa from work took me out for lunch. We went to Yia Yia's Pizza. I love this place! I ordered the Pacific slice and a coke with grenadine. My pizza had marinara, cheese, cream cheese, pineapple, ham and green peppers. That pretty much sounds like a perfect pizza to me! And don't get me started on the real cherry coke - I order it everywhere!
On Sunday, we made it to the Green Gateau for brunch. We attempted to go here last Sunday but they're only open for lunch so we missed out. Instead we had Mexican, one of my favorite types of food! For brunch, I ordered the Eggs Oscar. This is an English muffin stacked with a crab cake and a poached egg with Hollandaise sauce on top. I also had asparagus and a potato pancake on the side. I will admit that I did not order the potato pancake. When given a choice of that or hash browns, I went for the familiar hash browns. When my food arrived I was a little wary but it really looked a lot like hash browns so it must be OK. It was so much better than OK! It was hash browns with some extra love! Note: always order an potato pancake when offered.
So that pretty much rounds out my week of birthday fun! But I still have two ice cream dates yet to be fulfilled. J has promised to take me to Ivana Cone. :) I'm very excited about this! I love Ivana Cone and the fact that J is willing to take me is extra special. I'm also getting ice cream with the McNairs sometime. I was able to fill my ice cream void all summer with AJ and am thrilled that my run will extend into the fall a little. :)

Award

Mom Huebert has presented me with an award. Thanks though I admit my blog may not be award worthy. Here are a couple reasons why: bad spelling, bad writing skills, I tend to blab, bad pictures... I'm sure there are more. So I will accept my award with the goal of being worthy of it someday! :)

But to get my award I have to do a meme (What is a meme, other than clearly a list? Or is that it and I'm smarter than I thought!?)...
A. Attached or single? Attached to my hubby.
B. Best friend? I was soured on this term in Jr. High and do not claim anyone as a "best friend".
C. Cake or pie? Both.
D. Day of choice? Sunday.
E. Essential item? Panda :)
F. Favorite color? Blue.
G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms.
H. Hometown? Small town Nebraska.
I. Indulgence? Sleeping in but this may be more of a requirement.
J. January or July? July, I'd rather sweat to death than freeze to death.
K. Kids? Not yet.
L. Life isn’t complete without? Faith and Family.
M. Marriage date? July 2nd, 2005
N. Number of brothers & sisters? one of each.
O. Oranges or apples? Apples
P. Phobias? Spiders.
Q. Quotes? You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. - Isaiah
R. Reasons to smile? Life! 3 year olds.
S. Season of choice? Summer.
T. Tag seven peeps! SEE BELOW.
U. Unknown fact about me? When given a survey in school I would always say my best feature was my feet. Survey says: surveys suck!
V. Vegetable? Peas or sweet corn.
W. Worst habits? Wanting to be in control.
X. X-ray or ultrasound? Ultrasound - they're for babies and x-rays are for something broken.
Y. Your favorite food? Chocolate but really I'm easy to please.
Z. Zodiac sign? No one cares.

Okay! Now I get my award:


And I get to pass it on to seven cool bloggers:
Feather Files
The Single Track Life
McNair 5
The Shanle Channel
JT's Thoughts
Dr. and Mrs. Thomas
Steph and her boys!

House Updates

This is the current state of our house.

Welcome to our living room! Have a seat. And our lovely make-do blinds for now.




The office. Boxes. This has actually improved since the picture was taken. Horaay!

The dining room and kitchen. This area looks the best. And yes J is cooking for us. I love my chef!

I am excited to be moved into our house but now comes the fun work of putting life in order again. I have a feeling this will take longer than I think. I'm so excited to see how we grow into our home!

Presents

Here's the pictures I promised of what else I got for my Birthday. :) I have great friends and family!

First a nice sports watch from my husband. I know it's not the best picture and could stand to be cropped. I'm still sharpening my blogger skills and photographing skills.

Also Marshmallow ear buds from J. As you can see he's helping me in my running ventures. My little ears are excited about these mushy buds!

Biscotti from Granny and Papa! Yum!

Cards and money from my parents, Grandpa and Grandma Fisher and people at work. Plus Mary Kay lotion from my supervisor, Kari. My co-workers Melissa and Fran are also taking me out for lunch this week.

This really cute card is from Kari as well. Aww-some! I heart kitties!

So it was a great birthday and turning 25 isn't too bad. I actually do feel older this year. Whenever someone would ask me that I would always smile and say not really. But this year I do feel a little older but I'd say in a good way.

Spectacular Day

I know multiple posts in one day is excessive. BUT let me tell you about my day.

It started with me getting up a little earlier than normal because I needed to get to work early to make up for my lunch the day before. I woke up still feeling a little funny from the day before. So I called my doctor and they told me to drink lots of water and call if I felt worse later. Nice. On I go to work, same old deal. I keep feeling worse and by 4pm, I called my doctor and they finally ordered me some drugs. Don't you think I know when I'm sick?! Of course, I do and I know before I'm in horrible pain. Thank you very much. Yes, for all you doctors, I know more about me than you! :)

I know, get to the point - what a boring, sad day L. But now comes the fun part. I have been listening to the radio in hopes of winning tickets to a particular concert at the State Fair this year. J told me that our last name is pretty lucky but I had yet to experience this. I had previously asked Heather to go to this concert with me but when I heard about the contest I was even more excited. She's a master at winning radio contest!

I was sitting at my desk manning the phones as I watched everyone else leave work at 5, knowing I had a long half hour to go. At about 5:10pm, Hoss came on the radio and began telling us about the passes he was going to let some one win for the Miranda Lambert concert next week. I sat poised to dial. Then, the horrible words "but in order to win, you must answer this question correctly". Stink. What town did Miranda grow up in? Not the same as her birth place. Like I know. But I really love Google! So I easily find the answer and start dialing in hopes that I'm not too late. After about 5 tries, I'm ready to give up. I look at my cell phone just to make sure I'm even calling the right number and decide to call a couple more times.

On the second try, it starts ringing. Really? I can't believe it's ringing! And ringing and ringing, like 30 times, really. But once it's ringing some one has got to answer it eventually. So I'm sitting here answering my work phone with one ear and listening to the phone ring in the other, finally Hoss comes on the phone. I ask if there's been an answer yet and he asks for my guess. Of course, I give the correct answer and he asks for my name and tells me I just won! WHooo HOO!! I'm am so excited and yes I do confess to "cheating" by looking it up online. He then takes my info and tells me to look for info in the mail and come pick up my tickets at the station. A minute later, I hear my voice on the radio as he plays back my winning call. Did you know that's not live? I didn't.

I am now the proud winner of Miranda Lambert VIP passes! Heather and I will be eating Rib Ranch before the concert, enjoying a great view during the concert and riding all the fair rides for free with our VIP passes and super tickets. Hopefully we will remember to take pictures. :) So if you have ever tried to win something on the radio, keep trying!

Surprised!

Yesterday, Mom and AJ came up to spend the day doing last minute errands and appointments before AJ goes back to college. So they called on their way up and we made a plan to meet for lunch. I am very thankful for a flexible job where even though I don't normally have a lunch break, I was able to arrange something.

We went to the Roost. They serve different kinds of chicken salad sandwiches. Very good! I would definitely go back for lunch. At lunch I also got my early birthday present from A and AJ. AJ had been telling me for couple weeks that she had this great idea but she wasn't sure if she could find what she was looking for. I, of course bugged her to tell me what it was with no luck. I absolutely love being surprised at Christmas or my Birthday but I can't help but try to find out what I'm getting ahead of time. Anyone else have this issue?

In spite of having to wait, I was very happy with what I got! At work, Fran and I had been listening to a radio station where they were giving away designer purses. We tried for a month to win with no success! I am so bad at radio contests. I get a busy signal when I just call in to request a song. When I saw the new giraffe purses from Dooney & Burke, I just fell in love. But really, $300 for a purse. That I cannot do. I also rarely buy a new purse because my frugal husband is taking good care of our finances. Thanks hubby for taking care of me in ways I don't think of. :) So AJ (and Mom) found a knock-off version of this purse online. Thanks little brother and sister! I love it!

I think that I will be more happy carrying around my knock-off than if I had brought the original. I would have had to use that purse for the rest of my life because it would be too expensive. And now I can brag about how I have this beautiful purse that looks expensive but isn't. I actually take pride in that. :) AJ also got a giraffe purse for herself in a larger size. Here were are with our matching purses.

Hmm, maybe this is a step towards me blogging about shoes? Heather? I definitely will when I get my next fabulous pair of shoes. Speaking of shoes, AJ just bought a very cute pair of Dr. Scholl's gold flats - cute and comfy. Maybe I'll just live out my shoe fetish vicariously through my sister. I'm sure J would like that much better. Now that I have a house, I'm so much more excited about spending money on that instead of myself. My latest material love is Pottery Barn rugs. I love them all!