How Free was your Freedom??

I am reading Cane River. It is a book about 5 generations of women that started out as slaves. It got me to thinking about my own heritage, about being born in the USA.

My grandmother was a Cherokee Indian. My grandfather came from Sicily when he was boy. He was an illegal that came to the USA through New Orleans. I have my freedom, I did not have to work for it or even earn it. BUT SOMEONE had to do this for me. If you are in the USA, someone, if not yourself had to FIGHT so that you could be here.

So, why do we fight amongst ourselves? Maybe your ancestors did not come to the USA willingly, but they did choose to stay .We are all here because someone wanted us to live a dream. To have freedoms that you can not have anywhere else. Religious freedoms, freedom of speech, to read what we want to read, and to have our pursuit of happiness.

In my own area I see racial discrimination. I am white. I did not get to chose that, it was how I was born. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!! How a person is does not have anything to do with color. There is trash in every ethic group, there are those that work hard to make something of themselves. To better their lives and their family's lives. Our blood is the same color, RED.

Sept 11th just passed. Citizenship day is Sept 17th. Let's fight TOGETHER to keep this country the best in the world. The most FREE country in the world.

We as a nation can only do this if we stand together against those that want to see this dream destroyed. To allow that would be to dishonor our ancestors that fought for us, their future family to have a free place to live. It would dishonor those that to this day still fight so that they can come to our home, to make it their home as well.

Now go buy a Coke ;)

The Secret to Being Skinny

Yes, I know if I put this title on a book I would make MILLIONS. BUT, I'm crazy so I won't do that. I am also NOT A DIETITICIAN, NURSE, or DOCTOR of any kind. (there's your warning)

There is no secret drink, pill, injection, food or even diet.

The secret is NO SECRET AT ALL!!

Come on!! We REALLY all know the 'secret to weight loss'.

EAT RIGHT and exercise. Do not eat more than you need. If you are not hungry put that spoon, fork, or handful of food DOWN.. WALK AWAY!!

You should never feel stuffed, that means you over ate. That is not a good thing. To be full means to no longer feel hunger pains, it does not mean to feel your stomach stretched out.

FOOD IS NOT YOUR FREIND... Unless you want it to be.

Want some chips? GREAT!!! Choose the baked kind.

Sugar craving... That crisp pink lady apple looks GOOD!! Want some protein with that? Add some all natural peanut butter too it.

I personally hate red delicious apples. Get adventurous in the fruit aisle. Grab fruits you've never tried before. A tip to know what is freshest is to get the cheapest. They want the fruit to sale, not rot. Don't be afraid to ask the person stocking the fruit and veggies too. They are usually wonderful help in telling you what is the freshest items.

Going out to eat? See if you can order the lunch portion. If not get a to go box WITH your meal. Immediately divide that dinner in half. You have lunch for the next day.

Got the munchies? My kids love baby carrots. Sometimes dipped in an all natural dressing, some times plain. Cut fruit, grapes, sliced veggies etc...

Eat before you feel starving. You are more likely to over eat when that happens. If you feel you are just starving eat a salad first, not the bread in that bread basket. Try to eat the same time 5-6 times a day. Small meals or snacks. In the mid morning I like a snack of mixed nuts. There is a brand of natural granola bars that cost the same as the others, are great tasting, and have nothing fake in them.

Oh.. I understand.. You do not like fruit or veggies.. SO!! Really.. Pick a fruit or vegetable and eat just a bite a day for 30 days. You'll end up liking it.

WATER, WATER, WATER and more WATER... DROP THE SODA!!!

There are options of flavored water out there with NO artificial sugar or natural sugar added. Just water and flavor. I have a soda water maker. I carbonate the water and add 100% fruit juice to it. The kids even like this!!

DRINK WATER!!!

Do I REALLY need to say something about exercise? I didn't think you would want me to, but oh well.. It's MY blog. :p~~

WALK, WALK, and WALK some more. Take the stairs, even if it is two flights. That would be two more flights of stairs than you walked yesterday. Park FAR away from the entrance of the store. Little things can make BIG differences.

Before I started to write this my kids were eating some ice cream, I was eating frozen yogurt. Make small changes a little at a time. You should NEVER look like those super models that starve themselves. Most likely your body was not meant to be like that. In most cases it is not normal or natural.

Make good choices and your body will thank you.

How I feel about towel heads

Maxine says it best for me so I will let her do the talking for me:

The Blob IS REAL!!

Really, truly, and honestly. The Blob DOES exist!!! If you are a goose you are in deep trouble because it seems to eat everything but the bones and feathers!! The blob even has hair...

The Blob Story



I think a whale just had some bad convenient store burritos and got diarrhea...

Rockin' the WHAT?

I listen to a lot of different music. I was in a country music mood so I clicked the preset to the local station I like in the car. Top 40 was just coming on. COOL!! I could hear all the hits!! The #40 song just blew me away, and not in a good way. Apparently a lot of people like this song. I think it is rude and demeaning. It is about an overweight chic dancing. Now I am not super skinny in any way. I have a few extra layers of fat on me. I also like to hit a local club every so often and go dancing. If you don't like to watch my fat jiggle DON'T WATCH!!

HOWEVER, if anyone EVER says I have a beer gut they will learn QUICKLY that dynamite does indeed come in small packages (I am barely 5 feet tall).

Lost Art

This weekend I took some time for myself. I sewed a skirt for ME. I did have to buy the material and the zipper. (I'm not THAT good to make the fabric myself.. geesh... How crazy do you think I am?!).

It took about 4 hours. Of course I could've gone to the mall and scoured the sales rack and bought a skirt within that time frame, maybe even cheaper than what I paid for the fabric and notions (notions are what sewers call thread, zippers, buttons, etc...).

I created a piece of art to wear!

(As you view my new skirt, please meet Pinny. She is my clone, as my 9 year old son calls her.)

SO next time you pick something up at the store and you think to yourself, "Oh wow!! That is SO totally me"... Remember THIS!! WRONG!! IT was MASS produced so that others, not just YOU would want to wear it.

Anyone can create art to wear. AND when you create your own wardrobe, you will never walk past someone wearing the exact same outfit again ;)