It's Me!

If you've been following my siblings blogs, you may have noticed that everyone has been tagged to divulge information about themselves that no one else may know. It was interesting for me to read, as I would think "I do that too!" with several of them. But here is some things that you may or may not have already known about me:

1. I REALLY like blankets. I tend to walk down the blanket aisles at stores and just dream about what it would be like to own those blankets. If anyone ever needs to give me a gift and does not know what to get me, I am always happy with a blanket.

2. My body likes to compose in the key of D major. It's odd. I do this with any instrument. I noticed it during college. I would receive an assignment to write a song in a certain key, and I would somehow transpose it to the key of D. Also when I improvise it is generally in the key of D, and in the Dorian mode.

3. I like to read books about (how could I describe this...) depressing subjects. I have this fascination with psychology and how the body and mind works. Lately I have really been drawn towards reading books regarding what I deal with at work. It has really helped me become better in my career as I work with those who have mental illnesses. The last book I read was "Cutting:Understanding and Overcoming Self - Mutilation, " by Steven Levenkron. Right now I am reading the book "The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog: and other Stories From a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook: What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing," by Bruce D. Perry. Luckily I have an amazing sister and brother (aka: her wonderful husband) who are recommending and providing me with FICTION books that help me become somewhat more balanced. (THANKS!)

4. I tend to question "traditions" a lot. I have a hard time understanding the concept of doing something just because everyone else is doing it. Especially when they don't know why either. I think this may have begun when I had to go on such a strict medical diet and had a hard time participating in all the festivities that are catered around food.

5. I LOVE to watch previews to movies.

6. I am really trying to get into running. It's a big desire I have had. In the past I thought I had to give this desire up permanently as I would tend to have Crohn's attacks after I ran. But I have been learning how to teach my body to slowly accept it. Some days it works, some days it doesn't. But I tend to maintain or improve the amount of time I can run. My sister Jen , and I have a goal to run a 5k this upcoming year. Stay tuned for that fascinating post.

The Power of Plastic Spoons

I have been down with a cold this week. It's been frustrating, as I really have no patience when it comes to myself being sick. I have found though that one thing that brings me comfort is to eat with a plastic spoon. I bought some kid plastic spoons over the summer, and have been using them while being sick. There's something about it that for me makes the world seem like a better place. I don't know why, but I am truly grateful that they were invented.

Jack Frost Nipping At My Nose

I grew up in Arizona and have never really experienced snow much until moving to Utah. I will have been here almost 2 years in January, but still feel I have a lot to learn about how to handle a true winter. Some things though that I have learned since being in Utah are:

There are closets in the Church buildings. We don't have these in Arizona. This is still a new thing for me and just seems a bit odd. I remember the first time I saw this odd thing. I was in Tennessee with my family when I was little. We saw on the wall these odd coat hangers and my brother and sister and I were trying to figure out what they were for.






For a few months, it feels like I have gone back in time and am living in a black and white movie.
















And last, the power of just a little snow (or that's what I thought). Here is a picture of my car stuck in the cul-de-sac where I live. We all had to park away from our home last night as there was too much snow to get to the house. My car got stuck. Luckily it's Sunday and I will hopefully wait for the snow to melt by tomorrow, or I will be utilizing the shovel.

Goodbye Friend

You may remember me posting this picture a few posts ago. This is a picture of Finney. She came into our family 13 years ago. Ever since she came, our family has never been the same. She has brought more joy, laughs, comfort and peace than I could have ever hoped for. I found out last night that she needed to be put to sleep. She had not been eating or drinking the past couple of days. My dad took her to the vet. They found out that she had cancer all over and was bleeding internally. My dad decided that it would be better to have her put to sleep than to continue living in pain. I am grateful that she won't be in as much pain now, but sad to not have her with us. It's amazing how much Finney has become a member of the family. She filled in areas that no one else could. I am grateful for the many wonderful years we were able to have her in our lives. She was a one of a kind friend. One that will truly be missed, but I will look forward to seeing her again. It's amazing how much I've learned from Finny. The importance of greeting people when you see them, of never giving up an opportunity to socialize and acquire food. To stop, enjoy and smell the flowers, and rocks, and trees and grass, etc, To protect the ones you love. To cuddle whenever possible. To take every opportunity to sleep in the warmest part in the bed or house. To sun bath. To love going on walks and get excited about the possibility of exercise. To forgive immediately. To just sit and listen. To always be cautious of wood floors. To enjoy car rides with the ones you love. That to truly enjoy a present you must relish in every part of it, including the wrapping paper. To let others know you love them every opportunity and chance you can.

Angels Among Us

10 years ago (sometime around now), my family drove up to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with family. On our drive back home the van we were driving blew a tire. The van rolled several times. The majority of those in the van sustained some serious injuries. That day was full of many miracles for us though. We were protected and helped in every way we possibly could have been. From this, I have learned that the although the Lord has us endure many challenges, he is there for us to help us get through life in every possible way. Life changed dramatically for us as we had to endure and support each other through surgeries, physical therapy, new disabilities, and patience with the recovery time. I remember one day, when we were finally back in Arizona, I was driving some where before Christmas (probably buying more Christmas tree lights) and the song "Angels Among Us" by Alabama began to be played on the radio. I am aware now that this song came out a long time before this, but for me this was the first time I had heard it. I remember just crying as I listened to it because it explained exactly what I was feeling at that time in my life. This song has a special meaning to me, especially at this time of year. I created this clip with various pictures I have, to say thank you for a few of the "angels" in my life. I know that we meet people every day who are placed in our life to help us.

One of these socks is not like the other

I tend to wear fun, different socks when I am having a hard day to help me out a little bit. Last Saturday I had wanted to wear my "frog" socks. These are great as they are also slipper socks and have frog feet on the bottom to prevent slippage. I hadn't really gotten around to sorting or putting my clothes away after doing laundry that week. All my clothes were still in my laundry basket. I reached in grabbed one frog sock and then another sock and went on my way. Later that afternoon is when I realized that I was wearing two different socks. I just laughed about it, as I'm sure many of you have worn two different socks as well and not realized it. (at least they were the same color) But the only problem of wearing two different socks is that you need to wear a similar pair again because you still have another same unmatched pair that is still clean. Yesterday was an unmatched day for me again. I realize that it's fun to wear unmatched socks. It reminds me of being young and wanting to develop more independence, thus dressing yourself and creating your own fashion style. I think this would also delete the hassle of having to match socks when you are putting away laundry.

Thanksgiving Memories

(9The coolest dog, Finney, celebrating Christmas 1999.)

For some reason I woke up early and wide awake this morning (5am). I decided that since there wasn't much I could do that early, I would go to the gym. I was thinking it would be crowded because everyone would want to work out before having their BIG feast. I was wrong. There was really no one there. After I went to Harmon's Grocery store to get a newspaper. I want to keep the tradition of circling everything I want in today's paper and then mailing it to my parent's to help them with Christmas shopping:) When I got to the store the guy delivering the papers was just starting to stock the stand. He had a cart full of papers that he was unloading. As I was talking to him and waiting for a paper, I began to notice the sweet smell of newspapers that I seem to like. I think this is smell brings more of sweet memories as I would work with my dad, brother and sisters on delivering newspapers to homes on the holidays and weekends. Thanksgiving was a day I thought needed to be dread as it was supposedly the biggest newspaper of the year. This paper was huge and heavy. We would get up REALLY early in the morning just to wait for the paper to be delivered. This was a fun time for us kids as our dad would provide us a feast of the best pop, sweets and food while delivering the papers. I think this was more to help us stay awake and not get car sick. I remember how cold it was standing out there putting the papers together, shivering, talking and shivering some more. I also remember how we would laugh a lot (or maybe it was more me, I can't remember) due to us being really tired. We would also listen to old songs on the radio. I love the oldies station because of this. We would try to get the job done as quickly as possible so we could go home to our warm beds and sleep.

Yesterday I was thinking about how when I was young it was almost a tradition for a few of us in my family to head over to a family friend's home (the Brauer's) Wednesday evening to help her make pies and clean. We made so many pies, and then we would celebrate Thanksgiving with them the following day. This was a fun time as we would also be able to watch movies on their HUGE TV.

I also remember a Thanksgiving where my brother invited me to go to Wal-Mart with him the day before. When asked why he said "because everyone was going to be there." It was a fun time, I think we both were just burned out as well with college papers and exams. We laughed as we were hoping to have to park in the back of the parking lot and stand in a long line. Instead we got the closest parking spot we had ever had before, and there was no line when we were ready to check out.

I've also been thinking about how it is almost a tradition for our family to go to KMart on Thanksgiving and check out their specials, and indulge in bread sticks. With this memory I feel that pizza has become associated with Thanksgiving as well. My dad one year took my brother, sister and I to a store and bought us a pizza to eat before we went to a friend's home to have Thanksgiving dinner. We were so stuffed before we went to the Thanksgiving dinner. My dad told us to not tell mom that we had pizza before. For some reason I feel like that was the best pizza. I think it was because we were hungry and it was fun to eat pizza on Thanksgiving. I also remember a few years ago when it was only my mom, brother and I for Thanksgiving. My mom told me that I would be in charge of Thanksgiving. So since I was in charge, I decided that we would have pizza. I had found a pizza recipe I could have. It was such a good dinner. We had BBQ chicken pizza.

So on this Thanksgiving, I would like to thank my family for all the sweet and cherished memories that you have given to me revolving around Thanksgiving Day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Did you know...

Did you know that the word "holiday" was originally a simplified version of the words "holy" and "day."

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Here is a picture of my nephews Jonathan and Taylor posing for the picture in their form of being "scared." We went to a museum that had these "stuffed" animals everywhere. It was a cool place to explore. But alas, this post is not about nephews or animals. That will be another topic for another post.

At church I have the responsibility of providing a "music moment" to the women each week. This can be in various forms as to understanding music theory better, learning to express feelings through music or backgrounds regarding songs. This past week I found a great article regarding the background to the hymn "Prayer of Thanksgiving" or also known as "We Gather Together." To me this was really interesting as music takes on more meaning when I understand the situation that assisted in creating the song. So here is the story to "We Gather Together:"

A Hymn's Long Journey Home
The surprising origins of "We Gather Together," a Thanksgiving standard.

BY MELANIE KIRKPATRICK
Tuesday, November 22, 2005 12:01 a.m. EST

Its mention of God makes it verboten in schools today. But not too many years ago this was the season when teachers would lead their students in the great ecumenical Thanksgiving hymn, "We Gather Together to Ask the Lord's Blessing." It's a singable melody, and the stirring lyrics speak directly of the Pilgrims' experience in overcoming religious persecution.

Or do they? With the exception of Native Americans, we're all the descendants of those who came to the New World from somewhere else. So too, it turns out, did "We Gather Together," whose origins are Dutch and speak of religious persecution that predates the first Thanksgiving. It's appropriate that a hymn we sing to celebrate a quintessentially American holiday is, like most of us, a transplant.

The melody can be traced back to 1597 and is probably older than that. It started out as a folk song, whose secular lyrics set a decidedly nonreligious tone. "Wilder dan wilt, wie sal mij temmen," the song began, or "Wilder than wild, who will tame me?" Folk melodies have a way of wanting to be sung--think "Greensleeves," which has numerous sets of lyrics associated with it--and "Wilder dan wilt" was no exception.

Its transformation into the hymn about overcoming religious oppression began on Jan. 24, 1597. That was the date of the Battle of Turnhout, in which Prince Maurice of Orange defeated the Spanish occupiers of a town in what is now the Netherlands. It appears likely that Dutch Protestants--who were forbidden from practicing their religion under the Catholic King Philip II of Spain--celebrated the victory by borrowing the familiar folk melody and giving it new words. Hence "Wilt heden nu treden" or, loosely translated, "We gather together"--a phrase that itself connoted a heretofore forbidden act: Dutch Protestants joining together in worship. Its first appearance in print was in a 1626 collection of Dutch patriotic songs, "Nederlandtsch Gedencklanck."

It's tantalizing to think that the English Pilgrims--in exile in Holland, the only place in Europe where they could worship freely--might have been familiar with "Wilt heden nu treden." There's no record that they were, but the circumstantial evidence is strong. Some of them spoke Dutch, attended Dutch churches and even became Dutch citizens. "It's possible, I'd even go so far as to say it's probable, that the Pilgrims knew the tune," says John Kemp of Plimouth Plantation, the living-history museum of 17th-century America.

But to the Pilgrim mindset, "We Gather Together" would have been a secular song. It wasn't the direct word of the Bible, which meant they would not have sung it at church. The Pilgrims, like the Dutch Calvinists, sang only Psalms in worship and then without musical accompaniment or even harmony, which they considered "man glorifying in man's art," says Mr. Kemp. They saw any song except a Psalm as a violation of the commandment against idolatry.

So how did "We Gather Together" get from a 17th-century Dutch songbook to 20th-century American churches and schoolrooms?

One answer is Dutch settlers, who brought it with them to the New World, perhaps as early as the 1620s. The hymn stayed alive in the Dutch-American community throughout the centuries, says Emily Brink of the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in Grand Rapids, Mich. In 1937, when the Christian Reformed Church in North America--a denomination that began with Dutch immigrants who sang only Psalms--made the then-controversial decision to permit hymns to be sung at church, "We Gather Together" was chosen as the opening hymn in the first hymnal.

Another answer has to do with a Viennese choirmaster by the name of Eduard Kremser, whose arrangement of "We Gather Together" was published in Leipzig, Germany, in 1877. Enter Theodore Baker, an American scholar studying in Leipzig. Baker translated the hymn into English in 1894 as a "prayer of Thanksgiving" to be sung by a choir.

From there it was an easy step to congregational singing. According to the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, which maintains a database of popular hymns, "We Gather Together's" first appearance in an American hymnal was in 1903. Over the next three decades it showed up in an assortment of hymnals in the Northeast and Midwest and in school songbooks. Its "big break" came in 1935, says Carl Daw, executive director of the Hymn Society, when it was added to the national hymnal of the Methodist-Episcopal Church.

The association with Thanksgiving helped popularize the hymn, and the country's experience with war also contributed to its spread. "By World War I, we started to see ourselves in this hymn," says Michael Hawn, professor of sacred music at Southern Methodist University's Perkins School of Theology. Even more so in World War II, when "the wicked oppressing" would have resonated with a public engaged in the fight against Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. "People take stock of themselves at Thanksgiving," he says. "We've all survived some turbulent times."

"We Gather Together" has all the elements that make a hymn great, says Prof. Hawn. Its melody is accessible, it has a catchy "incipit" or opening phrase, and it has a message that unfolds through the stanzas and carries the congregation with it to an uplifting conclusion: "O, Lord, make us free!"

On Thanksgiving Day, that's a sentiment that all Americans, wherever we are gathered, can share.
Ms. Kirkpatrick is the associate editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page.

Oh Christmas Tree...

I have FINALLY finished putting up my Christmas tree! This was a fun project to work on all week, as I tried to figure out what to place on my first Christmas tree. I purchased a 7 foot lighted palm tree in the summer, and have been counting down the days till I could put it up. I wanted to have something up this Christmas that reminded me of Arizona.

I had a lot of ideas as I was planning on putting it together. I don't have the ornaments that were given to me while growing up because they are still in Arizona with my parents. I am going to let my mom and dad hang them on their fabulous tree this year. I also was originally going to place my rubber chicken on the top, wearing a Santa's hat and having a red bell in his mouth. It would have been a tree topper everyone would have remembered. But I miscalculated the height of my apartment. I thought I had an 8 foot ceiling, but after I put my tree up realized that it was shorter. The rubber chicken would not fit. I will have to wait till I move into a taller place. I finally decided to decorate it with red and silver ornaments with a splash of gingerbread cookie ornaments. I originally thought to place just a hula skirt on the bottom, but after doing this discovered that it just didn't look right. I added a snow blanket, and it was just the touch it needed. It looks so pretty and I wish I could have captured it the way it looks when they are the only lights turned on. But I can't figure out how to turn my flash off my camera. (I would have a picture with me in it as well, but don't know how to set the camera to do this either.)

My mom sent me a package when my sister drove up at the end of summer. My mom gave me a present early in case I couldn't make it home to Arizona for Christmas this year. The wrapping that she chose for it matches my decor perfectly:) I have been really good not to peek. Although it I am really curious as to what she may have given to me this year. Doesn't the present looks like a package that floated onto a desert island.

Blessings

I received this picture of the "Dog Prayer" and thought it was great. It made me think about how we all of many things to be grateful for and should express it in some way. I love how the dog shows more intensity in their prayers than some of us do. Today I am grateful for a warm home, running car, good food, clouds in the sky, comforting music, ability to pray, the scriptures, supportive family and friends, a great family dog (whom I miss right now), heating pads, heating blankets, BLANKETS, awesome Christmas decorations, and advance medical care.

So today acknowledge several of your blessings to a loved one:)

"Lick it Aunt Kathryn! Lick it!"

This week my sister, Sarah, and her family are staying with me. It's been a week full of laughs, talking and making good memories. Sarah has 3 cute boys, that are full of fun ideas and energy. Yesterday I went with Sarah and the boys to Salt Lake City for fun. For lunch we stopped at Wendy's and were eating the food in the car. One of her boy's, Jonathan, who is 6, ordered a small chocolate frosty. I was handing it to him, and he began to get it all over him. I took it back to help him clean it up and Jonathan noticed that the frosty was dripping down the sides. He began to scream "lick it Kathryn, lick it!" I just began to laugh and asked him if his Aunt Jen put him up to this. Sorry Jen, I didn't lick it, I wiped it with a napkin:) I feel the boys feel sorry for their Aunt Kathryn, as all the "good" foods make her sick (pizza, ice cream, chocolate, etc).

Side note: my sister, Jen and I are currently in a contest to see who can stick to their medical diet and exercise program the longest. The first person to slip provides the other one with a nice cash award. Enjoy the picture Jen:)

Sugar...the other white stuff

On my online Crohn's support group, there was a discussion occurring as to how eliminating sugar from their diet really decreased negative Crohn's symptoms. One person directed us to a website that had some interesting information regarding sugar. I'm sure some of this information was stretched out of proportion, but I figure it could help those of you out there who are trying to cut back or not gain too much weight this holiday season. Like they say, moderation in all things.

146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health

By Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.
Author of LICK THE SUGAR HABIT and LICK THE SUGAR HABIT SUGAR COUNTER.

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body.
3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
5. Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases).
6. Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose.
7. Sugar reduces high density lipoproteins.
8. Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9 Sugar leads to cancer of the ovaries.
10. Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose.
11. Sugar causes copper deficiency.
12. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
13. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
14. Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
15. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
16. Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract.
17. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
18. Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
19. Sugar can cause premature aging.
20. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.
21. Sugar can cause tooth decay.
22. Sugar contributes to obesity
23. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
24. Sugar can cause changes frequently found in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers.
25. Sugar can cause arthritis.
26. Sugar can cause asthma.
27. Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections).
28. Sugar can cause gallstones.
29. Sugar can cause heart disease.
30. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
31. Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis.
32. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
33. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
34. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.
35. Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
36. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
37. Sugar contributes to saliva acidity.
38. Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
39. Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E (alpha-Tocopherol in the blood.
40. Sugar can decrease growth hormone.
41. Sugar can increase cholesterol.
42. Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure.
43. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
44. High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar bound non-enzymatically to protein)
45. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein.
46. Sugar causes food allergies.
47. Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
48. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
49. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
50. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
51. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA
52. Sugar can change the structure of protein.
53. Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
54. Sugar can cause cataracts.
55. Sugar can cause emphysema.
56. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
57. Sugar can promote an elevation of low density lipoproteins (LDL).
58. High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in the body.
59. Sugar lowers the enzymes ability to function.
60. Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson’s disease.
61. Sugar can cause a permanent altering the way the proteins act in the body.
62. Sugar can increase the size of the liver by making the liver cells divide.
63. Sugar can increase the amount of liver fat.
64. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
65. Sugar can damage the pancreas.
66. Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
67. Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement.
68. Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).
69. Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
70. Sugar can make the tendons more brittle.
71. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraine.
72. Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women.
73. Sugar can adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders..
74. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves.
75. Sugar can cause depression.
76. Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer.
77. Sugar and cause dyspepsia (indigestion).
78. Sugar can increase your risk of getting gout.
79. Sugar can increase the levels of glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test over the ingestion of complex carbohydrates.
80. Sugar can increase the insulin responses in humans consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
81 High refined sugar diet reduces learning capacity.
82. Sugar can cause less effective functioning of two blood proteins, albumin, and lipoproteins, which may reduce the body’s ability to handle fat and cholesterol.
83. Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
84. Sugar can cause platelet adhesiveness.
85. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive and others become overactive.
86. Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
87. Sugar can lead to the hypothalamus to become highly sensitive to a large variety of stimuli.
88. Sugar can lead to dizziness.
89. Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress.
90. High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.
91. High sugar diet can lead to biliary tract cancer.
92. Sugar feeds cancer.
93. High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
94. High sugar consumption can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration among adolescents.
95. Sugar slows food's travel time through the gastrointestinal tract.
96. Sugar increases the concentration of bile acids in stools and bacterial enzymes in the colon. This can modify bile to produce cancer-causing compounds and colon cancer.
97. Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men.
98. Sugar combines and destroys phosphatase, an enzyme, which makes the process of digestion more difficult.
99. Sugar can be a risk factor of gallbladder cancer.
100. Sugar is an addictive substance.
101. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.
102. Sugar can exacerbate PMS.
103. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce.
104. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
105. The body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch.
106. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
107. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
108. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.
109. Sugar can slow down the ability of the adrenal glands to function.
110. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.
111.. I.Vs (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.
112. High sucrose intake could be an important risk factor in lung cancer.
113. Sugar increases the risk of polio.
114. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
115. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
116. In Intensive Care Units, limiting sugar saves lives.
117. Sugar may induce cell death.
118. Sugar can increase the amount of food that you eat.
119. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behavior.
120. Sugar can lead to prostrate cancer.
121. Sugar dehydrates newborns.
122. Sugar increases the estradiol in young men.
123. Sugar can cause low birth weight babies.
124. Greater consumption of refined sugar is associated with a worse outcome of schizophrenia
125. Sugar can raise homocysteine levels in the blood stream.
126. Sweet food items increase the risk of breast cancer.
127. Sugar is a risk factor in cancer of the small intestine.
128. Sugar may cause laryngeal cancer.
129. Sugar induces salt and water retention.
130. Sugar may contribute to mild memory loss.
131. As sugar increases in the diet of 10 years olds, there is a linear decrease in the intake of many essential nutrients.
132. Sugar can increase the total amount of food consumed.
133. Exposing a newborn to sugar results in a heightened preference for sucrose relative to water at 6 months and 2 years of age.
134. Sugar causes constipation.
135. Sugar causes varicous veins.
136. Sugar can cause brain decay in prediabetic and diabetic women.
137. Sugar can increase the risk of stomach cancer.
138. Sugar can cause metabolic syndrome.
139. Sugar ingestion by pregnant women increases neural tube defects in embryos.
140. Sugar can be a factor in asthma.
141. The higher the sugar consumption the more chances of getting irritable bowel syndrome.
142. Sugar could affect central reward systems.
143. Sugar can cause cancer of the rectum.
144. Sugar can cause endometrial cancer.
145. Sugar can cause renal (kidney) cell carcinoma.
146. Sugar can cause liver tumors.

Comfort Foods - Chili

I have had to give up a lot of my favorite comfort foods when I chose to go on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) to treat my Crohn's disease. I have found new ones, but they don't compare with my favorite ones that I now only have as memories.

I recently found a Chili recipe on a SCD website. I tried it out today and it is really good. I'm passing it on. One thing I altered with the recipe was substituting 3 chicken breasts for the ground chicken. I just cooked them separately and then cut them up into small pieces. I also didn't personally add cheese to mine, but I'm sure it will taste good with it.

Chicken Chili
Serves 6 to 8
2lb ground chicken
4 onions chopped
3 bell peppers (any combination of red, yellow, or orange chopped)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
¼ tsp to ½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp to ½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, pressed
3 cups fully cooked navy beans*
one 48 – oz can tomato juice
one 28 – oz can plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
Cheddar Cheese, grated for garnish

1. In a large pot with a lid, brown the chicken on medium – high heat until cooked through. Drain off the accumulated fat.
2. Add the onions and bell peppers to the pot and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, until soft
3. Add the salt, cumin, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Stir to combine.
4. Add the beans, tomato juice and tomatoes
5. Stir until well combined, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes over medium – low heat
6. Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 15 more minutes
7. Serve hot, garnish with grated cheese


*Beans, split peas, lentils, and peanuts all belong to the legumes family. To minimize the bloating gas, or discomfort you sometimes get with eating prepared legumes, you can soak them. Legumes double in bulk when soaked.
1. Put dried legumes in a large bowl and cover with water. Make sure the water level is 4 inches above the legumes because they’ll absorb the liquid, expand, and double in bulk.
2. Soak in a cool place for 8 to 10 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Drain and rinse in a colander with cool, fresh water
4. Put the legumes in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
5. As soon as they come to a boil, they’ll start to foam. Remove from the heat, drain, and rinse them again. At this point, they can be added to soups for further cooking. To fully cook the beans and store for future use, follow steps 6 and 7.
6. Put the beans back in your pot and cover them with fresh water again. Boil fro 30 to 45 minutes, or until they’re tender.
7. Drain and use immediately, or freeze in smaller portions for use in other recipes

5 Second Rule

I just found this article on the reality of the 5 second rule. I thought this would be a great article to share as holiday season is here and many of us implement this rule more during this time.

When food hits the floor, is it trash or treat?

By Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness

Is it OK to eat food that has been dropped on the floor, so long as it is picked up within five seconds? Here at MSN Health & Fitness we’re interested in, well, your health and fitness—so the short answer is no, the food should be tossed. But you knew that already.

Informal studies discredit the rule.

In 2003, high-school student Jillian Clarke garnered media attention for work she conducted during an internship. In her study, Clarke spread E. coli bacteria on ceramic tiles, then placed pieces of fudge-striped cookies and Gummy Bears on the tiles. In all cases, the E. coli microorganisms were transferred from the tile to the food in five seconds or less. Even more of the bacteria were transferred to the Gummy Bears from smooth tiles than from rough tiles, probably due to more surface-to-surface contact. Clarke’s studies earned her an “Ig Nobel” prize, but all her friends stopped asking her to butter their toast.

In an episode aired in October 2005, the crew of television’s MythBusters (Discovery Channel) found just as much bacteria after two seconds as on food left for six seconds.

As you may have guessed, there’s not a great deal of credible scientific study dedicated to the issue.

Germs don’t just blow away.

If you do opt to consume that fumbled Tastykake, don’t fool yourself into thinking you can sanitize the thing by brushing it off or blowing away the germs. (We’ll leave it up to the faithful to judge the value of “kissing it up to the sky,” the Hail Mary of food rescue.) Germs are tenacious and hard to kill, which is why it takes at least 15 seconds to wash our hands well and 155-degree heat in a dishwasher to sanitize a drinking glass.

Your immune response has got your back.

For some, the issue is, How much bacteria might now be on that cookie, and does it have the potential to make me sick? For others, the question is, Was that really the last Oreo? Our bodies are designed to protect us when common sense does not, within reason; saliva and stomach acid fight infection, and the natural responses of a healthy immune system will protect most people against a minor germ incursion. No doubt more people get sick from undercooked meat—or ingest more germs biting their fingernails—than from a dash of floor spice. The risk to bottom-feeders increases, though, when the immune system is compromised and/or the microorganisms transferred are more pathogenic (that is, likely to cause disease).

The chance of getting sick depends on variables of food and floor.

Dr. Philip Tierno, known as the King of Germs at New York University, estimates that 50 percent to 80 percent of all food-borne illnesses are contracted in the home. He says the kitchen is the dirtiest room even in the cleanest house. There’s no telling what pathogens may have been brought in with the last batch of groceries or what may have been tracked in on the soles of a family’s shoes. (Do you have pets? What have they been walking in?)

If a hard pretzel hits a dry, clean floor at home and you eat it anyway, we do expect you to survive. As you might guess, the transfer of microorganisms increases when something sticky like a syrup-soaked piece of pancake makes contact with a more absorbent surface like a shag rug. It’s the risk inherent in unknown factors that should signal a warning sign. Eat a stray jalapeño from under the table at Taco Bell and you’re on your own.

The five-second rule wasn’t invented for the person eating; it was made up for witnesses.

The rule is an excuse, probably improvised by a hungry kid who dropped the last doughnut when his friends were watching. When you invoke the five-second rule, do you really figure the food was magically sealed for five seconds, or are you asking one-time permission to eat off the floor?

Why did the Chicken cross the road?

First I want to give a big THANK YOU for everyone giving me ideas on what to be for Halloween this year. There were some great ideas given. It would have been fun to get dressed up as a lot of them. Yesterday I went to a discount party store near me called "Zurchers." As I walked around I was also talking to my mom on the cell phone. We talked about some ideas I had and somehow were able to come up with a completely different idea than what I had originally came up with, but it was still fun. Plus I would be able to use my props for a future holiday coming up soon (stay tuned). But my final Halloween costume ended up being a "Chicken Fairy." It was so much fun to create. In case none of you have ever heard of a chicken fairy, they are fairies that go around with their magic rubber chicken wand and whatever they touch turns into chicken. This would be such a dream power for me as I love chicken. I was also thinking of being a squash fairy, but didn't know how to pull that one off exactly. I went to my Ward's Halloween Party with my friend Cassie. She dressed up as an old lady. We had fun getting her ready as well. We put baby powder in her hair to create the grey effect. She was able to play this part really well. We both laughed so hard throughout the night, that our stomachs and sides were hurting by the end of the night.
(oh, on a side note, you can't see it, but I was wearing bright socks, and hot pink crocks as shoes. I also made an egg necklace, to go along with my egg tiara. Also I have a big foil "C" on the back of my sweater, to represent the great chicken world.)

I've Been Working On My Costume

Last year for Halloween, I went as a Gothic princess. This was a lot of fun. For some reason, I also had more time last year to come up with a costume. Friday is my Church's Halloween party. I have yet to decide what I will be wearing as a costume. Does anyone have any creative, cheap ideas? Someone suggested a rock n roll star, and I could use my guitar. I'm not sure how to do that at this moment. But if you have any ideas, they would be greatly appreciated. Here is another song to add to your Halloween song collection that may also provide you with some inspiration.

I’ve Been Working on My Costume

I’ve been workin’ on my costume, all the live long day,
I’ve been workin’ on my costume, watch out! I’m on my way!
When you see me at your doorstep, you’ll see what I mean!
I’ve been workin’ on my costume, ‘Cause it is Halloween!

Little bit of this, little bit of that, itty bitty pillow to make me fat,
Wig upon my head, sheet off from my bed, all because it’s Halloween!

Sweetest Day!

Happy Sweetest Day!

Today is the day for everyone to show your loved ones how much you care about them by sending them sweets. I am sending you one of my favorite sweets - fruit.

In case you have never heard of "Sweetest Day" here is some formidable information regarding it. Which also goes to show that Halloween is not the start of the holiday sugar rush.

Sweetest Day is an observance celebrated primarily in the Great Lakes region and parts of the Northeast United States on the third Saturday in October. It is described by Retail Confectioners International, as "much more important for candy makers in some regions than in others (Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo being the biggest Sweetest Day cities)" and an "occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick, aged and orphaned, but also friends, relatives and associates whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed." Sweetest Day has also been referred to as a "concocted promotion" created by the candy industry solely to increase sales of candy.

This post is dedicated to my amazing family members who understands and relates to what a true "sweet" could be ;)

Halloween is All Around

Halloween is all Around
rewritten by: haven't a clue
Tune: London Bridges

Halloween is all around,
All around, all around
Once a year it’s always found
All around us

Underneath a harvest moon,
Harvest moon, harvest moon
Cats are crooning out of tune
All around us

Witches boil their bubbly brew,
Bubbly brew, bubbly brew
Making mischief as they do
All around us

Owls are blinking in the breeze,
In the breeze, in the breeze
Hooting from the tallest trees
All around us

All in all it’s quite a sight,
Quite a sight, quite a sight
“Cause it’s Halloween tonight
all around us.

Great Pumpkin is Coming to Town

Great Pumpkin is Coming to Town
Tune to: Santa Claus is Coming to Town


Oh, you better not shriek, you better not groan,
You better not howl, you better not moan,
Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town.

He’s gonna find out from folks that he meets,
Who deserves tricks and who deserves treats
Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town.

He’ll search in every pumpkin patch,
Haunted houses far and near,
To see if you’ve been spreading gloom, or bringing lots of cheer.

So, you better not shriek, you better not groan,
You better not howl, you better not moan,
Great Pumpkin is comin’ to town!

Halloween Carols

I never realized how much fun a holiday could be until you celebrate it for a month at work. When I worked at the Utah State Developmental Center, I felt like we celebrated a holiday as if it was the last holiday to celebrate for the year. It was a lot of fun. While there I became familiar with some fun Halloween songs that I will sporadically post on my blog to help all of you celebrate the fun of this holiday season! Enjoy!!!

Eeeerr, try again

I feel that my SUV has been experiencing separation anxiety every time I unlock the doors. For the past several weeks it has made this REALLY loud noise every time I've unlock the doors, and occasionally lock them. It sounds just like the "Operation" game when you touch the sides. I took it into the mechanics to have it be fixed a week ago. The guys all laughed as I was trying to get out of my car with that funny sound. Fortunately they knew what the problem was, unfortunately they did not have the part on hand to fix it. So I have been able to enjoy this additional sound for another couple of weeks as I wait for the part to arrive. It actually has been fun to have a changed sound for awhile. I laugh as I feel the car is trying to express to me with the loud sound, "No, don't leave me, that's the wrong button to push. We have so many more adventures to go on. So many more sights to see. Don't leave me now!" If only they could communicate, I wonder what mine would really say.

"Orginal Fast Food"

Bananas are the BEST snack food if you are like me on a restrictive diet. I have learned that when I am on the road, doing errands and stuff and am just starving; the best, easiest and cheapest thing I can do is stop at the grocery store and buy a banana. It's great because 1 will usually run no more than a 25 cents. That's better than the value meal at the fast food restaurants.
In addition, bananas are considered a "happy food."
Here are my Top 11 reasons why everyone should eat bananas:
11. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

10. Depression: According to a recent survey amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

9. PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

8. Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

7. Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

6. Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

5. Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

4. Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

3. Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

2. Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

1. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

This week's "Happy Song"

Do you have a "happy song"? Mine changes all the time, depending on what I have recently discovered or what mood I have been in lately. The past couple of weeks, I have really enjoyed listening to Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, or otherwise known as IZ. He is a famous Hawaiian singer who passed away in 1997. He is an amazing artist. Here is one of my favorite songs I like to listen to that helps me feel good when my day doesn't seem to be going as planned. It's a combination of Somewhere Over the Rainbow and What a Wonderful World. Enjoy!

Conference Snow

At the beginning of the Saturday afternoon, General Conference session, Lindsay, Trevor and I looked outside and saw SNOW falling. It didn't snow that long, or enough to really stick. But I took some pictures of it. They didn't turn out as well as I would've hoped. But you can use your imaginations. The snow is the big white spots you see in the pictures:)

That morning, during the television news, were showing that 50% of the time it has rained during Conference.

Red Box Codes

Here in Utah, the latest way to check out movies is through "Red Box." You can find them in almost every grocery stores. It's a big machine that has a variety of DVDs available for checkout. They are $1 a day and all you need to rent is to swipe your credit card. My friend and I on Friday attempted to go to a movie, but they were all sold out when we arrived at the movie theater. So we commenced to plan B and tried the Red Box. I had never done this before (although they have been around for 2 years) and my friend had only done it once. We were talking about this as we stood in line waiting for our turn. The lady in front of us started conversing with us about the procedure and then proceeded to tell us about the "promo" codes that allows you to rent the movies for FREE! She told us that in the past 2 years she has never paid for a DVD rental. After we tried this out and it worked, I found the website that has all the codes listed. It looks like the codes are rotated ever so often, and you can only use one code per credit card. But there are quite a few codes that can be used. So if you have a Red Box machine near you, check out the RED BOX CODES

Autumn

Right now in Utah, the scenery has been absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Autumn is at it's peak right now, with the temperatures cooling down and the leaves changing color. Growing up in Arizona I was not able to see the changing of seasons like this much. I don't know if I could ever get tired of it. So this post is going out to all you Arizonans. Enjoy the fall season through pictures while you can:)

Crohn's Survival - Salads

Lately, for a small time, I have had to eliminate raw vegetables from my diet. This had been a tricky thing I am realizing. I went to St. George for a conference and did not have much control over where I could obtain food. When we first arrived to St. George it was around 2pm, and I had not had lunch yet. I was STARVING, and didn't have access to a car at the moment. I walked to Burger King which was across the street. When I got there, I just looked at the menu and wondered what could I eat. I did not want to spend $4 on a small piece of chicken, having to throw away everything else from the chicken burger. I realized that my motel room had a microwave. So I ordered the chicken salad (with no dressing - which is hard for people to accept at times) and took the meal back to my room. I put the salad in the microwave for 2 minutes, and "wala" a meal I could eat. It really wasn't that bad, and the vegetables were cooked. I think though if I had to do it again, I would ask Burger King to cook the salad for me. I would have loved to have seen the expression on their faces. Who knows, maybe this could start a new trend for others as well.

Crohn's 101

In case you didn't know, I have Crohn's disease. I was diagnosed with it 7 years ago, although I now realize that I have had symptoms of it many years before that. This is a very interesting disease, as not many people are familiar with it or the symptoms of it. Generally it is controlled through medication and diet, or if really severe removal of part of the intestines. There are new medications coming out with a lot of promise, but I don't like what it can do with the other parts of your body. I would like to avoid them as much as possible. So I am learning how to control my Crohn's to have it be in mild stages for the majority of the time through a strict diet and mild medication. I am following the SCD diet (Specific Carbohydrate Diet). Through this there is elimination of sugar (except honey), flours, grains, corn, fried foods, starches, dairy (except special yogurt) and preservatives. The "Crohn's Survival" posts will not be about the disease itself. This will not be about serious and sad issue about the disease, but humorous ways I have learned to survive Crohn's in a non - Crohn's world.

Oh the Tragedy - It snowed today

Or it rained / snowed today. I think they call that sleet here.

One thing that I have learned a lot through my profession is the importance of having appropriate coping skills. Here is a picture of my brother, Steven, and I on the day we both graduated from college. Now I may "appear" to be looking happy, but deep down, I am scared about moving up to Utah, and beginning new and scary changes in my life. Did I apply positive coping skills at this time in my life? Not really, but then I didn't have a clue what coping skills were.

Coping skills are ways that you have developed to deal with stress. The majority of the people I work with do not have positive coping skills. They try to avoid the issues through dissociation of their body, so they don't have to feel those hard, horrible, uncomfortable feelings. They will bury their feelings through excess alcohol, abuse substances, food, sleep, work or exercise. Lately I have been thinking about what exactly I do for my coping skills. I have realized that a lot of them are not as healthy as they could be. So I am trying to change that, to help me deal better with stress and trials in my life. I have been trying to implement more deep breathing exercises, song writing, journaling, adequate exercise, and developing hobbies I like (that's the key I'm finding). I found online a website that has some great ideas of different coping skills. I am going to try more of these as well to see if they help out. I like the idea of getting a dog:)
(In case you don't read the coping skills list below, here is another coping skill I am trying to implement (see number 9 in the list). Spending more time with positive people in my life. Like going out to lunch with my grandma. I appear and really am "happy" in this picture.)

1. Deep Breathing

Often, when faced with a stressful situation, our breathing changes. Sometimes we stop breathing altogether, actually holding our breath just trying to get through it. In reality, this makes it harder. Things can become more physically painful and additional adrenaline can be released, causing stress levels to rise.

Taking slow deep breaths helps you remain in control and get through the stress more efficiently. Try deep breathing with another skill listed below and see how well you cope.

2. Positive Self-Talk

So often, if we really listen, we can hear the negative things we are telling ourselves: “she doesn't’ like me”, “I’'m going to screw this up”, “he'’s funnier than I am”. It can become so that everything you hear is negative. If all you hear is negative, coping can become extremely difficult.

Using positive self-talk, you can start to hear words of encouragement and support. You will be surprised at how different that feels. Try this with deep breathing and see how much better you feel.

3. Physical Activity

It does not have to be much, even just a brisk walk for 15 to 20 minutes can help lessen stress reaction and promote a general sense of well-being.

Physical activity causes endorphins to be released, which are the body’s feel-good hormones. Regular exercise can also improve your body’s ability to handle stress in general.

Try walking around a new area while listening to your favorite music. It can physically take you away from the stress, and perhaps give you a new perspective in the end.

4. Writing/Journaling

Writing can be an effective means of working through stress. Writing can provide a means of expressing troubling thoughts, as well as gaining a better understanding of what is bothering you.

Keeping stressful thoughts to one's self can cause them to grow, as well as creating a new stress from holding on to these upsetting feelings.

Try letting the words just come – do not focus on coherency, spelling, or neatness, instead just try throwing them onto the paper. Write until you feel done.

5. Art

Creative endeavors are a known means of self-expression. Some do not like writing, and sometimes words cannot seem to effectively express your feelings. Try abstraction or conceptualization instead.

Grab a piece of paper and some markers, paints, or crayons. Fill the page with color. It does not matter what it looks like. Just do what seems to come next.

Grab some magazines, scissors, and glue - make a collage.

The key is not to focus on the end product, but the process.

6. Meditation

Meditation need not be a complex, structured process that you learn from years of practice. You do not even need to buy a book.

Think of a place that you love or a craft that you could make. Focus on the details. Focus on how it feels, what it sounds like. Picture the details, the colors, the process. Focus all of your attention on the thought. You may even fall asleep.

Try doing this while taking slow deep breaths and listening to your favorite relaxing music.

7. Puzzles

Work a puzzle. Word, number, and logic puzzles can be great ways to refocus from the stress. By getting into a puzzle you get to exercise different parts of your brain. There will not be any room for stressful thoughts. Try SuDoku, a crossword puzzle, or a brainteaser.

Once the puzzle or puzzles are done, you may have a whole new perspective. It is important that you choose a puzzle that you enjoy and believe that you can complete.

8. Music

Listening to music is a powerful tool in coping. Music has the power to take the listener along any number of emotional paths.

Pick your music wisely. Chose music that allows you to feel in a safe way, but does not create additional stress. Listening to cheery love songs, for example, may not facilitate coping if you are feeling sad and alone.

Sometimes your music should be in the background; sometimes it should fill the room. Know what works for you, and allow yourself to do it.

9. Friends

Turning to friends during times of stress can be an invaluable coping tool. Friends can validate who you are and how you feel. They can provide a caring ear, ready and willing to listen and support you.

Be aware of who your friends are. Surround yourself with caring supportive people who are quick to jump to your defense and want to protect you from hurt - not people who tend to put you on the spot or make you feel defensive.

10. Pets

Animals can be wonderful calming beings in your life. It does not matter what the animal is as long as you care about them and enjoy them.

Take your dog out for a walk. Pet your cat and listen to the purr. Watch a fish smoothly glide through the water. Even snakes and rodents can have calm, soothing interactions with their owners.

If you don’t have a pet, borrow a friend’s. Go on a walk and watch the animals, pet the dogs you see (check to make they are safe to pet), or feed the birds.

St George

I went to St. George, Utah this week for the annual Utah Fall Substance Abuse Conference. The theme for this year was "Just Say Know!" (Side note: besides working with a lot of substance abuse issues at work, I am also working towards receiving my LSAC - Licensed Substance Abuse Counselor) It was great, I learned a TON of information, and have decided that I like visiting St. George for a vacation. St. George has grown so much since I was last there. I didn't even recognize it, or could find anything (which was sad, as somehow I was made the navigator in the car I was in). But they are building an outlet mall there, and have a Mongolian BBQ restaurant in the outlet mall. Of course, I convinced my colleagues that we needed to check out the Mongolian BBQ place before we left. I was not disappointed. It made me wish that they would open one up in Utah County.

With the conference theme of "Just Say Know!" they focused a lot on the importance of educating the community on what drugs are and what they do to you. Also educating others that if they are going to do drugs, how to do it responsibly. This was emphasized more with alcohol. They talked about how we are always telling kids to just say "no" that when they do decide to drink, or try drugs out of curiosity, they don't know how to do it responsibly, that is why there is a lot of binge drinking at college campuses. I liked the idea of teaching others what drugs are and what they can do to you in addition to telling them to say "no." For me, the more knowledge I have about something and what it can do to you, the less tempting it will become.

But a down side to the conference was hearing all the statistics with drugs and alcohol. I am now scared to be on the road with the high statistic of being injured by an impaired driver. You can even become impaired through energy drinks, as many add alcohol but don't state it well. There are more deaths to Americans through alcohol related incidents then there were deaths from the Polio epidemic or the current war going on.

Oh, one scary statistic is that 1 in 4 kids in high school have tried alcohol. Also 1 in 4 children have an alcoholic parent.

So on that happy note, here are some pictures of the motel I stayed at. It was weird for me, as I was given my own room. But I can't complained. I was able to do a lot of reading at night.




Here is the motel we stayed at. It was the Comfort Suites.







Her is the car we took to St. George. It was hospital car - Ford Focus. The drive was good, especially with only 3 people in the car, and I had the entire back seat to myself:)









Here is a picture of a view from my motel room to where we needed to travel to go to the conference. It was right by the Jack in the Box and Texaco sign.







This is a morning view from my motel room. The weather was absolutely beautiful! I was not ready to go back to Orem and today's weather of 53 degrees.

Stake Conference

As I sit here chewing my chocolate bubble gum (that really does taste like tootsie rolls - thanks Jen) I wanted to record some things I heard at Stake Conference this weekend. Stake Conference was AMAZING!!! I learned so much. Elder Henry B. Eyring, visited and spoke along with the Area Seventy, Brother Oskathorpe.

They had a Saturday evening session for the adults, then 2 Sunday sessions, since the stake is so large. I was able to attend all the sessions, as I volunteered to assist in ushering for the 2nd Sunday session. This was great as both Sunday sessions were completely different. Only a couple of talks were the same. In addition, I was at the right place, at the right time, and was able to shake Elder Eyring's hand after.

Elder Eyring on Saturday spoke on "feasting upon the word of God." He said if you want to review his talk later just read 2 Nephi 31:19-21, 32:1-9. I love how they just read and use the scriptures like that. But he talked about how to pray and provided steps for it:

1. Decide before you pray. He talked how Joseph Smith already had made a decision before he prayed what he was going to do. He was going to join a church. We need to committed to act on our decision. He talked about how we need to be prepared to be asked to do some difficult things from Heavenly Father when we do this. He will have us go beyond the limits we were originally contemplating.

2. Pray like a child. Be willing to submit as a child submits. We need to always have a sense of who Heavenly Father is and who we are when we pray.

3. Have a repentant heart. He talked about how whatever we've done, we could always do more. We need to remember also that "whomever the Lord loveth, he chastenth." He shared a story of how another apostle complimented Pres. Hinckley on the BYU devotional he gave last week. Pres. Hinckley stated that the he didn't do that great of a job. "I know a good talk, and that wasn't one of them. I could've done better."

4. Be optimistic. You NEED hope. He quoted Pres Hinckley "Well it's all going to work out. We know we are going to win." He also talked about how Pres. Hinckley is one of the most optimistic people he knows, yet he is the one that truly knows all the troubles that are occurring in the world.

5. We need the gift of charity in our life. Heavenly Father NEEDS to know that you love him. You cannot serve those whom you do not love. He also talked about how the Lord does EVERYTHING out of love for us. All our problems and trials are and were for our good. We need to obtain a feeling of appreciation. Also don't be a Jonah, we need to do what the Lord tells us to immediately, and not wait for a whale to come and really help us to do his work.

On Sunday, Elder Eyring first rebuked everyone (in his good humored way), during the first session, for not paying as much attention to their spiritual memories. We need to always remember them, and pray for even sweeter memories for the future. We need to remember our baptism day and the feelings we felt there. We need to work towards have a better Sacrament experience. He went through the Sacrament prayer and compared it with our baptism.

In the 2nd session, Elder Eyring piggy backed his talked with the Area Seventy's talk. He talked about the formula for success. He just returned from serving as mission president in South Dakota and talked about the struggle he had with ways to counsel missionaries when they lost their desire for the work. He found the answer in Alma 26:27. The formula was:

1. Desire - what we think are our desires.

2. Decision - need to decide to do something.

3. Determination - we need to stay with our plan, and NEVER give up!

He talked about the success his mission experienced after they applied this principle more in their work.

Elder Eyring talked about how their needs to be another "D" in there, but he doesn't know what word it would be. He talked about the background on the scripture used and how we need to make the choice that we will "pay any price for this desire." We need to put our heart, might, mind and strength into this.

Ok, so now I've shared just a brief part of what I was privileged to hear today. I was so excited I wanted to share it with someone. Some statistics I heard today regarding my stake was that we have 4 couples serving as Mission Presidents right now and about 80 missionaries. That seems like quite a lot to me. I guess that's typical for Utah though.

On a side note: the chocolate bubble gum's flavor does not last that long.