Report Cards Are In!

You know I remember dreading report cards. I did not want to know what the fruits of my labors were! No sir! Man that kind of fruit is nasty fruit. That's what is was, and I didn't want it. The only thing report cards meant was that there was the possibility of trouble.

Fortunately for my children they know nothing of that. Not part of their world. I'm sure there is a little anxiety for Patrick, and a little for Sam as well. However, nothing on the scale of what I was taking home.

So I thought I would share their performance with the grandparents who I know read the blog, and include some comments from their teachers, and a story or two about the year. This might be a bit of a read so you might want to go get your Diet caffeine free Dr. Pepper, go to the bathroom, take whatever is on the stove off the stove, and so on.

So here are the Grandkids grades.

Patrick - Who I might add is in the Gifted and Talented Program. His work is a bit more rigorous than the standard 5th grader.

• Attendance- 1 absence. Due to a trip that dad took him to go see the BYU vs Utah football game in Utah. Which Utah won I might add. Go Utes.
• Language Arts A- (Reading and Writing)
• Social Science A
• Physical Education A
• Mathematics A-
• Science A
• Music A
• Visual and Performing Arts A
• accelerated Reader Program A

Teachers Comments: "I thoroughly enjoyed having Patrick as a student in my fifth grade class this year. I found his quick wit amusing! I've witnessed much growth in Patricks's efforts to do quality work from August to May. Keep up your efforts Patrick! Enjoy your summer vacation!

Dad's Comment: Why is it that his teachers finds his quick wit amusing. My quick wit was called "mouthing off", and got my butt kicked out of class. I know this piticlar blog isn't about me, however this memory struck me and I need to write it down. I remember in 5th grade Mr. Price was yelling at the class because his key to the back room cabinets had been stolen by someone in the class. I sat in the back of the class, and wasn't listening to his rant. Probably not the best place for me to be sitting, but it was easier to not pay attention from there I found. Anyhow, I said something funny to my buddy Ron that made him laugh out loud. Mr. Price looks at us both, marches to the back of the class and grabs us by the collars and drags us around the corner from all the classrooms. It suddenly strikes me as I'm being dragged that he thinks we stole the key. He tosses us up againts the wall leans down into each of our faces taking turns yelling at us. "What did you do with the key!" A little harder to ignore him at this point. He must of yelled at us for 10 minutes. I thought his dag gone head was going to pop off! He had red curly hair, and his face was red as could be. Man he was scary. Fortunately I had nothing to do with the key. I just have bad timing I guess as a comedian. I guess you earn the right to mouth off in class. Nobody told me. Somebody told me I would have been a striaght A student, honest.

I've seen Patrick get people laughing at times that would have gotten me killed. Apparently his teacher really likes him, and often talked about how funny she thought he was to other parents who we know as well. He really had a fantastic year. He improved every grade or maintained it throughout the year. He had hours of homework everynight, and what seemed like a thousand "projects". He got his work done, even with his scouting, soccer, and all-star soccer. I included a picture of Patrick singing with another boy in his music class at one of their performances. Patricks award ceremony is tomorrow, and it's likely he'll win some of the awards that Hannah and Sam won. I might up date those tomorrow.

Sam- who is in the Gifted and talented program as well.

• Attendance- 1 absence for the same reason as Patrick. Again might I remind you that Utah beat BYU this year. The 4th time in a row. Go Utes.
• Language Arts O (O= Outstanding Achievement)
• Reading O
• Writing O
• Social Science O
• Mathematics O
• Science O
• Physical Education O
• Music O
• Visual and Performing Arts O
• Cursive O
• Spelling O

Sam's teachers comments were lame. She talked about his Standard achievement testing scores the whole time. We get a paper that shows all that information and explains it so I have no idea why she spent all of her space talking about those.

Dad's Comments- Sam's work ethic regarding his education is top notch. He dutiful sits down and gets his work done without being asked everyday. Sam was awarded by his teachers today in the awards ceremony with PE excellence, excellence in Music, he was one of three in his class to have Mastered all of his multiplication facts, and was awarded with a certificated for the life skill of Initiative-"To do something of one's own free will, because it needs to be done". Sam works hard, and that is why he does well. It's really a simple recipe for him, and it works for him. I don't know if he understands, or makes the connection between his hard work and his success. Doesn't really matter because he gets it done. I couldn't be more proud of Sam. He inspires me everyday I'm out working.

Hannah Shea-

• Attendance Perfect! She did not go to the game where Utah beat BYU
• Language Arts O
• Reading O
• Writing O
• Social Science O
• Mathematics O
• Science O
• Physical Education O
• Music O
• Visual and Performing Arts O

Teachers Comments- Hannah, you have had a great year. You should be proud of yourself.

Dad's Comments- Not a real wordy comment from the teacher, however let me share with you a couple of stories the teacher has shared with us. Actually let me share with you her awards, then the stories. Hannah was awarded the certificate award that Hannah has the life skill of Courage. There are some great stories that award. Perfect attendance award (that means no tardies, no missed days), excellence in Music, and PE Excellence. Hannah is a performer when it comes to school. The older boys have nothing on her.

Today at the award ceremony when Hannah was awarded the life skill of courage her teacher began to cry as she explained that this little girl was everyone's friend, and not only did she always make sure that all were included, she went out of her way to make sure all were included. Even when it wasn't comfortable to do so.

About 2 weeks ago Hannah was playing with some pals, and another girl who was kind of an outsider of the group asked if she could play too, whatever the game was. (Outsider in a couple senses- not playing the game, not part of this group of friends, different ethnicity than the group, and a couple of other ways I'm sure I don't know about) One of the little outspoken girls told the outsider "No, our game is full. We don't need anymore people." According to the teacher there was a little venom behind he statement and the way she said it. I can almost hear it in my head "No, our game is full. We don't need anymore people" the way a little girl would say it. Hannah at that point told the outside girl that there was room, and that of course she could play. Then went after her friend the girl who objected. She told her that there was always room for one more, and that she was being mean. It's easy too see how the other girls went along with the girl who objected. I know the little girl, she played soccer for me. She is a cute, assertive, outspoken, tough little girl. I like her. However, like a lot of little girls she can be mean. I'm sure a lot of her little friends would be afraid to cross her will. Hannah's not afraid of her, Hannah is not mean, and apprently she doesn't put up with others being mean. Imagine being that little outside girl, and having a friend like Hannah.

Earlier in the year the teacher conducted a little experiment to show the class what discrimnation is. She didn't tell the class what she was doing. She said all the blond children got a reward of some sort that the brown headed kids didn't get, and began separating the class. You could see how all of the blond children might be ok with this idea. Not Hannah, before the teacher could make her point Hannah objected. "This is rude. No, this rude! Teacher this is not right, it's rude!" I can see her squinting her eyes, and saying it over and over. I love how she uses the word rude too. Anyhow, Thwarting the teacher lesson. Even though it benefited Hannah, she saw the inequity in the situation, and what's most important, and a lesson to us all, she said something about it. So many of this world's greatest injustices could have been avoided if more of that courage excisted in us all. I'm unable to express how proud of Hannah I am. She truly is a leader, and probably the kindest person in the house. Think about how hard it must of been for Hannah to say something to the teacher. That is what a leader is. Nobody else was saying anything. When I'm old I'm living at her house. There is no way she's sending me to the old people home. "It's too rude. It's not right."

You know what thought drives me mad. Thinking about how great my girls are, and that some fortunate suckers are going to end up marrying them. You better believe I'm going to have a big say in who my daughters marry. Laugh all you'd like fuzz ball. No boy is going to be good enough are they. I feel for him, I'm going to be a big ol' pain in the arse. Anyhow, Hannah is going into second grade, and Georgia her second year of preschool, I guess there is no reason to stress yet.

Georgia-

• Preschool Super dee duper!
• Art Da Vinci like.
• Attendance Perfect, I think
• Letters Are you kidding, she can write her name!
• Numbers Listen to her count! If you have time.
• Creativity Benjamin Franklin would be jealous.
• Friendliness Loves Kids. Adults, she likes who she likes. Hope your on the list.
• Smartness Very!

Teachers Comments- Actually they don't have report cards in preschool. Seems a shame. Imagine "D- in finger painting little Ralphie? What are you doing wrong? Which finger are you using?" (sorry that's my 5th grade humor. Patrick is going to think that's hilarious) Georgia loved school, LOVED IT! It was fun to see. She would get out of bed on school days, and ask what day of the week it was (school Tuesday & Thursday-dance Friday). If it was a school day I would get a arm pump with a fist, with a "Yessssss". Our little Napoleon. On open house day she pulled me around her class by my finger showing me all her work, and introducing me to all her pals. She was so proud, she would ask me to take her to class often. Just so proud of her school. She wants to be a big girl too! It was fun to walk around the big kids school with Georgia. She spends a lot of time there with Mom, and is extremely popular with the kids in Patrick, Sam, and Hannah's classes. So when I walk around their school everyone says hi to her, and she just loves it.

So the way I see this is Suzi got a 4.0 across four kids. Pretty dang good. Suzi deserves a whole bunch of credit, and is a strong testimony for stay at home mom's who get involved in their children's education. She spends a ton of time at the school in their classes. I don't imagine we will ever have a semester like this one again. Never have before. I certainly hope so, but this is the 72-3 blow out win that may never happen again. Life is good when your kids are in 5th, 3rd, 1st, and preschool. However now they are in 6th, 4th, 2nd, and Georgia is going to spend one more year in preschool. As we say in sales, your only as good as your last month. Don't worry we'll think of a way to pat them on the back.

My Magnolia Tree

My Magnolia tree should be happy that I don't own a chainsaw, and that I'm too lazy to chop it down (and that the city of Lodi has ordinances about homeowners cutting down the trees in thier front yard).

It really is a pretty tree, all year round green. However, it doesn't drop a leaf until spring. As soon as spring hits it drops leaves until fall. Drives me nuts. It doesn't drop a couple of leaves either, it's like fall in a wind storm all spring and summer. Drives me nuts. You can't see me grass after a weeks worth of leaves.

So I mowed my lawn, no leaves. 5 minutes later second photo, see the leaves. Imagine a weeks worth of leaves. I think I may have bought a different home if I knew about this tree. The boys love it great climbing tree.

I hit my head once every 3 months on the same low hanging branch. I'm ready to cut it off. It's the same limb the boys use to get into the tree.

Count yourself lucky Mr. Magnolia tree, or Mrs. Magnolia tree, or is that Ms. Magnolia tree.

Yard Trash Follow Up.

I'm finally going to start using photo's in my blog. Here are some photo's that go with my "Yard Trash" blog. The alligator, and can you spot the copper colored bug about 2 feet of the ground in flower bed. Is it a flower bed if it has no flowers in it? Bush and rock bed doesn't sound right either. I don't know.

A Little Bit of Sam

About two weeks back I went camping with the boys. We went to the "fathers and son" outing with some buddies at church. Fathers and sons is a annual over night camping trip with all the guys. The guys (Dad's and the Boy's) get to cook, camp, and hang out around the campfire for an evening and then head home the next day. A quick over nighter. Generally a good time.

Sam is probably the best buddy you could have. He's loyal, kind, fun, bright and just an all around good boy. Sweet as could be, with the exception of mornings he is unbelievably angelic.

So we're at fathers and son's; Sam and a few other kids are sitting around chatting. I can see Sam and this boy mixing it up verbally, and I can see Sam is going after this boy who is Patrick's age (about 2 years older than Sam), and about a foot taller than Sam.

I can see the veins in Sam's neck sticking out, and I'm watching Sam lean toward the older kid when Sam is talking at him. They are all sitting down. The older kid doesn't seem to be as rattled as Sam, and I assume that maybe the older kid is giving Sam a hard time. I know the kid pretty well, and that also helps lead me to that assumption.

So I call to Sam, "Sam, come here". Sam's head snaps toward me, and he jumps up and starts to walk over. He has a look on his face as he's walking over that he might be in trouble. I couldn't hear a thing Sam was saying, I could tell however that maybe he needed a reason to walk away from the situation.

So he walks over and he says "yeah Dad", "have a seat" I tell him. He's on the verge of tears, and it's the kind where rage is behind it but he's doing his best to hide it from me. So I ask "so what's going on over there?" Out it comes flying.

"Well Ralph (his name isn't Ralph) says I have citations, and I've don't have any citations. He says the reason you don't know I have citations is because I'm hiding them in my desk at school and that my desk is fully of them." So the older kid is needling Sam. Sam's really mad as he is telling me this. Really a lot of passion behind it, and he's got some tears going too.

A citation by the way is something you get for talking out of order in class, or running on the black top (can't believe children aren't allowed to run on black top), or some small school infraction. Not terribly serious, but if you get multiple in a day or a week they could be big trouble. Sam takes pride in the fact that he doesn't get citations. He will often tell me about the other kids who got a citation at school today. By the end of the school year he knows who hasn't had a citation all year. I guess he keeps a little talley in his head, or he walks around asking everyone. Knowing Sam it could be either, or both. He's funny that way.

Anyhow I remember 2 years ago he got one at the end of the year. Not part of the story, but it's funny all the same so I'm going to tell you about it. I came home from work, and I walk in the door and I say "hi suz, hi everyone", and Suz starts to warn me about Sam. Sam comes around the corner, and as soon as he sees me his eyes go huge, tears, and "DAD I GOT A CITATION", Suz kind of smiles and gives me the look "you fix him". So I ask him, "is this a big deal", "yes, no, I don't know". "You goofing around in class?" "NO!" "What happened?" "A kid next to me asked me something, and I told him and the teacher gave me a citation." Tears easing up a little. "So you the only one who's ever got a citation before?" "No, everyone has gotten at least one." "This your first one? I ask." "Yeah." "Sounds like you got caught chatting, and maybe the teacher was having a bad day too. No big deal Goose." (I call him Goose for some reason, no idea why). I tell you this so you can get a idea for who we are dealing with here. I remember his kindergarten teacher, telling me at parent teacher conference "well, he's very serious about his work. Very serious." Still makes me laugh. Serious about his finger painting, that's my Sam.

So way back to Father and son's here. So I ask him "is your desk full of citations goosey?" "No". "What are you so mad about?" "Ralph just bugs me." So I tell him "Sam some kids are just plain goofy, can't explain it. I just think you should just move away from him. Go play with Patrick, Cameron, and Garrett." So Sam says "Yeah, he's a dork. I know he's a dork, Patrick knows he' s a dork, Cameron knows he's a dork, Garrett knows he's a dork, but those kids over there don't know he's a dork." Still a lot of passion going on here. "Maybe they'll learn that too." I say. So then he says "Dad I just want to go over and fight him. Can I go slug him?" That made me laugh, maybe that passion looks scary to you but not to me.

I remember being Sam, I was a nice guy who was smaller than just about everyone except for maybe a girl or two. I was an easy target for bullies, and I dealt with that stuff by avoiding the bullies 95% of the time. However, it doesn't always work, I remember being tripped in high school right after getting my arm out of a cast and re-breaking that same arm. Can't always avoid bullies.

Sam is completely different than I was in that he's willing to mix it up with them. I've seen him deal with kids that are much bigger than him, Patrick has told me about other kids that Sam has dealt with. It's a shame, but it's something I think that every small boy has to deal with. Patrick and Sam are smaller than 96% of their classmates, but it doesn't bug them. (Don't ask me how I came up with that statistic). They handle things just fine. I asked them about bullies, and they both say there are none.

So anyhow, I told him "no you can't have my permission to slug him in the gut, go play with the other boys and know that your much smarter than that boy, and a better friend. Feel bad for him, he doesn't have any close friends does he?" "no". "Go play" I tell him. So he does, and it's all forgotten.

Things I know about Sam: He's very bright, very kind, a great friend, a great defender of good things, and not to needle him. His older brother doesn't needle him. They are the best of friends.

So here is the question. Every boy (were talking boys here) is going to get bullied. It's part of what boys do. When your smaller than everyone else your much more likely to have someone mess up your hair, take your ball cap, punch you in the shoulder, just trivial stuff. Yeah it happens to all boys, but believe me I'm speaking from experience here, it happens to the littler guys more often. Much more often. Of course I grew up in Placerville, maybe it happens more often up in the trees.

The question is how to deal with it. What is the appropriate response to teach the boys? Do you teach them to respond, or do you teach them to ignore it? I know the answer is right somewhere in between.

I know I avoided bullies until I was big enough to deal with them, but it stopped once I pushed back. It seems Sam isn't going to wait until he's "big enough", he thinks he's plenty big now, and I admire him for it.

With Sam it's about not letting people get under his skin. He does the rest perfectly I think.

Diet Progress

So I thought I'd share a little bit of the progress, and show you what the last couple weeks look like. The first couple weeks were same diet with portion control, and fairly heavy exercise. After a little while I started to creep back up in weight. That was discouraging. So then I dropped by Boarders bookstore, and started checking things out. Bought the book Glycemic Load Diet about May 9th, and started the new life style the same day. Eased up on the 1 1/2 work outs, and went with the 30-45 minutes. Much more reasonable. Got a good pop there at the beginning, and I expect the progress to continue, just at a more moderate rate. Not so dramatic. However things you can't see on this chart are 3-4 inches lost in the gut, and 2-3 inches lost in the waste. Energy way up, and appetite way down. Anyhow I'll keep you updated.

Homer

I can think of few people I know who are funnier than Homer from the show the Simpsons. Man he makes me laugh.

I know many think he is juvenile, and his humor is slow witted, and that the whole series is for children. Oh how wrong you are, children should not watch the simpson's. Well the rest is debatable.

One of my favorite exchange's is Homer at the Gun Shop buying a gun. I have it down loaded to my i-tunes and I hear it all the time. Make me laugh over and over. Each time for a different reason. The humor can be deep and politcal, or it's just simple dumb humor. People laugh at it for different reasons, and some just find it insulting. However I see it all, and I don't think he's too over the line. Anyhow so here is Homer in the Gun Shop:

Homer: Homer rapidly pulling the trigger of a unloaded gun in the gun shop.
Gun Shop Owner: WHOA...Careful there Annie Oakley.
Homer: I don't have to becareful I got a gun.
GSO: Well you'll probably want the accessory kit, holster
Homer: Oh yeah
GSO: bandoleer
Homer: Baby
GSO: Silencer
Homer: Mmmm Hmmm
GSO: Loudener
Homer: Ahhhhh
GSO: Speed Cocker
Homer: Oooo I like the sound of that.
GSO: and this is for shooting down police helicopters.
Homer: Oooo, I don't need anything like that...............yyyeeettt. Just give me my gun.
GSO: Sorry the law requires a five day waiting period. We've got to run a back ground check.
Homer: FIVE DAYS! But I'm mad now! oohhh, I'd kill you if I had my gun.
GSO: Yeahhh, well you don't.

Homer leaving shop mumbling: lousy big shot. Thinks he's a big shot because he has a lot of guns.
Homer in car mumbling: If he didn't have a lot of guns I'd show him a thing or two.
Homer in Lisa's room mumbling: If he walks into my store we'll see who's worried about a five day waiting period. (homer doesn't have a store)
Lisa being awoken: Daaddd, it's three AM. Can't you mutter in your room?
Homer: Marge kicked me out.
Lisa: eeeee, alright go aaahead.
Homer still mumbling: Pushy kids think they can tell me what to do in my house. I tell you parents these days they don't know how to rear children.

Georgia at work

I heard Georgia crying downstairs, loud, but not the kind of cry that makes you jump up, and see what the matter is. Just the kind of cry that makes you say "come here and tell me what is wrong". Georgia is like the rest of the kids in the house. Not really fussy, and not overly dramatic.

So I asked her what was wrong, and she said Puffy hit me. So I say jokingly, "want me to go pound him for you" and she say "uh-hu". (I think that spells yes in grunt). So I ask "he hit you huh?" and she says "no". "Oh, he shoved you, you mean?" "No." "He knocked you in some way?" "No". "Well you just told me he hit you, and I just about went and pounded him, what did he do?" "He took the remote."

Well the back story is Patrick had just received a 10 minute uncomfortable talk from me about various issues, and of course crap rolls down hill, so apparently he was taking his misery out on the closest littler person in the house. However Georgia not having anyone to make miserable took it to me who knows that if she says that Patrick hit her he would be in a crap load of trouble. She's no dummy. I don't blame her for trying.

School Lock Down

Suzi called me today from the kids school. She said she was under a table in the cafeteria, and that the school was in locked down. She said she had been under the table for 20 minutes at that point, and they had blacked out all of the windows and locked the doors. She said she had no idea what was going on. I was a long way from home at that point.

The Principal had come over the loud speaker at the school with a urgent sounding voice, telling them that it wasn't a drill and to hurry. She gave them all the instructions I mentioned earlier. Suzi told me that a lot of the kids were for the most part nervious, and some emotional.

Gave me a real sense of helplessness. I was miles away, and the whole family was there at the school.

Appearently what had happened was a strange looking fellow was around the school, and when the cops approched him he took off running at the school, and pulled out a gun from his clothing. The cops caught him, and wrestled the gun from him. The police reported that it was a pellet gun. I'm sure they told him "You could put your eye out with one of these." Maybe not an appropriate time for a joke, but it's my blog get your own blog if you don't like it.

Anyhow, I'm very grateful for the way the principal handled the situation and the way the police dept nipped that in the bud. Gave me a lot to think about regarding the childrens safety. I swear Lodi is a nice town.

A thousand things raced through my mind about what could be going on when I got Suzi's original message. Dindn't like most of them.

Patrick's Arrow of Light

Patrick recieved his Arrow of Light today. It was a scouting event. I'll include pictures later. This site tells a little about how the boys get to their Arrow of Light. http://www.boyscouttrail.com/webelos/arrowoflight_requirements.asp

Diet Update 1

So I began at 240. Big enough to be a NFL linebacker if any of it was actually muscle. I hit the exercise hard, and dropped calories and lost 3 lbs in two weeks. Very frustrating. I picked up my new life style eatting habits, and I'm now down to 229. Lost 8 pounds in a week. I understand that's a lot of weight in a week, but I feel much better.

I don't run out of gas at 3:30- 4:00, and I feel much better in the evenings. Exercise feels so easy, I can go hard on the elipticle trainer and really get a great workout in. Not hungry like I use to be. I use to be hungry all the time. Not the case now. Interesting.

Dance Fever

Hannah brought home her friend Sara's story that Sara wrote at school. Seems I happen to be featured in the paper. I had heard this through the grape vine. However I hadn't seen it until today. After reading the story I thought I would share Sara's story with you:

"I went to the father daughter dance and I saw my friend, and her name is Hannah. And her dad was so sweaty he wiped his forhead with her sweater. After the dance we got ice creame."

In my defence, I'll have you know I didn't actully wipe my head with the sweater. Some dad's like to dance.

Sam's a potty mouth

I remembered this event today for some reason, and it hit me funny again. Thought I would write it down, even though I don't think I'll ever forget it.

This happened when we were living in Layton, so more than 3 years ago. Everyone was much smaller, well the children were much smaller. I probably was too. Suzi never changes.

So swearing is a big taboo in our house. Sam is probably the enforcer when it comes to making sure no one does it. He'll call you on it if you come even close. For instance today driving home. Oh this isn't even the story I wanted to share, but it helps set up the point I want to drive home that Sam is exactly the opposite of the title.

Anyhow back to driving home. I'll go back even father. We were all at a buddy's house. He has 4 boys, another friend was there with his family and they have four boys, and our 2 boys and 2 girls were there.

Patrick was the oldest of all children present so you can imagine the noise. Kids were running here, there, everywhere. Parents just ignoring, and talking over the jet like volume of the children, and having a good time.

Sam came up to me and said "Cameron is in his room crying on the floor". So my buddy and I go see what is up with his boy. Apparently what had happened was the boys were goofing around, Cameron shoved someone, and the another boy turned around and kicked him in the groin. (Not one of my boys for the record). Nailed him, not only did he connect, but he tore a hole in Cameron's scrotum that required two stiches to close. Ouch doesn't even seem to fit how Cameron must have felt.

That happened months ago, but left an imprint on the boys brain about the dangers of placing your foot in someone else's groin. SOOO, anyhow we are driving home from Grandma's house (Happy Mothers Day Mom), and everyone in the car is talking about all their injuries. Patrick talks about his injuries, Sam covers his, and includes the fact that he's had stiches, and Hannah lists her's for about 15 minutes and includes all the stiches that she has had. So I say well Cameron got stiches in his (I pause for affect), and Sam screams "DAD....Don't say it." I laugh knowing that one of the boys was going to stop me, the girls are still unaware of what happened to Cameron. So the point being, Sam is the enforcer of the "No Potty Talk Policy". That's a good thing when your seven. If he is this rigid when he's seventeen, I'd be surprised.

So now that you know where Sam draws the line on swearing lets go back a few years. Church has just ended, and I'm waiting for the family in the foyer.

Imagine all the families of the ward doing the same. Very busy, very crowded, and a lot of noise for being in a church. I would guess there was about 35 people or more in the room when Hannah age 4 come running into the foyer coming out of the Chapel.

No running in church is what I'm thinking, but I didn't know there was an emergency happening. An emergency in Hannah's little head.

Hannah yells "DAD!" Searching, "DAD!" again looking for me, small space lots of people. However she probably has most peoples attention, or at least noticing her making a bit of noise. She's trying to compete with the noise in the foyer.

So I say "Hannah, right here babe". She yells still a distance away and yelling over the top of the noise in the foyer and says "DAD, DAD, SAM SAID THE F WORD IN THE CHAPEL!!". I kid you not, you could have heard a pin drop on the carpet in the foyer. Everyone's eyes on me, looking for me to react. My buddy Mike Weir, who is in the Bishopric at the time, leans over and says "nice Kelly, where did your kid pick up that one".

You have to know how I would respond to a moment like that? That was a moment where some people would drop dead. Me I saw the beauty from the get go. I started laughing. I immediately saw the humor in this strange, strange situation. Me laughing got harder, and harder, I couldn't breath, I was laughing so hard I couldn't speak, I couldn't answer, I couldn't move. Soon tears, I'm wiping away tears rolling down my face because of the awkwardness of the moment. I wanted to explain to everyone that even though I had no idea what is going on here, I know Sam and Hannah well enough to know it is nothing like what it appears to be, but that thought made me laugh even harder. I was hurting from the laughing so hard I wanted to run out of the room. But I can't explain to anyone anything, I have my hands on my knees bent over crying, trying to talk to Hannah, and I want to ask her "what are you talking about?" I eventually get to that point and ask her "what are talking about, and don't run in the church?", and she being close to my ear she whispers the same phrase as if no one heard her the first time and she now doesn't want people to know "Sam said the F word in the Chapel." That got me started laughing again, and 20 seconds later, I ask "sweety, I'm sorry I don't know what the F word is, would you mind telling." She responds "No, I'm not swearing in the church." Another 20 seconds later, I say "Hannah, I don't think the swear word your thinking of is what I'm thinking of, so tell me what word are you talking about." She replies "fine, Sam said Fart, and he said it in the Chapel."

Well that set me off to tears again, and thinking back to that day, I don't think Sam ever got reprimanded for saying the F word in the Chapel.

New York Doll

So I picked up this movie called New York Doll, and thought it might be a bit goofy. It is the true story of a rock star who played hard, lived hard, and had his life fall apart along with the band. Somewhere along that falling apart he converted to Mormonism, and found a little bit of direction in his life. From that point his life had a couple of great suprises that made me glad I bought it.

I was a little concerned going into it that it was going to be a bit of a hokey picture, but was caught off gaurd by how well it was done. It was a great story. Mormon or not, musician or not. Glad I bought it, and if you are like me where you have seen every movie you want to see and aren't sure if there are any good one's left, pick this one up. Let me know what you think. On the www.imdb.com it has a 8.25 rateing out of 10 by the 325 veiwers who have rated it.

Love www.imdb.com by the way. Great site. Fun to tool around on.

My Diet

So I've decided to go back to a diet that I know works for me. 2nd day in and what is for dinner Pizza. Not just Little Ceasars pizza, which is quite easy to pass up on, and not touch, but Round Table. New Round Table in town, and some one picked up a couple piazza's. No names mentioned, but her name rhymes with Duzi, and starts with an S. It was a good test of will power too. She didn't just buy pepperoni for the kids, but a medium combo as well. I'll have you know I only ate the toppings off the pizza and didn't touch the bread at all. Doing just fine thank you very much.

Comments

I noticed that you can only make comments if you have a blog of your own. I went to the blogger settings, and changed the ability to leave comments to "anyone" yet it still requires you to log in. Sorry if thats the case. Not sure what to do about it.

The Glycemic Load Diet

Or should I say life style. I picked up this book today, and read it in no time. Quick read, and it really hits a home run in my book.

Makes so much more sense than a Atkins, or even a South Beach diet. Based on similar ideas, however it's not so gimicy, and rings true to me regarding insulin resistance.

It was written by a Dr. Rob Thompson M.D., internist, and preventitive cardiology.

He shows some pretty interesting changes in the American lifesyle, and diet over the last couple decades that really spell out how obesity has come to the epidemic levels that it is today.

Over the last 40 years americans have decreased the amount of red meat they consume by 16%, eggs by 23%, and Milk is down 52%!

You would think with the fast food industry doing so well that certainly red meat would be up. However take a close look at the meal and how little meat you actually eat. Most of what you eat is french fries, buns, and soda.

Foods that have increased over the last 40 years. Flour is up 48%, Rice is up 186%, and Potato products (french fries) up 131%.

He feels that starch is the killer in the american diet.

The Glycemic index refers to the amount food raises blood glucose compared with a benchmark- usually white bread (100).

Glycemic Load refers to the effects on blood glucose of amount of food people actually eat.

Without explaining why, food with a higher Glycemic Load is food that is more likely to be stored as fat. (get the book to explain).

Glycemic load is a much more acurate way to measure what food does to your body. For example. A carrot has a Glycemic index of 68, and spaghetti is 64. As the author states do you know many people who are fat from eatting too many carrots? In order to get a glycemic index of 68 from carrots you would need to eat Seven full size carrots. It's the way the glycemic index test is set up that requires the eater to eat that many carrots. So we need to look at things from a Glycemic load point fo view.

So looking at food from a Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load:


Tomatoes: GI 23 GL 15 (one medium tomato)
Carrot: GI 68 GL 11 (one 8 inch carrot)
White Bread: GI 100 GL 100 (one slice)
Spagetti: GI 64 GL 166 (one cup) Who eats one cup of spagetti?
Bagel: GI 103 GL 340 (one medium)




Other foods Glycemic Load:

Soda Cracker 136
8 oz of Whole milk 27
Orange 71
Beef 10oz <15
Chicken breast <15
Fish 8oz <15
Macaroni 1 cup 181
Baked Potato 5oz 246!
White Rice 1 Cup 283

Think of that you could eat a chicken brest, and glass of milk, and all the vegtables in your house you can find, and you blood sugar would be less affected than if you ate one soda cracker.

I'm telling you you don't have to starve to lose weight. Eat less than 500 GL a day and you lose wieght. Eat up.