Cookies!! - end Cookie Monster voice

So have you decided what holiday treat you are going to send?
Have you made them?
Have you sent them?
Have you received?

I did a trial run, but decided on something different.

Mmmmm

2009 Blogger Cookie Exchange Sign up

I have been nominated by Puffy & Weltek to organize this year's cookie exchange. If someone else wants to do this, I am happy to relinquish these duties.

In the meantime, here is the place to sign up if you are interested in participating. Please add any allergies or specific preferences to the comments here.

Also we need to decide how many cookies to send out. In past years I believe it was either 1 or 2 dozen cookies to 2 different people. When you put your comment here, please vote either 1 or 2 dozen as well.

I also need everyone's real name and address. If you want, you can email me that info, or PM me on OT.

Did I forget anything?

Update:
I have the following cookie exchangers

Frodis
Boo
Puffy
HD
Weltek
dragonflies

you are to send at least 1 dozen cookies (or representative amount of bread or other holiday food) before the end of 2009.

I will leave this open for more exchangers for the remainder of this week. After that I'll draw names and let you know. I still need an address for Frodis.

Cookies?

Since I keep forgetting to look around on blogs from home, and I don't have many links here at work, I will post this here, in the hopes that someone will see this.

Is anyone organizing a cookie exchange for this year? I'd like to be in on it if possible.

That is all.

The week in review

Ok, so it is only Thursday. I've had a busy week!

Monday & Tuesday I drove out to Madison for a seminar on Financial Analysis. It was ok. The food was very good. The peep meet on Monday afterward was the BEST! Kim was nice enough to meet me at the Conference Center and we went to a little bar across the street to chat and have a beverage. Then Chris joined us too! It was a short hour, but enjoyable. Thanks for taking the time guys!

Wed I came back to work, and considering I missed 2 days, my desk wasn't that bad.

Went to Marisa's basketball game after work, and she did well, but lost. Considering they only had 6 players, 2 of who are brand new to the sport, they did well, scoring 16 points. Monday they almost won, but ended up losing 21-25. That was the most points their team has ever scored.

Then last night Don & I went to the high school football game. The game was probably going to decide 2nd place in the conference, since both teams were 5-1 losing to the same team who is in 1st place. AHS won 31-13! Yay

We have a meet all day Sat & Sunday, so no sleeping in, but hopefully we can catch a nap after the PM session of the meet each day. No other plans, except maybe Devon's girlfriend coming over, or him going to her house. And I have to finish putting together the swim team fundraiser. Hopefully tonight will finish that up!

Cold Monday

Yuk, it is cold today. It's been cold all weekend, but today is worse. Probably because I had to actually go out in it. Started on Friday. The game was great, but it was cold. They had nice fireworks, which was a bonus. Then Devon and his GF went to a bonfire after the game. Saturday was the Homecoming Dance. From what he shared, they had a great time. His back was hurting yesterday though. Probably from all the running around in his dress shoes, which have close to an inch heel.

I cooked some Chicken Parmesan (sans breading) for dinner yesterday. Actually turned out really good! So good I'm actually having leftovers for lunch today. Marisa also baked a cake yesterday, so between both we heated up the main floor nicely.

I won my FF game! Yay! I'm only 2-2, which is unusual for me. No Packers this week, so I had to settle for watching the Stillers beat Detroit, and then watched some of the Denver game.

I'm listening to Daughtry's new album. I really like a couple of the songs. "No surprise", "Life after You" and "Tennessee Line" so far. The link to the songs is in the upper right corner of the website.

Today begins a crazy time for our family. Marisa starts her basketball games. Just about every Monday & Wednesday. Of course we have to shuttle both her and Devon to swim as well, so it will create some crazy driving arranging. Thankfully we have 2 drivers!

Have a good week everyone!

Update

1. Ok, I am really irritated that the forecast here mentions the word SNOW in it for Sunday night/Monday. UGH. I know, I know, there is no mention of accumulations, and I need to face facts, that winter is on the way, but sheesh! We haven't even had any sort of Indian Summer to speak of! I want it to last at least until Halloween!

2. Devon is going to Homecoming this weekend. With a girldfriend. That really freaks me out. We will go to the game on Friday night. Don & I like to go to HS sports. Weird, I know. Of course Devon leaves us as soon as we get out of the car, and then we meet back again at the car after the game. LOL.

3. My sister and I were both stood up on the same day. Me for a lunch date, her for a dinner date. I find that kind of funny. Of course neither of us had a love interest, but still, funny.

4. I can't believe I have to deal with the Packer loss for 2 weeks! Rotten time for a bye week. At least I won my Fantasy Football game. I played against a 14 year old.

A Blog entry

Ok, so I'm a day late in following Kim's directions to update my blog. But I have been posting entries more often lately.

Sadly, I have lost most of the contacts of other blogs. I cleaned up my computer at work, thinking I had the links at home, and then found out I didn't. :(

Thank you Kim for the lovely post card. We had a great time peep meeting too! I will have to find my pictures and add them here.

Another sadly, I think our summer is over. We had 80s for the past week or so, and yesterday it was in the 70s. The forecast for the rest of the week is low 70s dropping into the 60s, with 40s & 50s overnights. But at least no rain. Now I know I should be wishing for rain, since we haven't had any for at least 3 weeks, but rain adds insult to injury when summer leaves, IMO.

My carpel tunnel has resurfaced. I think it is due to Farm Town on Facebook. So I am cutting back on my online farming time. LOL Don keeps saying I should focus on my own garden and get those carrots out. Guess I better get to that.

That is all for now.

RIP Patrick Swayze

video

She's like the Wind, which he cowrote

Dancing with Lisa at the World Music Awards in 1994

Music

Watching the 5 season recap show of SYTYCD last week reminded me of some of the really good performances and songs. One song in particular has stuck in my mind. Love Annie Lennox!

Why

I was listening to my new favorite music station, Pandora a lot lately. When I popped it on this morning, another great song popped up. One More Night. Phil Collins is not one of my favorite artists, but after thinking about it, he has lots of really good songs. Of course, as far you can't forget this one

Ok, back to work.

First Day of School

So today is the official First Day of School for this year. Lots of changes. First, Devon & Marisa are no longer in the same school, and won't be in the same building ever again. Our HS has 2 campuses, 1 for 9th & 10th graders and another for 11th & 12th graders. So unless she takes a higher level class when she is a 10th grader and he is a 12th grader, they will be in different buildings! They are growing so fast!

Devon is a High Schooler now! He wouldn't let me go to the bus stop with him. LOL. I didn't really ask, I just said I thought he wouldn't be cool with that, at which point he agreed. I did take his picture before he left the house.

Marisa is in 7th grade now. Almost the biggest kids at school. She got sick this morning. Actually threw up. I'm not sure why, but I think it was nerves, because by the time we got to the bus stop, she was reasonably fine.

Last night we had an open house at the High School. The principal spoke for a while, and then we got to go through his schedule to his classes. Just about 10 min per class. Enough to meet the teachers and get list of supplies. Thankfully not much in supplies. Binders, paper, pens, pencils, protractor, calculator and white erase markers. We had all but the last. I had fun going down the halls from room to room. Even though maybe only 30% of the parents were there, sometimes the busy intersections that Devon warned me about were quite congested. Can't imagine when there are 1200 kids changing classes at the same time, with 1/2 of them nearly clueless! LOL. He was already talking about finding short cuts and which halls to avoid...

One thing that I'm looking forward to is being able to monitor all his grades, and not having to wait for progress reports. We've stressed to him that now it really counts, grades wise. I know, he'll be fine.

OMG, just a measly 6 years from now and both my kids will be high school graduates!

Happy Friday

Hope everyone has a nice weekend! I need to blog about stuff, but haven't been around the computer much, except at work, where I'm super busy.

We went to Grand Forks North Dakota last weekend for the Central Zones Swim Meet. Devon swam 3 events, and did very well. Plus he got to make friends with his team mates on Team Wisconsin. Normally they are his competitors, so that was fun for him.

We ate at a FANTASTIC place in Grand Forks. Giuseppe's is the name. If you are ever there, you must stop and eat dinner there. Great food, great service!

There is not much to see between the Twin Cities and Grand Forks. The neatest thing was the sunflower fields. But at 100mph they went by quickly.

Don & kids are going camping tomorrow with a bunch of other dads and kids. They compromised, since the kids didn't want to go at all. So it was decided they would go for the day tomorrow. Leaves me to do what I want then! Yay! Plan on seeing a movie with a friend, and then lazing around the rest of the day. Maybe I will resume my project of cleaning my home office.

Pic of my boy

Look at this handsome guy! Hard to believe it is an 8th grade graduation picture!

Candles!

Blatant self promotion!

PartyLite now offers online ordering! You can order anything from our catalogs, plus some extra specials for online orders only through my website. The cool thing is it gets shipped directly to you!

If you prefer to get free candles, you can host a virtual show, where your guests can order online through your show. You get at least 15% in hostess credit, with the possibility of 25% or more!

Please let me know if I can help with your candle needs!

Best Gluten Free Pizza

Last night in celebration of my birthday we went out to dinner with the family and 2 close friends who were visiting from Holland. We decided to go to Uno Chicago Grill. Our waitress was very friendly, and when Don asked about their gluten free pizza, she brought over a menu with a list of items that they make gluten free. It was all about the pizza, so we all ordered our own individual, and he ordered a GF one with mushrooms and pepperoni. Our waitress said that everyone who she had served the GF pizza to loved it, and many people took and extra pizza or two parbaked home. We were skeptical. We've tried lots of GF pizzas, premade, homemade (I am not a good pizza crust baker) and had settled on a crust from our local GF bakery, which was pretty good, but still had a distinct after taste. What a surprise we were in for!!

We all got our pizzas, and Don dug in, and immediately said how awesome it was! Of course I had to try a bite, as did Devon, and we all agreed it tasted almost the same as a regular pizza. I am so happy that we found one finally! That has been Don's biggest disappointment, not eating good tasting pizza.

YAY Uno Chicago Grill!

Foursome?

Saw this picture posted on the Smithsonian Picture of the Day website. Would it be considered a foursome?

Summer is here!

Today it is going to be HOT here. 90s with heat index of 105F. Fine with me!

I love summer! I really do. I love hot hot hot. Of course I will place a caveat, that I really like to sleep in air conditioned air, but otherwise I love summer! I am so sick of hearing people complain about hot weather. Go move to Antarctica then! Of course we must be careful when we are exposed to hot air. No differently than when it is cold. In winter we put on clothes, mittens, drink hot cocoa, etc. So in summer it isn't any different. Drink lots of water, keep your body cool. Of course that means ice cream. Or custard. Today's flavor is Chocolate covered Strawberry. I know where I'm going for lunch. The only question is whether I will get a burger, or just the custard.

Hump Day

Ok, so today is Wednesday. Happy Hump Day. I woke up 15 min early, thanks to a stoopid bird making noise outside our window. But amazingly I slept through the night, so I feel mainly refreshed and in a good mood.

My goal today is to keep that good mood going. I'm sick of crabby people, and feeling down. Maybe I'll stop for ice cream.

What is your goal today?

Good food and help a good cause

I got this in an email this week. As you may know, my DH has Celiac Disease, or an intolerance to gluten found in wheat, rye and barley. Untreated this disease can lead to major weight loss, osteoporosis, cancer and death. Some studies say that 2M+ people in the US have this disease, yet many don't know it. Doctors misdiagnose due to sometimes a lack of many symptoms or a lack of awareness.

I love Uno's pizza, we're looking forward to trying the Gluten Free version!


ACDA & Uno Chicago Grill Partner for Awareness
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Awareness Month events abound. Walks, runs, golf, cooking and . . . GF
PIZZA! That's right. What better way to celebrate awareness month than
going out and sharing a pie with friends.

From May 25 - 31st, Uno Chicago GrillR will host a nationwide Dough Rai$er.
To participate go to: www.unos.com/ACDA . Download the voucher with the ACDA logo and take it to your local Uno Chicago Grill location. Twenty percent of sales generated from those who participate will go to support celiac awareness.

Don't want to wait until May 25th for a GF Pizza. Go to www.unos.com/coupons/glutenfree and download a $1 off coupon. Not a pizza fan? The gluten-free menu has a number of wonderful options.

Mark your calendar now to eat at Uno Chicago GrillR the week of May 25th - And don't forget the voucher!

Beth Hillson,
President,
American Celiac Disease Alliance

RIP Gene

My sister's soulmate passed away May 5. We are all completely devastated, as this was completely unexpected. Gene was a special, giving person. Gruff biker on the outside, soft heart and soul on the inside. His funeral was attended by over 120 people, including at least 50 members of his biker club. Watching them roll in and out was amazing.

Please keep Michelle in your thoughts and prayers. She has never lived alone in her life, and is really struggling with the ramifications of Gene's death.

I've been in Florida since I found out last week. Caught the first plane (literally) that I could from home. Don & kids followed by car. We are heading back home on Tuesday night. That is really when it will get hard for my sister and my dad too.

Thanks for your support.

Jessica Hardy Suspension lowered to 1 year

This article was published in Swimming World Magazine on May 4, 2009. Basically the gist is that the supplement she was taking was contaminated, apparently when it was packaged or produced. We deal with this issue when looking for foods to avoid in an allergy situation. This is why so many foods say they are packaged in a facility that packages other food containing xyz (allergen like nuts, wheat, eggs, etc). The FDA does not monitor supplements like it does foods, so there is no such warning for supplements. This is a sticky situation, because in the end the athlete is responsible for what they consume. And at this level of athletics, they are pushing their body beyond normal levels, thereby making a choice of supplements (legal) an easy one. The world championships are in Rome from July 18 to August 2. I wonder if we'll see Jessica swimming the last days.

LOS ANGELES, California, May 4. ACCORDING to a press release sent out by Jessica Hardy's legal representation, Hardy's suspension for a positive test for Clenbuterol has been reduced to one year. Hardy tested positive for the banned substance at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb., setting off a firestorm of controversy regarding who would replace her on the U.S. Olympic roster.

The press release states that the American Arbitration Association (AAA) found that Hardy's positive test came from a contaminated supplement sample.

Additionally, should Hardy's one-year suspension fall under the auspices of the new rule where any doping ban for longer than six months would preclude Hardy from competing at the 2012 London Games, the AAA would consider further limiting the suspension.

This is the second high profile doping case for the U.S. ending in a contaminated supplement. Kicker Vencill once drew a four-year suspension, later reduced to two years, before winning a lawsuit to prove his innocence of intent to dope.

Here is the full press release from lawyer Howard Jacobs:

Los Angeles (May 4, 2009) – The American Arbitration Association today issued its decision suspending Jessica Hardy from competition from August 1, 2008 through July 31, 2009 for her inadvertent use of a contaminated supplement, thereby allowing her to return to competition this summer. The positive test occurred at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, where Jessica Hardy qualified for the U.S. Olympic team in four events. As a result of the positive test, Jessica Hardy voluntarily withdrew from the Olympic team.

In its decision, the AAA Panel found that a longer sanction would be disproportionate to the facts of the case, relying in part on the following:

-The arbitrators found that Jessica Hardy's positive test was caused by a contaminated Advocare Arginine Extreme supplement.

-Jessica Hardy received personal assurances from Advocare regarding the purity of its supplements.

-The arbitrators found that under all of the circumstances, Jessica Hardy should receive the shortest possible suspension allowed under the rules

-The arbitrators also considered the possible application of a new rule of the International Olympic Committee ("IOC"), which could potentially preclude Jessica Hardy from competing at the 2012 Olympic Games, since her penalty is longer than 6 months. The arbitrators stated that such a result would be "grossly disproportionate," and stated that they would retain jurisdiction to reconsider the length of the penalty if the IOC did not waive the application of its new rule to Jessica Hardy.

In responding to the AAA decision, Jessica Hardy stated as follows:

"I am extremely happy that the Arbitration Panel was persuaded by my scientific proof of supplement contamination, and that they believed me when I told them that I never have and never will use performance enhancing drugs. I look forward to returning to competition as soon as possible and proving that my prior successes, including at the Olympic Trials, were achieved solely through hard work and discipline, with no shortcuts. The past year, including missing the 2008 Olympic Games, has been heartbreaking, the most difficult year of my life. It was made more tolerable by the numerous expressions of support I received from teammates, competitors, and fans all over the world, for which I will always be grateful.

I look forward to again representing my country, and will prepare for the upcoming season with the utmost determination."

USA Swimming released the following statement regarding the ruling:

We are glad that this situation has been resolved. Jessica has served a significant penalty and has taken responsibility for her actions, which were ruled unintentional. The importance in being diligent in following the anti-doping rules cannot be overstated, and this case should serve as a stern reminder to all athletes to take extreme care with everything they put into their bodies.

USADA also released the following press release:

Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 4, 2009) – An independent, three-member American Arbitration Association/Court of Arbitration for Sport (AAA/CAS) panel issued its decision today in the case of U.S. Swimmer Jessica Hardy, from a positive drug test during last year's U.S. Olympic Trials.
On July 4, 2008, Ms. Hardy tested positive for the anabolic agent, clenbuterol. Following proceedings, instituted pursuant to the USADA Protocol on August 1, 2008, Ms. Hardy voluntarily withdrew from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, reserving her right to seek a reduction to her period of ineligibility.

The AAA/CAS panel heard evidence in January and March of this year concerning Ms. Hardy's claim that her supplements were contaminated with clenbuterol. Ms. Hardy fully accepted responsibility for her negligence in taking supplements in light of education and warnings provided by USADA regarding the associated risks. The AAA/CAS panel credited Ms. Hardy's evidence of contamination and determined that she had exercised sufficient diligence in her investigation of the supplements to be entitled to a reduction of her period of ineligibility. The AAA/CAS panel assigned a one-year period of ineligibility to conclude on July 31, 2009.

The panel also retained jurisdiction for possible consideration at a later date of the potential impact of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Rule 45 on Ms. Hardy. The IOC's Rule 45, effective July 1, 2008, prohibits an athlete who has been sanctioned by more than six months from competing in the next two Olympic Games.

In an effort to aid athletes, as well as all support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Guide to Prohibited Substances and Methods, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference documentation.

USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.