Tues-Wed-Thurs

Okay well here is a summary of a few of the things that I have done over the past few days while on my spring break: 

Tuesday: In the morning I did my usual routine (while Yoh got some more z's) went on a walk to a small pond, did my Bible reading, listen to a teaching on a CD. Then I added a walk to the REI store and Whole Foods. Then we ate lunch - leftover Macaroni casserole (tasty). After lunch we went on a long walk to Starbucks - for green teas and then walked back. After our exercising we decided we needed to run errands before the crew showed up for dinner. We were having a Mexican St. Patty's dinner! Okay not really that is just what I called it - although we did eat Mexican food on St. Patty's. Shauna came up for dinner and Schmoop and the girls were coming up also for a 2 day slumber party. We ate dinner and hung out with the visitors. Yoh went to work and I stayed to play with the girls and Schmoop - which consisted of us watching High School Musical 3 with Gabby - oh JOY! (I really am not a fan of these movies.) 

WEDNESDAY:  Well my morning started off with Gabby climbing into the futon with me and Aunt Bobby (this is what the girls call Yoh if you are unaware) putting in High School Musical 2 movie! Then the rest of the AM Schmoop and I entertained the girls while we waited for Aunt Bobby to wake up so we could go to the park! Finally we went to the park and had some good clean fun - okay well almost clean - Gabby got a tad muddy - but all good! We then went to dinner, came home and hung out, died Schmoops hair, Gabby took a bath and then bed time. 

THURSDAY: Woke up to Gabby saying Good Morning Maasen and Aunt Bobby! We watched Gabs eat most of her yogurt and then Yoh and I went to Smoothie King for smoothies for Schmoop, Yoh, and myself: smoothies that taste like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches - very good and filling - which is great for fasting! Then Schmoop and the girls went home, Yoh and I walked in and decided we should lay around and watch a movie until the MARCH MADNESS games started - one of our favorite times of the year! And basically ever since then I have been watching hoops and talking hoops with my pal Yoh! Then we ate dinner - pizza - a great basketball game watching type of food. Then Yoh watched "The Office"- I watched too - but I don't like this show really at all.  Then Yoh went to work and I started some laundry for her - all the towels her guests have used! :) Oh and I am still watching hoops!! Love it! Okay off to finish a night of hoops. Only a 1 and a half more days left here in Michigan! 

Michigan - first 2 days

Well Spring break is finally here!! I am in Ann Arbor (A2 as we refer to it). I am having a great time of course - mainly because I am getting some face time with my friend Melissa Yoh! So I thought I would tell you what we have been up to so far. 

I took the Megabus here from Kansas City and it was great however there were some college kids on the bus that were going to Chicago to party it up for St. Pats day! They were sort of loud - which is fine because I had my iPOD but I totally could have gone without hearing all the bad words - gee wiz they said a ton of them. Other than that the Megabus was another great cheap trip. 

So when I got to Michigan Yoh picked me up and we went back to her apartment so I could take a shower because I was a little gross from being on a bus for about 15 hours. Yoh made me some of my favorite things and went to the store to buy some of my favorite things also. She made scotcharoos and beer dip, the fridge also has a supply of coke in there just for me!! She spoils me! After my shower we got in the car and headed to Pat Yoh's house for the night. At Pat Yoh's house we just hung out with Schmoop and the girls mostly. We fed the animals, went to Wal-Mart, went to eat at a restaurant called the Barn - which is basically a place that makes good old home cooking! Tasty. Then Sunday we went to church at Pastor Johns church, watched some hoops, took naps, watched/played with the girls ate dinner - then headed back to A2 so Yoh could go to work. While Yoh was at work I watched some cable television, ate tasty food - cheetos, scotcharoos, beer dip, and washed it all down with a couple cokes!! Then I went to bed around 2 am. So far my spring break has been delightful. That is all for now - more later!

A WOMAN'S WEEK AT THE GYM

Okay I got this in an email - and thought it was Fun-ny! So I did some slight editing and decided to post it. I hope you enjoy!

If you read this without laughing out loud, there is something wrong with you. This is dedicated to everyone who ever attempted to get into a regular workout routine.

Dear Diary, For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.
My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair, dancing eyes and adazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!
Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit- ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!

TUESDAY:I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it allworthwhile. I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stairmonster. Why in the heck would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other crap too.

THURSDAY:Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late - it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the restroom she sent some skinny girl in to find me. Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.

FRIDAY:I hate that Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich. The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year mydaughter (the little pain in the butt) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bendover, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

She's got it down "Pat!"

Well ladies and gentlemen Pat Summitt - women's head basketball coach at the University of Tennessee accomplished an amazing goal. She won her 1,000 game on Feb. 5th, 2009!
She is the first coach in Division 1 basketball to reach this number of wins. I am now going to give you some facts about Pat Summitt and her career thus far! I am only doing this because some of these facts are amazing even for those of you who really are not fact people or who are not that into sports (DJ!!), then when I am done I will tell you a story that happened to me involving a chance to meet this amazing lady on the day after her big win!!

From her first victory on Jan. 10, 1974, to win No. 1,000 on Feb. 5, 2009, 12,445 days passed.
A look at how long it took Summitt to reach each plateau:
Wins Length1-100 4 years, 4 days
100-200 3 years, 324 days
200-300 4 years, 32 days
300-400 3 years, 21 days
400-500 3 years, 300 days
500-600 3 years, 2 days
600-700 3 years, 12 days
700-800 3 years, 39 days
800-900 3 years, 5 days
900-1,000 3 years, 17 days
THAT’S SOME WINNING BASKETBALL

• Through her first 34 seasons, Summitt averaged 28.9 victories and just 5.4 losses per season.
• Summitt has been fond of saying, “Surround yourself with great people.” During her 35-year coaching tenure at the University of Tennessee she has worked with 153 Lady Vol basketball student-athletes and been assisted throughout the years by a total of 39 coaching staffers (assistant coaches, graduate assistants and operations directors), 53 student managers, 3 head athletic trainers, 2 women’s athletics directors, 1 media relations director and 1 secretary.
• Over 35 years, Summitt has brought 153 women into the program (including this year’s team). Of that total group, 111 have graduated (including current starting post Alex Fuller), two discontinued playing due to medical reasons (knees), 23 transferred, and six quit.
• Over 47 percent of ALL games coached by Summitt have come against Associated Press ranked opponents with the Lady Vols producing a 400-155 record and a 72 percent winning percentage. Imagine facing a ranked opponent in practically every other game in your career. Summitt has faced this challenge for 35 years, night-in and night-out. Summitt’s teams have also emerged victorious over unranked teams as well, winning 600 games (including tonight’s victory over Georgia) and losing just 32 contests. That’s 95 percent winning record over unranked opponents.
• Never had a losing season
• 32 consecutive seasons with at least 20 wins
• 18 seasons with more than 30 wins
• Head Coach Pat Summitt’s career record now stands at 1,000-187 (.843) all time.
• She has had more WNBA and Olympic players than any other program
• She has coached 153 women (including this years team) and 53 of them have national championship rings - some have more than 1!!

There are many more stats out there but I figured you have had enough.

Anyways a few years ago I met this guy named Peanut and he is a big wig for AAU basketball in Tennessee. Well long story short - he has season tickets, Pat Summitts phone number, eats meals with her, and has amazing hook ups when it comes to women's basketball. He got Yoh and I tickets to a game a few years ago - AMAZING experience!! Well I called him the night after the BIG win to have him give me the play by play because I know that he was at the game! And he did of course. Then He tells me that he will send me a t-shirt of the 1,000 wins - sweet I love t-shirts! Then he said that I needed to come back down to Tennessee, I told him that I would try really hard to get down there next winter break. Then he tells me this: "If you can get down here and you give me at least a month's notice on when you will be here I can take you to watch Pat in action - running a practice, yep that is right I can be in the gym while the practice. Then depending on her schedule I might get to meet her!!" I think it would be awesome - but if she is busy then it is okay but maybe I could shoot a couple hoops on HER court!! :) Then he said if they had a game when I came down he would take me again! Sweetness! Then he said if the final four is Nashville next year 2010 - that he can get me tickets and that they would be GOOD tickets - I just to have to say yes I want some and I have to get there!! NOW that would be an amazing experience for me, honestly if any one of those things really happen it would be so cool! I cant even explain it to you!

THE CLEANSE

Alright so the cleanse is done/over! This is a 21 day process of detoxing your body and working your way to eating healthier. You know eating foods that really are not that tasty but are the ones that G-d created us to eat! Through the whole process I lost almost 9 pounds which is always a little motivation boost. My body doesn't feel as tired, my skin is healthier and over all I just feel better (minus the minor sinus infection that I have). I must say that I didn't cheat until today but that was under special circumstances - I had a coca cola classic today at work because I felt dizzy for several hours so I thought I would try a coca cola classic to see if that would help, that was my first coke for a month (which is really hard for me to do). It honestly didn't taste as great as I had hoped, but it did help for awhile.
During the cleanse I basically ate foods that are healthy for me and I watch my portion control and also take supplements throughout the day! So maybe if you are thinking about changing what you eat or being healthier you could follow a few basic steps:

Basic Rules On How To Eat
Rule 1- You MUST eat a healthy breakfast consisting mainly of good quality protein.
Too often breakfast consists of a cereal with milk, breads, coffee, and juices. These
foods strain the blood sugar handling system and set a person up for fatigue later in the
day.
Rule 2- Eat 5 to 6 meals spread through out the day. Eating every 2 to 3 hours helps
regulate the blood sugar handling system of the body giving you more energy. Skipping
meals taxies the blood sugar handling system and sets a person up for fatigue through
out the day.
Rule 3- Eat a balanced 40:30:30 diet with a ratio of 40% protein: 30% fat: 30%
carbohydrate.
Rule 4- Eat real food the God made and intended you to eat. This means fruits,
vegetables, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. Avoid processed, refined, and genetically
modified foods as much as possible. If it came in a box, it probably is not real food.
Rule 5- Eat protein with each main meal even if only in small amounts. This helps
regulate your blood sugar.
Rule 6- Eat low glycemic index foods when consuming carbohydrates. See
www.glycemic.com for more details on individual foods.
Rule 7- Avoid all foods that you know you are allergic to or have food sensitivity to.
Rule 8- Avoid inflammatory foods. These include processed grains, pasteurized cowʼs
milk, soy products, vegetable oils, modified fats and trans fats, refined carbohydrates
(cookies, cakes, candy, soda), and coffee.
Rule 9- Eat as fresh and raw of food as possible. Cooking and micro waving can
destroy foods living nutrients that are needed to heal the body.
Rule 10- Do not eat the same things every day. Rotate your food choices. This helps
avoid developing food sensitivities.
Rule 11- Cook with good quality oils. Oils that should be used include: olive oil, grape
seed oil, and coconut oil. Butter is not good to be fried in, but may be eaten.
Rule 12- Eat organic as much as possible. There is a difference!!!

Well happy eating! If you need some good recipes just check out my fellow blogging friends they have some recipes on their sites

Maybe a country band??

Well I thought it was time for a drumming update. It is currently one of the fun things that I do that people actually want to hear about. I have continued my lessons with the amazing teacher Zach...he makes it fun and breaks it down so that I do not feel frustrated. I should add that every other hobby in my long life of 31 years has come very easy to me except for drumming. I think it is because the great Lord blessed me with the ability to be able to pick up anything that involves a ball rather quickly and He also blessed me with a great athletic ability. Soooooo with that being said anything with a ball takes me a little longer to grasp. Which is okay I am just not use to it. However Zach does not allow me to get frustrated he just shows me knew ways to do things. I have been working on several songs and a few I must say that I think that I am finally getting it down. I am almost positive because Zach said he was going to show me the fills to go along with one of the songs, so in my mind that means I must have the basic beat down for that song!! Whoo Hoo!! So the songs that I am working on are The Famous One, We are the Champions, Dr. Feelgood - by Aretha, I Told You So - Carrie Underwood. I am particularly getting the Carrie Underwood song down pretty quickly - this is the song that I am going to learn the fills for! Now I do have to admit I have not practiced as much as I would like in the last several weeks. I need to be better at that, but it is COLD in my basement at night!! However I do plan on sticking it out and getting at least 15 mins or so in each day!! For you drummers that are reading if you have any tips on how to get my foot to become better that would be fantastic - this is where I struggle the most! I have inserted to pictures one of me drumming and one of a future drummer his name is Noah Blake, remember this people! He looks way cuter but I think that is just because he is younger - gives him an advantage or something.

Help out Ghana and my friend Alicia

Okay will my friend Alicia went to Ghana in 2007 and ever since she went there she has been trying to help the kids over there that were living in the orphanage. She has posted something on her blog about helping out the organization and donating money to help the children over there get an education. Now me being a teacher I am all about it however I cannot give that much money at this time - yes I know every little bit helps. So I thought I would help out by also posting her blog entry onto my blog. So that my friends that read my blog will maybe feel compelled to donate any money that they or just to pass it on to those who also like to donate to great causes..it is a new year and all!!!
So all the information that it typed in the red color is directly from Alicia's blog and is her story. Enjoy and maybe you could send a little cash their way.

I have felt moved to help the children from the Save Widows and Orphans Development Center (SWODC) orphanage in Ghana. They are in great need of help as they no longer have the security of SWODC, which was forced to close its doors in September 2008. Since that time, sixteen of the twenty-one orphans were sent back their small villages and to the guardians/relatives that brought them to the orphanage originally. These are the same people who could not afford to care for them originally and most likely can’t do so now. Their daily safety, nourishment, and education is of concern to us.Fortunately, an amazing American volunteer I met back in 2007 has established a US-based foundation to help the children. Josephine Hopkins and her husband Randy (also met him during first trip) established the Hopkins Foundation just this past summer to guarantee that the orphans from SWODC are fully cared for now and in the future. The Hopkins Foundation’s mission (http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/) is to enroll each of the SWODC orphans into a local boarding school and support the children throughout their education (through high school and beyond). We feel boarding school is the best option for the children given Ghana’s poor public education system and their current lack of a permanent home or orphanage. Our hope is to raise the necessary funds for the children to return from their villages and enroll into a boarding school next September. Boarding school will not only provide them with the best education as possible in Ghana, but also a roof over their heads and three meals a day. The cost to enroll one child into boarding school for the entire year is around $800.00. This breaks down to less than $67.00 dollars a month, less than $2.25 a day. Yes, they can live safely and well for less than $2.25 a day! Can you help us make this a reality? Can you make a contribution (of any amount) to help these children return to a safe environment and give them a real opportunity in life?If you can support my mom's and my efforts in placing the SWODC children into boarding schools and providing them with a safe home, please make a tax-deductible donation to the Hopkins Foundation (http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/) by mailing a check to Hopkins Foundation, PO Box 190192 Boise, ID 83719 (checks should be made out to Hopkins Foundation and include SWODC in the memo). *The option of donating online may be added to the website in the future. Again, any contribution amount would help and be appreciated greatly. Donations to the Hopkins Foundation can be made as one-time contributions, monthly donations, or you can choose to fully sponsor one of the children (call Hopkins Foundation, 208-890-1296, my mom, or me for more information).These children have touched our hearts. We have held their hands, listened to their sweet singing, felt their loving hugs, and dried their tears. My mom and I can’t turn our backs on them. They are great children, they are real and they need our help and your help! This is an opportunity to drastically change lives AND be able to see the impact of your giving. We will follow (and hopefully visit) these children throughout their journeys and provide updates on their progress here. We understand firsthand that times are uncertain. But we ask that you look deep into your heart and ask God for guidance to determine if this is an endeavor you can support now or in the future. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference. There are so many good causes and charities, so many lives we can touch. Whether you are able to support us in this one or not, we hope that you are finding your own way to show your love and give. Most importantly, even if you aren’t able to help these children financially, your prayers can help tremendously. Please take a few minutes to pray that Bernice and these children be blessed with safety, happiness and love.SWODC Background:SWODC was formed in 2000 by Bernice Nunyuie, a local Ghanaian widow with a huge heart and faith in God. After losing her husband in an automobile accident, Bernice recognized the need to assist other widows in learning pertinent work skills in order for them to gain independence and care for their families. As Bernice began to help widows form co-ops for the local crafts they produced, she also became the community go-to person for widows needing assistance for their children. They would come to her asking for help with school fees, food, clothes or if really in need, they would ask her to take the children into her home. One-by-one, Bernice began to take in children that other women could no longer care for, as well as orphans that had been being taken care of by aunts, uncles, older siblings, and grandparents that needed her help.Eventually, SWODC officially formed. Over the past six years, Bernice has taken care of more than twenty children with minimal outside assistance. Bernice not only provided shelter for these children, but also ensured they received adequate meals, enrolled them into school, paid their school fees and made sure they were clothed. She also reached out to volunteer organizations in the area to have volunteers come to the orphanage to help mentor and play with the children, which is how Alicia came to meet this wonderful woman and the children. Bernice has been a tremendously selfless person, giving up her life and taking in these children. Over the past six years, she has struggled daily with the stress and concern over where the money will come from to continue to care for the kids. Sadly, after years of putting others’ needs before her own and struggling to make ends meet, the burden has become too great and Bernice is no longer able to financially care for these children. In addition, she has developed several chronic health conditions. While we were in Ghana this past August/Sept, a number of major and unforeseen obstacles were presented to Bernice in a very short time-frame and unfortunately SWODC’s security quickly evaporated. Due to decreasing finances and the end of her lease, Bernice had no other option than relocate to a smaller home and send the children back to their guardians if they had any. Five of the children have remained with Bernice because they have no where else to go. Bernice is trying to stay updated on the other sixteen children, but they are spread far out and due to her current health issues she is unable to travel much.Bernice has done it on her own for quite a while, but now she and these twenty-one children are in need of help. My mom and I can only do so much on our own as well, we don't have enough to give them all the security and safety they so deserve. So that is why we have humbled ourselves and are reaching out to you to ask for help. Please consider contributing to the Hopkins Foundation at http://www.hopkinsfoundation.org/ If you are interested in supporting Bernice in her current efforts to care for the children in her house, please contact me directly.
These children have touched our hearts. My mom and I can’t turn our backs on them. They are great children, they are real and they need our help and your help! This is an opportunity to drastically change lives AND be able to see the direct impact of your giving. We will follow (and hopefully visit) these children throughout their journey and provide updates on their progress on my fundraising blog www.myghanaexperience.blogspot.com. We understand firsthand that times are uncertain. But we ask that you look deep into your heart and ask God for guidance to determine if this is an endeavor you can support now or in the future. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a difference.