Jennifer - live performance

Jennifer performed at a writer's night at the Tin roof in Nashville last night. Here is a video of one of the songs she sang.(to hear more of her original songs, go to myspace.com/zuffinetti )

How to Avoid Swine Flu

Don't do this!

Teen Heart Throbs

Zac Efron

Say what you want about today's teens. But I see a lot of hope coming from this next generation. Instead of Britney Spears, they flock to Miley Cyrus (I saw Hannah Montana the movie and it was darling). High School Musical 1, 2, and 3 are huge hits - and Amy and I went to see 17 Again today and it was surprisingly good. Zac Efron is number one with teenage girls. (Isn't he adorable? I just want to pinch his cheeks). In my day, the best we could do was Frankie Avalon and James Darren in the Beach Blanket Bingo movies. My favorite teen movies were Gidget, Gidget Goes Hawaiian, and Gidget Goes to Rome (and they were pretty scandalous for that era).

Aah, to be a teen again. Oh wait. I forgot about all the horrible "stuff" that goes with being a teen: Acne, horrible hair, gangly bodies, panic attacks, and the poor self-esteem issues. Yuck. I'd rather be thirty than thirteen. (I was going to say that I'd rather be sixty than sixteen, but I realized that by sixty you start having the "stuff" again: horrible skin, saggy bodies, panic attacks, and self-esteem issues)

P.S. I saw Frankie Avalon on American Idol last week, and, uhmm...

he's looking better to me now than he did when I was a teenager ..

Happy Birthday Amy!

Amy, Emerson and Lincoln (and one due in December!)

Too bad you can't go out to dinner to celebrate (since you are the stake assistant girl's camp leader, you have to be in charge of tonight's girl's camp kick off). So go wild TOMORROW night (I'll babysit). Luv ya!

Obama's Budget

Obama's budget triples the national debt. It raises taxes on job creators, and cuts the defense budget dramatically over the next ten years. It is a roadmap for disaster that will bankrupt this country. This is not the change people were hoping for. This is unbelievable growth in government at a time we can afford it the least.

Politicians are saying we must quit looking in the rear view mirror and focus on what's ahead of us. But one glance back might be helpful to the future of this country. I'm talking about the days of Ronald Reagan. He wasn't a genius. What made him successful was picking the right people to run the government. Picking advisors who could help him make smart decisions. When I look at who Obama is choosing for important cabinet positions - it scares me.

I hope for the best, but I'm preparing for the worst. The only people coming out very well here are those who don't pay taxes and don't ever plan on working again.

Envy

Oprah's home in Monteciteo (it's just one of her many homes)

Don't envy those who have more than you. So what if Jerry Seinfeld bought a $32 million house in the Hamptons with a twenty car garage to house his Porsches. Are you going to let that diminish your happiness? A $7,000 plasma screen TV is nice, I'm sure, but a $200 TV gets you all the same channels. Jerry Seinfeld may have a different Porsche for every day of the month, but your own car gets you to and from your intended destination. So, enjoy what you have. Coveting someone else's good fortune is toxic to your own happiness. There will always be someone who has more than you, but that is their life, and it in no way makes your life less happy or fulfilling.

They grow up too fast!

I LOVE this commercial. It seriously makes me want to cry. It just reminds me how fast time flies. If you have small children, it may seem that time is standing still. But you won't believe how fast that three year old will be turning thirty! So enjoy the ride. Don't keep wishing they'd grow up. It will happen faster than you think. (my babies are 32 and 30 so I know what of I speak)

I was having lunch with Jennifer one day (when she was about 22) and she asked me what my favorite age was when raising them. I told her EVERY year was my favorite. I used to look at them (starting when they were about three and one years old ) and say, "I wish I could keep them at this age." Then the next year I'd say it again. She asked, "When did it stop?" I said, "It hasn't stopped yet. I still say it every year." Her eyes welled up and she said, "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

Time flies when you're having fun - and I've never had more fun than raising my daughters.

Make a book out of your Blogs!

Your blogs are a reflection of you - your thoughts, your personality, etc. Why not pass them down to the next generation? Diaries are boring, but your blogs say a lot about living in our time. There are sites that will make a book out of your blogs. Here's one:

Just go to http://www.blurb.com/ and it'll walk you through it. Basically, you go to Blurb, download their free uploading software called Booksmart and then it'll prompt you as to whether or not you have a blog you'd like to upload to Booksmart. It'll ask you if you have a blog through Blogger, LiveJournal, WordPress, etc. Once you click on Blogger, it'll ask you for your login information (email address and password). It will then "slurp" your blog into a book format. Some way, some how, the Booksmart program looks through your blog and matches how many pictures and/or how many words each blog entry is and formats it into book form. Then, it's up to you to go through and make sure it's laid out the way you'd like, change fonts and/or colors, add backgrounds, etc. You can really personalize your Blurb book anyway you'd like!

After you've edited the book to your liking, it'll prompt you through how to send it to be printed. (This is all online, you don't have to print it out or take it anywhere. Very similar to ordering photos through Snapfish or Photoworks.) The cost is determined by how many pages your books is. They have categories like 1-50 pages is so much, 51-100 is so much, etc. a 40-page book starts at $12.95. Mine was 96 pages and I got an 8x12 hardcover book with a slipcover and it was $50.

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P.S. You can also do any other kind of book: photo book, text and pictures, cookbook, wedding book, family history, etc. -

(...You're welcome)

Retirement

Retirement is often over rated. Most men I know who "retired" went back to work within five years...because they WANTED to. If you make your living at something you love and are committed to, you'll never "work" a day in your life.It is only "work" if there is something else you'd rather be doing. (Me, I plan to live with my kids and let THEM support me!)
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Thought for the day:

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“The only way to be happy is to live the gospel.

It is not possible to sin enough to be happy.”

Sheri Dew

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Easter Dessert Idea:

I'm doing a variation of this for tomorrow. I'm making meringue nests and filling them with lemon mousse and topping it with whipped cream and a Peep. Go me.

Tina Turner at 68

Good Grief.  If I got down on the floor like that, I'd need three people to help me up!

(and I'm five years younger than she is)

Happy Birthday to me...

(and I thought it was impossible to put 64 candles on a cake)

I'm not having any more birthdays. I liked my 60th ("colorful" photo below) so much that every year I'm just going to look at all my photos from that party and smile and pretend I'm still 60. (They say 60 is the new 40, so I'm pretending I'm an old looking 40 year old). Wait a minute... I just dug out a photo of me when I was 40 (the good looking top photo)...they LIED! Sixty is definitely not the new 40! (Okay, so I'll pretend I'm an old looking 55 year old.)

They did a very strange thing at my birthday party. There were over thirty people there and about half of them stood up and talked about how I had impacted their life. After about the tenth person, I said, "Did I die?" I felt like I was at my funeral. Looking back on it, it was a wonderful thing to "be at my own funeral." How many people get the chance to hear what people think of them. I think we should make this a part of every birthday celebration. If you don't have an occasion to do it, write your feelings about your friends in their birthday card or Christmas card.

"I would rather have one rose and a kind word
from a friend while I'm here
than a whole truck load when I'm gone."

Goals

"I don't set goals in life...we limit ourselves with goals."

Hugh Jackman*

Are you kidding me? If you set a goal of being a songwriter and somebody comes along and offers you a record deal because they want YOU to perform the songs, that has enlarged you, not limited you.

The truth of the matter is, Hugh Jackman "says" that's what he believes, however, he does set time frames where if something doesn't happen, he goes on to plan B. That sounds like a goal to me.

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Goals are important. We can't just let life happen. The less we plan to achieve, the less we will achieve. Opportunities come to those who are prepared for them. If you want to be one of those people, sit down right now and make a plan for your life.

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1. Make sure the goal you are working for is something you really want and are capable of achieving.

2. A goal can't contradict any of your other goals.

3. Set goals for the various areas of your life: Family/Home, Spiritual, Social, Financial/Career, physical/Health, and Mental/Educational

4. Most Importantly - WRITE THEM DOWN! Be specific. Include how you plan to achieve them.

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Good Luck!

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*A-List Actor (Xmen, Kate & Leopold, The Prestige, Australia...and People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive" Award - 2008 (...and my personal pick as the most "super delicious" man of the year.)

The Importance of Family Dinner

According to a Columbia University survey, teenagers who eat with their families at least five times a week are more likely to get better grades in school and much less likely to have substance abuse problems.
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An International study found that family meal time has a more positive influence on emotional and intellectual development on children and teens than sports or additional time in school.

Bonnie D. Parkin, former Relief Society General President of my church said, “The dinner table is the place to connect with each other, to share our daily activities, listen and encourage each other, and even laugh together.”
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As parents, we want to connect with our kids. Surprisingly, our kids want to connect with us. They want to know we care about them and what they are doing. They not only want our support, they want our approval and respect. Dinner time should not be a time to criticize or reprimand – it should be a time to share experiences, opinions and bond as a family.

I know, it's a scheduling nightmare in today's world. But that is exactly why you need to do it. If you are not doing it, do it. I promise you'll be glad you did. If you are doing it, value it.

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Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

There are two possible courses to affluence: wants may be easily satisfied either by producing much or desiring little. "He is richest who is content with the least." (Socrates). The key is to reconcile your expectations with your capacity to produce. The philosophy of the rich versus the poor is this: the rich invest their money and spend the rest; the poor spend their money and invest the rest. "There is no dignity quite so impressive and no independence quite so important as living within your means." (Calvin Coolidge).
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Money doesn't bring happiness; it merely allows you to look for it in more places. Those who believe that money (or clothes, or a car, or a house) makes the man are deluding themselves. In the final analysis, it's character, not physical possessions that define the individual. If someone complains that he is not tall enough or rich enough or smart enough or handsome enough, I say, "Quit whining." Lose the victim mentality. When you complain, you have wasted five minutes of your own time as well as five minutes of the time of the person who had to endure listening.

Tacky Wedding Toppers

To see them all click HERE

Make Your Own Wedding Cake

Are you looking for an out-of-the-ordinary wedding cake that reflects your funky sense of humor? How about this:
Who doesn't like Peeps? But if you're not a peeps fan, you could substitute your favorite treat - like, maybe "Twinkies"?

Sand Art

My mother sent me this and I really enjoyed watching it - fascinating.



If you'd like to see more sand art, go to Youtube.com and type in "Sand Art"
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3D Sidewalk Art

I used to fancy myself as an artist. I painted about 25 paintings a year for about 8 years (once the kids came along, it was impossible so I quit). But I never painted anything like this (actually, it isn't paint - it's chalk). I'd love to see some of this guy's work in person. How fun!

(to answer the comment - It has to be viewed from one side. To see an example of one viewed from the wrong side, and other examples of his work, go to the following website: http://www.rense.com/general67/street.htm
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We The People Stimulus Package

"It is time for Americans to take back America:

• Require all laws that apply to the people to be applied to congress as well.
• Balance the Federal Budget (and force congress to live within their budget).
• Limit congress to two terms
• Make congress get their own 401K plans (why should a congressman get his full salary for the rest of his life after only serving one term?)
• Make congress pay their own insurance premiums
• Throw out of office any congressman or congresswoman who didn't bother to read the biggest spending bill in history before voting for it.
• Make English the official language of the United States of America
• Stop rewarding illegal immigrants with your money
  

We have become cowering spectators while the world's biggest super power can't defend its borders, balance its budget, win its wars, manufacture its own products, or protect its own currency.

Are you tired of not having a voice? Get an envelope. Put a tea bag in it (remember the Boston Tea Party?) and send it to the congressman and senators that represent you. They'll get the point. (to find out who they are, go to http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/ ) "

Click on the video to hear it all.

The Kitchen Sink

I've been accused of writing about everything but the kitchen sink. So, I figure it's time to write about that too.
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After living in our home for twenty years, I figured it was time to do a little remodeling to update it. We replaced the floors (Mexican pavers) with Travertine stone, the kitchen tiles with granite and replaced the enamel sink with a stainless steel one. Hooray, I was now living in the 21st century.
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There was just one problem. Instead of making my life easier, I just added tons more work. Every new surface required twice as much time to get it looking good. Especially the stainless steel sink.
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I seriously think that if I'm still living here ten years from now, I'll "remodel" by turning everything back into the way it was in 1982.
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Crying Baby

Your infant is way smarter than you give him credit. Check out this video:

How Smart is Your Right Foot?

You have to try this.... it takes 2 seconds. I could not believe this!!! It is from an orthopedic surgeon. This will boggle your mind and you will keep trying over and over again to see if you can outsmart your foot, but, you can't. It's pre-programmed in your brain!
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1. Without anyone watching you (they will think you are GOOFY......) and while sitting at your desk in front of your computer, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles.
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2. Now, while doing this, draw the number '6' in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction. I told you so!!! And there's nothing you can do about it! You and I both know how stupid it is, but before the day is done you are going to try it again, if you've not already done so.

First Day of Spring

Actually, yesterday was the first day of spring, but I didn't want to detract from my husband's birthday - and since nothing else is going on today, I feel free to wax poetic about spring, showers, and flowers.

I'm assuming we won't be seeing too many showers this spring because we had an unusually wet winter. And because of that, I expect to see an abundance of flowers - which is great because I love, love, love flowers. All flowers. There isn't a flower I don't like. Okay, I lied. There is one flower I don't like - Anthuriums. But I still use those ugly buzzards in my exotic floral arrangements. I also use them sometimes in Valentine's Day arrangements because they are shaped like a heart. Oh, and I also don't like gladiolas. They are only good for one thing - funerals (but I told my kids if there are any gladiolas at my funeral I'll never speak to them again). .

There is one flower I really love, but you'll never see them in my house because I hate the smell of them - Star Gazer lilies.

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I have a confession to make. I used to live two blocks from the Huntington Library in San Marino and so there was a lot of traffic on our street. I always had about 12 pots of yellow tulips lining the steps up to our front door. Tourists would stop in front of our house to take photos on our steps. I was famous for how long my tulips bloomed. But I had a dirty little secret: once the real tulips wilted, I replaced the stems with fake ones! Since they were surrounded by the live plant material, no one noticed that they weren't real. (Feel free to steal my idea).

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Happy Birthday Alan!

Here's something I thought you'd enjoy on your birthday (since you insist you know everything)

A Quiz for the person who knows everything
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving backward?

3. Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5. In many liquor stores you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters 'dw' and they are all common words. Name two of them.

7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar. Can you name at least half of them?

8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.

9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter 'S.'

Answers To Quiz:

1. Boxing

2. Niagara Falls (The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.)

3. Asparagus and rhubarb.

4. Strawberry.

5. It grew inside. (The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.)

6. Dwarf, dwell and dwindle .

7. Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.

8. Lettuce.

9. Shoes, socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.

So Alan, How did you do???? Yeah, I thought so. Now you know everything.

(and so do I. I feel smarter already)

Tacky, Tasteless, and Ridiculously Extravagant:

"Care to strut around with some real dead animals on your feet? Designer Bruno Frisoni for Roger Vivier not only thinks you do, but he's willing to bet that at least some of us are willing to pay through the nose for the privilege. The Dovima, as the shoe is known, is beautiful (and slightly creepy) thanks to the rose pink-dyed taxidermy birds perched delicately on each toe. Each stuffed bird also has a crystal-encrusted head and is further complemented by 24 ct gold-coated mesh, silk, ribbons, and crocodile-skin rosettes. Plus every pair comes with special protective crocodile or snakeskin platforms that attach before you wear them to keep the shoes from ever touching the ground. All for just $43,000 and three months of waiting after you order. "

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I copied this right off AOL ...unbelievable! I'm flabbergasted. But it got worse. They showed a diamond-encrusted pen that had over 30 carats of diamonds on a solid platinum barrel for just under $2 million and a Diamond iPhone surrounded by diamonds which featured a 6.6 carat diamond for $2.45 million! Oh and did I mention the 24 karat gold life- size statue of Kate Moss with her legs wrapped around her head for $2 million? (It was so disturbing I couldn't post the photo).

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Obama, if I were you, I'd be watching who buys this stuff and increase their taxes to 95% - apparently they would have no problem with that.

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Stock Market Crash > Net Worth

Buffet and Gates have lost half their net worth. Those of us who have put our money in the stock market are in that same boat. We've ALL lost half of our net worth - and it may not have hit bottom yet. But hey, it doesn't really matter. Seriously.

I don't know about you, but the bulk of our wealth was all "on paper" and what we will lose is all "on paper." Our actual standard of living isn't going to change all that much. Even if it did, I've come to realize that there are a lot of things more important than living the lifestyle of the Rich and Famous. Like what? Like being happy where ever you are, doing whatever you are doing. Like making those around you happy. Like enjoying good health. Like paying attention to life and participating in it instead of observing it. I can live with that.
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Happy Birthday Adam!

Since your birthday always falls on St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd share a little "green" joke with you (your grandfather emailed this to me. You are too young to think this is funny - but trust me, it's hilarious):

An 85-year old man is walking through the park. He hears, “Pssst!” The man looks down, and there’s a frog. The frog says, “If you pick me up and kiss me, I will turn into a beautiful young princess and make love to you whenever you want.” The old man bends down, picks up the frog, puts it in his pocket, and keeps walking. The frog says, “Hey, aren’t you gonna kiss me?” The old man says, “At my age? I’d rather have a talking frog.”

Food Trends

It is interesting how the food we eat has changed over the years.

1950’s – “Comfort Foods”: Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, Pot Roast, Pork chops and gravy, tuna casseroles, Stew, Lima beans and ham hocks. Salads were generally just a mix of iceberg, radishes, maybe some shredded carrot and Thousand Island, Blue Cheese or French Dressing. Jello salads were also popular. Desserts were: cakes, pies, Pudding, Ice cream sundaes, and Strawberry Shortcake. People rarely went out to dinner (and there were very few places to go even if you wanted to).

1970’s – Pizza and Chinese food were popular (because they delivered!). Women were more experimental in the kitchen: Swedish meatballs, Mexican casseroles, Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Curry, crepes, quiche, fondue (everyone had a fondue pot). Even salads got a new twist: Ceasar salad, Mexican salads, Chinese salads. Ranch Dressing reigned supreme. Desserts: Fruit tarts, Chocolate mousse, Caramel custards, Souffles, Bundt cakes, Cherries jubilee, Bananas Foster. People went out to dinner. Fast foods were extremely popular and Really good restaurants had plenty of loyal customers.

1990’s –Healthy foods were in the forefront: Pizzas with sundried tomato, feta cheese and basil; low fat, reduced fat, spa cuisine. More exotic foods started appearing: White chili, Southwestern cuisine, Cajun, roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar, cilantro (ugh – still hoping that goes away). Gourmet everything. Everyone went out to dinner… a lot. Plenty of family dining, take out, drive throughs, etc. , and celebrity chefs opened high priced gourmet restaurants in every major city.

2000’s – Low carbs are key. Chipotle, Panini sandwiches, sandwich wraps, Lettuce wraps, flavored martinis, etc. are "Good Things." (I woudn't call cupcakes a good thing, but they are taking over the dessert category in a big way). The Food Network and Food Channel have gotten women in the kitchen again cooking up a storm. The food critics praise foods that are “sweet and savory” have a blend of exotic flavors and aromas, and have “crunch.” Health food markets are taking over (with an emphasis on tofu, soy products, and organically grown foods ). When you dine in an expensive restaurant, you expect to see a “stack” of something, and the portions are much smaller than what you got in the 70’s and 80’s.

Going out to dinner has become so much a part of our culture that we spend less and less time in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the economy has forced the closure of many good restaurants because people can’t afford to go out right now.

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As a side note, it seems very odd to me that the healthier our trends tend to get, the fatter the children get. Back in the 50's when we were eating fried foods, potatoes, and apple pie, there was only one fat kid in our elementary school. Today, when mom's are eating tofu and veggies, the kids are eating fast food and Cheetos and one 1 out of 3 elementary kids are obese.

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(for the Food Channel's top 10 food trends for 2009, click here)

American Idol

The official start of the show was this week - with the top 13 performing. A lot of people don't even watch the show until it gets to the 12 (this year 13) who made the cut. I'm not one of those. I watch from day one. I like to learn about the contestants and do my own pick of who I think should be on the show. I watched ALL the auditions and I picked my winner the minute I saw his audition. The rest of you saw him perform Tuesday night and even without all the hype, I'm sure you recognized him as not just a forerunner, but the clear winner. They might as well end the show now. Congratulations Adam Lambert!

I know, the rumors are flying about him being gay. Is he? Isn't he? So what? He’s a rock star – and he’s going to be the biggest star American Idol has ever launched. Trust me.

The only question is: Who else will be in the top four (the most likely to record hits, star on Broadway, ...or headline cruise ship entertainment – just kidding – or not). My picks are:
Lil Rounds, Danny Gokey, and Allison Iraheta (not necessarily in that order)
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Walking

I grow weary of all the hype about walking. Every couple of months there’s a feature article on AOL encouraging people to walk. Emails abound extolling the virtues of walking. But I’m not buying into it.

I kinda/sorta thought about walking when I read that walking 30 minutes per day burns waist fat and shrinks the waist first –even before we lose weight (because keeping waist size down reduces your risk of diabetes by 58% and diabetes is one thing I really don’t want because there is no way I could ever give up Reisens and red licorice).

I prefer the Emails that mock walking:

Walking can add minutes to your life.
This enables you, at 85 years old,
to spend an additional 5 months
in a nursing home at $7000 per month.

My grandpa started walking five miles
a day when he was 60. Now he's 97 years old
and we don't know where he is.

The only reason I would take up walking
is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.

To avoid becoming a total couch potato, I do make an effort to walk at least once a week…through the mall a few times. Shopping, after all, is my favorite exercise.

Exercise

I wrote a whole blog about exercise last year, but obviously my friends never read it because they keep trying to get me to join them at Curves.

Been there, done that. I joined a health club several years ago, spent about 400 bucks and never lost a pound. ( Apparently you have to go there. )

My favorite quote about exercise is:

Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise,'
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

My husband’s favorite quote is:

I get my exercise being a pall bearer at the funerals
of my friends who exercise.

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Yes, I’m overweight - But no more so than a woman of my age has been throughout history. We’re supposed to look matronly. That’s part of God’s plan – and who am I to try to change that?

We get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads.That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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3-Ingredient Chicken Recipes

Here are my three favorite chicken recipes:

For these three recipes, you can use the chicken leg and thigh (attached) or a boneless breast (preferably skin on): You drizzle the oil over the chicken (or you can "paint" it on with a basting brush), then sprinkle the seasoning. Broil, skin side up until skin bubbles and starts to turn black then lower the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, or until there is no pink juice running out when you pierce it with a knife. Serve with Rice a Roni and your favorite vegetable (I like corn).

Chicken Recipe #1, olive oil, dried tarragon. Broil, then reduce heat to 300

Chicken Recipe #2, olive oil, Knorr’s dry onion soup mix. Bake at 350

Chicken Recipe #3, olive oil, ground dry ginger, dried onion. Broil then reduce heat to 300
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Middle Name Pride Day

Apparently, today is "Middle Name Pride Day." Who knew? Fortunately, my middle name is quite normal - "Lynn." Oh, but wait, that's not really my middle name. I don't actually have a middle name. My first name is Jeri-Lynn (which was meant to be one name). So I guess I have nothing to celebrate.

Okay then, I'll celebrate my father's middle name, "Thurman." Now there's a name. His first name is James so he lucked out. His parents, siblings and my cousins weren't so lucky. His father's name was Horatio and his mother's name was Easter Belle. He had a brother named "J" (yes, just the letter). He had three sisters, Wanda, Vinita, and Exie (What kind of name is "Exie" anyway?). Wanda married a guy named Marion and Exie married a guy named "Slim" (which kinda took the sting out of her name). My cousins were Rayfield and his sister Adelya; Claydine and her brother Jody, etc..

Bottom line is that with all the weird names in my family, "Jeri-Lynn" almost sounds like a normal name. I think I'll celebrate that.
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Thought for the Day...

There's a lot of truth to this statement - at least in MY house. I spend waaaaay too much time on the web (my daughters call be spider woman). Is there a 12-step program for computeraholics?
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What to Say When...

I'm giving a talk tonight at the Rio Grande ward's enrichment meeting (Henderson, Nevada) and I thought I'd share an important thought with you all.

We all want to help our friends in crisis, but we often wonder how to go about it.

There are three steps to working through a crisis (death in the family, diagnosis of a serious disease, etc.). The person needs to:

Talk about what happened
Talk about how he/she feels about what happened
Talk about what he/she plans to do about what happened

Notice I said, Talk, Talk, Talk. What does that tell you about your role as a friend? You must Listen, Listen, Listen! God gave you two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionately.

Listen even if it's the same story over and over. Don't avoid your friend because you don't want to hear anymore. The fact that they are still talking about it means they still NEED to talk about it.

What people want is just to know that someone cares. Your role is not to solve your friend's problems. What is needed from you is a sympathetic ear and small acts of kindness.

(for how to help with specific problems, go to my free online book: helpingothers.ws )

Spring Cleaning

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I finally found out how to clean my garage. I’ve been trying to clean it for years by grabbing a large garbage bag and a garbage can and sifting through the pile of boxes looking for things to throw away or give away. But I never seemed to be able to make a dent.

My son-in-law said, “It’s time to clean out your garage.” I said, “Yeah, I’ll just change my clothes and meet you out there.” By the time I got to the garage, he had taken everything out – and I mean EVERYTHING! We vacuumed the floor, washed the cupboards then started bringing things in that I actually wanted. The rest was sorted into four piles: throw away, give away, come and get it (for my kids to go through to see if they wanted it), and garage sale (which ended up at Deseret Industries because I just didn’t want to go to all the work of a garage sale)

There is a huge difference between trying to sort through stuff to find things you don’t want, and only putting what you do want back in. All of a sudden I had a clean garage. And I was forced to complete the task in a reasonable length of time because all my junk was piled in the driveway and I couldn’t put my car in until the pile was gone. Genius!

Hug me pillow

Look what I found on Overstocks.com - it is $29.99 and it SOLD OUT! Am I the only one who is creeped out by this????

Confessions of a Shopoholic - the movie

I loved, loved, loved this movie. It was worth the wait. I got there 10 minutes early so I wouldn't miss anything. However, Amy, my oldest daughter, got there 15 minutes late - actually, she had gotten there 20 minutes early, so she shopped and lost track of time. So as we walked out of the movie, I looked over at her and her shopping bag and said, "I missed the first 15 minutes of Confessions of a Shopoholic because I was shopping." She started laughing and couldn't stop. The mascara was running down her face. She said that was the funniest thing I'd ever said....You had to be there.

Travel

We just got home from a family vacation in Hawaii. This isn’t really a photo of our luggage* – but this is the way it feels to travel with us. There are six adults and two children under three. Each person has at least one large bag and a small bag that gets checked, plus at least two sets of golf bags. So that’s at least 18 bags. We can’t all go to the airport together, even in the airport shuttle, because we have too many bags. When we get to our destination, it takes three or four cabs to get us to the hotel. But once we get to our destination, boy do we have fun.

*It is a photo of one of three “sculptures” in the Sacramento airport (probably constructed from lost luggage…come to think of it, maybe some of our luggage is in there after all).

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HAWAII

Lincoln 2-1/2 years old

No blogs this week. I'll be in Hawaii with my kids and grandchildren until the 22nd. Aloha!

Pets

I’ve never been a “pet” person. When I was a child, the only animal I was exposed to

was a dog we were babysitting for friends (the poor thing was deaf and blind). When

Amy and Jennifer were old enough to want pets, our yard was too small for a dog so I let

them have hamsters (Kibbles & Bits). But we only had them a few months and gave

them away. Jennifer wanted pets because she had cool names for them. She wanted a

turtle named “fluffy,” and a fish named “bait.” She also wanted a hound dog named

“Elvis” and a small dog named “Pucci.” When we moved to Rancho Santa Fe we finally

got a dog (an orange golden retriever named "Tang"), and cats (Dolce and Gabbana).

We bought a house in Las Vegas and now I’ve got nine Koi fish (of course, I had to

name one of them “Bait”- the others are: The Red Baron, O.J., Goldilocks, Ginger, Ugly Betty,

Batman, Smokey, and Little Nemo) and there is a bronze alligator statue in the swimming pool,

so I call him “Fluffy.”

Left to right: Goldilocks, Ugly Betty, O.J. and the Red Baron

I don't see myself having any pets in the near future.

Who Loves You Baby?

Here's a Valentine's Day Quiz for you:

(You don’t have to answer these, just quickly go down the list)

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.


How did you do?
The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish.
Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.


Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials. . the most money. . or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Would you like to know what my husband gave me for Valentine's Day? He bought me a sexy nightie...in a size 6 (I wear a size 18!). I said, "What's up with the size 6? Is this supposed to be a joke?" To which he responded, "No, to me you ARE a size 6." (Gotta love that guy).

Suze Orman Says:

1. Get out of debt
2. Pay bills on time
3. Don't miss a payment
4. Don't go over credit limit
5. Have health and life insurance (term insurance)
6. Don't take money out of your retirement fund to pay your mortgage. If you can't pay your mortgage, let your house go and find an affordable apartment
7. Don't ever cosign a loan (especially for your children)
8. Don't lend money to friends or family (if you want to "give" it to them, okay. But no "loans".)

Really? This is new? Is there anything here we haven't heard before?

When asked if anybody has ever put their FICO score up on Match.com, her response was, "They should. FICO first, then sex. Because you want to practice safe money." (Now that's seriously funny.)

According to Suze, we're in for a long haul. She says not to expect a turn around until 2015.

What I want to know is, how does she know? Did she ask Miss Cleo? Has she got a crystal ball? or did she just say that because she was asked?

Fantasy Lives

Have you ever stopped to think about what other people's lives are like? The wonderful thing about the internet is that it gives us an opportunity to be a fly on the wall of other people's lives.

Picture home made apple pie and an All American girl living in the country. Ruth Ann is living it:

Here she is with her friends having a "pie party" (she's in the green apron). See her happy life at warmpiehappyhome.blogspot.com (I want to have a pie party!)

Can you imaging someone living a "vintage" life? Catiena is living it:

See her life at thevintagehousewife.blogspot.com (wait until you see the inside of that trailer!)

I wouldn't want to trade my life (permanently) with anyone. But it sure would be fun to live their life for a week or two.

For more fantasy lives, just look at their favorite bloggers - they are amazing!

Pet Peeve(s)

Why can't they give you the same amount of hot dog buns as the package of hot dogs? Am I the only one who is bothered by this? It drives me C R A Z Y !

As long as I'm ranting, I also hate bikers that ride side by side instead of single file (road hogs!).

And how about people who call themselves "environmentalists" then burn down a lumber yard in protest. News flash, that is NOT an environmentally friendly thing to do. (Kinda reminds me of the abortion protestors who kill the doctors who perform them. Oh heck, and why don't we throw in PETA while we're at it. Earth is the insane asylum of the universe.

What's YOUR pet peeve?

New Song

"If You Don't"

From time to time I'll replace this video with the newest one she sends me. (She sends me videos of new songs she writes before she demos them). This was added on 3/30/09

See her pics, hear and download her songs at: http://www.myspace.com/zuffinetti

Noah's Ark

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark...

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat.
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
8. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
9. The woodpeckers inside are more dangerous than the storms that are outside.
10. When you're stressed, float a while.
11. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
12. No matter how bad the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.
Author Unknown

Happy Birthday Emerson!

Little Emmy is 1 year old today!