Prayers Needed

My dad is in need of prayers. He was taken to the hospital after we thought he was having a possible stroke. I spent yesterday afternoon with him and he was complaining that he was not feeling well. He asked me to help him shop for a new car so we went to the dealership and afterwards he told me he felt really weak and he was having problems with his vision. By the time we got back to my house he said he was feeling much better but he wanted to go home and take a nap. My sister called me a few hours later and said she was worried about dad because his speech was slurred and he was a little disorientated. We decided to take him to the hospital, and it was a good thing he went. He wasn't having a stroke like we first had thought but his blood pressure was so low: 79 over 48. Also his blood count was extremely low. The hospital was packed and there were no beds available in the hospital so he is staying in the emergency ward. They are giving him two blood transfusions over an eight hour period. He has been through so much in the past. He has battled so many health problems and has always fought back. He is a survivor of bladder cancer, he has had a heart attack, congestive heart failure, diabetes and a blood clot. I think the power of prayer has been the reason my dad is still with us today. Please say a prayer that he will be able to get through this latest health scare. Thanks so much. Your friendship and your prayers mean so much to me.

Our Weekend

What a great weekend Walt and I had! We pulled into the RV resort at 6:00pm and were surprised at how many more trailers were there compared to the last time we were there. We turned the heat on in the camper and went out to dinner while the camper got warm. Dinner was great and we ended up staying afterwards for a couple of beers.

The trailer was nice and warm by the time we got back. We played cards and I'm happy to say I retained my title as the rummy champion!! Walt had me laughing all weekend. Not too many people know just how funny he is. He has this dry sense of humor that most people don't get to see. Later we joined our friends (who also have a campground site) around their campfire.

Saturday morning we got up early and went out for breakfast and took a long drive around the "thumb" area of Michigan. The wildlife in northern Michigan is beautiful. During our drive we saw beautiful horses, deer, and a gorgeous snowy owl. By the end of our drive we ended up at the casino where we won $200! That hardly ever happens so you can imagine how happy we were! On the way back to our trailer from the casino, a deer ran out in front of our Jeep. Thank goodness Walt was able to stop and we didn't hit him.

It's back to the real world now. We're home and I have a ton of laundry that I am working on, school lunches to be made for tomorrow, homework that needs to be checked, permission slips that need signing, and the kids are asking, "what's for dinner"?...ahhh..let the craziness begin!

Below are pictures from the drive we took. The first is of an old farmhouse that I thought was really pretty. The second picture is of a group of lazy cows that were along the roadside and the last picture is of the wonderful casino that gave us $200...LOL!

Detroit Tiger Caravan

Even though the temperature in our truck showed 37 degrees and the calender would want us to believe that we are in the middle of winter, in my mind we were ushering America's favorite summer pastime...baseball! Even though the season doesn't officially start until March 31, today was the beginning, a kickoff if you will, to the Detroit Tiger 2008 season. The Tiger caravan rolled into the the Breslin Center at Michigan State University. Today was a day of opportunities - a day for the Tiger's to showcase their talented players, and on a personal note, a day for online friends to meet in person. That was the case for Bill, Pat and myself. This was the first time I have ever met an "online friend" in person. Bill and Pat were so easy to talk to and it truly felt like we had known each other for years. It was such a joy to meet this wonderful couple in person. I'm looking so forward to seeing them again this summer when we go to a Tiger game. Here are some pictures from today!

This is us standing outside the Breslin Center (freezing). We stood out there for an hour before the doors opened...brrr.

Look at this cute couple!! (still freezing..LOL)

The caravan is pulling in! Little did we know that Magglio Ordonez, who was supposed to be on this bus, did not make it to MSU.

This is a picture of Bill's reaction when he was told Maggilio was not on the bus....LOL...gottcha Bill!

Lindsay and Lauren with Carlos Guillen

Lindsay and Matthew with Tiger's mascot Paws

Vance Wilson is my daughter's favorite player. When she told him that he was her favorite he gave her a big hug and then asked her, "Do you really know who I am?" She said said, "you are the catcher!!" He then took off his American League Championship ring and told her she could try it on! Here's a picture of her wearing his ring!!

Lindsay and Alex with Vance Wilson

Rick Porcello (highest paid high school draft pick in history) Alex, Lindsay and Jordan Tata

Lauren and MSU mascot Sparty

Lindsay and Sparty

Matthew and Sparty

Breslin Center - MSU

It was a great day spent with wonderful friends, thanks Bill and Pat! Here's to a Championship season!! Go Tigers!!

The George Foreman Grill Scores a Knockout With Me!

If someone would have told me 35 years ago that the fighter/boxer that I used to watch with my Dad was going to make a cooking gadget that I would fall in love with I would have probably thought they were crazy. This wasn't love at first sight. I had owned the original George Foreman grill years ago and wasn't impressed with it at all. 13 years later and with many improvements I am singing the praises of the George Foreman Grill. I love the removable and dishwasher safe grill plates, the large grilling area, and being able to set the temperature (I don't remember the original GFG being able to do that). I cooked three large chicken breasts last night and I was amazed how tender and juicy they turned out. What amazes me is the empire George Foreman has built on this cooking machine. He has 14 different grilling products with prices ranging from: $20 - $150. I have my eye on the Grill and Griddle/side-by-side: http://igrillwithgeorge.com/GF64G.html. This would be perfect for our big Saturday breakfast.

Healthy Changes For 2008

The arrival of 2008 has me wanting to take some healthy changes in my life. I hesitate to call these changes "new year resolutions" because as soon as I do I set myself up for failure. I honestly can not recall ever keeping a new year resolution for more than a couple of months. It's not as though I haven't been successful in making necessary changes in my life, but I as soon as I call them "new year resolutions" I'm certain to fail. With that being said, here is a list of goals/changes that I have set for myself in 2008:

I want to get more involved with my church. This is probably the most important change I will make to in 2008. I don't feel like I am giving enough of myself to this part of my life. We recently changed parishes and I see such a wonderful opportunity to get involved, not only to volunteer my time, but also many oppurtunities to embrace my Catholic faith. I've taken the first step by signing up for weekly scripture study on Tuesday nights. This session will be an examination of St. Paul's letter to the Romans. I'm really excited about doing this.

I want to be in a size 6 by June. I started a weight loss program in August and I had loss 30 pounds. The holidays came around and I'm sad to say I gained 4 pounds. What's different this time around is the fact that I stepped on the scale and did not let this set back become a huge downfall. I went to Curves this morning and worked my butt off. I think if I lose about 8-10 pounds I will be in a size 6 comfortably.

I have stopped drinking Diet Pepsi and have increased my water intake. Every nutrition expert I've listen to has said to eliminate carbonated soft drinks from your diet. Also, I've heard success stories of people who have lost a lot of weight and 9 out of 10 times they will say they no longer drink Pepsi/Coke products. I am done ignoring this information.
I will exercise 5 times a week. I have never felt better than I do when I am exercising on a regular basis. Not only physically but my mood is lifted when I am following a regular exercise routine.

I want to get organized! This is a big one for me. To be honest with you, I'm really not the problem as much as Walt is. He can not part with nothing. He always thinks we will some day use that 8-track cassette player (ok, he's not that bad but pretty darn close..LOL). I want to do a complete overhaul to our garage, storage room in the basement, and filing cabinets in our office. My closets need a good cleaning out also.

Well there you have the changes/goals I have set for myself for 2008. I love the feeling of determination and hope the new year always brings me. I what to take these feelings and put them to good use. How about you? Do you have any (dare I say) resolutions for 2008?

Happy New Year!

Michigan welcomed 2008 with a winter storm. The national weather service had issued a winter storm warning for our area late yesterday afternoon. Because of the warnings my parents decided to stay home this New Year's eve. Our little celebration with the kids and my sister and brother in-law was fun but we sure did miss having dad and mom with us. I honestly can't remember ever not ushering the new year in without my mom and dad. At two minutes to midnight we got on the phone with my parents and we did the countdown together as we watch the ball drop on tv.

Today we will have a relaxing day of watching football (Michigan vs. Florida), playing board games and watching movies. I love days like today. Happy New Year!

A New Year Prayer

Holy Father,

God of our yesterdays, our today, and our tomorrows.
We praise You for Your unequaled greatness.

Thank You for the year behind us and for the year ahead.

Help us in Your new year, Father, to fret less and laugh more.
To teach our children to laugh by laughing with them.
To teach others to love by loving them.

Knowing, when Love came to the stable in Bethlehem, He came for us.
So that Love could be with us, and we could know You.
That we could share Love with others.

Help us, Father, to hear Your love song in every sunrise,
in the chriping of sparrows in our backyards,
in the stories of our old folks, and the fantasies of our children.

Help us to stop and listen to Your love songs,
so that we may know You better and better.
We rejoice in the world You loved into being.

Thank You for another new year and for new chances every day.
We pray for peace, for light, and for hope, that we might spread them to others.
Forgive us for falling short this past year.
We leave the irreparable past in your hands, and step out into the unknown new year knowing You will go with us.

We accept Your gift of a new year and we rejoice in what's ahead, depending on You to help us do exactly what You want..
I say it again, we rejoice!

In Jesus name,
Amen.