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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Merck & Co. said Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing its application to sell a pill form of its drug for preventing dangerous fungal infections in high-risk patients.
Noxafil, known chemically as posaconazole, is already sold in a liquid form, approved for patients aged 13 and older. It's given to patients who have severely weakened immune systems that put them at high risk of infections from fungi including Aspergillus and Candida.
That includes cancer patients who have low levels of infection-fighting white blood cells due to chemotherapy, organ transplant patients with a life-threatening complication called graft-versus-host disease and patients who have received stem cell transplants.
"Invasive fungal infections are a significant cause of illness and death among severely immune-compromised patients," Dr. Robin Isaacs, head of infectious disease clinical research at Merck Research Laboratories, said in a statement.
Merck, which is based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., is seeking U.S. approval to sell the pills as a once-a-day treatment, following an initial dose of two pills a day. In addition, the company has applied for approval to sell them in Europe, and it plans to seek approval from regulators in other countries.
In patient tests of the drug, a small number suffered liver complications, including liver failure and death. The most common side effects, reported in more than 30 percent of participants, were fever, diarrhea and nausea.
In addition, the drug is not recommended for people who are already taking a number of drugs, including immune-suppressing medicines, widely used statins for reducing cholesterol and blood pressure drugs called calcium channel blockers, as well as medicines for migraine headaches, Tourette's syndrome and irregular heart rhythms.
The drug has not been tested for safety in patients under 13 years old.
In afternoon trading, Merck shares were up $1.25, or 2.7 percent, at $46.76.
Follow Linda A. Johnson at http://twitter.com/LindaJ_onPharma.


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STORY: Devan can't help but blame God for his wife's death, so the last thing he wants to do this holiday season is celebrate. But when his daughter, Savanna, makes a special Christmas wish, their little family will never be the same. Filled with faith and tenderness, this heartwarming story is sure to remind you of the real power behind the magic of Christmas.
REVIEW: This is an extremely short story but it did convey the meaning of true Christmas and was told with care. It touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
We all tend to give in to the fast pace of life and most of the time hardly stop to think and contemplate the reasons behind this holiday that has been commercialized by the whole world. By telling us this story, author is reminding us that miracles do happen, but we need to believe in them as much as we have to believe in the birth of our Savior.
Devan and his daughter Savanna went through a tragedy which shocked both, and as they both are trying to come to terms with their loss in their own way, we are invited to witness their miracle and hope for one in our own lives by believing that the Savior was born unto us for a reason.
Heartwarming, sweet, tender and well told short [I was done in less than 30 minutes] story of true meaning of Christmas and miracles.
NOTE TO PUBLISHER: As much as I liked the story, I thought it priced too high for its length. At only 381 KB [10 pages of raw story] it should have been offered for far less than $2.99 and I hope that you would consider doing it. As a reader, I wouldn't buy it at that price, not because the story isn't worth it, but because the length is not. The author should not be penalized by the price you set for her work. This short story was a perfect vehicle for us to get to know Sara's work and I think by overpricing the story, that opportunity has been missed.

subset: commoncrawl


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Twenty-five people have been arrested and nearly a dozen more remain on the run after a four-year drug investigation into late Bay area rapper Mac Dre's independent label Thizz Entertainment. Authorities accuse the label of being a front for a nationwide Ecstasy operation.
Yesterday (April 24), several rappers affiliated with the label were arrested in a raid and charged with conspiracy to distribute ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, marijuana and codeine cough syrup, according to a report by AllHipHop. Authorities said, the rappers associated with Thizz used profits from their drug operation to financially maintain the label.
"This is another example of partnership that exists between the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Vallejo Police Department to improve the safety of our community and reduce the level of violence associated with drug dealing," Vallejo Police Chief Robert Nichelini said in a statement.
"We appreciate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California in coordinating the investigation and prosecuting the persons involved in such a complex and dangerous criminal enterprise," he added.
According to authorities, they confiscated 45,000 e-pills, four pounds of crack cocaine, eight ounces of heroin and $200,000 in cash during the raid. Police also allege that Thizz ran two inoperative pot shops and a seized over 200 acres of land that the group allegedly used to grow marijuana.
Mac Dre, considered a Bay area legend in some circles, was gunned down in 2004 in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2008, fellow Bay area rapper Andre "Mac Minister" Dow was convicted of murdering the man rumored to have killed Dre, Anthony "Fat Tone" Watkins. Dre's murder officially remains unsolved.


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Jeanne Lanvin, 1867-1946
Jeanne Lanvin began her career as a milliner in Paris in 1890, and later started the fashion house of Lanvin, the oldest Paris fashion house still in existance today. She became known for the dresses she made for her daughter, Marie-Blanche. Other mothers and young women wanted her designs for their own children and themselves.
She opened her clothing store in 1909, selling mother-daughter garments, and her "robes de style" designs. The "robes de style" dress consisted of a nipped in waist and full skirt; 18th century designs with modern embellishments. She was influential in bringing fashion such as Eastern styles to Paris, and the Chemise dress of the 1920's, as well as innovations like the modern department store. Her store was the first to dress the entire family in ready-to-wear clothing when she introduced a menswear department in 1926. She dressed many celebrity clients including Marlene Dietrich, Mary Pickford, and royalty from Italy, Romania, and England. Her impeccable craftsmanship and design has continued throughout the house's existence since her death in 1946 through today, under the direction of chief designer Elber Albaz.
Madame Jeanne Lanvin has always kept the symbol that inspired her and her fashions in her label logo. As seen in the label below, the left corner has an image of a mother kneeling in front of her daughter. This dress also has an Henri Bendel label which notes which store of fashion boutique it was sold at.
This Black Lace Evening Dress is from 1930 is a part of the Museum of Texas Tech's permanent collections. The overlay is completely made of lace, with ruffled layers making up the skirt for a flowing effect. There is a black silk shift, underlayer for lining. The straps have a cream, silk ribbon woven through the lace. An interesting design feature, the zipper is in the front of the bodice for decoration.


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Correction: Jack Stewart is vice chairman of the Fort Ord Veterans" Cemetery Citizens Advisory Committee. An earlier version of this article mischaracterized his role as a cemetery advocate.
The developers of the Monterey Downs project envision a track offering horse races and pari-mutuel betting about 38 days a year, an injection of jobs, educational training opportunities and a potential lifeline to an industry in decline.
The track, envisioned as a Central Coast version of the Del Mar race track, would run three to four days a week mid-August through Thanksgiving weekend, taking the race schedule Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley begrudgingly accepted with the 2008 closure of Bay Meadows in San Mateo. Managing partner Brian Boudreau said the project"s as-yet unrevealed financial backers see it as a much needed addition to California"s 16 pari-mutuel tracks.
Racing is but a portion of the project"s grandiose plans that include about 850 single-family residences — 400 apartments, many of them low-income for students and workers; an Olympic-quality swim and tennis facility; a "country walk" retail area; two hotels; numerous horse show arenas; and staging areas for hiking, biking and horseback trails.
Environmentalists say it will destroy one of the most pristine, oak-studded areas of the former Fort Ord. They have placed it among their top targets to be stopped.
In a detailed interview with The Herald"s editorial board, developers Boudreau and Beth Palmer said their plan is an environmentally balanced project that has evolved to meet the community"s needs.
A developer, horse breeder and former professional polo player, Boudreau said he came to Monterey County at the request of Supervisor Dave Potter, who asked him to help a group struggling to establish a horse park on Fort Ord. The Monterey Horsepark"s momentum had waned when San Francisco lost its bid for the 2012 Olympics, which could have included equestrian venues on Fort Ord.
Environmentalists note that Potter had provided Boudreau a necessary swing vote at the California Coastal Commission for a controversial thoroughbred project in the Santa Monica Mountains. Both Potter and Boudreau acknowledge that, but say they did not know each other before.
Boudreau said it was actually longtime acquaintance Myron "Doc" Etienne who cemented his interest. He had served with Etienne on other horse-related boards in the state but only learned on his first visit to Fort Ord that Etienne was involved with the horse park.
Soon he realized that Monterey"s climate and tourist attractions presented the perfect location for a year-round horse-training facility and racetrack that could complement the horse park. Wealthy interests in American and European horse racing, who he declines to identify, soon agreed.
Palmer, Boudreau"s former land-use attorney who now manages his daily operations, said it was talks with other groups and agencies that grew the still-evolving plan.
The Department of Defense was interested in an extended-stay hotel and dining options for its employees within walking distance to its Gigling Road offices. CSU Monterey Bay was looking for a village-like entertainment area and affordable apartments for its students. It also hopes to revive a veterinarian-technician program that used to be popular at Hartnell College.
The Monterey Peninsula Swim Association wanted a covered 50-meter pool to attract larger swim meets. And Seaside wanted a hotel and residential development.
The plan, Palmer said, would accommodate all of those while bringing hundreds of millions of dollars in wages and tourism. Santa Anita race track in Southern California, she said, produces $38 million in payroll alone.
Groups like the horse park and swim association would be provided the land but would build their own facilities.
Also included in the Monterey Downs proposal is the planned Fort Ord Veterans Cemetery. Opponents complain that both could be located at less-sensitive sites and that Monterey Downs has wrapped itself in the flag by hitching itself to a sympathetic project.
Palmer and Boudreau were accompanied to Thursday"s presentation by Jack Stewart, a former county veterans affairs spokesman and vice chairman of the Fort Ord Veterans" Cemetery Citizens Advisory Committee. Stewart said Monterey Downs is the only group that has stepped up with the money necessary to make the cemetery a reality.
Gordon Smith of Veterans Wild Fort Ord has vowed to raise a $1.5 million maintenance endowment fund the veterans need to move forward to block development on the "endowment parcel." The sale of that parcel by Seaside to Monterey Downs would otherwise supply the endowment fund.
Palmer on Thursday accused Smith and others of disingenuously showing support for the veterans while at the same time calling for them to find a new site. She, Boudreau and Stewart said other locations have been examined for both Monterey Downs and the cemetery and none was suitable.
Boudreau and Palmer also disputed the claim that development on Parker Flats, where the endowment parcel is located, was precluded by a 2002 land swap between the Fort Ord Reuse Authority and the county. That agreement relocated residential rights from Parker Flats to East Garrison, but the developers said their lawyers have determined it did not include Seaside"s portion of Parker Flats.
Seaside hopes to annex the county"s portion of Monterey Downs, which is set aside in the project for open space.
Additionally, Boudreau said, anyone proposing to take on responsibility for the endowment fund must also come up with an additional $900,000 the state is now requesting and must defend the veterans from any legal challenges, which Monterey Downs has promised to do.
Boudreau said it is his love of horse racing that is driving his passion for Monterey Downs. He also was accompanied Thursday by Etienne and rodeo supporter and veterinarian Tim Eastman, who said much has been done in the past decade to protect race horses.
Boudreau also disputed critics" claims that pari-mutuel racing is a dying industry. It is true that most gamblers who used to fill large venues like Bay Meadows have moved to online betting, he said. Those venues — Hollywood Park soon to be among them — are giving way to more profitable development.
But smaller venues like Del Mar are gaining attendance, he said. And as the larger venues close, they are pressured to take on more of the annual racing schedules. Boudreau hopes Monterey Downs will be licensed to relieve some of that pressure, operating three to four days a week for nine weeks in the late summer and fall, the Central Coast"s best time of year. The venue could be used for other events the rest of the time.
"The reason Del Mar is so successful in seven weeks and 35 days (of racing) is because people wait all year," he said. "Opening day is a huge event. Racing is a social event, people who come, come for enjoyment."
Virginia Hennessey can be reached at 753-6751 or email@example.com.


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S'more Energy, Please!
by Nick D'Alto
Hungry for alternatives to fossil fuels? Try cooking with sunshine, and learn how solar ovens are producing energy around the world!
In a refugee camp in rural Kenya, tribal villagers are preparing their dinner using an atomic stove—an oven powered by a thermonuclear fusion reactor. Is this scene for real?
Absolutely. The stove is the UNESCO-sponsored "CooKit"—a portable solar oven made from simple materials and powered by sunshine. These small, inexpensive devices are improving the lives of people around the world, by letting them use a distant nuclear reactor—Earth's sun—to cook food, distill fresh drinking water, and even sterilize medical instruments and supplies.
It may sound unlikely. ("Yeah, right," you say.) After all, how much energy could there possibly be inside one square yard of sunshine? Believe it or not, over 1.4 kilowatts—enough energy to power more than a dozen light bulbs!
In fact, the only reason that the sun doesn't fry us all is that cloud cover, Earth's atmosphere—plus, a relatively low azimuth (the sun's angle in the sky) reduces the average amount of solar power that reaches the ground (called the mean solar flux) to just more than that given off by a 100-watt light bulb. Find a way to catch that still respectable amount of energy by building a solar oven—just some reflectors, a black cooking surface, and a glass cover—and you've got a free, no-pollution way to replace fossil fuel.
Gravity is so powerful at the sun's core that each second, billions of tons of hydrogen atoms undergo nuclear fusion, generating 400 billion billion megawatts of power—the stuff you call sunshine.
Now, imagine riding on a stream of the sun's photons (the term for "packets" of light energy) as they travel 93 million miles to Earth. At 186,000 miles per second (the speed of light), it takes just eight seconds for the sun's rays to reach your solar oven.
Lucky thing—sunlight has an average wavelength (that's the distance between "waves" of energy) that lets it pass right through the oven's glass cover. (By the way, that's why glass is transparent.) Next, the light strikes the black cooking surface. Too bad—its luck just ran out. The light's energy gets absorbed. In fact, that's why a black surface appears black to our eyes—light goes in, but it can't get out!
Inside the surface's walls, light energy is converted to molecular vibration; the surface gets hot. And because heat waves have a much longer wavelength than light waves, they can't pass through the glass cover. Like an energy "jail," the heat stays trapped.
- Nuclear fusion on the sun liberates photons of light energy.
- Light's wavelength lets it pass right through the oven's glass.
- Light gets converted to molecular vibration (heat) in the cooking pot.
That's the science behind solar ovens. Sound familiar? It's the same reason parked cars get hot in summer. Also, it's why too much CO2 makes Earth's temperature rise. Thermodynamicists (physicists who study heat conversion into other energy forms) call this "the greenhouse effect"—bad when it happens in the environment, but good inside a solar oven.
Engineers can make this process even better by incorporating insulation (materials that slow heat flow) in the oven's walls. They can also catch more power by improving the collector's reflectivity (its shininess) and its orientation to the sun. Collectors called heliostats can follow the sun in the sky, while parabolic (curved) collectors focus light to a single point. Forget roast chicken—make them big enough, and these solar furnaces can melt steel!
However, high-tech isn't always best. Appropriate technology (using only indigenous—native—materials) enables rural peoples around the world to create their own solar appliances. In India, ingeniously designed solar ovens are preventing the destruction of acres of forest each year that previously were cut for firewood and then burned, contributing to pollution. That's how solar solutions can help solve the energy crisis—and maybe even save the planet.
So, are you ready to build your own "nuclear-powered" toaster oven? It's easy!
- You'll Need:
- 4 pieces of cardboard (each a foot square)
- Roll of aluminum foil
- Sheet of black construction paper (your "cooking surface")
- Slice of apple
- Supermarket oven-roasting bag (your "oven")
- To make reflectors, simply cover the sheets of cardboard with the aluminum foil.
- Wait for a bright, sunny day and place your cooking surface in direct sunlight (preferably on a flat rock or picnic table).
- Position the reflectors at angles around the cooking surface to catch the sun. (WARNING: To protect your eyes, NEVER look into the reflectors or at the sun!)
- Pop a slice of apple into your oven and place it on your cooking surface.
- Begin cooking!
- Come back 20 minutes later, and your apple will be baked!
As a solar engineer, you can boost your oven's efficiency. For example, can you angle the reflectors to generate more heat? Try different reflector geometries and then test your heat factor by cooking different foods. (mmmm!) You can also use an oven thermometer. Evaluate the benefits of insulation by elevating your black cooking surface (try a few small stones) to let a layer of air pass beneath it. Does your oven's temperature stay consistently hotter?
Hungry for s'more? Then try some of our sizzling "solar snacks" (below). Using the brilliance of photonic science, your next snack can be "atomic-powered." And all because you live just eight seconds from a nuclear power plant (traveling at the speed of light, that is)!
- distill:
- Purify.
- refugee:
- A person who escapes to another place to find protection or shelter from danger or trouble.
- How does a solar oven work? Write a short paragraph explaining how the oven works.
Answer: A solar oven works by capturing the sun's light and transforming that light into heat energy that is used to cook food. Waves of sunlight travel to Earth's surface. In a solar oven, the rays pass through a plate of glass and then hit a black wall or a reflective surface. When the light hits this surface, it is transformed into heat energy. The heat energy cannot pass through the glass the way light can, so the heat energy is trapped inside the glass. The food inside the glass is cooked with this heat energy.
- Why might solar ovens work better in some parts of the world than in other parts of the world?
Answer: Solar ovens might work better in parts of the world that get more sunshine or have longer days. If an area has short days, or if the sunlight is not very strong, a solar oven would not work as well.


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Current Selections
A minimal design with unlimited uses, the Cooper bench can be placed indoors or out. Made from solid aluminum and given a durable powder-coated finish, each bench features the subtle markings that come only from handwelding. Please note: Yellow, Blossom, Orange and Red not suitable for outdoor use.See the full Cooper collection
Details of Cooper 29w 15d 16h Bench
Product Details
- Dimensions: 29"w 15"d 16"h
- Floor to Bottom Clearance: 15"h
- Space Between Legs: 28.75"w
- Leg Thickness: .125"w
- Product Origin: made in Minnesota
- Material Origin: imported
- Item Number: 087163
- See all photos
Material Details
- Material: aluminum
- Color: yellow
- Finish: powder-coat
- Material Description: Our aluminum offers a lighter-weight alternative to steel. Beautiful and durable for both our indoor and outdoor furniture, aluminum is highly resistant to corrosion, scratching and denting.
- Material: aluminum
- Color: yellow
- Finish: powder-coat
- Colors may vary depending on your monitor and printer. For color accuracy, request a swatch.
Receive unlimited items for only $99 within 100 miles of our stores or $139 anywhere else in the contiguous United States. Plus enjoy free UPS shipping on hundreds of select items. Learn more: www.roomandboard.com/delivery
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More than 90% of our products are manufactured in America using quality U.S. and imported materials. Working with family-owned companies around the country allows us to bring you the best craftsmanship and fastest delivery with the least environmental impact. It also means you get furniture with a story you'll be proud to share.
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We stand behind the quality of our products and the prices we charge. If you're not satisfied with your purchase or any part of your experience, just let us know. We're here to help.


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|I finally found figs at the farmers market! I have been waiting so patiently. Every week the man said "next week, try next week" and finally the day has come! Aren't they beautiful? The colors are so bright and bold. Since I already had the george foreman heated up from my eggplants, I threw on some of the figs to bring out the sweetness and caramelize them a bit. They were warm, gooey and sweet. Great as a quick dessert topping on ice cream, or my favorite, mascarpone. I drizzled some honey on them just for a bit more sweetness. You could even stuff them with goat cheese and they become a savory appetizer! Yum!
Tuesday, August 18
Grilled Figs
16 comments:
- Leslie said...
mmm.what a nice, easy and healthy treat
- August 18, 2009 at 6:43 PM
- KennyT said...
Oh, I love enjoying figs this way too, fresh figs are terribly expensive in Hong Kong.
- August 18, 2009 at 6:44 PM
- LK- Healthy Delicious said...
mmmm my fave!!! I think I could eat fresh figs every day and never get tired of them.
- August 18, 2009 at 6:57 PM
- girlichef said...
Oh I'm so jealous...how I wish that I could get fresh figs!!!!
- August 18, 2009 at 7:49 PM
- Stacey Snacks said...
and you didn't dedicate this post to me?
I think I am going to lose readers to my blog because I talk about figs way too much!
I made spiced figs this week and they were to die for!
I eat them every a.m. on my Greek yogurt.
I hate when summer ends, because that means no more figs.
boo hoo.
- August 18, 2009 at 8:43 PM
- Nutmeg Nanny said...
Mmmmmmmmmmm grilled figs. Delicious!
- August 18, 2009 at 11:10 PM
- Rosa's Yummy Yums said...
Simple and fantastic!
- August 19, 2009 at 1:43 AM
- Parita said...
Nice idea!
- August 19, 2009 at 8:00 AM
- Reeni♥ said...
So simple but so divinely delicious! I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of these beauties too.
- August 19, 2009 at 11:18 AM
- Faith said...
I love how grilling really brings out the figs' sweet flavor...delicious!
- August 19, 2009 at 2:39 PM
- Cucinista said...
I live for fig season. When it finally comes I eat as many as I can in as many ways as I can. I like what you've done -- so simple, yet so genius!
- August 19, 2009 at 4:52 PM
- Hannah said...
I don't usually go for plain, fresh figs... But maybe that's because I've never had them like this! I'll have to keep an eye out for when they return to local markets to try this technique. :)
- August 19, 2009 at 10:33 PM
- Michele said...
Fantastic recipe!!
- August 20, 2009 at 12:01 AM
- ♥peachkins♥ said...
grilled fruit are always the best dessert. healthy and yummy! I've never had fresh figs,though
- August 20, 2009 at 2:14 AM
- ChichaJo said...
Oooh! I'm so jealous! I love fresh figs but they don't grow them here so I've only ever had them out of the country...these looks gorgeous!
- August 20, 2009 at 7:38 AM
- nora@ffr said...
vat a great idea!! shud try this soon!
- August 21, 2009 at 12:22 PM


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Dec. 18, 2008 -- Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are set to launch the first diet drinks sweetened with stevia that have the FDA's blessing -- or at least, its lack of objections.
Stevia is a shrub native to South America. Until recently, the FDA only allowed sweeteners made from stevia to be sold as dietary supplements, and not as food additives.
But now, the FDA has indicated that it has no objection to two stevia products -- Truvia and PureVia -- being used as food additives. Truvia and PureVia are already being sold as tabletop sweeteners.
Truvia was created by Coca-Cola and Cargill. Coca-Cola's first Truvia-sweetened drink is Sprite Green, a reduced-calorie soft drink that will debut in two U.S. cities this month and become more widely available in 2009, according to a Coca-Cola news release that doesn't name the two cities where Sprite Green will debut.
In the news release, Coca-Cola says it plans "many" other Truvia-sweetened beverages in the future, including low-calorie and zero-calorie drinks.
PureVia comes from PepsiCo and Whole Earth Sweetener Company. PepsiCo's first products containing PureVia will be zero-calorie SoBe Lifewater in three flavors (Black and Blue Berry, Fuji Apple Pear, and Yumberry Pomegranate), and a new orange juice drink called Trop50, which will contain 50% less sugar and calories than regular orange juice.
The SoBe drinks are coming "soon" and Trop50 will launch in March, PepsiCo and Whole Earth Sweetener Company state in a joint news release.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) issued a news release that says, "Shame on the Food and Drug Administration" for its decision on rebaudioside A, the stevia extract in Truvia and PureVia. The CSPI calls for further safety tests of rebaudioside A.
"It is far too soon to allow this substance in the diet sodas and juice drinks consumed by millions of people," says CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson, who calls for the FDA's decision to be reversed.


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Should You Adopt a Cloud First Strategy?
The concept of a "Cloud First" strategy began in the U.S. federal government and has since spread into the commercial sector. Is it a viable option for your organization? Here are some success stories worth considering:
Cloud First was a mandate issued to all federal agencies by the chief information officer of the United States in December 2010. By 2012, a subsequent report to Congress showed that more than half of all federal agencies had adopted cloud computing for at least one application.
The Cloud First mandate was a follow on to an earlier government IT initiative: the Federal Data Center Consolidation Initiative (FDCCI). To date, FDCCI has tracked 1,000 federal data centers that have closed or are scheduled to close in 2014; many of these closures are a direct result of cloud-delivered applications.
Despite the apparent government success, Cloud First has its share of detractors, including those critical of the trouble-prone launch of HealthCare.gov. Detractors quote studies that indicated that agencies don't seem to move to the cloud fast enough. They also tend to blame slow adoption on a lack of federal technical expertise in cloud deployments.
Cloud Success in the Government Sector
By now, there are many examples of productive cloud deployments within the federal government, including the following examples cited by MeriTalk:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): Cloud platforms don't have to be implemented at huge agencies to be productive. The ATF, with 4,700 employees, was able to save $1 million a year after it moved email to the cloud.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): This department with more than 100,000 employees also moved email to a public cloud. At the same time, it ran an internal private cloud enhanced by other vendor solutions. In its first three years, this internal/external cloud construct saved the USDA $75 million. The organization anticipates eventually reaching $200 million in savings.
- The Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (RATB): The RATB was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to track stimulus spending. After migrating to Infrastructure as a Service on a public cloud, the RATB was able to save $854,800 in two years.
DCIG 2013 Private Cloud Storage Array Buyer's Guide
Cloud Success in the Commercial Sector
In the commercial sector, one company that made a bold move into the cloud is Veyance Technologies, a 6,000-person manufacturing firm based in Ohio. Typical for a company its size, the Veyance IT group supported about 120 applications running a variety of operating systems on multiple servers in various hosted locations.
According to CIO John Hill, Veyance wanted to move away from its siloed, multi-local architecture. The following diagram, while not specific to Veyance, represents a traditional IT infrastructure and illustrates how application and data management silos can develop.
Source: NetApp
According to Hill, Veyance IT wanted to replace the silos to enable the company to operate as a "true global entity." Knowing that a traditional IT infrastructure would limit this ability, Hill embarked on his own type of Cloud First campaign. He began to move Veyance applications to Virtustream, a cloud-based service provider that specializes in business applications such as SAP®. He used every form of application migration available: virtual-to-virtual, physical-to-physical, physical-to-virtual, and even brute-force heterogeneous data migration.
Dozens of vendors and nearly 100 workers accomplished this feat in less than seven months, on budget and with no unplanned downtime.
The full cloud migration delivered impressive results: a 30% reduction in hosting costs and reduced equipment, licensing and labor costs—all with a substantial capacity increase. More important, when the information silos were removed, Veyance was able to streamline and coordinate global operations and improve overall productivity and collaboration.
Guidance for Moving Forward in the Cloud
Such cloud use cases, in both the federal and commercial sectors, lend credence to embracing a Cloud First strategy. If you are contemplating a similar path to the cloud, here are some tips from Hill's experience at Veyance:
- Inventory is key: Hill stresses the need to "know your environment." This includes performing an extensive inventory to define dependencies or unknowns.
- Choose providers with care: Make sure your service provider is "enterprise-focused," and provides "robust support" for various enterprise cloud computing scenarios, according to Hill.
- Look for expertise in migration and colocation: Work with providers who can manage complex migrations and can colocate workloads that can't be moved to the cloud.
- Standardize: Veyance successfully standardized on server, storage and networking technologies that were both highly scalable and high-performance.
Cloud First is one approach to embracing the cloud. There are many other paths to cloud success. Whichever path your company takes, having the right partners is key. For more information about how NetApp and its partners helped Veyance succeed in its transition to cloud services, watch this short video or download the case study.
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The selection torque for determining the double joint size is calculated from the engine moment distribution and the maximum gear ratio, including the differential gear ratio.
The load from the wheel adhesion torque, determined by the axle load, tyre rolling radius, coefficient of friction and possibly final drive ratio, must be checked.
Formulae symbols in addition to 8.2:
The lower of the two torques must not exceed the nominal moment of the double jointed shaft.
The double jointed shaft determined in this way has an adequate life as the time proportion of maximum load is usually very low.
If the vehicle is driven mainly or exclusively via driven steering axles, the life must be checked.
In these cases, we recommend making the selection on the basis of the collective load in collaboration with us.
The transferability of double jointed shafts decreases as the deflection angle increases. This limitation is usually insignificant as in practice the maximum engine torque is not transmitted at full steering lock of the wheels for technical reasons.
10.1 Load on Shaft Bearings
Double jointed shafts must be supported on bearings on both shaft halves immediately next to the joint, where the driven shaft or wheel hub pin is axially fixed and the drive shaft must be axially mobile (see sections 9.1 and 9.2).
When the moment is transferred, additional forces are generated which must be taken into account in the dimensioning of the shaft bearings.
Fig. 31:
According to section 7.2 the bearing forces are calculated as follows (Fig. 31.)
Bearing load in B:
Bearing load in C:
The axle shaft which is normally longest in practice (drive shaft) should therefore not be dimensioned from the torque, but because of the bending must be stronger. Bearing B should be either an adjustable ball bearing or must have a small bearing width so that the oblique position B can be supported by the bearing without constraint.
The elastic flexion is determined as follows:
The oblique position of the shaft bearing is:
The loading conditions on the driven shaft (wheel hub pin) are similar. The flexion here is usually irrelevant because of the shorter lengths.
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Tapes, Records & DVDs: 5 Clever Uses for Outdated Technology
New technologies come and go, and in the process, we're left with all of these physical reminders of times gone by. Sure, you could take those artifacts and toss them in the recycle bin, but what fun would that be? Instead, we've got a few suggestions on what to do with that old tech, and how to make it useful again.
• Make Art With an Old Casette Tape: Admittedly, this takes a lot of talent and a creative eye, but why not design something creative? Artist Erika Simmons made this and many other beautiful works of art all using tape.
• Vinyl iPhone Case: Custom shaped out of an old vinyl record complete with a 45 adapter, this gadget protector makes what's old new again.
• VHS Tape Gift Wrapping: There are miles worth of tape inside old VCR videotapes, why not put them to good use? Recycle them by pulling them out of the tape and use them as gift wrap.
• Vinyl Business Card Holder: Liven up your desk with a business card holder made from two vinyl records.
• Build a Hidden Cabinet Using Old DVD Cases: Nothing makes you feel more like Batman than a hidden storage compartment. Using a few tools and some old DVD cases, you can make a cabinet door that everyone else will think holds your old movies, and not that expensive trinket you keep stashed inside.
(Images: 1. Erika Simmons, a.k.a. Iri5; Woman's Day 2. VLING 3. Diane Gilleland, Crafty By Nature 4. Groovy, Art Gallery 18 5. Instructables)


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text: Peaceably long wood and iron coffee table has a rar design long coffeetables uk long thin coffee table long narrow coffee table long coffee tables. adorable small eleh bench or coffee table by sergio rodrigues brazil bench coffee table narrow. particular coffee rectangle narrow coffee tables end tables as wells as living room narrowcoffee table bench coffee narrow coffee table designs ideas narrow coffee awesome narrow coffee table glass design thin ikea uk bench style wood long ideas for small space ultra outdoor. arresting storage narrow coffee tables in sque farm coffee table round coffee table plus storage for farm coffee tablewithin large coffee tables narrow coffee table. antique small coffee table with small coffee table in bedroom plus baskets.


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Thomas Rude sent this in.
Santa Clara-Wrestling For Charity at the Buchser Middle School: Marcus Cary Lewis pinned Ray Rosas in a Mission City Cup Qualifier…David Dutra pinned Sledge in a Mission City Cup Qualifier…Jeff Cobb pinned Sione Finau in a Mission City Cup Qualifier…Drake Younger & Joey Ryan defeated Will Rood & Vinnie Massaro in a Falls Count Anywhere Match…Jeff Cobb defeated Marcus Lewis & Dave Dutra to with the Mission City Cup…Pink Mink Inc. (Matt Carlos & Rik Luxury) defeated Gangrel & El Chupacabra by DQ…Jeckles pinned Willie Mack. (10/25/13).
Fairhaven-Whaling City Wrestling at the Fairhaven VFW: The Student Body defeated Mack Attack in a Clipboard on a Pole Match…Sheik Ahmed Jordan pinned Rock~Face…Mike Nice pinned Shady Stranger…Nikki Valentine defeated Amanda Fox in a Costume Match…The Influence defeated The Convicts and Kevin Stryder & Chris Cruise in a Triple Threat Match…Scott Levesque defeated Dan Strikes in a Trick or Treat Match…Roger Williams M.D. defeated Christopher James by DQ…Redemption defeated Devin Blaze, Eric Dylan & Derrick Andrews in a Fatal 4-Way Match…Kris Pyro vs. Davey Cash went to a No Contest. (10/25/13)
Pulaski-Pulaski Wrestling Association at the National Guard Armory: Michael Anthony defeated Mark Nickles in an Ambulance Match…Hillbilly Deluxe defeated Mossy Moss & Travis Locke in a Best 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match…Dustin Benjamin defeated Floyd in a Casket Match…Kurt Nickles defeated Vengance in a Fan-Participation Lumberjack Strap Match…Jason Starr defeated Jay Kraft in a King of the Mountain Ladder Match. (10/25/13)
Austin-AIWF Total Champion Wrestling at the Dove Springs Recreation Center: Virus defeated King Patrick Hart in a Falls Count Anywhere Match…Ray Ortiz pinned Anubis and Anubis is banished from TCW…Zane Xena pinned Serria Sin…Seth Anunnaki pinned Cashmoney…Bad Boyz defeated The Lost Boys…Badd Blood & Johnny Axxle defeated Mr B & Mikey 13 in a Tag Team Lumberjack Match…Mikey 13 won the Over the Top Battle Royal to become the Number One Contender. (10/26/13)
Killeen-AIWF Total Championship Wrestling at the Killeen Community Center: S12 pinned Larry Cants…Cashmoney pinned Ruthless Lala in an Inter-gender Match…Seth Anunnaki pinned Sammy Haggard…S12 defeated Patrick Hart by Countout…Johnny Ale pinned Thomas Shire…Bad Boyz (Lil' Tony & Chavez) defeated Submission Squad (Davey Vega & Pierre Abernathy…Brysin Scott pinned Mr. B…Mikey 13 defeated Evan Gelistico by Submission. (10/19/13)


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Stage 1 Childcare
Lake County Department of Social Services (LCDSS) contracts with the local Alternative Payment Provider (APP) for Stage 1 Childcare provider payments. The contractor meets with each WtW participant to educate and advise on choosing appropriate childcare providers. If the participant is having difficulties in obtaining a childcare provider, contract staff will assist. Once a provider has been found, the contractor meets with the participant and provider and informs them of program regulations and policies, and ensures the provider meets licensing or registration requirements. Each month the contractor verifies monthly participation hours against providers' claims, authorizes payments and then forwards to LCDSS for payment.


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When planning vacations, I do not take into consideration the possibility of torrential rain or unforeseeable weather conditions that would stop regular activities for more than an hour or two. While most of my tropical vacations have been during the "rainy" season, I usually have had pretty good luck from Mother Nature. A few times I have experienced the afternoon thundershowers and random short downpours. I view those as perfect for an afternoon nap, some quiet downtime, or even a swim in the rain. A couple of years back, while visiting the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, that all changed. My family and I experienced some crazy weather and received a quick education on what a Tropical Depression really means.
The afternoon before the "storm" began with dark skies and scattered showers. That was nothing we couldn't handle. We went to bed naive of the storm warnings and awoke totally shocked to a flooded bedroom, over flowing pool, and unimaginable amounts of water falling from the sky. After a couple of hours of board games, eating, and jumping on furniture, it was time for the family to make an escape. We needed to get out. I searched the web and came up with a few ideas of what to do with 4 kids, in a foreign county, in torrential downpour. We came across the ideas of shopping, museums (not in the right place for that), and bar hopping. We decided on shopping…
We took one of the scariest taxi rides of our life. We were literally racing through what seemed like rushing rivers of water to finally arrive at the mall of Playa del Carmen. Let's just say that calling it a mall was a bit of a stretch. It was an experience that lasted all of about 30 minutes. The "mall" was somewhat of a flea market. It was filled with pharmacies, souvenier shops, portable carts, and anchored by a store that remided me of the childhood memory of FEDCO (a 1970's California discount store). Oh, there was a movie theater, but watching a movie in Spanish wasn't going to fly with the kids (or grownups). Needless to say, things were decling rapidly and I needed to act quickly. I remembered one thing that stood out during my searching the web of things to do…bar hopping. Surely, not what I had envisioned during a family trip, but at that point we were game for anything.
Off we set to 5th Avenue for a search for the best margaritas and chicken wings in town. We had the kids in tow and were thankful for the fact that World Cup Soccer was on at every bar in town. The crowds were huge and loud. At least no one would take notice of our obnoxious and under stimulated children. We spent the next several hours and the better part of the next day bar hopping. The kids drank more sugar than they have ever possibly ingested in a 2 day window, made new friends, ate some fabulous chicken wings, and rode out the storm. It was a great time had by all. Salud!


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H. Absalan
Feeding ecology of the Asiatic cheetah Acinonyx jubatus venaticus in low prey habitats in northeastern Iran: implications for effective conservation
Feeding ecology of the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah was investigated from 2004 to 2009 in northeastern Iran … Read more »
12.01.2012 • Scientific Papers • By M.S. Farhadinia, F. Hosseini-Zavarei, B. Nezami, H. Harati, H. Absalan, E. Fabiano, L.L. Marker


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Editor's note: The writer is a member of the UD-3 school board and a retired public school elementary teacher.
Though I am a school board member, the views expressed here are my own.
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On A Positive Note: Denver's Barry Curtiss-Lusher is ADL's new national chair
Denver civic leader Barry Curtiss-Lusher is the new national chair of the Anti-Defamation League. He was named to the post at the group's annual meeting in Chicago.
A past chair of the ADL's Mountain States chapter, Curtiss-Lusher is the founder and principal at McKenzie Curtiss-Lusher & Associates. He has a bachelor of arts degree from Yale and earned his juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.
Along with his wife, Gay, he supports such local nonprofits as National Jewish Health, Mizel Arts & Culture Center and the Robert Loup Jewish Community Center.
Good reason to be proud
Laura Cowperthwaite, a broker associate at Your Castle Real Estate, is one proud mama: Her son, Brandon, a graduate of Denver School of the Arts, is heading off to Udine, Italy, to choreograph the opening event for the Associazione Danza e Balletto's International Dance Gala, benefiting the Italian Red Cross.
His "East West Suite" will be danced by the Gruppo Stabile Udinese.
This is good
Shane Schmutz, founder and executive director of Veteran's Passport to Hope, traveled to Colorado Springs last week to present a check for $245,633.61 to representatives from the Wounded Warrior Project. The money represents net proceeds from an Oct. 4 gala that Schmutz organized at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum … Creator Mundi, a sacred art shop at 2910 E. Third Ave. in Cherry Creek North, is donating 15 percent of its sales through Dec. 1 to Centus Counseling Centers … Junior League sustainter Linda Bowen Scott introduces her Bijoux Prive Collection at a trunk show on Nov. 27. It's from 6-9 a.m. at Dan Sharp Luxury Outerwear, 218 Steele St. in Cherry Creek North.
I do! I do!
Congratulations to Valerie Nosler, the director of scheduling for Gov. John Hickenlooper, who exchanged wedding vows with Sam Beck, who works in the oil and gas industry, on Nov. 17 at Devil's Thumb Ranch.
Roxane White, who is both an ordained minister and the governor's chief of staff, provided the spiritual elements of the Colorado-themed nuptials, while Hickenlooper conducted a civil service. He also delivered a gubernatorial proclamation that declared the "day be filled celebration."
The unofficial state motto, 'Tis a privilege to live in Colorado, was carried out over the course of the wedding weekend as guests enjoyed a s'mores roast, Colorado beers and wines, food and music. Even the signing of the marriage license was completed on a table decorated with the Colorado state flag.
The wedding ceremony was followed by a music-filled reception where the 130 guests dined on the the bride and groom's favorite food: burritos.
A couple chose the British Virgin Islands for the honeymoon destination.
Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314, email@example.com and @GetItWrite on Twitter


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Reviewed by Dina G. (age 6)
This story reminds me of when you're in a big snow. You have too much snow, and you get lost. Your family is wondering where you are and they are worrying about you. This story teaches you a lesson. Before you go outside, look at the sky to see if it's going to snow.
What I liked about this book was that it has a happy ending and it has a snowy beginning, too. I think 1st and 2nd graders will like to read this book because it is kind of like a mystery. I think the show and the star parts would interest the readers, too.
The illustrator used water color paints to color the pages. I think the pages are like my life. It has snow, like my home in Lebanon. The pictures are colored in blue, orange, white, red, yellow, green, and purple.


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A day with Lesley Waters
Dorset is a very foodie county, renowned for its excellent produce flavoured by many celebrity chefs. One of those is Lesley Waters, who has been a regular feature on our TV screens for years. Lesley fell in love with Dorset just over a decade ago and made Dorset her home, converting a beautiful stone cottage on the rolling hills near to the Somerset border to create her own cookery school.
I recently spent a day at the Lesley Waters Cookery School with Lesley herself, hosted by Aga Rangemaster, cooking with some of the best of local produce. Lesley is a very dynamic lady and a wonderful teacher and hostess, making sure everyone gets involved and touches, smells and watches everything.
The cookery school itself is absolutely beautiful, with stunning views from every window. Inside, the kitchen is decorated in a rustic yet modern style, with both walls kitted out with gorgeous deep red Rangemaster cookers. Lesley is a fan of the Rangemaster cooker, which is a delight to use, with fan assisted ovens which make baking accurate and gas hobs which are easy to control and cook with.
We made a range of Lesley's signature dishes on the day which we enjoyed for lunch with a glass of fizz and I'm delighted to be able to share one of my favourite dishes of the day with you below.
Peppered scallops with puy lentil dressing
Adapted from the original recipe with permission
Serves 4
1 tablespoon olive oil
12 scallops, hand-dived and cleaned
Sea salt
2 tbsp torn basil leaves
10g butter
4 tbsp puy lentils, cooked
For the dressing
5 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
110g wild rocket leaves
110g sundried tomatoes
1) Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the scallops and season with salt and pepper. Cook for around 2-3 minutes on each side. Add the basil, butter and lentils and allow the scallops to cook for a further minute in the butter.
2) Mix the oil and balsamic vinegar together and add the rocket leaves and tomatoes. Mix well to evenly dress the salad. Place on a plate and top with the scallops and lentils. Serve immediately.


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KELOWNA, BC, CANADA — Traditional gym workouts are hitting the pool with aquatic fitness equipment that combines land- and water-based exercise without costly refurbishment or new construction.
"Traditional exercise subjects our bodies to impact, improper support, injuries, strains and pain," says Jill White, president of Waterplay Solutions Corp., a spray park and water treatment system provider based in Kelowna, BC, Canada. "We wanted to help people of virtually any age or ability achieve a healthy, active lifestyle with equipment that's easy to install and adapt to existing pool facilities."
The Waterplay equipment can transform any swimming pool more than 3.6 feet deep into a zero-impact gym, White says. Waterplay's eight portable, compact units easily can be installed, interchanged and removed to suit existing pool needs.
Aquatic fitness equipment allows operators of existing pool facilities to expand their programming with instructor-led classes, which can increase pool usage, grow client diversity, improve client retention and increase revenue, White says.
The water can be especially beneficial for physical rehabilitation, since typical land-based exercises require exercisers to bear their body weight in compromising positions and also because injuries restrict movement, she says. Aquatic fitness equipment can duplicate exercise movements in water with better control of repetitive impact, resistance and range of motion. Water's natural resistance provides a safe, even resistance, improving balance and strength in all muscle directions. Exercising in water also can increase range of motion because of the hydrostatic pressure of water, White says.
Waterplay offers eight pieces of equipment: AquaAbs, AquaClimber, AquaCycle, AquaRower, AquaStepper, AquaStrider, AquaTwister and AquaPullDip.


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Northern Michigan University serves as a training center for Upper Peninsula and Upper Great Lakes law enforcement personnel. The NMU Public Safety Institute coordinates these training programs, which include a 16-week regional training academy, basic and advanced law enforcement courses, programs and seminars.
The NMU Public Safety Institute is grant funded and offers the following courses when funding is available:
Basic courses cover such topics as firearms, precision driving, first aid and CPR, police tactics, defensive tactics, criminal justice, domestic violence, traffic enforcement, mountain bike patrol, criminal law and other law enforcement areas.
Advanced courses include legal update training, precision driving, advanced law enforcement training, tactical pistol course, first-line supervisor training, firearm instructor update and evidence photography.
To learn more about the courses, review course descriptions for Public Safety-Law Enforcement and Public Safety—Corrections.
For more information, please contact Lt. Kenneth D. Love, Coordinator of NMU Public Safety Institute and Regional Police Academy at 906-227-1408.
The 2013 Public Safety Institute Annual Report is now available for download viewing. Please select one of the available formats.Word | PDF
The PSI holds regularly scheduled EMPCO local corrections reading and writing and physical tests. The EMPCO Law Enforcement test is given on an as needed basis. We also give the MCOLES Pre-Physical fitness test on an as needed basis.


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The average listing price on SpeedList for this year, make, and model is $32,268.
This vehicle has been on SpeedList for 379 days.
Visit us @ www.acuraoforangepark.com (All prices do not include taxes, estimated tag fees, dealer documentary fee or dealer added equipment)
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And when it comes to on-screen depictions of the desert I'm drawn to Werner Herzog's "Fata Morgana," his early "documentary" that traces an inscrutable journey down through the Sahara desert. Certainly the film does have some gorgeous desert imagery, including this shot of a little boy walking his fennec fox on a leash across the sand dunes.
But "Fata Morgana" also shows the desolate edges, the areas scarred by human activity, not least military and industrial. Herzog is smart enough not to simply revel in the beauty of ugliness, and I think he's not indulging in the pleasure of ruins either, but he does show us that the wrecked and the damaged may be every bit as compelling as the pristine.
My own attitudes have changed over time. When I first started visiting deserts I wanted them clean and empty and devoid of human presence (well, any human presence except mine, naturally). And of course I still like those grand vistas of Joshua Tree and Death Valley, and I regularly go and walk in them, but on the way there I know I'll pass through some scrubby, frayed bits of desert, the outskirts of towns like Barstow, Boron or Baker, and I'll be drawn to deserted motels, abandoned houses, evidence of human presence as well as absence.
This has been on my mind a lot recently. I've been reading a book titled Edgelands by Paul Farley and Michael Symmons Roberts, a couple of British poets who go wandering around what the subtitle calls "England's true wilderness," the non-spaces that fail to appear either on topographical or mental maps: sewage works, parking lots, airports, scrap yards, and so on.
They write, "Somewhere in the hollows and spaces between our carefully managed wilderness and the creeping, flattening effects of global capitalism, there are still places where an overlooked England truly exists … complicated, unexamined places that thrive on disregard."
This is great stuff and certainly it doesn't apply only to England. And I don't the guys are just being perverse, like going to the Sistine chapel and admiring the floor. One of the most basic functions of writing is to point out things that otherwise might have been missed, and these guys do it royally.
The book also it made me realize that I have spent large chunks of my life walking in and admiring edgelands. For instance I love great Victorian railway architecture, the stations, the bridges, the engine sheds, but I'm actually more at home wandering along disused railway lines admiring those strange little shacks and huts that grow up alongside them.
And one of the things I've realized is that not all edgelands are at the edge. Sometimes there can be junk spaces right in the middle of things. My favorite non-space in that sense is shown in the picture above, an alley right in the heart of Hollywood, that runs off Las Palmas Avenue, just below Hollywood Boulevard. It may have a name but I can't find it on any of the maps I've got. It goes down the side of Miceli's Italian restaurant, but as the sign indicates, it belongs to somebody else "Supply Sergeant" which is an army surplus store nearby. And of course the absolute joy of it is the precision with which somebody has measured, recorded, and sign-painted the dimensions of this otherwise thoroughly nondescript space.


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The four stars of Teen Mom 2 are the queens of second thoughts. If it's not Kailyn considering moving to Texas, it's Jenelle rethinking moving in with Josh so fast (ya think??). I guess when you're young, it's easy to jump in with both feet and rethink the whole thing.
Sadly, as parents, there are no second thoughts.
Chelsea knows this. She spends all her time grieving over the loss of Adam, though. She may be a good mom, but second thoughts about Adam? Should be BANISHED. He is awful. Still, she had good news tonight. She passed two parts of her GED. Truly, it's impressive. She has worked hard for it. But Chelsea wasn't the drama of tonight.
Kailyn was in Texas visiting her half-sister she'd never met before as well as family members she hadn't seen in a long time. She was even sort of talking about potentially moving to Texas (good luck getting that idea across to Jo).
But even THAT wasn't the major drama of the night. Leah and Corey spent this episode trying to decide if they want to get back together. This time it actually was Corey being so unfair to Leah. He was suggesting they get back together only because she was with someone else. Unfortunately, it seems like he is jerking her around. Leah handled it well, but let's hope he doesn't pull this forever. Maybe it's just divorce growing pains?
But even Leah wasn't the MAJOR drama of the night. Nope. That honor belongs to Jenelle (surprise, surprise). She is a heartbreaker, that Jenelle. You can always tell she has a good heart and WANTS to do so well. But every part of her body and soul somehow rejects any opportunity she has to get it right.
She is on and off her meds. She alienates boyfriends, moves too quickly, and asks for overnights with Jace before she has even figured out her medication and living situation.
She is broken-hearted that she can't be with her son, but she needs to be a responsible grownup before she can be with Jace. Barbara has a lot of issues, but she is doing right by Jace by limiting his time with his mom. She isn't ready for full-time parenthood. By setting limits, Barbara is keeping her grandson safe from his irresponsible mom.
It's heartbreaking to watch as it's clear Jenelle loves Jace. But she has a long, LONG way to go before real motherhood is in the cards.
Do you think Barbara is in the right to keep Jace from Jenelle?
Image via MTV


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Next Episode of Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League is
The premiere pulling series in the UnitedStates, the highly popular Lucas Oil Pro Pulling League toursthe country showcasing the most extreme vehicles and the most talented pullingdrivers in the world. Featuring eight different vehicle classes from fourengine, 5000+ horsepower tractors, to flame throwing jet turbine poweredsemi-trucks, it is a uniquely American competition that highlights thecombination of sheer horsepower and driver skill.
The trucks and tractors head to Lucas Oil Speedway for the season finale. From Wheatland, Mo.
Pro Stock Tractors & Unlimited Super Stock Tractors. Part 3 from Henry, Ill. From July 16, 2016.
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Caesar wrote:Mate, wherever you go in the world, it is (almost) everywhere the same: 'F**k off- I'm living here and this is my kite spot...'Galeltic wrote:Hola
como esta ? jajajaja
i was there for 3 wks at kitebeach hotel and i noticed that dominica local kiters doesnt respect what learner's way so they usually block them ... What ashamed on local kiters always think of own kitebeach is belong to hotels ... one local kiter got jump up air and almost hit me , also i saw learner's way where i stop and let her go but other kiter didnt get heed what i done then hit me and my kite got tangled with his kite then i released it and swam quickly toward beach to get kite but how nice kid got my kite then i got it ....... what heavy traffic there by domonica kiters ,who should go other beach to kiting ! yes good food at extremekiting cafe booth
Let's start another tread- "Most offensive kiters"
On top of my list is: El Yaque-Venezuela (((why? )))


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Lemmer, Urk and Noordostpolder
A holiday in The Netherlands is not complete without paying a visit to the amazingly colorful tulip fields!
In April and May you can see and sometimes even walk through the tulip fields, shining in many bright colors.
A lot of these tulip fields in Holland can be found at the Noordoostpolder, the northern part of the Flevoland province. Flevoland is the youngest of the twelve provinces in Holland. Take some time to admire thousands of tulips, becoming one with the fantastic green landscapes in The Netherlands. After a visit to the Dutch tulip fields it's time to discover Urk. In this charming fishing town you can walk along authentic ships and historical houses. From the top of the local lighthouse you will be rewarded with a splendid view over the town and the IJsselmeer, an enormous artificial lake in Holland. You can also find Schokland and its beautiful surroundings at the Noordoostpolder. Schokland is a former island in Holland. Nowadays it's a nice archeological site with an old church, charming houses and a former seawall. Schokland can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List. During your stay at the Noordoostpolder you can also visit the Waterloopbos in Marknesse, a forest with many great examples of hydraulic engineering. The local hiking trail and visitor center is very entertaining and educational for families with children. As you can see, there is a lot you can do during your stay at the Noordoostpolder, a very unique natural area in Holland. Just north of the Noordoostpolder you can find Lemmer, a beautiful small town with a cozy atmosphere. Lemmer is a town in the southern part of Friesland, one of the most beautiful provinces in The Netherlands. A NOVASOL holiday home in Holland is a wonderful base for excursions to the Dutch landscapes.


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FOLSOM >> Bradley Wiggins of Britain, the 2012 Tour de France winner and Olympic time trial gold medalist, powered to a 44-second victory Monday in the Stage 2 individual time trial and moved into the race lead at the Tour of California.
Wiggins (SKY), the 98th rider in the field of 128, completed the flat 12.5-mile course in 23 minutes and 18 seconds at an average speed of 32.16 mph.
Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp) of Australia, who finished about one hour prior to Wiggins, was second in 24:02.
American Taylor Phinney (BMC) was third in 24:10.
Wiggins, 34, leads the eight-day race by 44 seconds over Dennis and 52 seconds over Phinney.
"I'm in really good shape," Wiggins said. "I'm a bit ahead of where I was in 2012 for the Tour de France. "So far, so good. You have to plan your races and so far it's been better than I planned."
Alison Powers of the United States (UnitedHealthcare) claimed the earlier 20-rider women's time trial, held on the same course, in 27:40.
Mark Cavendish of Britain (Omega Pharma Quick-Step), who held the first-day lead after his sprint win in Stage 1, finished 27th in Stage 2.
Phinney, who was a co-favorite in the stage, fell behind quickly at the halfway time check and couldn't make up time.
"I thought I could have done better, but I not really a hot weather rider," Phinney said. "But I did the best as I could and that's what it is all about. So I have to be satisfied."
Wiggins hadn't ridden in the Tour of California since 2008. But instead of racing in the Tour of Italy, Wiggins had focused on the event in the preparation for the Tour de France.
"It was a really fast course," Wiggins said. "I take it one day at a time. It will be a tough day tomorrow in the heat."
Temperatures reached the mid-80s in Stage 2, but the heat is expected to increase Tuesday in Stage 3 which concludes with a mountaintop finish on Mt. Diablo.
"I'll keep drinking water and I am used to the heat. But there's only so much the human body can take."
The eight-day race continues today with the 108.5-mile San Jose to Mt. Diablo road race. The estimated 720-mile event continues through Sunday in Thousand Oaks.


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Nothing screams �Summer!� more than an old-fashioned lemonade stand. It�s a childhood rite of passage that can teach your little one farm-to-table awareness and life skills, from communicating with grown-ups to counting money. And if the proceeds are given to charity, your child gets a lesson on the value of helping others. Kids as young as age 3 can be hands-on participants with help from Mom or Dad. Some tips to get you started:
See more: Homemade Honey Lemonade
Choose a charity Before setting up the lemonade stand, help your child decide where to donate his earnings. Find a local organization (such as an animal shelter) that�s meaningful to him. For a national list, go to charitychoices.com. Or try alexslemonade.org, an organization that raises money to fight childhood cancer through lemonade stands.
Pick the spot Positioning the lemonade stand where there is lots of foot traffic (for example, close to a church or temple, a busy sports field or a festival) will help boost business.
Make a stand You�ll need a small table, chairs, an insulated cooler, ice, paper cups, a covered trash can and spill-proof lemonade containers. Add colorful balloons or pinwheels to attract attention.
Price it right Figure out how much to charge ($.50 to $1 per cup should be about right) or simply ask for donations.
Create a sign Make it big and bold, and don�t forget to specify the name of the charity. Attach it to the front of the table or to two garden stakes that you press into the ground.
Spread the word Send out an electronic invitation to family and friends, and pass out flyers to neighbors or your child�s daycare or summer camp.
Make the lemonade Pick lemons from a tree if possible, and try our recipe for Homemade Honey Lemonade�it�s a winner! (Multiply the ingredients to make enough to serve your expected number of patrons.) Let your child help pick and squeeze the lemons and stir in the sugar-honey syrup.
Submit the dough If you�re donating to a local charity, bring your child with you to deliver the money in person.


text: In any season, having the right stroller will help you keep your sanity. While I won't miss wrestling my daughter Reese into her snowsuit, I'm glad that my Bugaboo Cameleon stroller will be following us from winter into summer. When it was cold, Reese and I were able to get out almost every day thanks to the Cameleon's all-terrain wheels ... Read More »


text:
Last night I went out with a friend of mine. I hear you gasp. Yes really, I did.
It had been so long since I went out I was surprised no one was doing the robot or drinking New Coke.
I met my friend in a bar. The Young Suzie trapped inside of the Mommy Suzie was ecstatic. She wanted to get drunk dance on the tables and prowl for boys. Mommy Suzie told Young Suzie to settle down and sit nicely after all we were a happily married almost middle aged woman now so get a grip!
Upon approaching the bar Mommy Suzie could make out the youngsters who were engaging in the filthy habit of smoking and girls wearing too much make up and short skirts. Mommy Suzie had to fight the urge to tell those young ladies to march back upstairs and change their clothes immediately. Young Suzie told Mommy Suzie to get a grip and lighten up. Mommy Suzie was appalled and wanted to go home and go straight to bed after all it was almost 8pm.
Mommy Suzie met her friend who commented on how quiet it was for a Thursday night. Mommy Suzie had to have old friend repeat that statement three times before she could hear what he was saying. Mommy Suzie and old friend actually got a seat and young Suzie downed her drink (Mommy Suzie helped) and they talked (screamed) a little bit about old times. Mommy Suzie relaxed just a little bit and Young Suzie ordered a second drink obviously trying to liquor Mommy Suzie up.
At 9:00 Mommy Suzie had to excuse herself and go home. After all tomorrow was a big day and she needed her beauty sleep and the early bird catches the worm. She pulled Young Suzie out of the bar just as she had ordered a flaming Bob Marley and was ready to start doing the Macarana.
Don't worry Mommy Suzie told Young Suzie as she dragged her kicking and screaming down the street well be going out again soon at least by 2012.
Friday, May 30, 2008
A Night At the Bar
Last night I went out with a friend of mine. I hear you gasp. Yes really, I did.
Posted by Suzie at 9:19 AM 12 comments Links to this post
Labels: going out
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Warning Another Sentimental Posting Here
I started blogging when I was pregnant with S. It was almost a year ago. I had discovered that even though I live in a big city I had started to feel really alone. Before kids I had a big social network. I went out with the girls I talked on the phone with friends. When I was on bed rest with B most of my friends stopped coming by. (Que sad awww sound)
It was isolating and now with the two kids I hardly see anyone anymore. Yes I see people at work but its different I am the boss. When I talk to friends on the phone I am constantly having to stop and answer questions about chocolate milk and rescue the dog from pinching baby fingers. I love my life I love being a mommy but boy it does it get lonely. So I started blogging and I met people, all different types of people. I started feeling like I wasn't so alone anymore. I got a new community one who has many members who also have to stop to get more chocolate milk. Thank you all so much for just being there.
Some of my oldies but goodies like:
The Teach
We Are that Family
Will Think for Wine
The Forgetful One
Stacey Huston
I've Changed My Name to Mommy
Have been around for awhile and have helped me find my blogging voice:
Some of the new ones like:
Kristen H.
Llama Mamma
Have really added so much to my bloggy life with their comments and suport
June Cleavers Nirvana -who also commented on one of my posts "You look hot today" which totally made my week
Doc Grumbles
Who never fail to impress me with their writing and view points on life.
And of course my wonderful friends
Holey Vision
Escape From Brooklyn
Down Hill All the Way
who has enabled me to find someone else who can talk about blogging for hours
I know I forgot people. I am sorry. I feel like I am at the Academy awards.
So here is your award for being so wonderful and giving me support and love and helping me get through this wonderful yet pretty darn hard part of my life.
I promise the next post will be silly. Really! I mean it!
Also I know I've been tagged by a few people for memes Im sorry Ill try to get to them soon.
Posted by Suzie at 8:53 AM 22 comments Links to this post
Labels: blog
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wordless Wednesday
What S has to say about tummy time
Posted by Suzie at 9:09 AM 21 comments Links to this post
Labels: wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sesame Place
I had a great long weekend. I went to my parents house and just relaxed a little. B, S and I got to spend long mornings in bed with each other singing songs and acting silly. Hubby and I got to go out a little on our own. It was nice to slow down a little and have some help!
We did however make the mistake of doing some high energy activities. The worst of which was Sesame Place. Sesame Place is an amusement park for little kids under 8. It is based on Sesame Street. A great idea right. No not really. After taking out a second mortgage on the apartment to be able to afford the golden tickets we entered the park. Upon crossing the threshold (the threshold that costs over $50 per person even for my son who is 3) we were bombarded with $30 Elmo hats , $45 cups that Elmo once used while waiting for the bus, $80 tissue that Oscar used to wipe his brow during a surprisingly hot day. The whole thing was an exercise in saying no. As we all know the word no is not a favorite among the toddler set. Most of the children in the park were begging for something or crying. Can I have a cookie monster protractor? No! Can I have a Zoe carpel tunnel arm sleeve? No! A Rosita can opener...a Grover nose hair cutter? No! No! No!
After sitting down to eat our $80 lunch of brie and caviar (oops sorry I meant hamburgers and water) we went to the main street parade where all the guys sweating in their plushy outfits came dancing by. B got to high five big bird he was so excited we had to run to the potty lest he spilith over with joy. After that he was very very happy and talked endlessly about his buddy Big Bird so I guess it was worth emptying out his college fund in the end.
I hope you all had a great weekend and got to relax a little too.
Posted by Suzie at 8:52 AM 11 comments Links to this post
Friday, May 23, 2008
Signs I am Turning Into My Mother
I'm going to see my parents in Philly for the long weekend. I guess I've been stressed getting ready for it and have been slipping a little lately and maybe turning a little bit into my own mother.
I love my Mother she is wonderful and intelligent woman who I love and respect having said that at times as a kid she drive me nuts. I promised myself I would never repeat the same things that drove me nuts as a kid. Yeah good luck with that. Here are some of the things I have been guilty of saying and doing that makes my inner little Suzie just cringe:
Just who do you think you are young man/lady?
Do you need every light in the house on?
You'll put an eye out with that
I'm not made of money you know.
Don't make me pull this car over (I don't even drive)
Don't use your sleeve find a tissue
He's just excited because company is over
You better stop that or your face will freeze that way
I'm going to give you until the count of three
(And my all time favorite) Because I said so!
Making my kids wear a jacket in weather I would never wear a jacket in
Looking down my sons pants in public to see if he was wet
Peeing in front of my children
Starting my sons apple with my teeth
(The Worst of all)Using my spit to clean my children's faces
By the way thank you all for your kind words yesterday you are all very kind and supportive. It means a lot to me. I'm sending you all lots of virtual hugs (( )) . Have a great weekend!
Posted by Suzie at 8:55 AM 10 comments Links to this post
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Not At All A Good Day
I know I usually at least try to add humor to my daily posts but yesterday something very upsetting happened. I wasn't sure if I really wanted to blog about it but as I know I have a very supportive community around me here in bloggy land I thought I would just get it off my chest and hopefully just move on with things.
Yesterday I was coming home from work. S was in the stroller and B was walking. It was a little rainy and the streets were surprisingly empty for my busy neighborhood.
I walked into my building we have two doors for security and I was in the vestibule between doors when a man pushed inside. He had a handful of menus. I suddenly got a very very bad feeling. Something felt very wrong about this man. Suddenly the man tried to push me through the second door. I took my key out and put it in my pocket so he couldn't get me to open the door. I turned and pushed the kids behind me and faced him.
He told me to open the door. I told him no. I told him to get away from me and my kids. He started looking around trying to see if there were people on the street. I started to move to get back outside and he put himself in front of the door to the outside blocking my exit. B started to get really scared. I did too but I stood my ground. I yelled get away from me and my children. He kept moving forward and then moving back like he couldn't figure out if he should just run at me or not. I kept repeating get away from me and my children. Suddenly he lurched forward and threw a handful of menus at me and ran back out the door.
I know it doesn't sound like much but you know when you just know something very bad is in the works. When every alarm bell you own starts to sound. Well they were sounding loud and clear yesterday. And now when I think about it I get a very bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. All I could think about was protecting my children and not letting him get us in the hallway of my building. It scares me to think what could have happened. Maybe nothing but my little voice (which is almost always right) tells me that was not the case. Poor B felt it too and was terrified. It took over an hour to calm him down. I'm just glad we got away safe and not more than a little roughed up emotionally.
Posted by Suzie at 9:09 AM 19 comments Links to this post
Labels: bad men
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Another Not So Wordless Wednesday
Lately I have been stressed out. The kids, work, its all starting to make me feel a little on edge Its been so long since Ive gotten out of the house sometimes I'm sure my head will explode.
Last night when my hubby came home he sent me out to have a rest
When I came home things had spiralled out of control. B had had an accident
The water from the humidifier was all over the floor and B was dancing in it
Even S was out of control
My poor husband had gone catatonic
Even the dog had had enough
I guess I better hang in there a little while longer
I'm definitely needed
Posted by Suzie at 8:56 AM 26 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Dreaming of Captain Crunch
Last night I had a dream. I was at the beach. I was relaxing in the sun. It was hot and I was reading a book. I had a frozen drink and I was so very happy. Perhaps a little too happy...wait a minute something was missing. No one was pulling on my arm and whining for a juice box or having to go poopy. No one was eating handfuls of sand. Yup I had lost the kids. Just forgotten them..spaced on the kids thing...no big woop..nope just completely misplaced them a little.
Eventually I found them in a big child filled lost and found. I think at one point I was eating a big bowl of Captain Crunch.
Hmm...either I need a vacation or I'm out of cereal you choose.
Posted by Suzie at 11:04 AM 10 comments Links to this post
Labels: dreams
Monday, May 19, 2008
My Superson
My husband loves superheros and having a little boy has given him the ability to pass some of that very geeky love along. At the age of three my son can identify at least 15 different super hero's and their special power. This fills my husband with joy. So B spent the weekend dressed as Superman. Although B and his daddy know all about Superman's special powers I have learned some new ones even the geekiest of man does not know about.
- Superman is so fast he can slap his sister on the head so quickly you almost thought the dog did it.
- Superman can cram more food in his mouth at one time then you thought was humanly or superhumanly possible. He can in fact walk with an entire piece of pizza crammed in his mouth for around 30 min and still have some left over in his cheeks for later.
- Superman's whine can cause dogs to bark and grown ups ears to bleed. Its true my Superson chanted I wanna ice cream cone for 20 min during a Saturday morning walk. By the end of our walk all grown ups and canines in a 12 block radius wanted to just give him that ice cream cone so we could regain some sense of sanity.
- Superman never needs to nap. Not even if he is bad tempered and cries at a boo boo he received three weeks ago.
- Superman can pee through a super absorbent overnight diaper which costs about $1.25 each and soak an entire bed and about 12 stuffed animals that cannot go in the washer too.
- That evil Lex Luther also know as Mommy is really good at hiding superheros outfits as she happily did on Sunday night. Go Lex!
Hey I'm on alltop now. Go to alltop.com
Posted by Suzie at 8:46 AM 14 comments Links to this post
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Banana Dance
I am so tired...so very very tired. S was up nursing every two hours last night.
As soon as I would begin to dream the crying would begin. I would be dancing the tango with a muscle bound stud in my son's dentist office while holding a banana and waaaa!!!!! I would be playing with my dog who was speaking French and wearing a beret and waaaa!!!! It never stopped.
I am good for nothing today. I should have a warning label that reads: warning do not let this woman operate heavy machinery, get near an oven, talk to people or give anyone directions. But instead I must go on with my day and act as if my brain is not in a dazed state of sleep deprivation.
Last night I kept making a list of things I'd rather be doing than getting up every two hours in my head. I'd rather stand in a line for the bathroom at a crowded sports stadium while really having to pee. I'd rather do my taxes. I'd rather clean the gunk out of my dogs ear. I'm not sure if it helped but at least it proved I could still think.
I am shocked I am able to blog. Although it may be like that very special Family Tie's episode where Alex is taking a lot of vivrin and he thinks he is writing a terrific term paper but when he wakes up in the morning he finds he has written the 20 paged paper all on one page.
You would let me know if I was doing that right? You know what, just let me think I am being witty and perceptive. Who's it gonna hurt?
Posted by Suzie at 8:38 AM 15 comments Links to this post
Labels: sleep
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Why Kids Have More Fun
The Way S thinks
Yumm...rocks must put in mouth
Yumm...my foot must put in mouth
Yumm...dog's ear must put in mouth
Yumm...Mom's nose must put in mouth
The Way I think
Yumm... pizza must not put in mouth
Yumm... cheese steak must not put in mouth
Yumm... candy must not put in mouth
Yumm... foot must not put in mouth
The Way B thinks
Oooh...must yell at the top of my lungs
Oooh...must hit best friend for no reason
Oooh...I want that... must whine
The Way I think
Oooh...must not yell, must not yell
Oooh...must not hit child, must not!
Oooh...time for some wine! Wee!
Posted by Suzie at 8:53 AM 16 comments Links to this post
Labels: parenting
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
(Not so) Wordless Wednesday Western
(Que Western music)
Scene- S and I are on a subway. I am wearing a ten gallon hat.
S is wearing a 1.5 gallon hat (do they make those?)
S is asleep in her carrier I am chewing on a piece of straw and leaning against the subway pole with my hat pulled down low over my head.
A crow caws in the background
Enter- A large mariachi band. They are dressed in black and silver.
They have on spurs and large black cowboy hats.
Each band member holds an instrument.
They stop and stare at the baby.
I tip my hat up and stare at the marichi band. I rest my hand on my baby's head ready to....ummm... draw?
The mariachi band grabs their instruments.
Shot of baby.
Shot of instruments
close up of baby
close up of instruments
crow caws
Close up of me
Without a gun drawn or a horn tooted.
The mariachi band walks away.
Baby stays sleeping.
The fight has been won!
Posted by Suzie at 9:14 AM 22 comments Links to this post
Labels: wordless Wednesday
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Another Epic Poem- Blog Block
I thought of talking of babies eating peas
Or writing of my sons scabby knees
I could write about my dog's case of flees
or how his fur makes little S sneeze
but I have nothing to say its true
It's left me feeling a little blue
I started writing several entries here
but they are awful, its true I fear
I wrote of subway rides and such
it really did not amount to much
So today I must just say oh well
I'll just let this post go to ... well you know
Posted by Suzie at 9:23 AM 14 comments Links to this post
Labels: nothing to say
Monday, May 12, 2008
Mothers Day Update
# of cups of coffee made for me :0
# of Presents received :0
# of flowers received:0
# of wet sheet changed:1
# of vomiting sessions I experienced:0
# of vomiting sessions B experienced:0
# of vomiting sessions S experienced:0
# of vomiting sessions Hubby experienced:0
# of hugs received: A whole lot
Mothers Day rating : Pretty Darn Good definitely a step up from last year. I'm still waiting for a martini in the Bahamas though.
Note Cat doodle
Posted by Suzie at 9:42 AM 14 comments Links to this post
Labels: Mothers Day
Mommyfest Party Post
Hi! Welcome to the party. Can I get you a cocktail? I have some pigs in a blanket for you hold on....nope the dog ate them...hold on I know I have some chips somewhere. Well have a seat. I'll be right back. Oh have you met my son he's three...sweety please stop eating the dog food ...I said please stop eating the dog food....STOP EATING THE DOG FOOD RIGHT NOW! NOW I MEAN IT! Sorry hee hee oh what a card he is. Let me introduce you to my lovely daughter S she's seven months..hold on...oh she pooped. Do you mind just holding this tray for a second I'll be right back. You don't mind passing around a few appetisers do you? Thanks.
OK I'm back...sorry about that. This is my hubby we've been together about 13 years. He collects Star Wars action figures. I run a daycare and this crazy house. I like vacations, eating out, reading paranormal romance novels and I hate emptying the dishwasher. Nope can't stand it. I am so glad you stoped by. So tell me about yourself. How long have you been ....HONEY STOP POKING YOUR SISTER RIGHT NOW! I am so sorry I gotta run please mingle help yourself to some more snacks and enjoy the party.
To join the party go to mommyfest.com
Posted by Suzie at 9:03 AM 26 comments Links to this post
Labels: blog party
Friday, May 9, 2008
Happy Mothers Day
Last year Mothers Day was less than stellar. I woke up threw up (I was pregnant with S). Got B up who threw a mighty temper tantrum. Made him breakfast..threw up. After about 4 hours my hubby woke up and presented me with his first of many Mother's Day gifts an empty mug out of the dishwasher to fill with coffee for him. Overwhelmed by this wonderful thoughtful gift I threw up.
After a wonderful morning of making everyone breakfast we met up with my hubby's mother for her Mother's Day brunch. This brunch lasted for three hours. During which B went nuts and ran around the restaurant shrieking and trying to draw on the walls with crayons. I spent the meal chasing him and trying not to get sick. When it was finally over my husband turned to me and said, "Wasn't that great it was almost relaxing."
After bursting into tears we went home where I received my second Mothers Day gift a B throwing up and getting a case of the runs after eating who knows what at the restaurant (at that point he'd put anything into his mouth)
But when I read B his bedtime story and he leaned against my big tummy where S (who we called Martini at the time) was swimming around. I felt very special. So I guess it was a good Mother's Day after all. With my little family surrounding me there was no where else in the world I'd rather be (except maybe getting a manicure and drinking a large martini in the Bahamas but I digress).
Here's wishing you all a wonderful Mothers Day and may you get lots of Mommy time and may you not have to clean any vomit or runny poop at least on Sunday.
Posted by Suzie at 9:06 AM 12 comments Links to this post
Labels: Mothers Day
Thursday, May 8, 2008
My Three Year Old and Umbrella and the Rain
Have you ever wondered how long it takes to walk 5 blocks to work in the rain with a three year old holding an umbrella? 25 min! Yes 25 min!
You may ask, Suzie how could it take 25 minutes to walk 5 blocks to work in the rain with a three year old holding an umbrella? Doesn't that walk usually take 10 minutes max?
My you are perceptive about my morning walk yes it does usually take 10 minutes max to walk 5 blocks to work. However this is not the case with a three year old in the rain holding an umbrella. A three year old walking 5 blocks to work in the rain holding an umbrella is not a fast mover. Oh No! A three year old walking 5 blocks to work in the rain holding an umbrella need to tell you every thought that pops into his little head concerning that umbrella and this cannot be accomplished while walking. For each statement question and pronouncement he needed to come to a complete stop and look at the umbrella. It went something like this:
Mommy this is my umbrella. I'm not going to share it with anyone. Not even baby sister. Mommy my umbrella is blue. This is my blue umbrella and its mine. All mine. Mommy I'm gonna use it all day. Mommy is this my umbrella? Mommy why is it blue? Mommy do I have to share it? Mommy baby sister cant hold it do I have to share it with her? My umbrella is blue. Mommy its all mine. Mommy why is it raining? Is G*d peeing?...etc....
Then there was the holding the umbrella over said child's eyes and walking into parking meters, walls, fire hydrants, dogs, cracks in the pavement and other people.
Finally there was the opening and closing the umbrella incessantly which resulted in caught fingers and crying jags.
I have learned a valuable lesson a three year old walking 5 blocks to work in the rain holding an umbrella is a task best saved for the weekend. Tomorrow I think I'll take the stroller.
Hey don't forget about the Mommy Fest blog party next week to sign up go to mommyfest.com
Posted by Suzie at 8:47 AM 6 comments Links to this post
Labels: parenting
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Wordless Wednesday
B- 2007 No sibling
B- 2008 with sibling
B-2007 happy, well rested, full of fun
B- 2008 tired, crabby, not in the mood
B-2007 Ruler of all toys
B- 2008-Baby touches everything
B-2007- Center of the Universe
B-2008 Just another planet circling the sun
Poor B
Posted by Suzie at 10:40 AM 23 comments Links to this post
Labels: wordless Wednesday


text:
Aaron Lafette Brooks (born March 24, 1976) is a retired American football quarterback of the NFL. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia.
Brooks played for the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders. Brooks retired in 2007 as the Saints' franchise leader in season and career touchdown passes, though both records have since been broken by Drew Brees.
Aaron, and his second cousin Michael Vick, who lived in a public housing project in the East End area of Newport News, and was 4 years younger, rarely spent time together. Mentored by Coach Tommy Reamon, Brooks played high school football and graduated from Homer L. Ferguson High School in Newport News. He was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Virginia (UVA), from which he graduated in 1999.