Free stuff from Oprah

I like Oprah. Or. Maybe it's just that I would like to be Oprah, on occasion, which, I guess, is not the same as liking her.

• I'd like to have a great wardrobe.
  
• I'd like to have someone do my hair each day without EVER having a bad hair day.
  
• I'd like someone to do my make up so that I look fresh and fancy each day.
  
• I'd like to have a magazine with my picture on the cover making me look about 10 years younger and quite a bit slimmer.
  

Did I mention I'd like to have a great wardrobe? Do you like Oprah like I like Oprah? Well, even if you don't, do you like her favorite things?

Well, even if you don't, do you like free things?

A friend from school told me that if you click here
you can upload your photos and make your own free hard bound book from Snapfish. It's a about a $30.00 book and all you have to pay is the shipping and handling of about $7.00! Another friend of mine has made several of these cute, fun, cool, personalized books with pictures of her family and they are adorable! Go now! Hurry, before it's too late because...

The only catch with this offer is that you have to redeem your coupon by midnight tonight - Friday, the 14th- and use it by November 22 at 11:59 PM!

I like Oprah. And I like free things, so I'm there!

Lipitor girl

Cheerios or oatmeal, anyone???

For most of my teen and adult life, I have been oh, so fascinated, with exercise and good nutrition. I have chosen to eat wheat infused Chips Ahoy cookies, sneak wheat flour into the banana bread, eat brown rice with a happy expression on my face - gotta love that nutty texture, family - and make my sandwiches from 100% whole wheat Classic Harvest bread with no high fructose corn syrup in it. I have frequently passed on soda at restaurants instead going for the water option, and I hardly ever buy pop at the store unless there is a big BSU game, Super Bowl game, or another special televised event on. I opt for dark chocolate - preferrably 70% or more cacao...hehehe that's a funny word, cacao. To be careful with calories and portion sizes I've counted out many wheat thins and Triscuits to carry to school for part of my lunch. I've mentally kept track of the various fruits and vegetables I've consumed during the day so as to make sure that I get my 5-a day the colorful way! I've eaten tomatoes from the garden ad-naseum, and have stunk up the whole house in the cooking of broccoli and cauliflower.

I work out at least 6 days of the week - as well as Sunday if you count Bill and me going for a nice, long walk after dinner is over. I strength train at 2 to 3 times a week as well, and I'm not saying any of this to toot my own horn, because right now my horn is not in the tooting mood.

My horn is not in the tooting mood because I received my "health profile" on Friday in the mail. I participated in this at school and had my blood drawn, bloop pressure taken, hips and waist measured, received a free pedometer, AND a Starbuck's $5 gift card. In return I got the rating of 44 out of 100 as my score... Yes, folks, my health is "in need of improvement".

For.Pete's.Sake.

My cholesterol is borderline high with a total score of 221. My blood pressure is "high" with a reading of 122/64. I don't handle stress well - WHAT'S NEW? I get too little sleep - uh, that's because I have to get up early to go exercise, duh... And I haven't had a mammogram yet. Truth be told I'm afraid to have my little assets squeezed between some huge robotic frigid plates...I don't want pancakes on my front. But I know I need to get it done...

So, as a result of this unwelcome news:

I've tried not to be too depressed. I've tried to picture myself as an actress on those Lipitor commercials. I've checked each label of food I've eaten to make sure there isn't too much cholesterol, fat, sodium, or high fructose corn syrup in it. I've tried to figure out how I can get more exercise into my day. I've written down the telephone number for the mammogram sadists. I've sworn to drink only skim milk from now on. I've tried to think about going to a happy place when my class of 5th graders goes a bit nuts this week. And the list will continue to go on and I will continue to worry and wonder about what I can or, quite possibly, cannot do to thwart any unforeseen health conditions that may arise as a result of this "health report". Deep breaths, happy thoughts, prayer, and run. A lot.

At least I got something right, however, I always wear my seatbelt!

Go to my blog!

Ok so this is Lindsay talking and, guess what, I made a blog! Hooray for me. Anyways, to get to MY blog type in: lindsaylou2.blogspot.com.Go there now ok? Alright, see you there. Bye!

No gypsies this year...

Where have all the gypsies gone? There were plenty of Hannah Montanas, Spidermen, witches, princesses, Darth Vaders, and such, but not one gypsy came trick or treating to the Ball house on Halloween. When I was a kid, I was a gypsy for about 6 years out of the 8 or so years I got to go trick or treating. As a matter of fact, the 5th graders in my class really didn't even know what a gypsy was when I gave them that word as part of their Halloween spelling list. I had to try my best to be politically correct while describing what the word meant. Lots of confused looks surfaced as I rambled on and on about roaming bands of nomadic people in modern times... I mean, come on, people, where have all the gypsies gone?

Maybe it was so easy to be a gypsy because of all the 100s of canning rings that were floating around the kitchen during my childhood, due to the fact that my mother was the number one "Home Canning Extraordinaire"! I didn't have pierced ears, but We.Had.Canning.Rings! Simply slip a string around the ring, make a loop, and hang it around your ear for gypsy glamour! That, plus a lot of mismatched clothing, a long skirt, and a lovely head scarf of some type...usually a hand towel or a clean cloth baby diaper...and you were a gypsy! No one during the 70s had to ask what you were when you appeared on their doorstep. It was crystal clear: "What a cute gypsy you are! I love your beautiful earrings!"

Little did I know when I was younger that my children would never dress as gypsies, except for Alyssa when she dressed as Esmerelda from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. (Do kids nowadays even know that Disney made that show???)

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would have children portraying their father's occupation...



Or, dressing as I did during high school...



Or, wanting to be a crazy B S U fan???




Who would have thought? Not me, but then again, none of my kids would be very good gypsies anyway, because we have no cloth diapers or canning rings floating around the kitchen.

Fall Family "Funfest"???

Do you have a "good" side? You know, when you take a picture, do you think,

"Oh, that's an aWeSoMe picture of me, must be my "good" side!"

The older I get the more I realize I definitely have a "good" side when it comes to the photography aspect of life. It all became shockingly and totally evident when I loaded up the family in our coordinating fall attire to attempt to get some fairly "ok" pictures that we could use in the family Christmas card.

Um, can you say "herding cats"???



Yep, that's what it was like to try and get some cooperation, smiles, poses, seriousness about the whole losing daylight thing, the right lighting with not too many shadows, the right amount of fall color, and so on and so on... The day was beautiful, it seemed like a nice thing to do on the Sabbath, a downright family funfest, I'd say. But then reality hit and I realized that I have 2, and almost 3 teenaged daughters who think they have a "good" side, think they shouldn't be in front, don't want to smile, think their smile is too dorky, want to go home, too cold, too boring, they want to be funny, and so on and so on...



Let's just say that the resulting photos did not bring out my "good" side - photographically or emotionally, and that's why you will not see a family photo on this post - I can only take so much.

However, a week has passed, I'm over the whole experience, and I'm not going to tell anyone which side is my "good" side -- you'll just have to guess! But as for the kid in the picture below, all of his sides are "good" ones!

What a strummer!

Life has been busy lately. Busy, befuddling, interesting, challenging, and so many more adjectives that I don't have the brainpower at this time of night to think of! So, it was nice to take a load off, enjoy each other's company, relax, and sit down tonight to listen to our youngest child exhibit his new found talent and take our minds off our busy befuddlement. We hope you enjoy this early taste of the holidays! (Now, now, don't be a grinch! You really only have about 2 months until the big day!)

She ran...

She ran like a Greek Goddess. You know, the ones that have little wings attached to their heels? Long, lean, limber legs that propelled her to the finish line quicker than most girls her age. She did this in elementary school, then on to junior high, and, of course, in high school. She ran all the time. When in junior high, she rode her bike to the place where she would begin the run. An athlete all around. Her naturally golden curls were secured in a pony tail that followed her as she competed in the mile run or in a cross country meet. She was an inspiration to her teammates. She ran with the boys: she kept up with them during practice runs. She trained during the off season and she ran like a Greek Goddess; as if she had wings attached to her heels. At most events if one arrived late to watch one's child, the question would always arise, "How did Sarah do?" "Oh, she took 2nd," or, "she took 5th," or, "she took 10th."

Sarah, pictured with some of her team, is 4th from the left.

Saturday was to be her last run. She took 10th place at the Puma Invitational in Bend, Oregon. Her last strides taken on those long, lean legs. Her life ended today, and so did those amazing, awe-inspiring races yet to be run. She left behind friends, teammates, a family, coaches, teachers, neighbors, wanna-be long legged runners, and a proud school where Sarah was a track/cross country runner extraordinaire. There is a feeling of despair now. Sadness is reigning, and typical "problems" seem so insignificant. Questions with no real answers yet. Teenagers who aren't used to having a friend leave so suddenly. Parents who have to deal with the worst thing that could ever possibly happen to them.

There is solace in what I know, however: I know that where she is now, she is running. Running with those long, lean, limber legs into the arms of Someone who loves her and is welcoming her home. Run, Sarah. Run.

It's all relative...

I was reading a blog of a friend of a co-worker's sister - in - law, of a mother's aunt's neighbor...Yep, sometimes I get carried away with the blogs I read WHEN I get the time...There are just so many fun links! It's a fetish, I know.

AAAAANYWAY...I read a blog recently that voiced disgust by being told she looked like Sarah Palin. Now, I'm not sure who I'm voting for in this year's election. I get annoyed at John McCain's voice, I get annoyed at Sarah Palin's voice - too nasally, I get annoyed at Barack Obama's um, um, um, way of talking, and I don't even like Joe Biden. This election is like comparing airplane food and school cafeteria food and trying to decide which food you'd rather eat, but, again, I digress.

I'm not a fan of Mrs. Palin's nasal tone, but I do think she has great hair - although I think the updo needs a little downdo more often- she has beautiful skin for a 44 year old woman, and she seems to be in great shape. So, as a 41 year old woman, of course I compare the lack of lines on her face, forehead, and jowls, to the apparent ones on mine. All in all, she looks pretty rockin' for a grandma - to - be. Well, the blogger I mentioned didn't know who Sarah Palin was or what she looked like...um, where has she been??? Does she have a tv or look at any magazines??? She looked up Sarah online to see what her features entailed and she was SO OFFENDED that someone would have the audacity to compare her to a 44 year old woman. Oh, the atrocity! The misery and disgust of a 44 year old woman's features! I felt so sorry for that "young" woman blogger person whomever... Sheesh!

Oh, well, I guess that's like me being compared to someone who is 55 - Hillary Clinton maybe?

I am so offended.

Kidney Stone Kris

I'm not at school right now. I'm supposed to be at school right now. But right now I'm in front of my computer in a Norco-induced stupor trying to make my fingers hit the right keys so I can relay the events of this morning while it's still fresh.

I started the morning like most mornings: get up at 0 dark forty five, head to gym, run 5.5 miles, come home, get kids up, get husband off to work (after wishing him happy birthday!!!), get myself ready for school, ignore pain in lower back and "other" areas, eat breakfast, ignore increasing pain in lower back and "other" areas, say goodbye to children, drive to school, start to sweat and then shiver, can't ignore pain in lower back and "other" areas, walk in to school, climb stairs, try not to throw up on stairs, walk back downstairs, inform secretary that this teacher is having a kidney stone attack and will need to leave immediately, could you please get a sub??? Of course, get out of here and take care of yourself, Kris!

Drive to emergency clinic located in Albertson's, find out it's closed until 9:00, walk out to car to wait for 2o minutes, help guy jump his car (can't he see I'm in excruciating pain???), car gets jumped, clinic opens, can't be seen at this location because no "specimens" can be taken due to fact that clinic is in grocery store. For. Pete's. Sake!!! Drive to other clinic down hill, shakily walk to clinic which is clear in far back region of store, read note on door that states physician is sick, walk through store again to car, call regular doctor who should have been called in first place, drive in hunched over position to 3rd location, "walk" in to clinic, "say" name to receptionist, "sit" in hard chair waiting for doctor to see me. Yeah, it was as painful to experience as it is to read this silly post!

Long story short, I've had about 8 kidney stone attacks in the past 12 years, I've had to make 3 trips to the ER, I've had 2 ureteroscopies, AND I've had lithotripsy (to blast the suckers!!) so I KNOW when I'm having an attack. I think I should just keep a supply of Norco on hand just for this reason. Nothing can help. No position is comfortable. No one can understand unless he or she has had an attack. Childbirth is less painful. Fetal positions are of no comfort! AAAHHHH.

I'm OK. Once I get a pain pill in my system, my body relaxes, and that #$%#@ kidney stone
slips its sweet, dragon headed, jagged edged way out of my body like nothing ever happened! Curse you, kidney stone, curse you! So, that's my story. I'm not at school. I'm sitting in front of the computer in a now goofy feeling Norco induced haze. My kidney stone is in the sewer where it belongs for all eternity!

Oh, and by the way, if the pharmacist at Albertson's is reading this, I'm not a drug seeker, I usually have color in my face, and I have a very long attention span when my back is not threatening to explode from the inside out! ( Just in case you were wondering.)

I'm off to drink lots of water...

Where has the time gone?

Where has the time gone? It seems like I was just writing about the first day of school and now we'll be entering the fourth week of school. So much has happened since those first honeymoon days...

Bill had a visit from Miss Morphina and a kitty scan at the local ER after a bad spill from his motorcycle while riding on some steep hills above Boise. Thank goodness nothing was broken or lacerated or punctured or ruptured... Just deeply contused - a chest contusion to be more specific. Nope, 42 year olds do not bounce like 22 year old men do. Nope, they sure do not! 2 weeks later and he is still one sore hombre! Don't even ask him about sneezing...

Kris had a visit from the birthday fairy and turned 41 last Saturday. The day was spent going to Payton's football game (go little Broncos!), spending time with Lindsay at the art museum viewing cockroach art (yes, really, there was a cockroach exhibit) and visiting all the many booths at Art in the Park. Cute stuff there! After all the running around of children, Bill and I enjoyed a yummy dinner at Lucky 13 - Moon Pie Pizza to be exact: Chicken, garlic sauce, mozzarella, artichoke hearts, and garlic. Yep, I was in pizza heaven on my birthday!!!


Alyssa got asked to Homecoming with real snow made into a real snowman... I know! Where in the world does a 17 year old boy drive to get real snow in September??? I tried hard to think of which mountains had snow on them??? I just couldn't think of any. But it looked like real snow, it felt like real snow, and it tasted like real snow. Hmmm.. Boy, did the guys get a kick out of the gullible mother mumbling to herself and trying like heck to think of mountains within driving distance that this snow would have come from... Any guesses? Sun Valley? nope. Bogus Basin? nope. Owyhee Mountains? nope. Idaho Ice World? Yep... Hey, that's not a mountain!!! Anyway, Alyssa was very glad that she had a date for her senior year of Homecoming!

Pretty much sums up how the poor senior girls played during the Powder Puff Football game...you don't wanna know who won...

It was a blackout during the Homecoming game and the boys prevailed! Not too shabby for a freshman quarterback!

Awww... wasn't she just born???

Wow! I've never seen so many guys back in black. Good looking group of THS kids!