Just a blog to say THANKS! :)

I really enjoyed this class this semester! I would have to say this class, no matter that it is online, has been  my most enjoyable! :) The blogs have been a great stress reliever and helped me look up some interesting topics I probably would have ever looked up before! Mrs. Holly has been awesome and seems very sweet! I loved that fact that she was not one of those teachers who try and make my life a living wreck with so much homework, when all it really is was busy work! I did not feel at all as if that was what Mrs. Chism was doing. The bogs were helpful and they got us to talk to one another even though we have never seen each other in person. Blogging is a time of the future and really, it is not hard at all to do! You just have to do it, it only take me about ten to fifteen minutes to finish one of my blogs and when I am done I feel much better, no matter if I am griping about something or if i learned something because of something i read and learned about. I feel as if I have definitely came out on top in this class! :) I really can not even complain about the papers we wrote. I mean, we only wrote four and the hardest one, for me, was that proposal. In my first comp class we wrote what seemed like at least seven papers and we did not even get the chance to rewrite! but in the long run, it helped me in this class for the fact that i only needed to rewrite one paper, and I am so thankful that Holly let us rewrite a paper! That was a lifesaver! For anyone who did not like this class I do not quite understand. Holly gave us plenty of time to complete everything and she is kind enough to let us rewrite papers that we did not do so well on. also, she did not change things up, each week we had two blogs to do and  with a certain amount of words, although i do admit, sometimes it was difficult to make the requirements, but i always did! One thing I just remembered was our "book." Books are way to expensive in college!! I had to buy 4 books this year and it killed my checkbook! lol, not like I had a ton in there or anything, but she put forth the effort to make a book for us that we would use and not just pick a couple chapters out of it. so, thank you Mrs. Chism for doing that for us!! I hope you and your family have a wonderful summer!!!! :) And for everyone else, I hope finals go great for you all and I hope your summer comes fast and leaves slllooooowww!

Our last week and what I have been up to.

Well, only one blog left after this one is complete! I wish all my classes were just like this one!! I would have to say, this was my best class! English classes have always been a little easier for me. When I was younger I went to a private school and they had an awesome English teacher! In English, you learn, pretty much, the same thing over and over, just a little bit harder each year. When I got to high school, Literature was the same! Grammar was not, and still is not one of my strong points, so I would often rewrite papers just to get a better score on it! Even if I did not have the best teacher, I normally still did much better than most of my class…except for the brainy ones…we all know those! J         My brother is graduating this weekend and he is not to awful great at English, it is quite funny actually, he has the same teacher as I did last year and wanted my assignments. I have them all, just because they are a huge help when you are writing a paper. Mrs. Campbell is not stupid and she changes her assignments every year, my brother figured he would be able to take a look at my papers and write something similar…needless to say, that was not going to work, so I had to inform him of her and how she likes to change it up! I cannot believe my brother is graduating!!! How exciting! The only problem is that it is the weekend before my finals!! I am sure I would not be studying anyways, but I like to think I would be, it just makes me feel that much better. My only classes I have this week are on Tuesday. That is great, right!! Well, the only bad part is that the only class I am really extremely worried about had to cancel because my professor got called to jury duty! How nice… this is stressing me out! I guess during that hour and fifteen minutes I can write out my study guide and make note cards. My finals are not until the following week which is nice, but it is very hard for me to sit down inside and study for finals when the weather is so dang nice!!
     Yesterday, I was outside all day and got some lovely tan lines…yuck! My dad owns a veterinarian business in Baxter and we were ripping the corrals out back, out of the ground and taking them to our farm. It was extremely exhausting and I would have much rather been laying out and having a fishing pole in the pond, or on the fore wheelers checking the cows or riding around on them. We started at 9 in the morning and finally finished at 5 at night. I would have to say it was a good productive day. it was also Mothers Day, so our mommy was able to be at home relaxing while five of her children were out helping dad, one was at the lake and the other two were with her. I do think she enjoyed her day, and she enjoyed her gifts we got her too!!

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend and I hope everyone’s finals go great!

Gas/Fuel Prices---Yuck!

Let’s face it, we all have one thing in common; no matter whom you are or what you do. This one thing would be buying gas/fuel. Everyone has a vehicle, whether it’s a gas hog or a mile getter! I drive a 2006 Chevy Silverado, and I get 19 miles to the gallon…sometimes more, just depends if I am driving in town or out on the highways. When I started driving, which was really, when I started college, gas was $2.30, and that was this past fall. Now, I am currently paying $3.85!! It is hard for me to listen to my dad tell me,” when I was your age, it was just barely over a dollar, and when your grandpa Bates was a kid, it was $ .25.” Wish it was still like it was back in the old days, when we are talking gas/fuel!! My boyfriend drives a Dodge…and oh boy, it cost him over $120.00 to fill up last week… I have not asked him about it this week. So, why are prices raising so much, and why do we have to stretch our pocketbooks in order to pay for something everyone has to have? Good question, huh! Don’t you wish I had the answers? I know I do!

Well, everyone has been saying it is because of the MiddleEast and northern Africa, but really, there has been NO huge change that would knock our fuel prices up so much! Ever heard of the Dodd-Frank Act…me either, it passed last year and it is supposed to stop the large swing in prices, but it hasn’t really changed anything, in my opinion. I don’t know if it is because gas goes up little by little or what, but just from the time I started seriously started to drive prices have went up $1.55 per gallon! To me, that is a large sum, and for those of you who remember back then, I know it is way more!

What else is also a little fuzzy for me are holidays. Does anyone agree with me? If we are receiving our fuel out of the Middle East, and here in America we are celebrating, say Easter, then why all of a sudden do prices at the pump go up? Does the Middle East celebrate Easter, or is it the gas stations pocketing some easy money because everyone knows families will be traveling during the holidays and, they can do what they want with the prices? Some of it is because of the high demand during the holidays, but if you watch, about two weeks before a holiday, prices start to rise slowly! Crazzzy, I tell ya! I know if a price of a barrel goes up, then the prices for us are going to rise, but when a gas station fills up its tank once a week, and Friday is more expensive, and the station won’t have another fill-up till Monday, isn’t that not wrong?

Natural disasters also cause the prices to rise, but sometimes that is just a scare and it only goes up because the United States people freak out and here comes the high demands, and therefore that causes higher prices… I don’t quite agree with gas prices, but I also can’t ride a bike to class…I live way too far away!

StrEssED OUUT---aNd wHY

The next two weeks are going to be completely crazy! With finals just around the corner, I am already stressed out. Not only do I have to worry about finals, I just recently went and made my schedule for next semester. I am taking A&P II, Sociology, a health class, and my most dreaded class ever; Oral Communications! I wanted to wait another semester to take this class, but my advisor said I need to take it this semester and that she was not going to let me take it online… bummer!! I told her this is one thing I have a big problem with. I have never been good at talking in front of a crowd… I have even cried before!! It is just so terrifying! She said if I could not talk in front of people then I could not be a dental hygienist! I don’t agree with her, I am not going to have to write a speech in front of a group while I clean teeth, or whatever. I am just fine when I go into an interview. What I am not good at is writing up some speech and presenting it in front of a group. Another thing that my entire life I was on a stage, or on the court, it didn’t matter if I was dancing, playing basketball, volleyball or running, and I never really got a bit nervous! I am completely comfortable out there and there were more people watching me, and some that were judging me, and I was never to the point of possibly crying! I guess it is only one semester and I have to have it, so I mise well make the best out of a completely horrible situation!

Next semester I will have class everyday ending at 10:00AM or noon. This is great, but also a dread! I am extremely happy I don’t have to go all day, but then again I am going to have to live up there because gas prices rule my life and I will not be able to afford to drive back and forth every day. I have never been by myself for that long. You could say I am a momma’s girl and I do not like to leave her or be away for very long. I do know I will be able to see her on the weekends, but I also have a boyfriend who lives in another town, and I am not looking forward to having to split the time between my family and him this coming fall. I know it will not be as bad as it seems right now; I am just completely stressed out is all!

I guess finals are a big part of that, and I am just looking forward to this summer…and only working four days a week!! WOO HOO!! Did I mention I get Fridays off... oooh yes! I am not even completely sure when the fall semester starts, but I have plenty of time to find out!

I hope everyone was able to get the classes he or she wanted!  J

Twitter--Pros and Cons

In today’s age, there are many sites where we can meet others and talk about what goes on in our life. I have posted a blog about Facebook, and now that I got to thinking, is Twitter really all that safe also? I know it is completely different from Facebook, but how much different? I do not have a Twitter account, but many of my friends do. All the times I have been with a friend all she does is blog about what she did that day, or whatever excitement she had. I was able to find some pros and some cons about Twitter.

Cons:

Do people really care how school was today?

Does everyone need to know how many miles you ran, or how hard you worked out?

Tweeting can sometimes be a big bragging fest against friends and can even make someone feel down about themselves.

It can be redundant, if you Facebook, do you really need a Twitter too? Aren’t people who see your status on Facebook already going to have a good idea of what you are going to say when you Tweet about it? Also, for example, I am writing a blog for class; if I had a Twitter account do you think I would write another blog? I, personally, do not think so.

It can be time consuming; I could be washing the dishes, or playing outside instead of Tweeting about thinking of going outside, who really cares?

Pros:

Good information gets out fast and many can read it.

There is the ability to receive great information.

You can keep in touch with old friends, and see what he or she is up too.

You can share interesting information.

For those of you that do not know, Twitter is a social networking and micro blogging service that allows you to “tweet” your friends/followers.

Something I just learned not to long ago (I actually just have been noticing it more on TV commercials.) is that businesses are getting more involved with Twitter.  Here are some ways businesses are using Twitter for expanding whatever it might be.

·         Sharing photos with followers can help the followers see what goes on in the business.

·         Link to articles that are about your business so others can see it.

·         Businesses can participate in Twitter chats that way a person does not have to come to the store or call and use minutes.

There are many more things businesses can do on Twitter. If Twitter is being used for a business then I think Twitter is an excellent choice, but if it is being used for a teenager and she likes to tell people what she ate for breakfast, then I say no way!

Rain, Rain...GO AWAY!

I am sitting at work today trying to find something to blog about… well; I just looked out the windows and decided I have the perfect blog…rain! It has been pouring all morning and has barely let loose for a minute. Since I woke up at 6 it has poured nonstop! All weekend it has been like this also, Friday—Good Friday—was a “bad Friday” to me because it was yucky out, raining, and I couldn’t run outside because Mother Nature thought it would be a good idea for it to rain off and on all stinking day! Children are out on Good Friday here, so the house was a muddy mess because my little siblings don’t like to be cooped up in the house all day because of the rain. (Now they have runny noses.) I had to go to MSSU to look at some art work and while we were in Galena, it started to hail… imagine that! Thankfully, it didn’t do any damage. Saturday it didn’t rain all day, it was just a little humid, so we dyed Easter Eggs! That was fun, and messy! Then that night… u guessed it; it poured. I suppose rain can be a good time to watch a movie and just relax…until the power went off! Hahahaha, I just cannot get a break from the rain! So, Sunday morning I awake to find more dang rain! The little ones were upset because the Easter Bunny couldn’t get to our house because the roads were flooded, but they took it pretty good and then headed off to church. When they returned home, the Easter Bunny had finally made it and they all sprinted inside and retrieved their baskets and the hunt was on! Our dogs, Molly and Daisy, love to show down on boiled eggs, so by the time they kiddos started picking them up, Molly and Daisy had ate about a half dozen. That was fine by me and mom because we dyed five dozen eggs and that was just some we didn’t have to cook!  

That entire day it rained, mom cooked a big ol’ breakfast and dinner, I went to Jody’s house and ate over there. Easter is one of the best Holidays, I think, because every year around this time I start to crave chocolate and starburst jellybeans; and every year mom puts both in my Easter basket! Lucky me! J

That brings me to, today. I woke up to rain; I went to work in flooded roads and my windshield wipers going wild. I got here to find it raining harder and all the ditches filled to their capacity, and to top it off, all my appointments canceled due to the rain. When I was younger I loved when it rained because it is a good relaxant, and when I was in school rain meant no track meats and softball games, now, rain means going to work and being bored…  So I am writing this blog about how I am entirely sick and tired of the rain!! At least my little sister is learning a new song—Rain, rain go away, come again another day!  Hahaha!

Hope everyone made the best out of their Easter!!

Courtney's Concert!

Last night was my little sister, Courtney, recital/concert. She is 10 years old and insisted that I went. I find these sorts of things just a tad bit boring… but I went anyways. Just like any other little girl, she wanted her hair to be curled and just a little bit of makeup. She had spent the last two weeks trying to figure out what to wear, and she defiantly found what she wanted (a pink little dress with white little heals). Come to find out, she had a solo in a song, Yankee Doodle, and she was quite excited about it. I would have to say I was happy I went and listened to her, but I had to sit through the band…the third grade recorders…and the songs. The songs were not bad; actually they are usually the best sounding at these concerts. Do you remember recorders? Oh my word, I HATE them…they are sooo soo so so annoying and they give me the worst headaches ever, not to mention they sound so horrible! I was prepared though! I had some ear plugs and shoved those babies in right before they started to play Hot Cross Buns! J After the singing was done over with, the fifth grade boys and girls put on a play. This was a new thing this year. They did a couple scenes from Anne and they did great! At that age, even when they would have to stop and remember some of the words, it is not a big deal because they look so cute all decked out and cute looking! When I was their age, I hated to be in front of anybody, unless I was playing basketball or some sort of sport. I was very shy. That is one reason I keep putting off Speech, I will probably cry in front of everyone when I have to get up and talk! But anyways, back to the concert, after they all bowed and we went and picked up Courtney from downstairs I gave her a big ol hug and told her I was very proud of her! I think it is a great accomplishment to have the confidence to get up in front of everyone and talk, let alone sing! I never would have done that, and truthfully, I don’t think I could do it even today! She was even on the front row, but that might have been because she was one of the shorter ones in her class... haha! I am glad to see that children today are more confident in talking in front of a crowd and I hope most have the parents and siblings to tell them they did great afterwards, even if he or she had a little mess up, as long as they are confident in themselves is what really matters. If they are comfortable at this age I hope he or she will be more confident in the future; and I really hope Courtney isn’t a scaredy cat like her 19 year old sister is in front of a crowd! Hahaha!

Getting ready for summer?

It is getting closer to summer every day, and for many it is time for tanning and getting his or her body back in shape. This year, one of my closest friends and me are doing P90X. We started the last week of March and are sticking with it pretty good! The P90X is extremely intense, and frankly I love it!! Well, all except arms…but I have never liked working my arms out. There is one downfall to this work out, and that is that it is expensive, but if you split the cost it isn’t as bad. We are eating much better than we were but we don’t follow the diet just because we work out after we do P90X.

Many people just diet, and there are many diets out there. There is the NutriSystem diet, Jenny Craig diet, Atkins diet and many, many, many more! There are so many out there that who really knows what is the best one. I think everyone is different and the diets don’t do great for everyone. With some hard work and great attitude anyone can lose weight!

Losing weight does not have to be boring and dreadful; it can be fun and upbeat!  At Oswego Fitness, and many other workout gyms, there is a program that works out three times a week (or more). Zumba is upbeat, and is the new thing to do. Zumba’s saying is Ditch the Workout, and Join the FUN, and I believe it when I see what the ladies are doing! When Zumba is in session at our gym it sounds enjoyable, and the gym is packed! Unlike P90X, Zumba is cheap! Here, it is $1.00 for members and $3.00 for nonmembers. I think Zumba is for those a little older than me. I don’t think I would profit as greatly as I do with P90X, for the reason that I am in shape and I want to be tone, and I think I will get it faster with P90X than with Zumba, and besides I don’t think there is enough room another person!  

Time after time I have friends that talk about getting back in shape and making schedules. I guess schedules are great, if you follow them. However, I am not one of those who schedule anything. If I do schedule something it better be important and is something I have to do because if it isn’t very important then I am known not to do it and just put it off. That is why I like to work out when I want to and not when I think I need to. If I have spare time then I will head to the gym for a quick run, then later I will start my harder work out, rather than spending two hours in the gym at once and thinking it is taking up too much of my time.

Working out is different for everyone. Some people need schedules and some don’t. Some like to diet and just diet, then there are those who like to work out and just work out, and there are those that do both!

warnings and watches

Here in the Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma areas we know what heavy storms, strong winds and tornados can do. Last night there was a line of red and pink across the radar. I think some of everyone got something from it. Well, different places in Oklahoma were hit with strong storms and even a dreaded tornado. In Tushka, Ok. There were at least seven deaths, including a toddler and a young child that were struck by a tree. Not only were there deaths by those who were hit struck by a tree here in Tushka, but also in Arkansas. However here, the tree landed on the home of four people. The tornado that hit Tushka also injured 25 people and tore school buildings down.  Here is a link for those of you that would like to see what actually happened to this small town of Tushka.

Since there was so much activity last night I would like to just talk about what families might think about doing when there is some sort of watch/warning out, no matter if it is a thunderstorm or a tornado, they all have the same sort of safety steps to follow.

 When you hear about a storm headed this way, make sure you have the TV ready to go because the weather channels will inform you of what is going on. If your power does go out, make SURE that you have a radio with charged batteries so you and your family are not stuck in the dark with no warning of what might happen. If you are someone who lives in town then there should be sirens that will go off if needed, but if you are someone who lives in the country, and have no power, then you do need to have a radio ready to go! Make sure you also have a flashlight; they often make it easier to maneuver through your house when it is totally black!

There is often some confusion of watches vs. warnings, at least in my household. A watch is issued if a tornado is possible. A warning is issued when one has been spotted, or is strongly indicated on a radar.

If there is a watch/warning make sure you are aware of what is going on outside and not just be glued to the TV or radio. I was always taught, the storm is silent before the tornado. So when the wind stops blowing, I know it is time to get to the basement.

When you are aware of s storm headed your way, and you have children in your household, one important thing we all much do is staying calm, it always helps the younger ones when mom and dad are not freaking out just like they are.

What a Day...

On any other day, Tuesdays are always better than Mondays. That is just how it normally works out, for most I would assume. They usually are just because Mondays are the day after the weekend, and who wants to go back to school or work? Not me!! Well, Mondays usually are my get back to normal days and I dislike them very much; however, this Monday was great! I don’t know if it was because it was a beautiful day, or just because I had everything early, so I had time to do what I wanted at work. Well, whatever it was, it sure beat today!! Lol! Today, Tuesday, I got up and went to class at 8. I had a test first hour and I aced it (guess that was a plus for today..woo hoo!) Then I had to go to History, for some reason, History class, for me, is soo blah! I try to take good notes, but he talks really really fast! Then comes A&P, great… this professor is a horrible teacher and he is so scatter brained it drives me nuts! If you ask him a question, I am not kidding, he will go on and on about it for the entire hour and fifteen minutes, so I really don’t get much out of it except why some  bruises stay so long and others don’t.  Thank goodness we got out of there a little early though! After I leave the campus I go and purchase gas, well I tried anyways. Every time I would hit debit and type my pin number in it said I needed to go up to the desk, so I did and the lady said to do it as credit or I would have to prepay. I did what she said and it worked, thankfully! I knew I had plenty of money in my account, so I called up my bank and asked what was up. They told me I had a transaction from some place earlier that morning. WOAHH! Hold up, I hadn’t used my debit card since last Thursday, so I knew that was wrong!  The lady I was talking to gave me the number to the place that said I had purchased something. At this point I was extremely angry, I might add.  I called them, gave them all my information, and it turns out they don’t have any idea why I would have a charge from them, they didn’t have any of my information and they didn’t have any transactions from me. How odd… that poor lady had to listen to me gripe, and she was very helpful. After she told me she didn’t have anything for me and didn’t know why I was charged, I apologized for being mean, after all, it wasn’t her fault. So I called the bank and I had to write a statement saying what happened and blahh blahh blahh, and in a couple days I will get my money back! J

This is just a lesson, and I passed, except it ruined my day. I am just glad that I called to see what the heck was going on, and that i get my moola back.

Where in the World?

Lately, I have been wondering if I would like to start traveling around the world. I do believe it would be a great experience and I would learn many different things. There is so much to see and every culture is so different from what I am used to. I have only been to a handful of places, Texas, Colorado, Missouri, and Florida. Now that I am older, I think it would be a great experience to travel some. The only problem is that I hate going places far without my mom. Yes, I am defiantly a momma’s girl. That is probably because she has always been there for me and that I was the first born. There are some places I would like to visit.

In the United States I would love to go to New York City. I believe that this city is very diverse, and has an enormous amount of art work that would be awesome to see. This would be a place that would be more of a fun, party trip than a sightseeing trip. I am sure I will still view many places, but at night there is great energy. However, I will defiantly wait till I am 21, because I would not be able to get the full experience that I want to get right now being 19. Also I have always wanted to go to Times Square and the Empire State Building!

Another place I want to travel to is Italy. More specifically, Rome! Rome has some meaning to me because I am Catholic and I would just love to be that much closer to where the Pope is and maybe get the opportunity to see him. That would be amazing! Also, all the old churches I am sure they are all beautiful. There is just so much in Rome that can be seen, I want to see the fountains, and especially the antiques! And, again, I will wait until I am 21 so I can live the full experience. Just to top this trip off I am sure I will eat a ton! I love Italian food, so I should be in heaven while I am there; hopefully I will not gain too much weight…haa!

Switzerland is also another place that is calling me. I think this place would have most beautiful scenic views there is.  This is where the Swiss Alps are located at and just looking up at them would most likely take my breath away. I am not too sure where I would like to go in Switzerland, but I am sure anywhere really would be a sight to see! This place also, would have a most different culture than what I am used too. I think it would be great to meet someone there and become close to him or her and learn some of their ways.

No matter where I decide to go, I first have to make some money, but for now, it is fun to just daydream about!

My gripe about April

I am sure everyone is excited about it being April and that classes are over in May, which means just little over a month until we are done with this semester and summer break begins!! I, too, am ecstatic about this information! Summer is my all time favorite month and even though I work, I will have Tuesdays and Thursdays to do what I want! Woo hoo! But April is usually rainy and the weather is weird! This year, is especially true and shows a great example of why. Ever hear the saying, “April showers bring May flowers.” I think somewhere in that saying, it needs to have something about the old weather! One day the weather is around high 70s and hot. Then the next day it is low 50s rainy, and chilly! This weather is teasing me and putting me in a weird mood.

Last year I would have been starting track. I hated it, but it was the one sport I succeeded the most in. however, considering I hate the cold, wet weather it was even more horrible! Wearing those skimpy little shorts and beater I often froze at track meets and at practice!  Thank goodness that chapter in my life is over because I do not miss it at all! As you can see I am a big ol’ baby when it comes to being cold. My parents often tell me I have some sort of disease because if it isn’t 75 degrees then I have a blanket around me!

Back to April, I guess this is not anything new for this month, but is it just me or is it really colder than normal? Last week, I believe Thursday, it was SNOWING while I was at MSSU! I only remember one time when it was snowing in April and that was my freshman year in high school at track practice. (Imagine that!) The grass that has finally started to pop up front the ground is getting a rude awakening from this cold weather because, like I said, one day it is perfect weather and I am in shorts and a t-shirt, then the next day I’m about to freeze my bottom off! Poor, poor grass I tell ya! Also, I cannot decide when I need to put away my winter clothing, and I don’t always go home on the weekend, and it is hard to pack for a weekend when the weather is go crazy! It is also a royal pain to keep all my clothes instead of packing what I do not need away for the following year!

I will be ready when it is hot daily and I can finally put away my winter clothing! J

I also hope everyone had a fun April Fools day and a good week back in classes, even though it was a yucky half of a week!

aPRiL fOoLs!!!

Everyone needs to be ready for today! Put your hard cap on and do not jump! It is April first, and you know what that means! APRIL FOOLS DAY! There are many pranks to be played on others today but here is a little history on why today has to do with fooling others. Well, in the 16^th century, this is the day France would celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Pope Gregory changed the calendar in 1562 to the one we use today. So pretty much that is how it all started. There isn’t much to it, but how much involved could a day with pranks be?  I figured there would be something silly or crazy, but nope, it is just sort of thrown in there for a day that everyone can play pranks on others.

There are many jokes to be played on this fun little holiday. My little brothers teacher said she was going to put food coloring in their milk cartons. Hopefully little Kenny does not flip out! I remember when he drake soured milk; he washed his mouth out for a good 5 minutes.  Here are some that I have heard and some that have been played for years.

I heard on the radio, to purchase a jelly filled doughnut, get a straw, stick the straw into the doughnut and suck out the fillings. Then, get a bottle of catsup and squirt it into the straw and fill up the doughnut with it! Whoever takes a big ol’ bite out of that is going to freak out!

If your parents go out on April First, before they come home, get some plastic wrap (has to be clear) and stretch the plastic wrap all around the frame of the door, when they come home, they will run right into it!! It is defiantly something to see! At my house, by brothers tied clear fishing string to the front porch pillars and one evening I was in a hurry and ran right into it! Needless to say I hit the ground hard, got up and let my siblings know that I would do something way worse to them if they decided to pull that prank on me again. The boys never did it to me again, imagine that! Hahaha

There are also “gifts” you can purchase and give them to someone! I just recently figured that one out. If you know someone who smokes, there is an exploding cigarette pack. For an older person that smokes tobacco out of a pipe there is a pipe that will shock him or her when he or she goes to smoke it.

Just seeing the shocking surprise look on others faces is enough to make me giggle! Sometimes they know what is going to happen, but they forget it seems like, and all of a sudden they have that look on their face, screech, and jump backwards! It is all for fun and young children all the way up to adults all love this small holiday!

Spring Break was a grand ol' time!

Howdy everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful Spring Break! I know I sure did! As you know I and my rather large family went to Disney World in Florida. We drove the 21 hours there and the 21 hours back with only stopping to get gas in our vehicles. We arrived at our destination at 2:00 AM on Saturday morning and got some sleep before our adventures began.

Later on that morning, around 9:00 we all woke up and got ready for a long day at Downtown Disney, for those of you that don’t know, Downtown Disney is a gigantic place with little shops everywhere, and there was a large arcade for everyone to go in and it had four levels. I, personally, was not fond of the arcade; it is not my cup of tea, but I was pretty neat! We walked around all day and seen some amazing things. Each character had his or her own store.  After a long morning and a hectic afternoon, the little ones were starting to get a bit hungry, so we decided to head back to the resort, clean up , and head back to Downtown Disney to grab a bite to eat. That right there was a huge mistake. There were twice the amount of people there and the restaurant we wanted to dine at had a two hour wait, so we bit that idea in the butt and we to Planet Hollywood. There, only a 30 minute wait, was very cool. The inside was filled with all sorts of different things! Everywhere you looked there was something out of the ordinary. We ordered our food, which was rather expensive for what we got, ate, and headed to our new “home” to rest for the next day’s excitement.

Day two was amazing, probably my favorite one all! We went the Magic Kingdom! That is where the Princess’s live and all of the Disney characters! My little sister, Kaitlyn, was able to see Tinkerbell. Courtney was able to see Bell, Kathleen seen Bell, and I was able to see Jasmine! It was a day filled with fun and excitement! There were rides everywhere and they all were able to get some autographs from many of the characters. My little brother, Kenny Paul, seen Buzz and we were trying to make our way over to see Woody and his gang and it was close to 6:00PM, well we arrived to where he was and found out that he wouldn’t be back until tomorrow and with the tickets we bought we could only go there once. It was heart retching to see little Kenny in tears, he cried for a good two hours. Every time he would think about Wood, his hero, he would break down. So my mom did something that didn’t even cross my mind. She and Kenny walked about a mile to where the main desk was, asked if maybe Woody could sign Kenny book. The kind lady at the desk told her she would do her best to get him there after the fireworks display. That was good enough for Kenny, for now. By the time that all went down it was time for the parade. It was magnificent! All the characters were on floats that lit up in the night sky. It was very magical! Then, after that was the fireworks show, I am not joking when I say it was the most beautiful one I have ever seen! The colors filled the sky above the castle. Beautiful is the only way to explain it. After that was over, we went back to the front desk, to find that Woody didn’t make it, BUT, he was able to sign a personal picture with him and Buzz, that said, “ To Kenny Paul From Woody. Kenny also received a Big horse that Jessie road and Jessie got him a toy of her. Kenny was in high heaven! He was so happy and gave the lady a hug, that right there made tears come to my eyes! Thank goodness Kenny was able to see his hero!

The next day, our last day, we went to Typhoon Lagoon, a water park! It was awesome, to say the least. There is a ten foot wave at one section that came and knocked you on your butt! The whole experience there was truly amazing!

The next day we packed up, went to the beach and headed home. It was a great Spring Break, the best I have ever had, and I spent it with my family! The ride home was extremely long and tiring, but the little ones were very good. I think the older boys were a bigger pain than the four year old!! Hahaha!

I believe every child should get the opportunity to go to Disney World!

*HELLO Spring Break*

Man! It’s only two days till Spring Break and I am pumped!!! Actually, for me it is only one day because my last day of class is Thursday. After that all I have is a blog to write for this class and I am stress free, well, for a week that is!!My family and I are going to Florida and this is really our first big trip ever. Mom has always wanted to take us, but someone was always too little. Well, this year Kaitlyn is not tall enough but she doesn’t seem to mind considering we are going to Disney Land and she will get to see Mickey Mouse and Pooh Bear! I too am excited, that might sound childish, but I believe going to Disney Land is something every child should get the opportunity to do.  My two younger sisters, Kathleen and Courtney, were packed and ready to go on Monday! I am a little far behind and I have not even started!! I don’t even know where to begin! We are leaving early Friday morning and will get there Saturday sometime. Or we might leave Thursday night and get there sometime Friday. Either way it is going to be a looong and very packed ride. I just hope the younger children do alright sitting for that long. We will stop I am sure, but give me a break, I am certain that just a gas and bathroom stop won’t do for their energized young bodies and their sickness of being in a car, with a seatbelt over their chest.  Since we all cannot fit in just one of our vehicles (mom drives a suburban that holds 8 and there are ten of us) we are renting a very nice van that holds 12 and has a TV built in! Heck, we actually probably need a small school bus so we can all be comfortable and have enough room for all of our luggage! We are packing sandwiches for the ride up there to save money and time, which is a great idea, except on Friday for the reason that we are Catholic and cannot eat meat. Yeah, yeah, yeah there are PB&Js but ewwwww, I hate peanut butter, and so does half our family. I suppose we will just have to eat tuna out of those pouches. Fine by me though, I love tuna!

While we are in Florida we are also going to go to the beach!! I absolutely love the beach and think it is the most beautiful landscape to look at. My favorite thing to do when we get there is look out in the ocean and only see water and the sunset. It is the most relaxing thing there is.

We will be in Florida for four days, and those four days are going to be great! We will head home on Tuesday and arrive home on Wednesday! I am most defiantly dreading the ride home.

I  hope everyone has a great and safe Spring Break!!  J

little sisters :)

Ever girl has done this at one point in time. Babysitting; yes… watching one, two, sometimes three children for a night. It’s usually pretty good money and the kids usually behave fairly well for mom and dad being out of the house. Today, I am watching my baby sister. She is four and because she is the youngest she thinks she is the boss. I went and picked her up from preschool at eleven and told her gets to hang with big sis today. Like any little sister, she was excited.

She loves to go to the gym with me, so for our lunch break that’s where we headed. When I run she likes to walk next to me, when I squat, she gets the little two pounders and squats with me (it’s pretty cute). I even think she works up a sweat! After only about an hour it was getting time to start to head back to the office, and I had some work to finish up on. She usually behaves and occupies herself, but so far, not so good… I figured she was hungry so I asked her what she wanted, that was a mistake, of course, she wanted chicken nuggets; but we are Catholic and it’s Lent now, so that means no meat on Fridays. Finally, after a long talk she went with fish sticks.

When she was finally done, she decided to do the laundry, but dumped a whole bottle of hand soap in the washer. I had no idea this was going on and when I went back there to turn it on I seen her playing with my cat, Sophie. I turned on the washer and went back up front. About 30 minutes later I hear Kaitlyn, “Why is there bubbles coming out of the thing Jess.” I was not a happy camper. I really couldn’t get angry with her, she was only trying to help…I think. So I calmly explained why we use detergent instead of soap. After we worked together and got that mess cleaned up, she decided she wanted to color. Well, no biggy, I gave her the crayolas. Mistake number 1:  I didn’t give her any paper. Mistake number 2: I totally forgot that there was some permeate colored markers in the box… big woops on my part. Good thing mom buys those eraser things that remove everything off of the walls, floor, and the benches.

I’m usually a very observant person and pay plenty of attention to what she’s doing. I guess my afternoon I just have too much on my plate. And now, she’s trying to help me write this blog, so instead of typing this in about 7 minutes, it’s taken me about 30 minutes. Little ones are so fun. J  Guess she can help me clean the run outside and she can play with her bran spankin new princess bouncy ball that cost me $5.00. Having a little 4 year old to watch all the time reminds me why I don’t want any little ones any time soon. Lol ,even though she’s a cute and tries to help me with the chores. hahaha

FACEBOOK

Let’s face it; Facebook has taken over many lives. People all over the world have a Facebook account. Why? Well, people can reconnect with friends from school and see what they are doing these days. However, is this network a good thing to have?  High School students all over have Facebooks and they all like to post what they are doing and pictures of what they were doing. Facebook can get anyone in trouble.  I deleted my Facebook in the middle of my senior year, why? Well for the simple reason that many of my friends were getting called to the office about pictures they had posted. Just deleting my account doesn’t mean anything at all accept that I don’t have one anymore. My friends could have Facebook and post pictures of me on there and I could STILL get in trouble. Just because I deleted my account doesn’t mean that I can’t reactivate it and all of my pictures be back on there. No matter how safe YOU are on Facebook does not mean that your friends are just as safe. People are losing their jobs because of Facebook and some companies now, look at their employees Facebooks to see what they do. Even in job interviews, the interviewer will look and see if he or she has a Facebook.  And don’t forget about predators online. So is Facebook worth all this trouble?

There are some great points to why you should delete your account. And if the possibility of losing your job isn’t good enough, here are some other reasons why you should delete it.

1.       Even your data is shared with applications when you think it isn’t.

2.       It isn’t technically completely enough to be trusted.

3.       FACEBOOK CAN BE A BULLY!!

4.       Facebook makes it difficult to TRULY DELETE your account. ( if I wanted to reactivate my account all I have to do is type in my email address and my password and BAM it’s all back. All of my old comments, my pictures, and all my private messages.)

There are many more points also to add to this see, 10 REASONS TO DELETE YOUR FACEBOOK.

There are also reasons why Facebook is good, thought. When I first got facebook I hadn’t seen my half brother is years. Well, I searched his name and finally I was able to find his account. We still talk, just not on facebook. So, there are times when Facebook can reconnect family members and old friends. Since everyone has facebook, people can post events on there and when and where they will be at and everyone will be able to see the event this is because it is the top social network there is.  If you are just staying in contact with old friends and that is the ONLY thing you do, then Facebook is a great place to stay connected with them.

If you are like me and many others, then go ahead and delete that sucker! It can get you in a world of trouble…eventually. Here is a site where it will show you how to delete your facebook FOR GOOD!

http://www.wikihow.com/Permanently-Delete-a-Facebook-Account

What being over weight can cause

Today, it is very easy to gain weight, fast food restaurants can play a major role in the way we look like today. Sure I like the occasional Braum’s hamburger, but eating out every once in a while is very different than eating out every day for lunch. Staying in shape is a big deal to me. I was a High school athlete and was involved in volleyball, basketball, track, and softball. I was, and still am, very competitive. I never had to worry about my weight and I ate what I wanted to, and when I wanted to. I was active, and I could burn it all off in two or so hours. Well, that sure isn’t the case now. I have to watch what I eat, and I don’t eat when I want. Sure, I still stay plenty active, but I don’t always have time for spending two or more hours at the gym. My father’s side of the family has a problem with weight control, and that really stinks, they all have their own problems and some of them are caused because they are overweight.

High blood pressure is a condition in which the force of blood against artery walls is to strong. Over time high blood pressure can damage the heart, arteries, and even the kidneys. It is also one of the affects of being obese. It’s proven that the more weight a person gains the higher his or her blood pressure. Just losing ten pounds can make a difference. I understand that some people, who are not overweight, have high blood pressure.  This is just to show that everyone is built differently and staying fit can help a person’s chances of not having high blood pressure.

Diabetes can be another factor in being obese, especially Type 2 diabetes. Most that have Type 2 diabetes are overweight and are not usually very active. On my dad’s side of the family my uncle was just diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The doctors told him that he needed to get his weight under control in order to try and get his diabetes under control. I wish I lived near him so I could help him. I really think that if he had someone to help him go through this that he would really try and lose the weight.

There are many more diseases that being obese can lead to, and America is known for our obesity. Just going to get your car washed can burn 18 calories. I think a huge part of being obese is laziness because I will eat a juicy, greasy hamburger, but afterwards I hit the gym, or run. On WebMD there is an interactive tool that will show a person just about how many calories it takes to do something. I think everyone should look at this. It is pretty amazing that with our technology today that we can see how many calories it takes just to walk a dog or wax your car.

An update on the past week

Rachael was able to leave Children’s Mercy on Saturday. She has her prostatic eye in and she is doing great. Saturday, she came home to her friends in her yard and signs put up all around her house. She seemed to be grateful that all of us were there to greet her home. She is able to shower by herself and she will tell anyone how hard it is for her. “I have to sit in a chair to shower, and I hate it! I tried to stand up and take one but my eye lost focus and thank goodness the shower curtain was there to hold me up!” She had me cracking up; Rachael is not the one to complain in a sad manor she is always to say something hilarious even though the situation itself isn’t funny at all.

Sunday came and Deja and I cooked her and her family some Mexican Spaghetti and brownies. Rachael, who has a plate in her jaw, can eat only soft foods. We were a little worried that she wouldn’t be able to eat the dinner, but thankfully, she said she devoured it. I can’t imagine how much pain she has gone through. She is truly a strong woman. She also has a deep cut that goes from below her left eye, across her nose and to the bottom of her right eye. A plastic surgeon was able to stitch underneath so she wouldn’t have a nasty scar from the stitches. Her face isn’t swollen anymore and her brother is doing magnificent!  

Mike, my boyfriends’ dad, is much better. He has so many friends and they all are there for him. Last night, he had the elderly lady’s family come over. He said, “I don’t want to do this, and I am not looking forward to it, but it’ll do my heart good.” And that is exactly what it did. While the family was over they had their serious talks, but by the end Mike and the other family was cracking jokes and laughing about the good ol’ days. (Mike and the others were good friends and Mikes other son, Jimmy, went to school with one of the family members.)

Mike still won’t drive a vehicle no matter what it is, and truly I don’t think I would be able to drive if I was in his situation. Thankfully, because Jody works in the family business he can drive his daddy to where he needs to go, not only can Jody help him, but so can his friends. His heart is healing slowly, but when it is done I beyond doubt believe he will be much better. I think what happened to him will be with him for life, but it’ll be pushed into the back of his head and he can move on with his life.

The other family that was in a fatal car accident isn’t doing so well. Please keep them in your prayers. I am still not sure on the detail of that wreck, but I don’t believe they are needed.

After all of this craziness I believe something good can come out of it. If you are driving keep your FULL attention on the road, don’t let other things find ways to get attention.

Be Carefull When You Are Driving.

There has been so much on my mind lately and I figured I’d share it with all of you! I guess you could say this is me getting everything off my chest.

Last Friday one of my good friends was in a horrible car accident. She was going home from school with her younger brother, she’s a senior this year and he is a freshman. He is alright, just a few stitches under his chin; however, Rachael got the worst of it. She burst her eye and broke her jaw and nose. She was life lighted to Joplin, then from there to Kansas City to Children’s Mercy. There they reconstructed her eye and put a plate in her jaw. The doctors informed her parents there was a chance that she would lose her eye; however Sunday morning her doctor shown a light in it and she seen something!! Later that afternoon she was released from ICU and I went up to see her Monday. She looked great compared to what my imagination was showing me. Her face was swollen and she had a patch over her eye. For what she went through, she was in high spirits and ready to take a bath!  The hardest part for me was that when I entered her room she latched onto my hand and kept squeezing it. I didn’t let go for a long time. While I was sitting by her I kept thinking about all the good times we had, had. The horse back ridding, volleyball games and those nights where there wasn’t anything to do and we just rode around listening to music trying to figure out the words. Rachael I knew was going to be okay, no matter how the pain hurt, she was being tough and she had many medicines to take some of it away. I left that night in high spirits also because when you are around someone like her, you can’t help but smile and look at the bright side.

Tuesday came and it was like a turn for the worst. Her eye was giving her so much pain that she was begging for the doctors to take it out. Her parents knowing that there was a chance for her vision to come back in that eye, and that there was a possibility that she would lose her vision all together, made it clear what Rachael wanted to do. She was terrified, but she knew it’d be alright. The surgery went well and she is in less pain. If you didn’t know Rachael had a prostatic eye, you wouldn’t be able to tell. It looks like the real deal! Our technology today is truly amazing.

Wednesday came and went and there was a special prayer for Rachael and her family. She was recovering great. Thursday came and the doctors told her she might be going home as soon as Friday!! That was great news to her and her parents.  I haven’t heard anything so far today, but I’m hopeful that she will be coming home shortly.

*She was wearing her seat belt(or she wouldnt be alive)and she was not on her phone(thank the Lord!).

Monday while I was heading to Kansas City, by boyfriends dad was in a semi going up a hill and an elderly lady was going down it at a pretty high rate of speed, and smashed into Mike, he, thankfully, is okay, just shook up very badly. After he was hit, he got out of the semi and found the lady in her car dead. While that was going on, two other people I knew of was in a bad wreck and died instantly.

Please keep these people in your prayers and my gripe is that when you are driving PAY ATTENTION, true that it’s not always your fault; but if you’re paying more attention then maybe you can save a life.

Religious Beliefs, to Some, Still Come First

Earlier this morning I heard about a boy in Iowa who wouldn’t wrestle a girl in a State Championship in Des Moines. The first thing that came to mind was that there was a girl who was actually wrestling! We didn’t have wrestling in my 2A high school, so I am not to up-to-date on the sport. Area schools around us did, but no girls ever joined the team. I was quite surprised that it made the national news. Joel Northrup, a sophomore boy who was homeschooled refused to wrestle the girl, Cassy Herkelman, in the State Championship.  He said it was against his religious beliefs. Some believed that he would have won the championship if he wouldn’t have forfeited the first match against Herkelman. Her record was 20-13 going into the match and Northrup’s was 35-4. He had every reason to want to win that Thursday.

Cassy Herkelman was not hurt by what 14- year old Joel Northrup did. She said it was his beliefs and he made the choice; no one made it for him. Northrup’s father wasn’t angry at his son either. He was in high spirits that his son didn’t fall for the pressure from his religious beliefs and that he stuck with what he believed. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy choice to default to a freshman, let alone a girl. Not to mention it was the first time ever a girl won by default in the state of Iowa and she actually quilified for state in its 85 - year history. If I was in this position I think I would feel the same way the Cassy feels. She couldn’t make Northrup wrestle her and she wasn’t hurt over it. I also believe that Joel made the right choice, wrestling can become very violent.

To me, if there is going to be more girls becoming involved in Wrestling, then there should be separate matches, those for boys and then those for girls. I’m all for girls being able to prove that they can play the same sports as boys. Believe me, my 9 year old sister played peewee football this past summer and she loved it. That’s why there is such a thing called powder puff football for girls because when the boys catch up our maturity they hit much harder and are built more stout. When it comes to someone’s religious beliefs I believe somewhere there should be separation in the sport. There are some states that do have separate teams for boys and girls, Texas being one of them. With wrestling being very popular in Iowa, I think they should defiantly step up their game and get girls a league of their own so these situations don’t pop up any more and so someone with a much better record than his opponent can shoe his/her stuff.

Mornigns at the Bates House

The average family today has two, three or even four kids. Average…that is a word that does not pertain to our family, literally. Me, being the oldest I have had some great young children experience. I am now 19 and the youngest is 4.  I have 7 younger siblings, yes, 7… four brothers and three sisters (not counting me). Then I have a half brother that is older than me but we don’t see him very much. We recently moved out of a two story house with four bedrooms!! Let me tell you, it was crammed packed! Now that we have moved there is much more room… but with 10 people in a household at all times, it can get pretty crazy and very loud!

The mornings are always hectic, that might be the reason I’m an early bird and love to get up before the crew does, my brother, Brandon-18, is the same way. Around 6:25 is when Kaitlyn (4) wakes up…well that’s our first attempt to get her up. Meanwhile, the boys are starting to rise and two of them, Jeremy- 15 and Zachary- 13, are around that age where they like to bug you to death. Not to mention that they think they are helpless. While they are complaining; Kathleen-12 is in front of the mirror trying to do her hair. Thank goodness for big sis, who can say, “maybe this looks better.”  Here goes the second attempt to wake the toddle up…still nothing though. Then there is Courtney who is 9, she is a little mommy and tries to make sure everything goes smooth in the mornings. While all this is going on Kenny Paul-7 is putting on his “cowboy” clothes, which consists of Cowboy boots, Wrangler jeans and a button up shirt. He has the same problem every morning… he has lost his hat!! To a 7 year old… this is like the world has come to an end, and for Kenny (Kenneth) it is an every morning occurrence.  This craziness in our house takes up only about 20 minutes, so it’s around 6:45, and there is one little girl still in bed with her pillow over her ears and the blanks up to her neck. So the third attempt always works because there is only one of us who can get her up and moving and that is Courtney (probably because they share a room).  

Time to walk out of the door, and it’s 7:00, mom always makes sure that everyone has everything they need-Backpacks, P.E clothes, Permission slips, afterschool activities clothes… everything. Now that we live about 20 minutes away it is a little tricky if one of them forget something.

After school gets out, depending on the time of the year, Brandon, Jeremy, and Zachary have football practice, Kathleen has volleyball practice, Kenny and Courtney have peewee football practice and Kaitlyn is bored because Kenny and Courtney are gone. During the winter, now that I am out of school, there are Kathleen’s basketball games and Courtney’s basketball games. It is EXTERMELY hectic during the first of the year, as I am sure you can imagine.  

*Bits and Pieces a New Pet Owner Might Like to Know*

Think about this… you have no clue about what vaccinations puppy’s needs, what worm medicine, grooming him/her, spaying/neutering, and what foods are okay for the puppy to eat? Where does a new owner know where to start? There are many different opinions out there. Someone might ask a person working at Pet’s Mart, or a Humane Society employee; however these people can only point you in the direction that they are familiar with. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) can actually tell you when you need to get your puppy vaccinated and what wormer gets every worm and what get the most common worms. The ways you spot one of these doctors is looking under Veterinarians in the phone book, or if you know one, just ask. A veterinarian is a doctor that practices veterinarian medicine. Now, there are times where you will need to make an appointment and let the Veterinarian look at your pet, but what is the harm in calling if you need some information?

Every puppy needs his/her vaccinations. When your puppy is six to eight weeks old is when a veterinarian will give them. It does not have to be a vet, but it does have to be someone that is WORKING at the clinic you are in. At the clinic I work at, Dr. Bates will give a Bordetella 1st vac., which is a shot that helps prevent your pup from coughing. He will give a DHLPP (Distemper, parvovirus) this is a combination vaccine and it covers those three viruses. Finally the last shot he will give is corona virus. Your puppy will get a check up, wormed, and some free goodies (not all places have the goodies since it is not a requirement.) My father, whom is the vet, boosters the vaccinations ever three weeks until the puppy is 4 months of age. That way his/her immune system has been boostered twice.

There are many wormers out there and I really only am familiar with two. One being IVERHART PLUS, this is a pill and it gets EVERY worm. Yes, including heartworms. It is a monthly treat and if you give this to your pup then you don’t have to get a 6 month test, when your pup is 6 months of age. This pill is not given at your first or second set of shots. If the owner wants to start his/her pet on it then he/she will start giving it at 6 months of age. The seconded wormer is liquid, Pyrantel pamoate, and it gets the common worms like round worms, whip worms and hookworms. With this wormer you can give it whatever the age. Most people get this wormer when they get the first set of vacations, and it lasts a month.

Grooming is something every owner has to do to his/her pet. Wither it is just a bath or a full blown hair cut, nail trim/painting, and a bath. Some vet clinics have pet grooming and when he/she is done they all look so cute!! Spaying/neutering your pet is something a responsible pet owner should do. You can look at my older post about spaying and neutering your pet to find out the information there. Another thing is buying your pet food. There are a number of brands out there and it can be hard for a pet owner to determine what they are, but there are many that are great for your pet, on the other hand they do cost more. Yeah, you look at the price and grab the cheapest one, we all do; yet there are not as many nutrients and the puppy has to eat more than if you would feed it, say Science Diet, which is the brand name of cat and dog foods marketed by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. A good food has many nutrients in it and the puppy will only eat what it says on the package, which means your puppy will need to go out less and he/she will still have all the nutrients he/she needs!

Troubled Egypt:What Will Come?

When I first heard all this nonsense about Egypt I did not know if their president was the one killing or if it was all the people protesting against Hosni Mubarak's presidency. I now know that it’s really the protesters and the president’s army. “President’s army” the reason why I stated those two words that was is because President Mubarak was in the air force. The people of Egypt will listen to the Egyptian army because they believe that the army is for the people and will listen to their cries, when really; President Mubarak and the Egyptian army have been considered “one” for thirty years. He has been very good to the military. In my own opinion he has been good to the army only because he served in the air force and if he’s good to them won’t they be good to him? This is not how the army should work. They can take orders from the president but, overall they should be listening to the people, considering, how Hosni Mubarak isn’t.

Hosni Mubarak has been in power since 1981, stated by Janine Zacharia, that right there blows my mind. He has been in power for 30 years!! I strongly agree that he needs to be gone. He has never denied that he will used force to challenges against his rule. He recently stated in a press conference that he has no desire to step down. What he will do is not run in the next election, which is help in September, and is seven months away and that has some secrets to it also. Do you think this is going to fly with the Egypt’s citizens? I think not. While in his press conference, Fred Kaplan, dotted down that Mubarak  “Urged the young people in the square (whom he likened to his "children") to "restore the normal way of life to the Egyptian streets." To me, that right there is severe sarcasm. He knows the protesters are against him and the government and, yet, he calls them his “children.” I also believe he said it knowing that the protesters would get a riot over it.

So does the United States get involved in this since we are already in Iraq fighting one? President Obama has stated that America will state out of this. One reason is because Egypt has been our ally for years and why mess that up? But are there any other, hidden, reasons?  After Mubarak’s conference there has been many questions brought up. Now, that the world knows that he is not going to step down until the election, and that he is not afraid to use force will President Obama change his mind and will be over there next to try and help them? Also, what about the Egyptians army? They too have a decision to make. Will they stand by the president, who has been in office for thirty years, or will they stand by the people, whom they are supposed to stand behind anyways?

I do not see this whole ordeal coming to an end quickly. I think it will still be going on months from now and I believe The U.S will most likely get involved.

Go to http://www.slate.com/id/2284669/?GT1=38001 to get the whole story.

For those of you that don’t know, Egypt is located between the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and connects Eurasia with Africa, and it borders Israel, Sudan, and Libya.

Super Bowl Ughh Ooohs

It’s that time of year again, February 6^th, where everyone all around is excitedly preparing for the game of the season...that is, the football season. During every sport there is that one big game, no matter if it’s soccer, basketball, track, or volleyball. Your nose is going to be in the TV until it’s over. The Super Bowl is defiantly one of those games. On that special day our family starts building up all sorts of junk food to eat, like cheese dip, ham with cream cheese and a pickle all rolled up(it’s very yummy!), poppers, and of course chips and salsa! Well unlike the past years, this great game was great to watch but the entertainment was a little…sketchy?

It started off when Christina Aguilera started to sing the National Anthem. Everything was fine when she started, right? Although then she got into the song a little deeper… and whoops! She totally messed up!! What in the world? How can a so called “professional” singer forget the words to our Nations song, it isn’t like this was her first ball game.  What she said was, “What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last reaming.” At least she got the rhythm, rhyming, and timing down; but she couldn’t fool the crowd, who were expecting the traditional, “O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming.” I feel sorry for her on a low level, simply because she couldn’t just stop singing and rack her brain for the right words. Then again, I don’t. I had to learn the National Anthem, preamble, and the Pledge of Allegiance when  I was younger and I can still say two out of the three (preamble being the one where I can’t get passed the first sentence.) That wasn’t the only mess up on Sunday though.

Then the coin toss was also a little confusing. According Mark Pesavento of Yahoo Sports, statistically, the team that loses the opening coin toss is actually more likely to win the game, so when the AFC Champion Steelers loss their call of tails and the NFC Champion Packers deferred to their opposition, it’s no wonder the game was already on. However the referee was the one who was all but on the right page. Then, they cut in for a commercial. The commercials were another thing that I, personally, did not think were as good as in the past. My favorite ones are the Budweiser commercials, simply because I love the Clydesdales, I only recall seeing one this year and that was a little disappointing.

The Half time performance was just another oops… when Fergie started singing, I didn’t hear anything until she was half way through what she was trying to spit out. I know it wasn’t her fault, I’m sure she was just as frustrated as the rest of us were. I not a huge fan of Black Eyed Peas, but I do know that it wasn’t their best performance ever. Go to http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/02/06/black-eyed-peas-a-glittering-bore-at-super-bowl/43502/  and see what this critic said. He is very right and some of his points are his opinions.

Finally, the poor, poor, individuals that paid for a $900 seat (or more), were not allowed to go inside and sit in them. Instead they were summoned down to the basement and outside in the blistering cold to view the game. I, for one, think they should get their money back for their seats, the money they had to put into their tanks, hotels to stay the night, and money for food. Why shouldn’t they get that money back? They weren’t going to spend it if they just stayed home. http://post-gazette.com/pg/11039/1123857-66.stm -- this is a great article to read over what happened.

People these days--I tell ya what!

My goodness!!   In today's society, is everyone so busy doing something that he or she can't take the time to stop and smell the roses, or help someone in need? The reason for these questions is because I was in Joplin the other day and there was a lady at Wal-Mart who slipped and fell right in front of the walk-in entrance. Her beverage went flying and absolutely no body would help her up. If anyone has ever fallen or even tripped you know how humiliating it can be.  She was a little older, maybe close to her early 50's and couldn't get up. She needed a helping hand; but no one near her would take three messily steps over to her and ask if she was okay or give her a hand up. I, on the other hand, was behind her a ways and hurried over to help her. The other people walking in, turned and just snickered to themselves like it was some sort of joke. One person even pulled out his phone and started taking pictures. How can someone have the decency to stand there and take a picture of someone who has fallen? This poor lady needed help and no one around her was going to give her anything but a good laugh! What is this world coming too? Can we not take the time to drop what we are doing to help those in need? Are we all really in that big of a hurry? I, personally, don't think so. What I think is that each of us thinks we are too busy talking or texting on our cells to look up or we just don't want to get involved, or even both!

We all were raised differently and with different values, but would one of these people’s mothers be laughing right along with her child or would she be helping the elderly lady up? I like to think she would be helping her up, getting out of that horrible situation and scolding her child for his or her behavior, no matter the age. What would she think if she was the mother to the adult man taking snap shots like a pauperize? I for sure would think she would be embarrassed and outraged. Has our society of mothering children changed that much over the last couple decades? My mom has taught us right from wrong and she would be ashamed if we walked away from someone in need. Even if our mothers didn't teach each one of us  a thing, a grown person can see what is right and what is wrong... so HELLO, do what's right and stop making fools out of yourself!

Thank you for letting me get this off my chest!! :)  Remember stop and smell the roses and no one is in that big of a hurry not to help someone when he/she needs it the most.

Oh and sorry if this offended anyone, I would hope it didn't but just in case!