God Bless Our Troops

May the good Lord bless every one of our troops wherever they are!

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS,ONE NATION UNDER GOD,INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

Please stop a moment and say a prayer for our troops:

on (land, air, and sea) in Afghanistan , Kuwait ,Iraq and all around the world.

Of all the gifts you could give our U.S. Military,Prayer is the very best one!

Dear Heavenly Father,

Hold our troops in your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need.

...I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13

Skywatch Friday

Thailand at sunset.

Adopt a Dog

Oprah Winfrey adopts a dog from PAWS Chicago shelter!
By Emily, marketing manager Posted March 5, 2009 2:55 PM Permalink Comments (13)

Lyndon, a cocker spaniel puppy, is at Homeward Bound Animal Welfare Group in Mishawaka, INOprah Winfrey has adopted a cocker spaniel puppy from Petfinder member PAWS Chicago, a rep for the shelter tells Us Weekly.According to Usmagazine.com, Oprah "adopted an 8-week-old blonde-colored cocker spaniel on Sunday. ... The pup -- one of a litter of six -- was named Amanda by shelter staff, but [shelter rep Lisa] Nowak isn't sure if Winfrey renamed her."This is, of course, great news for adoption advocates! Oprah vowed her next dog would come from a shelter during her episode last year that exposed the horrors of puppy mills (and featured Bill Smith of Petfinder member Main Line Animal Rescue).Of course we're thrilled that she's made good on her promise -- but she'd become a bona fide pet adoption advocate even before this week:
She donated to PAWS Chicago in honor of her late cocker spaniel, Sophie.
She aired a show recently about Yorkies rescued from a puppy mill in Missouri.
Her Web site features a photo gallery of her employees' rescued pets.
Let's hope that Oprah's enormous influence will inspire thousands of others to make adoption their first choice when they're thinking of getting a pet. And for anyone who REALLY wants to be like Oprah: There are nearly 2,000 adoptable cocker spaniels and cocker mixes waiting for their forever homes on Petfinder.
Categories:
Animal shelters,
Celebrity adopters,
Pet news
Tags:
cocker spaniels,
dog adoption,
dogs,
Oprah Winfrey

Skywatch Friday

My niece and her husband went to Thailand in December, she had a wonderful time. You can see a mountain in the distance, and the sky is clear and beautiful.

Myths and Facts About High Fructose Corn Syrup

Myths and Facts About High Fructose Corn Syrup

High fructose corn syrup has gotten a great deal of media attention. Unfortunately, many stories about the dangers of HFCShave reported information that lacks scientific merit leaving consumers confused about what is fact and what is not.
In this section of SweetSurprise.com, you’ll find factual information dispelling the myths that are frequently published about high fructose corn syrup. There are also responses to frequently asked questions about sweeteners in general, as well as specific questions about high fructose corn syrup.
High Fructose Corn Syrup and ADD/ADHD in Children: Is There a Link or Is It a Myth?
Keith-Thomas Ayoob, Ed.D., RD, FADA
As a practicing pediatric nutritionist for twenty-five years, I have probably answered more questions about sugar and now high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and a supposed link to hyperactivity/attention deficit disorder than you can imagine. People often assume that sugar causes hyperactivity because of all the nutritional myths and misinformation they’ve read or heard about.

• First, let’s set the record straight about what sugar and high fructose corn syrup are. Essentially they’re the same.
• High fructose corn syrup is just another form of sugar, no better, no worse. Here’s why: regular table sugar is sucrose, made up of 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
• There are two types of high fructose corn syrup mainly used in foods and beverages—one is 55 % fructose and the other is 42% fructose with the balance for both made up of primarily glucose, almost the same as regular table sugar. Glucose is how the body uses most of its carbohydrate energy and is the body’s preferred energy source, so it breaks down and converts most carbohydrates into glucose.
• Fructose is a sugar found in most fruit (hence the name “fructose”) and the body can use it for energy, too.
  As for carbohydrates and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this myth got started back in the 1960s by a researcher at Harvard, who thought that sugar, certain food colorings, and even certain nutritious whole foods caused ADHD in children. His studies tended to be extremely flawed and no other researchers could replicate his results. In fact, numerous other researchers over the past several decades showed no link at all between ADHD and sugar of any kind.
  ADHD is a definable medical condition, but it’s not caused by sugar, high fructose corn syrup or any other form of sweetener.
• This is the conclusion of dozens of well-controlled studies.
  In the scientific world, the sugar-ADHD issue has been largely put to rest, but individuals, and especially parents, have yet to get the memo.
• Why? All too often they see kids having foods and drinks containing high fructose corn syrup or sugar in situations where kids are likely to be active anyway. A relatable story: A mother attended a birthday party with her child and about a dozen six-year-olds. Cake, ice cream, and punch were served and the mother said, “The food had too much sugar in it and they’re running all over the place.” Actually, the kids were just a bunch of six-year-olds at a birthday party acting their age.
• In this situation, it’s not fair to point the finger at the sugars themselves but rather the amount of sugars provided, minimal limit-setting and the level of activity that were bound to create some chaos, regardless of diet.
  
• High fructose corn syrup and other sugars may give you a quick burst of energy, but it is short-lived and relatively mild. Ironically, carbohydrates can actually increase the production of serotonin, a brain hormone that stimulates calmness and sleep.
  
• Now, let’s be clear. All sugars still have calories, so a modest intake of foods with added sugar is key for children and adults alike. One way to consume sugars like high fructose corn syrup is when they help you consume foods your body already needs.
• So, let your child drink that low-fat chocolate milk! It’s a great example of using some added sugar or high fructose corn syrup that’s also providing important dairy benefits.
  Myths About High Fructose Corn Syrup
  Frequently Asked Questions About High Fructose Corn Syrup
  Frequently Asked Questions About Sweeteners

Americans are Moving on up to Smaller,Smarter Homes

Americans are moving on up to Smaller, Smarter Homes

When architect Sarah Susanka remodeled her kitchen, she didn't use pricey granite or edgy concrete for her countertops. She used laminate. Her cabinets: Ikea.
"You can save thousands of dollars" by using simple materials in a well-designed space, says Susanka, author of the best-selling 1998 book The Not So Big House.
For more than a decade, she has urged people to build better, not bigger. Now, as the U.S. economy struggles to climb out of a tailspin and environmental concerns rise, her message has gone mainstream.
New homes, after doubling in size since 1960, are shrinking. Last year, for the first time in at least 10 years, the average square footage of single-family homes under construction fell dramatically, from 2,629 in the second quarter to 2,343 in the fourth quarter, Census data show.

Grey Hair

The growth of grey hair
How grey hair can look more Helen Mirren than Miss Marple
It’s a curious trend that as our obsession with youthful skin increases, our preoccupation with graying hair recedes. Increasingly there are those who embrace their faded locks. I’m thinking of Judi Dench, Helen Mirren and, most recently, Prince Charles’s wife Camilla, whose hair is now a striking shade of platinum white.
Not only do these women look great on their own terms, they are striking a blow against our youth-obsessed culture. And they look infinitely better than, say, Elizabeth Taylor, who has maintained her jet-black hair. Far from prolonging the illusion of youth, the harsh color makes her look drained and, I fear, a little sad.
There are limits: gunmetal grey is universally unflattering, especially when cut ruthlessly short in an am-I-bothered way. To work best, grey hair should tend towards white or gold, and you (or your hairdresser) need to be mindful of brassiness (grey hair is porous, and suffers from the Because same problems as over-bleached hair). Also, the shape of the cut and overall condition matter more than ever: wearing it in an old-lady shape will make you look like Miss Marple.

Jane Marple, usually known as Miss Marple, is a fictional character appearing in twelve of Agatha Christie's crime novels.

Pier Blown Away

Hurricane Katrina.................Category 5 hurricane

The pier at Mobile
Bay was blown away by hurricane Kartina and was never rebuilt. This is the site where there was a wonderful seafood restuarant, it extended out onto the pier. We ate there often. We hated to see the damage it sustained,and that they didn't rebuild. The restuarant opened on the other side of town in an already established building.

Are you a Braves fan?.......I am.....the season starts soon. April 5, 2009...

Hanson, Glavine take steps forwardWhile Tommy Hanson continues to bid for a spot in the Atlanta rotation, the legend once referred to as Tommy Glavine is simply preparing himself to enjoy at least one more healthy and productive season with the Braves.

Four-run sixth sends Braves past PhilsJeff Francoeur's fourth-inning sac fly got the Braves on the board, and Brooks Conrad's fifth-inning RBI double provided the hosts a lead they wouldn't squander in Sunday's 7-2 victory over the Phillies. Tommy Hanson fanned seven over four innings of one-run ball.

Spring is Coming!

Spring is coming, and boy are we glad it has been a hard winter, and we are ready to get outdoors. So get out there and have fun, there is a lot to do.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek