A SLICE OF GENIUS

Josh and some his classmates have been working on this safety video all year. They created it for a contest and the teacher just posted it on youtube. One of Josh's best friends created the characters out of clay. They did a fabulous job. I'm sure you will be suitably impressed.

TOP 10 SIGNS YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT

I found this on spark people and thought I would pass it along.

Can You Relate?-- By John McGran, Professional Writer (and Dieter)

I don’t know about you, but I’d rather laugh than cry when life sneaks up on me and cracks me right between the eyes. Case in point: my weight.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was arguably in the best shape of my adult life. But being the yo-yo dieter that I am—with emphasis on the yo-yo part—I not only lost most of my muscle tone and gained back the fat, but I packed on a few extra pounds for bad measure.

Now, I could look at the number on the scale, throw myself on my bed and sob over my self-inflicted misfortune. But that’s not my style. Instead, I’m gonna take a lighthearted look (at least something around here is light!) at the top 10 sure signs I desperately need to lose weight. See if you can relate.

#10: You find yourself sucking air after performing the acrobatic maneuver needed to get socks on your feet.

Like some contortionist from Cirque de Soleil, I have to perfectly gauge the distance I need to bend at the waist with the distance I need to lift my leg. Accuracy is everything. I can only hold this position for seconds at a time without aborting the mission and gasping for breath!

#9: To button your pants, you have to lie on the bed.

I usually flop about and groan like the demon-possessed girl in the Exorcist. Scary behavior like this means you’re fat or that you are too cheap to replace the jeans you wore in high school…20+ years ago!

#8: You steer your car with your knees since both hands are busy holding a sugary 64-ounce fountain drink.

When I'm drinking the bucket-sized sodas, I know that I'm in trouble. It means I have chosen gluttony over portion control.

#7: You have a gut.

Occasionally, the lower portion of my gut sports the unmistakable markings of my car's steering wheel. This phenomenon usually leads to...

#6: Your driver's seat is reclined so far back that you can easily touch the rear window by scratching your ear.

Yep, this is a sure sign that I'm fat and desperately trying to escape sign #7.

#5: Your pile of picked-clean chicken bones resembles the sun-bleached skeletons found in old pirate movies.

I know I've been especially thorough if Scruffy, my ever-hungry golden retriever, turns up his nose at the barren bones I've just finished working over.

#4: Shirts with a single X on the size label aren't comfy enough anymore.

Same goes for pants with waistlines of less than 40. When my larger than life clothes are tightening, I know it's time for a change.

#3: The Mansierre (or Bro) episode of Seinfeld stops being funny.

Because, like Frank Costanza, I too could use a tad more support...up there.

#2: A wrestling match with your kids clocks in shorter than the commercials aired between evening news segments.

I need the remainder of that annoying Cialis ad to catch my breath…and to slurp a little of my supersized Pepsi.

#1: I know need to lose weight when I play Dracula and avoid mirrors at all costs.

Hey, it's easier to remain in denial if I don't have to come face-to-face with those chipmunk cheeks that sort of resemble mine...only much heavier!

FACING MY FEARS

This year we have had so much snow. It just keeps coming and coming. So today was the day designated to shovel our roof. It desperately needs replacing which will be done this summer, but in the meantime we have to shovel off the snow. So Brian and I hauled over the ladder, grabbed our shovels and climbed onto the roof to shovel the 3 feet of snow that had accumulated. Climbing ladders, and especially climbing down ladders, is one of my greatest fears. I'm okay until I have to get off or onto the ladder. So Brian went up first and held the ladder for me and helped me off at the top. After 2 hours of grueling work it was time to head down. Of course, Brian had to hold the ladder and help me on so that I could get down. However, unbeknown to me Brian had had to move the ladder while shovelling to get around it. When he did the the latches that hold the two parts together had come undone and didn't reconnect properly. So as I was climbing onto the ladder it slipped off the edge of the roof. Thank goodness Brian was holding me and I still had one foot on the roof. So here we were on the roof with our ladder hopelessly 4 feet below us, leaning nonchalantly against the side of the house. We had no choice, but to jump onto the huge piles of snow we had moved off the roof. It was only a 4 foot drop, but my legs were shaking so bad it was a very difficult jump to make. I sat at the edge of the roof shaking like a leaf while Brian offered to get the ladder for me. The last thing I was going to do was get on that ladder again, so I gamely counted to 3 and jumped. It was a nice soft landing straight into the snow. Now to just rest my sore, aching back.
Half way done:Yesterday while it was snowing Brian and I went out for a ski. If was so gorgeous out in the woods. We were about 5 minutes down the path when Brian realized that he had forgotten the ambulance radio. Since we were on call, he had to go back and get it. I decided to ski ahead and wait for him down the trail. While I was waiting I took my skis off and flopped down into the snow. If was so quiet and beautiful. At least it was until I heard some animal scurrying around in the snow very close to my head. It was probably a mouse, but it really freaked me up. I was up out of that fluffy snow like a shot.
Oh the crazy things that happen in this desolate land!

SPOILED

Happy Valentine's Day!The beautiful bouquet Brian splurged for.
Isn't he sweet?

AND SHE'S UP AND RUNNING

Today marks the day that we now have 2 computers hooked up to the internet. I had to order a wireless router and adapter from Dell. They came yesterday and today was the day we spent the time to get everything hooked up. I can't tell you how excited I am to be connected. Now I have no excuses for not getting online.