Day 171 (Friday 4/24)

<p>TGIF!! For some reason the work day today just totally drug on! But I’m glad the work week is over and there are two days ahead of no work! :) Can you tell I love weekends!?!?!</p> <p>I am still trying to eat up all the fresh fruit in my fridge. I grabbed this bowl of mixed melon…took a bite and it left this gross after taste that made my tongue tingle…needless to say I didn’t eat anymore. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeVhQNIuVHYrLCWUsu6ufFCAme_MBih6xYGjNVHOdtOr3yYf0CcPtKSXHlfLbORI3Rg1bOSLjqWchJCdP1MDIZQETfxb6MWwFL31JR4vYHCMB_IHahK4SnXlBSBNzxzrNQhV4oy_Hxl3kp/s1600-h/DSC023103.jpg"><img alt="DSC02310" border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxsiGXVMVqoXCvyc-ExiPkLmgvNAbSyo8gy1J7XrkchuadiwnR1g213-bOupKN9WUgLkYpjAhia7dX2SnfZuYPXb4IriIMJ6ZEjSZNL9n1RnYbs12BDNN5_DZzMfq4yihoNCxfTZQPObx/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02310" width="426"></a> </p> <p>So I instead I grabbed a bowl of <strong>grapes</strong> for <strong>1 point</strong>. Much better…no bad after taste! Makes me sad to throw food away!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi50Wdq2enj6TYdaZsbehQREV9mdpjAeIpXSyLcpH4S9F5WRMkF6nnbb1Vw9Ve7_EMrxAQbwoLVuqlqzys_4_s0MpSXwj6Fq6TShC9SOyibdp2Crn9TvzllF-ZuwdErJKFdsnTEz8o3MvZF/s1600-h/DSC023113.jpg"><img alt="DSC02311" border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuTIobCdDZtiUypfqAZSyS7jXRDdbIdRX2Fm69roKTMS8nEi9hXl-PqcrSP1DIyiyG7g-w2vR0jk0Zf4mqUQBjV6sjtAKG9kZJrGz0YMGdiLrVUlBrCKg4AFl2Ui-0KU94kMz0MbJpDvr/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02311" width="422"></a> </p> <p>I held out on my morning snack till about noon because I knew I was going garage sale-ing with one of my prego friend/co-workers and I didn’t bring lunch. So I mixed up <strong>strawberries</strong>, <strong>grape nuts</strong>, and <strong>vanilla</strong> <strong>yogurt</strong> for <strong>3 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9lfQBrWmrFB0HuT2TcZ_PgO92qfoCxNmtys_Mv98RS2opA6OfAQkxyGsAo9CT9eODHQfjq7QcANKS_LsP4_P78vmHrUnhm1Py_SGM91P84c5LmaA2wFkASsT0ed1pizcWqg7FUMzQTKy/s1600-h/DSC023123.jpg"><img alt="DSC02312" border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDlSELLv61WNkPZ-h6SoFpfwGNSp1r5ZoO8rWyFJqV5AZfkFVUD8FigZlEWgvtBXfkeyPSqSOS7C6mpFg9CxnjsislVoMjxVd6BHrLbEzGtcTAhhQEZ_8G8-d9szqqjp5h3JUMLiY89sMx/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02312" width="417"></a> </p> <p>We had no luck garage sale-ing. Hoping for better luck as the summer goes on. I had never been to a garage sale until last summer and I went with another prego friend (who has now had her baby!) and now I’m hooked. It is awesome what great things you can find for little money! On the way back to the office we stopped for some gasoline and I grabbed a bag of <strong>baked</strong> <strong>lays</strong> for <strong>4 points</strong>. I am glad I did because I think I would have been way hungry by the time I got home after 4:30!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr835NzhdwWKBdwmKkCWcdVS4lzcT2tX2rSkaFzwOy2lbBNZh-tfQYfY7Bs-0J52LPjgC54TunAAFpHC6evRgB0FSarplHI5V17md2DSdbVe2Gj1mvmzweT1GWL3VTzuajyAIC1r4SrSJk/s1600-h/DSC023133.jpg"><img alt="DSC02313" border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CIT0Zm0sRZS96BnId3Sc8FO-fh6bu4tBEnou70qcSAX1KoUUU9KecftDnOPYPYb9_xEdThynGyb52ky1xxSLAnsrCDVZxGXoJ0lXNncAxVwbIcuusFMJlcjJQMOxP0hxsD084j5o75XP/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02313" width="414"></a> </p> <p>The work day totally drug on today…wait did I already say that?!?!? Sorry! I like days that fly where I’m not bored and thinking about food. But today that was not the case. Around 3pm I grabbed a <strong>rice</strong> <strong>krispie</strong> <strong>treat</strong> for <strong>3 points</strong> that had been in my “food drawer” for a while!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC4L4swXtGcw3pXzbb7R0SW5tp3HxvG5fWV7mrQ3IOCGYJH3tIY9kMyE8FLIqxqjqIs2COyatHDUGgoMjdClhL9BK1IknvrJLkbvW8V4fwrGxHh_LfeSSunXZqHFWdUtg196C-3aVTBNU/s1600-h/DSC023143.jpg"><img alt="DSC02314" border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEP1IVg0iObKz4p_8W878vL5fDo2tFwtucUgRkVYvsH1QPk2qoZ3mDxXiROK20th7W-zfcwYVGFBsysIaNX7LUvuChsxcQdczwjP_UvNy6j6QzFk-78oNtoSu3BZcIVpmJp5z1cNiLjm-i/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02314" width="405"></a> </p> <p>4:30 finally came around and I busted outta there!! I think Fridays at 4:30 is about my favorite time of the week! DH and I didn’t make any plans so we just chilled for a while when I got home. We actually browsed around on the net for a while looking at vacations destinations for a trip this summer. We still haven’t decided. Anyone have any great ideas?? We are thinking either a cruise or an all-inclusive. Neither of us have done either one of those. While surfing the net I snacked on some <strong>strawberries</strong> with <strong>fruit</strong> <strong>dip</strong> for <strong>3 points</strong>. (no pic sorry!)</p> <p>We decided to stay in tonight. DH wanted to watch the NBA game and I was totally ok with a night in! I figured I could make supper (for the first time in a LONG time!). I picked up these pizza crusts a few weeks ago at the grocery store. For the just the entire pizza crust alone its only 5 points…I didn’t think that was too bad! <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6CiL5qIpX56s1tPv-ZOROtlRPSmArU47ET_BYQJDrnfg9sLQsxwu4b22lMsoLjENk8SQcBeFEu8hNwA2LOa5Qq0a6FcI20ca1dl_avTpCcmMFuMedfmzKPG7hq_ClHt_4QHN3MX_qLw5/s1600-h/DSC0231710.jpg"><img alt="DSC02317" border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjthaRoEvi8D8o-0wxucJwrZId1Jj_u_FizAdzp01M-mKJT7jxp2zB0FLhUS_cQdZSwl8szUv0jfi8xFwfauUbZKv4o8UdMcvCRZtQvmHDNvL5fwturUPoh6rJNh5QjSO4WWM6VY2hlAQb4/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02317" width="274"></a></p> <p align="left">Pizza = 1/2 c pizza sauce, 1/2 c pineapple, 1/2 c diced ham, 1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, and the crust…13 points. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqcoOaLc18TLSFQx4APs7hyNE2WoCT3_oI2lqpx0gPv-FZvBmA87lT9s8uOc_4DbxV2-ZNcBx0547V1obAh89NOprzV7v_nORdqEcQZdmt21HXV363NLUWSum2jPT5l_Y12IHEDpe1Eb5/s1600-h/DSC023165.jpg"><img alt="DSC02316" border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21Zw-wsZDXKTIzyEAAzps-cmHD81cEmqasNm8VwqkvKEVJR0aJH5rFHQy2HTiNPpMzHfCSrGwjpV8F9uMn7eldW1m29Ftd3b7cCxyTLFWkbN6CLgy24mN5QacAELcTYhcW5KByx5EZ9er/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="DSC02316" width="319"></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4_Vtm8w4437V1I_gxQHH0qzKwhnGu3QDjBF-egHUFfpFZgBIspUmYFpbl4oY7hmmhcBXR_f9zFTaD5x8wkE7f3PAkaYJE3f-c836jnaRj6E7Ylu8oG90j_iN_WMeZ0ji9ma2SoECL3Bv/s1600-h/DSC023187.jpg"><img alt="DSC02318" border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZE5RYCYYk29fObx_W_JfvAnqVC_Z8m9XcpECSQuKrXfvAPxQtI-5H9H0xjys5LGpxvvRlFMsPmUo8P9RhTZ-33R7w44f8yu5ikZhx62cBiED3hkCVZzWRyf-3OIQGpNx4V0R5RzA5CsW/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="DSC02318" width="319"></a></p> <p>And here is my plate. I had 1/3 of the <strong>pizza</strong> for about <strong>4 points</strong> and then a side of <strong>steamed</strong> <strong>broccoli</strong> & <strong>cauliflower</strong> with <strong>cheese</strong> for <strong>1 point</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHuQZYfpmf39qDTNN5G6xEj-haiLO0trbT1ZgG-GSVCO3PDmRNbHcpVcIj9wh2EtQnmh9YM5L3KYRf-J-JreyYXXLxATgNjBNC5cQw-BeEibmm9QumZKf0KwlpAcEQsx1lUvDlGeBBzPv/s1600-h/DSC023193.jpg"><img alt="DSC02319" border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcUGsRjdAokcLT2lTSj67yrNbT1Yr511XjedWZUSl39Fxxa-zkVYYG1-_dlq_XtWBBtA-9p-IWPG3ZOepqiRll6T1SRjDF33YjXgddgBZQOwcH4VdLQlj2trPNny2TNuNh9mM9mAwlJyV/?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" title="DSC02319" width="479"></a></p> <p>Oh and DH was a good boy and had a nice big salad with diced ham and hard boiled eggs and two oranges for supper! He is doing so well. I told him the other day I wish I would have taken a good “before” picture of him. A few friends have been able to tell that he has lost weight…I know I sure can!</p> <p>After our supper settled DH and I headed out for a run. We stopped over at our neighbor's house first and took his dog with us. He has an 11 month old boxer...so fun! We ran for abou 25-30 minutes. I think we should have waited a bit longer for our food to settle! When we got back to stopped over at the neighbors to drop off his dog and have a few <strong>drinks</strong> (<strong>4 points</strong>). Now we are back home and I'm ready to hit the hay!</p> <p><strong>FRIDAY’S STATS</strong></p> <p>POINTS = 23/23</p> <p>WATER = 106 oz</p> <p>EXERCISE = 25-30 min run</p>

Day 171 (Friday 4/24)

TGIF!! For some reason the work day today just totally drug on! But I’m glad the work week is over and there are two days ahead of no work! :) Can you tell I love weekends!?!?! I am still trying to eat up all the fresh fruit in my fridge. I grabbed t…

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Post Christain America

The recent Newsweek cover story on The Decline And Fall Of Christian America drove me up a wall because it was so badly reasoned and the analysis was both shallow and illogical. I don't have any quarrel with the claim that America is becoming increasingly less Christian. Nevada is still pre-Christian and we are doing fine. So that's not what got to me.<br /><br />First, the basic fact he worked from was a survey showing a decline in people's association with any kind of faith community. It was't about a relative decline of Christiainity. He reasoned from this that the agenda of the Christian right had failed. Where did that come from? There was nothing about a decline in reactionary religion as opposed to progressive religion.<br /><br />He went on to engage in sweeping generaliztions about the Chisitan social and political perspective, assuming we were all members of the Christian Coalition forces, and concluded that the decline of Christiainity will make for a freer, more just society. Hello, anybody read William Stringfellow, Daniel Berrigan, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, Catherine de Hoek Doherty, John Sobrino, Gustavo Gutierrez. the Boff brothers. Anybody read the resolutions of our House of Bishops. Or even the pastoral letters of the American Roman Catholic bishops. We might add Amos, Jeremiah, Jesus, Paul, Wilberforce, and on and on and on. We are not all Jerry Falwell, for goodness sake. And then the unkindest cut of all, the guy who is painting us all with the Ralph Reed brush says he is an Episcopalian !!!<br /><br />Finally, just to twist the knife of bad philosophy: he alludes to Augusine's statement that a people are united by their common love. Yes, true. What do American's love? Freedom, he says -- which turns out to mean the libertarian view that each of us should love whatever we want to -- there is really no common love so we are not really a people. What we want is just to be left alone -- no inconvenient moral obligations to justice, equality, beauty, mercy, any of those bothers. The author probably does not realize what he is trying to espouse is a naive and simplisitic version of the political philosophy of John Rawls. He is looking for a "thin theory of the good" -- a basic set of social goods that are necessary to actually allow us all to seek our individual vision of the good. But wait, just legalizing things doesn't make them possible. Rawls knew that -- so we have to have a floor of economic security, we need roofs over our heads, we need law enforcement, fire protection, and infrastructure. We need healthcare and education. Even Rawls' thin theory of the good turns out to be pretty thick -- and it is the view of the good supported by the social teachings of the Episcopal Church, the Catholic Church, and all the mainline Protestant Churches -- a far, far cry from what Newsweek attributes to us.<br /><br />Ok, rant over. The cultural norm of conformist Chrisitainity really is in decline in America. A word from those of us here in the Wild West where cultural Chrisitainity never took hold. It's a mixed thing. The Church here is more alive, more vibrant, more authentic, because no one here is worshiping becasue their neighbors expect them to or becasue they hope to meet a business contact at Sunday School. Our people are real deal Chrisitans -- and that makes us considerably more energetic and interesting. The decline of cultural Chistiainity is a spirutal liberation for us.<br /><br />The downside is for the folks outside our walls. The social indicators of despair -- suicide, alocoholism, other addictions -- are higher where the Church is weaker. There are ample medical studies showing that the unchurched are less healthy. Being a minority is not a spiritual privilege. It means we have to roll up our sleeves and spread some authentic gospel in a lonely, alienated, disempowered, despairing society. Lives are not fully lived. People do not become fully themselves. Souls are twisted and shrunk where the gospel is not shared.

Post Christain America

The recent Newsweek cover story on The Decline And Fall Of Christian America drove me up a wall because it was so badly reasoned and the analysis was both shallow and illogical. I don't have any quarrel with the claim that America is becoming increas…

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Day 170 (Thursday 4/23)

<p> Thursday, glorious, Thursday where did you go?? lol….</p> <p>I took a “spur of the moment” vacation day and stayed home with DH (he had the day off too!). It was AWESOME!!!!</p> <p>I didn’t get to sleep in, but I did stay in bed with DH for a while…it was GREAT! We got up and made breakfast and ate it in bed!! Just ‘cause we could! Oh and caught up on some “taped” (yes we don’t have DVR yet) shows. I had <strong>banana pancakes</strong>, <strong>strawberries</strong>, and <strong>sf syrup</strong> for <strong>6 points</strong>. Mmmm!! It was delicious!! If you see that little sausage hiding behind my syrup I didn’t eat it…figured the points and it was 2 for one link…not about to waste 2 points on that silly little thing! ;)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGxY4yAgxBOY-2BafG5ECJhhIUIwetxjcD9MzDj4LZnlPPrZB4djjEPnQISpul8E0DW23xLJLNsvLsWUKJUuo6DrXFYnSxotLvVhtw3qcgj8wOemuECGuIEWXby-6mqOkH7mYb_ETxoKg/s1600-h/DSC02308%5B5%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02308" border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidL7KkUZytxvLxdLbqyKIwtvOEhjq4l08abdwQGZqM0VDDO119iwr8-8anY2uBj2s-5sbmBmIjANx7uLcl5HrXJJMvo1wane2I-WTCzaaLlvbibeuZGtn38nARakOX0tdSV6ReZtS7zzwY/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC02308" width="384" /></a></p> <p>Mid-day DH had to do some work stuff so I ran a few errands and picked up a movie. We watched Transporter 3 while munching on some <strong>popcorn</strong> (<strong>2 points</strong>)…sorry no picture!</p> <p>After our lazy morning/early afternoon we headed down to my Mom’s house for a while to pick up a vehicle she was selling to DH’s parents. I tried to convince DH to stop at one of my favorite places to get ice cream while we were down there…but he wouldn’t budge…thanks hunnie!! :)</p> <p>I was hoping to go for a run when we got home from my Mom’s, but didn’t have time. :(</p> <p>So when we got back to our place and had quick change and then head up to DH’s parents’ house to drop off the vehicle and then we went to a friend’s church for Dave Ramsey’s “Town Hall for Hope”. It was great…I just love that guy!! We are doing his “Total Money  Makeover” right now…if you haven’t read the book or checked out the website I would highly encourage you to do so…can’t wait to be <strong>DEBT FREE</strong>!!!</p> <p>Oh and I snapped this picture quick before we left our house….it said it was 90 degrees out!! I don’t think it actually got that hot, more like 80,but hey it was a gorgeous day!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqzNUzIpGtOKJiBatbMPlgdMyakgAL_HSwQPFYAwk8yEUy1vdNMa7J4ndxGTPV_TUabwx4_C8WnaaKC1aJWmntrZx93CDBzcZuxyc8b_C361zoAcvn5tkZ9JtpZqfGP2BceNwPJ24N79h/s1600-h/DSC02309%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC02309" border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVTnM-yW0dUtM7vbJtLMTci18Bch2DKXTAE6i3kSyLd-_XJDu_OT4QBVO_cg_PvWT7V8daqQQ9fnmHe2itgtTkUuExgFJUVa-zYSiaUid_M2IM_ffycFv8XyipLB3Y8u8NtJ9bM-7mRnr/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC02309" width="389" /></a> </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>We didn’t get a chance to eat supper before so we stopped at a gas station (about the only option) on the way home and I had <strong>SunChips </strong>and some <strong>ice cream</strong> for <strong>11 points</strong>. What a horrible supper!</p> <p><strong>THURSDAY’S STATS</strong></p> <p>POINTS = 19/23</p> <p>WATER = 48 oz</p> <p>EXERCISE = none</p> <p>Now it’s Friday and it’s supposed to be over 80 degrees again today. I’m back at work..but only for 1 day and then it’s the weekend!!! Hooray!! Hope everyone has a great Friday…only 6 more hours of work and then the weekend starts!!! :D</p>

Day 170 (Thursday 4/23)

Thursday, glorious, Thursday where did you go?? lol…. I took a “spur of the moment” vacation day and stayed home with DH (he had the day off too!). It was AWESOME!!!! I didn’t get to sleep in, but I did stay in bed with DH for a while…it was GREAT…

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