Totally bored

for the moment. So, I will blog....I have no idea about what...
Waiting for Ivan and christine to return. Christine is at dance and then they are picking up chinese food....my tongue is not metallic but I will still use chopsticks....at least until I am bored with them.
(If that makes no sense, read my profile)
Not enough time to really read, they should be here soon.
Yesterday....
the chili came out pretty good. Good enough that some was even eaten as leftovers....
and I felt like crap....I feel better today....my ear hurt....to go with my lovely (insert sarcasm) seasonal sinus ca ca....my ear hurt....I couldnt touch it hurt. I warned christine last night that I might have a dr appt today but when I woke up it felt much better.....
What else is new?
hmm oh yah it looks like child number 3 has decided to use the potty......he is double tamsyn age (shut up dan) and it took serious bribbery (everytime you pee I will give you candy) but he now wears underware all day long. He figured out on his own what the hole in the front of the underware is for lol...well hey this is a better topic then the current pdheart conversation.

OH goody I hear Rebekah and Nathan hollering about a mess upstairs.....that never works out well.

I can't believe I am trying to plan something for summer already. Rebekah wants to go to camp del corozan this summer....christine is interested in Catalina Sea Adventure and she is doing a "silent weekend" in July. I actually got a brochure today from a local marine museum for their camps.

Girl Scout cookies are in.....I missed yesterday's pick up....next available saturday early evening. I will prob end up waiting til next week's meeting.....Saturday is going to be tough. Then I have to ship them out.....

TAR
That would be The Amazing Race
I am a total addict. I was bummed that Kevin and Drew were last but, Drew was just not ready for it. According to the insider videos, he is in pretty bad physical health and that just led to misery for him. I watched their arrival to the sequester area and he seemed more like the drew I remembered from the first season. I am still hoping Rob and Amber go home soon. While they really do make a good racing team, I am sick of them.

OH I think dinner might be here

What's for dinner?

So, what are you making? I am always looking for something new.
Todays is a recipe from a friends Live journal....I could save myself alot of time and link you there but, I believe the entry is a private one....so you would see nothing.
Its a crockpot recipe, which generally means easy which fits my first requirement for a new recipe...
It is originally called Brett Favre chili but, her son renamed it 49er chili.


1 1/2 lb ground beef
2 med green and/or red sweet peppers, chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 sm onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15-16oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14oz can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 140z can diced tomatoes with green chilis, undrained
1 10oz can cream of mush soup
1 1.25 oz pkg chili seasoning mix
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tsp creole seasoning or 1/4 cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

In large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink, drain off fat. In crockpot,stir together all ingredients including ground beef. Cover and cook on low for 7-8hrs or high for 3-4.

I skipped the creole/cayenn pepper as I am serving it to small children.
So far my house smells pretty good.
I think I will serve corn muffins with it....

SOOOOO what are you having....
(Hmm i think my favorite word, at least to type, might be so)

A tag from my daughter

I think she should fill this out for me.....she hears me talk, she knows what my favorite words are.....


What is your favorite word?

What is your least favorite word?

What turns you on [creatively, spiritually or emotionally]? reading....rather a book, a story or even a blog

What turns you off?

What is your favorite curse word? I think I like them all the same....although I bet I use shit alot

What sound or noise do you love? I dunno....the waves crashing on an otherwise silent beach in the dark, or the silent but yet noisey sound you discover when camping out in the woods

What sound or noise do you hate? finger nails on a chalk board, that annoying beep on the atm waiting for your deposit envelop....crashes coming from upstairs....because I just know that means a mess

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? hmm I kinda like being a mom....can I be a mom with more time?...otherwise I dont feel much like attempting anything right now....

What profession would you not like to do? executioner....(although I do find something morbidly fascinating with the death penalty)

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Welcome, you did a fine job."

Today

Today it has been 2 years since a dear friends daughter died. She was a beautiful, spirited little girl...so much like my own middle child also afflicted with a congenital heart defect that try and she might, she just couldn't overcome.
I met her dad, her mom and her before she was even born. I consider them dear friends who will certainly get a visit from me if I ever make it to England(better move now and leave no forwarding address, Dan). And her passing is prob one of the ones that affects me the most. I saved most of the emails received during her final stay in the hospital. And even re-reading them brings a tear to my eye. I wanted so much for this not to happen to my friend. I have seen it happen to many, I have attended funerals for some but none have ever hit me so hard. I remember my phone ringing in the very very early morning hours, bringing me the horrible news. I remember it like it was yesterday, not 2 yrs ago. I couldn't tell you what was said but, gosh do I remember it. Phone calls in the middle of the night never bring good news. I remember when our upstairs phone broke and I insisted on replacing it because you cant hear the other phone in our bedroom and I would never want to miss one of those calls.
I know my grief pales in comparision to her mum and dads. I just can't imagine what they feel. I would like to be able to say, that she obviously had a purpose here and without her I would have never have met her parents but, it is so hard to say...she was just an innocent and beautiful little girl.
I would insert a picture here but I don't know how.
I encourage anyone who might read my blog (I don't think their are many that don't already read Dan's)to visit Dans blog....it is at the side and is called "0ddness". Read his beautiful tribute to a beautiful girl and take a look at some of her photos.

I hate CHDs....but sadly they have brought me some of my dearest friends. Friends I am glad to have but I wish I had never met.

The amazing race

Ok so who watched?
I felt jipped.....spent so much time on what the teams have learned since their first race or worse yet, what do they think of Rob and amber....that we didnt get to see alot of the scenery and the place they were.....
For a more thorough review including links to places they went visit the blog listed at the side called "The Show must go on"

New Update to book list

Have read a few more books....
Took one I read and set it free in the wild.....via bookcrossing.com......seems a little silly but was kinda fun and I dont feel like I am throwing it away....

Wonder what I will read next.....need something cheery...and easy....


1) "My Ox is Broken" by adam-troy Castro
2) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
3) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
4) "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham
5) "Green River, Running Red" by Ann Rule
6) "My Michael" by Amos Oz
7) "At First Sight" by Nicolas sparks
8) "Japanese woman dont Get Old or Fat" by Naomi MOyarama
9) "flight from Heaven" by Jan Karon
10) "The Pursuit of Happyness" by Chris Gardner
11) "Island of Hope, Island of Tears" by David Brownstone and company
12) "Ellis Island Interviews" by Peter Mortan Coan
13) "Flood" by Andrew Vacchs
14) "How Children Raise Parents" by Dan B Allender
15) "its My Heart" by The Childrens Heart Foundation so the next time I am asked at a picnic I can give a "real response"
16) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer...same reason as above
17) "Partners fo the Heart" by Vivien Thomas, autobiography
18) "God, Guns, and rock n roll" by Ted Nugent
19) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
20) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy HIrsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
21) "Every Second Counts, The Race to Transplant the First Human Heart" by Donald McRae
22) "Freedom Writers Diary" by The freedom writers with Erin Gruwell
23) "DaVinci for Dummies"
24) "In This Sign" by Joanne Greenberg
25) "Mayada: Daughter of Iraq" by Jean Sasson
26) "Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley
27) "Night" by Elie Wiesel
28) "Stolen Lives: 20 years in a Desert Jail" by Malika Oufkir
29) "Sinister Shorts" by Perri O'Shaughnessy

Public Service announcement

The Amazing Race starts tomorrow, sunday feb 18 at 8pm PST on your local CBS station.

Ignore the fact that it is an all stars addition and that rob and amber need no more air time.....just tune in for the locations!

Links at the side UPDATED

Going to draw a bit of attention to my sidebar.

First under blogs I read....
Congrats are in order for one of them. He is a shooting buddy of Ivan's and Christines. And while, quiet in person, quite amusing online. Good guy, spent some time with him and his girlfriend fiance.

Also, I have added another link...CHDA, inc...friend of mine on the east coast's CHD support group.
look around, its a treasure hut....find Rebekahs picture on that website.

Nance---you are now listed :)

Along with Little Lincoln Carter's blog.....guy has been waiting quite some time for a heart and he got one a few days ago....follow his progress.

I will be adding more links to my sidebar eventually, it takes me some time to get to it.....

Book list updated

I finished "Night" by Elie Wiesel. I enjoyed the book....good non fiction read about WW2, specifically the Nazis and life in a concentration camp. I, however, wish he has written a bit more....I would have loved to know what he did after liberation.....did he go dig up what his father buried?
Anyhow, I hope to update the list again in a few days, I am in the middle of another book on my list.
I have recently run across lists of what are considered classics for adults and young adults. I am surprised at how few I have actually read. I always read ALOT as a kid....and it was hard to ever find me without a book. I think I will be adding some of what I missed to this list.....the list really made be feel inadequate lol.....
Christine and some friends have joined a local Homeschool book club with the focus being classics. I think I will "read along" with them. This month's book is "The Phantom Tollbooth" while, not an adult classic, it is definitely considered a youth classic and I have never read it.



1) "My Ox is Broken" by adam-troy Castro
2) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
3) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
4) "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham
5) "Green River, Running Red" by Ann Rule
6) "My Michael" by Amos Oz
7) "At First Sight" by Nicolas sparks
8) "Japanese woman dont Get Old or Fat" by Naomi MOyarama
9) "flight from Heaven" by Jan Karon
10) "The Pursuit of Happyness" by Chris Gardner
11) "Island of Hope, Island of Tears" by David Brownstone and company
12) "Ellis Island Interviews" by Peter Mortan Coan
13) "Flood" by Andrew Vacchs
14) "How Children Raise Parents" by Dan B Allender
15) "its My Heart" by The Childrens Heart Foundation so the next time I am asked at a picnic I can give a "real response"
16) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer...same reason as above
17) "Partners fo the Heart" by Vivien Thomas, autobiography
18) "God, Guns, and rock n roll" by Ted Nugent
19) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
20) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy HIrsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
21) "Every Second Counts, The Race to Transplant the First Human Heart" by Donald McRae
22) "Freedom Writers Diary" by The freedom writers with Erin Gruwell
23) "DaVinci for Dummies"
24) "In This Sign" by Joanne Greenberg
25) "Mayada: Daughter of Iraq" by Jean Sasson
26) "Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley
27) "Night" by Elie Wiesel
28) "Stolen Lives: 20 years in a Desert Jail" by Malika Oufkir
29) "Sinister Shorts" by Perri O'Shaughnessy

American Heart Association & CHD's

Please read the following post....it is as close as I get to a CHD awareness week post, should you be moved to do something, or give something, visit the links in the side bar for how you can. California Heart Connection is a local support group I co-founded.....
CHIN, I also belong to, it is a nationwide support group.

****this is stolen from a friend, with her permission****


Why donate to an organization that does little for CHD Research, Support,
Awareness and Education,
when you can donate to CHIN or CHF which is only about CHD??


The same conversation every year... It doesn't change at all.

The AHA in general (as there are a very few good offices) does not promote
CHD at all. This year they have changed CHD to CCD and mentions it on many
of their press releases:

Excerpt from an AHA email :

PS- In honor of Day of Hearts- Congenital Heart Defect Day- on February
14th, invite a friend to join the _You're the Cure_
(http://www.capitolconnect.com/yourethecure/index.aspx) network.

Yet, when you go to You're the Cure, it is only about acquired heart
disease, strokes and Go Red.

Excerpt from their site:
Heart Disease and Stroke Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), America’s premier medical research
facility, supports research dedicated to “acquiring new knowledge to help
prevent, detect, diagnose and treat disease and disability.”
Heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases remain America’s
leading cause of death. They affect more than 71 million Americans and cost this
nation more than any other disease. Despite the enormous burden these
diseases place on our nation, NIH heart and stroke research remains
disproportionately under funded, especially in light of the many promising scientific
opportunities that could advance the fight against these diseases.
The NIH invests only 7 percent of its budget on heart research and a mere 1
percent on stroke research. Please help us dramatically increase funding for
NIH heart and stroke research.


The AHA has added Congenital Cardiovascular Disease (notice name change) to
most of their documents including the national proclamation. Though it is
added, there is nothing mentioned regarding it. I believe and again this is
my opinion, that there is not a cure for CHD and their whole
concept is be the cure!



_http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070201-2.html_
(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070201-2.html)


American Heart Month, 2007
A Proclamation By the President of the United States of America
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, claiming
hundreds of thousands of lives each year. During American Heart Month, we renew
our commitment to fighting cardiovascular disease by increasing public
awareness of this deadly disease and understanding of how it can be prevented.

(http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/images/20070201-2_d-0245-6-700v.html) Today, millions of Americans live with some form of cardiovascular
disease, including congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, and
high blood pressure. Individuals can reduce their chance of developing these and
other types of heart disease by exercising regularly, maintaining healthy
eating habits and weight, avoiding tobacco use, and monitoring cholesterol and
blood pressure levels. All Americans should speak with their doctors about
the dangers of this disease and get regular preventive screenings.
Where does the underlined benefit CHD??

and trust me, it took us years to get CHD added by writing the White House
consistently every year.. I am not sure what year they started, I believe
2005. and that was due to my many conversations with the staff and the letters
each one of us wrote.


C.H.I.N. is a national organization that provides reliable information,
support services, financial assistance and resources to families of children with
congenital heart defects and acquired heart disease, adults with congenital
heart defects, and the professionals who work with them.


CHF's Role in the Fight Against Congenital Heart Defects

We believe that research is the best way to win the battle against
congenital heart defects – research that will impact children now and in the future
and ultimately save lives. To date, The Children's Heart Foundation has funded
_30 research projects_
(http://childrensheartfoundation.org/research_funded.htm) with $2.5 million. Each year, we fund the most promising congenital heart
defect research under the direction of our Medical Advisory Board – 31
leading doctors in the fields of cardiology, pediatrics and cardio-thoracic
surgery.


The most bothersome is they rent their membership lists!

_http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=10000046&title=Reques
t to Rent Membership Lists_
(http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=10000046&title=Request%20to%20Rent%20Membership%20Lists)


Being a member of CHIN, I need not worry about confidentiality!


So I ask again, why donate to an organization that does little for CHD
Research, Support, Awareness and Education, when you can donate to CHIN or CHF
which is only about CHD??

AHA!

That A-HA
not AHA like american Heart Association....

Rebekahs sleep had been really bad....really light if she did but mostly insominac like....just different....hence the previous entry about her foot....

Listening to her "spaz" on Sunday night, a thought occurred to me as I lay in bed....they upped her flonase dose, the same day that she began to have REAL problems....

Quick google revealed, while sleep issues are not an official flonase side effect, many user report sleep issues....sleepless ness or easily awaken/disturbed.....

Decided we would back the dose back down.....then monday she has a wound care follow up and I mentioned it....the NP said dont lower the dose right now....switch to morning dosing as opposed to night....

Monday night and tonight....she is being her old self....refusing to sleep of course but totally on purpose as opposed to that nervous, I cant sit still one from a few days ago....

Banned Books

I found the following list....
"Most frequently Challenged books from 1990-2000
I will hightlight those I have read.... or at least those I know I have read, a few I think I might have but, not 100% sure...
How about you? which ones have you read? Should I tag everyone with this? I think I should......

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
Forever by Judy Blume
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It's Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Sex by Madonna
Earth's Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
The Goats by Brock Cole
Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
Blubber by Judy Blume
Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
Final Exit by Derek Humphry
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Girls: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Daughters by Lynda Madaras
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Beloved by Toni Morrison
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
Deenie by Judy Blume
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (currently on my to read list lol)
Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
Cujo by Stephen King
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
What's Happening to my Body? Book for Boys: A Growing-Up Guide for Parents & Sons by Lynda Madaras
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
Fade by Robert Cormier
Guess What? by Mem Fox
The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Native Son by Richard Wright
Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women's Fantasies by Nancy Friday
Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Jack by A.M. Homes
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
Carrie by Stephen King
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
Family Secrets by Norma Klein
Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
The Dead Zone by Stephen King
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
Private Parts by Howard Stern
Where's Waldo? by Martin Hanford
Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
Sex Education by Jenny Davis
The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier


****I know I read a toni morrison book but I cant recall which...she has a few that have made the list******

Why can't they listen?

ok mostly SHE....why can't she listen.
This story actually begins, I believe wednesday night.....no wednesday morning at her therapists office. We discussed her bedtime and how she doesnt like to sleep and is proud of her non sleeping. She talked with Rebekah about it, gave suggestions blah blah blah....all pretty much what we had been doing with some success.....One new, good suggestion.....close the house down too....as it is time to go to bed for her, begin to turn off lights and lock doors....Ok far enough.

One suggestion stunk.....Rebekah generally settles down easier on nights her and Christine read a book together....(Rebekah listens, Christine reads). On nights when Rebekah does not settle down and does not go to bed after reading, Christine does not read to her the next night, she must earn her book for the next night. I mentioned how many times the reading settles rebekah down. The therapist thought maybe I should read to her on the nights Christine wont....well doesnt that defeat the purpose of Christine NOT reading?
Eh whatever.
Ok, so Wednesday night we put her to bed. We all settle down....and about 11pm I hear a thumping....I find Rebekah rolling up (Like a reverse summersault) and then rolling back down and KICKING the wall by her bed....now this is a common wall....on the other side is our neighbors bed room.....UGH....

She finally falls asleep.

Thursday night, we send her to bed as usual.....and as usual, she goofs off. In her goofing off, she breaks off a wood slat from the upper bunk.....wood slat falls on the floor....screw remains attached to the wood slat....and fallen wood slat exposes staples in bottom of the upper bunk.

All of this we are oblivious to.

About 15 minutes or so later (grand total of time so far since put in bed is less then 30 minutes)I hear a scream....I figure christine has forcibly put Rebekah in bed again or prevented her from leaving the room. I ignore it.

A minute or 2 passes....Christine appears to get the first aid kit. She says she cut her foot. No biggie, I think, she prob stepped on a car or caught her toenail on something....

Then I hear Nathan come down....he walks over taps Ivan on the shoulder and says "rebekah is Bleeding" So, Ivan goes upstairs, also expecting to find nothing because Rebekah loves drama.

TO his surprise he finds blood....lots of it....thru 2 bandaids....turns out Rebekah was standing on the edge of the bottom bunk, holding on to the top and swinging around. Then she dropped off and landed on the above mentioned slat.....
Of course it is now 10min passed the time Urgent care closes. So we call the advice nurse who decides she should have it examined....

So off to the ER.....where we spend the next 90min or so....they were rather quick that evening. It is deemed "almost stitch worthy". THey soak her foot in benadine, trim up the skin....it was a puncture and a tear....dress the wound....and send us on our way.....(we go back for a recheck monday)

We arrive home about 1245.....and Rebekah procedes to stay awake until 2am.

Had she have listened and gone to bed when we said go to bed.....at least I would have been asleep earlier....she might not have been but she certainly wouldnt have gotten hurt.

We have the slat on my desk....we keep referring to it as "her friend"

Updated book list

1) "My Ox is Broken" by adam-troy Castro
2) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
3) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
4) "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham
5) "Green River, Running Red" by Ann Rule
6) "My Michael" by Amos Oz
7) "At First Sight" by Nicolas sparks
8) "Japanese woman dont Get Old or Fat" by Naomi MOyarama
9) "flight from Heaven" by Jan Karon
10) "The Pursuit of Hapiness" by Chris Gardner
11) "Island of Hope, Island of Tears" by David Brownstone and company
12) "Ellis Island Interviews" by Peter Mortan Coan
13) "Flood" by Andrew Vacchs
14) "How Children Raise Parents" by Dan B Allender
15) "its My Heart" by The Childrens Heart Foundation so the next time I am asked at a picnic I can give a "real response"
16) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer...same reason as above
17) "Partners fo the Heart" by Vivien Thomas, autobiography
18) "God, Guns, and rock n roll" by Ted Nugent
19) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
20) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy HIrsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
21) "Every Second Counts, The Race to Transplant the First Human Heart" by Donald McRae
22) "Freedom Writers Diary" by The freedom writers with Erin Gruwell
23) "DaVinci for Dummies"
24) "In This Sign" by Joanne Greenberg
25) "Mayada: Daughter of Iraq" by Jean Sasson
26) "Brave New World & Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley
27) "Night" by Elie Wiesel
28) "Stolen Lives: 20 years in a Desert Jail" by Malika Oufkir
29) "Sinister Shorts" by Perri O'Shaughnessy


You will notice, I have read 3 of the books so far. 2 were good, one was ok....2 of those will be given away as I read them and they really arent ones I will save to re-read or refer to later. Actually one of them is already gone.
As said before, I will not be doing book reviews....I might make an occasional comment on the books but reviews just arent my thing.
I have added a few books and found the name of another and made the changes.
Should you choose to read any of these books and wish to perhaps purchase them thru amazon.com.....do me a favor, and go to www.caheartconnection.org and click on the amazon link on the left before you make your purchase.

A tag from my daughter---UGH

1. When is the last time you held hands with someone? prob recently.....with 2 small children, you have a tendacy to do that with them often
2. You wake up as the opposite gender, what's the one thing you would do? scratch my balls
3. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes.
4. Where is your mum? prob at her house
5. Morning or night person? Neither....what ever I need to be although my daughter and husband would say morning...but that is out of necessity
6. What was the last movie you watched? eeek...I dont really do movies....first thought was memoirs of a geisha but, then I remembered we took the little ones to see "Flushed away" not long ago
7. Favorite number? dont have one....
8. Any cool scars? nope
9. Things about the opposite sex you notice first? uh....
10. What do you do when no one is watching? nothing, there is always someone watching it seems....I cant even pee in peace.
11. Ever been in love? Yes
12. What's something your friends make fun of you for? I dont know....I used to get teased for always having a book.
13. What is your curfew? when I am ready for bed.
14. Do you talk a lot? I used to....always in trouble in school...now I prefer to observe but have a tendancy to ramble on when nervous.
15. You + alcohol = I dont remember?
17. Would you marry for money? Absolutely not, life is far to short to do something stupid like that.
18. Could you live without a computer? Yes, I have my books....of course I would have to buy them somewhere besides amazon....
19. If you could live in any past time period, where would it be? 1800's on a prarie prob....childhood "Little house" fan
20. Do you drink enough water? no
21. Do you wear shoes in the house or take 'em off? Take them off
22. What is your favorite fruit? Strawberries
23. What is your favorite place to visit? I dont know....havent been to alot of places....and where I want to re-visit depends on my mood
24. Are you photogenic? not usually, IMO
25. Do you dream in colour or black and white? Color
26. Why do you take surveys? Purely entertainment value.
27. Do you drink alcohol? no opposed to it and do consume occasionally
28. What is the most beautiful language? not one I am speaking.
29. Do you like being kissed when you are asleep? just curious, if I am asleep how would I know? but actually that is a bit creepy
30. What do you like most; sunrise or sunset? Sunset
31. Do you want to live till 100 yrs? live if I am able to still enjoy life....not if I have no clue what is going on around me
32. Is a flat stomach important to you? could care less either way
33. When you watch movies at home, do you like the lights on or off? depends on the movie....
34. Do you believe in magic? believe? isnt it all slight of hand stuff? or do you mean mix up a potion and turn a prince into a frog stuff?
35. Do you like to watch cartoons? old ones, the new ones disgust me...all seem really gross, or really sexual
36. At what age did you find out that Santa Clause wasn't real? I dont recall
37. Do you write poems? no
38. Do you snort? No
39. You sleep more on your back, front, or sides? sides mostly
40. Would you rather have a poodle or a rottweiler? Rottweiler
41. Are you basically a happy person? yes
42. Are you tired? A little
43. Did you drink anything with caffeine today? coffee and surely sweet tea in a bit
44. How many landline/cellular phones do you have in your home? 3 landline, 3 cellphones
45. Do you get along with your parents? Yes
46. Do you like/love anyone now? Yes
47. What do you do when you're sad? put on a happy face....
48. What do you need most now? energy...need to empty washer
49. What song are you listening to now? nothing but I think I will turn something on
50. What are you craving for now? a pepsi