Mark's team took on New Lenox on Saturday...and they won! The final score was something like 33-12. A very exciting game! That concludes their regular season with a record of 5 wins and 3 losses. Now we have a 'by' week, then on to the playoffs. Fun times.
Since we were all the way out in New Lenox for the game, we decided to grab some lunch as a family, when Mark's game finished, and then we returned to the field to catch the Varsity game (another slaughter win!) while Mark played around the bleachers with some of his teammates.
Lots of football families spend the entire day on the field, as they have several kids on the various team levels. Next year, Reese will be old enough to join Superlight, and Mark will continue to play on Lightweight, which means we will have 2 games to sit thru. Then, when Marina is 6, she will be old enough to cheer for Superlight...and by then Mark will be on Varsity, so we will be one of those families spending the entire day on the bleachers, supporting our kids.
I really don't mind tho. It's so fun to hang out with other football families, and cheer each others' kids on. And it's fun to see Reese and Marina proudly cheer for their big brother. It's also a good excuse for Ryan and I to sit close on the bleachers, like we did in high school, and share a pack of M&Ms or some nachos. lol. Good memories. Good times.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
'Underdogs' Update...
Last night, Mark's team played the game that had been rained out...against undefeated Frankfurt. They played at the OEHS stadium, under the lights. Just like a pro. It was super fun.
And it was a super intense game! Both teams have incredible defense. So, the game was completely scoreless until the very last 28 seconds of the game! Frankfurt weaseled out a quick touchdown! So they won the game that our guys had played soooo well! What a letdown! But also, what a great game our kids played! I told Mark that in our minds, that was a WIN for our team, because of how well our team played. It could have gone either way, but of course, Frankfurt made that lucky touchdown in the final 28 SECONDS of the game! Furthuring their undefeated status.
Oh well! It was a very intense and very fun game to watch.
And who knows...maybe we'll meet up with them again in the playoffs!
And it was a super intense game! Both teams have incredible defense. So, the game was completely scoreless until the very last 28 seconds of the game! Frankfurt weaseled out a quick touchdown! So they won the game that our guys had played soooo well! What a letdown! But also, what a great game our kids played! I told Mark that in our minds, that was a WIN for our team, because of how well our team played. It could have gone either way, but of course, Frankfurt made that lucky touchdown in the final 28 SECONDS of the game! Furthuring their undefeated status.
Oh well! It was a very intense and very fun game to watch.
And who knows...maybe we'll meet up with them again in the playoffs!
"These are a few of my FAVORITE things..."
The scent of Marky's thick, buzzed haircut. It smells like a cushiony foam pillow mixed with shampoo. The way his freckles dance across the bridge of his nose and his belly laugh when his dad cracks a joke. The way he wrestles with his little brother, taking a beating from the 5yr old that is out for real blood, while keeping his cool and his sense-of-humor at arms' reach.
Watching little Reese sleep, all snuggled up in our bed. His fine silky hair draped across the pillow. The way he scrunches up his tiny, little nose when he laughs. And his shyness that rears its head up when we drench him with tickles and attention and compliments. The way he always busts out with random rhymes from school or quotes from movies.
Marina's chubby little neck that I could kiss on all day long. The way she sets up all her toy animals in a straight line on the coffee table with total precision and care. Her eyelashes framing those jeweled-blue eyes that make me want to melt. Her frown when she's unhappy that can easily be turned into dimples with a quick tickle or swinging embrace.
Watching little Reese sleep, all snuggled up in our bed. His fine silky hair draped across the pillow. The way he scrunches up his tiny, little nose when he laughs. And his shyness that rears its head up when we drench him with tickles and attention and compliments. The way he always busts out with random rhymes from school or quotes from movies.
Marina's chubby little neck that I could kiss on all day long. The way she sets up all her toy animals in a straight line on the coffee table with total precision and care. Her eyelashes framing those jeweled-blue eyes that make me want to melt. Her frown when she's unhappy that can easily be turned into dimples with a quick tickle or swinging embrace.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
5 Essential Weight Loss Foods
I ripped this from an article on Yahoo! News. Interesting!
There are many fad diets that promise to help you lose weight in almost no time at all. After two or three weeks on the diet you find yourself losing enough to be able to brag to your family and friends about it, and you're so optimistic that this new lifestyle will be your ticket to a smaller waistline that you start to browse the stores for new clothes.
You continue to lose weight for another couple of weeks, and then something happens: you start to feel sluggish, you begin craving something that your diet absolutely forbids you to have, or the general sense of optimism begins to transform itself into a feeling of constriction, frustration, and even dietary imprisonment.
You decide to have just one snack, or spend just one day eating whatever you want with the intention of going back to the diet the following day. What happens then, is that you feel such satisfaction from that treat that the entire effort falls apart and you put the weight back on in practically no time at all.
Does this scenario sound at all familiar?
Diets are very hard, as is the feeling of being overweight. Many of these fad diets may promise instant and significant weight loss results, but most of them rely on depriving your body of certain nutrients and disrupting the natural function of your body's metabolism. Chinese medicine considers obesity to be partly the result of declining function of the metabolic fire of the kidney network and a diet that provides a well-balanced array of nutrients is the key to losing weight in a healthy way. What follows are five foods that will help you restore your body's ability to use energy and help you become your healthy weight.
1. Millet: A well-balanced diet should consist of whole grains instead of refined grains like white rice and pasta, and millet is a beneficial and delicious staple of this category of food. This non-glutinous grain is over 10-percent protein, has high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins, and because it isn't an acid forming food, is easy to digest.
2. Asparagus: When losing weight, it's important to favor chlorophyll-rich foods, including asparagus. Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable packed with folate, vitamins A, C, and K, and fiber. Asparagus also contains a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that promotes healthy bacteria in the large intestine - which in turn promotes a healthier digestive function.
3. Pomegranates: Eating a balanced diet to lose weight should include eating fresh fruits, and pomegranates are a wonderful example of a healthy, nutritious fruit that has antioxidant properties and will help prevent cancer. While the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice have gained a lot of attention recently, you will be more likely to lose weight by eating the fruit fresh to increase your fiber intake and keep the calories down.
4. Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and are considered an essential ingredient in the tasty Italian mixture pesto. Chinese medicine uses pine nuts to improve gastrointestinal tract and digestive functions, and pine nut oil is even used for appetite suppression. Pine nuts and other nuts are a tasty part of a well-balanced diet intended for weight loss.
5. Green Tea: It has been found that consuming large amounts of coffee and caffeine can lead to food cravings, increase one's appetite, and induce stress-related eating. Green tea is a wonderful alternative to coffee in that it does provide a little caffeine but also contains beneficial antioxidants. So drink up!A healthy diet also includes lean proteins like chicken breast, legumes such as lentils, and other whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. While fad diets may promise a large amount of weight loss in a short period of time, there's almost a guarantee that you will put that weight back on-and then some!
Eat five smaller meals a day, avoid processed foods, chew more slowly, and incorporate more healthy foods into your diet-starting with these five. Also, click here to learn more about the Tao of Wellness B-Slim dietary supplement, which will help you lose weight naturally.
I hope this article helps you find foods that can aid in your weight loss goals! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
There are many fad diets that promise to help you lose weight in almost no time at all. After two or three weeks on the diet you find yourself losing enough to be able to brag to your family and friends about it, and you're so optimistic that this new lifestyle will be your ticket to a smaller waistline that you start to browse the stores for new clothes.
You continue to lose weight for another couple of weeks, and then something happens: you start to feel sluggish, you begin craving something that your diet absolutely forbids you to have, or the general sense of optimism begins to transform itself into a feeling of constriction, frustration, and even dietary imprisonment.
You decide to have just one snack, or spend just one day eating whatever you want with the intention of going back to the diet the following day. What happens then, is that you feel such satisfaction from that treat that the entire effort falls apart and you put the weight back on in practically no time at all.
Does this scenario sound at all familiar?
Diets are very hard, as is the feeling of being overweight. Many of these fad diets may promise instant and significant weight loss results, but most of them rely on depriving your body of certain nutrients and disrupting the natural function of your body's metabolism. Chinese medicine considers obesity to be partly the result of declining function of the metabolic fire of the kidney network and a diet that provides a well-balanced array of nutrients is the key to losing weight in a healthy way. What follows are five foods that will help you restore your body's ability to use energy and help you become your healthy weight.
1. Millet: A well-balanced diet should consist of whole grains instead of refined grains like white rice and pasta, and millet is a beneficial and delicious staple of this category of food. This non-glutinous grain is over 10-percent protein, has high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins, and because it isn't an acid forming food, is easy to digest.
2. Asparagus: When losing weight, it's important to favor chlorophyll-rich foods, including asparagus. Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable packed with folate, vitamins A, C, and K, and fiber. Asparagus also contains a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that promotes healthy bacteria in the large intestine - which in turn promotes a healthier digestive function.
3. Pomegranates: Eating a balanced diet to lose weight should include eating fresh fruits, and pomegranates are a wonderful example of a healthy, nutritious fruit that has antioxidant properties and will help prevent cancer. While the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice have gained a lot of attention recently, you will be more likely to lose weight by eating the fruit fresh to increase your fiber intake and keep the calories down.
4. Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and are considered an essential ingredient in the tasty Italian mixture pesto. Chinese medicine uses pine nuts to improve gastrointestinal tract and digestive functions, and pine nut oil is even used for appetite suppression. Pine nuts and other nuts are a tasty part of a well-balanced diet intended for weight loss.
5. Green Tea: It has been found that consuming large amounts of coffee and caffeine can lead to food cravings, increase one's appetite, and induce stress-related eating. Green tea is a wonderful alternative to coffee in that it does provide a little caffeine but also contains beneficial antioxidants. So drink up!A healthy diet also includes lean proteins like chicken breast, legumes such as lentils, and other whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. While fad diets may promise a large amount of weight loss in a short period of time, there's almost a guarantee that you will put that weight back on-and then some!
Eat five smaller meals a day, avoid processed foods, chew more slowly, and incorporate more healthy foods into your diet-starting with these five. Also, click here to learn more about the Tao of Wellness B-Slim dietary supplement, which will help you lose weight naturally.
I hope this article helps you find foods that can aid in your weight loss goals! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me. May you live long, live strong, and live happy!
-Dr. Mao
Hurricane Ike
Yeah, yeah, yeah...so this weekend was a flop, b/c with all the rainstorms that swept thru this area, Mark's much anticipated football game was cancelled, along with any other fun plans we may have had, like watching the Bears (which proved impossible, b/c our cable kept cutting out).
But, I realize that our small annoyance is truly minute in comparison to the horror that people in Texas and Louisiana endured as they braced themselves for Hurricane Ike to hit.
These photos show a piece of the devestation that those families, workers, citizens, etc had to go thru. We are praying for those people. And we truly, truly wish we knew a significant way to help out. I think some online searching is in order!
And, as I sit here right now in my home, typing on my computer that I know will still be sitting here tomorrow, I just cannot imagine how much our lives would change if we had lost all our earthly possessions in a disaster like this.
What would it feel like to live life in a way that we hold so loosely to earthly possessions, and more tightly to spiritual blessings. We cannot take these things with us to heaven anyway. But, as a wife and mother especially, this is hard for me to do. I tend to cling tightly to the things we possess. They are, in a sense, my security. Lord, please help me to place my security in You, more and more each day. Amen!
But, I realize that our small annoyance is truly minute in comparison to the horror that people in Texas and Louisiana endured as they braced themselves for Hurricane Ike to hit.These photos show a piece of the devestation that those families, workers, citizens, etc had to go thru. We are praying for those people. And we truly, truly wish we knew a significant way to help out. I think some online searching is in order!
And, as I sit here right now in my home, typing on my computer that I know will still be sitting here tomorrow, I just cannot imagine how much our lives would change if we had lost all our earthly possessions in a disaster like this.
What would it feel like to live life in a way that we hold so loosely to earthly possessions, and more tightly to spiritual blessings. We cannot take these things with us to heaven anyway. But, as a wife and mother especially, this is hard for me to do. I tend to cling tightly to the things we possess. They are, in a sense, my security. Lord, please help me to place my security in You, more and more each day. Amen!
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Underdogs
As I was sitting on the sidelines @ football practice yesterday, I gained a new appreciation for the sport. Also for the coaches. Mark's team will take on an undefeated team on Saturday. His coaches have reviewed video footage from that team's previous games and have learned their plays and their setup on the line. Like any good coach, they are coordinating our plays based on the other team's strengths and weaknesses.I was watching some of the creative offensive plays that our coaches were teaching the kids, and I was thoroughly impressed. Usually my attention is on the linemen, where Mark plays. So, watching the offensive guys practice (center, QB, receivers, running backs, etc) was new to me. I was surprised by how much creativity and cleverness goes into those plays. The coaches have to be prepared, sharp thinking, and ready to adjust at every moment of the game. I am so proud of our coaches. As they worked with the kids, I was amazed at how much choreography goes into their movements. Faking a pass, using large movements, being quick and purposeful in every step. It was so fascinating to me.
I'm excited to see our guys take on this tough team tomorrow. We will walk in as the underdogs. We will be underestimated. But, like the last two weeks when we played and beat 2 tough teams, if our guys can be focused and pull off some of these crafty, well planned plays, I really think we stand a chance. We'll see how it goes!
If we had a dollar...
...If we had a dollar for every time we said, "Leave your sister alone," or "Share with your brother," or "Hurry up!" or "How do you ask for that?" or "Settle down!" or "No video games on weeknights," or if we had a dollar for the countless loads of dirty socks and muddy jeans and spaghetti stained tshirts that are thrown into the wash day after day, I bet we'd have enough money to buy the lofty Beckham mansion in L.A...and still have money left over to hire a nanny to say all those repetitive phrases to our kids! But years from now, as we gaze proudly upon our successful and ambitious children (cough, cough), we wouldn't have the joy and satisfaction of knowing that it was our relentless teaching and investing into our kids that will have molded them into who they become. So, I will continue to repeat those same monotonous words, and wash those same miniature clothes day after day, in hopes that someday it will result in something as valuable as a posh L.A. mansion.
Thank You!
A big thanks to all who read and posted a reply to my recent opinion poll.
In my original post, I admit I struggled to find the most effective words to form my question. Perhaps my choice of words was not the best, and I fear it turned into a heated debate over the wrong issue. I apologize. Even tho I don't typically shy away from a good discussion with opposing views, I've deleted the entire thread, so that no one gets the wrong idea or becomes offended by my own poor choice of words. Love you guys! Keep thinking!
In my original post, I admit I struggled to find the most effective words to form my question. Perhaps my choice of words was not the best, and I fear it turned into a heated debate over the wrong issue. I apologize. Even tho I don't typically shy away from a good discussion with opposing views, I've deleted the entire thread, so that no one gets the wrong idea or becomes offended by my own poor choice of words. Love you guys! Keep thinking!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
"Courage"
The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost (1874–1963)
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
***I stole this from a friend's website 2day. I remember reading it years ago, and thought it was a good reminder that whatever it is you do in life, be courageous in it!
Robert Frost (1874–1963)
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
***I stole this from a friend's website 2day. I remember reading it years ago, and thought it was a good reminder that whatever it is you do in life, be courageous in it!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Silly Reese
Reese runs out of the room to grab his juice box, but not before instructing me, "Mommy! Don't touch my game! I be right back!"
Yeah. As if I'm gonna grab up his controller and start playing his video game. A boy's gotta make sure, I guess. lol.
Yeah. As if I'm gonna grab up his controller and start playing his video game. A boy's gotta make sure, I guess. lol.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Christian School Kid...
Mark told me that a kid wasn't being very nice out on the basketball court at recess. He kept bugging Mark and his friends.
Mark's response?? He told his friends: "The Bible says that being nice to an enemy is like pouring hot coals on his head. So, let's be real nice to him when he comes back."
Hmm...I hope his kindness what out of the right motivation...
But, this story makes me chuckle. At his age, I wouldn't be caught dead telling my friends, "The Bible says...." LOL! So, that part makes me really proud of my son!
Mark's response?? He told his friends: "The Bible says that being nice to an enemy is like pouring hot coals on his head. So, let's be real nice to him when he comes back."
Hmm...I hope his kindness what out of the right motivation...
But, this story makes me chuckle. At his age, I wouldn't be caught dead telling my friends, "The Bible says...." LOL! So, that part makes me really proud of my son!
Season Opener=Major Upset
It was the 2008 season opener last night. BEARS v COLTS.We invited friends over to watch the game. And being the only Colts fans in the house, Ryan and I proudly wore our Manning jerseys. We ate a lasagna dinner (thanks Heather!) and ate some football and helmet shaped sugar cookies that were frosted with each team's emblem (thanks Kristi!) But, after all the festivities, the final score was more than disappointing. (For Ryan and me, anyway). The Bears played an outstanding game! I'm interested in watching all their games this season. They seem to be on fire this year! Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know I live in Chicago...so I should be a Bears fan anyway. But, as much as I love my Colts and will forever be a faithful fan, I am very proud to be a Chicago-Bears fan at the moment. They deserved that win last night. Regardless of how upsetting it was for me....and poor depressed Ryan. :(
Thursday, September 4, 2008
A New Fascination
I have a new fascination. And her name is Governor Sarah Palin from Alaska. Like many, I never heard of her until she was added to the ticket as John McCain's presidential running mate. Until she appeared...I had become frustrated with this entire presidential campaign. I was pretty sure I would not vote for either candidate. I'd rather sit this one out than try to decide between a man with lofty words but no substance and a man with substance that I didn't always agree with. But now, with Sarah Palin by John McCain's side, I have a renewed excitement for this election. FINALLY! Someone with hardcore, conservative views like my own. Someone who has not been tarnished by Washington rhetoric. But who has actually accomplished something worthwhile in her short time in office. I missed her speech last night, since my evenings are filled with football practice, homework, dinner and bedtime. But I caught the bulk of it today online. And boy, was I blown away! I got goosebumps several times throughout her speech. Tonight McCain speaks. I'll probably have to catch this online tomorrow, as well as Juliani's speech that I also missed. Then, in order to have a well balanced viewpoint, I will try to catch up on some of the democratic speeches. I've heard bits and pieces along with commentaries on the radio, but I want to hear them straight through for myself. I'm back in the game, so to speak, with renewed excitement about this election. And, I admit, I'm fascinated with this lady called Gov. Sarah Palin. I've even spent an hour or so, looking up family photos and past news stories online, just to feed my sudden interest in this spitfire woman!
