The New Justice.....

Today a friend of mine sent me this story:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24778.html

I like political news and since this political news somewhat relates to my life since I have the same chronic condition as the new justice...i thought i'd share it. Please keep in mind the quotes are from the actual article above.

"Numerous colleagues of Sotomayor have said that her diabetes has not affected her work, though some have noticed her testing her blood sugar or administering insulin shots during work hours. There have been no reports of dramatic health-related incidents — save for the broken ankle she suffered this month at a New York airport."

I read this and wanted to stab someone. I test my blood sugar 4 times when i'm here...it's apart of being diabetic. What is WRONG with people? I'm sure it's not interfering with court. And her broken ankle will take a little longer to heal.

"The organization’s official policy opposes flat-out employment bans, but encourages that employment decisions take into account an individual’s medical history 'particularly in regard to the occurrence of incapacitating hypoglycemic episodes.'"

Adam Morrison is a NBA basketball player........And Diabetic. People praised him for doing that career. He was even on the cover of the American Diabetes Association Magazine. I don't usually become offended but this is somewhat offending me.

"Still, unlike almost any other public official — save the president himself — the health of a Supreme Court nominee is a topic of public debate. It’s no secret that political partisans hope presidents who share their views will pick healthy and relatively young candidates for the lifetime posts — all the better to have an influence on the court’s decisions that long outlasts the leaders who picked them."

She looks young to me and I bet she can out live any of the old farts on the bench managing her diabetes. I think that this pick by Obama probably inspired some kids out there who think that they can't do things because of their diabetes. Obama being president, I'm sure, inspired kids, and it showed true progress in the US. But questions like these also prove that everything weather it's race, gender, or a chronic condition can be a point of controversy for no real reason. Is congress really going to grill her about her chronic condition. Keep in mind...some governmental genius allowed health care providers to call Diabetes a Chronic Condition and not a disease anymore.

This statement is pure BS:

“To do that ... you’re going to have episodes of low blood sugar — hypoglycemia,” Arky said. “Anybody with a hemoglobin of 6.5 percent and less almost universally will have one or two episodes of hypoglycemia a week.” Arky said he counsels his patients to shoot for a level of 7.2 percent because of the risks of going lower.

My A1C is at a 7% which makes you more sensitive to low blood sugars. When my blood sugar gets to 70 I feel low. I wasn't very low last night at your house but feeling like that SUCKS! Which also makes this statement irrelevant:

"Experts say the warning signs of hypoglycemia are often subtle and can include lightheadedness, sleepiness, inability to focus or confusion. If caught early, such events are easily resolved by taking a sugar pill, or a drink of juice or sugary soda. Studies have shown that many diabetics experiencing a hypoglycemic event do not have good judgment about whether their mental abilities are impaired, and if a diabetic misses the signs completely, he or she can lose consciousness."

She is probably super sensitive to low blood sugar feelings. I bet when she's around 80, she feels low.

This is the best statement of the entire news story:

“She’s minimized her chance to develop future complications,” said Dr. William Cefalu of Louisiana State University. Cefalu called her illness “a complete nonissue. ... People live a completely normal life with diabetes. That’s the message.”

I hope this lady kicks butt and takes names!!!!!!! And I really hope that congress isn't a bunch of idiots when they interview her. My husband being the sweet silly person that he is said she should make a new constitutional amendment to make blood sugar test strips free! :D

My 1/2 Birthday.....

Yesterday I became 6 months closer to being 29....AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of my favorite people in the world always wishes me a happy 1/2 birthday because her daughter and I have the same birthday...I'm just one year older. Anyhow....so as I get closer to 30, I worry more about our health and well being. I know the pups keep us happy and will definitely help us live longer...even if Smokey is a tard, Yogi makes up for it. :) I worry about not having a baby in my 20's and how much harder it will be to have a baby in my 30's. In this crappy economy, I worry that I will not be making 6 figures by the time I reach 35 which will impede our ability to provide the kind of life I want to give to a child. As I grow older the value I put in living in California has drastically changed due to the fact that the cost of living is so expensive and while wages are higher, are they high enough to stop a family from living pay check to pay check. When a family of 4 (2 working parents and 2 children) struggle to make it through the month with enough food and money for the month, hoping that they can make it to the next payday....something is truly wrong.

I think we'd make great foster parents

The Boys....The Kids....You know....Yogi and Smokey

This is how rough our life is in Santa Cruz....

We have to sleep on Cubs blankets with papa when mama leaves for work......

We have this lumpy old bed with these 2 people in it all the time....Where's our own bed?!?!?!?!? I guess we just have to use the couch stead....

We're both allowed to be on the bed, even if 2 people and 2 dogs can't fit comfortably. Bah! I guess it's not so bad. At least we're not in the heat of Redding. We wake up to sounds of crashing waves or these weird barking sounds...it's not a dog. Mama said it's an sea lion. Sea Lion? Shouldn't it be Sea Dog? They bark....come on give me a break!

Wake up....we have to go pee.......

Yogi and Smokey trying to get papa to take them out to pee?!?!?!?!?! Well this is the way they look most of the time when trying to papa to play, or take us pee or feed us...it's a universal look.....

New Recipe Thurday

So we've had these burgers 2 times all ready because we saw them on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives....Stuffed Cheese Burgers. I made them again last night and Den LOVES them....so if you like burgers, I suggest trying these at home...this is my first attempt at writing my own recipe, so if you have questions about how to make them, call me or email me. ENJOY!

2 BURGERS

Ingredients

• Cheese of your choice
• 4 slices cooked bacon for serving
  
• 1 pound ground chuck
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Grill Seasoning
  
• 2 large hamburger buns, split
• Ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard, for serving
• Lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, and avocado, for serving

Directions

Make 4 burger patties out of ground beef. Season the patties with grill seasoning, salt, and pepper. Pile cheese in the middle of 2 patties directly in the center, leaving enough room around the edges. Then take the 2 patties without cheese and place on top of the 2 with cheese. With your fingers press the sides of the patty together making sure the filling is covered completely.

Place a large grill pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat or preheat a griddle flat top and get it very hot. Brush the top with oil to keep the burgers from sticking. Grill the burgers for about 10 minutes on each side. After 8 minutes on the first side, cut a slit in the top of the burger in order to keep the cheese from oozing out of the side of the burger. (The USDA recommends cooking ground beef until it is no longer pink and the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.) Remove the burgers to a clean side plate while you toast the buns.

Rub the grill rack with more oil and place the buns cut-side down, toast for 1 minute. Serve the burgers with your favorite condiment and any garnish you like, such as lettuce, sliced tomato, onion, bacon, and/or avocado.

A GREAT Father's Day movie and a new favorite

Yesterday afternoon once we finished breakfast at the Red Apple Cafe, we went home to play with the kids, clean up and possibly nap. I turned on the movie that came in the Netflix, Bedtime Stories. Everyone that knows me, knows I am a huge Disney fan. I am also a big fan of anything Adam Sandler makes through Happy Madison. So what a great combination of Disney and Happy Madison in Bedtime Stories.

We started watching the movie on Friday night but after Dennis worked and I cooked and cleaned, we were both too tired to finish the movie.

Sunday I put the movie in the DVD player upstairs and we finished watching it. It was the sweetest movie about a Dad and his son having his great love a hotel. The main character of the story is the son and his niece and nephew. It was SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kids have the greatest imaginations. They come up with the most awesome ideas.

I can't wait to see my husband with little people to tell stories to. It reminds me about Jayce's birthday party invitation. He's dressed in his little Where The Wild Things Are costume with pictures of him frolicking through the forest. He loves stories and books. He just wants you to read them to him over and over again.

If you get a chance, watch Bedtime Stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's definitely worth the rental....I can't wait to purchase it.

New Wife Tip #2.....

New Wife Tip #2: Use the Food Network site for easy regular foods that you would normally buy pre-made at the grocery store. Now I'll admit to this...I buy Pillsbury Grands biscuits. I never saw the point in making something from scratch that was so easy to take out of a can. Recently I made the last can of biscuits from the fridge and they were great right out of the over. I couldn't have imagined a most delicious piece of bread at the time. Please keep in mind, we're changing our eating habits, so having bread with dinner has become VERY unusual. So I thought these buscuitts were the best thing I could have made. The next day I went to take one with me to work for a snack mid morning when I feel like passing out because I would much rather be in bed than at work (no..this is not a low blood sugar passing out). The buscuitts were hard as rocks. I think if I tired, I could have broken a window with one.

Last night we had breakfast for dinner. We decided on this meal while I was at work, and I got to thinking...I should try something different. Dennis and I both said we wanted eggs, breakfast meat of some kind, and buscuitts. I decided to make Sweet Potato Buscuitts. I had seen them on Diners, Drive In's and Dives and thought...that would be great to make. I printed out the Emril recipe, had my hubby get all of the ingredients I needed and made them in no time at all. These are the most amazing things on earth. The recipe is below. I changed it just a slight bit....I added more nuts because Dennis and I are big fans of walnuts. I also added about 1/3 of a cup of brown sugar, and I also added a little cinnamon (2 tablespoons) and a tiny bit of nutmeg (1/2 teaspoon). This has truly made me a believer...making something home made doesn't always have to take all day and it's going to be that much more amazing. This morning when I took a buscuitt to work, it was still mosit and WONDERFUL!!!!! We will be making these again!!!!!

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 12 tablespoons cold butter
• 1 cup mashed roasted sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup ground pecans
• 1/3 cup half and half

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 1/2 sheet pan. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together. Add the butter, and with your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles a coarse cornmeal. Stir in the sweet potatoes and pecans. Add the cream, a little at a time until a soft dough is formed. Lightly flour a surface. Place the dough onto the surface and dust the top with flour. Lightly press the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, cut the biscuits into rounds. Place the biscuits on a greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.