Friday, September 05, 2008

Finally! A Candidate To Vote For!

Check out the newest candidate for President! I hear he's pretty magnificent, but see for yourself. Just click on the title of this post.

Enjoy!

Vegetarians Needed

I need some serious help from all you vegetarians out there. By orders from the doctor, I am to only eat All Natural foods, not including meats. I am allowed fish, but no beef or chicken. I can only have fructose - no sucrose, or added sugar suppliments. And especially no salt. Basically, I'm stuck with fruits, veggies, and fish. I'm running out of ideas on how to make this food interesting, I can't eat another orange!






I've been eating Salmon for dinner, with a little bit of Malt Vinegar (which has been pretty good) but it's only day 2, and I'm out of ideas! I can't have terryaki or BBQ sauce, so malt vinegar is pretty much my only added flavoring. I'm missing Sushi already (we love our sushi), but the thought of eating it without soy sauce doesn't sound appetizing. I know that most vegetarians aren't this strick in their diets, but hopefully someone out there has some new recipes for me to try. I've been spending my summer Saturday mornings at the farmers market, so I'm happy that I have some fresh fruits and veggies to eat! I also can eat cheese, so that's making it a lot easier too. I really had no idea how much junk we had around our house until I started this. Goldfish, chips, ice cream, cinnamon rolls, etc. and we have no reason to eat all of this stuff! Maybe I can convince Jared to join me on my trek of being a vegetarian for a few days...

Okay, I did say MAYBE.

I guess I should clarify that I don't have to do this forever, I only have to do it for about two weeks. They are trying to clean my body of as much sodium and sugars as possible. Apparently they want to see if they can get my blood pressure back to a normal level before they begin testing my kidneys, and they fear that due to my blood pressure and possible kidney problems I may end up with diabetes (hence the sugar limits). After two weeks I can go back to my unhealthy ways, however, I'm not opposed to enjoying so much that I keep it up. (I'm not saying I'll keep this up EXACTLY - I can't live long without chicken) But I'll certainly be more careful about what I put into my body.

So all of you vegetarians - or healthy eaters- out there... send me your favorite recipes, PLEASE!!!

I'll keep you all updated on how I do. As for now, I need to purge my fridge and cabinets... those goldfish are really calling!

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Summer '08 - Update

Long time no see! It's been all summer since I've updated you on what we've been up to, so it's about time I get back to it. Don't worry, I have a lot of pictures! :)
Recently, Jared's grandma got some new living room furniture. She offered us the L couch that she had in the living room previous to the new furniture. Of course, we would never turn down furniture! Jared and Tyler moved it using Tyler's truck, but the way they packed it was hillarious. They got all five pieces in his truck so that they didn't have to make two trips. They had to take that trip realllllllllly slow. It's okay, I thought you might enjoy a good laugh at their packing skills. I know I did.
Yes, the corner piece hung over the edge about 18 inches. Ha.
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We also went to the new Lucas Oil Stadium a few weeks ago! They had a high school game there and we decided to go check it out. Seeing as how Jared LOVES sports, it was a lot of fun. It's so neat, what a nice stadium we have.
View from the upper deck.
Outside the entrance, where all of the sponsors are listed.
Julie and I at the new stadium.
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Haha, now this is quite a story. My dad and brother went out to California to visit my grandparents a month or so ago, and while they were gone my mom decided that she wanted to refinish the wood floors downstairs. She went and rented a sander...

It was so strong, she's pinned up against the island. It was so funny!
Needless to say, the floors still aren't done, but we only sanded a little bit, so it's not bad.
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We enjoyed going to the State Fair with a few friends. Here, Jared and his friends Luke and Matt are enjoying a snowcone. These guys have been friends since High School (and when they are together, ACT like they are still in high school). It was fun, we loved going with them.
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This car is the newest addition to our family. Jared's Cadillac finally broke down. I know, I cried too. It's okay, it was time for some change, and thankfully this change saves us a little money on gas. It's nearly perfect on the inside, as it is on the outside. Jared likes his car, and now they both fit in the garage. YAY, for change, right?
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My most recent painting, I really liked this one. I ended up giving it to a girlfriend, so I'll be interested to actually see it on a wall. A friend commented on it, and I love what she said, so I'm posting it here too:

"i like this one a lot. it makes me feel sentimental, because i'm young and married. it connects a boy and girl, and has a really youthful vibe. great work." ~ac
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My dad's birthday party! We had so much fun! It was a BINGO party, to celebrate his age. :)
A kings hat, goggle glasses, a cone to hear, and a button that says, "It's ALL about ME!" surely made this a party to remember.
Oh yeah, and a nightlight for the toilet... just in case he needs one! Haha. Our twisted family thought this was hillarious.

We all took turns being the BINGO master. And yes, we all wore the green dealer visor too. It was such a fun evening! Matt made it look easy, but it really wasn't!
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That's a pretty good update on what we have been doing this summer. We've had a few scares too. A few months ago I went in for an annual doctor visit and found out that I have really high blood pressure. 140/100, which I guess is not good. They told me that they think I have some damage to my kidneys and ran a bunch of tests. They made me urinate in a bottle for a full 24 hours (which was miserable!) and drew a bunch of blood. The tests came back inconclusive and have reffered me to a Kidney Specialist. I haven't set an appointment with her yet, but I will soon. I actually went in to my appointment concerned about having kids. We've been trying for some time, with no luck. Come to find out, high blood pressure can keep a woman from ovulating (sorry for the details guys!) which is probably why we haven't been so lucky. I am so greatful that it's just blood pressure that is keeping us from having kids... blood pressure is managable! Of course, this has been really hard for me to talk about and aside from close family, and my visiting teachers, I haven't mentioned it. I figure, it's time to get over my sensitivity and be greatful that overall we both seem to be in good health. I guess the real reason that I am sharing this is as a warning for all of you. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, go in for your annual visits. Check your blood pressure and cholestorol often. These are really simple things that can be corrected before they cause any other risk factors. I only wish I would have known that EVERYONE no matter your age or sex is at risk for high blood pressure. I just assumed that I was young and felt healthy, so I was. Never assume when it comes to your health! :)
Jared and I are both doing well, and are very happy. Things have really, really been looking up for us recently. We've both thrown ourselves into work and our callings, and we're enjoying every minute of it.
I promise I'll update more soon, and not wait so long between posts. I look forward to reading all of your updates too!