Thursday, January 31, 2008

Mother Talk Blog Tour: The Natural Superwoman


The new health bible for women.

Women all over the world flock to Dr. Uzzi Reiss not only for his cutting-edge approach women's health, but also for his attention to their individual needs.

An expert in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and other natural approaches to wellness, here Dr. Reiss brings his groundbreaking philosophy to readers everywhere, explaining how they can look and feel their best-and have the energy to get through their to-do list each day-by addressing four core wellness pillars.

As Dr. Reiss explains, to be a "natural superwoman" you don't need to spend endless hours in the gym, give up delicious food, or even take a plethora of expensive vitamins and supplements. Simple lifestyle changes are all women need to reach their maximum potential. Dr. Reiss dispels the myths about hormone replacement therapy with scientific evidence explaining how-if women choose to use them-natural hormones are safe and can have incredible benefits. But nutrition; mental, physical, and emotional activity; and ideal mood balance are three other equally important pillars to prepare a woman for the challenges she faces every day. The Natural Superwoman explains:

- which hormones can enhance energy, sexuality, and memory, heal dry skin, help sleep disorders, and eliminate night sweats;
- why women should take magnesium instead of calcium to guard against osteoporosis;
- what foods help promote sound sleep, weight loss, cardiovascular and bone health, energy, memory, relaxation, and much more; and<

This book offers accessible yet authoritative information from a physician with more than thirty years of experience understanding and working with the personal needs of women. Penguin Group

MY REVIEW: I’ll be honest. I haven’t paid too much attention to all the controversy surrounding hormones and hormone replacement therapies. I figured that I would be jumping into all the info when I was older. After reading Uzzi Reiss’ The Natural Superwoman, I realize that waiting until I’m older is not necessarily the best thing to do!

In The Natural Superwoman, Uzzi Reiss shows us how to feel great, look younger, and have much more energy. He does this by introducing us to the four pillars of the natural superwoman which are Nutrition, Activity, Hormone Balance and Mind and Mood. Each one of these pillars is broken down and discussed thoroughly. Now, these are things we’ve all heard before, but Dr. Reiss has this wonderful ability to write in such a way as to make us see things even clearer than we thought we saw them! I often caught myself saying “Listen to this, Pete…” and, “ Oh my goodness! I have all these symptoms!” I really appreciate the easy-to-understand explanations of what each hormone and supplement does and how they interact. I swear, I understand it all and my eyes never glazed over even once! Lol!

I’m not one to read many non-fiction books, however, I’m glad I ventured off my regular path and read this one! Since it is just chocked full of extremely useful information, I’ll be keeping this one for our shelves. Only our favorites make it to the shelves! However, if I could somehow convince Dr. Reiss to move his practice to the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee, I’d be willing to part with my copy! Lol!!

CBS interview with Uzzi Reiss

Uzi Reiss' Website

Friday, January 25, 2008

Aloha Friday



I've seen "Aloha Friday" at several other blogs so I thought I would join in this week. Today's questions asks us what our favorite quote is....that's hard! I have been collecting quotes for over twenty years now so picking just one has been hard. Nonetheless, I pressed on and made a decision for today...I may change my mind tomorrow! lol! Be sure to check out the other favorite quotes over at An Island Life!

And here it is:

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret; it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”----Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I've Dumbed Down

OK…where have I been? Here it is…the year 2008 and I completely missed the phrase “talent management”! I feel like such a loser since I actually, believe it or not, have a Bachelors in Business Administration! You would think someone like me who has a smidge of training in business management would have heard the phrase before now…but no. It’s official…I’ve dumbed down…sigh…..

I probably am the only one who didn’t know this, but “talent management” is not the management of entertainers but rather, the management of a company’s employees.

I feel so dumb….


Beware the Oxygen Hood!

So did you all hear about the little newborn who was burnt….in the hospital?? He was under an oxygen hood that somehow caught on fire. Nurses were able to extinguish the fire, but the little guy was of course hurt. Can you imagine? Poor thing was in the hospital already, obviously having problems with his breathing and then he catches on fire!!?? Sheesh-a-moley!

I can’t help but to think of the poor momma too. She has not been able to hold her baby and now it’s going to be a bit longer. It’s an awful thing not to be able to hold your baby. I know from experience…after Gus was transferred to the NICU in Knoxville, it was almost two months before I could hold him…that was hard. So…not only are my thoughts with the child, who has been given a good prognosis, but also the mom. Gee whiz….this ol’ life is hard…

A Knight's Tale

Oh Heath! What happened??

I was really saddened to hear about the death of Heath Ledger the other day. I've not followed any of the news since then so I have no idea what has been said or discovered. All I know is that he was one of my favorite actors and I hate that I'll not be seeing him in any more movies.

I love A Knight's Tale...in fact, I own a copy of it and that says something because I am not a big movie buyer. The story is taken from Geoffrey Chaucers' The Canterbury Tales and has a great soundtrack....clever and fun movie! I also liked Heath in The Patriot...sigh

Words are Fun!

Have I ever told you all that I have a list of words that I think are fun to say? Mogadishu is probably one of my all time favorite words to say…it just kind of roles out of your mouth...go ahead…give it a try! Lol!

I also like to say laryngoscope, lederhosen, mesothelioma, Qatar, patootie and sheesh just to name a few. And then there was also one of Gus’ surgeons named Gus Papadakis….love to say that last name! lol!

What words do you like to say? Maybe I’ll add some of your words to my list…please make sure you only leave good, clean words, okay?

Fallen


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Fallen

(Kregel Publications February 29, 2008)

by

Matthew Raley



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Matthew Raley is senior pastor of the Orland Evangelical Free Church in northern California, where he lives with his wife and two young children. For fun, he enjoys playing chamber music with friends, giving occasional solo recitals, and playing first violin in the North State Symphony. This is his first book.






ABOUT THE BOOK

Jim was at work when his eyes drifted to the coffee shop visible from his office window. An attractive woman driving a Mercedes pulled up to the curb . . . and Jim’s married pastor emerged from the car. When Jim delves deeper into his pastor’s world, will he be able to handle what he discovers? Is he right to suspect that Dave is having an affair? In the behind-the-scenes church battle that ensues, Jim is torn between duty to his church and a desire to show grace. A ripped-from-the-headlines drama of suspense that keeps you engaged to the last page.

Fallen is the story about Jim’s relationship with Dave—how Jim tries to do the right thing to keep Dave accountable, but finds the situation getting worse and worse. It’s also about Jim’s other relationships. Just as he discovers hypocrisy in Dave, Jim discovers his own sins against his wife and daughter.

MY REVIEW: This was a really thinker book for me...made me really think about sin and the confrontation of sin...both my own and of those around me. I found myself asking throughout the book, "How would I have handled that?" and I'll have to admit, I would have been a big chicken! I also thought it was wonderful that the author created a character who was able to uncover his own sins too. Upon completion of the book, I really felt an even stronger desire for Heaven...where there is no sin! lol! I'm making Pete read the book now so we can discuss it. I recommend you read it also!

Monday, January 21, 2008

In Need/Want of Laptop

I’ve been saving money as I can so that I can buy our homeschool a laptop. I’ll have to be honest, it is taking more time than I thought it would. Between having to buy extra curriculum and supplies for projects, I’m not even close to what I need.

I think we’re going to use some of our income tax return to finally make the purchase, but I was wondering if maybe a computer rental would be something to look into until then. I really need to sit down and figure out the pros and cons of doing that. If I plan well, I would only have to rent it for a short amount of time…I would want it to be when we start back at co-op because that’s when I could really use a laptop!

Sigh….Dad, if you wanted to just gift me with a laptop that would ease a lot of my stress! Lol!


Thursday, January 17, 2008

Christian Writers' Market Guide


This week, the

Christian Fiction Blog Alliance

is introducing

Christian Writers' Market Guide 2008


WaterBrook Press (January 15, 2008)

by

Sally Stuart


Sally Stuart has been writing for the last 40+ years, and has been putting out the annual "Christian Writers' Market Guide" for the last 23 years. Her other writing includes several Christian education resources books, a children's picture book, a basic writing text, writing resources, and a western novel--plus hundreds of articles and marketing columns. She writes marketing columns for the "Christian Communicator," "Advanced Christian Writer," and the Oregon Christian Writers' Newsletter. She speaks and teaches at Christian Writers' Conferences nationwide. Sally is the mother of 3 and grandmother of 8. She and her husband, Norm, spend their free time vacationing on the Oregon coast. Check out her blog!


The essential reference tool for the Christian writer, Sally Stuart’s Christian Writers’ Market Guide is now in its 23rd annual edition!

Check out the section on Blogging on page 69...the CFBA is listed!

Writers’ Conference listings, Book Publishers, Magazine Publishers, and a Bookstore filled with the resources you need to be successful in this business. Get a Book Contract or Manuscript Evaluation, and check out the Writer’s Resource links. This book has all you need to connect to all these valuable helps for the beginning, intermediate, or professional writer.

To keep you up to date with the latest marketing news, visit Sally Stuart’s new marketing blog, Christian Writers’ Marketplace, at http://www.stuartmarket.blogspot.com/.

A new, updated version of the Christian Writers’ Market Guide is available about January 15 each year.

MY REVIEW: Wow! This wonderful guide is just chocked full of tons of information...much more than I really expected. The information is arranged nicely and I really appreciated the "How to Use This Book" section. For newbies like me, this section is very helpful. I'll be honest...I am still quite overwhelmed by all the information in this book. I have a gazillion little pieces of paper bookmarking the different information I want to look at again!! I'm thankful that I got the opportunity to review this fantastic guide for Christian writers...neat!

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Pita Pocket...Yes, Please!


What I love about the blogosphere is the fact that I come across some of the most creative things...some of the most creative artists. Really, why focus on all the horrible things happening in our world when we can instead focus on all this creativity?!

For example, today I found a great post over at Gil's about the Pitapocket Wallet. Gil has not only drawn my attention to the wallet but also to a pita recipe. Now, I don't know about ya'll, but we "ain't got no good" pita 'round these parts so maybe I'll need to give this recipe a try! I appreciate the time Gil has put into this post...I love posts that are like little mini studies! Cool!

Oil Slick

I tried. Really, I did! I still ended up looking like crap on a cracker.

When Gus was in the hospital for all of his different extended stays, I really tried to pull myself together and not look so much like a slug so the doctors and nurses would not be frightened. I mean really, you know that these fine folks must have been scared when they came into the room with me sitting in the recliner looking like a hobo who hasn’t washed her hair in seven years. Why not wash my hair, you ask? Well, those of you who have had a child in the hospital know that there are not always people available to sit with your child while you jump into the shower. No, friends…there are times that you just tough it out until help arrives and sometimes that can take awhile! Lol!

Pete brought me some waterless shampoo that smelled completely wonderful…but didn’t work at all. In fact, it created more trauma on top of my head. Not pretty…even the nurses agreed that it wasn’t a “good thing”! After that I just gave up. Apparently I gave up too soon though because I had not tried the shampoo that you spray on…I think that would have been much better since it would be easier to control. I think I might have been a little heavy-handed with the other stuff.

Just so you know, I was able to master the quick “in-and-out” shower and was able to pull this feat off when one of the nurses would be in taking vitals. I’m talking super-sonic speed!! Lol!!

The spray on shampoo still would have been nice for touch –ups though. I think it would be great to have a bottle of two for when Pete and I are sailing around the Virgin Islands..you know a lot of people braid their hair so that it doesn’t need to be washed but that’s still kind of gross, right? With dry shampoo you could have clean hair and cool braids….and what about dreadlocks? Is this something you could use with dreadlocks?

I’m thinking it would also be nice to have a bottle for when my entire family has used up all the hot water…right before church. Yes…a bottle would be nice!



Eat Steak...Well...Maybe Not


Since I'm not a big fan of meat, the news about the FDA approving the consumption of meat from most cloned animals was really no big deal. I think it's a horrible and disgusting idea and I hope to never eat any kind of meat from a cloned animal. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if we'll know if we're eating cloned meat or not. I guess it's time to start paying more attention to those products claiming to be "organic"...or just become vegetarians....or raise or own animals...uh...that's not gonna happen! lol! I can't eat it if I've talked to it...just one of my rules!

So...would you eat meat that was taken from a cloned animal?

graphic source: mindfully.org

Monday, January 14, 2008

Poor Britney...Really

There are just some people who really struggle in this life, ya know? I was reading about Britney car shopping while wearing her 2004 wedding dress….gee whiz. She is in need of some serious help. Not just because she wore her wedding dress…it was a mini dress so it’s not that out of place, but it’s one thing after another…all the time. Obviously, drug rehabilitation hasn’t worked for her. Dr. Phil wasn’t good for her. Shaving her head didn’t seem to help…though I will have to admit that I’ve thought of doing the exact same thing in the dead of summer when it’s 5000 degrees!

It’s just sad….go ahead, bash me for feeling sorry for her…I can take it…I’ll just shave my head or something…

Sonya's Favorite

Here's a video I came across of Sonya's favorite part from Persuasion which aired last night on Masterpiece Theater. I just know Sonya will be thrilled that I found this kissing scene for her! lol!


Seriously....just so ya'll know...neither one of us was too moved by this kiss...in fact we thought it was kinda gross. What do you think??

Taking Care of Business


I know a lot of people get the “giggles” when they hear someone say colon cleanse. And you know, that kind of thing is funny….but it is also not a bad idea if done properly. In fact, taking care of your digestive system is something that is quite wise. Since Pete and I had to learn a lot about the digestive system when Gus was here, we’ve learned to not take it for granted.

Bowels need tender loving care too!

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Chihuahua on Wheels


Ok, folks...this makes me smile..a lot! I think it's wonderful that a little device has been created for these little dogs. Be sure to check out the video over here so you can see them in action...and you can see them move around without the help of the device....it's really cute! They look like little kangaroos...precious!

Photo source: Newsday
link via Neatorama

One of Our Dreams

One of the things that Pete and I would like to do when he’s out of school and all the school loans are paid off is start preparing for our vacation home. Both of us have an island in mind, but that probably won’t be happening this side of Heaven! Lol!! A better option for us to look into a home on the SC coast. We enjoy vacationing there and it would still be close to everyone so others would be able to enjoy it too.

I know that a land investment would be outrageous but you never know. Maybe we will find the perfect house already constructed…either way is fine with me as long as it is very, very close to the beach!

I was going to share some of our photos from the beach but Flickr is down right now…bleh!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Mothertalk Book Review: Persian Girls, A Memoir


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Learning about different cultures has always been of interest to me and Nahid Rachlin's book Persian Girls has certainly fed my desire to know more about Iranian women and their roles.

Opening with a scene of her aunt Maryam in the midst of her nightly Islamic rituals, Nahid Rachlin's memoir, Persian Girls, pulled me into a story about two sisters who ended up going down completely different paths. Nahid had been a gift to her aunt Maryam from her biological mother, Mohtaram. She lived with Maryam for nine years until her father came to take her back home. Of course, both Maryam and Nahid were devastated, but that didn't make a difference. Nahid's life changed suddenly with comfort coming only from a new formed relationship with her sister, Pari.

I found myself saddened by all the oppressiveness these sisters had to endure. Pari wanted to be an actress but her father would not allow her to do so...Nahid was not allowed to read certain books or write certain things. Of course, the whole arranged marriage thing makes me shake my head in complete wonder. Not only are marriages arranged, but very young girls are taken as wives. Seriously, nine years old is just not old enough to marry! Fortunately, neither Nahid or Pari had to marry at such a young age, however, Pari was forced into an arranged marriage that eventually failed. Nahid, avoided the whole arranged marriage situation when her father allowed her to move to America to attend college.

As Nahid struggled to "find her place"in America, Pari basically disintegrated in Iran. Her marriage was horrible and much to her father's dismay, she gets a divorce and loses custody of her son even though he should have been with her. Again, another area where women are oppressed! It was depressing to see how Pari's life had spiraled downward into hopelessness. Eventually, Nahid recieved the news that Pari had died so she returned to Iran to find out what happened and why.

I walk away from this book thankful that I have been able to choose my husband, my career, my likes and dislikes...everything. I am thankful that I have not experienced such oppression as Pari did. I also walk away with a sweet image of a dear bond between sisters...no matter what the circumstances. I hope that writing about Pari has brought Mrs. Rachlin some healing...

Read what others are saying about Persian Girls and if you've read the book and would like to discuss it, you can do so here!

You can also read more about the author, Nahid Rachlin at her site.

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