Happy Thanksgiving!

With Google+, Twitter, Facebook, etc. it seems that I come here to write less often. In either case wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, belated!

This is the first Thanksgiving that I spent with my significant other's family in Ajo, Az. Great food and great company.

We had an array of foods: Turkey, Ham, Red Chile Stew, 2 types of bread stuffing, white beans, 2 types of brown beans, several pumpkin pies, peach pie, dutch apple pie, sugar-free apple pie, pumpkin cheesecake, caramel apple cheesecake, ambrosia salads with and without coconut, fry-bread, couwboy bread, 2 types of yeast bread, rolls, potatoe salad, fresh roasted pumpkin seeds, sweet potatoe with marshmallows, various drinks both alcoholic and non, and with so much I may have forgotten to list some.

So much tempting food however was still able to manage and eat sensibly. Hurrah!

After lunch/dinner we went bowling. My first time ever bowling. Wii bowling does not count. I was terrible. I loved it.

Had a great time away from the city.

Kitchen Equivalent Chart

Kitchen Equivalent Chart

A pinch ..................... 1/8 tsp or less
3 tsp ........................ 1 tbsp
2 tbsp ....................... 1/8 cup
4 tbsp ....................... 1/4 cup
16 tbsp ...................... 1 cup
5 tbsp + 1 tsp ............... 1 cup
4 oz .......................... 1/2 cup
8 oz .......................... 1 cup
16 oz ......................... 1 lb
1 oz .......................... 2 tbsp fat or liquid
1 cup of liquid .............. 1/2 pint
2 cups ....................... 1 pint
2 pints ....................... 1 quart
4 cups of liquid ............. 1 quart
1 quart ...................... 4 cups
4 quarts ..................... 1 gallon
8 quarts ..................... 1 peck (such as apples, pears, etc.)
1 jigger ..................... 1-1/2 fl oz (3tbsp)

Long time...

Well it has been a while since I posted. I have been mostly twittering and facebooking. Of course I always mean to post but then don't.

So since my last post in March, I have continued participating in some volunteer events. I'll hopefully eventually post the what and the when of those.

I found some of my old blog posts from 2006 that I had accidentally deleted from blogger, so I did upload those.

In April, I passed a kidney stone and so since then I have been reading up on the why and taking steps to hopefully not ever get one again. I had one about 10 years ago, however that last time I never caught it when passed and this time I did. So had it sent to labs to be analyzed. Maybe I'll post what the analysis says.

And while on the subject of health, I had a biometric screening a bit after this kidney stone issue and so at the same time am taking steps to be healthier. The goal is to loose the excess weight in a sensible manner with no gimmicky diets of any kind. I have lost 24 pounds so far. I am using myfitnesspal website and app to help keep track. I am still on Livestrong, however that one is more tricky to track on and the app is not free, but they do have some great articles.

As always continuing to get rid of things that are not needed and living every day as it comes. I have been playing around with the title of this blog and changed it a few times. I don't think it is yet what I would like it to be. One day I'll get the best title and then migrate this whole thing to it.

Have a great weekend!

2011 Regional Unity Walk

Participated in the 2011 Regional Unity Walk back on February 5, 2011... Here's a Video...

Sorting it out...

Last Saturday, February 26, 2011 I helped sort close to 10,000 lbs of food in about 3 hours at St. Mary's Food Bank. I was there with a group from work. Here's a photo...

Welcome 2011... !

Welcome 2011...! I'm a little late to this, so here is just a quick hello to this new year.

12 of 12: Not quite, but it's OK

So here we are in a new year, and me trying to catch up to this post that I should have written last year. I have been putting it off and off. The reason for that is because I did not achieve volunteering 12 times out of the year in 2010. I kept thinking back on the year to see where it is that I went wrong. Where were the missed opportunities? When was it that things changed to cause me to not complete what I thought was a simple goal?

So here we are in a new year, and  finally able to say to myself, "It's ok. Just think of all the positive things you were able to do."  Although for my own sanity, I have got to list all the good things I was able to do even if they were not successful and regardless of whether I thought they counted or not.

-     Donated Hair to Lock of Love
-     PF Chang's
-     Childsplay
-     No Sew Blankets
-     PBS Pledges
-     Supplies 4 Students
-     Mission Sack Meals
-     Snack bags to give at Freeway exits
-     Step Out: Walk to fight Diabetes
-     JDRF: Walk to Cure Diabetes
-     Christmas Tree at Phoenix Children's Hospital
-     Donated food & clothing throughout the year

That's better...