S-M-R-T...

The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.

Here are the 2009 winners:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an a$$hole.
3. Intaxication : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy : Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13. Glibido : All talk and no action.
14. Doppler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.) : Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted , adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.
3. Abdicate , v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. -
4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.
6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.
7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

(Courtesy of M-Cat. Thanks!)

Getting excited!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Trailer in HD

Anyone else getting excited? I sure am. I'm surprised that I'm excited because the 2nd book was my least favorite of the 4 books. I'm hopeful that the movie will be better. Keep your fingers crossed! :]

26 Weeks Along

Here I am at 26 weeks (6 1/2 months) along. Sophia is getting big and kicking Mommy like crazy. She found my bladder this week and is now using it as a punching bag. She currently is 14 1/2 inches long and weighs 1 pound 14 oz as of our ultrasound on Thursday. (Didn't get any pictures this time.) She was shy but is healthy. Yay! Hope you enjoy the picture.

Unforgettable moments...

I had one of those moments tonight I will never forget. Michael came home from work and was so tired. He had parent-teacher conferences after school and was wiped out. He got things ready for tomorrow and then we cozied on the couch for a bit while talking about the days events. I could tell he was so ready for sleepy time so we read scriptures together so he could go to bed. This is when the sweet events unfolded before my eyes. The second he starting reading, the baby moved over to the side where he was sitting and started kicking very enthusiastically. She didn't stop until he was finished. The thought came to me that she recognized his voice and was excited. I don't blame her. I love his voice. After we were done reading, I told Michael what had happened then I gave him a big hug and a smooch, thinking that he would then get up and head to the bedroom to go to sleep. But instead he leaned down and laid his head on my baby bump and started talking and singing to the baby while kissing and rubbing my tummy. In response, she moved right where Michael's lips were and we felt her give several gentle kicks. Tears filled my eyes as I watched this sweet man talk and sing to our baby while showering her with sweet love pats and kisses. What a tender moment! As I watched and felt this happening, I kept thinking what a wonderful husband I have been blessed with and what a fabulous Dad he already is to our little girl! What did I do to deserve such a wonderful, loving husband?!! I sure do love that man!

I Need to Remember...

It's funny how real dreams can seem! Since being pregnant I have had some doozies! Some are pretty freaky and with others I wake up and shake me head thinking...why on EARTH did I dream that?!? So crazy! I tell Michael about them and he tells me I should be writing them down. I could make them into a book or a movie. Some are so detailed and have plots and subplots. The mind is an amazing thing!

I had a dream the other night that I had the baby 2 months early. We didn't have the car seat or even an outfit for her to wear home from the hospital. So the hospital said I couldn't take her home with me. They held out their hands for me to give the baby to them. I was holding her in my arms. I looked down at her and she started talking to me. She told me I needed to get in gear and get things ready so she could come home. I went to kiss her and she was gone. I woke up the next morning in a panic. It didn't help that I was super nauseated and the nausea wouldn't calm down. I went to lunch with my Mom and sisters that day. I was stressed and super emotional. But, to my surprise, my sister Nikki had a present for me...an outfit for our little gal. That made me feel calm for the first time since I woke up that morning.

Tanning Beds...

I just read this article about tanning beds. I remember growing up that my Dad hated it when I would go to tanning beds. He would say that they cooked your insides and your skin. I would listen while thinking to myself that he was crazy. Turns out he wasn't that far off the mark and that was way before he got skin cancer. For those of you who don't know, my Dad died of melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. I haven't gone tanning in years. Yes, my legs and body are so white I am see-through but my chances of getting skin cancer will decrease because of it. It's a topic that has deeply affected the lives of my whole family. Just want to get the word out. Enjoy the article!

July 29 (Bloomberg) -- Tanning beds are as certain to cause cancer as smoking, according to a new risk assessment.

Sun beds and all types of ultraviolet rays are now ranked in the highest risk group by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, putting them in the same group as plutonium and radium, researchers said in a paper published today in the medical journal Lancet Oncology.

Sun beds and UV rays are now considered “carcinogenic to humans.” Using a tanning bed raised the risk of developing the type of skin cancer called melanoma by 75 percent in users that started tanning before the age of 30, researchers led by Fatiha El Ghissassi of Lyon, France-based IARC said in the study.

“Some people feel the need to tan to compete. My advice to them is: don’t do it with a sun bed, don’t even go get the tan outside,” Vincent Cogliano, the head of the IARC Monographs program, a World Health Organization unit, said in a telephone interview yesterday.

Melanoma originates in a type of skin cells called melanocytes that make skin tan or brown and protect the deeper layer from the sun, according to the American Cancer Society’s Web site. In 2009, the ACS estimates that 68,720 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed and 8,650 patients will die from it.

The researchers also said UV-A rays are now deemed certain to cause skin cancer. UV-B rays had already been classified in the most dangerous category.

The radiation and the beds were reclassified to reflect new scientific evidence, Cogliano said. Tanning beds were previously classified as “probably carcinogenic.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Eva von Schaper in Munich at evonschaper@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 28, 2009 19:01 EDT

It's Delissio...

I saw this commercial on this blog and laughed my bootie off. Enjoy!

I Will Never Forget

I remember that day all too well. I was living in Kentucky and working at a private bank. The Branch was on the first floor of a hospital. We catered to the doctors and their offices. I was at work and was setting things up for the day. I turned on the radio. Music was on and playing a good song. All of a sudden they interrupted mid song to announce that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center. I was in shock! We turned up the radio and listened to the commentary and speculations. Then another plane hit the second tower. I called my Supervisor who wasn't in yet. She was watching it at home on TV and said she was going to bring her TV in so we could watch what was going on. The news kept trickling in with more and more information. The Towers collapsed and thousands died. The more I heard, the more shocked I became. People would come in to the Branch and just sit and listen to the radio or go over to the TV and watch it in silence. They would then tell their coworkers we had a TV and they would come down to watch, too.

Later that night, friends gathered together at our place to watch things continue to unfold on the news coverage. I had been in near tears all day thinking of all those people in those buildings and on the air planes who woke up that morning not knowing it was their last day to live. It was an emotion filled day.

As the hours, days and weeks past, we learned more and more about what happened, that it was a terrorist attack, and the numbers of the people who had died kept growing. What the terrorists hadn't expected was that we weren't going to shrink in defeat, that American's pride in our country would grow, too. The country became more and more united. United We Stand became the motto heard every where. Flags were flown by every business and every home. They were in car windows and on people's clothing. People were encouraged to pray and to be united. Songs were written. People's hearts were softened. People showed pride in their country and faith in God.

Months and years have past. Slowly the flags came down and people started to forget. Things went back to "normal". People started fighting against prayer and In God We Trust on our money again. We have become less and less united. It saddens me. I just hope that it won't take another 9/11 to bring us together again.

There are few events in my life that stand out as life changing. 9/11 was definitely one of those for me. I will never forget how I felt that day, the images I saw, nor the pride in my country that was increased in the weeks and months that followed. I will also remember how grateful I was that I had faith in God and His plan. Having that knowledge helped me to have peace during that time of chaos and uncertainty.

Two Little Boys

Two young boys walked into a pharmacy one day, picked out a box of tampons and proceeded to the checkout counter.

The man at the counter asked the older boy, 'Son, how old are you?'

'Eight', the boy replied.

The man continued, 'Do you know what these are used for?'

The boy replied, 'Not exactly, but they aren't for me. They're for him. He's my brother. He's four. We saw on TV that if you use these, you would be able to swim, play tennis and ride a bike. Right now, he can't do none of those'.

(Thanks for the chuckle, Mom!)

I Came...I Listened

For those of you that didn't get a chance to watch the speech given by President Obama to Americas school kids, here you go. His actual speech starts at 2:30 on the video. I got it from the White House website.

After watching it, I came away thinking that there was a lot of controversy and build up for nothing. Sure, there were elements of politics in the speech. But that is to be expected from a politician. But I thought what he had to say overall was good. The main message that came across to me was that it is each student's personal responsibility to work hard, set goals, and to keep going even when they fail. He also talked about America throughout history. "The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best." I thought it was worth watching. Hope you do, too.

Now, don't fret. I'm not switching sides nor am I becoming an Obama supporter and I won't talk anymore about this. I just feel like we as a society should do our research before we condemn things. We hear a portion or a version of the story that is presented as truth and we allow ourselves to be swayed to fight against it. I hope in the future we will understand more fully just what we are fighting. Also, I think we need to give our kids some credit. Just because they hear something doesn't mean they will necessarily believe it. Don't believe me? Here are two articles, one from the Deseret News and one from the Salt Lake Tribune, that discuss the speech as well as quote kids who watched it. Enjoy!

We Want Postum Back!!!

Some of you may remember this post I wrote back in October '08 discussing the sadness and sorrow that is the discontinued family favorite, Postum. Well, apparently there is a group that has started a petition to bring it back. I wanted to show my support by not only signing the petition, but by getting the word out.

WE WANT POSTUM BACK!!!

If you want it back, too, click here and sign the petition. And, if you don't, sign it anyway. You will enable my family to continue on with a family tradition. That and I'll be your best friend!! Every signature counts!! If we are successful, I will invite you all to a Welcome Home Postum Party! (Now you are convinced, eh?) Happy signing!!

Curious Nancy Wants to Know...

I was reading Martha's blog who asked the following question and thought it would be fun to play along. So, here is the question of the day....

Are there any words in the English language in which you have a strong aversion?

I didn't even have to think about my answer. Two of my least favorite words are moist and panties. I don't know why. They just gross me out and they have for as long as I can remember. I always try to avoid them...instead of moist I say juicy or savory. And, instead of panties I say underwear, utiwears (as my sis Laurie calls them), or knickers.

Funny side note, I made the mistake of telling my friend Wyatt this information a few years ago. BIG MISTAKE!! It became his goal in life to use those words in a sentence together every time he saw me. And, it was never just one or the other. He'd say "moist panties" together in a sentence. It became kind of a joke in my group of friends. Then my sister Nikki caught wind of it and started to play along until almost my entire family joined in. The funny thing is, when I hear the words, I think of him first and then my skin crawls. I'm sure he is so proud! But should he also worry because right after I think of him my skin crawls? ;] I heart Wyatt and his kooky ways but I will always and forever hate those 2 words!

Political Drama

Have you read this article regarding a possible protest over the live broadcast by President Obama to school aged kids? Apparently it started because of this video that had him speaking off and on in it, but wasn't created by him. On the video, actors pledge to do good for the environment, help end hunger, do more service, support Obama, etc. Some of it is politically charged and/or preachy...ie: stem cell research and living a "Green" life among a few other things mentioned. (The video has been around for a while. I saw it several months ago.) More recently, the video was shown to several schools as a way to promote service. The principal of the school in the article who showed the video should have viewed it first (and maybe found a way to edit out the political jargon before airing it) and has apologized for doing so. Probably not the best thing that could have been shown, but I've seen worse.

As far as the possible protest, I find it interesting that people are so bothered by Obama's broadcast to the school children directly. I remember past presidents addressing us when I was in school. And, unlike the video, I highly doubt the content will be political. And, honestly, if it was President Bush, would people be so quick to condemn? Now that I think about it, probably. But by the other side of the fence. Sad but true. I remember a time when, once the election was over, we moved forward. I didn't vote for Obama and I don't necessarily agree with his policies, but he is our president now. I remember when that office was shown a degree of respect. But that was several presidents ago.

As far as the broadcast, on the U.S. Department of Education's Web site, it states, "During this special address, the president will speak directly to the nation’s children and youth about persisting and succeeding in school. The president will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning."

How can this be a bad thing? Work hard. Set educational goals. Take responsibility for learning. These are all things I want to emphasize to my children. Maybe I'm missing something. Honestly, if parents are so concerned, why don't they watch the president deliver the address and then discuss it with them after school? It will be broadcast live on the White House Web site at 12:00 p.m., ET on September 8th. It would be a great way to open up a discussion and give parents a teaching opportunity.

I feel I need to end by saying I normally don't use my blog for political mumbo jumbo (as my loyal blog readers can attest) and I'm not one to bring up the topic of politics in regular conversations. In fact, I avoid those conversations as much as possible. In my experience, they almost always become heated and nothing is gained by them. I just wanted to make it clear that I didn't write this to change anyone's mind or opinion about it. You can do the research and make up your own mind. I think my purpose in doing so is I wanted to see if I could make sense of this for myself. I'd be happy to hear honest, constructive comments on the subject but would prefer not to have political party bash talk. What do you think about the possible protest? Whatever your thoughts may be, it should be interesting to see what happens on the 8th.

Free Is My Favorite...

Now that is what I'm talking about!!! Thanks for the 411 Tib!