I lost about twenty pounds between September 1, 2011 and October 31, 2011.  I did not even exercise.  I went to a doctor and went on the HCG diet.  I injected the HCG hormone into my stomach every morning and changed my diet.  The shot was not bad and the diet isn't too strict it just takes some getting used to.  I basically was able to eat all the lean protein and vegetables I wanted throughout the day and all the fruit I wanted as long as it was before 4PM.  I had to eliminate dairy and that was truly difficult for me.  I feel healthier and I plan on doing another round after the first of the year.  I went from 243 lbs to 221 lbs.  My goal is 160 lbs before summer.  I have to add exercise into the mix now though so I am toning as well as tightening skin.  If you want to learn more about this diet please visit my blog at http://www.musingsofme.com

My son is 10 years old.  In kindergarten his teacher asked permission to send him to first grade for reading and at the end of the year she recommened gifted testing.  We knew our son was bright so we moved forward.  At age 5 he earned an IQ rating of 136.  The proctor explained he would have tested higher had he been more focused.  I am now going to send his test results to Mensa in order to have them evaluate them for admission.  I also requested his school retest him.  I have been told after a couple years from the time of the first test, results typically are higher.
He is extremely bright and he loves the arts.  He recently participated in the Science Olympics at MOSI.  He is on the Math Bowl Team, he plays the violin, and he is in chorus.  He was chosen to participate in the Model United Nations and Odessy of the Minds this year.  He is also doing independent study projects and extra math projects to keep his mind occupied so he does not get bored in class.  He was chosen and volunteered for all of this, I did not push for the extracuricular activites but I am glad he is a participant.
He has always been a straight A student.  He brought home his progress report for the 2nd nine weeks.  He is in danger of getting three B's.  This is where my question comes in to play, where to draw the line?  He is in danger of three B's not because he is not intelligent enough to get A's, it is because he gets lazy and unorganized and sometimes won't do his homework.  He is aware if he brings home B's on the next report card due to simply "not caring" he is going to be grounded all of the 3rd nine weeks from television, the computer, and video games.
Some of you may feel this is harsh because he is only 10 and only in 4th grade and B's are good...yada yada yada....I understand where you are coming from.  You have to also understand where I am coming from.  I understand B's are good grades however; they are not acceptable if it is earned simply by not wanting to do your assignments.  Good habits start early.  Fourth grade is not too early to instill good work ethics and study habits.  In fact, up until this year he had no issues with missing assignments.
Some people may look at me as a mom who is pushing too hard, others will view me as a person who wants to make sure her child lives up to his potential.  I would rather be a mother who cares to much opposed to a mother who doesn't care at all.

Panhandling is getting out of control.  I have come to the point where I dread having to stop at red lights.  I understand some people may really need help and be looking for charity but that is not the case for all of them.  They all seem to have the same story, “Disabled Vet, lost Job, supporting 5 kids, spouse has cancer, please help.”  Occasionally you will see an honest sign that says, “I need a beer.”

How do you determine who is being truthful and who is full of shit?  Unfortunately, you cannot.  You have to go with your gut feeling.  I want to ask if they have proof of being a veteran.  It is illegal to impersonate a veteran.  I also will not give you any money if you are a female and you can obviously tell you have freshly waxed eyebrows and are ready for a touch up on your hair color.  I give money to panhandlers on very seldom occasions.  Normally if it is a woman I have seen continuously and she looks tired and worn out or if it is someone from a group I recognize collecting donations.

I want to stand on a corner with a sign that reads, “Full time working mother of 1 gifted child, married to a full time working Vet, just proving a point” or something similar that is wittier.  My husband will not allow me to do this because he feels that opens me up to retaliation from the real panhandlers.

I personally have a relative who is homeless.  The only reason is because he wants to be.  He does not try to work nor does he have a desire to do so.  I am not sure how he eats but I know he sleeps in large drain pipes or in the woods.  It was his choice to live like that, why should I be charitable to someone of that nature?

The bottom line is to be careful when giving to panhandlers.

When my husband and I were married in 2000 we did not have much of a wedding.  We were engaged for several years but nothing ever seemed to pan out as far as wedding planning.  He ended up picking me up from work on March 10, 2000 and we went to the court house.  We picked up our marriage license and went to see his parent's house.  His dad performed the small ceremony and that was it.  It was very romantic and I would not change any of it for the world.  Now years later we want to renew our vows.

We are planning a huge shindig to celebrate thirteen years of marriage in 2013.  There are a couple differences we have to take into account while planning this.  Does it matter who officiates the ceremony since we are already married?  I think this is a matter of personal opinion and religious preference.  I feel we may request an ordained minister because we are renewing our vows to each other in the eyes of God. There is no need for anyone to give me away because in I already gave myself to my husband years ago.  I plan on walking myself down the aisle.  We both already have rings so we will only be exchanging rings if we upgrade to new ones.

I will be keeping you all up to date on the planning and if I come across any other difference between planning a renewal and a wedding.