'T' in the news - kinda

Yesterday the Roanoke Times had a nice little write up about T's dept at the hospital and a new procedure they're doing. He works in the Cardiac Cath Lab and Interventional Radiology Dept over at Montgomery Regional. I still don't understand all the things they do there - but this article is a good glimpse inside.

I usually just tell people he 'saves lives' :)

ARTICLE

Aside from the fact that the patients name is incorrect, the dr mentioned is a cardiologist (not a surgeon), and they go in through an artery (not a vein) - it's a pretty good article. When they have this many inaccuracies in a simple story - kinda makes you wonder how accurate the rest of the news is??

Happy Birthday Daddy :)

lyrics by Kristina Cornell

Her mama took her shopping,
said "anything you please."
They Got dolls with pretty dresses.
how bout' one of these?
She said "all I want is a little red balloon,
and a box of magic markers, the permanent kind
all the colors of the rainbow, thats what i had in mind
and a little ball of string, then we can go home"
she was sittin on the window sill, looking at the sky
she said a little prayer and let it fly.
I miss you dad, how are things in heaven?
I wish you could of been here for my birthday
you know I just turned seven.
I'm sending you this message, I hope you get it soon
I wrote it in big letters on my little red balloon

Four years ago last Sunday, the angels came to call
the family gathered in the kitchen,
she sat crying in the hall,
holdin on tight to her favorite teddy bear.
He loved to tell her stories, he'd sit her on his knee.
He taught her how to ride her bike when she was barely three.
Now she only gets to see him...in her dreams,
now she talks to him as if hes there from the window of her room.
Says "daddy when you comin home...did you get my last balloon?"

I miss you dad, how are things in heaven?
I wish you could of been here for my (your) birthday,
I just turned eleven.
I wonder if you've ever met the man in the moon,
is he the one who helps you find my little red balloons?

Now that little girl, is all grown up,
but she still finds the time to keep in touch.
I miss you dad.
how are things in heaven?
I'm getting married next july,
I wish you could of met him.
what I'd give to have you here to see my dreams come true.
I guess I'll just keep sending you these little red balloons.
I miss you dad.

I miss you dad.

Garbage Pail Kids!!

The fun things you find while cleaning out the house. In preparation for our yard sale I started going through some of the boxes I've been collecting from my parents house. Stuff I hadn't seen since high school - but that I knew was important not to trash!!

My collection of Garbage Pail Kids is one of those 'keeper' things :) They did not end up in the yard sale pile! Aren't we cute: Jil & Todd!


Believe it or not 607 items were returned on EBAY when I searched for 'garbage pail kid' :) This one is currently at $143!!

Someone has put the price of $75 on T's head :) I wouldn't part with my T for $75!

Barks & Giggles

Following in V's footsteps - I think it's time I tested out the video feature of blogger. I have the perfect video to share... but in my attempt to make it blog ready - really botched the image quality. So enjoy the giggles - and ignore the picture!!

My niece loves when the dogs bark and wrestle. Her giggle is the sweetest sound!!



I NEED VIDEO HELP!!
~ What program do you have to edit videos?
~ Is there any way to flip the video after it's shot?
~ What do you use to splice out part of the video?
~ What format should I be saving it in? I want the file smaller but don't want to lose the image quality.
~ Sometimes I want to grab a jpg out of the video.
~ I shoot my videos with my Canon Elph.

Thank you in advance for any advice you have!!

"Hey Dad"

It's been 3 years and 5 months since I've been able to talk with my dad. You'd think I'd be over those impulses to do so, not sure they'll ever go away. There are certain situations in life that I can't wait to call him up and tell him about - it takes a second to remember I can't. Many times it has to do with work - since I'm in the business/computer world now there are times I want to share a story with him and find out what his opinion is. Something we didn't really have in common until I was 21.

Another area is of course sports. Our family revolved(s) around sports. Both of my parents played softball A LOT when we were younger. (Before they spent all their time driving my brother and I to practices & games) I have many memories from the ball fields - running around with other kids - helping call the batting order - begging for snack bar money (once I covered the popcorn with sugar instead of salt, opps) - seeing John Riggins (watching his son play) and getting his autograph - it was always a blast. Baseball/Softball was never a sport my brother and I actually played - we both tried it for a season - but preferred soccer and basketball. That is until we were adults - it seems to be the 'adult' sport :) This is my third season playing, I'm having a blast and have improved a ton. "Last week I hit a double!" (no error made, it was a real double) "This week I had 4 base hits - one of them we were sitting on 2 outs and it brought in 2 RBI's!" These are the moments I really want to call my dad and give him the play by play :)

The good news - He doesn't have to hear my play by play because he gets to watch every game live! I know he enjoys my accomplishments as much as I do.

I know he's super proud (as am I!) when he watches my brother too! They both share a love of referring football. This is J's second year with the SAC (Div II) conference and first year on the field. Check out this action shot from last weekend! (He's the one in black & white!)

Happy Birthday!!

To the best mom and friend a girl could ask for!! Love you!!!

Isn't she beautiful! :)

Have a special Bloody Mary recipe??

We need help!! We've tried multiple recipes from various bartending books and on the web - but they all turn out so-so! (sometimes flat out gross) I'm sure someone has found the secret to making a great Bloody Mary! Please share :)

Without your help I might be forced to hold the bartenders at Boudreaux's hostage until they give me their recipe!! So far the only trick of theirs I know is rimming the glass with Old Bay....mmmmmm!

Thanks! Cheers :) Go H-O-K-I-E-S HOKIES!

** motivation **

This article highlighted on msn.com this morning is just what I needed to read. This makes two days in row my 5am morning mind games convinced me to skip the gym. I know I need to find some new motivation! You'll notice the article is geared towards men...

Obviously I've worn out #1. I'm signed up to run the Disney Half in January - and maybe I'm running a mile a week - that's not going to cut it!

I like #6 & #7 - that just might work!

I know #11 helps. Just need to find time to do that. With my competitive nature - #16 might just work too. Maybe T & I need to start a competition around the 'streak'.

Ha ha - #20. I had T take a pic of me in a bikini. Wow I was pretty disgusted and embarrassed. I realize I'm not overweight - but there is definitely room for improvement. Maybe if I print the pic and frame it on my nightstand it'll help :)

20 Ways to Stick to Your Workout
Fading motivation is the enemy of every great weight-loss plan. To stoke the fires, top trainers reveal their never-quit, get-fit-quick tricks.

You have the right to remain fat. Or skinny. Or weak. But you should know that every workout you miss can and will be used against you to make your belly bigger, your muscles smaller and weaker, and your life shorter. Unfortunately, most Americans are exercising their right not to exercise.

A recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics found that only 19 percent of the population regularly engages in "high levels of physical activity." (That's defined as three intense 20-minute workouts per week.)

Another 63 percent—about the same percentage as that of Americans who are overweight—believe that exercising would make them healthier, leaner, and less stressed, but they don't do it. At the root of this problem is motivation, or the lack thereof.

It's the difference between wanting to exercise and actually doing it. That's why the advice you're about to read is priceless. We've filled these pages with the favorite motivational strategies of the top personal trainers in the country. Their livelihoods, in fact, depend on the effectiveness of their tips to inspire their clients to exercise—and to stick with it. After all, statistics don't pay by the hour.

1. Sign up for a distant race
That is, one that's at least 500 miles away. The extra incentive of paying for airfare and a hotel room will add to your motivation to follow your training plan, says Carolyn Ross-Toren, chairwoman of the Mayor's Fitness Council in San Antonio.

2. Make a 'friendly' bet
Challenge your nemesis—that idea-stealing coworker or a non-mowing neighbor—to a contest. The first guy to drop 15 pounds, run a 6-minute mile, or bench- press 250 pounds wins. The key: "Make sure it's someone you don't particularly like," says Michael Mejia, C.S.C.S., Men's Health exercise advisor. (It's okay if your rival thinks you're best friends.)

3. Tie exercise to your health
Check your cholesterol. Then set a goal of lowering your LDL cholesterol by 20 points and increasing your HDL cholesterol by 5 points. "You'll decrease your risk of heart disease while providing yourself with a very important, concrete goal," says John Thyfault, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher at East Carolina University. Ask your doctor to write a prescription for new blood work in a month. You'll just have to go to the lab, and the doctor will call you with the results.

4. Switch your training partners
Working out with a partner who will hold you accountable for showing up at the gym works well—for a while. But the more familiar you are with the partner, the easier it becomes to back out of workout plans. "Close friends and family members don't always make the best training partners because they may allow you to slack off or cancel workouts," says Jacqueline Wagner, C.S.C.S., a trainer in New York City. To keep this from happening, find a new, less forgiving workout partner every few months.

5. Compete
Find a sport or event that you enjoy, and train to compete in it. "It adds a greater meaning to each workout," says Alex Koch, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., an exercise researcher (and competitive weight lifter) at Truman State University. Consider training for the World Master's games in 2009 (www.2009worldmasters.com), an Olympics-like competition for regular guys. Events include basketball, rowing, golf, triathlon, and weight lifting.

6. Think about fat
Your body is storing and burning fat simultaneously, but it's always doing one faster than the other. "Understanding that you're getting either fatter or leaner at any one time will keep you body-conscious so you won't overeat or underexercise," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., owner of Results Fitness Training in Santa Clarita, California.

7. Do a daily gut check
Place your fingers on your belly and inhale deeply so that it expands. As you exhale, contract your abdominal muscles and push your fingertips against your hard abdominal wall. Now pinch. "You're holding pure fat between your fingers," says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., author of Athletic Abs. Do this every day, 30 minutes before your workout, and you'll find that you'll rarely decide to skip it.

8. Join a fitness message board
It'll be full of inspiration from men who have accomplished their goals and are working toward new ones. Our particular favorite: the 52-Day Challenge. Created by a Men's Health Belly-Off Club Forum member with the username "Determined," it's designed to foster encouragement, discipline, and accountability. "Each participant posts and tracks his goals for a 52-day period so that everyone is accountable to the other members," says Determined. To sign up, click here.

9. Strike an agreement with your wife and kids
The rule: You get 1 hour to yourself every day, provided that you use it for exercise (and reciprocate the favor). So there's no pressure to do household chores, play marathon games of Monopoly, or be a doting husband (a fat, doting husband). "Since it's for your health, it's a contract they can't refuse. And that will allow you to exercise guilt-free while acting as a role model for your children," says Darren Steeves, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Canada.

10. Burn a workout CD
Studies have shown that men who pedal stationary cycles while listening to their favorite music will do so longer and more intensely than men who exercise without music. So burn a disc with your favorite adrenaline-boosting songs (maybe something by Limp Bizkit or—if you're over 40—Hot Tuna).

11. Plan your workouts in advance
At the start of each month, schedule all of your workouts at once, and cross them off as they're completed. For an average month, you might try for a total of 16 workouts. If any are left undone at the end of the month, tack them on to the following month. And make sure you have a contingency plan for bad weather and unscheduled meetings. "You're about 40 percent more likely to work out if you have strategies to help you overcome these obstacles," says Rod Dishman, Ph.D., an exercise scientist at the University of Georgia.

12. Squat first
If you have trouble finishing your weight workout, start with the exercises you dread. "You'll look forward to your favorite exercises at the end of your workout, which will encourage you to complete the entire session," says John Williams, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Spectrum Conditioning in Port Washington, New York.

13. Schedule a body-composition test every 2 months
It'll provide you with a clear end date for the simple goal of losing body fat or gaining muscle. "Tangible results are the best motivator," says Tim Kuebler, C.S.C.S., a trainer in Kansas City, Missouri. Your gym probably offers the service for a small fee—just make sure the same trainer performs the test each time.

14. Don't do what you hate
"Whenever you start to dread your workout, do what appeals to you instead," says John Raglin, Ph.D., an exercise psychologist at Indiana University. If you loathe going to a gym, try working out at home. (Check the Men's Health Home Workout Bible for ideas.) If you despise the treadmill, then jump rope, lift weights, or find a basketball court. Bottom line: If you're sick of your routine, find a new one.

15. Go through the motions
On days when you don't feel like working out, make the only requirement of your exercise session a single set of your favorite exercise. "It's likely that once you've started, you'll finish," says Rachel Cosgrove, C.S.C.S. If you still don't feel like being in the gym, go home. This way, you never actually stop exercising; you just have some gaps in your training log.

16. Start a streak
There's nothing like a winning streak to attract fans to the ballpark. Do the same for your workout by trying to set a new record for consecutive workouts without a miss. "Every time your streak ends, strive to set a longer mark in your next attempt," says Williams.

17. Make your goals attractive
"To stay motivated, frame your goals so that they drive you to achieve them," says Charles Staley, owner of Edtsecrets.com. For example, if you're a 200-pound guy, decide whether you'd rather bench "over 200 pounds," "the bar with two 45-pound plates on each side," or "your body weight." They're all different ways of saying the same thing, but one is probably more motivating to you than the others.

18. See your body through her eyes
Ask your wife to make like Howard Stern and identify your most displeasing physical characteristic. "It's instant motivation," says Mejia. If she's hesitant, make a list for her—abs, love handles, upper arms, and so on—and have her rank them from best to worst. Make the most-hated body part your workout focus for 4 weeks, then repeat the quiz for more motivation.

19. Buy a year's worth of protein
"If a guy believes that a supplement will help him achieve better results, he'll be more inclined to keep up his workouts in order to reap the full benefits and avoid wasting his money," says Kuebler. Stick with the stuff that really does help: protein and creatine, from major brands like MuscleTech, EAS, and Biotest.

20. Blackmail yourself
Take a picture of yourself shirtless, holding a sign that shows your e-mail address. Then e-mail it to a trusted but sadistic friend, with the following instructions: "If I don't send you a new picture that shows serious improvement in 12 weeks, post this photo at hotornot.com and send the link to the addresses listed below... " (Include as many e-mail addresses—especially of female acquaintances—as possible.) "It's nasty, but extremely effective," says Alwyn Cosgrove.

Hopefully you found the right motivation for you!

Happy Half Year AB :)

The best part about football season this fall will be all the time I get to spend with my growing niece :) To say she's adorable is an understatement!! Grandma came down to babysit during the game this weekend - so we had the whole family together :)

Hokie family picture

Check out those legs!


She is full of smiles! I couldn't get enough. I think she's watching the dogs wrestle. To our surprise she loves the dogs - every time they bark and wrestle she has a fit of giggles :)

Quality time with Uncle T - he loves holding the baby :)

Sunday we headed to NC to surprise my grandpa for his 80th! What a great day to hang out with family around the grill :) Here are some 4 generations shots.


Precious!

Here's great grandpa making faces :)


Good times with family!

ICED TEA. GONE CRIZAZY.

Some creative marketing folks over at Smirnoff.

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