So Cool

The Grill Incident...and Other Ramblings.

Today, at 1:00 pm, I officially began my mini-vacation. I have no real plans, and, I think I am very ok with that. Tanner is on Spring Break next week, so Monday and Tuesday will be totally devoted to "Mommy-Tanner time". I'm hoping that I will be able to get out and take some pictures. If I do, expect to see them posted here very soon.

I am Spring fever, people. BIG TIME. I've never been a huge fan of winter. Everything about it is just generally depressing. I am ready for the trees to start budding and for the flowers to begin blooming. This warm weather the last couple of days has made me even more anxious. Yesterday, Tanner and I spent some time in the sunshine. I got a little crispy, but it was worth it.

Jeremy had a great first week at United Healthcare. Already, I can see how much he is loving the stress free environment. I really think he will like it there, and he has opportunity to move up in the company in ways that Chase didn't offer. The best part has been telling Tanner every night that Daddy would be home WAY before he went to bed.

We made this afternoon relaxing family time. We played outside a bit, watched a movie, took a little nap and had our very first cook out of 2009. I've been jonesing for a blackened hot dog. It was a bit windy so Jeremy closed the lid on the grill. We wouldn't want to catch the deck on fire, or anything. He opened it to check on the fire...BAD things, people, BAD THINGS. Jeremy is fine, but he is sporting significantly less facial hair...especially in the eyebrow/eyelash region. It's ok to laugh. After I knew he wasn't going to have to stop, drop, and roll, I yucked it up a little. The burgers and hot dogs were delicious anyway, and now he has a "war story" to share.

What did YOU do today? Anything exciting? Share with me. I really do want to know.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

There are still 30 minutes left of Valentine's Day. Tanner and I had a great day together. We made some Valentine's Day cookies, played some Guess Who, and watched a movie. It was very relaxing after a pretty stressful week.

There hasn't been too much happening in the Wonderful World of Bradshaw lately. Actually, things have been kind of dull. If anyone has any suggestions on how to spice things up a bit, I would be happy to hear them. Otherwise, I will have no good stories to share. I do have ONE piece of news that I can share. Jeremy has been hired at United Health Care and will start training on March 2nd. I love my husband...but I secretly hope they don't send him home right away. I'm not quite ready to share my office. The good thing is that he'll be home more during the daylight hours. Tanner is quite excited about that.

I have some new pics to share with you all. Nothing fancy. Just a couple of Jeremy and Tanner being silly out in the back yard, and then a couple of Tanner's ultra cute Valentine's day box that I made. I am NOT crafty in the least, so I was very proud of myself. Enjoy!!!


Sword Fight



"HE GOT ME"

Photo Phun :o)

Do you ever feel like you blinked and missed something? I looked at my calendar this morning and realized that January is almost gone! Um...when did THAT happen? So far 2009 is off to a great start, with the exception of the passing of Jeremy's Uncle Kent. Tanner got back into the groove of things with school. We've challenged him to NOT get an "N" in the "Controls Talking" section of his report card. Ok, so challenged might not be the right word...bribed is more like it. We've offered up a new game for his Gameboy. I'm not sure yet if it will work...he is very social. I am adjusting to the team changes at work. It's been a little stressful, but I'm handling it. Jeremy has been working and training his dogs. He is bound and determined that they will hunt birds. My goal for February is to steal his bright orange hat...and burn it.

In the "learning" arena, I have been working some more on the photography hobby. I don't have Photo Shop, but a friend did point me in the direction of a program called Photoscape. I love it. I've been busy snapping pics left and right. I even finished an online digital photography course. I thought I'd share some of the better pics I took. Hey, at least you can't say I didn't blog!!

Because it is the New Year...

...Many of us, myself included, will feel the need to drop some pounds that have crept on over the last few weeks...or months...or years. We'll pull out (and dust off) our scales, clean out our fridges, strap on our pedometers and gear up to get lean. I have been searching for a battery of PCOS friendly recipes to help control my insulin levels. While I was researching, I stumbled across an article on the Fitness Examiner. I thought it might be a helpful tool for all of us health conscious people as we endeavor to become even healthier :0)

The following article was written by Fred Hahn, and in no way should be considered my own genius.


Lies your trainer Might tell you

Fib #1:

Spot reduction of fat is possible

Why are there still ab classes and hip and thigh classes? Makes me nuts. You cannot burn fat off a particular body part. No my friends, it can't be done. There is not a single scientific paper that supports this notion. It's nonsense and thousands of people waste their time and energy on these sorts of classes, tapes, exercises, etc. More reps doesn't = less fat on a body part. What is possible is 'spot production' of a muscle best achieved through strength training. The photo below shows what eating less calories specifically from carbohydrate can do, not exercise.

Fib #2:

Do aerobics to burn extra calories

Sorry sports fans. While the little LED readout on that $25,000 treadmill or elliptical machine says you burned 300 calories after an hour running on it, you have to subtract the amount of calories you would have burned anyway doing something else from that number! DOH! As and you get fitter you burn even less. Tip: Don't eat the extra calories in the first place and you won't have to worry about burning them off.

Fib #3:

Eat less fat and more complex carbs to get lean

Carbohydrate, complex or not, is sugar once it's digested. Sugar raises the hormone insulin and insulin's primary function is to store body fat. The more carbs you eat the fatter you will stay - or become. Fat on the other hand does not raise insulin a jot. Fat can be considered the 'best friend of protein' because without fat, protein cannot be synthesized thus utilized. It is essential for the health of every cell in your body. If dietary intake of fat is too low, health suffers. Nails can become brittle, hair thinning or loss can occur. But most importantly, cellular regeneration is slowed. Bottom line: Eating fat does not make you fat. eating sugar makes you fat and complex carbs while better than simple carbs, they are all insulin raising and fat producing.

Fib #4:

Work up a good sweat for health

This fib has been around for ages. Here is the deal with sweating. Sweating is your body's way of cooling itself. In other words you sweat in response to overheating. When we overheat, we sweat. Overheating your body is not a way to improve it nor is it a way you enhance performance. Think of your car - would you race it around and overheat it to make it run better? When you exercise strive to stay as cool as you can. At my studios in NY we keep the temperature between 62 degrees and 65 degrees. We have fans blowing and oscillating to keep the air moving keeping you from sweating. This way you can train more intensely and reap greater physiological rewards.

Fib #5:

Pilates will develop a lean, lithe dancer-like body

Sorry ladies. This is simply not true. The only way to have a long, lean dancer like body is to be born that way. If you Warren't, you can't. So what can Pilates do for you? Not a heck of a lot. Pilates is a form of resistance training using either your body as the source of resistance or the spring-loaded reformer. But all in all it is resistance training and if the resistance is correct, stronger muscles will be the outcome. But that is not the focus of Pilates. The focus is on lengthening the muscles which cannot be accomplished. Almost any form of resistance training will create stronger muscles - up to a point. Pilates is a low-level system of such training. Like Yoga, Pilates has achieved a cult-like culture where it's practitioners behave in certain ways and say certain things that have little to no truth to them. That is not to say you shouldn't do it. By all means do what makes you happy. But if you believe that you will look like the picture below by doing Pilates, it just ain't so.

"The truth is easy to kill. But a lie well told is immortal." Mark Twain

So there you have it folks. Feel free to do whatever makes you happy this New Year. Just remember that when you're tossing out the junk food to toss out the thigh master and lies along with it!!!

Happy New Year!!!

MySpace Graphics & Free Myspace Layouts

I am simply amazed that it is already New Year's Eve. It seemed to me that just yesterday, we were ushering in 2008. I don't know about you, but I am kind of glad to see it gone.

This year, Jeremy and I are waiting for the stroke of midnight all by ourselves...something we haven't done in six years. Tanner has been with Wayne and Erma for a week, and I miss him like crazy. He was supposed to be home on Tuesday, but he pleaded with Daddy enough and was allowed to stay two additional days. It's been a lonely week for Mommy without her little man here. I can't wait to have him home tomorrow. We've set up his drum set and have his new bedding all ready for him. Jeremy and I have no real plans this evening. Right now, we're watching a Survivorman marathon (this show is AWESOME). Later, we'll watch the ball drop and pop open our sparkling cider.

As has become my tradition, I have chosen my "theme" for 2009. You might remember that last year was "Love". There were some days, I succeeded and some days I failed. All in all, it was a successful year of remembering to love others (even when I didn't want to) and allowing others to show they love me. This year, I have chosen the word "Learn". I sometimes feel I have learned all that I am capable of learning, but deep down I know this isn't true. I am going to open my mind this year and try new things. I plan on finding some new hobbies and becoming skilled with at least ONE of them. I want my six year old to teach me new things, and I want to be able to share what I know with him. I want to learn something new about my husband, and I want him to learn something new about me. I am truly excited about starting this year. I hope that you have found something to look forward to in your New Year as well.

If you are out and about this evening, be safe. We love you and we wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!!!

Christmas Pics

Cutie Patootie Easton. I seriously love this little boy. He makes me want another one. Luckily, Kayla and Kurt are close enough I can borrow him on occasion.

Tanner's Christmas Program at school. I had the fly and couldn't go, and Jeremy isn't so great with the camera. His pics were a bit grainy.

More of Tanner's Christmas Program

Tanner in his Tool belt and Rainbow suspenders and Cousin Amanda. She's his buddy.

Stomping on the dog toy at Grandpa Tim's house. He was really wound up!

Tanner and his other buddy Kayla. Tanner is showing off his game boy.

Another one of "Tanny" and "Manda". These two are so funny together.

Merry Christmas!!

Awesome MySpace Comments & Myspace Layouts

It's Christmas Eve!!! The Bradshaw's are all ready for Christmas. Tanner is over the Conjunctivitis and almost over the ear infection. He's no longer contagious, so we're going through with our usual Christmas traditions of visiting Jeremy's family tomorrow. Jewel is still in the rehab center but is recovering quickly from the stroke, which left me in charge of lunch tomorrow. I'll be up all night baking. It'll be fun, right?? Anyway, I'm off to slip the rolls in the oven. I just wanted to stop in and wish you all a very Merry Christmas. While you are celebrating with friends and family, take some time to remember the real Reason for the Season. Much love to you all!!

Christmas Disco

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

The Gingerbread House

Well here we are getting close to Christmas and we decided to have some fun today. I had the brilliant idea to make a gingerbread house. Um, yeah. Those of you who know me best know that I am not the most crafty person. I am covered in icing...seriously. It's on my jeans and my shirt, and around my cuticles...and I think there may be some in my hair. BUT we do have a gingerbread house. I have to say, it smelled sooo good while Tanner and I were putting it together. I managed to not eat anything...except the stupid chimney. It wouldn't stay where I wanted it to, so Tanner and I ate it. YUMMY!





Don't look too closely at it. It looks best if you stand back from your computer, squint one eye and kind of tilt your head to the left. Oooh, and you should probably turn the overhead lights off in whatever room you are in. It may not be beautiful, but we had a lot of fun making it and getting messy.

We jumped the gun

Usually the Bradshaw family waits until the Sunday following Thanksgiving to decorate for Christmas. This year we jumped the gun a little bit. We put up our absolutely gorgeous Christmas tree today. We decided to do a real one this year. I may have to double up on the Zyrtec, but it is so beautiful that it's completely worth it. I promised my BFF that I would get some pics posted so she could see. So, here ya go Deanna!!





Later we're going to enjoy some s'mores and roasted marshmallows in front of our fireplace. I know, there's still a month to go for Christmas, but there's never a bad time for family time!!

Tee Pees, Rhymes, and Humilation

Tonight was Kindergarten Family Fun night at Tanner's school. The three of us got there early not really knowing what to expect. The learning began immediately. I learned that I am failure in the arts and craft department after a sad attempt at making a tee pee out of a paper plate. Tanner's tee pee turned out well. Then we moved on to making a place mat. Tanner glued some leaves, apples and a turkey on a piece of construction paper that will be laminated and sent home for him to use. It was looking really good until Jeremy decided that it was missing something and drew a target on the turkey, with a voice bubble saying "ouch".

While we were adding the finishing touches to the place mat, Tanner's teacher came in the room. Tanner ran up and gave her a big hug and announced loudly, "My Mom wants to know if you're pregnant." I'm not sure who was more surprised, her or me. After dying of embarrassment a few times, I managed to pick my jaw up off the floor and apologize. I was actually not in the least bit curious whether or not his teacher was pregnant...by the way, she's not. Thanks Tanner.

Next we went and read a Thanksgiving story to Tanner and then he showed us how they do the reading tests on the computer. We read Clifford's Thanksgiving Trip, and Tanner wowed us with his computer skills and scored 100%.

After that, we played some pattern matching games and rhyming games. They haven't worked on rhyming skills yet this year, and we had some comical results. At first Tanner wanted to put things that were similar together, like the coat and tie. After we explained how the game worked I pointed to a picture and he exclaimed "FROG". The next picture I pointed at was a dog. Tanner saw it and yelled "Chihuahua!!" Yeah, there's a skill we need to work on.

Anyway, despite my less than spectacular craft attempt, Tanner's ability to embarrass me horribly, Jeremy's redneck place mat, and our lack in rhyming ability we had a good time. We all agreed that Family Fun Night was fun and that six year old boys should be seen...and not heard.

Pics from our Beautiful Day!!

Today we took some time to enjoy some of the beautiful Autumn foliage in the area. Tanner got to play at the park and Mommy and Daddy got to spend some time in the sunshine. We figured this was going to be one of our last nice weekends and we didn't want to waste it.


This is one of the burning bushes in our back yard...one of the ones that didn't die.


How I love the scarlet leaves!


Tanner enjoying some play time.


Still more fun!


Hillside on the drive home


This one is self-explanatory


I think this is a Sugar Maple...whatever it is the park is FULL of them...so gorgeous!

Weekend Randomness

I just wanted to add these pics...but they didn't really fit in with the Halloween post...Enjoy!


Notebook Kitty snuck up and ate some of Jeremy's pizza when he wasn't looking. I could have stopped him...but then I wouldn't have this cute picture.


Tanner chatting on the phone in my office--I LOVE his argyle sweater. It's too cute.



It stormed here this morning. At one point I looked out the window and could see the small bands of heavy rain in the distance. I liked this one. It started out small and then got really big. Within five minutes of taking the picture, it was POURING.

Arghhh, Mateys!

Happy Halloween, oh people that I love. It is 9:30 and we are all finished trick or treating for the night. We had a blast. Tanner ended up with soooo much candy. We dumped it all into the great big bowl that we have always used to pass out candy. It filled the bowl with some to spare. Tanner was a big boy tonight and went to the all the doors by himself. He even remembered to say "Thank you"...so I haven't COMPLETELY failed as a parent ;o)

There were a couple of houses that were a bit over the top decoration wise and on those I did have to walk with him. One man dressed in black was measuring people for coffins as they walked into his yard. Tanner gave him a wide berth. Another yard had been turned into a graveyard. Near the front door they had a grim reaper that turned from side to side in a very robotic fashion. As Tanner neared the porch, the figure took a step towards him and waved, setting off lights that played the theme song from Halloween. I jumped too...the guy really did like one of those motorized figures. And I don't know about you, but I have always found the Halloween theme to be a bit creepy.



Now I am going to try to get my sugared up boy to bed. I finally got all the make up off his face. Tomorrow I'll have him Grandma and Grandpa a call...if he's not in bed with a tummy ache. And now I am off, I have a date with an incredibly handsome man to watch "The Strangers". Love you all!!

Let's Pretend it's Friday!

Can you believe that it's only Tuesday?? I know I'm not the only one who is already exhausted this week. I am more ready for Friday than I have ever been...ever! This week, I began a month long project as an OJT. I honestly have not left my desk more than twice in one day. Now, I don't want to say that I'm typically lazy or that I don't work. But I usually work at a MUCH slower pace. I told Deanna today how much I miss that slower pace. BUT it's only a month long and I'm sure I won't die of exhaustion. Tonight House is on...that means that I don't have a lot of time to be blogging but I wanted to post some pics that I had promised to some people. So here ya go! Have a great week everyone. I'll be posting Halloween pics this weekend. And if you're so inclined, don't forget to vote next Tuesday :o)

Tanner and Aunt Meleshia were being a little silly last Thursday while Jeremy and I were at his Parent Teacher conference. They had lots of fun though!


Meet Jinx--or as I like to call him "Notebook Kitty". He doesn't like it when I work, that means that I'm not paying attention to him.


Truffles and Freckles (aka Voodoo, aka Rufus, aka Buford) LOVE Jeremy. He makes a good napping buddy.

Fall Fun

The Bradshaw's headed to the farm today for some fall family fun. Every year, for the month of October, the Campbell farm outside of Clever opens to the public for their "Maze Days". The farm has two corn mazes: a four acre maze for the kiddies and an eight acre maze for adults. In addition to the mazes, there is a large pumpkin patch from which you can select a pumpkin to paint or carve, hay rides, a magic show and train ride for the kids, and a plethora of other activities to keep the whole family entertained. Today was the perfect day to be there. It wasn't too crowded, and the weather was gorgeous. We had a great time enjoying each other and creating memories that will last a lifetime...and we came home with a kitten. You KNOW that when Tanner looks at you with those blue eyes and says please he's hard to say no to. So "Jinx", the newest member of the family is, at this very moment, sleeping in Tanner's bed with him. I know, we're suckers. But we're happy suckers...and did I mention the memories?? Anyway, enjoy some of the pictures of our day.



Tanner with a LOVELY fake smile in the corn maze


Tanner picking out his pumpkin in the pumpkin patch.

Painting the pumpkin he picked for himself in the pumpkin patch



Tanner getting his face painted.


Tanner's "Spidey" face. This makeup took FOREVER to wash off.