Freedom isn't free and it isn't cheap. Throughout the history of our nation, thousands and thousands of soldiers died defending our freedom. My grandfather Henry fought in World War II in the Navy and his ship got hit by a kamikaze Japanese plane. He survived that crash but many of his friends and fellow soldiers lost their lives in that war. He later died from particles of that plane that remained in him from the war traveling down near his heart giving him a heart attack.
All of us know or are related to someone who is serving or who has served in the military. I have several friends and family members who fight bravely each day defending our freedoms and I'm so thankful for them. That is why today we must take the time to thank God for their bravery and sacrifice, to remember the lives lost making our country great and keeping it free. I am so thankful for all the brave servicemen and women who put their lives on the line.
Today is so much more than a day for going to the beach or barbecuing.
Because Mondays otherwise suck, here are some of my favorite posts/reads/bytes from this week. The posts I feature are an eclectic mixture of writings, photography and other random things that I just found either touching, enjoyable and inspirational.
This week's spotlight is on food. I have been obsessed with recipes lately so these are the blogs whose recipes looked so delicious that I wanted to share!!
I just got this trio in the mail yesterday and I have to say I love it. If you like coconut but don't want something that smells sickeningly sweet, this will be perfect for you. The mixture of vanilla and coconut is subtle enough to not make you feel sick if you're sensitive to strong scents but fragrant enough for you to be able to enjoy the summery scent as your skin gets a moisturizing treat.
I'm going to use this more and do a full review on how it affects your skin after using it for a week or more every day. I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!!
xoxo
Welcome to the "Aloha Friday Hop", hosted by What Jean Likes and Local Sugar Hawaii! Aloha Friday Blog Hop is a brand new weekly feature that will run for 6 days and occur every Friday at 12 midnight Hawaii Standard Time. Aloha Friday Blog Hop is a great way to meet new people and learn new things as well as increase your blog followers! So let's have some fun!!
Grab the button here!!
I read this article and had to share. It's so important to read our food labels to know what we are really consuming!!
Article courtesy of Daily Mail
PUBLISHED: 04:12 EST, 16 May 2012 | UPDATED: 19:08 EST, 16 May 2012
Article courtesy of Daily Mail
Does sugar make you stupid? Study suggests it sabotages learning and memory
- Fructose is commonly added to processed foods such as soft drinks
- It was found to hamper memory and slow brain activity
By CLAIRE BATES
PUBLISHED: 04:12 EST, 16 May 2012 | UPDATED: 19:08 EST, 16 May 2012
Stay off the sweet stuff: Fizzy drinks contain high amounts of fructose which slows the brain
Too much sugar could be making you stupid, according to researchers.
The suggestion follows tests in the laboratory comparing high-fructose corn syrup, which is six times sweeter than cane sugar and a common ingredient in processed foods, with omega-3 fatty acids, known to aid memory and learning.
In an experiment on rats, one group had a sugary diet for six weeks and another was fed healthily.
At the start of the study, published in the Journal of Physiology, the University of California team tested how well the rats navigated a maze – placing landmarks to help them learn the way.
Six weeks later, the researchers tested the rats’ ability to recall the route.
Study co-author Professor Fernando Gomez-Pinilla said the rats fed just a sugary diet were slower and their brains had declined.
He said: 'Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain’s ability to learn and remember information.
However, the good news is that eating nuts and fish such as salmon can counteract this disruption.
'Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think,' said Prof Gomez-Pinilla. 'Adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimise the damage.'
While earlier research has revealed how fructose harms the body through its role in diabetes, obesity and fatty liver, this study is the first to uncover how the sweetener influences the brain.
The researchers were studying the impact of high-fructose corn syrup on rats, who have similar brain chemistry to humans.
It's Thursday and I'm exhausted from a grueling and long day yesterday to why not post old pictures of me from way back in the day? :o)
When I was little, there were a few things I loved other than my parents and my brother: glitter, Barbies, dolls, toys, Rainbow Brite, and princesses. I was obsessed with pink and purple and even had my mom paint my room bright Easter egg purple. It actually was a pretty shade and even now my love for purple remains as my room is a very pale shade of lavender.
As I look at these old photos I can remember the moments that they were taken for pretty much every single photo. Not that impressive since I have a photographic memory but nonetheless, the memories are fond ones. I think the only photos I don't remember taking are the ones where I'm a baby with my parents and with my great grandmother (obviously I couldn't remember being a baby!! haha).
I hope you all have made it over the mid-week hump in one piece and are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am. My son's last day of 4th grade is today and he is so excited as am I to get his summer vacation started!!
These photos captured wonderful days and moments in my life and I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy sharing them. Share your old photos with me!!! Write a post and link it to me in the comments below! I'd love to see your old Throwback Thursday photos!!
Don't forget to enter my $50 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!!! It's free to enter and who couldn't use an extra $50 bucks?!
 |
| Me, my Dad and my Mom. I think I was about 8 months here. |
