YOGA

Today I am going to sign up for Beginner Yoga I classes in my local area. The classes last for 4 weeks at $10.00 each!! What a great deal.

My husband informally practices yoga but says he's merely "stretching". I know the Upward Facing Dog when I see it and he's definitely practicing Yoga. What is it about Yoga that he doesn't want to admit I have no clue.

Is Yoga not looked at as macho enough? He seems to feel that practicing Yoga would be a detriment to his Christian faith. I totally disagree and I know that Christians can practice Yoga without adapting the spiritual aspects of it. I believe while practicing Yoga this could be perfect quiet time to tune out the world and tune into God. What a wonderful opportunity for spiritual advancement.

I see this as a way for me to grow in my spiritual life and also to become healthier.

Don't tell my husband but, I am looking forward to being able to bend myself into a pretzel at the end of this series!! LOL

SAMSUNG'S TOCCO IS CALLING ME

Tocco is an Italian word meaning touch, and I can't wait to touch this phone!

Okay, I must admit I am a gadget junkie. I love gadgets! I absolutely have to have the latest and newest shiny objects. I don't usually acquire them when the first surface, I'll wait a while and after reading hundreds of reviews I'll go in for the kill. While browsing fashion blogs I stumbled upon this beauty. Isn't he gorgeous? I can not wait to get my hands on this baby. I can see me using this cool phone right now.

Only problem is, I don't see it be available in the US just yet!!

I am currently using the Palm Treo 755 in Burgundy and it has lost some of it's luster.

Read some of it's features: *swoon*

1. 5 megapixel camera! That's much better than my Treo!
2. It's sleek and stylish, not at all bulky.
3. You can drag and drop to customize the interface.
4. It vibrates to alert you when you've clicked something.

Oh heck, any excuse will do when you want something!

POLYCYSTIC OVARIAN SYNDROME (PCOS)

I have PCOS and this is my first time ever speaking about it. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is an endocrine disorder that affects 10% of all women. The most common factor is that is causes infertility in women of childbearing age. There are several symptoms:
* lack of ovulation
* Weight problems- mainly weight gain
* Irregular periods
* Hirsutism: increased hair on the body and face
* Hair Loss
* Acne
* Depression

Treatments include: diet (low glycemic diet, medications, fertility treatment, and alternative therapies. Women with PCOS can get pregnant and the symptoms can be managed with proper treatment with a doctor experienced with PCOS.

Anyone with this disorder should consult with a physician as I am NOT a doctor nor a licensed professional. I am just speaking about my own personal experience.

I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years after the birth of my son. I have struggled with weight gain, mood swings, facial hair and unpredictable periods. Sometimes my periods can last for 6-9 months then I can go 9 months without one. I can say that having an ongoing menstrual cycle for months on end can be one of the most miserable feelings EVER! I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I constantly pluck the hairs from my chin and battle with my ever changing moods daily. My hair is thinned out and I notice that I am losing lots of hair everyday.

I was rejected medical coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield because my BMI was too high. So, I am now trying the natural route with low glycemic diet, vitamins and herbs. My weight has ballooned up and it's out of control. I feel like a walking PMS Monster sometimes. There are times when I have to let my husband and son know that I desperately need a time out. God bless them for putting up with me. So many times family members will ask when I am planning to have my next child and I just can't bring myself to explain. I believe my speaking out about it will free me and hopefully help others.

My gynecologist couldn't put me on birth control pills because of my high blood pressure. Well, I am at the point where I am ready to have another child and it pains me that I can't. My husband wants another child and I do too. He longs to have a brother or sister and I so desperately want this for him as well.
There were times when my story reminded me of Matthew 9:20-22.

²⁰And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:

²¹For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.

²²But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from. that hour

She exercised her faith by doing. She felt that by touching the Lord's garment she could be healed. Awesome story!

Oh yea, here is a GREAT support, information and friendship!

Keep me in your prayers as I continue on my journey at stomping PCOS!

Click here for more information at the Soulcysters Site!

Independence Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July holiday. I was reading up on the Declaration of Independence and saw this on Wikipedia, one of my favorite websites.

During the American Revolution, the legal separation from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.^[1] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a committee with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.^[3]

One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.^[4] The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth.^[5] Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.

When I reflect upon how far we have come as a nation , it makes me truly thankful to be living in the United States of AMERICA!!

My First CVS Purchase with the ECB's

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!

Okay, so I finally went to CVS to make my first ever ECB purchase. I bought a few items and I am super excited. I will from here on try to keep a better account of what I purchased and how much I've saved. That way others can benefit from this maze of ECBs.
I have been reading about other people's experiences with the savings program and have been looking forward to trying it myself. I've read CVS 101 on other blogs and I think it's best if you get your list and just dive in there.

Next time I will keep track and take pictures!

Fourth of July Festivities in Baltimore area

Do you have plans for the 4th? Here is a list of what is going on in and around the Baltimore area for the best holiday ever!

Fourth of July at the Inner Harbor

E Pratt St & Light St
Baltimore, MD 21202 This year's Fourth of July celebration at the Inner Harbor includes doo wop performances, patriotic music and the annual fireworks display. Festivities begin at 3 p.m., with fireworks at 9:30. Over the next two days, visit the USCGC Sanibel after it arrives at Pier 1 Constellation Dock.

Fireworks at the BMI

1415 Key Hwy
Baltimore, MD 21230 Picnic at the Baltimore Museum of Industry for a great view of the city's fireworks display. Bring a picnic basket or purchase snacks, beer or wine. Fun for the entire family with tours of the museum and other great activities from 6-10 p.m. Admission is $40 per car, $35 member car, $5 per person at gate.

Fourth of July in the Sky

601 Light St
Baltimore, MD 21202 Join Lindy Promotions on the roof of the Maryland Science Center for one of the best views of Baltimore's Fourth of July fireworks. Admission ($50) includes an open bar and picnic-style food. Hours are 7-11 p.m. www.lindypromo.com

Annapolis Independence Day celebration

101 Dock St
Annapolis, MD 21401 Annapolis kicks off its Fourth of July celebration with a naturalization ceremony at the William Paca House and Garden at 9:30 a.m. The fun continues with a downtown parade at 6 p.m. Also, check out a free concert by the United States Naval Academy Band. Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m.

BSO's Star Spangled Spectacular

13401 Beaver Dam Rd
Cockeysville, MD 21030 Join the BSO as it celebrates our nation's holiday outdoors with a concert featuring classic patriotic songs and fireworks 8 p.m. July 3-5. In advance: $18 for adults and $9 for children under 12, At the gate: $20 for adults and $10 for children under 12. 410-783-8000

Home Sweet Home!

One sure way to appreciate your home is definitely to go away for a while. I was in Brooklyn, New York for a week and I could not wait to get back home. Don't get me wrong, I love New York, but I love my home much more. New York is great for entertainment purposes only for me. The theater, restaurants, and shopping are fabulous. But the rushing, horrible traffic, rude people I just don't have the patience for.

I still don't see how people can stand living there. The cost of living is so astronomical that I would probably be living in a tent.