Good Day for the Pack

The Green Bay Packers are 4-0, and Brett Favre broke Dan Marino's all-time touchdown record! Woohoo!
ALL-TIME TOUCHDOWN PASS LEADERS

PLAYERS	TEAM	TD PASSES
Brett Favre	Green Bay	422
Dan Marino	Miami	420
Fran Tarkenton	Minnesota NY Giants	342
John Elway	Denver	300
Warren Moon	Houston Minnesota Seattle Kansas City	291

Up next for the Pack: Da Bearz

Nonni's Biscotti & Susan G. Komen

Press release from Nonni's Biscotti's PR agency: Nonni’s Biscotti Partners With Celebrities to Raise Funds for Breast Cancer Research

More than 50 celebrities – comprised of movie and television personalities – autographed pink coffee mugs to support Komen for the Cure’s promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever. During the first week of October, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the collector items will be listed in a charity auction on the eBay Giving Works site.

“Nonni’s Biscotti, as a brand, has always had a strong connection with women,” said Matt Duffy, marketing manager, Nonni’s Biscotti. “We formed a partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure because of the impact breast cancer has on so many women across the United States. We are proud to help raise funds for research, education, screening and treatment that will hopefully eliminate this disease one day. We hope this charity auction will not only help raise funds, but also increase awareness about breast cancer.”

Nearly 50 coffee mugs were autographed by many of today’s hottest celebrities during the Haven House Gifting Suite including: Sasha Cohen, Neve Campbell, James Woods, Lil’ Kim, Josh Henderson and Tyler Hilton.* One hundred percent of the final sale price of each mug will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. For a complete list of celebrities involved, go to www.nonnis.com.

“Susan G. Komen for the Cure is on a mission to end breast cancer forever,” said Cindy Schneible, vice president of resource development. “Partnerships like the one with Nonni’s Biscotti are an integral part of that mission, helping us reach millions of consumers with life-saving breast health messages and raising funds that support breast cancer research and community outreach programs.”

In addition to the charity auction, Nonni’s will offer biscotti in specially packaged pink ribbon breast cancer awareness boxes through December 31, 2007. The pink boxes of biscotti will be available at local grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Consumers are invited to visit Nonni’s Web site and support breast cancer research by entering in individual UPC codes from their purchased pink boxes of Nonni’s Biscotti. Susan G. Komen for the Cure will receive 75 cents for every unique UPC code entered on www.nonnis.com, with a minimum donation of $25,000, and maximum of $50,000. UPC codes can be entered until March 1, 2008.

Breast cancer continues to affect millions of women and their friends and families every year. In the 25 years since its inception, Susan G. Komen for the Cure has invested nearly $1 billion in research, education and health services. With the continued support of companies like The Nonni’s Food Company, Komen for the Cure will be able to achieve its vision of a world without breast cancer.

About Nonni’s Food Company
Founded in 1988, Nonni’s Food Company is also home to other premium quality brands including Nonni’s Biscotti, New York Style and Old London. The Nonni’s Biscotti brand uses the original family recipe including real eggs, butter and gourmet bittersweet chocolate that gives the biscotti a light, crunchy texture that is delicately sweet. The New York Style snack line includes Bagel Crisps and Pita Chips; wholesome snacks that capture the tastes found in traditional New York City’s bakeries. Old London serves up great snacks and light lunches with its core Melba toast products. More information can be found at http://www.nonnisfoods.com.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-800 I’M AWARE.

*Celebrities featured are not paid spokespeople and are not directly endorsing Nonni's Biscotti.

The images in this entry are the coffee mugs signed by Matt Leinhert (top) and Andi McDowell. You can view the rest of the celebrity signed Nonni's Biscotti coffee mugs on the Nonni's website.

Project Runway Countdown Begins

I just read the "official" word that Project Runway's fourth season will begin on November 14. I am SO excited, and will be counting the days! :) Here are the names of the 15 designers who will be competing this season:

- Carmen, 37: Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina; Resides in New York
- Chris, 44: Hometown: San Francisco; Resides in New York
- Christian, 21: Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland; Resides in New York
- Elisa, 42: Hometown: El Paso, Texas; Resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Jack, 38: Hometown: Seattle; Resides in New York
- Jillian, 26: Hometown/Resides In: Long Island, New York
- Kevin, 30: Hometown: Fairfield, New Jersey; Resides in New York
- Kit, 26: Hometown/Resides in: Los Angeles
- Marion, 39: Hometown: Tyler, Texas; Resides in Dallas
- Rami, 31: Hometown: Ramallah, Jerusalem; Resides in Los Angeles
- Ricky, 35: Hometown: Escondido, California; Resides in New York
- Simone, 32: Hometown: San Francisco; Resides in Los Angeles
- Steven, 30: Hometown/Resides in: Chicago
- Sweet P, 46: Hometown: Los Angeles: Resides in Glendale, California
- Victorya, 34: Hometown: Winchester, Virginia; Resides in New York

Anyone else as excited about this as I am? Bring it on!

More Organizing

Today it was the "office supply" drawer & cabinet in the kitchen. We have WAY too many pens, pencils, paper clips, highlighters, post-it notes, etc. I got them under control today (for now). I swear that stuff multiplies in the darkness of drawers & cabinets. I am sending a box of stuff with Olivia to school. Her friends will love it -- much of it was never opened.

Home Sweet Home

Bob is home from Vegas. He got home about 7:00PM yesterday, and is a little tired today. He does have the rest of the week off, and I think he will need it to recoup from all those late nights (I should say early mornings...lol). He had a great time with the guys, and they are planning on doing it again next fall. :)

I need to start planning a women's weekend! Where should we go? :)

New Look

I spent a little time last night and this morning creating a new look for my blog. Yes, I am fickle when it comes to my blog colors and tire of looks quickly! I lost some features from my sidebars and need to tweak a couple things like font color and that dumb scroll bar at the bottom. However, it's pretty much the way it will look! I love it, but who knows how long it will last...lol!

Hooray for Dad

Olivia had the day off school so we headed over to visit my dad. He has lost about 30 pounds and looks slightly too thin, but he has his color back. He has moments of dizziness, but those are getting less frequent. He has his color back rather than that icky color he had in the hospital and for the last couple weeks. He has taken a turn in the right direction! Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, and support in those difficult days.

There are still some issues, but now add income & insurance to the mix. At the end of October, his short-term disability will run out along with insurance. Short of a miracle, there is no way he will be able to go back to work which means they will have no money coming in unless he qualifies for Social Security. He has a meeting with someone at the SSA next Monday! Please say a little prayer that it will all work out!

This is where I put in a plug for long-term disability insurance. Check your disability policies and make sure you have sufficient coverage!

Where is Autumn?

Today was the first full day of autumn, but you wouldn't know it if you were in Southeastern Wisconsin. The temps hit 90 today! Bring back my crisp, cool autumn weather -- PLEASE!

Fun Weekend!

Saturday morning Olivia & I dropped Bob off at the airport. He headed off to Las Vegas with three of our friends for a guys weekend. I have heard from him a few times & they are having a GREAT time.

Olivia & I hit the mall for some shopping fun and then a local restaurant for lunch. We had a great time, but she was anxious to get home and head over to a friend's house for a bonfire and some girlie fun!

That evening Erin & I went to The Melting Pot (a fondue restaurant) for a girls night out. It was so much fun & man was it a lot of food! It was SO good! I thought fondue went out of style in the 70s. Who knew it was still around and so good...lol!! If you ever have a chance to go to The Melting Pot, jump at the chance. Just be sure you have a lot of time as it isn't a fast meal by any means.

New Feature

I have added a new feature to my blog that will hopefully bring me more traffic. If you are looking for more/new blog visitors considering checking out BlogRush. It is, of course, free.

Now you are probably wondering why I would want more traffic! I am considering trying my hand at a new hobby & opening an etsy shop to sell my wares! It probably won't be for a month or so because I have a to-do list that needs to be a ta-da list before I start something else! I will post more details as time gets closer!

Thursday Thirteen #32

Thirteen Quotes/Poems about Autumn

Autumn (Fall) is my FAVORITE time of year. So today, in honor of the first day of Autumn on Saturday, I have decided to combine two of my favorite things in the world. The glorious season & quotes! :)

1. Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

2. For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. ~Edwin Way Teale

3. Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

4. It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life. ~P.D. James

5. Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. ~ George Eliot

6. Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all. ~ Stanley Horowitz

7. No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
~ John Donne

8. Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn. ~Elizabeth Lawrence

9. falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com

10. Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits. ~Samuel Butler

11. Besides the autumn poets sing,
A few prosaic days
A little this side of the snow
And that side of the haze.
~Emily Dickinson

12. October's poplars are flaming torches lighting the way to winter. ~Nova Bair

13. Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter. ~Carol Bishop Hipps

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Autumn is Coming

Even though our temps are WAY above normal for the this time of year I know the cooler weather is coming. We had a taste of it last week, but it warmed up into the upper 80s & low 90s the last two days.

Instead of being outside working on the yard like I should be, I spent the day organizing our linen closet. I love to clean and organize this time of year. We spend so much more time in the house and/or at home in the cooler months. I like starting that time out with things neatly in their places. It may sound crazy, but I find comfort in having the things around me organized.

The master bedroom closet is next on my to be organized list. That is going to be a chore because I need to get a lot of clothing out of there that we don't wear anymore. A trip to the Goodwill is in my future. I won't be working on that until later next month. ;)

A Home Sweet Home

May your walls know joy; may every room hold laughter and every window open to great possibility. ~ Maryanne Radmacher-Hershey

The Name Game

Martha at Elizabeth Hill Cottage tagged me with the Name Game...

The rules: List one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don't have a middle name, use one you would like to have. Tag one person for each letter of your middle name.

Here we go:

Spontaneous! While I like to be organized and have things around me uncluttered and neat. I don't like having a set schedule for each day. I love waking up each morning and just doing whatever I want. Thank goodness for Bob, the Planner! :)

Umbrella! I tend to to shield loved ones from hurtful things others say or do. I guess you could call that an umbrella. :)

Eclectic! My tastes are very eclectic. For my clothing, I love trendy, fun styles. For my home, I tend to stick to more of a classic, traditional style. I appreciate and like other styles, but am not comfortable with them around me.

Tags go out to Shelbi, Jenny, & Makita! (No pressure ladies! Only do it if you would like to!)

UGH!

Dad's back at the hospital tonight -- my step-mom took him to the ER about an hour ago. Apparently, for the last three days he has not be able to keep anything down. Every time he eats or drinks he vomits (TMI, I know!). Don't ask me why he waited THREE days before calling someone. (Although, this entry will remind you of his stubbornness.)

Part of me thinks he pushed to get home too soon. In the hospital he had to have therapy everyday. At home, he just sits in his chair. He is still very weak, sleeps a lot, has the abnormal heart rhythm...

I could go on, but I don't want to be a Debbie Downer on here. Please just say a little extra prayer for him tonight!

Alright, look at the date on the entry I linked too. How creepy is that?

Simply Vera

If you want anything from the Simply Vera line at Kohl's, I suggest you order from their website or RUN to the store right now! The line is going to be shown on Oprah tomorrow, and we all know what happens when Oprah likes something.

I checked it out today and love it! Some of it is a little dressy for my needs so I didn't pick anything up.

Thursday Thirteen #31

Thirteen Phobias

Earlier this week Bob & I won a trivia contest at a local pub & grille we visit regularly. The topic was phobias! We answered 9 out of 10 correctly! To celebrate that little victory, I have decided to list 13 phobias beginning with the letter B. (I guess I chose B for Bob...LOL!)

1. Bibliophobia is the fear of books.

2. Bacillophobia is the fear of microbes.

3. Botanophobia is the fear of plants.

4. Batophobia is the fear of heights.

5. Bogyphobia is the fear of the Boogie Man.

6. Blennophobia is the fear of slime.

7. Belonephobia is the fear of pins and needles.

8. Basiphobia is the fear of walking and falling.

9. Bathophobia is the fear of depth.

10. Batrachophobia is the fear of toads and frogs.

11. Bromidrophobia is the fear of body smells.

12. Batrachophobia is the fear of amphibians.

13. Brontophobia is the fear of thunder and lightning.

Do you have any phobias? (They don't have to start with B.)

This info comes from funtrivia.com.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

I Heart Dancing Hannah!

Isn't this lovely? I recently purchased this necklace from Shelbi of Dancing Hannah & Keeper of the Chocolates fame! It arrived QUICKLY in beautiful packaging along with a sweet note of thanks! The piece is more wonderful in person!

If you like unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, stop by Dancing Hannah. You will not be disappointed. While you are there, make sure you notice the amazing shots Shelbi takes to show off the details of her beautiful creations. Just keep your hands off the pieces I have my eye on...lol!! :)

Six Years

NEVER FORGET!

It Works for Us

A few months ago we decided it was time for Olivia to have more responsibility when it comes to chores around the house. At 14, she is old enough that I shouldn't have to do it all. I wanted to come up with a list. Not necessarily just for Olivia's chores, but some sort of checklist that either one of us could follow. That was when I decided to give motivatedmoms.com a try. Yes, I paid for their printable chore planner. It was $8, but it is some of the best money I have ever spent. (If you want to give it a try, it's only $4 now!)

I changed the format and adapted the list for our family/home. Guess what -- it works! Olivia did the some of the chores on the list, and there was very little reminding that she needed to work on a few things on the list through out the day.

I am a big fan of to do lists and love seeing things crossed off so we will continue to use it during the school year. However, Olivia isn't expected to complete as many of those things during the week.

Simple Solution

The doors on our kitchen cabinets have been driving me crazy for some time now! The little foam bumper pads the previous owners had put on to replace the nice ones that should be there were worn out. They were so worn that the adhesive was coming through the foam and causing a few cabinet doors to stick. At times they seems to be glued shut! Thursday morning, I ran to our local Menard's to pick up some better quality bumpers. They are on the doors & no more sticking!

Biking, Running

I was able to get back to exercise a little bit this week. I got in two bike rides and one run.
WEEK OF SEPT 3

SWIM	BIKE	RUN/WALK*
0.0 miles	13.0 miles	3.25 miles
0hr 00min	0hr 55min	00hr 40min

The bike rides were fine even though this was only the second time I was on my bike since the triathlon.

The run today was another story! I met my friend, Erin, at a nearby trail for a morning run. It was hot, humid & raining lightly. We decided to run anyway because neither of us have had much time to workout lately and really need to get back into the groove. It kicked us both in the rear end. We weren't able to run the entire 3.25 mile trail, but did run the majority of it. We are going to meet every Friday morning for a run as long as the weather holds. I am sure we will get our ability to run that trail back in no time if we keep it up.

Thursday Thirteen #30

Thirteen Things Moved to the Back Burner
(while Dad was in the hospital)

1. Home cooked meals (I am getting back on track with that, and it feels good to being eating at home as a family instead of on the run.)

2. Eating right (Well, not completely, but I made some pretty poor choices on a few days.)

3. Working out (I got back to it this week! It felt good!)

4. Doing laundry (I did eight loads on Monday/Tuesday! I would do a quick load here and there, but most of it just sat for most of August.)

5. Cleaning the house (We just did the basics and Olivia helped out so much.)

6. Filing bills (They got paid, but never made their way into the file cabinet.)

7. Shredding junk mail and other misc. papers (This pile must be about two feet high.)

8. Grocery shopping (Thank God for my Grocery Game stockpile.)

9. Back-to-school shopping (Thank you mom for taking Olivia out for new school clothes. Even though it's been in the 90s the first few days she has been wearing all the new stuff you got her.)

10. Sleep (Don't think I will ever get that back. :))

11. Blogging (I am excited to get back to reading what has been going on in all my blogging buddies lives and to get back to writing about mine.)

12. Redecorating the bathroom (The wallpaper is only partially taken down from our bathroom walls. I will get back to this next week. I have all the stuff to begin painting and am anxious to get at it.)

13. Yard work (I have some tree/shrub trimming to do before the painter we hired comes to paint the fence & trim. He was supposed to be here late Aug/early Sept, but the rain we had a while back put him behind about 10 days. I am sure we will be hearing from him again soon.)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

First Day

It seems like just yesterday we were sending Olivia off to Kindergarten! Today was her first day of HIGH school! Sigh, my little girl is growing up!!

A Time to Celebrate...

Dad went home Friday afternoon. His recovery isn't over, but being at home is good medicine!

This afternoon my brothers & I along with our families are invited over for a cookout! I can't wait to see Dad sitting in his chair in his house! :)