Messed Up

**So I saw this article and it's distrubing enough, but pay attention to the last line...nuts!**

Day care stabbing spree suspect had black-and-white painted face
By Slobodan LekicAssociated Press
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DENDERMONDE, Belgium -- A young man with a gruesomely painted black-and-white face went on a rampage at a Belgian day care center Friday, stabbing two babies and a female worker to death and seriously wounding 12 others. VideoSobbing parents rushed to the scene and to nearby hospitals. Shocked rescue workers spoke of finding crying, bleeding toddlers scattered inside the center. Medical workers at six hospitals sprang into action, performing emergency operations to save the 10 children and two adults badly wounded in the attack.“This was a particularly violent attack. All the kids had multiple stab wounds on their legs, arms, and all over their bodies,” Dr. Ignace Demeyer, head of emergency services at Our Lady Hospital in nearby Aalst, told reporters.The shocking assault caused panic and outrage in the town 20 miles (30 kilometers) northwest of Brussels, where the day care center sits on a residential street.“An act of great brutality has happened here against our weakest citizens,” said mayor Buyse Piet. “The whole city is united in support for the parents who are in deep grief.”Prosecutor Christian Du Four said the 20-year-old attacker rode his bike up to the Fabeltjesland day care center about 10 a.m., found it unlocked and went in.“After he entered he started slashing at everyone he ran into ... the day care workers, the children,” Du Four told a news conference.He said the man wielded one, nearly 8-inch (20-centimeter) knife and had painted his face white with black patches around the eyes.One worker tried but failed to disarm the intruder and another was stabbed to death, Du Four said. In the mayhem that ensued, the attacker simply walked out and got back on his bicycle before being arrested in a nearby supermarket shortly afterward.Theo Janssens, a Dendermonde city councilor, arrived with first aid workers. “The situation was horrible. There were bloodstained babies and staff workers everywhere,” he said on the VRT television network.Police had to show distraught parents digital photographs of those taken to the hospital, asking them to identify their children.Demeyer said all the wounded needed surgery but by Friday night, all were in stable condition.Nine of the 21 children at the center during the attack were unharmed, Demeyer said.Du Four did not name the suspect but said he had no criminal record and was uncooperative under questioning. The man was to appear before a magistrate later Friday or on Saturday to be indicted.Residents told The Associated Press the suspect was a local man with a history of mental illness.Officials opened up a nearby community center to provide psychological counseling to family members and witnesses, and police cordoned off the area. Later Friday, Crown Prince Philippe and his wife Princess Mathilde met with relatives of the victims as well as traumatized first aid workers.“People are totally in shock,” said Leene Du Bois, a spokeswoman for the regional government of Flanders. “Nobody would have imagined anyone could do so much harm. There is much grief.”She said the perpetrator had no connection to the day care center.Veerle Heeren, social welfare minister for the regional Flemish government, said she would be investigating security measures at the center.Residents were flabbergasted, thinking at first that all the police sirens meant a repeat of the 2007 prison break at a nearby jail.“(It’s) something you hear about from America, not here,” said bake shop owner Bie Hoornaert.

Pumped Up

First thing's first, 17 hours until Obama swears in! I'm getting pretty excited. I haven't watched much TV today, but I'm watching my recorded Oprah show and starting to get pretty pumped up. I'm thinking ahead to how to arrange my kids tomorrow so I can watch the innauguration!! LOoks like they'll have to be seen more in the afternoon!

OK, moving on, I'm also excited because we just got a Wii Fit! If you haven't played this you need to get one. It's so much fun, and also surprisingly, a good work out! I don't think I expected that. I have a new appreciation for yoga now :)

Today I'm off school for MLK day. So I went and got a 2 hour massage. It was amazing. I always leave glowing. It's funny to watch people come out of the massages because we all look like we're floating around in bliss or something. So I had my friend Gretchen come with me to use a guest pass, so when I came out to her glowing we had some lunch, and it was yummy. Great day. Did I mention that it's in the 80's here? The weather is perfect!!

Being John Malkovich

Ok, so I'm 10 years late on this one, but this movie was amazing.

I kept hearing it referenced on TV shows and in other movies so I finally rented it. I didn't have any idea what it was about or anything, but it's pretty freakin' amazing.

221.5

“Well if you don’t know, now ya know,” (that’s from a song in case you wondering; woo Biggie). Yes, that is how much I weigh. My head is all hung down in shame. Actually it’s not, but it might be right after I hit post and wish I hadn’t done that!

For real though, it’s no secret that I’ve always been up and down, I’ve had trainers, boot camps, diets, doctors, Nutri-System, and whatever else you can think of. I absolutely know what to do and what not to do. I could probably train most of you with all the things I have learned. And I’ve always said that losing weight is not hard, keeping it off is the problem! That’s where I always fall. I can drop 30 like nobody’s business, but I can gain back 40 even more easily! One of the problems is that I get all manic about working out and losing weight. It is addictive. But then one day I give myself a little time off and it turns into 2 years and 40-50 pounds in no time flat. Part of the reason it turns into 2 years is because I have psyched myself out that I KNOW I won’t stick to it, or that I KNOW eventually it will all come back, I KNOW that this is something I’ll have to do for the rest of my life and I don’t want to. Flat out just go, geez, if I had to work out and eat right for the rest of my life why bother? I don’t really want to do that! (Hence the problem with looking long term and not shooting for short term goals!)

I’m at that point right now where I’m feeling pretty motivated. I’m at that point where it’s not about wearing a certain size for looking good, it’s a health thing. 220 on a 5’3” frame is way too much. I’m at that point where I’m tired all the time. Wouldn’t you be if you were hauling around that much extra weight? It’s getting to the point where I don’t even like kneeling or sitting a certain way because it’s uncomfortable to sit that way or get back up. My feet, knees, and back hurt more easily than they should! I’m freakin’ 26 ya know? And I know what needs to be done. I’ve just psyched myself out.

So I’ve been trying to think back to when I lived in Rancho Cucamonga at what was motivating for me and what worked. That’s when I was at my best; although I was working out like a fiend there were aspects of it that were all the right things. Ivan & I worked out all the time, because we liked it. We liked going to the gym, and we went all the time. I had Breigh to work out with and she pushed me to go to the gym or hiking all the time. That was nice to have someone to workout with. So I’m trying to pick aspects of it that worked for me.

Thursday night I stopped by the gym across the street from our apartment and took a tour, got the prices. We’re going to go sign up today. I’ve been opposed to getting another gym membership because our complex has a fitness center, but truthfully, the gym really is a very motivating place. Once I was in there I wanted to work out, and was just really motivated to get going on all of this. I’ve barely used the fitness center here so I can stop using that as an excuse! And I have a couple friends who are members there so hopefully they can be my Breigh!

So I need to look at some short term goals. And really the big one right now is that I’ll be taking a trip to Europe in June, backpacking. I know it’s going to be an active trip, and I like all that stuff—hiking and biking. But I know it will be so hard for my body to do those things with the shape it’s in right now. On top of the fact that I want to do all of that stuff, I don’t want to drag Megan down either. Those of you reading who know Megan know she’s in great shape and I just want to be able to keep up with her even a little bit! It’s not so much about the weight, but building some strength and cardiovascular endurance. Even at heavy points I’ve still been able to complete marathons and things like that because I was still training and always moving.

So anyway, I write about what’s on my mind on here, and that is forefront, so I thought I should share. I’ll keep ya posted :)

Funny coincedences...

So, I have been doing my wedding research, because when I get excited about something I research to no end and nonstop until the event or whatever occurs.

Anyway, apparently I registered for some give-away from David's Bridal, and I won! It's just a make-up consultation, where she'll do some different looks on me and give me some free stuff. Funny thing is that the consultant is from Peoria, Illinois! And she now lives out here with me!

Funny thing #2-- I'm trying to find a wedding planner (as long as it's a reasonable cost) and have some phone calls set up with a few different ones based in St. Louis. I just got an email from one confirming our phone call, and she noticed my 309 area code, and apparently she too is from Peoria!

What are the odds? Just thought it was funny...

Taurus 2009 Overview

This is totally how I thought the year would go:

Year 2009 Overview
It's time to celebrate yourself, Taurus! You are pouring yourself into your life's mission and rejuvenating yourself with abundant thinking, which attracts great things to you. You're diligently creating a public arena where opportunities will emerge for you to be a teacher or messenger. Engagements for speaking, writing and sharing your thoughts will open up. Other people will be inspired by your enthusiasm and insight, and will support you in accomplishing your goals.

Taurus's excitement radiates more than ever this year, bringing with it a magnificent energy the world has been lacking. As you embrace the power of your heart and spirit, you are allowing yourself to transform and align with a universal energy source. You discover the space for your creativity to flow and abundantly bring the truth of your being into the world. Your focus on your connection with a higher purpose brings out the best in you and refines your self-expression.

You appreciate all the expansive shifts that are taking place in your life, and you are learning to break up routines and old patterns of rigidity. This allows you a new level of awareness and acceptance of your ultimate purpose. Pay attention to what has heart and meaning. Express your truth and you will advance. You will find avenues to bring your talents and belief systems to philanthropic endeavors. By the end of the year, you will be able to slow down a bit and find more time to enjoy the new you that you have created.

Some pics--all the nephews & Maddie