Saturday, July 31, 2010

A Day at the Beach: My Boogie Boarding Story

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I have had many comedic water experiences in my life, but this one has to be about the best one ever! I grew up loving the ocean in San Diego, California and lived for my times out beyond the breakers.  I have to admit though growing up, I did not do any body surfing and certainly never did boogie boarding.

However, when my brother-in-law Rudy challenged me to try out boogie boarding in my 30s, I could not let the dare go by without trying - much to my chagrin with the usual comedic results.

A-Day-At-the-Beach-My-Boogie-Boarding-Story

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Healthy Recipes - How to Make Oatmeal Muffins

Here's a great recipe for an old fashioned muffin but a healthy recipe - how to make oatmeal muffins with numerous variations.

Healthy recipes start with healthy ingredients and this one is loaded with good things - such as buttermilk and oats - quick or regular.

You can add blueberries or nuts - or both.  You can also add chopped apples or raisins.

Still further, you can add a dollop of apple or pumpkin butter to the center of these delicious little gems and have yourself a wonderfully delicious breakfast treat or an afternoon pick-me-up snack with tea or coffee.

Enjoy!

Healthy-Recipes-Oatmeal-Muffins

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

How To Teach Your Dog To Swim

I recently found out the hard way that I had forgotten some very basic steps to teaching my malamute Griffin how to swim.  On further reflection, I decided that I would go back and try it in a different and more relaxed manner to build up his confidence and thus ensure that he is comfortable as a swimmer.

Here is a hub on how to best teach your dog how to swim - and the wonderful benefits of water therapy for dogs.  Check out the wonderful resources as well and some of the fine products offered for fun in the water with your favorite canine!

How-To-Teach-Your-Dog-To-Swim

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Saturday, July 24, 2010

Favorite Funny Stories: A Day At The Lake

Recently, our daughter Kate, her husband Kevin and our middle son Patrick all traveled to Central Oregon for a visit.  During their stay, we did many and various things and had a great time.  Our last day trip was to Lake Billy Chinook last Saturday and here's how that turned out!  As usual, a bit of a day with Lucille Ball and company.

Favorite-Funny-Stories-A-Day-At-The-Lake

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Favorite Funny Stories: The Whale Watching Adventure

Everyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about many things. One of those things is the Orca whales.  They are a marvelous thing of beauty and each and every time that I have seen them, I have been struck anew with what a privilege it is to see them in their natural habitat - I am speaking of the Orca pods of the beautiful Pacific Northwest and viewing them from San Juan Island.

However, one summer, I decided to arrange a special whale watching tour because my middle son, Patrick is severely visually impaired and although he had seen the whales many times, he had not really 'seen' them because they were too far off shore. 

What ensued was a Lucille Ball-like adventure on the prow of the whale watching ship we were on hoping to see the said Orcas up close and personal.

Favorite-Funny-Stories-The-Whale-Watching-Adventure

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Healthy Recipes: Baked Chicken Flautas

If you love flautas (and who doesn't) you are going to love this recipe because it trims the fat and the calories both out of it by eliminating frying!

This is a delicious alternative to making fried flautas of any kind and also offers many tips on how to revamp the recipe according to ingredients and/or vegetarian options.

Try this recipe - you'll love it!

Healthy-Recipes-Baked-Chicken-Flautas
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Favorite Funny Stories: Diving In - The Story of the Pool

When I was 17 and very impressionable, I had just left home and was living in a religious group.  This was out of self-preservation I imagine at the time but I did not truly 'fit in' as well as I would like.  Especially confounding was one particular day when we as a group had all gone swimming and much to my embarrassment, when I stripped to my bathing suit, I was literally swarmed with young men - I had shown up in my only bathing suit - a bikini.

In my efforts to dissuade these boys from following me everywhere - literally - I decided to exit one of the swimming pools and move to another where some older folks were swimming.  In my haste, I did not realize that one pool was NOT the exact same as the other swimming pool but instead reversed.  Here is my story of my embarrassing moments!

Favorite-Funny-Stories-Diving-In-The-Story-of-the-Swimming-Pool

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Favorite Funny Stories: Boating Adventure on Lake Crescent

One of my favorite stories raising our children is about an eventful camping trip we took to the Olympic National Rain Forest where we camped at Lake Crescent. 

Our children at the time were about 10, 8 and 6 and Patrick, our middle child was born extremely visually impaired.  However, he was undaunted by his visual impairment and wanted to do everything his older brother could do.  When our son Jon went out on the lake with my husband, Pat was incensed.  He wanted to experience this too and so I was elected to take him out in a row boat to show him the 'ropes' so to speak.

What occurred was one of the funniest family stories we have - luckily an adventure that turned out happily and with no one getting hurt - but it was a hilarious trip down memory lane remembering that day and all that went with it!

Favorite-Funny-Stories-Boating-On-The-Lake-at-Lake-Crescent

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