Can you believe this stuff????

Priest fined for early morning bell-ringing
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch priest has been fined 5,000 euros ($6,800) for ringing his church bells too loudly in the morning
I'm glad i don't live next to that church... but that seems to be a pretty steep fine if you ask me. On the other hand maybe they should get up up early and go to church!!!!

Couple tried to name baby "@"
BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese couple tried to name their baby "@," claiming the character used in e-mail addresses echoed their love for the child, an official trying to whip the national language into line said Thursday. "The whole world uses it to write e-mail, and translated into Chinese it means 'love him'," the father explained, according to the deputy chief of the State Language Commission Li Yuming.
I've seen sillier names recently, traditional regular names still are best... how would you like to have a name...like that... i can see the kids at school laughing already...poor kid...

Chinese wizards work their magic with Harry Potter
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese students have worked their magic on Harry Potter, translating the latest installment within hours of release of the English version, state media said Thursday
The whole wants to know... i don't blame them... I had to find out too!!!

What can I say...i have had time to surf the headlines. i swear it's just a hobby ... this is what i do to pass time... yes it's under my top ten lists of what to do when your not ready to go to bed at 3 in the morning. I'm sure some day I will learn to sleep when the rest of the world does...

D'oh-n't forget to see The Simpsons Movie!!!!
So we went out for a bite to eat at Cheeburber Cheeburger, no your not seeing things that's
how it is really spelled. I know it seems like i may have missed a few letters here and there... but it was intentional this time. We splurged and had milk shakes and burgers and they were totally awesome.... I recommend this place highly! They have a real soda fountain, like a 50's style diner. Really cool doo wop music that just puts U in the mood for fun and frivolity! Then we went on our way to see The Simpsons movie...all I can say it's wrong in so many ways but totally hilarious. So if you want a good laugh you should check it out. We enjoyed it thoroughly and you may too!

Time to ramble a little…
I had some great ideas to blog but after I ate my dinner I went into a coma

First things 1st, why does it seem that there is always so muck laundry to wash? There are only 2 of us here and it seems like the hamper has no bottom, or we just can never find it! I no my Mother would suggest naked day so all the laundry could done …. And the more I think about it the more appealing it seems. The weather has been really, really hot!

Next topic, I tasted the most delicious cake today….We have a New Pasrty chef at work and she makes some really tasty items. It makes it hard to behave when there are so many things to try. Back to this awesome cake, it was a mocha mousse cake with a chocolate walnut topping that was gooie… it the best cake so far… I say that about each new dessert I try… I think this will be hard to beat! I know it's tough to be me ate these times!!!

Last but not least… what do you do with a watermelon that has no flavor? Pickle it! It is a delicious way to turn a loser into a winner. It’s so easy, mix red wine vinegar, salt, black pepper, and a little sugar and pour it over some cubed water melon…toss it in the fridge over night and ala ka zam…. If you want you can throw in some thin sliced onion and some mandarin oranges just for fun… try it some time.. it’s a real winner and it’s good for you too! Well that’s all the rambling for now… see you next time….

Happy belated 4th of July!!!!!
I hope everyone had a great Independence Day. Mine went well, work as usual and bbq, dogs, burgers, slaw, potato salad, macaroni salad... Blah... Blah..Blah...if you get my drift! But all were happy and feed, and then went I home. Enough of that stuff on to more important stuff.

Offical count down is on.. for what you ask?
Non other than the greatest race in the world!
The one the only Tour de france!!!!

Tour de France 2007
Running from Saturday July 7th to Sunday July 29th 2007, the 94th Tour de France will be made up of a prologue and 20 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,550 kilometres.
These 20 stages have the following profiles:
11 flat stages
6 mountain stages
1 medium mountain stage
2 individual time-trial stages
Distinctive aspects of the race
3 mountain finishes
2 rest days
117 kilometres of individual time-trials (including the prologue)
21 Category 1, Category 2 and highest level passes will be climbed

Awesome.. you should check it out!!!
Can you imagine doing that... no wimpy atheletes here!

YO ho HO and a bottle rum!!!!

Well on Sunday the K-C's went and saw pirate movie # 3.... it was fun and if you like the other2 you should go see it in the theatre because the effects are pretty cool!!! So we recommend it so check it out...

Then Monday the Mr. went to work and the Mrs. was off and did laundry, organized and sorted food pictures. Afternoon came.. and the Mr. brought a late lunch home and then we played video games... really you should try it with your mate.. it's challenging and fun.

That's about it really!!! Such exciting lives we live...but that's all we have time for while our quest continues to get to where we are going.. if you no what we mean..

Thinking.....hmmm,
The last two days my partner in crime Remi was off, so i can be off this weekend. For my Mom-in-laws B-day party over on the west coast. There was no one in my kitchen except for those passing through to get to the freezer, or ask questions. I had a really cool conversation with myself, and no one else could hear me. The really cool part was before I knew it all this food done and it's like i wasn't even there....hmm very interesting. I wonder if anyone looked in the window and caught me contemplating?

Bye the way I'm really distressed over my lack of pictures on my blog.. due to technical
difficulties I have not been able to post them. Boo Hoo

On another note My Mom-in-law Linda will be 60 in T minus four days..I hope she ready for her shindige on saturday..we sure are... hehehehe hahahaha!!!

LAte night Trip to the evil Stuff-Mart

Well folks the Mr. and the Mrs. had to do a late night shop for stuff we needed. So we went to one of the only stores In JAX that's open late, The Stuff-Mart. Remind us to never go there late at night because all the rednecks with screaming children, stoners, and hooligans come to gather there at this time. After shopping there we needed a drink, so we had two and all was better...

Did you know there's only eight days till Linda my Mom-in-laws birthday and it's a BIG one.....

P.S. Greg has picked up his diploma it's so purty.... and he is very excited...

Tumble Weed Memorial Day Weekend

We had the bookends of a long weekend off together. On Friday we lazed around for a while than said to ourselves, "selves, we should go and see Shrek" so we took our own advice and saw it. Very Funny lots of good jokes all that you would come to expect from such a good franchise.

Saturday and Sunday were a blur for Laura as she had to work. So Greg spent the days being the good house hubby that he is and did laundry, cleaned the bathroom, and other household chores that begged to be done.

Monday was another laze around day and then started talking to ourselves again saying "selves we should call Mike and Bridget to see if they would like to laze around just like us and low and behold they did." We spent the evening nursing a couple of kids with the sniffles and having a blast. Their daughter now has a thing where she lays down on the floor and wants to be spun around like a pinwheel followed by choruses of again. The real fun part is when she gets up and tries to walk afterward, she looks like a drunk munchkin. So that was our weekend in a nutshell talk to yall later.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Once in a while Laura actually gets a day off when Greg has a day off. Saturday was one of those days. We decided to go to a baseball game. The local team is the Jacksonville Suns and seats behind home plate are only eleven dollars so why not. Joe and Karen joined us so it was fun to do on a Saturday night.

Save the cracker jacks we did everything one must do when they go to the ballpark like have a dog and a beer. Have some peanuts and have fun. We even had some fun at Joe's expense. Just before the seventh inning stretch Joe decided he no longer wanted to drink his beer but wear it. We had a lot of fun pointing out that it looked like he had wet himself and being the good sport that he is joined in the joking. He was only a little self conscious walking back to the car and asked Karen to walk behind him to obscure the view. (She occasionally "forgot" she was doing this exposing Joe's sudsy problem)

We had a lot of fun and it was nice because the Suns won and we got to spend time with family. Well its late and we have to go to bed. Bye for now

To much work and no play makes laura a dull Girl....

Not really.. it makes me a little insane. This past week we had the Players championship in town.. you know the golf tournament. And on top of that the last day of it was Mother's Day, so it was a very long week. We did host some fun events but they were a lot of work. But we made it, we always do. I was happy to be off yesterday, but I have to wait till saturday for my next day off. Enough shop talk is what I say!!!

On this past Saturday we celebrated our 6th wedding anniversay, time flies when your having fun. We didn't really get to do a whole lot of celebrating due to my busy work week. But when we have a chance we will.

And in other news: We have another installment of....FANTASTIC FIBER
HOW MUCH FIBER DO YOU NEED?
To get the full health benefits of dietary fiber, adults should eat 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day. Most Americans eat only around 11 grams. To calculate how much daily fiber your child needs follow this formula: age of child in years plus five. For example, a five-year-old would needs ten grams of fiber a day.

It's important even it seems yucky to talk about.
How much fiber is too much? Your intestines will tell you. Gradually build up the amount and variety of your daily fiber intake. Signs of insufficient fiber in a diet are:
Constipation
Infrequent stools
Hard stools
Abdominal pains

A general feeling of "sluggish bowels"
Signs of too much fiber are:
Excessive gassiness
Bloating
Abdominal pain
Stools uncomfortably frequent and large overall volume


TEN EASY WAYS TO BOOST YOUR DAILY FIBER
1. Consume whole fruits and vegetables instead of juice. The peels on apples and the white pith on oranges are rich sources of fiber, as are potato skins.

2. Cut back on refined foods. "Enriched flour" means the product was originally impoverished. In many refined foods, the fiber-containing parts have been removed.

3. Try a daily yogurt smoothie made in the blender with a couple handfuls of fresh fruits, such as strawberries, bananas, papaya, blueberries, and pears. Blend in a heaping tablespoon of psyllium husks. Drink it quickly before it gels.

4. Snack on dried fruits, such as apricots, figs, prunes, and raisins.

5. Use whole grains instead of white. White bread and white rice have had the fiber processed out of them. (This is why white bread and white rice have a reputation for being constipating.) Instead use whole grains: bread made with whole wheat flour, whole grain cereals that contain wheat bran or oat bran, whole grain cornmeal, wheat germ, and barley. Instead of white rice, use brown or wild rice.

6. Be a bean freak. Nearly all varieties of beans are a rich source of fiber, especially kidney beans, which can be served in many forms, such as in salads, soups, bean burritos, or chili.

7. Dip it. A chickpea dip (i.e. hummus) is nutritious and fiber-rich.

8. Choose a high-fiber cereal. If you find that high-fiber cereals are not the most palatable, try mixing a couple of tablespoons of All-Bran or psyllium husks with your favorite cereal to boost the fiber content. Add lots of milk, rice beverage, or juice and enjoy.

9. Choose your lettuce wisely. Iceberg lettuce is useless as a source of fiber and any other nutrients. Spinach and romaine lettuce are healthier choices.

10. Fresh fruits have more fiber than canned fruits because much of the fiber is in the peel, which is usually removed in processing.
Simply emphasizing grains, fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet will automatically get you enough fiber. A diet that revolves around meat, eggs, and dairy products will not contain enough fiber.

The next installment: BEST FIBER FOODS and soon recipes to follow, we must get the basic first, then move to the fun side of a fiber full life... and the health and happiness that it will bring!

How Sweet it is .... To Graduate!!!!

Here's a picture of us!!! The Mrs. K-C is very proud of the Mr. K-C, and we are so happy that so many could celebrate with us in Jacksonville. It was a wonderful weekend and we will never forget it! Were plumb tuckered out and as my little sis' would say were fixin' to go to bed!!!

We love you all!!!!!

Pictures...pictures...pictures
Since i was off and had a chance to hang out at Karen and Joe's casa ...I decided to make use of a good internet connection!!!! So here's a few pictures...I put more in the future if the internet gods allow it!!

This was back in March when Greg and I went down to hang out on the other coast. This is my Mom (Anne on the right) and her sister Pat. It's easy to tell that their related. Went out for for some delicious ice cream...

This is my hubby Greg chowin' down on some ice cream....

From left to right: Aunt Pat, my Dad (Paul), and Uncle Tony. This was out at dinner before we left that week. It was Greg's Dad's (also by the name of Paul) Birthday too.

Right to Left: Me (Laura but you alreay know that) , my sister Sarah, my Bro-in-law Laszlo. Same night out as the picture above...fun was had by all... This is the night that we were introduced to the pizzookie(a delicious pizza cookie) I just like to say the word.

Same night as the above picture: Greg and his dad(Paul) You can see the resemblence there too!

Goodbye and good luck! A farwell to Martin, he was the former pastry chef at the resort I work at.We got together at a local pub to have drinks. Left to right: Me, Martin, and Michelle. Michelle is part of our pastry staff but we will soon be saying goodbye to her soon. She's a chemical engineer and has found her first job in her field.

The newest picture taken today but bye time you see this it will be yesterday. Karen and Joe's vegetable garden. It grown alot since the last time I was over there. Now youcan see tiny squash, tomato's and beans. their very excited and can't wait to show it to every one!!!

Well that's all the pictures that we have time for today!!! i hoped you enjoyed them....

GRADUATION COUNT DOWN: T minus 4 days!!!!!!

On another note: Tonight at karen and joe's we had jalepeno and cheddar bambie (venison) sausages) they were delicious!

8 DAYS TILL GRADULATION!!!!!

Happy birthday..one more time!!!!

Finally I got to take Greg out for his B-day celebration. It was delayed by my lack of days off from work. So we meet up with Karen and Joe and went to our local wing joint for some dinner. So there were wings galore, beer, and all the wet naps we needed. Laughter a plenty...but that's normal. After dinner the boys played a boxing game the rated your punch. Greg got the score 800 something which classified him as superman, and Joe scored 700 something which titled him killer. That thought it was pretty fun and Karen and I laughted some more!!!!

I have all kinds of pictues I'd like to share but I can't get them to load with my slow connection...bummer..


FANTASTIC FIBER: Part II
7 HEALTH BENEFITS OF FIBER

1. Fiber curbs overeating. Fibers are filling without fattening. High fiber foods require more chewing, and the prolonged chewing, besides pre-digesting the food, satisfies the appetite so you eat less. Fiber stays in the stomach longer, absorbs water, swells, and helps the eater feel full. Because of this feeling of fullness, people on high fiber diets tend to eat more slowly and eat less, especially less fat. Best fibers for weight control are bran and the pectin from fruits.

2. Fiber steadies your blood-sugar level. Fiber, especially the soluble type, found in psyllium, bran, and legumes slows the absorption of sugar from the intestines. This steadies the blood sugar level and lessens the ups and downs of insulin secretion. Keeping insulin levels low and stable also helps the body store less fat, another perk for people trying to control their weight.

4. Fiber reduces cholesterol. A diet high in soluble fiber, such as that found in oat bran, whole oats, psyllium, legumes, barley, fruit, and prunes, lowers blood levels of the harmful type of cholesterol (LDL) without lowering the good cholesterol (HDL) levels. As it travels down the intestines, soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gluey gel which picks up cholesterol and carries it out of the body. Yet, doctors caution, adding more soluble fibers to your diet is not a license to eat high cholesterol foods. High fiber diets are usually low in fat, too, and the cholesterol-lowering effects may be related to less fat in the diet as well as to fiber. Recent studies showed that eating an extra ten grams of fiber daily (the average American adult eats only eleven grams of fiber a day), decreased the risk of dying from heart disease by 17-29 percent.

5. Fiber promotes regularity. Insoluble fibers, mainly the cellulose in skins of fruits and vegetables and the husks of grains help prevent constipation; their sponge effect absorbs a lot of water into the stools, making them soft and bulky. This type of stool stimulates the intestines to contract in an undulating way, called peristalsis, which sweeps stools along -- the broom effect of fiber. In cultures that typically eat higher fiber diets, people tend to produce stools that are softer, larger, and more frequent, unlike the smaller, harder, and less frequent stools associated with the typical Western diet.

6. Fiber reduces cancer risk. While soluble fiber helps protect against cardiovascular diseases, insoluble fiber protects against colon cancer. The incidence of colon cancer is significantly lower in cultures where people eat lots of high-fiber food. Increasing your consumption of insoluble fiber, such as that found in whole grains, especially wheat bran (i.e., All-Bran) is one of the most effective dietary changes you can make to decrease your risk of colon cancer.

7. Fiber is a family food. In addition to being friendly to aging bowels, fiber is also valuable for school-age children, mainly because it delays the absorption of sugars from the food into the bloodstream, making the blood sugars more stable - and, consequently, making the children more likely to behave and learn better. Send your child off to school with a breakfast containing at least 5 grams of fiber, the amount contained in a medium-fiber cereal and one serving of fruit

Are next installment coming soon!!!!!
FANTASTIC FIBER: PART III
HOW MUCH FIBER DO YOU NEED?
After reading our Fun Fantastic Fiber information you have everything you need to get on your way to better health! Recipes and other ways to boost your fiber will be coming the Blog in the near future too!!!! I know were are excited so you should be too!!!

Fantastic Fiber Part I

WHAT IS FIBER?
Grandma always told you that "roughage" was good for you, and now research is proving that fiber in foods is important to health. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains that is neither digested nor absorbed. Why should fiber matter to good nutrition, since it doesn't provide any calories or nutrients? Fiber helps keep your intestines working comfortably and helps prevent many diseases. Here is why fiber is so fantastic:

Fiber comes in two forms, soluble and insoluble. Each acts differently in the intestines and benefits the body in different ways. Soluble fiber acts like a sponge; insoluble fiber acts like a broom.

Soluble fiber. Found in dried beans and peas, oat bran, rice bran, barley, and fruit pectin (the substance used to thicken jams and jellies). Soluble fiber absorbs water in the intestines, mixes the food into a gel, and thereby slows the rate of glucose absorption in the bloodstream. Helps keep your blood sugar level, so you don't have ups and down in your energy level.

Insoluble fiber. This is the stringy stuff that holds plants together. It's called "insoluble" because it doesn't dissolve in water. It can be found mainly in plant leaves, peels, skins, and the coverings of whole grains (e.g., wheat bran). Like a disposable diaper, insoluble fiber can absorb many times its own weight in water. This water adds bulk and softness to the stools and keeps them moving along more comfortably. Think of eating fiber like brushing your teeth - it cleans out your intestines daily.

And in the next installment...no pun intended...
7 HEALTH BENEFITS OF FIBER

10 days to gradulation

Happy Birthday Greg

Well today is Greg's 31st Birthday (Yeah) Unfortunately we both had to work today so as it was we celebrated last night. Greg was invited to dinner at their good friends' Mike and Bridget House for Grilled Wings and baked Fries and a chocolate cake made with orange juice rather than water (its really tasty) and then home to open presents with Laura. Greg certainly was well remembered this year with all kinds of wonderful presents from everyone. Though seeing as it is late and Greg is tired I think We'll head to bed to wake for another day at the grind stone. Love to all. G & L

PS only 11 more days till GRADUMACATION

As the song says "the answer my friend is blowin' in the wind"

After work the Mister and I took a walk...that's the regular part of the story. But tonight we were so dedicated that we walked during a wind storm. That's right 25 mph winds that came in with that cool front, it was mighty chilly too. So half the walk it was hard to walk and half we had a little extra help. Our motto is "no more excuses".... we will work out like a mail man, we will walk and work out no matter the weather. Bye the way Greg is able to do 13 pushups...you go with your bad self!!!! Lifes to short for excuses!!!!


FYI:
Ways to Walk an Hour a Day
Walking in short bursts works!by Maggie Spilner

Weight loss experts say the same thing: In order to lose weight, you must walk for an hour a day, 5 or 6 days a week. To most of us, that seems like a huge chunk of time. But there's a simple solution that kept me from throwing in the towel: You can divvy up that hour over the course of a day.That's right, little chunks of activity are just as good as one big chunk, and they may be even better. So instead of trying to squeeze my hour of walking into my pre-breakfast get-ready-for-work routine, I do 20 minutes in the morning. At lunch, I step out for a brisk walk into town and run an errand or pick up a bite to eat at my desk. That's another 20, at least.I may take a walk break mid-afternoon, when I feel myself slumping in front of my computer. Then, after dinner, I either walk around the track by my home or pop a Leslie Sansone walking video in the VCR. I could feel satisfied with 40 minutes, but if weight loss is the goal, it's just not good enough. (And many guidelines suggest that a minumum of 1 hour a day may be the best bet for staying healthy too.)Research suggests that short bursts of activity may cause your body to burn calories more steadily throughout the day. If you're stumped on how to fit an hour into your day, try this chunking approach.

18 days till the graduation!!!!

Week in review....
What did you do in the last week? Well, I've been plenty busy. Lets start with last MONDAY a week ago. I was off work and so was the entire banquet staff.. which was helpful since it was our official send off party for Martin our former executive pastry chef. He's heading north to up state NY to work with a good friend and our former Chef David. We meet up at a local pub where the drinks were a plenty. We spend the evening partying culinary style (lots drinks, laughter, and bad jokes). We stayed there for a while then Greg , Dawn (good friend.. she made Karen and Joe's wedding cake) and myself went to chez le village inn for some superb late night breakfast. That is one classy joint. Then onward home, where I was out like a light.
TUESDAY is was off from work, thank God since I had my fill of liquid refreshment the night before. No hangover, but my brain was a big pile of mush. So I watched the boob tube, sometimes it even watched me.
WEDNESDAY.....worked a little
THURSDAy....worked a little more, Greg sang at church
FRIDAY... worked a little more, Greg sang at church some more
SATURDAY...worked a lot... Greg sang a lot at church
SUNDAY.... Worked to much... Greg sang at church
to some it all up My feet are very tired... and greg's vocal cords are tired too!!!

So much excitement!!!!

Graduation....coming to U soon...24 days....and the days are flying

Shrubbery!!! Shrubbery!!!!

We are not talking about Monty Phython folks...Really! The weather here in Jax has been so lovily. So after church I went with Karen and Joe to pick out some plants and the local market. It was funny to see Karen in the back seat of Joe's car and six small bushes. They also got some borders for there vegetable garden. Which is doing very well so far, I can't wait to see how this little garden progresses. Back to the shruggery... the new ones are to replace the dead ones in there front yard. Before we started we took in a light lunch which karen whipped up. Then it was onward to the great outdoors!!! Karen and I started by doing some weeding in the back yard, while Joe raked the front yard. Then after the dead plants were taken out of the ground we had to pull out some more nasty roots from some other bushes that were lopped off and covered up from the previous owner. Then put the new shrubs in the ground... They do look lovily. I have some lovily photo's but the internet is not behaving... i'll post they when the internet gods are more happy. Hey Sarah I even do yard work and i don't even have a yard....

I think i burnt my butt?????

You heard me right...you did!!! Tuesday night at work... I sat down on what i though was a chair with a little water on it... My butt got wet. Not until a little while later I felt a little irritation. Then driving home it(my butt) started to burn just a little. Hmmm. I thought i was chafing... so i put on some good ole reliable gold bond powder. Usually that does the job...but it didn't work. Then I took a bath... and went to bed. But wait there's more I got up this morning and it was all blistered... then it scabbed over... and now it's tender and quite red. So I think i burnt my butt... some type of chemical or something... oh what exciting days i have....

On a lighter note:

36 days till gradumacation

Happy Birthday Dad!

So tonight we celebrated Greg's Dad's 71st Birthday. It was the usual dinner of spare ribs and sauerkraut with all of the fixins. Just the family for dinner and then more came over for cake,

Laura's parents and sis and hubby and aunt and uncle. Luckily Greg's mom got a large cake for 13 people and not to mention ice cream and coffee. Hey they can open up a dessert shop after that. HAHA. But we just sat around and shot the breeze waiting for our carboload to digest but it was a lot of fun.

We did discover that Greg's Dad is a man of many faces:

When receiving gifts

When being decorated

Before blowing out candles

And after

Well that's all for now Happy Birthday dad hope you enjoyed it.