A Little Bit of Everything

Things have been busy lately.

Where to start...?


Ice cream! ;D
So a week or two ago, my sis and I went to a nearby town to spend the morning doing some pictures with a friend. Afterwords, we went to this ice cream shop with really good ice cream. I got coconut ice cream- MMMM!!! So good, try it!


Monday was a Memorial day parade.  Some friends have a "Fife and Drum Corp" and invited me to dress up in my 1800's hoop skirt dress and walk in the parade with them.  We had to wait like 2 hours for the parade to start and it was SO HOT and there wasn't much shade.  But we met some nice people while we were waiting and enjoyed watching the middle school bands line up.  Finally, we were able to start walking.  My part was easy; smile and wave x)   But you'd be amazed how tired your face gets from smiling, and how thirsty you are after walking only 7/8 of a mile in a big hoop skirt.  Overall it was a fun morning; I'm so glad my friends asked me to walk with them! :)


Yesterday I decided to try making something new... "Pumpkin coconut smoothie." 
What words can describe this unique blend? How about: Thanksgiving dinner meets Hawii.
Let's just say it was interesting. But mom liked it! :D


Last night was banquet.  The family who hosted the event asked me to play flute with them,  and we had a fun time!
I really enjoyed banquet- it was a great opportunity to get dressed up formally! It was kind of like a prom, except without dates or dancing Lol
The food was a big international potluck- so good! One of the mom's made 4 sheet cakes and they were just beautiful!
After dinner, one of the senior guys and I were asked to each give a short speech/testimony about band how band has been a blessing to us. I know I was nervous; it was a big group! But God gave grace for me to speak and the speech went well.
I'm so thankful for band and all the people who put so much time and energy into running it!
Praise the Lord for music! :)



I'm excited!! Today my cousin is coming in from out of town! In just a few months, all his siblings will be coming back too! I haven't seen in almost a year, and I so can't wait till they all come back!!


In 2 1/2 weeks, one of my other cousins is getting married!  She'll be the second cousin to get married on mom's side! We're so excited for them :D



In 2 weeks, it's graduation! I have so much to do before then.  Pray that God will give me the grace to stay focused and finish the stuff that's not done yet.



Ok, I'm going out of my MIND! I'm going to explode....
Our house has gone to the animals!
Baby rabbits in the house...
dog sitting starting today...
not to mention our critters outside.
This is insane.


Would you like to know I find really annoying?
That question. You know the one.
"So what are you going to do next year?"
STOP ASKING. I haven't decided, ok?
Maybe I'll join the circus. Maybe I'll get a job with UPS. Maybe I'll become a heart surgeon. Maybe I'll work as a cashier for the grocery store. Maybe I'll become president of the United States.
But I haven't made my decision yet.
So don't ask.
And why does it matter to you? It doesn't affect your life in any way, shape or form.
So please stop being asking.
Thank you :]


Sunglasses- just found out that  non-UVA protected sunglasses don't do any good!
Many people will tell you that it's better to not wear sunglasses, than to wear sunglasses that don't protect your eyes from UV rays.
According to this yahoo article, our eyes are designed to squint when exposed to bright light. Wearing sunglasses that do not protect your eyes from UV rays is dangerous because the glasses block enough light that your eyes can stay open, but they do not prevent harmful light from entering your eyes and causing damage.
So the moral of the story is: make sure your glasses provide UVA/UVB protection, and if they don't, it's time to go sunglasses shopping! ;)




And now, I'm going to share some interesting articles and info I found online about vitamin D.
Vitamin D.
It's important! Without enough vitamin D, our bodies are susceptible to diseases like osteoporosis or rickets. (see link)
Vitamin D plays a big role in many body functions, (source) including: Heart health, Skin health, Hearing, Athletic performance, Vascular system health, Immune health, Weight management, Strong and healthy bones, and food absorption.
Wow! It sounds like vitamin D is an important vitamin!

So the obvious question is: how do we get vitamin D?
Well, there are 3 ways:  The sun, diet, or supplement.

I personally like the idea of the sun best.
While some argue that tanning is horrible for your skin because of the risk of skin cancer, I would argue that limited tanning is actually GOOD for you because your skin uses the sun rays to produce vitamin D.
So how can you get vitamin D from being in the sun, and how do you know when you've been outside long enough?
According to this yahoo article:
"Is ten minutes in the sun enough time to get the vitamin D you need? It really depends on the U.V. index. The U.V. index is a measure of how much U.V. radiation reaches the skin on a particular day. You can determine the daily U.V. index in your area by going to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website. If the index is between five and seven, you need between ten and fifteen minutes of direct sunlight. If it's nine or above, you only need five to seven minutes of direct sunlight. If it's below five, plan on spending around twenty to twenty-five minutes outdoors. Getting more than this doesn't increase the amount of vitamin D your body is able to produce and will only increase the risk of skin damage."
You might be wondering: how exactly does your body use the produce vitamin D? In this article we learn that our skin has D3 in it which reacts with UVB rays and converts them into vitamin D via the liver and kidneys.
According to this source (hsph.harvard.edu) A light skinned person's body could produce as much as 20,000 IU of vitamin D from full sun exposure at the right time of day.
In short, if you spend just a few minutes outside each day, your body can absorb and manufacture it's own vitamin D.

What about diet? According to this article, fatty fish is the best food source of vitamin D, providing 250-360 IU of vitamin D per day. Eggs and beef also provide a limited ammount of viatmin D, 20 and 15 IU respectively. There are many foods fortified with vitamin D including milk, margarine and cereal.  But even these only provide 50-100 IU per serving.
However, according to wikipedia, the tolerable intake for vitamin D is 4,000 IU for people aged 9-71 years.
Thus, if someone were low in vitamin D and wanted to raise their vitamin D levels from diet alone, they might need to eat as many as 11 servings of fish per day!

This is why many people take supplements.
If you do take a supplement, it is important that you take the right one. This article states that there are two types of vitamin D, D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 is not easily absorbed into the body, as it must be converted to D3 before it can be used.  So if you take a supplement, it's best to take D3 which is much easier for the body to absorb.  As stated in the article, you can find D3 over the counter (for as little as $5 - $10!) at most drugstores. 
Supplements are a quick, inexpensive way to get the vitamin D your body needs.
Not only do supplements provide much more vitamin D than you could get from diet alone, but as this yahoo article mentions, some people recommend taking a vitamin D supplement because it's a great way to get vitamin D without the risk skin-cancer-causing sun exposure. The article points out that people with darker skin or elderly people would need a lot of sun exposure to absorb an adequate amount of vitamin D, and we already know that prolonged sun exposure increases risk of skin cancer. This is just one more reason why many people take supplements.
However, there are risks involved when taking supplements.
According to this article, excess Vitamin D in the blood can increase risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and dementia.
People should consider the risks before taking supplement.

So whether you choose to sun, diet, supplement, or a combination thereof, it's obvious that vitamin D is important for each and every one of us.




Esto es todo.
Hasta luego!
Sinceramente,

~~
Isabel

Weekend Happenings

This is gonna be a short post...



The band concert was SO MUCH FUN!

It was my second time playing in all 3 bands. I really enjoyed it :)

I am now graduated from band.. weird and sad. But cool.

Several of my friends came to watch the concert... totally made my day x)

Thanks, guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Today I played frisbee/vball.. and got sunburn!

Kinda surprising.. I usually don't burn much.

Guess its time pull out the sunscreen... B)


Right now, I am making Rhubarb muffins.

That's why I'm blogging so late.

The recipe I'm using is fenomenal!!! Our neighbor sent it to me w/a few alterations.

WOW!

You just gotta try these muffins!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/aunt-normas-rhubarb-muffins/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

..ok they're done!

I made them dairy free.. they taste great!

Try it!!!!!



Alright it's late... Adios!

~~
Isabel

Magnificent

My advice to all you people out there....

Break in reeds ahead of time.

Or just play out of tune, loud and proud.

Like me :)
And SMILE!



Today was dress rehersal.

We walked on and off stage like 500 times for the first hour (ok this might be exaggerated a bit..)
And then we actually made music and stuff.

It was good. Actually, it was GREAT! Thats me speaking though...

This was my last student rehersal.

It was rather unreal.

Sure I'm coming back.

But it won't be the same, not w/out so many of my band buddies gone!

And I won't have a chair! :O



Tomorrow will be good, I hope!

It will, as long as we're playing our best, for the glory of God :)

That's all that matters.



The cadet-ers are joining us for the finale too!

We're playing the same song I played in cadet like 4 years ago when I was starting flute.

So excited! I think we should play it 7 times!!  I don't think anyone else agrees though :P



Ok. That's all for now.

God bless!!


~~
Isabel

"Black Bean Brownies"

Ahora que he sacado mi examen, estare escribiendo un poco menos en espanol.

Pero, no quiero perder todo que he aprendido!! Quiero mantener mi espanol!

Espero que yo no te molesto a ti con mi escribiendo a veces en espanol :P




This morning my (very patient) sister took my senior pictures.

We had fun.

My sister is waaaaayyyy totally awesome, if you didn't already know.

<3 You, Melly Sue.




Today I found a unique recipe!

"Black Bean Brownies" :)

This recipe, when slightly altered, is dairy free, vegan, and flourless!
They really only needed to be dairy free, but you guess what? Woo-hoo!

They are in the oven right now....

*4 minutes later*

Here is the almost-finished product: (I put it back in to cook longer after the pic..)

Conversation while eating brownies:

Me: "Do you like them?"
Person: "Yeah... why?"
Me: "Oh nevermind. Just do you like them?"
Person: "I already told you I like them. Now WHATS in them??"
Me: "Black beans."

Hehe I am in trouble.


Ok.
I gotta go do the dishes. Or procrastinate them... whichever happens first...


Que lo pases bien!


~~
Isabel

The End.

Spanish is over.

Math team is over.

And everything is going to END!




Yesterday I was the only volunteer on duty for 75% of my shift.

It was scary... but I survived!

I'm so thankful for our amazing nurse liason!!

And I can now better appreciate all the work "J" does with the phones.




Tonight was last student band practice for me.

It was "formal dress" day, so lots of people dressed up!

I wore a fancy blue dress:)Thanks Sis!


It's kinda weird that so many people are moving on from the band this year...

Next fall is gonna be so different.

*Sniffle* I'm gonna miss you people! Come back to visit/play the finales with us!




Tomorrow is my last 4h meeting ever!

4h has been a big part of my life (or more, my summers...) since I was like 8.

Every year I sign up for a gazillion projects and make and ambitious list of all the projects I hope to complete.

Then I spend my summer preparing projects for the big "Fair Week"!

And we spend the whole last week of July almost living at the fair.

Our family has learned so much through this program.

Both this club and the last have been such a blessing!

Go 4h!





"....The End."

~~
Isa

Alpha Omega- State!

State was great! ;D

Senior year has been amazing!... I'm gonna miss our little math team!

Below are some pictures from Saturday (sorry the quality isn't the greatest).

Hanging out between opening ceremony and individuals.

 Everyone came to visit Ryan Lol

 Chillin while the others were at individuals.

Frisbee!!!

Our fearless 2 man team- they took 3rd! :D  

Awards Ceremony:

See that big fan on the ceiling? It didn't do ANYTHING. The awards ceremony was boiling!

The joyous victors!

 

 Jack must have jumped into this picture at the last second Lol

They were completely exhausted! ;P

Great job team! :D

Praise the Lord for bringing us all the way to state and allowing us to place in several events!

~~

ISA

ARRGH!

Yesterday the Cadets had their "Spring Concert"
I'm so proud of my horn buddies! They've learned a ton in the last 8 months!
The room we played the concert in was reeeeaaaallly hot though... It was hard to breathe!
But the band came through despite the weather and they sounded terrific!
Great job Cadets!


Last night was also "Pirate day" at band. 
So a bunch of us dressed up like pirates :)
Question: Why does everyone think that if you just tie a rag around your head you'll look like a pirate?
If it weren't for the swords, I would have thought it was "Gangster day" Lol jk
Really mostly everyone did have pretty awesome costumes though.
So do ya wanna hear the BEST SONG EVER!!!? (which we are *not* playing, but hey that's ok..)

I'm really nervous... the Spanish AP is in 5 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our teacher is so wonderful: I think she prepared us very well and her enthusiasm for Spanish overflows to her students :)
I'm just praying that I won't be sick that day, or freeze up or something...
Whatever happens, I know God know's best!
Pray for my 3 classmates and me please!-Thank you!



Tomorrow is "State Math Competition" :D
It'll be my last one :(
I'm really excited. Our little team has come so far!
Goooooooooo Alpha Omega!!!



Guess what we saw in our yard today?

Red Breasted Grosbeak!!
I've never seen one of these around here before.
It was a very flighty bird.
Isn't it so pretty?
:)




Enjoy your day!

~~
Isabel

[ESPANOL] =)

No tengo palabras describir este medio ano.

Ha sido muy feo pero maravillo a mismo tiempo.

Basta ya de mi.


Hoy es martes.

Que bueno!!! (*sarcasm*)

Ay de mi porque estan no solo la examen de espanol sino tambien la de matematicas durante la misma semana?!?! Eso no vale! Jajajajaaaa...

Ahora estoy escuchando la cancion "Tradition" (es un cancion de estilo judio de la pelicula 'fiddler on the roof') jaja !Vaya musica!

Has querido mudarte a diferente lugar alguna vez?

He pensado en esto a veces.

Necesitarias llevar toda tu casa a otra lugar!

Y casas son muy pesadas!

Puedes imaginar trayendo alfombras, almohadas, ascensores, azoteas, batidoras, ceniceros, cestos, chimeneas, mantas, llaves, luces, mantas, neveras, ollas, paredes, pasillos, perchas, persianas, piscinas, pisos, planchas, salas, suelos , techos, tejados, toallas, toldos, vajillas ventanas, y todo en UN AUTO?

Y deja a todos tus amigos y vecinos detras.

Que lastima!

(Buena usa de vocabulario, no? ;)



Bueno, ahora necesito practicar por mi ensayo y tesis..
Y toda la politicamente correcta basura!!!
Basta ya!!!
Lee mi ensayo:



Ahora voy a decirte un poco de los avances que contribuyen al bienestar de la sociedad, las problemas que causan, y la importancia de mantener un equilibrio. 

No cabe duda que avances causan problemas pero cuando estan en equilibrio con la planeta, contribuyen a la bienestar de la sociedad.
Plastico poluta a nuestra mundo, pero cuando esta usado corectamente, puede tener efectos positivos.
Segun a fuente uno, alguno plastico ayudaba acabar con una falta de agua en chile en 1956.
Un otro ejemplo es poder nuclear.  Estas fuente de energia gasta se hacen dano a la tierra y la hierba y los animales y todo gente, pero si gente cambio el nuclear por un otro energia, podria tener efectos positivos.
Segun a fuente dos, un compania nuclear de espana fue pensando en cerrando porque el partido socialista (quienes claramente le importa de nuestras libertades y bienestar) insistio que la compania cambio su energia nuclear por energia renovable.
Segun a fuente uno, por medio de dejar de solamente pescando para cultivar la tierra, un pueblo en chile ha ganado energia.
Como se puede ver, avances ayuda a la planeta cuando los dos estan en equilibrio.

Es evidente que es importante mantener un equilibrio entre los avances y el mundo porque la tierra nos da materials que nos sustanian.
Segun a fuente uno, cuando la gente de un pueblo un chile vivia en harmonia con la tierra, encuentro agua en una mina acerca al pueblo.
No debemos olvidar vivir en equilibrio con la planeta.
Segun a fuente dos, la gente del grupo "Greenpeace" reconocia la importancia de vivir en equilibrio con la tierra, y trataba de convencer a una central nuclear en espana que cerrar. 
Seguna  fuente uno, cuando gente en chile usa avances para construir un canal para agua, salvo a su pueblo.
No puedes negar que es importante mantener un equilibrio entre los avances y el mundo.

En fin y el cabo, es importante que no olvidemos mantener equilibrio entre sociedad y la planeta. Hay avances que contribuyen al bienestar de la sociedad, y si mantenemos equlibrio, todo sera mejor.


Te gusta mi ensayo? Tengo miedo que mi escribiendo no es muy fuerte.. y me moleste hablar de toda esta BASURA!

Pero, sea lo que sea.


Ahora tengo que irme.


Que disfrutes tu dia!

Atentamente,

~~
Isabel