Crazy Weather

A few days ago it was so hot we couldn't be outside now it is cold and rainy. Last night we had tornado warnings and terrible thunder storms. Our electricity was off for 24 hours...what a hot and boring night....and this happened 2 doors down from us:

Officially a Zumba Instructor!

I haven't posted in a while because I am still recovering fro the 10 HOUR Zumba training I did on Saturday. It was lots of fun and I met some great people. Now I can teach Zumba and Zumba Gold Classes. Now all I need is to find somewhere to teach!

Chobani Bread

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
 3/4 tsp. baking soda
 1/2 tsp. baking powder
 pinch of salt
 3 tbsp. melted butter
1 egg
 12 oz. your favorite flavor of Chobani Greek Yogurt (I used strawberry)

 Mix egg, butter, Chobani, and sugar together. Stir in the dry ingredients. The batter will be thick. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

In the summer I like to bake bread in the crock pot...follow the same directions but put the loaf pan in a large crock pot and heat on low for 2- 3 1/2 hours depending on the bread. Check it after 2 hours.

Another anti-abortion group grasping at straws...

New anti-abortion rights website targets Girl Scouts

By Sofia Resnick | 05.16.11 | 5:41 pm

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A new anti-abortion rights website has emerged, its aim focused on the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
Speak Now: Girl Scouts is the product of two Texas-based teen sisters, Tess and Sydney Volanski, who claim to have recently quit the Girl Scouts after eight years because they discovered the organization has a “pro-abortion mindset.”
The homepage of the all-pink website begins with the following introduction (emphasis in the original):

We refuse to remain silent while this organization’s unscrupulous principles mislead over 2 million girls in the United States alone. We created SpeakNowGirlScouts.com in order to spread the truth to others who have no idea what GSUSA’s [Girl Scouts of the United States of America's] true intentions are. This website is our way to speak now and we hope it encourages you to do the same!

The Volanskis claim the Girl Scouts USA has an “anti-life, pro-abortion agenda.” As evidence, they point to “controversial content” in various GSUSA printed materials, wherein the national Girl Scouts organization provides links and references to organizations such as the Women’s Media Center, Media Matters for America and discusses high-profile feminists and female authors such as Marjane Satrapi, who authored the graphic novel Persepolis.
The Volanskis also point to an edited news clip on YouTube in which Kathy Cloninger, chief executive officer of GSUSA, says Girl Scouts partners with church communities, the YWCA and Planned Parenthood organizations to bring sex-based education programs to girls. The girls also frequently cite Abby Johnson, who traded her career as a Planned Parenthood clinic director to travel the country speaking against Planned Parenthood and abortion rights. The Speak Now website includes a section titled “What Does Abby Say” and links to several of Johnson’s recent Facebook comments, such as “FACT: Girl Scouts of America supports Planned Parenthood. Support Girl Scouts = Support Abortion.”

Link to the full article  I was a Girl Scout until I graduated high school and was very involved with many GS projects. While there may be some troop leaders who push their agendas on girls, GS as a whole is an organization that strives to make girls, strong, intelligent, and independent. If being pro-choice makes a person strong, intelligent, and independent then I am glad I am pro-choice. I believe there are a very small number of people who actually think abortions are great. Most people that believe in abortions know that they are essentials to keeping women safe and healthy...as well as future children and existing children. Nothing makes me more angry than when I hear someone saying a woman shouldn't have an abortion even if it is going to harm her physically or even kill her. Why is an unborn baby more important than a woman who already has a family and friends? I don't usually like to get into political/ideological discussions but seeing someone accuse the Girl Scouts of saying "Yay abortion!" made me furious with the stupidity of the world.

Baked Ziti with Pumpkin

2 1/2 cups cooked rotini
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 can pumpkin puree(not spiced)
1 lb italian sausage or ground beef
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt(like Chobani...My favorite!)
1/2 a medium onion, chopped
2 cups shredded cheese

 Remove the casings from the sausage and cook like ground beef. Saute onion for a few minutes until tender. While that is cooking boil your pasta and drain it. When the meat is cooked through add in the pumpkin, spaghetti sauce, and greek yogurt. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and the rotini. Place in a 13x9in baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

This can be made in the morning and put into the oven at dinner time. I also didn't use any spices in this because the sausage I used gave it a lot of flavor. If you are using ground beef make sure you season it well with salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and any other italian seasonings you like. You can't taste the pumpkin at all, it just adds some great health benefits like: Beta-Carotene which may lower cancer risk, Vitamin C which helps your immune system, and Potassium which keeps your blood pressure regulated.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

At the Beach

Great start to the day..

Now the whole house smells like burnt chicken and the plate cracked.

She thinks my tractor's sexy

and then I got run over...