Please excuse the dust….I am doing a little remodeling!

3rd Annual Megan Savage Memorial Run for a Cure
Saturday, Sept 22, 2007
•To Benefit Childhood Cancer
•Research & Patient Support
•5K Run/Walk
•1K Kids Fun Run

For more information, visit Megan’s Wings
These are personal friends of mine who lost their nine year old daughter, Megan to Leukemia. As a tribute to Megan, to honor her memory and the fight she endured, they started this foundation to reach out and help other innocent children, like her who still face this terrible struggle with cancer.

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression “going bananas” is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:
Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!! This is interesting. After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.
Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression:According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS:Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia:High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure:This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power:200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation:High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers:One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn:Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness:Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites:Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves:Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers:The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control:Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking &Tobacco Use:Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress otassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes:According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts:Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

I came across this today…it gave me a good laugh so I thought I would share!

Oooops! (*blushing*) The first ingredient in this recipe should be 1 1/2 cups flour NOT sugar. (thanks for pointing that out mom!)

Excellent dessert….very rich!

No longer did I take for granted the sunlight on my face, the touch of a caring hand, the sound of laughter or the taste of a tear. This battle, this journey, this pain were a constant reminder of how precious the gift of life was. It was that revelation that gave me the strength to fight, to hold my head up high and embrace what dignity I had left. The dark circles that shadowed my tear stained eyes, the outline of bones protruding through my red, welty skin. The sores hidden beneath my now thin hair….the absence of my passion for life were a result of the pain hidden deep within. It was there, with each beat of my heart, with every breath I took. There were few who stood beside me sharing yesterdays pain, todays fears and tomorrows uncertainty. Those who did not understand the nature of the beast chose to turn their heads, it was perhaps easier for them. It was then I learned what loneliness felt like, after awhile I had become numb realizing it just didn’t matter anymore…….

Dedicated to my son Rocky, for his courage, strength and will
…for all he endured while battling Cancer. You are a true survivor,
you are my hero!

Never let go of your dreams
don’t let them slip away
When days of laughter turn to tears
close your eyes and pray

God will never give to you
more than you can bear
Hold these words close at heart
when life seems so unfair

Know you’ll never be alone
I’ll be right by your side
And when your eyes can’t see the light
let me be your guide

Embrace the strength you possess
and carry it with you
In those times you ask “why me”
remember to count your blessings too

When this journey’s over
Cherished all you’ve gained
For it’s your courage and inspiration
that will ease anothers pain

I Love You!!
Mom

click here for update