Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Updates

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Ryan and I sure did. We went up north to Cottonwood, where my parents live. Christmas Eve, we spent with my Grandmother. She makes this INCREDIBLE prime rib dinner. I look forward to the day all year. It is just a great night in general. Good food, good people, good times! After dinner, we open up gifts. She knows us all too well! Christmas was a great day as well. We exchange stockings filled with funny gifts. (Step dad gave Ryan an Obama plate. He says he was embarrassed to buy it. Too funny.) We all laugh and have a great time. My Mom prepared a great ham dinner as well. My brother was also able to make it. It was very nice. He had to miss last year, so it was a nice gift to have him there.

Ryan and I made out in the gift department. With the down turned market, I wasn't expecting very much.

Ryan got me a DOG!!! Yay!!! I opened up a box of milk bones. We are still looking for the perfect dog. We have been to many shelters in the valley. They are a little low, due the holidays. I am just so happy that we are getting a dog!

My parents gave us a Wii and all the fun things that go with it. We got the sports package and Guitar Hero! Ryan and I stayed up until 4 am playing the Wii on Friday. It is sooooo much fun! We downloaded the old school games. Super Mario Brothers (1,2 and 3) for old school Nintendo. Here we have this incredible game consoled with incredible graphic capabilities....and we play the old school Nintendo games. Ironic.

Ryan's parents gave us a really cool vase. I'll take photos soon. It is super pretty and a great addition to our home.

We also got gift cards and clothes. Sheets for our bed, as well as a down comforter from other family members. It was such a great Christmas!


Triathlon: The workouts are going ok. I feel that I am not any where near where I should be at. I HATE going to the gym. I try to go as much as possible. I like to go ride 7 miles on the bike. I HATE running and I haven't got in the pool yet. I really need to step up my game. I have a LOOOOOOONG way to go!
  • 800 meter swim (1/2 mile)
  • 13 Mile bike ride
  • 5k (3.2 miles) run
Like I said.......a LOOOOOOOONG way to go until May.


Quadruplets: My old co-worker's wife just delivered QUADRUPLETS! They were born on the 29th.

Baby A = 3lbs 12 oz - Ellie
Baby B = 3lbs 2 oz - Sophie
Baby C = 3lbs 8 oz - Kylie
Baby D = 3lbs 2 oz - Elijah

You can view their blog (click here). They have documented their family.

All the babies are healthy and breathing on there own. Mom is doing good as well. Congratulations Crisanti Family! We wish you all the best.


I hope you all have a fun, but safe, New Years!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas!

Have a wonder and safe Christmas
from Jamie and Ryan

Friday, December 19, 2008

Who’s Accountable?

Do you feel you are accountable for your OWN actions or do you hold others accountable for the mistakes that YOU made?

With the sue happy frenzy that is happening in the United States, we now hold others responsible. You spill hot coffee on yourself, you sue McDonalds. You get too obese, you sue Burger King. You trip over your rowdy kid that is running around in the store, you sue the store. So where is your accountability in this? When do you decide that it is the company’s fault that you are a bad mother and can’t control your own child?

The latest a-hole that is suing a company that he feels it was their responsibility to control his actions.

A man and his wife where flying from Japan to San Francisco and had too many cocktails. The United Airlines flight attendants served the cocktails every 20 minutes or so. He proceeded to beat the crap out of his wife when they landed in SF due to the fact he was intoxicated, he says.

So what do you think? Was it the guys responsibility to say enough is enough or was it the flight attendants / airline’s responsibility to guess on how much to serve to their client?

The guy was sentenced to 18 months in jail for beating his wife.

If this couple wins….how much will the airline change? They are seconds away from filing chapter bankruptcy. Will they still serve drinks?

The sue happy a-holes don’t account for how much things change when they sue people. Our rates increase when they sue insurance companies. Companies change their policies. It is just insane. Again, no wonder why everyone hates the US!


In honor of the Stella Awards (Stella was the one who spilled coffee at McDonalds and sued them). Here are other outlandish lawsuits:

Sued Michael Jordan, because he looks like him:
Allen Heckard sued Michael Jordan and Phil Knight on July 2006. Heckard claims he has suffered emotional trauma because he looks like Michael Jordan. Heckard has filed his look-alike case at the Washington County Court in Oregon and with a $832 million dollar head. Allen Heckard believes his life has been rough since people continually think he is Michael Jordan. Heckard says when he plays basketball, people are constantly telling him he plays like Michael Jordan and this has been difficult for him. Heckard is only six feet tall, so obviously those who assume he is Michael Jordan have little regard for height. Heckard even wears Air Jordan shoes, he says that they're the most comfortable.

Sued after getting stuck on the house he was robbing:
In October 1998, A Terrence Dickson of Bristol Pennsylvania was exiting a house he finished robbing by way of the garage. He was not able to get the garage door to go up, because the automatic door opener was malfunctioning. He couldn't re- enter the house because the door connecting the house and garage locked when he pulled it shut. The family was on vacation, so Mr. Dickson found himself locked in the garage for eight days. He subsisted on a case of Pepsi he found, and a large bag of dry dog food. This upset Mr. Dickson, so he sued the homeowner's insurance claiming the situation caused him undue mental anguish. The jury agreed to the tune of half a million dollars and change.

Sued after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler:
In January 2000, Kathleen Robertson of Austin Texas was awarded $780,000.00 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running amuck inside a furniture store. The owners of the store were understandably surprised at the verdict, considering the misbehaving tyke was Ms. Robertson's son.

Sued a restaurant after she slipped on a spilled drink:
In May 2000, a Philadelphia restaurant was ordered to pay Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania $113,500.00 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her coccyx. The beverage was on the floor because Ms. Carson threw it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument.

Sued a nightclub after she fell while sneaking out:
In December 1997, Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware successfully sued the owner of a night club in a neighboring city when she fell from the bathroom window to the floor and knocked out her two front teeth. This occurred while Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the window in the ladies room to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge. She was awarded $12,000.00 and dental expenses.

Sued Winnebago after crashing it:
In November 2000 Mr. Grazinski purchased a brand new 32 foot Winnebago motor home. On his first trip home, having joined the freeway, he set the cruise control at 70 mph and calmly left the drivers seat to go into the back and make himself a cup of coffee. Not surprisingly the Winnie left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Mr. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not advising him in the handbook that he couldn't actually do this. He was awarded $1,750,000 plus a new Winnie. (Winnebago actually changed their handbooks on the back of this court case, just in case there are any other complete morons buying their vehicles.)

Sued against fast-good giants for being fat:
Caesar Barber, 56, of New York City. Barber, who is 5-foot-10 and 270 pounds, says he is obese, diabetic, and suffers from heart disease because fast food restaurants forced him to eat their fatty food four to five times per week. He filed suit against McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's and KFC, who "profited enormously" and asked for unspecified damages because the eateries didn't warn him that junk food isn't good for him. The judge threw the case out twice, and barred it from being filed a third time. Is that the end of such McCases? No way: lawyers will just find another plaintiff and start over, legal scholars say.

Sued the neighbor he was trying to steal from:
In June 1998, a 19 year old Carl Truman of Los Angeles won $74,000.00 and medical expenses when his neighbor ran his hand over with a Honda Accord. Mr. Truman apparently didn't notice someone was at the wheel of the car whose hubcap he was trying to steal.

Sued him for having the same name:
The Tribune Co. of Chicago, Ill. The newspaper chain owns several newspapers, as well as the Chicago Cubs baseball team. One of its newspaper carriers was Mark Guthrie, 43, of Connecticut. One of its ball players was Mark Guthrie, 38, of Illinois. The company's payroll department mixed the two up, putting the ballplayer's paycheck into the paper carrier's bank account. The carrier allowed them to take back 90 percent of the improperly paid salary, and said they could have the rest after they gave him a full accounting to ensure he not only got his own pay, but wouldn't have any tax problems for being paid $300,000(!) extra. The Tribune Co., rather than provide that reasonable assurance, instead sued him for the rest of the money.

Sued Radio Shack for misspelling her town:
Tanisha Torres of Wyndanch, N.Y. The woman sued Radio Shack for misspelling her town as "Crimedanch" on her cell phone bill. She didn't even ask them to change it; she just sued. "I'm not a criminal," she whined. "My son plays on the high school football team." Yeah, that makes sense. The name "Crimedanch" is a common joke; police in the area confirm it's a high-crime area. Still, Torres claimed she suffered "outrage" and "embarrassment" at having to see that spelling on her private phone bill. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

Sued Blain and Copperfield to demand they reveal their secrets to him:
Christopher Roller of Burnsville, Minn. Roller is mystified by professional magicians, so he sued David Blaine and David Copperfield to demand they reveal their secrets to him -- or else pay him 10 percent of their lifelong earnings, which he figures amounts to $50 million for Copperfield and $2 million for Blaine. The basis for his suit: Roller claims that the magicians defy the laws of physics, and thus must be using "godly powers" -- and since Roller is god (according to him), they're "somehow" stealing that power from him.

Sued a store for "allowing" wild birds to fly around in the air:
Rhonda Nichols. She says a wild bird "attacked" her outside a home improvement store in Fairview Heights, Ill., causing head injuries. That's right: outside the store. Yet Nichols still held the Lowe's store responsible for "allowing" wild birds to fly around free in the air. She never reported the incident to the store, but still sued for "at least" $100,000 in damages. In January 2006, the case was thrown out of court.

Sued the phone company after having complications with the doctor:
Michelle Knepper of Vancouver, Wash. Knepper picked a doctor out of the phone book to do her liposuction, and went ahead with the procedure even though the doctor was only a dermatologist, not a plastic surgeon. After having complications, she complained she never would have chosen that doctor had she known he wasn't Board Certified in the procedure. (She relied on the phonebook listing over asking the doctor, or looking for a certificate on his wall?!) So she sued ...the phone company! She won $1.2 million plus $375,000 for her husband for "loss of spousal services and companionship."

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

To Adopt or Not Adopt....

Ryan and I have been debating for months now if we should adopt a dog or not. We both really want one, but in the bigger picture, are we ready? There are several reasons why we should not get a dog.

1. What do we do when we go out of town?
2. Is it ok to leave a dog home alone for 8+ hours a day?
3. We have to install a doggy door.
4. Training.
5. Licking. I don't like dogs that lick. It drives me nuts. It also grosses me out when dogs lick people's mouths.
6. My allergy's. Yes, I am allergic, but not nearly as bad as they are around cats.

All these questions have legitimate answers and solutions. Dogs are a HUGE responsibility. I just want to make the right decision. Since we are adopting.....I don't want to relocate them again. They have been through a lot and don't need to be re-housed yet again or worse, sent back to the pound.

The four breeds that I like:

Beagle: I have been wanting one for 1o years now. They have been on my top list now for as long as I have known. I like them for their social behavior, as well as size, shedding and grooming. As well as they are super cute. I want a tri colored beagle.




Caviler King Charles Spaniel: Ok, I probably wont find one at the pound.....but you never know! I started to research them about a year ago. I seen a puppy in a pet store and never heard of them before. All that I have read, they seem very loveable and well mannered. They are also very trainable.
Or another type of Spaniel. A Springer or a Brittney would be our best choice. Ryan had one as a child and left an amazing impression on him. They are smart, adorable and very loyal. Great with pets and kids.

Dachshund mix: I LOVE Doxies, but I love it when they are mixed with another breed. Very lovable and intelligent.





Yorkie: LOVE them as well. They are the 2nd most popular dog for good reason. Very loyal and intelligent.






All the negatives in owning a dog, I feel the rewards are worth more. I would love the opportunity for a lifetime companion. We have plenty of space and lots of love for a adopted dog.

Please give us your feed back. We would love to make and educated decision on this. After all, the dog will be apart of our family for a very long time.

Aston Martin with Extra Pepperoni

With unemployment at a 26-year high, everyone is doing whatever they can to make ends meet -- even using their Aston Martin to deliver pizza!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

My Only Christmas Wish...


Good friends are hard to find, harder to leave, and impossible to forget.

With this thought, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, all the Happiest Holidays and all the luck the New Year could possibly bring to you.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Training for a Triathlon!

My big announcement: I decided to train to compete in SheRox triathlon!

To some of you, you think that it is no big deal, but for me, it is enormous. I am a couch potato. I want to name my future dog, TiVO. If I had to choose between TiVO and Ryan, I would think for a second (of course I would choose Ryan). So, I am sure you are getting my drift.....I choose to watch boat loads of TV and forget about the outside world.


I am competing in the triathlon for a few reasons:
1. I need to be in better shape for myself and my health.
2. I want to loose weight. I am not over weight, I just would like to loose 8 to 10 lbs. My metabolism is not up to par anymore and I just can't eat what ever I want and keep off the weight. Getting old sucks!
3. I want to be motivated about something. I want to look forward to something. I want to prove to myself, that I can do anything that I put my mind to.

Can I finish the triathlon? Not right now, but I want to work hard and get my endurance and confidence up....I know in May, I will cross that finish line! If I can walk on fire and glass.....I can complete a triathlon.

SheRox triathlon will be in May at Tempe Town Lake.
  • Half mile swim in Tempe Town Lake (yeah, I am pretty much going to die of some bacterial infection, but I'll die a triathlete!)
  • 13 mile bike ride through Tempe
  • 3.1 mile run

My goals:

  • Finish the triathlon
  • Bonus goal: Finish in one and half hours
  • Get in shape / burn fat

Wish me luck!

Workout One: Ran a mile and a half in 15 minutes.....BAD! Goal: In 6 weeks run 2 miles in 15 minutes. Ultimate goal is to run 3.2 (5k) in under 20 minutes.

Rowing: 600 meters with no break. Goal: 1000 meters with no break.

I have a really long way to go....but if I am motivated and dedicated in completing this race, I WILL do it!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Turkey, Vegas and a PSA Teaser

We got back from Vegas Sunday night. I am usually relived to be back. I can only spent a few days in Sin City at a time. However, I recover quite nicely and I want to go back ASAP.

The Black Jack tournament was a bust for me. I didn't make it out of round one. I was really sad. Ryan however, did quite well. He made it to the second round and barely missed out of going to the third round by $250.00. That is nothing. That is one hand of Black Jack. It is really hard to judge people's chips and plus, you have to guess what they are going to bet. Better luck next time!

We both have entries (a $500 value) to a Black Jack Tournament in March and Ryan has one entry in a Craps Tournament in February.

Ryan and I as always had a great time in Vegas. We gambled a lot. Ate fabulous sushi from Sushi Roku. We always 'bet' our dinners. We put $50 on red or black on a roulette table. If we win, we go to a very nice dinner with our $100. If we loose, we go to fast food. We won! We also got to see a few friends while we were there. Overall, we had a very nice time. It was so nice spending time with my husband! We just really enjoy each other. He turns into Vegas Ryan. I love seeing that side of him.


Thanksgiving was nice as well. It was really good to see the family. There was actually no drama! Crazy! A little out of the norm for us. Few comments were made, but I tried my best to let them roll off and move on. I wanted to enjoy the day. My two cousins had babies. Jay Browning is 11 weeks and Halle Jaye is 8 weeks old. SO cute. I held Halle for awhile....just the sweetest baby. Made me want to have one. I am trying to work Ryan over on getting a dog and he isn't budging....I don't think babies is on the schedule for the next few years. =(


My big announcement: As you just read, I am not prego. So get that out of your mind, but I have a big announcement to make. Hint: It has to do with Running, Biking and Swimming. I will blog about it in a few days, so please stay tuned!