Look and see what we all did!

Kristi has created a new website specifically for photo hunt challenges. You can see all the entries for this photo hunt as well as the last photo hunt here.

She will be going through all the submissions during the first week of July and then posting her favorites around mid July. That's when you can vote for your favorites!

Please check out my sister Jamie's pictures and my friend Tanya's pictures too. It was their first photo hunt and they did a great job!

Photo Hunt #2 -It's Complete!

Here is Photo Hunt #2! I'm not exactly sure when the next step will happen but Kristi will be choosing her favorite pictures from all the participants and then you can vote for your favorite at that time. Feel free to leave comments about my pictures and I'll post the link(s) for voting soon.

Here is the list of items to photograph (all subject to photographer's interpretation).

1. A View from Above (looking down)

2. A Macro Shot

3. Laughter--From August 2008 Archives

4. Relaxation

5. A Celebration

6. A Sunset

7. Sun/Lens Flare

8. A Bridge

9. A Shadow

10. A Garden

11. A Park

12. A Street Scene

13. Signage

14. A Summer Activity

15. A Summer Treat

16. Earth

17. Air/ Wind

18. Fire--From May 2009 Archives

19. Water

20. Something Vintage (pre-1980)

21. Something Made of Glass

22. Something Made of Wood

23. Something that Floats

24. Something Railroad Related

25. Something Round

They Come in Three's

On Tuesday, Ed McMahon passed away at the age of 86.

Earlier today, Farrah Fawcett passes away at the age of 62.

Later today, the self-proclaimed King of Pop, Michael Jackson is dead at 50.

Ed had some health problems.

Farrah was battling a rare cancer.

Michael went into an apparent cardiac arrest. It will be interesting to see what more we find out in the days ahead after an autopsy.

The one that is most shocking to me is Michael Jackson. He has been a performer since he was just a child and has been in the media all of his life, whether it was good or bad press. He was one strange dude, as we all have seen throughout his years in the public eye, but nonetheless, talented.

In 1984, my Dad came home from the store we called "Jim's Superette" with a present for my sister and I. He knew that we loved Michael Jackson and that we considered him our boyfriend so when he gave us a purple Michael Jackson button/pin for our jean jacket or to be pinned to the side of our purse, he was the best Dad in the world. We also danced countless times in the basement to the album (the actual album on a record player) "Thriller". It was our absolute favorite album . The last time Michael Jackson was here in Minnesota for a concert was when I was in 6th grade in either 1988 or 1989. It wasn't too cool to like Michael Jackson at that age but when I saw one of my classmates show up the next day with his concert t-shirt from the show the night before, I had to say I felt jealous that I wasn't able to go to the concert.

Fast forward many years later and I am still a fan of his music, despite not listening to it very often. "Billie Jean" is still one of my all-time favorite songs and I can't listen to it without singing to it.

I'm sad about MJ's death but I think I am in shock. I think it is just surreal right now. This is one of the biggest celebrities/musicians to die in my lifetime, at least when I was old enough to realize the multitude of it. I was only 7 months old when Elvis died, 3 years old when John Lennon died and I suppose you can throw Freddie Mercury and Kurt Cobain in there for good measure too during the early '90's.

There were 3 big artists that has shaped part of my music life growing up. Prince, Madonna and Michael Jackson, who all are only either weeks to two months apart in age, but only two remain on this earth.

MJ, you had millions upon millions upon millions of fans all over the world. Everyone in this world knew who you were, for better or for worse. Despite everything, you were scheduled to perform 50 sold-out shows for over one million people in just weeks from now. You are still loved around the world and your legacy will last forever.

We went to the Saints game tonight and on the scoreboard, here was your tribute.

Rest in peace, Mr. McMahon, Ms. Fawcett and Mr. Jackson. If you have any stories or memories of any of these people, please leave a comment.

Keith's Birthday Party

My nephew turned 6 on the 13th but my sister and BIL had a birthday party for him on Saturday. The theme wasn't quite Halloween but it was scary/spooky and seemed like most of it had to do with spiders. Of course I was thrilled! The party had a huge spider in a huge web, spiders in the punch and a spider cake.

My new boyfriend, Skelly

Jamie has new cats and they are so cute! Smoky and Bandit

Company Picnic

Friday was my company's annual picnic. It was at Moir Park in Bloomington, about 10 minutes south of the office. The weather was good. It was pretty hot and no rain. Lots of kids this year. Here's some pictures from the event.

My girls Brenna, Melissa and Julie

Beth, me and Kristen--Kristen is pregnant (and I am not despite the fact that it looks like I am in this picture)

Happy Summer Solstice!

Today is the first day of Summer and I thought it would be appropriate for a new banner/layout since I'm way overdue.

Happy Summer Solstice and Happy Father's Day to all the daddies out there!

Fact of the Day

A teaspoon of concentrated household dust mite allergen is more lethal than a teaspoon of cobra venom.

I read the above fact and thought it was interesting. I Googled "concentrated dust mite allergen" and found an article that I wish I didn't. Just so you can be as grossed out as I am, the following is the article. Happy Reading.

Guess who's really hungry and has been waiting all day for you to come home from work? No, not your puppy! Here's a hint: you have a bed full of them, and still more are hiding in your draperies, rugs, furniture and clothing. Why, it's your very own horde of dust mites! When you climb into bed, the warmth of your body and the moisture caused by your breath and perspiration signal the start of another dust mite feeding frenzy.

During the day time, when you vacate your bed and go to work or school, the mites retreat deep inside the mattress and wait for your return. It sound rather repulsive, but the truth is that regardless of what you do, where you live or how often you clean, it is nearly impossible to escape dust mites - and the allergic reactions that they can cause. When you wake up after a full night of sleep and feel like your eyes don't want to open, it may have more to do with dust mites than drowsiness!

So how do you know if you are suffering from dust mites, let alone find out what exactly a dust mite is? This article will give you all the information you need to understand dust mite allergies, what causes them and tips for staying healthy.

What Exactly Is A Dust Mite?

The type of dust mites that cause allergic reactions are known as House Dust Mites. These tiny insects are in the same animal class as spiders (so technically they are arachnids, but in reality they are closer related to ticks). Though you cannot see dust mites with the naked eye, it is possible to catch a glimpse of them using 10x or greater magnification. If you want to try this at home, it is easier to see them if them are on a dark surface like a black pillow case with good over-head lighting. The mites are a creamy, white color with eight legs and many small hairs covering their bodies.

Other Than Affecting Allergies, Can Dust Mites Hurt Me?

Dust mites do not bite you or burrow into your skin like other mites. These tiny insects would be considered harmless if it wasn't for the fact that they create a potent allergen that can cause allergies and asthma to flare up.

Modern-day homes are something of an artificial utopia for dust mites. The environment created indoors is perfect for them to multiply to a degree that simply wouldn't happen under different circumstances. Normally, there would be predators (like that little yellow house spider that you smashed with the rolled up newspaper), as well as weather changes and direct sunlight keeping dust mite numbers in check.

Indoors the environment is too stable to affect most of the dust mites. They can hide from direct light, soak up moisture that wicked deep into your clothes in the hamper, or enjoy year-round warm with when your heater kicks on in the winter. This causes the number of dust mites in your home to quickly escalate - especially in summer months when the weather is moist (they love humidity).

This huge mite population can create a concentrated dowse of dust mite allergen, which is easily inhaled and can affect delicate sinus and bronchial regions. This means that if you are not already allergic to dust mites, long term or heavy exposure can cause your body to become sensitized to them. Or, if you already have allergies, huge mite populations could cause more severe reactions, or even cause you to develop asthma.

What Part of the Mite Causes Allergy?Symptoms of Dust Mite Allergies:

• Hay fever-like symptoms, like runny nose, itching and sneezing
• Nasal Congestion
• Itchy throat or roof of mouth
• Swollen, blue-colored skin under your eyes
• Watering eyes
• Asthma symptoms, like difficulty breathing or a tight feeling in the chest
• Eczema, a skin condition that is caused by allergies
• Irritability
• Feeling pressure or pain in areas of your face

Who Is Allergic To Dust Mites?

There are 3 factors that play into whether you will develop dust mite allergies, and if your allergies will be mild or severe:

1. Hereditary: If you have family members who have or had problems with allergies, you are more likely to have allergies as well. If both of your parents were allergic to dust mites (or anything else for that matter), you have a 75% chance of developing allergies as well. If only one parent or relatives on only one side of your family have allergies, your chances of being allergic to dust mites drops to 50%.
2. Exposure: Depending on how many dust mites you have in your home, your body may react accordingly. Variables like location, weather, types of furniture or carpeting as well as cleaning habits impact how much you are exposed to dust mites. It is estimated that 100,000 mites live in the average home– and the more exposure you have to them, the more likely you are to develop allergies.
3. Age: Most people will develop allergies as a child or young adult. If you are within this age range, your chances waking up with dust mite allergies are increased. This doesn't mean that you only become allergic to mite when you are young– if you already have allergies, you can become sensitive to new allergens at any time.

Top 3 Ways to Prevent Dust Mite Allergies

1. Target your bedroom and namely, your bed.Wash sheets weekly in very hot water and consider using a anti-dust mite detergent in the loads of laundry that contain sheets, comforters and pillow cases. Specially made cases for your bed and pillows can be purchased through allergy-friendly shops, like the Allergy Buyers Club. These cases are woven so finely that dustmites cannot penetrate them and greatly cuts down the number of mites that take refuge in your mattress.
2. Cut out Wall-to-wall Carpeting and Other Upholstered Furnishings. Wall-to-wall carpeting is one of the biggest hurtles to staying healthy if you are allergic to dust mites. If you are severely allergic to dust mites, you might want to remove all the carpeting and other soft furnishings like window treatments. Hard wood or linoleum floors give dust mites no safe place to hide, and bamboo blinds in place of fabric curtains cut mite numbers as well. If you can't part with your carpet, consider purchasing a vacuum cleaning with a built in HEPA filter, like those made by Miele-unlike ordinary sweepers which throw dust mite debris into the air, the HEPA filter will ensure all their tiny particles are captured and removed.
3. Run An Air Filter. HEPA filters are able to catch even the smallest particles, which is why they come highly recommended for allergy and asthma sufferers. Your bedroom is often the best location to place an air purifier for dust mites, because dust mite fecal matter and shed skins are swept into the air and into your lungs every time you toss or turn; get in or out of bed. Many companies have specialized in making air purifiers to remove allergens-one of the best brands for allergies and asthma are Dynamic Air Purifiers (the Dynamic Air Quality Solutions CT500 in particular).

Common Questions about Dust Mites

Is it possible to get my home 100% dust mite free?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no. Though dust Mites have always been present with humans, but have not presented such a huge problem until we began to develop more and more comfortable homes. The environment we make for ourselves-shaded from the sun, controlled warmth and cool, stable humidity with lots of nesting sites - is perfect for dust mite numbers to explode. Altering this environment would start to make a dent in the dust mite population, but at the same time, it would be uncomfortable to humans to inhabit as well.

Can two people sleep in the same bed and only one be affected by dust mites?

Yes - two different people may have different tolerance levels to mite allergens. This depends on their genetic make-up (history of allergies in their family) and exposure levels to mite allergen. Two people will often share the same bed, but only one individual will suffer from allergy symptoms. About 20% of the population is sensitive to dust mite allergens, whereas the other 80% may have no idea why their partner is suffering.

Is there a way to treat fabrics and other surfaces in my home without taking down my curtains or tearing up my carpeting?

Some allergy-friendly stores may carry sprays that contain benzo benzoate, which is a chemical that cuts down dust mite populations. Please ask advise from your doctor or allergist before adding another chemical to your living space, because this might cause another health concern.

How can I avoid developing dust mite allergies?

There are some preventative measures that can be taken against developing dust mite allergies, but often the main cause of allergies is a predisposition to them that have been passed down from your parents or grandparents. Though limiting your exposure to dust mites through fastidious cleaning and bedding laundering can help reduce your chances of becoming sensitized, for some, there is no escape from allergies.

The parts of the mite that will be most aggravating to your allergies are the fecal matter and shed skin. As mites grow into their adult stage, they will shed their skin. The skin is light and easily carried in the air when you sit down on the sofa and jump into bed. During it's 1 to 2 month lifespan, a dust mite will create approximately 2000 fecal particles. Both the skin and waste from dust mites contain the proteins that cause allergic reactions.

http://airqualitytips.com/115/allergy-101-dust-mites/

It's Football Time

Last night M and I went to the State Theatre in Minneapolis for the 1st ever, "State of the Vikings". It was a private event that was for season ticket owners. It started out with some video to get people pumped up and excited about the upcoming season and then Ragnar, the Skol Drum Line and cheerleaders came out and got the crowd excited. The rest of it was pretty much a town hall forum with a panel of people from the Vikings organization such as linebacker Chad Greenway, VP of player personnel, Rick Spielman, coach Brad Childress and owner, Zygi Wilf with all conversation being moderated by the radio voice of the Vikings and on KFAN, Paul Allen. We didn't know what to expect but it was a fun thing to go to and it definitely got me excited about football starting. They talked about many things, including Brett Favre and while there was tip-toeing around some questions, it still sounds like he's coming here if his arm is ok and if Brett can play at the same level as before surgery. They finished with a preview of some commercials that will run this season with the motto, "Show Your Horns". I thought the commercials were pretty funny.