Our Nissan is 20 years old!

How many of you have had the same car for 20 years? Yeah, I know, not many right?
We bought our Nissan Sentra in 1994.  It was on the show room floor and Rick actually drove it away from there.  We leased it for a few years and then eventually bought it outright.  It's now 2014.  That's 20 glorious years of family history in that car.  That little car has seen us through thick and a lot of thin. It has a standard transmission and each of our young drivers have had to learn how to drive with a stick shift and how to use a clutch. The third gear has been broken for 15 of those 20 years, and all drivers have quickly become accustomed to shifting from 2nd gear to 4th gear, bypassing 3rd gear. It has seen a lot of adventures:

• It has been tipped on its side by a certain driver while going down a steep hill;
• It has been crashed into by a non-observant college student which resulted in a small claims court case that we (Andy) won;
• It has had a side window broken out and was vandalized while parked in student housing;
• It was been the college car for Jordan, Claire, Dave and Andy (with Jordan using it the least and yes, she is still bitter about that);
• It was Rick's work car for the first part of its life;
• It came with a really nice sounding stereo system installed and a certain someone took it out and installed a sub-standard stereo system with sub-woofers and a huge base pounding in the truck;
• Rick and I hit a deer in the Nissan while driving to Manti to attend a wedding.  It could have been bad news, but Rick avoided hitting the dear head on and instead the animal hit the side view mirror and tore it completely off.  I'm sure the deer had a bad headache after that encounter with the Nissan.
• When a certain person was pulling out of a parking garage, they hit a person on a bike which left a dent in the front right fender that is still there;
• Our four cherished children rode down in it to AZ one summer (if they had been involved in a high speed crash, there would have been no survivors);
• Upon Andy's return from his mission, it got a new paint job and was changed from dark green to black, with new tires and four fancy hubcaps for $19.99;  
• Rick has graciously paid the insurance and the taxes and registration on it for all those years;
• It was paid off many, many years ago, but the driver who took over the car also had to take on any repairs what were needed;
• It has probably done more wheelees in parking lots and has been driven too fast and over four wheeling terrain more times than I know about.

And...it just keeps on going.  It has 165,494 miles on it which is really quite low considering how old it is.  It is strictly an around town car, but it has served us well.  When Andy and Chelsea got married, we sold it to them for $1.  They now get to maintain it, insure it and register it.  At least it's still a member of the family. We love you little Nissan Sentra. Long may she live.  Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.  Grandma Mayme would be proud.  

8 seriously easy ways to improve your memory

I came across this great article while waiting in the doctor's office the other day.  I think we could all use some tips in how to keep our minds and memories strong.  We exercise our bodies and we need to exercise our minds as well.  Here are condensed tips from the article and HERE is the link to the actual article:
#1 - move it or lose it.   "When you're working out to the point of breaking a sweat, you're actually growing new brain cells in your hippocampus," says Dr. Fotuhi. "It seems mind-boggling but there is solid science behind it." How does it work? More blood flow to the brain and an increase in a crucial protein called BDNF spur the growth.  So how much exercise do you really need? Here's what's optimal: 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity like jogging and 15 minutes of strength training, such as lifting hand weights or doing squats and pushups, four times a week. "If you do this, you can expect to have significant brain benefits.
#2 - change your expectations.   Stress and frustration stimulate chemical changes that can shrink your hippocampus and lead to memory problems. To reverse some of the damage, try to chill out and put things in perspective.  "Many of your little daily aggravations occur because you don't manage your expectations," says Dr. Fotuhi. "Believe me, those frustrations affect your memory in the short term and your brain health in the long run."
#3 - feed your brain.   Getting a certain amount of DHA -- a type of omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, fish oil, and algae -- can increase the size of your hippocampus in about six months, research shows. But it's almost impossible to get enough from your diet. Buy supplements that come from algae rather than fish, as they're less likely to have impurities such as mercury. "I really believe DHA is a super brain food," says Dr. Fotuhi. "I take 1 gram a day, and so does my wife."
#4 - eat flavonoids  -  Foods containing flavonoids, such as deeply colored berries and grapes, beets, dark chocolate, and cocoa, can also boost your brain. A recent Harvard study showed increased blood flow and better memory performance after participants drank two cups of hot cocoa a day for a month.
#5 - reduce these three numbers.   Focus on lowering your blood sugar, blood pressure, and belly fat.
#6 - protect your head. Do not get on a bike or go skiing or skating without wearing a helmet -- at any age. Even a minor fall can cause a microscopic tear in your brain.
#7 - see friends and family in 3-D.  Get out for lunch or go for a walk with your pals instead of spending time on Facebook or Instagram. Interacting with people in the real world actually requires a good deal of mental maneuvering, like when you're keeping track of several conversations at a party. Social interaction also brings you pleasure, which releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals, and reduces excess cortisol, a chemical that's a major brain shrinker.
#8 -  Keep learning and memorizing new things throughout your life. Crossword puzzles don't qualify because you're tapping into information you already have in your head. To challenge your brain, set a goal to memorize three names a day. Study a new language, especially if you do it intensively for a few months. Take violin or piano lessons. Memorize poems or songs you love. Encourage yourself to do more problem-solving, like seeing if you can fix the toilet yourself instead of calling a plumber. If you're working out your monthly budget, put away the calculator, grab a pencil, and do the math yourself. Or take ballroom dancing, as Dr. Fotuhi and his wife did, which makes your brain memorize new steps.

Jake is celebrating his 35th birthday today!

Snuggling up in his new Cougar quilt I made for him

Off to church with his new baby son, Thomas Jacob

On Christmas eve with his true love

Priesthood power at the blessing of Thomas

Father and son

At Lauren's baptism...such a handsome man

 

What a wonderful family man he is!

Here are some words that people have used to describe Jake that I took from my daughter's blog: great name, smart as heck, handsome, generous, physically strong, great sense of humor, gentle soul, hard worker, athletic, true BYU fan, prays with faith, trustworthy, gives great hugs, genuine, sincere, helpful, great father, positive attitude, steady, easy to be around, loves his family, addicted to Cougar board, insightful reader and researcher, loves precision, exceptionally bright, dedicated to the gospel of Jesus Christ, tender-hearted, good example, his priorities are straight, giving and generous, faithful and true, optimistic and hopeful, sweet with his girls and boy, kind, wise, thoughtful, courageous, tough, smart and wonderful,  he is all points of the scout law, has a knack with languages and enjoys learning,  his love for Spain and Spaniards, the twinkle he gets in his eye!, his love of quality ironing, he will tell you his opinion but will never do it in an offensive way, very calm and never bothers anyone by being overbearing or loud,  he is definitely someone you could be stuck on a desert island with that wouldn't drive you insane,  patient with his the kids, the love he has for Jordan, he is a REAL MAN who shows his love and devotion for his family, funny, a great nickname giver, laid back, loyal, genuine, hard working, faithful, fun, humble, giving, compassionate, he is Jordan's equal in every way and they make a great team and compliment each other so well, he is an example of how to be a better husband and father by how he loves and serves his wife and daughters, is a great pie maker and cook, calming influence, thoughtful, careful, particular, sports-lover, BYU loyalist, devoted, head-over-heels for Jord, doting/loving father, game/contest/obstacle course creator, smart, steady, patient, melodic tones of his voice, diligent in his church callings, POTD on CB was monumental, king of breakfast food creation, tile floor mopping, electronic/computer/automotive research, loves a good road trip, has a very competitive spirit, has a strong set of principles that inform his behavior,  he never sinks to gamesmanship (he's always very sportsmanlike and even encouraging) or bending the rules at all to win, an almost palpable sense of stillness or calm that feels comforting to just be around, he has kind blue eyes, adorable dimples, peaceful, never seen Jake upset in any form, has such a calming spirit about him, even when BYU football is embarrassing, selfless, kind, and understanding,  slyly, but sharply, funny too.
What more can I say?  He is a good man and we all love him very much.  Happy birthday Jake!

My Mary Claire is 32 years old today

Happy birthday to my wonderful daughter Claire. 

 She has been a delight since the day she was born. 

 Things I appreciate about her:

She is her own person and has her own style,

 her own thoughts, her own way of doing things

She has self confidence

She has had some great travel adventures all over the world

She loves all things Royal and her BFF is Princess Kate

She is beautiful

She has adapted well to her new surroundings

She makes friends easily
She is smart as a whip

She can plan a trip and read a map like no other

She married into a wonderful family

She continues to be a sports enthusiast

 and knows more about sports than most men.

She has the best personality and sense of humor

She is well read and continues to read her high end magazines faithfully

She is a CPA and works hard for three months out of the year

She is a great mother to her little son and daughter

She organizes her home like a pro

She is a great sister and sister-in-law

She has learned how to cook wonderful meals

She checks in with me frequently and stays up to date on my life.

She is supportive of her good husband and enjoys spending time with him.

She loves her little family

She serves in the stake Primary presidency and is committed to service

She has a strong testimony of the gospel

 of Jesus Christ and tries to follow His example.

I love her dearly!

Here are more good things about Claire. 

All you ever wanted to know about knee replacement surgery

Back in 2010, I did this blog entry about my painful left knee.  I knew that some day I was going to have to face getting a total knee replacement.  I was able to stretch that waiting period into an extra three and a half years and the time finally arrived on February 6, 2014 for surgery.  Besides the bone spurs and the bone-on-bone osteoarthritis pain, I also had begun to to get a valgus knee deformity.  I had a nine degree bend in my knee that was only going to get worse with time, use and more wear and tear.  It would get harder to correct with the passage of even more time.  I finally made the decision to just move forward and schedule the surgery. 

I really dreaded this surgery.  My brother-in-law Dave had had his knee replaced last summer, and I knew the recovery process was going to be long and painful.  I also made the mistake of watching this knee replacement video on YouTube.  It's not for the faint of heart, but it is amazing to see how it is done. Knee replacement surgery is very brutal.  The surgeons aren't gentle and kind.  They get in there and cut, hammer, chisel and grind the bone, muscles and tendons.  They push and shove and wear protective gear while they are working because lot of "stuff" is flying around. It is MAJOR surgery and causes MAJOR pain since it involves bone, nerves, muscle and tendons.  The surgeon inserts titanium steel and plastic and he screws it to the bone, glues it and hammers it into place.  Fortunately, my surgeon was able to correct my valgus deformity and now my leg is straight again!

I did my homework and felt like I had found the right surgeon and the right replacement hardwear.  Given my valgus knee problem, I wasn't a candidate for a ConFormis knee (a custom made knee replacement.)   I got the Vanguard BioMet total knee replacement that looks like this:

 

Pre-surgery

Hours after surgery

Continual Perpetual Motion machine
 (CPM) that forced the knee to bend while
 in rehab and for two weeks at home

3 days after surgery

One week after surgery

two weeks after surgery

three weeks after surgery

6 1/2 weeks after surgery

Everyone who has had this surgery has told me that it takes about six months to a year before the new knee feels "normal."  I'm not there yet.  In fact, as this point (almost seven weeks from surgery) I'm still not glad I did it.  I hope that with time, more therapy and less pain, I will be glad I took this major step.  Here's hoping the bruising, the swelling and the stiffness become less with each passing day. I'm hopeful that my new knee will take me through the next 25-30 years and that I can get back to my regular routine, gait, and activity level.
Oh, and an interesting side note...the price tag (not including out-patient physical therapy) is $51,636 for the hospital, surgeons, anesthesiologists, in-patient rehab and home health care.  We'll get to meet our out-of-pocket deductible, again this year.  Thankfully, we have good health insurance through my husband's employment!