Celebrate The SEASON!

It bothers me that I was raised Christian and therefore not allowed to celebrate the 'pagan' holiday of Christmas. Now I'm atheist and everybody keeps saying it's Jesus' Birthday. sigh* I've done the research, nobody can know for sure when (or if) that Jesus was born, 

but it was not likely in December.

And what is with this Santa Lie? Tooth-fairy, Easter Bunny, Angels? Come on, if you don't believe it why are you telling your kids it's real. I don't lie to my daughter. Sure, anything is possible, but I'm not gonna tell her to believe something that I don't.

Here's what I know. As of December 21st the Sun is returning to our days. Christmas Decorations, Songs, and Stories are often heartwarming. For Me Christmas is a great day to Celebrate Light, Generosity, and Family in the cold and dark of winter.

Celebrate your god when and how you choose, but next year Please Don't tell Me to put the Christ in Christmas!  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
http://www.whychristmas.com/customs/25th.shtml

House Passes Bill To Upgrade School Lunches

House Passes Bill To Upgrade School Lunches There is a distinct lack of quality in most publicly available resources, most notably public schools and school lunches. It is good to hear that lawmakers are at least trying to change a few things.

When I was in high-school I ate about 3 cups of french-fries with ranch dressing for lunch almost everyday. When I didn't have that I got a cup-o-noodles, or a pop tart from the school store. There were days that I had nachos, and salads absolutely covered in dressing and cheese. Those were probably the good days. I wish that french fries alone was not an option, that dressing and cheese were portioned, and that I had a better clue of what I should have been eating.

The food guide pyramid (brought to us by the government department in charge of promoting sales of american farmed products) told me that I should be eating lots of carbs, but as a kid I didn't understand that I needed more of everything else in proportion to them, or that I needed high fiber carbs.

I think an ideal school breakfast would be two servings of a high fiber cereal or oatmeal and whole milk, with a whole banana or berries mixed in, and a hard boiled egg or two. For lunch I'd want to see at least three servings of vegetables(fresh is best, salad, baby carrots, and/or broccoli florets), at least two servings of protein, and two servings of whole grains in the form of a sandwich or wrap, a nice low sodium minestrone soup, or the salad can be made chef style with meats and light cheese. Snacks between meals are just as important. I think fresh fruits, dried fruits with nuts, and fruit and yogurt parfaits are a great snacks.

If school lunches and breakfasts had been set up as ideal meals for growing kids I think I would have understood and learned how to eat right a little sooner in my life. Parents might be responsible for it but that doesn't mean they are good at it, have the time, or even the knowledge of what a healthy diet is.