Sister Giant

I like Marianne Williamson. I have for many years. I have the Course in Miracles which she wrote a book based on that practice.  I also have her prayer book.  Now she is getting involved in politics - in getting women involved specifically. She has some interesting things on her new website Sister Giant and really enjoyed listening to this video she posted there too.

Here With Me

My Health Insurance History

One thing I hear people complaining about is Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) for the elections. But so many of the things I see people saying aren't accurate. I wish people would actually read the facts of it. It can be confusing, but it is just sad that so many things that people say it will do - it won't.  Such as having the government tell you what drugs you can and can't have - it won't do that. It is up to your doctor what drugs you can and can't have - as it always has been well...except when insurance companies say no. I have had that happen in the past. See that is what I don't get many things that people are saying are going to happen - insurance companies already do, continue to do, and have been for all of my life.

Something I keep reading is how people are upset that their health insurance is going up or things that were covered aren't anymore...so I thought I would share my personal history with health insurance because for as long as I can remember it has been that way...and it is the insurance companies doing it not the government. Not President Obama since for the majority of my health insurance coverage was before he was President.

As a child I was of course covered by my parents insurance, I do remember when we moved to Omaha my Mom asked around about doctors and found us a doctor several people recommended.  We really liked this doctor, but one year Dad's health insurance changed and the insurance company would only let us see someone on "their list." I remember both my parents being upset about this, but we did it. We found a doctor we liked that wasn't too far from our home.  I know the price went up - on and off throughout the years too.

When I was married to my ex-husband, he had a good job with good insurance. But again you had to choose a doctor off the list. I wanted to see a woman doctor and they had 2 women on the list - that is all.  I ended up on a waiting list for one of the female doctors.  I remember having the insurance say they wouldn't pay for certain meds or procedures. I remember one year the monthly price doubled for him and it tripled in price to cover me. Another year all our co-pays changed - where regular gp doctor visits were a different co-pay then seeing a specialty and doing our labs.

Michael's insurance when he worked for an state organization was really actually horrible. His co-pays for regular gp doctor visits were him paying 80% out of pocket.  And the insurance only covering 20%.  Even though he paid a lot of money each month into it.  During his time with that organization, the insurance went up several times. His co-pays totally switched around and again he had meds denied by the insurance company even though it was what the doctor wanted.

Since I divorced, I haven't had health insurance really. Well, I had it once for a while, but it was so expensive and it didn't cover my asthma or migraines. Right now Michael and I don't have health insurance for the same reason.  We are denied a lot because of our pre-existing conditions or  they will give us health insurance, but won't cover the pre-existing conditions ever or for a set period of time without incident of the condition. So I have asthma if I go without an asthma attack in 2 years or 3 or whatever set amount of time then they will start covering it. So really I won't get it covered because although I have went a long time without an asthma problem - the older I get the more likely I am to have problems again. Migraines I don't go without - I have them anywhere from 5 to 15 days a month. So not like that will be something they will cover ever. Well now they have to though with Obamacare. So I am thankful I might have some insurance and coverage so that medical costs won't drained our bank account.

Health insurance businesses are in it to get money and they can't get money if they are paying for all of our medical costs so of course throughout history they have raised our premiums, co-pays, denied coverage for procedures,  doctors, meds and so on.  Not sure why...it is okay to blame President Obama for them when they have been doing that as long as I have been alive.

Walking Each Other Home

I always enjoy Kelly Rae Roberts blog and her art of course too!   But I really liked this entry from the other day....

"..that the people we choose to live significant parts of our lives with are the exact people that can help us heal something in ourselves - old wounds, new wounds, all of it. In this sense, we really are just walking each other home. Home 

as in healing. Home as in the best versions of ourselves. Home as in wholeness. Home as in our divinity." Kelly Rae Roberts

Gratitude Friday

photo by me of some leaves here in GJ

I am thankful for...
1. being able to come home and get in bed after having some long days this week.
2. getting a chance to talk to my Mom after playing phone tag for the last few days
3. seeing the leaves blow in the wind and sunshine making them sparkle on Tuesday,
4. the cool fall day which left lots of leaves that crinkled when you walked across them making it feel like autumn on Wednesday
5. playing with my new camera and taking photos of leaves with Michael
6. the book The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown for being amazing...eye opening,
7. my therapist who again amazes me by helping me see the big picture and navigate through it
8. Michael going to the dentist and being brave! He got a wisdom tooth pulled that was decaying all the way down to the nerve.
9. Michael always being there for me

* I did some gratitude posts on Facebook this week and so these are little snippets from them

I'm Voting

If you read my posts on Facebook - things I like or repost -  you can tell who I am clearly voting for this election. 

I don't think any politician ever does or says everything I want them to do. I am not totally happy with President Obama. But I do feel the President is more representative of the man I want in the White House when I lo

ok at his record. Romney scares me - he has held a man down, beat him and cut his hair and his views on women rights would take us backwards instead of forward. I want many people who are close to me to have equality - and be able to get married and I know Romney is against Gays/Lesbians. I want more support of Veterans and Romney again hardly ever mentions then except clumping them into the 47% but never clearly on what he would do for them. Really everything thing I care about Romney is against or flip flops back and forth on. I can't trust anything he says. At least I see where the President has said and done some of the things he said he would. Not all and not all completely in a way I would like but at least I see a clearer message and record. So I am voting for President Obama. 

You Don't Own Me

Ellen and Bic Pens for Women

Good Weekend Good Day

Had a fabulous weekend out doing a day trip with friends to Glenwood Springs. They went to the Hot Spring Pools for a while and Michael and I just took a drive. Met up again with our friends for lunch and then headed back to GJ.  Perfect blue skies and with just a little chill in the air but in the sun it warmed us up quickly.   It was an absolutely beautiful day.

Today my last birthday present from Michael arrived. I got a little point and shoot camera. So cute and has all the features I wanting plus it is Orange! I can't wait to start playing with it. I am getting a book and I know will inspire me to play even more.

Easier Said then Done

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. a beautiful day for my birthday
2. fun presents from friends and family
3. dinner at a place we haven't been in ages and it was amazing
4. a new bed
5. Michael making my day special!

Karma Cleanse

Source: denisedivined.com via Darby on Pinterest

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. warm blankets
2. a stack of good books
3. comfort food
4. points from various places I input - to get free gift cards
5. sunshine

Frolicsome

Source: flickr.com via Darby on Pinterest

Oh how I love Mary Oliver....she always makes words soar.

Gratitude Friday

I am thankful for...
1. Michael being busy - work is coming in good right now and just so thankful
2. making a therapy appointment and going....I should have done it a while ago as it was long over due
3. the appointment making me feel 200% better - cleared some things out I really needed too
4. seeing some positives
5. making it through the week

Pumpkin Pillows

I made these last year around the holidays, but want to make them again around Halloween or Thanksgiving. These would be great to bring to a party or get together.

 They were good and not to hard to make either.  The dipping sauce I had trouble with though.  And I did modify the original recipe from Kraft a bit as I have worked with wontons before and didn't feel there was a need for the egg white that Kraft had in their recipe. I also used more wonton wrappers, but kept their number in the recipe too.

12 caramels

1 tsp.  water

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp.  ground cinnamon, divided

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup  canned pumpkin

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp.  flour

1/4 tsp. orange zest

20-24   won ton wrappers  and water to seal edges

2 cups  oil

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

MICROWAVE caramels and water in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 30 sec.; stir. Heat for another 30 sec. Stir until caramels are completely melted.Cool 2 min. Stir in sour cream and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Refrigerate until ready to use.

WHISK cream cheese, pumpkin, brown sugar, flour, zest and remaining cinnamon until well blended. Spoon about 2 tsp. onto center of each won ton wrapper. Moisten edges with water; fold diagonally in half. Moisten edges again with water pressing edges together tightly to seal.

HEAT oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat to 350ºF. Add won tons, in batches; cook 2 to 3 min. or until evenly browned. Drain. Cool slightly or to room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with caramel sauce

MAKE AHEAD

Cook won tons as directed except don't sprinkle with powdered sugar. Freeze up to 2 months. When ready to reheat, place frozen won tons on baking sheet. (No need to thaw first.) Bake at 350°F for 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

COOKING NOTES

* Won ton wrappers quickly dry out, keep them covered with a damp clean kitchen towel until you are ready to use them.

* I found the dip didn't go quite smoothly but it might have been because I didn't use Kraft caramels. When I mixed it into the sour cream, it hardened right away because the sour cream was cool so cooled the caramel. There were clumps of caramel in the dip. So it didn't exactly go as directed.  I think next time I would use like caramel you use for ice cream topping. I think it would mix more smoothly after being heated for a few moments. 

Take a Chance on Me