Sedlacek's Scribbles

Updated:

asedlacek@fox4now.com

Wednesday Feb. 3, 2009

So it's been way too long since I Scribbled. I came across something that I just had to share though, especially if you know my love of food! I can always talk about food! Well I think I can now safely say that February is my favorite month! Why you ask? Well did you know ..... February is Chocolate Month!!!

And that's not all it's also National Fiber Focus Month, Cherry Month and National Hot Breakfast Month! My mouth is watering...who's got some chocolate and I am always up for some French Toast (Cinnamon please!) And I have been trying to work on eating better and eating more Fiber.

The last week of the month is National Pancake Week. February 18 is Drink Wine Day, the 20th signifies National Margarita Day, while the 27th is Kahlua Day. February 23 is Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day. Puppies rejoice!

Do you need any more reason to indulge in some favorite food!? Who knew I've been appropriately honoring Chocolate all along. My desk always has some sort of chocolate, getting up at 1:30 a.m. you get odd cravings about 5 a.m. :)

I'm also bonding with February because I haven't met a breakfast I don't like. One of my best friends jokes that upon visiting or moving to any new town I can find all the sweet spots, ice cream and dessert places along with all the breakfast joints. What can I say I have a gift... or my nose just knows pastries! :)

So mark your calendars appropriately and maybe surprise someone on the right day of celebration! Cheers to a vintage bottle of vino! Steaming hot pancakes and chocolate everyday! At least your dog would appreciate an extra treat on Feb 23!

Friday October 23, 2009

Today's thought is sad and happy all at once. Jim our beloved weather friend is moving to nights to join Amy and Patrick at 10 and that's a very good thing! I am very happy for Jim but it's a bit sad because all of us on Rising have taken a great liking to Jim's antics and fun. I personally have truly enjoyed every moment of working with Jim and folks he's as nice and funny in person as he is on TV! If you've watched Rising you know that at any moment Jim can do something that will make us all crack up! Some of his greatest hits-- He sang us the Cookie Monster song in Cookie's voice. He "fake" napped and woke up to fall out of his chair on the anchor desk. He once totally and completely surprised me to the point I jumped on air, but he did get rid of my hiccups! He was my body guard, protecting me from at 7 foot Burmese python when the Naples Zoo visited. He hits golf balls in the direction of my head, but has never hit me! He plays the tuba, he made a kite that we flew in the weather center and everyday behind the scenes Jim dances. It's been a true treat to work with such a talented man. And he always gets the forecast right! So if you want to watch our goodbye tribute, just click on the video box above. We gave him a Seaseme Street Cake because we've had Grover, Cookie and Elmo on the show and Jim has had a lot of fun with each of them. He gave me a snuggie because I am always cold when I get in at 2 a.m. and sit in a fleece hoodie before the show. I will now be wearing my Snuggie with pride. Have Fun Nightside Jim! We welcome you for a cameo appearence on Rising anytime!

Friday August 14, 2009

It's Friday and today's blog is all about FREEBIES! There are a lot of great deals out there right now, you just have to know where to look and keep your eyes open. Here are some of the deals I've come across and want to share with you! And a lot of them are a double whammy of good because they also help some local charitites.

GAP--This weekend is GAP's Weekend of Wishes. Saturday and Sunday shop at any area GAP from noon to 5 p.m and make a $5 donation to MAKE A WISH and you'll get a 25% off coupon to use on all your regular purchases! It's a great savings and that $5 goes a long way to help grant hundreds of wishes in our local area.

Chick Fill-A--Free Fridays. During the month of August stop by participating Chick Fill-A's during breakfast hours and get a free chicken biscuit breakfast sandwhich! YUM!

Pollo Tropical--Here's a great chance to eat out with the family and help a local cause each week. For the next 20 weeks, each week Pollo Tropical will help a local charity by donating 15% of that select night's dinner profits to the charity. Each location in Southwest Florida is participating.

Cape Coral at 1652 NE Pine Island Road

Naples at 5065 Golden Gate Parkway

Naples at 3777 East Tamiami Trail

For more information about the Pollo Tropical "Wing Up" campaign or to nominate your charity for a Benefit Night, visit www.pollotropical.com.

And finally because it's Friday and I love a good laugh this is a MUST check out! Our friends at Busch Gardens emailed me this clip and it's worth the two minutes. Maybe you've heard about the internet sensation of how to eat a banana like monkey...well they put the real pros to work and had their most professional gorilla show you how to really eat a banana. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxbopaxDsf8

Happy Friday and Have A Great Weekend!

Monday July 27, 2009

Get ready to party! It's a Happy Birthday Celebration for Henry Ford. This Thursday July 30, Henry Ford turns 146!

Now while he's not going to be around for the party some historical actors are! The Edison Ford Winter Estates is celebrating Henry's birthday and the restoration of the Ford Estates with a big birthday party and everyone is invited to come to the Estates Thursday from 9:30-11 a.m. for FREE. There will be cake and special presentations, antique cars and the Estates Wild Wizzards mixing up fun for the kids.

So who is Henry Ford? You probably know he invented the Model-T in 1908, but did you know he loved to dance and had dance lessons for his employees?

Here's some other fun Ford Facts, courtesy of the Edison Ford Estates. www.efwefla.org

Ford facts include:

    * Henry Ford grew up on a typical nineteenth-century farm in Dearborn, Michigan. At an early age he demonstrated an interest in mechanics and a dislike for farm work.
    * Ford married Clara Bryant in 1888. He would later refer to Clara as "the Believer" for her faith in and support of his ideas.
    * In 1891 Ford became an engineer for the Edison Illuminating Company, and was soon promoted to Chief Engineer. This position allowed him time to experiment with the internal combustion engine. Ford idolized Thomas Edison and met him during an 1896 company convention in New York, where Ford relayed his ideas for the engine.
    * In 1896, at the age of 33, Ford completed the Quadricycle, a self-propelled vehicle with four wire wheels which was steered with a tiller and had two forward speeds. Ford traveled around Detroit in his "horseless carriage," to the amazement, as well as disdain, of its citizens.
    * The Ford Motor Company was incorporated in 1903 with the Model A. In 1908 Ford introduced the Model T, realizing his lifelong dream of a vehicle that was easy to operate and maintain and able to handle the rough roads of the era. The Model T quickly became a huge success, with more than 10,000 sold in 1909.
    * Ford is considered the father of modern manufacturing. As the popularity of the Model T escalated, Ford devised a system that combined division of labor, standardized and interchangeable parts, and the assembly line. This revolutionized automobile production by reducing the amount of time involved in automobile manufacturing and consequently lowering production costs. Mass production was born. By 1913 some 1000 cars were produced in a typical eight-hour shift.
    * By the late teens, Ford was an American celebrity and the public could not seem to get enough of him. Ford came into his office one day and said, "You know, I think I ought to get a pair of whiskers. Everybody seems to spot me."
    * In 1914 Ford made his first visit to Fort Myers at the invitation of his friend Thomas Edison. From there the two embarked on an Everglades camping trip. Calling themselves "the Vagabonds," Ford and Edison, along with Harvey Firestone and John Burroughs, would make many more camping trips throughout the next fifteen years. In 1916, Ford purchased his Fort Myers retreat, The Mangoes, for $20,000 and enlarged it by adding two family and staff wings.
    * In 1928 Ford established and endowed The Edison Institute in Dearborn, MI (now The Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village), an indoor/outdoor museum created to illustrate and preserve the American experience and celebrate American ingenuity.
    * In 1929 Ford threw a lavish party in Dearborn in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of Edison's invention of the incandescent lamp. Ford presented his friend with a detailed reconstruction of Edison's Menlo Park and the original 1887 Fort Myers laboratory at The Edison Institute. Edison became misty-eyed and remarked that "the memories of eighty-two years were flooding back." Ford told reporters at the event, "We are ahead of all other countries today, simply and solely because we have Mr. Edison."
    * Ford loved dancing and in the 1920s began a massive effort to revive old-fashioned dancing. He sponsored a national tour of dancing master Benjamin Lovett. Dancing was also an important part of Ford's social life in Fort Myers.
    * Henry Ford earned the American Legion Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts on behalf of disabled veterans in both World Wars. In 1997, Life Magazine named him one of the "100 People Who Made the Millennium," and in 2000 Time Magazine named him one of the "100 Most Important People of the Century." In 2000 Forbes Magazine called him the "#1 Industrialist of the Century."

Wednesday July 22, 2009

This morning Jim and I were talking about how hot it is and how you just run out of ideas of things to do to keep cool. Now chances are you've thought of a few of these but here is what our Rising Crew came up with for Hot Summer, Cool Off Ideas.

*Hit the beach, go during the week to avoid crowds

*Swim, hold swim relays, under water breath contests

*Play in a pool

*Check out the local water parks

*Pull out the Slip N' Slide or the garden hose

*Water balloon and water gun contests

*Ice cream anyone? How about Root Beer Floats and Popsicles

*Kyak

*Check out museums--Ringling Brothers in Sarasota, Edison Ford Winter Estates, Naples Art Galleries, Sanibel Historic Village and Museum, Shell Museum on Sanibel.

*Bike Sanibel Island

*Movie at the theater-always cold!

*Arts and Crafts inside or take a fun class. Lots of area retailers and shops have fun classes like Pies and Plates in Punta Gorda, or Michael's Arts & Crafts.

*Watch Fox 4 Rising---ok shameless plug but we had to at least try!

Enjoy friends and family!

Monday July 20, 2009

This morning we ran a story about unique vacations. Trips and tours you wouldn't normally think about. And while the story mentioned lots of places it didn't mention many in Florida so I did a little "Googling" and found the links below featuring "Off the Beaten Path" ideas here in Florida.

And if you're looking to save money why not hit the beaches. Lee County's beaches are ranked some of the best for shelling in the country, especially Sanibel. Now I like to just haphazardly find my shells, pure luck, no rhyme or reason to my method but I've always wanted to find the good shells so here's some tips from the shelling experts.

* Plan your shelling around the low phase of the tide, which allows more beach area on which to shell. Try to go to the less populated beaches about an hour before low tide and work until an hour after the low tide.

*Many seashell creatures are hidden just beneath the surface of the sand where the surf breaks, so it is important to know where to look. A good spot is the shell line, just where the highest waves stop as they come upon the beach. This is where groups of shells come up and are reshuffled by each wave. It saves digging to find the great shells.

*The other good spot is at that slight drop in the surf line, just where gentle waves break before rolling on the beach. While this area is only accessible when weather permits, it usually hold the most and finest.

*Just remember NO LIVE shells. If there are living creatures in the shells you find don't take them. Collecting live shells is banned in Lee County.

Other links to check out for some fun, unique vacation ideas:

http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/off-the-beaten-path

http://goflorida.about.com/od/beaches/a/bchpath_sefla.htm

Tuesday July 7, 2009

One of today's top stories is the massive public memorial that is underway in L.A. for Michael Jackson. Thousands of people got lucky and "won" tickets to the event at the Staples Center. Across the country 88 movie theaters will simulcast the event, which will be viewed worldwide.

Jackson's career includes over 4 decades of hits. Here's some quick facts about the King of Pop.

* It all began in 1964 with The Jackson Brothers who were renamed The Jackson 5.

* Michael began his solo career in 1971 while still a member of the group.

* Jackson's 1982 album Thriller remains the world's best-selling album of all time

* Four of his other solo studio albums are among the world's best-selling records: Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991) and HIStory (1995).

* Michael is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.

* Other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records-including one for "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time"-13 Grammy Awards, 13 number one singles in his solo career-more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era-and the sales of over 750 million records worldwide.

Monday July 6, 2009

One of the greatest memories of my childhood is summer vacation. I love trips! Today traveling is still one of my absolute favorite things to do. Even if it's just a weekend trip, I love to get away and explore somewhere new. But let's face it traveling can cost big bucks. Luckily these days the internet offers some great deals. Here's one I found and thought I'd share with you. It's not a guarentee everytime but it may help you save a buck as some of Florida's most popular spots. You can even look for deals right in our backyard for a "stay-cation" escape!

Check out www.floridavacationauction.com

It's a chance to bid and win on things you want to do. Sometimes you can save up to 80%.

So good luck! And happy and safe travels! :o)

Friday July 4, 2009

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

Wow! Where does the time go! Sorry folks it's been almost a month since I wrote. Things are always so busy.

Tomorrow for the first time since 9/11 you'll be able to once again climb up to the top of the Statue of Liberty and enjoy the view from her crown. I, myself, have never had this opportunity but it's on my list of things to do someday. So in the spirit of the 4th and Lady Liberty, here's a few fun facts from National Geographic and the National Park Service about our famous lady.

* Among the Statue of Liberty's changes since closing: improved, higher handrails on the main staircase; an enhanced the public address system; and starting this Fourth of July, stricter limits on visitors.

*Lady Liberty was a gift from France in recognition of the friendship formed during the American Revolution which culminated in U.S. independence from Britain in 1776.

*She's 305-feet tall (statue-151 feet) if you don't count the statue's giant pedestal.

*Lady Liberty was created by the hands of a young sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who is rumored to have based Lady Liberty's face on his mother's.

*If you take two pennies, stack them together-that is about as thick as her copper skin.

*The 1986 flame has an unbroken, 24-carat gold leaf-covered skin that is lighted from the outside.

So if you do go to visit The Statue of Liberty, you can skip a few of the plaques, because you'll already know all these facts! :)

HAPPY 4th!!

Thursday June 11, 2009

NAPS! I love them! When you work this schedule they are sometimes a necessity too! That's why I love this idea... to let us ALL take naps--even at work! Turns out those few zzz's lead to greater creativity and productivity.

Here's the low down on snoozing and it's great benefits...it's all from a story we aired this morning.

The University of California San Diego so believes in the power of naps they are encouraging it and just held their first ever "nap in. Dr. Jerry Phelps, Ph.D says for a nation that's sleep deprived naps get a bad rap and they want to change that.

"We want to make napping a positive in our culture and so we're making UC San Diego a nap positive environment."

Sleep expert Sara Mednick is a big fan of napping, she wrote a book on it and has done research to prove naps can keep you more alert than coffee!

"We have a new study actually that shows that we compared naps to caffeine on three different kinds of memory tests. And we find that naps made people perform better and caffeine made people perform much worse even in placebo," said Mednick.

She says a 20-minute nap can rejuvenate you, a 90 minute nap can help improve memory and motor skills. "You also show increases in creativity. We have a new study looking at people who are able to, people with REM sleep are more able to use in a creative way information that they've seen earlier to solve creative problems."

Based on that! Let's NAP!

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Wednesday June 10, 2009

I love animals! So I guess it's no surprise when two penguins waddled out of their Sea World create in our Fox 4 Rising studio that I squealed with delight. Ok, I laughed too. :) Little did I know I was going to be part of their act! One of our feathered friends, a colorful red Macaw really took a liking to me and gave me a kiss! (Don't worry, I'm no bird whisperer this little guy was trained) but he must have liked me a little, some maybe, because he did kiss me about 5 times in about a minute segment.

This kind of fun interaction is part of the whole Sea World and Busch Gardens experience. Animal ambassadors wander the parks for one-on-one meet and greets. You never know what you're going to see or be a part of. This summer there are a lot of new shows and attractions including Manta, a roller coaster that will have you flying! And you lie down as you zoom through the sky. Check it out at www.seaworld.com

If you want to see my big kiss just watch the clip in the box above!

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Tuesday June 3, 2009

Hello! I know I've been rather absent in the blogs, sorry about that. Can you believe how fast time flies. It's almost summer! And if you're like me you like to stay busy and enjoy every minute of the summer sun. And fun in the sun usually means food. So I thought I'd share a fun summer salad idea, it's a take on the classic Insalata Caprese. It's one of my favorites and super easy.

Here's what you need:

A bag of baby spinach

Fresh Mozzerella

One large tomato

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Italian seasoning (or you can do a little oregano and basil)

To Make:

Chop spinach leaves (kind of like when you chop lettuce for tacos) or you can leave whole put in salad bowl.

Dice and cube fresh mozzarella. Place in salad bowl with chopped spinach.

Dice tomatoe and put in a seperate bowl. Shake Italian seasoning. Mix in some balsamic vinaigrette dressing (your desired amount)

Add the tomatoes with dressing to your salad bowl.

Can add more balsamic vinaigrette if you want.

Now you have an on the go easy to eat with a fork Caprese style salad!

For trivia and fun FYI the original Caprese salad came from the Italian region of Campania, and is traditionally made of sliced fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes and basil. It is seasoned with salt, black pepper, and olive oil.

Monday April 27, 2009

I spent the weekend meeting some of the coolest kids ever! I am proud and happy to be a part of the Do the Right Thing Program with all our area law enforcement agencies.

DTRT is a program that honors kids for doing something above and beyond..doing what's right and not always popular, whether stopping a school bully, helping a peer, or teacher, or community group, educating your class about a disability, volunteering, or returning something that is not yours, like a $100 bill in the parking lot. These are all examples of Doing the Right Thing. I am always amazed and awed by what some of our area youth are doing.

Saturday I spent the day at the annual year end celebration picnic for DTRT. It was great! Hello to all my new friends and Congrats to all the students who were honored over the course of this past year! You've all done amazing things and you all deserve to be proud of yourself! It was a great afternoon and a big THANKS to all our area law enforcement that came out and continue to support this program along with Fox 4! We are proud to be a part of honoring our Outstanding Youth!

If you know a student who has done something you think deserves recognition email us that student's information by clicking on the Do The Right Thing icon on the Fox 4 homepage or this link. http://www.fox4now.com/Global/story.asp?S=7736100

Wednesday April 8, 2009

I am smiling, humbled, and honored this morning. Last night Fox 4 Rising was awarded the Media Partner of the Year for the Make A Wish Foundation of Southern Florida.

The honor goes to the media outlet and talent who participates and partners with Make A Wish the most, year round, to promote their mission of helping children with a life threatening illness get a WISH! I love this organization and have met so many wonderful people through it. Most of all I've met some real heros, kids who conquer the unimaginable and all with a smile. I was selected to participate in this years Dancing with the Stars, (as you've probably read about from earlier blogs) and had a wonderful time. This award is icing on the cake for something. I am proud to volunteer with Make A Wish and thrilled Fox 4 Rising has been such a part of their success this year! Thank you to everyone at Make A Wish! You are the true winners for helping kids and making all those wishes possible Fox 4 Rising looks forward to continuing to be "In Your Corner!"

Friday March 20, 2009

Alright last chance to buy a ticket to the Make A Wish Wishmaker's ball this weekend!!! You can watch your's truly spin, flip, and twirl in one heck of a salsa routine!

I will admit I'm a little nervous... dancing in front of some 200 people is not something I put on the list of things I do everyday but it's for a great cause and for that I'll take the chance of a mis-step or two. As long as I don't fall as I fly through the air in my flip I'll consider it all a success!

I've had a blast learning to dance and want to thank all my new friends at Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Fort Myers. Steve Wilkie my instructor has been wonderful, funny, and patient. All the other wonderful teachers have made me laugh and taught me great things, Suzi, Brad, Dave, Carly, Hugo, and Robyn, thanks for the memories! I am not going to know what to do with all this new free time not being at the studio! And even if I'm not there I am still going to hear "quick quick slow" in my head!

I hope to see you this Saturday night at 6p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point for the Wishmakers Ball! It's going to be a great night of fun, food, dancing and making wishes come TRUE!!! -and that's the biggest reason to come!

For ticket info: call 239.992.9474

Tuesday March 17, 2009

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Are you Irish?? Wanna be Irish?? Here are some fun St. Patty's Day Facts!

Things you never knew about St. Patrick's Day... like pirates, snakes and Britain?

Who Was the Man Behind St. Patrick's Day?

Truth is... he's not Irish at all, he's British.

An article with National Geographic says St. Patrick wasn't even Christian until he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave to tend sheep. It was here he developed his deep faith that earned him sainthood. But that's just the beginning according to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He hopped a pirate ship and went back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family, but then a voice told him to go back to Ireland. He then gets ordained as and spends the rest of his life trying to convert the Irish to Christianity.

No Snakes in Ireland

I wish I knew this years ago! Anyone want to go to Ireland as I have a deathly fear of snakes J

A fun St. Patrick myth includes the claim that St. Pat banished snakes from Ireland. And while no snakes live on the island, it's not because of this saint.

So why are there no snakes, turns out Ireland is just too cold! It's surrounded by icy ocean waters too cold to allow snakes to migrate from Britain or anywhere else.

The 3 leaf Clover

Chances are this one came from Patrick using three-leafed shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity.

St. Patrick's Day: Made in America?

Until the 1970s, St. Patrick's Day in Ireland was a minor religious holiday. A priest would acknowledge the feast day, and families would celebrate with a big meal, but that was about it.

Turns out Irish Americans basically invented St. Patrick's Day. It used to be a day of charity with Irish charitable organizations celebrating St. Patrick's Day with banquets in places such as Boston, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and Charleston, South Carolina.

The first and longest running parade is the New York St. Patty's day parade started in the Eighteenth-century. Irish soldiers fighting with the British in the U.S. Revolutionary War held the first St. Patrick's Day parades.

Wearing Green Clothes, Dyeing River Green

The green look... that came sometime in the 19th century.

In 1962 Chicago started dying the river green.

Pint of Guinness

On any given day 5.5 million pints of Guinness, the famous Irish stout, are consumed around the world.

On St. Patrick's Day, that number more than doubles to 13 million pints, said Beth Davies Ryan, global corporate relations director of Guinness.

There you go! Some lean mean green facts to add to your Irish toast!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Friday March 13, 2009

Lions, Tigers Bears 09!! That's the theme of the Naples Zoo and Caribbean Gardens this year! The Oh-Nine replacing the popular "Oh My!" but really we should all be saying Oh My! There is so much going on at the zoo this year!

First, the most ambitious undertaking since the zoo opened 40 years ago, Black Bear Hammock.

I got a chance to take part in a special behind the scenes hard hat tour, crawling through the Hammock, the future home of the zoo's two black bears, a male and female, 5 and 3 years old.

This new state of the art bear exhibit will be ahead of it's time with 15-thousand square feet of habitat and two different environments. A natural habitat that tells the story of loggers coming down to SWFL for cypress, complete with a railroad truss bridge that overlooks a 5 feet deep pond.

Then there's the backyard habitat with a real life lanai complete with sliding glass doors that face the bears. The scene is meant to look like your backyard. There's even a kiddie pool for the bears and a swing set jungle gym. This area is meant to teach zoo visitors how to co-exist with our local wildlife.

The Hammock, a $700 thousand dollar project has been funded all through grants and donations. The zoo, which has been a non-profit for just 4 years, says they're still $100 thousand short but hoping to raise that too.

I can tell you from my hands on tour that these bears are going to have a ball. I can't wait to see what they do with all those toys and things to climb on. I'll give you one unique secret from my tour... there's even going to be a shallow pond filled with fish so maybe if your lucky, you'll see one of these bears make a catch!

Black Bear Hammock opens April 18. But if you can't wait that long... head to the zoo March 21 when 2 new 8 month old lion cubs will go on display.

So that's the lions and bears part of our story...for the tigers get ready for a little black and white. White tigers will be coming Memorial Day through Labor Day.

For more info www.napleszoo.com

Friday March 6, 2009

I must say I'm really starting to like this dancing thing! In fact I'm having a ball! I love it! I've finally got the moves down and am working on perfecting my flip...yes FLIP! Get ready to see me airborne! I'm practicing it today actually.

Earlier this morning on Fox 4 Rising my dance instructor, Steve Wilkie, with Fred Astaire dance studio in Fort Myers came on to help me give you a "Sneak Peak." If you like what you saw come out to Fred Astaire Dance in Fort Myers this Sunday March 8 from 2-5 p.m. and catch not only me, but other celebrities in a special Wish Makers Ball Sneak Preview!

Here's the best part! You get to help the YMCA at the same time! And get a free dance lesson! All proceeds from our Sunday spectacular will go to help the YMCA's strong kids campaign.

Hope to see you there!

(To watch my dance preview click on the video link above)

Friday Feb. 20, 2009

Some of you may have seen my "not so smooth" moves trying to do a hip-hop exercise Wednesday morning on our weekly Kari Kardio segment. (If you did miss this moment in true humility you can check it out on the Rising Homepage just go to the Kari Kardio box on the right.)

So back to the dancing... hip hop may not be my bop. But I am learning to salsa! What an adventure! It's all part of the Wishmaker's Ball March 21 at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point to benefit the Make A Wish foundation.

I was selected as a celebrity dancer and just like on the show, "Dancing with the Stars" I have been paired up with the lead instructor and manager of the Fred Astaire dance studio in Fort Myers, Steve Wilkie. Steve has been wonderfully patient with this 2-left feet, blonde from Nebraska! :) When we first started I was like "are you kidding me!? I will never get this!" But I have to say after almost 2 months of lessons I am getting pretty good at this salsa thing and having a blast! It's a great workout and it's so much fun! I don't want to give away too much of my routine but I can tell you I'm working on some very SMOOTH moves that will have you "flip!"

The best part is I'm helping Make A Wish, an organization I love and truly believe in! I am a volunteer and it's the best "job" ever. I am a wish granter, meaning I work to make sure kids get their wish. Meeting these kids is always amazing! They are so strong and so alive and so excited to get their wish! They make my day and they make me realize everytime I see them, how lucky we all are to be alive and to be healthy!

So come out! Have a ball! I promise it will be a great night! Regardless of how I dance! :)

Saturday, March 21, 2009 Wishmaker's Ball

A special evening that begins with a silent auction, delicious hors d'oeuvres and spectacular spirits. Following the cocktail reception, you will be treated to a live ‘Dancing with the Stars' performance by local celebrities and socialites, an exquisite dinner and a unique Make-A-Wish guest appearance to remember.
Location: Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, 6001 Coconut Road, Estero FL
Time: 6:00 pm
Admission: $200.00
100% of net proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida
For more information or to help sponsor call 239.992.9474

Monday Feb. 16, 2009

Did you know that CPR can double the chance of survival in the event of cardiac arrest? Just anther reason to dust off that CPR certification or sign up for another class and get a refresher course. The American Heart Association offers a 3 hour class on CPR and AED(Automated External Defibrillators). Here's a few other facts to consider from the AHA.

CPR FACTS AND STATISTICS

    * About 75 percent to 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so being trained to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can mean the difference between life and death for a loved one.
    * Effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double a victim's chance of survival.
    * CPR helps maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain and increases the amount of time that an electric shock from a defibrillator can be effective.
    * Approximately 95 percent of sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital.
    * Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. If more people knew CPR, more lives could be saved.
    * Brain death starts to occur four to six minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest if no CPR and defibrillation occurs during that time.
    * If bystander CPR is not provided, a sudden cardiac arrest victim's chances of survival fall 7 percent to 10 percent for every minute of delay until defibrillation. Few attempts at resuscitation are successful if CPR and defibrillation are not provided within minutes of collapse.
    * Coronary heart disease accounts for about 550,000 of the 927,000 adults who die as a result of cardiovascular disease.
    * Approximately 335,000 of all annual adult coronary heart disease deaths in the U.S. are due to sudden cardiac arrest, suffered outside the hospital setting and in hospital emergency departments. About 900 Americans die every day due to sudden cardiac arrest.
    * Sudden cardiac arrest is most often caused by an abnormal heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). Cardiac arrest can also occur after the onset of a heart attack or as a result of electrocution or near-drowning.
    * When sudden cardiac arrest occurs, the victim collapses, becomes unresponsive to gentle shaking, stops normal breathing and after two rescue breaths, still isn't breathing normally, coughing or moving.

Friday Feb. 6, 2009

Wear your Red!

Today is the American Heart Association's National Wear Red Day. I wore my red. Did you? I'm proud to wear red!

Did you know heart disease is the number one killer of women in the U.S. It takes a woman's life every minute. That means about every minute a woman dies because of heart disease, a heart attack or other heart issue. Think of your friends, mom, sisters and other loved ones. The wear Red campaign is all about raising awareness which is so critical because as women we often ignore the signs. Even worse if we finally do take action heart disease is not always diagnosed first in women.

I know my family has a history of heart disease and that increases my personal risk. So I need to watch out and stay pro-active. That means even now, I need to watch what I eat, get exercise and keep tabs on my health.

The whole month of February is Heart Month. If you havn't thought about the ole' ticker lately make it a goal this month to learn more about your heart and the risk factors of heart disease and heart attacks.

Here are a few things women should be thinking about.

Know the warning signs of a heart attack:

    * Chest discomfort
    * Discomfort in the back, stomach, jaw, arm or chest
    * Shortness of breath
    * Breaking out in a cold sweat
    * Nausea
    * Lightheadedness

What are the risk factors that women should be aware of?

Some risk factors can't be changed, such as family history, but most can be such as:

    * Physical inactivity
    * Obesity or overweight
    * High blood pressure
    * High blood cholesterol
    * Tobacco smoke
    * Diabetes

What can you do today to take charge of your heart health?

Start by making a promise today to be heart healthy.

    * Visit your healthcare provider to learn how to make heart-healthy habits part of your daily life. Schedule a doctor's appointment each year on your birthday.
    * Know your numbers. Track your blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and weight and keep them in a healthy range.
    * Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine.
    * Add more color to your plate by eating more fruits and vegetables daily.

For more information contact the AHA www.americanheart.org

Friday Jan. 30, 2009

Super Bowl Madness & Some Fun Party Facts

It is the weekend die hard football fans wait eagerly for. They've watched the pre-season, regular season and post season games faithfully in all their glory and now the crowning moment. But for the rest of us the Super Bowl is a heck of a good reason to get friends together and enjoy some great food. I know I look forward to Super Bowl parties and am already dreaming of making my favorite chili cheese dip! :)

I heard that the Super Bowl is the second biggest day of eating in America, topped only by Thanksgiving and that got me hungry for a few more fun facts... here's what I found.

Did you know that 6% of Americans call in sick the Monday after Super Bowl? Also on that same Monday, antacid sales increase by 20%? Hmmm????

Here's a few more tempting tid-bits

    * 8 million pounds of guacamole is consumed on Super Bowl Sunday.
    * 14,500 tons of chips are eaten along with that guacamole.
    * The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17.
    * 5% of Americans will watch the game alone.
    * Of the top 10 most watched television programs of all time, 9 of them are Super Bowls.
    * Budweiser has been the exclusive Super Bowl beer advertiser for the past 13 years.
    * The Super Bowl is measured in Roman numerals because a football season runs the span over two calendar years. The year the season began in 2006 and ends in 2007.
    * Since the 1980s the Super Bowls have always started around 6pm Eastern Standard Time.
    * More drivers are involved in alcohol-related accidents on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year (except St. Patrick's Day), according to the Insurance Information Institute.
    * 35% of people who attend the game write it off as a corporate expense.
    * Over 700,000 footballs are produced annually for official NFL use and 72 of them are used for the Super Bowl.
    * The Super Bowl has been played in south Florida 9 times, today's game will be the 10th.
    * Super Bowl fans spend more than $50 million on food during the 4 days prior to the super bowl.
    * Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest winter grilling day of the year.

There you go munch on this along with the guacamole and grab those TUMS ahead of time! And no calling in sick. I will be here bright and early Monday morning to wake you up! :o)

January 13, 2008

The Super Green RV. Would you believe you could travel to 48 states in a year in an RV and never pull up to a gas station?

I didn't until I met Brian Brawdy. An RV superstar and nationally known eco-travel expert. Brian is in town for the Florida RV Super Show taking place in Tampa this week. He gave me a tour of his RV and told me his journey all started when he got diagnosed with skin cancer. A healthy individual who didn't smoke or abuse his body as he put it, Brian started to reasearch solar radiation and that got the wheels turning, literally to customize and invent his Super Green RV. He has massive solar panels on the front that provide energy and a wind turbine as well. He catches rain water to use for his RV plumbing, shower and kitchen. Brian has also converted his engine to run on vegatable oil... so all he has to do is pull up to the nearest fast food chain and get some fry grease. And when he pulls into a camp site he's totally self sufficient and needs no electric plug in.

To see Brian you can head to the Tampa RV Supershow this weekend http://www.frvta.org/supershow.asp

Or check out his web site www.brianbrawdy.com

Christmas Eve-December 24, 2008

December 23, 2008

Happy Hanukkah! Merry Christmas! I can't believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve! I am still working on getting all the baking done, gifts wrapped, and cards...well let's just say they may not make it out this year! :O) My family traditions started Christmas Eve at my grandparents house. We'd have a big dinner with like 40 of us Sedlacek's all gathered round then we'd open one present, play games and all go to Midnight Mass! I loved it! It was the best thing in the world and as a kid with a lot of cousins to play with it was always exciting! I miss going back home for those Sedlacek traditions today. But I always call to "listen" in to the mayhem.

Now that I've moved away from home I've started my own traditions and here in Florida there are so many things to do! Not only locally but a few hours up the road if you're looking to escape. The last two weeks on Fox 4 Rising we've had some of our friends from the Orlando area down. Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Busch Gardens are all decked out in their own unique flair for the holidays.

At Universal Studios take part in Grinchmas with the Grinch and all the Whoos down in Whooville. You can watch my interview with the Grinch and Marth Mae Who by clicking and scrolling through the video box on the left above.

At Walt Disney World join in the fun of 5 million dancing lights with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights. The lights "dance" to music every 15 minutes and all of the displays will glow and dim to holiday tunes. And if you're homesick for snow like I am ....it snows!!! Here's a clip of the dancing lights to check out.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/holidays/osbornelights.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bs3o-hABxE

In my humble opinon, they are worth it! It's the most amazing Christmas Spectacular I've ever seen and it's one of my favorite holiday things to do.

At Sea World families can join Shamu for a magnificent holiday show: "Shamu Christmas ... Miracles."   Nightly through Dec. 30.   The Orlando Philharmonic performs selections from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, "The Polar Express." This evening concert will be held at SeaWorld's Bayside Stadium and will conclude with an array of fireworks. Dec. 26-30. The Polar Express runs through Jan. 4. Hop aboard for a journey to Santa's Village. New Year's Eve Celebration Families can ring in the New Year at SeaWorld with a musical extravaganza featuring Michael Andrew & The Atomic Big Band there will be fireworks at midnight

At Busch Gardens check out Christmas on Ice as the outdoor stage is transformed into winter wonderland, complete with ice, snow-capped evergreens, heart-warming holiday music and world-class skating. The limited-engagement ice show has daily performances (excluding Thursday) at the Stanleyville Theater through Jan. 4. New Year's Eve Celebration Count down to 2009 with the biggest party this side of midnight. Busch Gardens gives the New Year a wild welcome with fireworks filling the sky De. 27-30. Then on the 31st, ring in the new year with the ultimate New Year's Eve Celebration, featuring live music by Funhouse in Gwazi Park, special performances by Kevin Johnson, and a fireworks finale at midnight.

And last but not least ....ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY! Family and friends are the true gift of the SEASON! And in these times I'm so thankful for all of my friends and the guests who come on Fox 4 Rising!

Merry Christmas to all... and to all....A Good Night!

December 15, 2008

The holiday countdown is on! Are you as stressed as I am? I have so much to do at work and at home! I have been so busy I havn't blogged in almost a month! (Sorry about that!) Even us morning anchors get bogged down with life's daily tasks. :O)

Today I want to encourage all our viewers to send in pictures of their pets all decked out for the holidays. We will be airing your pet pics during our 7 and 8 a.m. hours and then posting them on our web page! We can't wait to see what you come up with. Last year we had some great cuties. My own cat Lexi will be showing off her reindeer antlers sometime soon.

Email your photos to fox4rising@fox4now.com Include your name and your pet's name.

November 19, 2008

YEAH FOR SANIBEL!!! I am happy to report that Sanibel Island was named as one of the best islands in ALL of North America by Conde Nast Traveler in their Reader's Choice Awards.

I agree 100% !! I personally love Sanibel. My favorite days off are when I can spend a whole day on Sanibel and there's so much to do! You can hit the beautiful beaches, grab a picnic at Bailey's General Store, Florida's Oldest Family owned grocery store, rent a bike and go for a ride on one of their many paved paths... or maybe hit up Ding Darling where you can get up close and personal with some of the natives...aka alligators and birds. There are also more than a dozen good family owned restraunts to pick from. Too many, but that's a good thing because no matter your craving, casual or fancy you can find it.

In July, I chose Sanibel as one of the best One Tank Trips, guess I was on to something. You can watch that story by clicking on "Sanibel" in the video box at the top of this blog.

It's a $6 toll... and it's all yours! And the best part is, you get to skip out on the airfare like all our visitors.

To see the article follow this link:

http://www.concierge.com/tools/travelawards/readerschoice/islands#top

November 11, 2008

I just want to say a BIG THANK YOU! to all our Veterans and to the men and women currently fighting to defend our freedom. I commend you and have great respect for all the sacrifices you make each and everyday. I have no idea how you do what you do. My hats off to you and your families!

I wanted to learn a little bit more about Veteran's Day and did a little digging. Here's what I found out.

First do you know the difference between Memor, i, al D, ay, and Veteran's Day?

Memorial Day is the day set aside to honor America's war dead. Veterans Day, on the other hand, honors ALL American veterans, both living and dead. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank , <, , em>LIVING veterans for dedicated and loyal service to their country.

Why November 11?

To commemorate the ending of the "Great War" (World War I), an "unknown soldier" was buried in highest place of honor in both England and France (in England, Westminster Abbey; in France, the Arc de Triomphe). These ceremonies took place on November 11th, celebrating the ending of World War I hostilities at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). This day became known internationally as "Armistice Day".

In 1921, the United States of America followed France and England by laying to rest the remains of a World War I American soldier -- his name "known but to God" -- on a Virginia hillside overlooking the city of Washington DC and the Potomac River. This site became known as the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier," and today is called the "Tomb of the Unknowns." Located in Arlington National Cemetery, the tomb symbolizes dignity and reverence for the American veteran.

In America, November 11th officially became known as Armistice Day through an act of Congress in 1926. It wasn't until 12 years later, through a similar act that Armistice Day became a national holiday.

And now you know too! Please take the time to say "THANK YOU!" today to our many veterans!

November 10, 2008

Let's face it, no matter who you are, you're watching your wallet a little more these days. Shopping for deals is the new name of the game, and if you've got a family to feed, it's a MUST! In the spirit of sharing great finds I thought I'd pass along a website I found http://www.kidsmealdeals.com

This is great if you're wondering who's got the freebies. You simply type in your zip code and it pops up with the deals of the day. You can even type in a specific day, like if you're really not feeling like battling the kitchen today, type in Tuesday For example I typed in 33991, the zip code for the station and came up with 17 meal deals at 17 different places within 30 miles.

So now you can answer with confidence... That dreaded question... What's for dinner???

Bon Appetite! Cheap!

October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is so much fun! Today on the show we had the best guest! I got to live out a childhood moment when I interviewed Elmo and Cookie Monster. They even came in costume. Elmo was a police officer and Cookie was a fireman. We talked about their live Broadway style musical show which is in town this weekend.

Then Sabrina and I had a blast from the past moment dressing up as some of our childhood favorites. Sabrina sported her high school cheerleading outfit and I turned mys, e, lf into a Mouseketeer. I grew up loving Disney and watched the original Mouse Club and then when Disney came out with the new Mouseclub (you know with Brittney and Christina) I also tuned in on occasion. I still love Disney and am a big fan of the Mouse! The mouse ears are my real ears from when I graduated from the Walt Disney College World Program--way back in the day! :)

Okay now for those treats! Since I LOVE to bake holidays are double the fun!

I'm always looking for creative ideas and found some I wanted to share with you!! In fact Sabrina and I decided to make them for you on the show today so if you click in the video box above you can watch us make ghoulish eyeballs, monster's punch, and some batty cupcakes.

For the batty cupcakes you can buy cupcakes or if you have the time make some with your favorite recipe. Then frost them. Either orange or black for Halloween. Then you'll need a package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies, Hershey Kisses, and some green gel icing. Take the cookies and break them in half. Stick each half upside down at an angle in the cupcake to make wings. Then take an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss and put it sideways in the center in front of the wings to make the bat's face. Then just use the gel icin, , g to dot two eyes on the kiss. Ta-DA! Batty fun!

Here's the links for the Monster's Black Punch and The Ghoulish Eyeballs!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Black-Halloween-Punch/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

http://www.recipezaar.com/75632

Enjoy and have a SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN!!!

   CHOCOLATE! DARK CHOCOLATE!!!

This is BLACK! It's Chocolatier Norman Love's latest creation, just released this week. It took him and his team of chocolate artesians 10 months to create the series, which features five flavors, each from unique corners of the world known for their exquisite chocolate. What you get is a rich party for your tastebuds!

I went behind the scenes at Norman Love Confections to find out more about BLACK. You can watch a clip of my interview with Norman above. Just click on "It's All About BLACK" in the video box.

And take my word for it... BLACK is GOOD! REAL GOOD! I've never tasted dark chocolate as smooth and rich as the flavors of BLACK. Each piece is hand crafted and hand painted. Norman is known for his tasty, decadent chocolates and two of the flavors in this new line are already being hailed by one chocolate critic as "two of the finest chocolates to have been created in the last five years." One of them is made from organic cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic, that's Hacienda Elvesia. The other is Norman's personal fave, Cru Sauvage, it's the only chocolate in the world made from wild cocoa deep in the amazon and is hard to harvest.

Hungry yet? I am ... :) If , y, , ou want to learn more about Norman Love click here: www.NormanLoveConfections.com ENJOY!!

October 23, 2008

On Saturday I had the pleasure of helping to fight breast cancer by emceeing the 3rd annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer in Naples at Venetian Village. With hundreds of walkers we raised over $57,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society to fight breast cancer and help people in Collier County.

On Wednesday I stopped by the Center for Independent Living to talk to a group of people about my job here on Fox 4 Rising. They had a lot of great questions and even gave me this picture. It was the winning design in their Halloween Contest. The Center helps people with disabilities learn to live independently on their own.

October 17, 2008

Let's talk about fears! I HATE! HATE! HATE!--- am really really stinkin' scared of snakes! Scared to the point I jump, scream, and run faster than Micheal Phelps can swim, in the other direction. So when I found out our friends at Busch Gardens were bringing the slithering reptile on set to sit next to me during a LIVE interview I started to sweat! This was not my idea of a good time.

But the goal of the interview was facing your fears...aka.. Halloween and all those creepy crawly things that go bump in the night. Busch Gardens came down to not only freak me out-- but get us all ready for their 9th annual Howl-O-Scream. That's when it gets dark and the park changes to haunted houses, ghost, gouls, and the living dead.

So the big question is.... am I brave enough to handle Thor the Royal Python?

I decided to be REALLY BRAVE! I have never sat this close to a snake in my life!!! And you know what--I got a bigger surprise!

Thor wasn't what I should have been worried about...it was Fluffy! Fluffy is a (giant in my mind) Turantula that started crawling in my direction. --To the point he was about to crawl over our coffee table and come say hi. So I jumped... feet up under me in a heartbeat! It was a double trouble threat! A snake to my right and a spider dead ahead. UGH!

Let's just say I won't forget this Howl-O interview for a long time--because I did SCREAM!

For more on Howl-O-Scream check out their website www.raventwins.com or www.buschgardens.com

And good luck with the snakes! I'll put in a good word with Thor!

October 13, 2008

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

One in eight women will be affected by breast cancer. It's a disease that knows no race, color, or economic lifestyle. It just doesn't matter. And to say it will never happen to you or a loved one is a risky statement, because chances are, sadly, it will somehow touch your life.

It's all about prevention and awareness.

Fox 4 Rising is proud to help raise the level of awareness by featuring live interivews about Breast Cancer and all the organizations that work to provide research and support in our area. We will be talking about Breast Cancer in our weekly Fox 4 Housecall with Dr. Krista and Dr. Andy.

Artist Leoma Lovegrove is on a "Nuts to Cancer" campaign, painting coconuts pink for survivors and friends. Right now anyone can , , stop by her Lovegrove Gallery on Matlacha to sign the Survivors board or buy a "Think Pink" Coconut or other breast cancer themed signs. During October she's donating 50% of sales from all Breast Cancer art to "From Our Hearts," a local cancer charity. Leoma is also giving away at no charge a pink coconut to any woman who is currently in the midst of her cancer treatments. Most likely the one that says "Celebrate Courage." www.leomalovegrove.com

Other dates to watch for:

Oct 20 Gourmet Girl Magazine will be talking about their partnership with Komen and Cook for the Cure.

Oct. 23 Sarah Coventry jewelry will be showing off their Pink line and sharing what they're doing to help in the efforts to raise money for research.

For more information locally check out:

Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group http://bbbcsi.org

Komen For the Cure www.komen.org

September 30, 2008

Pillow Fight!!! Watch Sabrina fight me in a fun battle!

Lucky for you we didn't take a snooze with our pillows at this early hour! No we don't normally have pillows lying around the Rising set, but The Morning Blend, has couch pillows so we borrowed theirs to carry out our own version of the massive Michigan pillow fight!

Sabrina got the idea to attack while I was reading a story about hundreds of people gathering in Grand Rapids for a giant pillow fight. The feather fight was organized by people using Facebook. Our version was just for a good laugh!

September 25, 2008

You know how mom always said, "Eat a good breakfast! And Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!" Well in today's busy world I know that's not easy. I leave my house at 2 a.m. every morning. I can promise you I am not cooking pancakes, eggs, I barely have time or am awake enough to "leggo the eggo!"

But I do love to cook and I love to feed the crew of Fox 4 Rising. I am known for my sweet treats but at 2:15 a.m. when I get to work, a brownie isn't always the most appetizing. Though don't laugh we've all eaten them at that time. When you're awake up so early sugar is always a good thing! By the time we get off air we're all craving lunch, pizza, burgers, sandwiches.

So when The Morning Blend asked for a favorite recipe I decided to share a Fox 4 Rising favorite... a healthy one that is a true, REAL breakfast! The best part, it's super easy and you make it the night before so while I'm curling my h, , air it's baking in the oven. No extra work!

Now this recipe was invented out of my love of reading recipes. So in hunting for a good egg dish I looked at recipes for strata, quiche, and frittata...then decided to make my own!

To see the recipe and a quick demonstration including fun gossip click the link below.

Watch me cook one of my favorite "wake up" recipes on The Morning Blend.

September 1, 2008

Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and gets a well deserved chance to relax!

August 12, 2008

The "Bobs" have decided, actually you decided, and Barrack "Bobblehead' Obama won the Bobble Election. Obama grabbed 54.4% of the vote (500 Bobbleheads) to John McCain's 45.6% (419 bobbleheads).

But Obama's Bobbling victory wasn't just in Ft. Myers. Obama was the favorite candidate of bobble voters in all six cities where the Goldklang group owns minor league teams. Here's the complete official results.

GOLDKLANG GROUP TEAM RESULTS

TEAM                         OBAMA                                              McCAIN

Hudson Valley, NY      750 (51.3%)                                        713 (48.7%)

Brockton, MA          ,, &, nbsp;   500 (52.3%)                                        456 (47.7%)

Charleston, SC             500 (58.1%)                                        360 (41.9%)

St. Paul, MN                1250 (58%)                           , ,               906 (42%)

Sioux Falls, SD             500 (55.2%)                                        405 (44.8%)

Fort Myers, FL            500 (54.4%)                                        419 (45.6%)

TOTALS                     4,000 ( 55.1%)             &, nbs, p;                       3,259 ( 44.9%)

August 11, 2008

I have to say I'm having fun watching the Olympics, every time I turn the TV on, Micheal Phelps is breaking another world record! (Yes, I'm partial to swimming-in fact I have it on as I write this blog.) But all the athletes amaze me!!! Last night I stayed up late watching the women's gymnastics and was impressed by the raw power those girls have in landing some of those moves. I hope everyone recovers from their injuries on TEAM USA!

Now to local sports! It's time to Bobble All Night Long! with Miracle Baseball. Forget the pencils tonight at Hammond Stadium you can cast your ballot by grabbing a hot dog and a bobblehead of your favorite candidate.

So what will the "Bobs" decide? That's up to you tonight as the Miracle take on the Dunedin Blue Jays at 7:05 p.m.

Lee County Elections will supervise the straw poll and have the new voting machines on hand so you can test them out before the real deal in November. Once you cast your vote on the new machines you get to pick your bobblehead. The first of the candidates to run out of all 500 bobbleheads will be declared the winner. Voting begins at 6 p.m. So get their early to vote for your favorite "Bob"

Four years ago when the Miracle held the Bobble Election Bush's bob won 53% to John Kerry's 47%.   I'll let you know who wins tomorrow! Enjoy the game!

August 8, 2008

8-08-08

It's a lucky number meant to bring good fortune. And while a lot of couples are tying the knot today in hopes of a happy marriage, I dug a little deeper to find why this date, with all it's crazy 8's is so full of good fortune. And why the Chinese particularly planned it so the opening ceremonies of the 29th Olypiad began at 8:08:08 p.m. (China time--8:08:08 a.m. for us, since it is an exact 12 hour difference.)

Turns out the number has special meaning for many Asians. Eight's special standing among the Chinese comes from the word's tone. It's a homonym for words meaning "to prosper, to boom, to flourish, or to develop," he said, which is why phone numbers, license plates and addresses that contain the digit of good fortune are coveted in China. Some also consider 8 to mean infinity. When the digit is tipped on it's side it makes the never ending circle symbol.

(This could be why brides fought over the date. According to the WeddingChannel.com--there's a 213% jump in weddings for this Friday compared to the same Friday (Aug. 10) last year.

Me--happily married--am more excited about the Olympics! The pictures online of the opening ceremonies so far are amazing! I will admit I'm 90% likely to tune in tonight to catch them. After that it will be hit and miss with my favorite events.

I love women's gymnastics. As I kid, I loved Shannon Miller. I remember staying home to watch her while my family went out to dinner. I didn't care about food I wanted to know how she landed that mount. I would then run outside and le,, a, p across the jungle gym and monkey bars pretending to win my gold. I never did gymnastics, never fit into the routine of childhood or the family budget but I live vicariously through all our athletes. This year I like Shawn Johnson and she's from Iowa, right next to Nebraska and birthplace of my hubby, so gotta root for the hometown girl!

Then I want to catch Dara Torres and Micheal Phelps! GO swim team! I am a swimmer, the non-competitive type, but ever since I learned how to float I love it! I try to swim a mile at least 3 times a week. Dara's story just amazes me! She's 41 and going for gold again! She's a role model for all of us and in such killer shape! I'm in awe! And Micheal is expected to be the fastest fish in the water.

I also enjoy all the track and field events. Enjoy! Go TEAM USA!

http://www.nbcolympics.com

July 30, 2008--Weird News!

WARNING! This might make your skin crawl... it certainly gave me the creeps.

This morning we aired a story from the Fox station in Austin, Texas about a body farm. Yes, body farm! They don't grow body parts... rather bury them and let them decompose!

Say what?

I know it's a bit odd and disturbing but the whole goal is to study how bodies decompose in shallow graves. Why? To help law enforcement solve murders and other crimes where someone ditches a body. EWWWW! It's interesting, but I could NOT be one of these researchers.

The program is run by Texas State University and this "farm" will be the largest body farm in the world. They'll study how plants grow, the soil changes and things like that to hopefully help police narrow their searches.

To see the full story http://www.myfoxaustin.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=7092272&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1

July 25, 2008

Today we had Make-A-Wish on the show. I love this group! There are so many incredible charities out there and so many non-profits that do so many wonderful things, and nothing against any of them--I work with a lot of them-- but Make A Wish is just amazing! The things they do for children and families that have gone through so much, and dealt with illness is remarkable.

They just granted a wish for a girl who spent so much time in the hospital watching the movie Patch Adams that her dream was to meet Robin Williams. It happened thanks to the Bonita Bay Golfing Gaters program. And it's changed her life and her attitude. And speaking from experience attitude is everything, not only in being sick but in living life. I'm a big believer in smiles, hugs, and the glass always being half full! :)

I was a sick kid. Thankfully--so thankfully-- it was never life threatening but , I, was always sick. I seemed to catch everything and had severe asthma and allergies. When I was in the 5th grade my immune system shut down and I had to get IV's every week or so. I spent more Thanksgiving holidays in the hospital than I can count because I'd always get pneumonia. And it was the simple things that always made a world of difference. I remember a nurse bringing in a puzzle for me to do once-- it made my whole day! Then another hospital nurse brought me a little turkey made out of pipe cleaners and a little roll of Life Savers candy. I still remember that every Thanksgiving. Luckily I've outgrown or overcome my asthma to the point the hospital and I are no longer such good friends. Now an inhaler does the trick.

But I can tell you being a kid and being sick is no fun and when someone takes the time to care and share a smile it really does make a BIG difference. Maybe that's one of the reasons I love being a wish granter for Make A Wish. I've met two fabulous girls, both ironically named Chloe. And they make me smile. They're wonderful and I can't wait to make sure their wishes come true.

If you've ever seen a child smile...when they are truly delighted beyond words-- you know it's the best thing in the world. Childhood is for laughter, innocence and fun. And if you ever get the chance to help a child...DO... I promise you, you won't regret it.

For more on Make A Wish www.SFLA.WISH.org.

July 18, 2008

Speaking of blessings I had the honor of celebrating hundreds of local kids who chose to "DO THE RIGHT THING" this Saturday at Lakes Park. Every month the Do the Right Thing program honors local students who've done something extraordinary, whether helping a teacher, fellow student, standing up to peer pressure, fighting crime, being honest and returning stolen goods, or even saving the life of another person. These are selfless acts of random kindness and good deeds that too often get forgotten in our busy society. Cape Coral, Ft. Myers, Punta Gorda Police and ,, Collier County, Lee County Sheriff's all participate in the program. Saturday's picnic honored all students through out the year as well as 5 regional winners. They've done amazing things and I just want to say CONGRATS to all of them!! They are better people in their young lives than some of us will ever be--True ROLE MODELS! It's hard not to feel good about the future when I see these young leaders.

Did anyone go to Sex in the City? I loved it! One of my best friends and I dressed to the 9's -(doing our best Carrie impersonations) as we hit the theate, r. Gulf Coast Towne Center was packed. I give the movie a 4.5 out of 5. I thought it was great, at times it drug a little but in the end I loved it. I was very happy with the ending--I won't say any more so as not to spoil all the surprises. But if you're a Sex in the City fan I give it my 2 thumbs up!

And now for a drum roll please.... FOX 4 Rising in moving forward and jumping into the world of RADIO! Starting today we will be joining our Clear Channel radio partners, OLZ, Cat Country and The Beat each and every morning. We're going to be "dropping in" LIVE to see what they're talking about and to give you the best watercooler talk in Southwest Florida. So hold on and get ready to hear us on the radio! You never know what we're going to be talking about.

One last random thought... You know I'm a foodie so here's the recipe of the week. It's from today's show and Chef Shelly's "Gourmet on a Budget" segment. She made the warm best pasta salad using fresh sweet corn and tomatoes. YUMMY!!! Then to finish it off... a cheap and easy chicken brine recipe. It's what's for dinner tonight at my house! :) For the recipe just click on Rising Recipes on the Rising home page!

:)

May 27, 2008

Hello Friends! I hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! It was a busy one for me! Lots of events and fun times. I joined some friends for a great night at Roy's in Naples at Bayfront on Friday for a fantastic night of food and fun! I even got to meet Roy Yamaguchi himself! Roy's is celebrating 20 years of Hawaiin Fusion and he made the trip from Hawaii to cook for all of us. It was fabulous. I even managed to get seconds on desserts. :o) Anyone who knows me, knows I have a HUGE sweet tooth! I love to bake and I love to eat anything sweet. If you ever make it to Roy's you've got to save room and have their Pineapple Upside Down Cake....HEAVEN! The chocolate lava creation is just as scrumptious! My mouth is watering all over again.

Watch for this! On Saturday the Rising Crew went on the Road to tape a story I can't wait to share with you! We're going to be finding all sorts of fun places to go on one tank of gas this summer! And we started with our friends from Busch Gardens. Remember Harry who came on the show o, , n, Wednesday?

Well we went to check out his digs and see the brand new Jungala exhibit. My team and I got the inside scoop on all the best parts of the par, k, all the secrets, and even got to get up close and personal with the tigers! Just wait til you see the video we shot! We took 2 cameras to get all the best angles as a huge tiger plunges into the water to catch his lunch right in front of us. You're going to love it. Plus you can see me "surf" with a crockadile like creature, interview a toucan, and I even braved a coaster... and I hate coasters--get ready to see me scream!

On Sunday I spent the day with Make-A-Wish helping to grant a young girl's wish. Keyanna wanted to be a rock star. So TGI Fridays at Coconut helped throw a Rock Concert event. I volunteered and had a blast meeting some great new people. Just to see the generosity of everyone and the community effort to make sure this event went off with out a hitch is incredible. I feel honored to be part of such a great group of volunteers. The mission of Make A Wish inspires me. It's an incredible feeling to see a child who gets ex, , actly what they've always dreamed of. Their face and the face of their family who has been through so much is enough to light and power a thousand, thousand watt lightbulbs! It was the highlight of a weekend that was already a lot of fun and amazing.

I hope you all had fun at your Memorial Day celebrations and BBQ's. Now, I've got to get to work on your Jungala story so we can get it on the air!

May 22, 2008

Thursday 10:25am

American Idol...it's a phenomenon! 97.5 million people voted!! It's crazy! That's more than will vote in ANY presidential election! I can almost guarentee that! I mean 97.5 million is double, heck triple the population of several countries!

I will admit that I watched this season and got hooked. I was rooting for David Cook from almost the beginning. And while I'm thrilled he won, I am blown away by the interest in this single show! It's a simple concept and yet everyone from five year olds to 95 year olds watch. My dad watches! (I know he did at least once anyways.) If only we could get that much support behind any of the major issues in our society. Healthcare, education, crime, electing our leaders. Put that much "star power" to anything and it's an instant recipe for success. I mean the vote difference seperating David A. and David C. was 12 million votes--even that's astounding! Good luck to Mr. Cook. Who kno,, w, , s, maybe he can "Change the World" with music.

May 21, 2008
Wednesday 11:30am

And for my first scribble, a hilarious moment! This is a photo I won't live down as my director has already shared it with the entire news team!

"That's ok Harry... I don't need a kiss!" I was a little nervous about having Harry come in for a tight shot. I had my eye on this sloth as he sat on my lap for a live interview. Harry came down from Busch Gardens new exhibit, Jungala! He was a calm guy, didn't squirm too much still with claws like that I wasn't about to make any sudden moves. Harry did let me feed him, though just like a baby he spit some apple chunks back at me... ewww! Gross!

We had fun with Jungala critters I met Oscar the Skink, a lizzard-snake like fellow. Sabrina the kinkajou, and then Maverick the Macaw. They'd all love to meet you up in Tampa at Busch Gardens...though I recommend a breath mint for my friend Harry!

For more info on my Jungala friends www.BuschGardens.com

Rising on the Road is one of my favorite segments. It's fun to explore and get to share all the amazing things I discover with you. There's only one problem with picking Sanibel Island...there's too much to do and not enough time. The story that aired was three and half minutes. My original copy was 5 minutes long and there were locations that we had planned to film and shoot and didn't even have the time to get to them, like the Historical Village , and Museum and School House Theater or Big Arts. And there's great boutiques and shopping and lots of Really GOOD EATS!

Sanibel and Captiva, and all of the area beaches receive praise from many national publications... including

Condé Nast Traveler magazine named Sanibel and Captiva islands among "the best in the world" in its 2007 Readers' Choice Awards. Both islands earned spots on the Top-10 North America Islands list. It is the fourth year in a row for Sanibel Island to receive this honor.

National Geographic Traveler magazine named Sanibel Island am, , on, g "the world's best islands" in its Fourth Annual Places Rated evaluation. The honor was bestowed by 522 experts in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship for the highly respected travel magazine's November/December 2007 edition. (This information was provided by the Lee County Visitor's and Convention Bureau.)

For more go www.sanibel-captiva.org

And enjoy! Sanibel is a personal favorite. I love to spend the day on enjoying island life!

July 16, 2008

Because sometimes laughing, is all you can do!

As an anchor there are moments when you try HARD not to laugh, but sometimes you just can't help it. :o) Hey, we're people too!

This morning was case in point. I was interviewing Patricia with the Naples Humane Society and she was holding Patches while I had MoonStone, both adorable kittens. Well Patches just decided sitting still was not an option and crawled onto our coffee table, but he mis-stepped and fell right off! Clinging to Patricia's skirt for a moment, he sprang to the ground at my feet and lept around our interview set. Well that brought a laugh which turned into tears of laughter as Sabrina came behind me, kneeling down to rescue Patches. Who by this time found thi,, , s to be a great game of hide and seek!   Can you see Sabrina trying to coach Patches out from behind the table.

Try as I may to hold it in there was nothing to do but laugh, laugh loud and hard! Sabrina was finally able to wrangle Patches, and I continued the interview with a smile. But it's tough to regain composure when you've just witnessed a circus! It was a delightful moment of hilarity!

Now I know why they say never work with animals or kids...they'll always upstage you! You can check out Patches escape on the Fox 4 Rising web page. I guarentee you'll laugh as hard as I did. Maybe more... :o)

July 4, 2008

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun 4th and enjoys all those picnics and BBQ's! I love BBQ's! Give me a good burger some potato salad, chips and of course a dessert and I'm happy!

Speaking of dessert, you've got to try what Chef Shelly cooked up on the show today! The recipes are in the Rising Recipes folder. There's a fun Red White Chocolate and Blue Triffle dessert and then some Chicken Teryaki Burgers!

Now for more fun stuff...

On today's Rising on the Road segment the crew and I trekked back up to Busch Gardens to show you the other half of the park aside from Jungala! We wore ourselves out testing the coasters and taking you through the safari. From animals to games it was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoyed our adventure. So here's the deal on tickets that I was talking about. If you go to Busch Gardens right now and buy a paid admission you then get to come back all year for free. Buy 4 tickets get 4 people back into the park for the rest of the year free. It's one of the reasons we picked Busch Gardens as a good one tank trip. Also as an added bonus right now for the summer the park is open late. They have more live entertainment and concerts too! To check it out for yourself go to www.buschgardens.com

And get ready for our next Rising on the Road... we're going to Sanibel! It is so close and yet it's a national treasure that can easily be overlooked as a vacation spot. It's ranked as one of the best beaches in the country and one of the top shelling locations in the world! We were amazed at how many different places there are to visit and the list of things to do is endless! We couldn't even do it all but we've got plenty of highlights! The island vacation starts July 18-so stay tuned!

June 25, 2008

What are you doing for the 4th of July?

According to a survey by Travelzoo.com 82% of people polled are staying home this year. Gas prices are up over a dollar from last year at this time and because of a fireworks warehouse fire in China, fireworks are even more expensive. Which has me in the same boat of staying close to home! Lucky for us we live in SWFL where there are a plethora of celebrations.

Here are a few I ,, fo,, und that you might want to check out. If you're ever wondering what's going on here's a good website. It links you to a calendar of events in Fort Myers http://www.fortmyers.org/calendar.htm

Red, White and BOOM
Cape Coral P, kwy, Cape Coral
Friday 4th July, 2008
(239) 549-6900
http://www.capecoralchamber.com/chamber/events.asp

Independence Day Festival
Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers
http://www.centennialpark.com/events/fjuly.html

Fourth of July on the Beach
Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier & Times Square, Ft. Myers Beach
Friday, Jul. 4, 2008
(239) 454-7500

Independence Day Parade and Fireworks
Periwinkle Way and Sanibel Causeway, Sanibel Island
Friday, Jul. 4, 2008
(239) 472-1080

Silver King Celebration
Downtown Boca Grande, FL
941-697-2249
http://www.bocagrandechamber.com
http://www.catchtheking.com

June 20, 2008

I am so excited about a new series we're starting on Fox 4 Rising, it's called Rising on the Road and the whole idea is to find fun things to do that are local or within one tank of home. With the economy and gas prices hurting everyone I know, including yours truly, it's tough. I can't imagine trying to find things to do with the kids all summer or having to put precious vacations on hold. I know growing up I LOVED our family vacation... who am I kidding I still do! :o) But as a kid you really count down the days to the mayhem of everyone piling into the car for a roadtrip or going on a plane ride!

For our first adventure we choose Jungala! A brand new 4 acre addition to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. We liked it because you can do it in a day and come home, avoiding hotel costs, or you can stay and play. Right now if you buy one admission ticket you can come back free all year.

A big thanks to Chris and Cara who filmed and edited the story and to Erin our producer for keeping us all on task!

We'd love to hear your ideas on where the next "family trip" should be. Feel free as always to drop me a line and share your thoughts!

June 18, 2008

Who doesn't love cookies? Anyone? Me--I love them all! Chocolate Chip, Peanutbutter, Oatmeal....the list goes on and on... (my dad's homemade sugar cookies for the record are the BEST on the PLANET! :o)

Well this morning we had a bit of Cookie Controversey.

Turns out that for the last four Presidential elections Family Circle magazine has had a cookie vote...and the best cookie, they say, usually wins the White House. Each of the main Candidate's spouses must submit their recipe then you get to vote. So Bill put in his for Hill, Michelle for Obama, Cindy for McCain.

Here's the link so you can vote in this "Batter Battle" Have fun!

http://www.parents.com/app/voting/index.jsp?id=/templatedata/parents/voting/data/1211208167842.xml

Now, ironically I decided to bake last night and brought my brownie creation to work this morning. So after we ran a CNN story on the possibilty of a few spouses "lifting" dare we say plagiarizing their recipes, Sabrina called my chocolate goodness into question. I can say beyond a doubt mine were original... b/c I complete made this one up as I went.. digging through my cabinets last night at 7:30 p.m. for fun add-ins.. here's what I came up with.

Amy's 100% Completely Original Peanut Butter Heaven Brownies.

1 red box of the Betty Crocker Classic Brownies (yes I used a box!)

Follow the mix.. then add in a few heaping spoonfuls of chunky peanut butter (I used like 3, go as peanut crazy as you like)

Throw in some Nestle Peanut Butter chocolate chips.. I just tossed (like I said completely original)

Spread this chocolate mix in a greased 9x13 pan then take and drop little pieces/chunks of peanut butter randomly on the top of the mix.

Bake and enjoy! :o)

June 17, 2008

I think everyone needs to see a ventriloquist once in their life! I decided this after watching Kevin Johnson this morning.

I was cracking up, both LIVE on the air and between commerci

al breaks all thanks to Kevin and his bird brain friends, Clyde the buzzard and Matilda, a cockatoo. (Matlida is quite the chick but I LOVE Clyde's bopping cool demenor!) I tried very hard to figure out how Kevin talked without ever moving his mouth. I couldn't-- so decided just to sit in mystified amazement and laugh. :o)

You will too if you see his Godzilla act at Busch Gardens this summer. He never talks but yet does three voices, including the 2 birds, plus the crazed deep narrator Godzilla voice without moving his mouth. Check out the link on our Fox 4 Rising page for the complete act.

I was mystified. How did this guy do it? Kevin's been awarded some big honors for his fantastic feats of talking. He made it all the way to the semi-final round on the reality show "America's Got Ta, le, nt" in 2006. He's also won Best Male Performer from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions in 2004 and 2006.

But this summer he's all yours! He's entertaining the crowds at Busch Garden's in the Desert Grill as part of their Summer Night's entertainment. Catch his act, muscians, jugglers, magicians and more when you stay late in the park until 9 p.m. They've also got a great deal for anyone who wants to come more than once, with a Fun Pass you pay for one admission and get the rest of the year free. www.BuschGardens.com for more details.

But in the meantime a big thanks to Kelly Heckinger and Kevin Johnson for providing the best entertainment a Tuesday morning can offer! :O) I can't wait to see Clyde and Matilda again!

June 16, 2008

Hello! I'm back!

On this Monday after Father's Day I have to say Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there, especially mine; who, I, of course think is the best. I love my dad SO MUCH! --and I'm a lot like him, so I have much to be thankful for. Father's Day weekend is double fun for my family because it's also usually my mom's birthday. It's today June 16, so Happy Birthday Mom! :) I hope it's a great year for you...now back to Father's Day....

I have so much to be thankful for when it comes to my dad. He's had his fair share of health problems lately and I'm glad things are starting to get better. I enjoyed spending this past week at home with him and helping him recover from surgery. This weekend I was struck by how important our dads really are, by a sad reminder of how short life is.

I was watching the news Friday about 4:30 with my husband when the news of Tim Russert's death broke. We were shocked!! It couldn't be! How? He was more alive than anyone, he was young. I was crushed and sad.

We are both big fans and I admire Mr. Russert is so many ways. He's old school--hard work and honesty, he's polite yet gets the job done and gets the answers. He doesn't play tricks. He's a role model. He also came from humble beginings, proving you can make it, if you work hard. He put family and faith first. I like that. It's me. I can relate to him. Not only did I start paying more attention to politics because of his reporting but I also started watching how he conducted interviews. He's good! He's very good, in my opinion the best! I also loved his enthusiasm. He was so excited about this year's election it was hard not to take note. I loved how, , he could make it all simple. Who can forget his Florida! Florida! Florida! I actually lived in Florida during that crazy time, I was interning at Walt Disney World--but that's another story.

Tim Russert made it seem so real. I've watched many a "Meet the Press." I watched him grill all of this year's candidates and learned a lot. I can't imagine this November without him.

News junkie that I am, I watched the Dateline Special, Friday night and taped TODAY's coverage on Saturday. I will admit I cried at the end. He did so much for so many people. And to see all the people that wrote in, or went live with their thoughts was just incredible. This man was Washington and the comman man all at the same time. He loved his dad and his son. I don't know him, never met him, but I was sad for him and his family. His life was too short. It made me think hard about my own dad.

My dad isn't a national talk show host but he's my whole world. I love my dad more than a few words here can say. He's helped make me who I am and taught me to work hard. He's taught me ethics and honesty. He's taught me to grin and bear it when times get tough and to always find a solution. Don't complain, just work to fix it. He's also taught me to slow down and smell the roses and to love the simple things in life. He doesn't care if I'm on TV-though he knows it's my dream. He just wants me to be happy and succesful. He wants a better life for me. I know all dads do. My dad is just 5 years younger than Tim Russert. He's young. We've had a few scares. Just watching this weekend made me realize, once again, that life is Precious! You never know when your number is up. You can be at the top of your game and loving life, it doesn't matter.

My point-- really take a moment and say "I love you!" to all those who are important! Say it everyday!

And I know it's trite...but LIVE LIFE EACH DAY TO THE FULLEST! Because you just never know.

Hopefully we'll all be lucky enough to know how much we're valued and loved in this life before it's too late.

June 2, 2008

Merry Christmas!!! It's truly my favorite time of year! I must admit though, that I am still getting used to the warm temps of Florida over my White Christmas in Omaha with my family. Not that I'm complaining!! Are you kidding me!? It's like 15 below back home!

But you know what my favorite thing about Christmas really is?? It's the Christmas Spirit!! It's that random act of kindness, it's the goodwill, it's the smile from a stranger, the thank you at the mall. The helping hands. A hug and a smile when you least expect it. A call from an old friend. It's the goodies baked with love to share with everyone. Christmas is a Feeling! A very warm-takes you home-sort of feeling. It's amazing how everyone's mood lightens. I only wish it lasted year round.

Presents under the tree are fun and the joy in kids faces getting that gift they really wanted.. adults too :O) is always a thrill, but again it goes back to the gift of giving! Just like Mom said, it's the thought that counts!

And this year with so many hard times and sad stories out there, it's so important we have this time to be joyful, even if just for a day!

So MERRY CHRISTMAS to You and Yours! May you delight in the Spirit of the Season and may the "feeling" last all year long!

Individuals or companies interested in being American Heart Association CPR and AED trained can call Linda at (321) 443-3500 or call the AHA CPR Hotline at 1-877-242-4277.

Another busy weekend, another hurricane season on tap. June 1 means more to me than just hurricane season though. It's the day I got married. Tropical storm Barry blew through last year on our big day and while I was not a happy bride... it's quite the story to tell now. This year my husband and I laughed as it again thunderstormed at night. I guess we're going to have showers of blessings for the rest of our lives! :o)

FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherSedlacek's Scribbles

Sedlacek's Scribbles