Lisa Zahn

I know many of you may never make your own yogurt, but I've decided to try a tutorial on my blog because I've enjoyed them on other blogs, like this one . Making yogurt at home is so incredibly easy, saves a lot of money and keeps hundreds of plastic tubs out of the landfill or recycling stream. I don't always get to it and sometimes buy the yogurt in tubs, but when I can this is what I do: First start with the basic ingredients and supplies: *One quart of milk (we use fresh whole milk we buy from a nearby organic farm where the cows are put out to pasture. Elijah can't digest pasteurized milk well because pasteurizing kills the enzymes that help in digesting lactose. Many people believe raw milk is better for you, and it tastes so much sweeter! Any milk can be used but whole milk is best because it takes the fat in the milk to digest the protein in it. We're not into skim or 1 or 2% here!). *2 tablespoons plus two teaspoons of yogurt from a store or a previous batc...

I got a call last night at 9:00. I was already in bed. My mom was worried because of yesterday's post about my possible surgery. Well, I thought I'd written pretty positively about it all but of course she's my mom, she worries. I really don't want worries or think this is anything to worry about. We gotta think positive! I was really looking at the bright side of things when I said this diagnosis has really helped me take so much better care of myself and find some resources in my community for doing so. I'm really happy about that! Of course I'm not happy about surgery but who would be? I really don't like surgery and I really don't think the medical model of just "cutting it out of me" is the best one. Why is my body growing ovarian cysts, breast lumps and "nodules" on my parathyroid? I try to look at the big picture. It's all one body, and these things are all tied together. I'm working on it. And maybe, just maybe what I...

Today I saw my Endocrinologist, Dr. Susan Atamian. I first saw her three years ago after my M.D. found I have high levels of calcium in my blood during a routine blood work-up. This is called "hypercalcemia" and is attributed to a condition called hyperparathyroid. It's not good, eventually it could be dangerous. Basically, hyperparathyroid is a condition in which the parathyroid glands (there are four of them and they sit on your thyroid and regulate your calcium levels) are excreting too much calcium into your blood and urine. They're "hyper-excreting", I think you could say. But for some reason, then all that calcium in your blood and urine is not getting into your bones like it should. So far, even three years after diagnosis, I have no symptoms. Kidney stones are one possible problem--haven't had those. Muscle cramping is another possibility and while I have experienced some strange cramping in my legs in the past, this is no longer the case....

These pictures are not great, but they are of what we did today. George hosted his first studio recital, with his Tuesday night students. He has been teaching private lessons to about 6 or 7 students every Tuesday night since the fall. Tonight six of them played and George accompanied. It was nice to see the range, from a 4th grader playing flute for only a few months, to some really accomplished high school students. I think George was pleased with the event!

Here's Rose and her friend Taylor expertly skiing down the hill. I wish I had their confidence and skill (you should've seen me on my butt when I went down. Take that back--glad you didn't). Let's hope this video thing works...Lisa

Today was a busy day. First church at 10:00, then home for a big brunch (liver sausage, eggs, fried potatos and pancakes--good thing we're skiing today!), a "dessert party" at the neighbors at 1:00, and ski club from 2-4. Now we're home to eat tomato soup and cheesy bread, watch our Sunday night show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition , and get homework done and instruments practiced. The Minnesota Youth Ski League is one of the best bargains around, and so much fun for all of us. For $25 per kid for the season, they get to ski in groups according to ability and age, and each group has a coach or two to help them develop their Nordic skiing skills. Meanwhile, the adults can ski along or, as George and I do, ski on our own. It gets us all out in the brisk cold and beautiful snowy woods each Sunday for 8 weeks in January and February. St. Cloud has its own club and we ski at Riverside Park, just a mile from the house. Of course, the kids have been spoiled by downhill skiing...