Heather Hodges

I’m hesitant to say anything yet, because I’m likely to fall off the wagon on any given day, (especially those high stress days like the Family Festival.) But as of today, I’ve lost nearly 5 pounds by just cutting out High Fructose Corn Syrup. The bulk of my HFCS intake comes from one source - Dr. Pepper. I’m substituting my Pepper habitat for iced tea, specifically Sobe Green Tea, and feeling loads better. I can’t say I’ve noticed any marked difference in my memory or mental abilities (but I didn’t have much to begin with ) But I have more energy and I’m losing that pesky tummy bulge.

My dear brother sent me 12 bottles of Dublin Dr. Pepper and I savor one every day. My stash is running low so I’m going to need to make a road trip soon. If anyone is going to Texas (or Edmond) any time soon, pick me up a few cases of the delicious nectar. I’ll owe you big.

Down with HFCS and up with sugar!!!!!!!!

Thanks Charles Jones for taking these great pictures of the Blue Dome Art Festival this past weekend.  Charles is also working on my new art website, I’ll let you know when it’s ready for your viewing.

What a busy week it’s been for me.  We had the Family Festival at Garnett on Wednesday night (which was a smashing success - wink) and then this weekend I was showing at the Blue Dome Art Festival in downtown Tulsa.  The weather could not have been better for the art show.  Thousands of people came out to enjoy both May Fest and Blue Dome.  I had so much fun all week, but today I’m pooped and trying to recover.  I’ll post some pictures soon of the art show. Thanks everyone who came out to see me at Blue Dome,  I feel very supported.  It was a great experience and it affirmed my recent decision to pick up my paint brush again and follow my heart.

We had a great Family Festival last night at Garnett.  One of the attractions was the Bungie Run / Joust combo.  The idea is to play king/queen of the mountain and push each other off.  My husband didn’t get the memo.  Take a look at this incriminating video on his blog.  www.wadehodges.com

Have you heard? Surely you’ve heard by now? High Fructose Corn Syrup is a nasty, evil, mean ingredient in about 70% of processed foods in America. We are all getting fat and unhealthy on the stuff. In my meager efforts to get fit for the looming swim suit season I picked up a health magazine and read an article that claims, “eating even small amounts of high-fructose corn syrup can impair the body’s appetite supressing hormones, making weight loss nearly impossible.” - First - May 2008

Of course this got my attention and I had to keep researching. I learned that HFCS raises blood pressure, ages the liver, makes the skin sag, upsets the pancreas which cause high blood sugar, insulin, resistance and diabetes. It also scrambles your thinking. Some research even suggests a link to Alzheimer’s. The research does show that people who consume large amounts of HFCS are five times more likely to score below average on memory tests…………ummm, what was I talking about?

Oh, yes, HFCS. High Fructose Corn Syrup is found in almost every soda, energy drinks, Capri Sun, Kool-Aid, Sunny-D, Snapple, Hawaiian Punch, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice. I just went through my cupboards and it’s in almost everything from my Slim Fast bar, breakfast cereal, peanut butter, granola bars, Campbell Soup, mac-n-cheese, animal crackers, Hungry Jack syrup, Yoplait yogurt, Home Pride Wheat bread, Heinz ketchup, Smuckers raspberry jelly, even A1 Steak Sauce.

In the late 1960s food manufacturers started swapping good old-fashioned sugar for the man-made and cheaper sweetener - high fructose corn syrup. It seems like more than mere coincidence that America’s obesity trends began to climb at this same time. According to the USDA the annual consumption of HFCS has jumped from 1/2 pound per person in 1970 to 62.4 pounds per person today. No wonder it seems harder and harder to lose weight.

Well, today’s the day - no more HFCS for me, I’m on the wagon. This is going to be no small feat since I’m hopelessly addicted to Dr. Pepper. I do have one consolation though - Dublin Dr. Pepper. The bottling plant in Dublin, Texas still makes Dr. Pepper with the original recipe of Imperial Cane Sugar and not corn syrup. Jason’ Deli here in Tulsa sells Dublin Dr. Pepper, so you will probably see me at JD’s several times a week now. Otherwise, I’ll have to make a road trip to Dublin for the “good stuff.”

For more reading on the dangers of HFCS check out these sites. Children of the Corn , Double Dangers of HFCS, A Killer on the Cob and Foods without HFCS .

At the 2nd annual Family Festival we will celebrate our culturally diverse neighborhoods of East Tulsa by throwing a party for our children and families. 

There are many ethnicities and languages represented in East Tulsa and I believe we are a more vibrant community because of our differences.  While it is important that immigrants to our country assimilate into our culture and learn English we want to celebrate our differences and the richness of our respective cultures. 

For centuries  people from all over the world have been coming to America for the same reasons – freedom and hope — and then a Frenchman created a statue that embodied their hopes and dreams and the promise of America, “Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free…” – The Statue of Liberty. 

On Wednesday evening May 14^th, 2008 the Garnett Bilingual Preschool, the Garnett Church of Christ, and the Green Country Event Center will host the 2^nd annual Family Festival.  Admission to the event is free. 

There will be inflatables for the children, pony rides, a clown, a magician, face painting, balloon animals, and family style games such as three legged races, parent-child wheel barrow races, water balloon toss, and a hula hoop contest. 

We will have demonstrations by the Hmong cultural dancers, Karate Shikara by the students of José Munoz, gymnastics by Aim High Academy and the students of the Garnett Bilingual Preschool, Safari’s Interactive Animal Sanctuary, and a Magic Show by Michael Platten.

There will also be food for sale by Hmong’s Café, Wing Stop, barbeque by Chef Roy Victory, Mexican food from Carnicieria la Placita, and of course pop corn and cotton candy.

I hope everyone in the Tulsa area will bring their families by for food, fun, frivolity, and of course a little culture.  See you there!!!!

“Be quiet you guys, my toe is sleeping.” - Elijah Hodges (age 5)

Those of you who know me know that I have been drawing and painting since I could hold a crayon. I’ve loved the process of creating art since I toddled into my grandma’s studio and started putting paint on canvas at the age of 3. I gained a very deep appreciation of art as a child when my parents “dragged” my brothers and me to every art museum in Europe. I had no idea of the lasting impact those beautiful paintings would have on me.

Recently I had the honor to donate six of my paintings to an art auction that would benefit at-risk children world wide. I sat at my easel for 3 months working on those canvases. I loved every moment of the process, it gave me so much joy to paint them and then to donate them. I was humbled by the response to my work.

Because of that experience I have decided to take the leap into the art world as a professional. I had several work opportunities present themselves this Spring, but I’ve decided to go with my heart and paint.

Thank you to my dear husband who encouraged me to do what I love and is supporting me in this endeavor. Thank you to my parents who introduced me to the Great Masters. Thank you to my dear Grandma Ola who taught me to see the world through an artist’s eyes.

I will be deputing at the Blue Dome Art Festival in downtown Tulsa on May 16-18th. If you are in Tulsa and have the time, come by my booth (#99) to say hello.