[Kiko]

Morning girlies!

Just a quick start up as we all know I run late when I check in in the morning. I am talking a half day this afternoon to take my girls for their check ups. Megan is several months overdue for hers. Oops!

KimStar Where are you?? You haven't posted in a few days, hope that all is well.

Gotta go- have a super beachy day!! Drink your water!

[Schatzi]

Moooorning Gals! Tis a might foggy morn here in Nerth Caroliner...

to all you losers out there!
Soon: Tickets to Vegas! Can't wait !
Jett: Feel better!

I'm off to court this morning.. So much fer being "Switzerland" in a custody battle.. will try to pop in this afternoon!

Here's fer you all!!!

[cottagebythesea]

Good morning, Kiko and everyone else who will be joining us later. I'm up and at em early today, as I want to get a few things done this morning since I'm working late tonight. It will be a busy day filled with dance and piano lessons, so it should go by fast, at least. Thank goodness the roads will be in better condition today, as we'll be out and about all day.

So what do you all have planned for today?

[cottagebythesea]

Schatzi, we were posting together! Ugh, I don't envy you today, having to go to court. I hope everything works out well.

[jetsetter]

Morning y'all.

Kiko - You'd better not be running late this morning!! Try to enjoy your afternoon off even if you will be spending it in the doc's office.

Schatzi - Good luck in court today. I despise having to go to family court. Been there more in the last year than I ever thought I would be.

cottage - You snuck in on me. Have a good day.

Me - It's another day in the anti-paradise. My body hates me!! Back is so stiff I'm waddling, and I hate waddling...makes me feel even fatter than I am. The scale is up 1.2 pounds from my weekend misgivings. Yuckity yuck yuck yuck. I tried to get into the doctor yesterday, but I haven't seen this doc I since chose him to satisfy my insurance. Apparently he isn't taking new patients. So now I have to wait until Feb 1 to see the one I randomly chose yesterday...yes, she's taking patients.

Sorry to be such a sourpuss today. Hopefully work won't be as stressful today as it has been the past several and I can "rest" for a few hours.

[cottagebythesea]

Jet, we've had to play that game with our insurance company too, but we were lucky to finally find a doctor that we like a lot. That's awful that you have to wait so long for an appt. when you need help now! Have you tried the "10 min. hot, 10 min. cold" trick? I hope you get relief soon and that your day gets better.

What's everyone eating for breakfast this morning? I usually have oatmeal with fruit mixed in, but I'm looking for something different today and don't feel like eggs.

[amasam]

Good morning all -

Fisnishing my latte and vegetable quiche 'muffins'. It did snow a bit overnight, again thankful that I do not have to drive to work and deal with my car being snow covered or the roads. We should hit this week's high of 31 today, if it had not been such an early, warm start to winter, I would be used to that by now!

This is the last week where we will have a house guest on weekdays. And while she is welcome at any time, it has changed things. I miss quiet time with DH and alone time (something I value greatly!). But we help her move into her house on Saturday and I thrilled to have her "home" after years of living at least a day's drive apart from one another.

Off to shower and catch up at work after a very hectic Monday (not that that is unusual)!

Ally

[Ruthxxx]

Well, I'm $500 poorer and will have two new pair of glasses on Friday or sooner. I had my eyes tested (it was time) and there's been a slight change so I ended up with a new prescription. I chose smaller glasses with red frames on both the clear and sun-glass versions. I'm so wild! I hope Lucy like the new flavour.

I'm still fighting this "cold" or whatever it is and am winning. I go to the doc this afternoon to get the verdict on last week's blood work. Maybe if I ask him to listen to my chest, he'll forget to weigh me!

We all slept in until seven this morning so I need to get my butt in gear and tackle a few must-do tasks. I'll pop in later to read and comment. Right now I need more coffee and something for breakfast.

[jennyplain]

Hi all,

Had a bit of a shocking realization yesterday when I logged my stuff in fitday - I thought I had been eating too much, and it turns out that since I'm cutting all the junk out of my diet on south beach, I'm barely averaging a thousand calories a day. This seems like an awfully small amount, considering I eat three meals and two snacks (although today I left my lunch sitting on the counter, so I suppose I'll have to splurge on a salad at the deli come noontime). Has anyone else noticed it? How do you add things to your diet so your body doesn't freak out? I have a feeling that this explains why I didn't lose last week - my body thought I was starving.

Hope everyone's having a great day, and staying very warm!

[Barb0522]

Morning, gals! I never did get time to post yesterday. I was rushing with work and then had a midterm evaluation meeting with Brian's talented/gifted teacher. He is doing great. She is especially happy with how well he is doing considering he is the only 4th grader in a room of 5th and 6th graders. He's actually ahead on his project since we worked on his rough draft outline over Martin Luther King weekend.

Tonight I'm picking up my program director and we're heading down to council offices for a meeting for summer camp with the directors of the other district camps. I've got to get gas and rush so dinner will be frozen pizza. Not exactly the healthiest quick dinner but the rest of the week is better. Last night was crockpot chili. I love that and I'm having it for lunch today. I added a bunch of spinach to it as well for extra veggies.

Someone asked about oatmeal in the crockpot. I know there is a recipe somewhere that i have seen but I just do mine in the microwave every morning. My microwave is 1100 watts and I use a LARGE bowl, one half cup of old fashioned oats and a cup of water. I cook for 5 minutes on 50% power and it turns out great. I top with Splenda, cinnamon and usually some blueberries and a banana. It's my favorite breakfast.

jenny - Yes, you need to try to get at least 1200 calories or your body will think it is starving. Try adding some olive oil to veggies and roasting them. The healthy oil will add calories. Post your menu and we can all make suggestions.

[soon2Bfab]

Morning all...I'm off today - HURRAY!!!
I'm kinda a sourpuss today as well jettsetter. My DF works with a guy who has been with the same gal for over 9 years. During those 9 years, they have had plenty of time to get married. Once DF & I got engaged, well it wasn't long after that they got engaged as well. So after finally juggling dates, we settled on different dates, so all of our mutual friends can come to both. The guy ask DF to be his best man & DF agrees! HELLO, we have our own wedding to save for & I'm not living in this tiny, loud apt for another year. But he wants to spend $$$$ for his bachelor party. UGH! DF says he's not going to spend $$ on strippers (he knows better!! - if he spends $500 to see a naked woman, that the last naked woman he's going to see for awhile!!) He says he wants it to be a game night - poker, texas hold em, etc. Do you ladies know of any tips/tricks I can do to make this cheaper? (Besides talking DF out of it??) I won't be buying clothes for awhile - good thing I kept my "skinny clothes!"
Barb - Hello, thanks for the oatmeal recipe, sounds good & I bet it keeps you full for hours.
Jennyplain - I noticed the same thing, but I just added more snacks to my day (peanuts & cheesesticks)
Ruth - Congrats on the new glasses, hopefully Lucy won't eat these. If you find a way to distract your dr, let me know. I always weigh about 10lbs more at the dr.
Ally - hope you have fun with your house guest.
Cottage - hello!!, don't work too hard today, becareful on the roads!
Schatzi - I'm excited about Vegas!! We are thinking about Cupid's chapel. I spoke with a gal there yesterday - very colorful character. She seemed very nice, told me to not buy the photos up front...make the photographer earn his money. Where did you get married at in Vegas?
Jettsetter - you poor thing, I hate it when my back hurts. There's nothing they can do? I would take it easy & try the hot/cold thing. Maybe at work when you can't do that, one of those back support with the heat wrap would do the trick?
Kiko - Morning!! I'm drinking, I'm drinking. I've had 3 cups, I think I'll have some coffee now.

[WildWoman]

Kiko-good luck in the dr's office with the girls. Is it just a wellness check? hope so.

Schatzi-hang in there and may the good and virtuous prevail.

Cottage-sounds like fun-kids grow up so fast-enjoy every minute. My son took violin class when he was young(7ish)-and just recently bought himself a violin to get back into it (21 y/o, 6'3", 250-yup-he's a biggun-interesting choice of instrument)

Jetsetter-is your back screaming at you from muscle issues or spinal? (could be one causing the other?) One thing that helps me is I have 2 tennis balls in a sock and I lie on that -the balls equidistant from my spine and slowly roll up and down on them-this helps allignment and muscle massage-the weight of my body putting the pressure on. I also have a large flat rock I heat in the oven and wrap in a towel and lie on when having issues-the heat slowly generates deeply-ok so I am a dork-but hey it was free, environmentally friendly and reusable

Amasam-I am so glad out hight are supposed to be in 40's this week-hope that is a trend that sticks around after the winter we've had so far-yes quiet alone time sounds nice with hubby-maybe celebrate with a nice fire, glass of wine and soft music (unless of course you dont have a fireplace-then I don't reccomend that part )

Ruth-maybe Lucy thought it was time for a new look in eyewear? the new ones sound fun.

Jenny-yes add the allotment of oil-another thing why we are supposed to is the oil slows down the breakdown of veggies and they are absorbed better nutritionally-if not they tend to go shooting through our system too fast. oooh avacado-yum that would be good on a salad too.

Barb-uber smart kids are harder on some levels-have to ALWAYS keep them busy and pushing or they get bored/frustrated-sounds like yours has a love for things academic YEAHHHHHHH!

Me-I have been online with my friend in Arizona that wants to relocate my business down there-and to be honest with you-after the last couple years I've had here-I am ready for/needing a MAJOR change-took a couple years to care for my sisters kids and now I am dead in the water here
I have never just up and moved like that-eeek-wish me luck

[WildWoman]

Soon2B-eeek-please look into the photographer carefully-my mom got married there and the stuff they did at the chapel was CHEESE CHEESE CHEESE-I would suggest getting the minimum there if you have to and hiring the one you want for some romantic location portraits of you and DH-how about at the Venitian?
photos will be the one thing aside from the ring that will be a record of your day-look into the state organization -Professional Photographers of Nevada, or a local group-they should all have links to websites-get refrences, check out portfolios, ask policies and procedures-do they hire contract photographers? (ie is the work see as examples the work of the actual photographer you would be getting?) Styles and QUALITY vary IMMENSLEY.
ONE hour with a great photographer is far more valuable than a whole day with a mediocre one.

[Morning Star]

Good morning everyone, Just a short post. Just get back from my walk with my neighbor. Goes faster with you have somone to chat with. She wants to lose some weight also. So she understands. I am off to practice the organ again today. Will take it off tomorrow.Was real good with my eating yesterday. I had a big salad before my entree for dinner. Fills you up. Everyone have a good day.

[Bionic Beach Babe]

Hi to all of you...not much time this morning..House all clean and now getting ready to run over to one of the daughters and then on to see the Cancer doctor for a 2 yr. check up....

Just got the statement from Medicare and my DH's treatments for P. Cancer was $80,000...Shocking!!!

Strange how we both got cancer 1 year apart...We are both doing great....

I hope everything you do today brings you happiness. Find time to relax and enjoy another day of life.