Good Evening, Flowers! We've had more rain and it's downright chilly/cold outside tonight. It's supposed to get down into the low 50s . . . where is the warm summer weather anyhow? We went to church this morning and sat for an hour and a half. We had a baptism, communion, special music, etc., etc., etc. I had TB when we finally did get to leave! We didn't stay for the pot luck, came home to change clothes, and headed off to MIL's. I can tell already it is going to be a loonnngggg summer. She has the bad habit of asking a question and then she goes right on talking without waiting for an answer, and I think she is getting worse with age. She informed us that she doesn't plan to go back to AZ until after Christmas this year. She can't stay where she is once it gets cold, so I don't know what/where she thinks she will stay. Not here, that's for sure.
"Gma" -- Sooner or later the baby will come! I hope that he waits until Monday afternoon so you can have the rest of the week "off." I know how frustrating it is to wait for the phone to ring. The lake water is still too cold for swimming and it rained up there this afternoon too.
I'm heading off to bed shortly. Since we weren't home all weekend I have plenty to do tomorrow! Have a marvelous Monday!
Good morning gals! Still here in Memphis waiting. I talked to my sister yesterday and of course she was all a twitter to fill me in on my dil. Gracious that woman is irritating. I think it gave her a thrill to say she had been to breakfast with them yesterday and to report to me all about my dil since I am not up there. My son called not long after to talk to his dad about baseball and I talked to him a few minutes. My sister gave me a bunch of cock-in-bull stuff about Alicia that my son said wasn't true. My sister told me Alicia is all depressed because she hasn't given birth that she thinks it is wrong to rest in the day time and on and on. Jay said that it wasn't true that Alicia does try to rest when she is tired and that she is perfectly ok, but she does want to get it over with.GRRRRRRRR! I am anxious about my dil as it is and she had to make it worse by telling me a bunch of crap that she assumed was true not that it was true. Jack was mad at her still about the calling wanting to know where we were all the time and it didn't help when she told Jay that now that the baby hasn't come yet, if it is born this week they can come to Sara's (her granddaughter's) graduation open house. That put Jack over the moon as he said Alicia isn't going to feel like going to an open house, but Jay was open to the idea because he said something about the family getting to see the new baby. {{{{Sigh}}}} Am I the only one with brains in this family? If Alicia has the baby and feels like going and thinks it is ok, then they will go, if not they won't, so what is the big deal? Jay said something to me about his dad and his aunt and I said he acts like a petulant child sometimes as does she so I have to be in the middle all the time and I get tired of it.
One of my biggest problems besides being concerned for Alicia at the moment is my world is all about being in a comfort zone. I thrive when my world is orderly, neat, and controlled and I am literally a mess when it isn't. This waiting causes my world to be sort of upside down at the moment where I don't have a set routine to stay in. It is an emotional problem I have and I deal with most of the time, ie the cleaning all the time, having things just so, but it really does cause havic for me physically when I feel like my world is out of control. It is ridiculous and people who don't have a problem like this can't understand what the big deal is, but I live to be in a routine. It is a way I control my environment and my world. I do my grocery shopping the weekend after paydays, I clean house on certain days, I walk every morning or swim every morning around the same time, etc, etc. When my routine is disturbed, it throws me into a mess. I didn't go shopping this last payday because I thought we would be gone this week, so we had to go and pick up stuff to tide us over yesterday and I was all upset because I don't have a set menu for the two weeks to draw from, the groceries for that menu, etc. I haven't been walking or swimming because I don't want to be away from the phone in case they call so that is messed up. This morning I am feeling all nervous and uncomfortable, because my orderly life is a bit jumbled. Jack told me not to worry about the housework until we came back from Indiana, and I let it go last night, but I didn't sleep well, got up several times and almost came downstairs and started cleaning! So, this morning I am going to start on the downstairs and get it done and try and get the bathrooms cleaned upstairs. It will help my comfort level immensely. It is a terrible thing to live with and I have exercises if you want to call them that I do to try and help it, but most of the time, I just keep my life in order so I came comfortable. Now you see why we plan our vacation a year in advance! What is funny about all this is my weight. It is the one area that isn't controlled exactly, but even then, when I am dieting, I stick rigidly to what I am supposed to do. Ahh well, maybe the baby will come in the next couple days and relieve me of all this stress!
Jean: Your mil sounds like a real pip. Thank goodness you have a husband who stands by you and doesn't let her run rough shod over your family. I knew an elderly woman like you mil and she was something else. I found her quite amusing, but then I didn't have to deal with her all the time either. Is she in her 80's? I think it is about time you guys quit raining and get some sunshine. We could use your rain. They are predicting drought conditions down here this year. It has been hotter than blue blazes and very very muggy.
I have one sleeve left and then the hood to knit and then I can put the baby's jacket together. I am hoping the buttons come today. They are the cutest little Peter Rabbit buttons where he is eating carrots. The colors in the jacket/sweater are so beautiful too. I love how the pattern of the yarn looks.
Well, to work for me. I hear the washer is done so I need to get the clothes in the dryer and get the load of sheets done and get to work on the downstairs. Have a great Monday. I will keep you informed on any baby progress.
Good Afternoon, Flowers! The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day in my corner of the world. It is supposed to rain later today. I've been sorting and started another Good Will box; found candles that have been burned a little and some that haven't. I'm sure they've been around much too long and they are leaving! I have an eye appt. this afternoon and need to run a couple errands before I go there.
"Gma" -- If you like organization and a schedule you would hate my job! My schedule can change hourly although I do try to be organized about my own "stuff" as far as where I keep it; I now have my very own file drawer! I don't have much of a schedule at home except that I do like to get my laundry done over the weekend during the school year. Even that doesn't matter so much in the summer when I'm home all day. My MIL really is a nice lady; she is 87 and has lots of aches and pains from multiple surgeries, ulcers, and she is shrinking because her spine/vertebrate (?) are wearing out, I guess. She was a teacher and tends to give advice whether one wants it or not. Actually she can be rather overbearing at times. We usually just listen and then go on and do as we want; I've told the kids to do the same. She is not flexible when it comes to meals and both kids tend to let their own kids eat what they want at meals and have healthy snacks in between. My feeling is that when they are at the lake, playing in the sand and water with other people around, they can eat as often as they like or as little as they like. One or two days isn't going to mar them for life. I hope your baby comes soon so that your life can get back into your routine. I hate waiting and I'm sure you do too! Don't pay any attention to your sister -- it sounds like she doesn't have enough to keep her busy in her own family.
I need to keep moving! Even though I'm off to a good start I have a whole bunch left to sort through! Have a good "rest of the day" and a terrific Tuesday tomorrow.
Good morning ladies! Well, since I am here, you know that everyone is still waiting. The phone rang about 4 times yesterday morning and everytime I jumped thinking it had to be them. Yes, it is stressful to wait, but I just feel so bad for Alicia. I know she is miserable at this point and the truth is the longer she has to wait the bigger that baby is getting. I guess she told my sister she can feel Jackson's whole foot in her side and it hurts constantly. Well, I know that when they showed me his ultrasound the first thing you saw was that baby's big feet! Jack and I just feel so helpless I guess. If she doesn't go today and goes to the doctor tomorrow, I hope her doctors consider inducing her for her and the baby's sake.
I am done with the baby's sweater and the sweet buttons came yesterday too so I am going to work on sewing it up today. All I have left to do cleaning wise is dusting upstairs and running the vacuum, which I can do in about half an hour so I am going to do my morning chores than get to the sewing the sweater up. I guess I will start on the booga handbag next as I have yarn for it. I am going to have to look and see if I have the proper needles. I will give that away as a gift to someone for Christmas or birthdays or such. I have run out of projects so need to get yarn to start the next one. I want to wait to start my dd's birthday gift as I need help reading the pattern from my friend and need to be home to do that. There is a great lys only about 4 miles from Jay and Alicia's so I might go there and see what I can find. I have pretty much decided on the pattern for Thomas's sweater for his Christmas present and have picked out a pattern for a lace scarf for my dil so I could start either of those. If they are easy, I would like to make a booga bag for both Alicia and Kelly for Christmas. The picture below is what a booga bag is. It is a felted bag and I think they are really neat. It is just the right size for them. Too small for me though!
Jean: Part of what makes vacation or whatever fun is eating what you want, when you want and I agree with you. A few days of that aren't going to permanently scar the kids. My fondest memories are some of the little vacations we took as kids. My parents took us to some lake in Michigan a couple times and we stayed in a cabin and such and had such a good time. I remember my sister (the one in CA) and I renting a tandem bike and I would have to ride in the back because she had to always be the one in the front. Believe me, riding a bike when you have no control is hard to do!
Well, I better get the ole morning chores finished and my other work done so I can sew up the baby's jacket.
Good Morning, Flowers! The sun is shining and it's starting out to be another beautiful day in my neighborhood! I have lots on my "to do" list for today -- will work on my GW box this morning, bloodmobile this afternoon, and we are changing insurance companies so have a mandatory meeting either at 7:30 AM, 3:30 PM, or 7:00 PM today. I chose the 3:30 time slot. WW is later this afternoon and maybe a boat ride before we take the boat up to MIL's lake for the summer.
"Gma" -- Maybe Alicia's visit to her doctor will make the baby mad enough to get things underway on his own. I've known several babies that were a lot smaller than the predicted size when they finally arrived. I'm in favor of Mother Nature's way unless there is a problem for mother or baby. I have my fingers and toes crossed that Jackson arrives soon. I think the handbag is really cool! Thank you for sharing the picture with us! Many years ago I talked Bob into renting one of those pedal boats -- once was enough because it was a lot more work than I thought it would be. I haven't seen one in several years since the jet skis have become so popular. When we were in college there was a gas station next to the campus that rented tandem bikes, so we did that too. Sioux City is pretty hilly and I was glad Bob always rode in front!
Susan -- Hope your days are good ones and that Stan is home once again.
I'm off to put in another load of laundry and get my day going! Have a wonderful day -- smile -- the choice is yours!
Good morning ladies! Achy back this morning so I am up early. We went to bed really early last night because we were both exhausted. We haven't been sleeping very well partly because for some reason our animals have been really restless.
I finished Jackson's little hooded sweater and I think it came out alright. I am including a closeup of the buttons I used on it because I think they are so cute. I sure didn't like the seaming on this though. I guess the combination of the tinier stitches and the really stretchy yarn made it more difficult. Most people hate the seaming and I don't mind it at all. The most difficult part was making the darn little buttonloops. You just cast on then cast back off and I have always been less than proficient with the first row of knitting from the cast on stitches so I fumbled around until it irked me so much. I tore it out and did a single crochet using double thickness of yarn and a bigger crochet hook and it came out fine.
Jean: I haven't been in a boat in years. It is too hard for me to get in and out of one. With my bad knee I usually can't do anything that requires me to put all my weight on it ie stepping into a boat. Hope you had a good time and have a great weekend with the boat at the lake. Sounds like you are keeping busy this summer. Jack got this thing through the mail about life insurance and boy what a rip off it is. He has a life policy at work currently, but we think this is for more insurance and it carries past retirement, which his current policy only goes to retirement than stops. The thing is this new policy drops about 7% a year in benefits so let's say you buy one of the $100,000 policies right now, which Jack is 57 at the moment. His premium is around $114 a month from his check. Starting at age 65 the policy benefit reduces by 7% every year up to age of 75 then every 5 years so that I figured with what he paid in and with the reduction, if Jack would die at age 75 I would end up with like $34,000 of the $100,000 policy and have paid out something like $20,000 in premiums making it only worth about $14,000. So, I told Jack we would think about it, but I doubt we take it. I just think it is kind of a rip off. We do have a policy with the military that won't end and this other one if he passes before he retires at age 67 so I sat down and figured out what my income would be ie, Jack's ss (mine is a pittance so I would take his as I would be ss age by then) and his city pension. I lose his military pension when he dies because I refused back when he retired to make payments on it to only get something like 25% of it should he die. So with the ss, his pension and the military life policy, the condo paid off, Tricare for Life and Medicare, I would be ok with living expenses. I wouldn't be going to Vegas every year, but I could keep food on the table and a roof on my head and medical needs ok.
Maggie: We sure do miss you here and wish you were back with us.
Gloria: Peek in and chat again as we haven't heard from you in awhile.
Susan: Hope Stan is coming around with his surgery and such and things are getting back to normal (well, as normal as things have become for you two since all this stuff has happened)
Have a good Wednesday everyone. I close sitting here waiting, and waiting, and waiting.....
Faye, the sweater is beautiful and I love those buttons. He's one lucky baby. Maybe he was waiting for you to finish it to make his appearance.
Jean, we still have pedal boats here ... I'm afraid to try one now because I'd probably run out of steam and stand myself in the middle of the lake.
Insurance is so complicated. I swear you have to be an CPA and financial planner to understand what is best to do.
My soap opera existence continues. Stan decided to walk down to the mailbox yesterday and fell on the curb. Skinned his knee and put a big scrap on his forehead over his eye. His leg got really stiff but I iced it and he said he was feeling a lot better this morning. I've told him not to go out when he is alone but he insists on being independent - sometimes too much. But I am glad he is strong enough to use his prosthesis again.
We've been having some really wicked thunderstorms about 2 o'clock in the morning the last 3 nights. The days are beautiful but already into the 90s. Usually we have about 2 months where we don't have to heat or cool so we have a little extra money - not this year, right from cold to hot. Just so the hurricanes stay away!
Good Afternoon, Flowers! I am having a "mad at myself" morning! I wanted to send a card and can't find the address! I was positive it was in my address book, on a sticky note, but it isn't there. I've cleaned out a drawer looking for it so that is a plus. The wind is blowing like crazy and it is a cool 50 degrees outside. I'm still waiting for summer weather to arrive.
"Gma" -- The sweater is beautiful (handsome?) and the buttons are darling! You do find the cutest buttons! I hope your back feels better as the day goes on. The boat that we have now has steps to get into it; the back seat cushion lifts off and the top of the boat lifts up so that the boat is even with the dock. It's much easier than trying to second guess how far down the seat is to land on. I'm not very graceful when it comes to hopping in, and I always hold the rope while Bob starts the boat to make sure it will start. We both grew up with boats on the water although I won't take the boat out alone. Bob says that the mail and TV insurance offers are rip-offs geared towards people who don't understand the insurance industry. I'm glad I have him to explain the "ins and outs" because it's all Greek to me! I guess our health plan isn't changing except it will be managed in Iowa rather than PA (now that makes sense!), and that we will have a $3000 deductible rather than the $2000 we have now. I've met my $2000 so they will pay for my meds for the rest of the year. Bob keeps telling me he is worth more dead than alive. It never used to bother me except now as we get older, it does kinda.
Susan -- I'm sorry to hear about Stan's fall and hope that he didn't do any serious damage to himself. We had a thunderstorm during the night also. Everything was wet this morning, but the sun is shining now. Such weather!
Hope you all are having a good day! Enjoy the rest of the day and have a terrific Thursday tomorrow!
Well, Faye hasn't posted this morning so I hope that means Jackson is making his debute! I just knew he was waiting for his sweater to be finished.
Jean, I'm such a sissy about boats. I love to swim, but when I get in a boat and it gets out a bit I just freak out thinking about drowning. I live on the water, am surrounded by people and friends with boats who are always wanting to take us out and I am too afraid to go.
It's back in the 90s today and maybe 100 tomorrow. Way too hot for early June!
Stan's okay, just looks awful with a big scab on his forehead. We go to the doctor today to have his arm checked. It looks good now and most of the swelling is gone. He says it doesn't hurt much anymore so hopefully it's about cleared up. They gave him 2 more bags of antibiotics with his dialysis last night.
The boss has a major problem with his laptop and his Dragon Speak Voice Recognition software. I spent 2 hours with phone support yesterday and it is worse now than when we started. I worried about that all night. I've got to get it fixed today. He leaves for 3 weeks June 13. I'm praying for that to come quickly!
Good Afternoon, Flowers! The wind is still blowing although I don't think it is quite as bad as yesterday. It is "warmer" outside and I can tell the house is heating up. I've been doing laundry and just finished addressing birthday/anniversary cards for the next few weeks. I even have a Spiderman card ready for Ian and his birthday is in November! If I don't buy them when I see them, I can never find one when I need/want it.
Susan -- My first thought when I read "Dragon Speak" was that your boss was into the games some of the kids play. I hope the voice problem is solved by now. Are you in charge when the boss is gone? I hope that Stan continues to feel better each day and is on the road to being healthier. You two have had a long haul for sure. I never used to worry about being out in the boat. The lake, where MIL lives, is much larger than our lake, and there are more tourists on it. The people who live around the lake rarely go out on the weekends because of the crazy people who drink and think they know how to drive a boat. We make the kids wear life jackets, but there is still the danger of being hit by another boat. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Faye is on her way to IN although I thought sure she would say good bye on her way out the door.
I'm off to do some ironing. Have a great "rest of the day!" Tomorrow is Fantastic Friday!
Oh Gosh, sorry ladies! I took Jack to work this morning to do some errands and completely forgot to come in here and post. No, that baby is still sticking inside his mama. She had her dr appt yesterday morning and the doctor is letting her go until at least her next appt which is Wed the 13th. If by then he hasn't come they are doing some kind of stress test on her and putting some kind of tablet on her cervix to get her started I guess. I don't know anything about all the new stuff they do with mothers. I am old school, but I do worry about the baby gaining too much weight and the birth defect possibility of waiting too long. Alicia says he is kicking around and moving a lot though. She says she is losing weight some too.
Susan: Poor Stan, he is darned if he does and darned if he doesn't. I can see both sides. I know you worry about him being alone and doing something, but I know he wants his independence back too. I think I would suggest to him to take either a cell phone or a cordless phone out to the mailbox so if he gets in real trouble he can call someone. Hope his booboos are doing better.
Jean: I just thank God we have a wonderful medical plan even into our old age. When Jack becomes medicare age, then he leaves our premium policy, goes to Medicare being his main insurance and then Tricare for Life, which is a no premium pretty much picks up the rest sort of like a part D or whatever the supplemental plans are. I will continue to pay a single person premium until I reach medicare age then go on Tricare for Life as well. Our prescription plan stays the same, $3 for generic and $6 for brand name and we can continue to use the mail order. Our current policy is an HMO type thing and has a $12 copay for dr visits and $50 for hospital, though emergency is nothing so all those emergency visits with his heart last year cost us nothing and his $100,000 heart operation cost us $50! We pay a premium of $115 per quarter for a family. It will go to $57 for me singly when Jack goes on Medicare. I agree with Bob, those mail things are pretty much crap. I have a small policy through AARP because Jack is the breadwinner and I don't provide any income so he just needs burial money for me. Now that you are bored....
I have finished the booga bag at least the knitting part. I am going to felt it tomorrow and it will take a couple days to block and dry then I just have to punch holes through the felted bag to place the handles and tie them off on the sides. It only took me a day and an hour or so today to do it. Really easy knit and great looking bag I think. I have a great niece whose open house is this Saturday and so I am going to do the bag for her and fill it with a pedicure certificate, bath and body stuff and things like that. She will get a bunch of money from grandparents, aunts and uncles and the like and pretty much works full time as a restaurant manager so money is not an issue with her like it is with other teens.
I bought the pattern and yarn for Thomas's Christmas present sweater and will start on it either tonight or tomorrow. I needed more stuff to knit. Knitting is the only thing that keeps me from going crazy at the moment and I have run out of current projects so to the store I went today. He loves blue so I thought these would look great on him. I am knitting red striped sweater only in the blue and white. You are not going to believe this, but this is Lion Brand yarn with Vanna White's name on it of all things. It is called Vanna's favorite and it has her picture on the wrapper! lol
Hopefully, I won't see you tomorrow, but at this point who the heck knows!
Good Morning, Flowers! I'm up, dressed, had my breakfast, read the papers, and now I need to get busy. I'm debating on a second trip to the grocery store or working in the spare room for a couple of hours first. Friday afternoons are crazy at the grocery store because every senior citizen in town is there. It has cooled off big time and the wind is down to a slight breeze.
"Gma" -- I'm glad to see you here today, but sorry you weren't MIA because of Jackson. My "mom" has Tricare, because my dad was retired USAF reserves, and she continually comments on how great it is. I'm sure your great niece will enjoy the bag with the goodies inside. You are so thoughtful! Did your sister ever get her bag? I didn't know Vanna was into yarn . . . Bob says she doesn't do much to earn her keep on Wheel of Fortune since she doesn't actually turn letters anymore. Thomas will look good in the blue and white! Blue was/is Jason's favorite color and when he lived at home, I knew I was safe if I bought anything blue. Our school colors are green and white so he did wear his team shirts on game days.
Still here, still here! I just talked to her and nothing yet at all. She did say she had a terrible acid reflux incident last night that made her sick twice. At this point even vomiting could start labor and it didn't. He is really hanging in there! We are trying to kind of get an idea of inducement if they have to do it because we would really like to kennel Fortune. It would be so much easier and really easier on him as well instead of dragging him all over, especially if we leave in the middle of the night. I would need to go to the hospital get their house keys, take him to their house and get him set up then try and get back to the hospital before she gives birth. If we have to, that is one thing, but if not, it would be great if we could kennel him. He likes his kennel and they love him there because he is so gentle and not a barker or anything so they let him out and walk around with them when they aren't busy.
Jean: I bought groceries for the weekend and the beginning of next week and probably could have gotten 2 weeks worth at the commissary with what I spent at Walmart and Krogers. We at least have food and snacks to travel with if we leave this weekend. I did do one naughty thing. There is a ham shop/deli here that makes an olive and egg salad mix and I bought a whole container. I just love the stuff and never buy it because of the fattening stuff, but I just was craving an egg salad and olive sandwich. Yum!
Guess I will get in there and fold the load of clothes and then go back to knitting. I have started on his sweater and really like the 4/3 ribbing. I have never done this pattern and it looks really nice. I did have to spend an hour last night knitting swatches to get the correct needle size because I used a different gauge yarn than was called for. I started with the 7, then did a 6 and finally a 5 was the right size for gauge. Butterscotch was laying on the couch and kept looking at me as if to say, "well are we going to bed yet?"
This is the completed booga bag for my niece. I think it is cute and funky for a teenager.
Have a great weekend everyone! Stay cool. It is going to be near 100 here today again. I think it got up to 96 yesterday.
Good morning gals! Just a quick post. I know Susan is off work and Jean is probably off to the lake. I sit here still waiting. We have decided to be proactive and are taking Fortune to the kennel this morning. We really don't want to have to deal with him with the hospital and all so we are hoping it will all come out alright. He likes it there and has no trouble so we are just keeping our fingers crossed.
You know I can't keep knitting needles out of my hands so here is the project I started after I finished with handbag. It is the sweater for T for Christmas. I have never striped before but it is coming along great. I am anxious to get more yarn to start another bag though. I love making them and they are so fast.
Well, I need to get dressed and haul Fortune to the boarders. Thank goodness they are only a block from the kennel.
Have a fun weekend and keep your fingers crossed for us.
Good Afternoon, Flowers! I'm waiting for the washer and dryer to finish so I can start another round. I worked in the gift shop this morning and it was a bust. There were a few lookers, but no buyers. A lady from So. Dakota called and wanted to know where her online purchase was. She had ordered from the newborn website and the baby went home this morning w/o her musical lamb. I didn't even know you could order gifts online so passed it on to the gift shop manager. I tried to call 3 different people "in charge" and no one was home so left messages. We don't even carry the brand that she said she ordered so I will be curious to find out what happens. The sun is playing hide 'n seek -- not terribly warm either.
"Gma" -- If they induce labor, will you have any chance of getting there in time for the birth? I was under the impression that inducing caused a harder faster labor. We have a friend whose daughter was induced with all three of her children, and she had the first one within 3 - 4 hours while the last one came in less than 2 hours. I'm glad Fortune likes going to "camp" as my friend tells her dog when they leave him. The handbag turned out cute and the sweater is looking great! Does it have stripes all the way to the top? T will look sharp! You definitely have the talent for knitting!
I need to get busy! We are going to church tonight so that we can leave early for MIL's tomorrow. I think the kids and grandkids will all be there so it will be a lively time. Enjoy the rest of the day!
Steel Magnolias -- #24
I hope that he waits until Monday afternoon so you can have the rest of the week "off." I know how frustrating it is to wait for the phone to ring. The lake water is still too cold for swimming and it rained up there this afternoon too. 
from Iowa!
What is funny about all this is my weight. It is the one area that isn't controlled exactly, but even then, when I am dieting, I stick rigidly to what I am supposed to do. Ahh well, maybe the baby will come in the next couple days and relieve me of all this stress!
I've been sorting and started another Good Will box; found candles that have been burned a little and some that haven't. I'm sure they've been around much too long and they are leaving! 
I have an eye appt. this afternoon and need to run a couple errands before I go there.
I don't have much of a schedule at home except that I do like to get my laundry done over the weekend during the school year. Even that doesn't matter so much in the summer when I'm home all day. My MIL really is a nice lady; she is 87 and has lots of aches and pains from multiple surgeries, ulcers, and she is shrinking because her spine/vertebrate (?) are wearing out, I guess. She was a teacher and tends to give advice whether one wants it or not. Actually she can be rather overbearing at times. We usually just listen and then go on and do as we want; I've told the kids to do the same. She is not flexible when it comes to meals and both kids tend to let their own kids eat what they want at meals and have healthy snacks in between. My feeling is that when they are at the lake, playing in the sand and water with other people around, they can eat as often as they like or as little as they like. One or two days isn't going to mar them for life. I hope your baby comes soon so that your life can get back into your routine. I hate waiting and I'm sure you do too! Don't pay any attention to your sister -- it sounds like she doesn't have enough to keep her busy in her own family. 
