[Bamiegurl]

Just startin us up. I'm off to get coffee will be back.
Good Morning Everyone!

[Bamiegurl]

Ok I'm back with java in hand! Not much happenin today. DD has an orthadontist appt. She has lost her 1,000 dollar retainer that I am not replacing! I think she threw it away. (on purpose!) She had worn it all the time for 2 years no problem but when she hit 8th gd. I guess it was not the in thing! Although most of her friends have one or braces. Which she thinks she wants by the way! We also have a soccer game tonight. Other than that just cleaning around here! I am hopin to get out tomorrow and plant some flowers in my window planters in front of the house. I just need to figure out what will grow good there.
I'm goin for now. Peck in if ya can! Have a great day everyone!

[Ruthxxx]

Good Mornin', Bamie The Early Chick! You started us up yesterday and closed us down last night and here you are again! Let us know what flowers you are planting so we can envy you! In this area we can't plant outdoors until about May 20.

I was up at 5:30 and peeked in but then Lucy started her breakfast holler and I went downstairs. Both Girls are pissed off with me as we have run out of homemade dog food and they are disgusted with that "store-bought" crud. Lucy sits and looks at it in disgust and doesn't eat it until Hershey tries to snitch it. So making more gourmet food is on my list for today.

The baby shower last night was quite enjoyable! Shannon really was surprised and the gifts were lovely. The quilt I made was admired and appreciated. She is pretty big although the baby isn't due until May 8. Shannon is a server at the Long Horn - her parents own it and she has certainly worked hard to get it going this past year.

We are dull but mild today - I mean the weather! We had light rain off and on yesterday but the deck has dried off today. The snow is slowly melting but there's still enough of it to clean off the paws as The Girls come up on the deck. I often think I need one of those disinfectant troughs like they have at some pools to wash their feet before they come in.

No greenhouse this morning so I'm going to try to make myself useful around the house for a change. Treadmill is definitely on the schedule. It's been neglected the past two weeks but today is the start of a new OP day for this fluffy butt.

Peck in, Chickies!

[little chick]

morning Bamie and Ruth-
Bamie my dd lost her retainers once as well, and I though $300 was hard to swallow. Yikes a $1000. I have to fight with her to wear hers. And she only has to wear them at bedtime.
Ruth- It is raining here like crazy, and foggy and soggy. The poor dogs have to lay around in the porch til they dry off.

Well my shift just got cancled YEAH, I am really not enjoying working at the store and I don't think that I am going to stay. There may be an opening at the store I worked at christmas and I may be going back there as well. I will now later today I think, well I must go change out of my work clothes and get back into my house clothes. Be back a little later.

[Rayneysmom]

Good Morning All,

Thought I would peck in early this morning before the rush starts.

Bamie ~ Long time no speak girlie. I know that's my fault. Anyway, I planted some petunias and ranunculus this past weekend. They are gorgeous!!! We are supposed to be in the 70 & 80 degree area this week around here. (sorry Ruth, Ellis & Little Chick - Spring will arrive soon for you) My hyacinth, tulips and astible are blooming too. They are prettier this year than they have ever been! If your boxes are in the shade, try Impatiens (I have bright red New Guinea variation) they do really well in shade. So do petunias. As for the retainer - OUCH!!!! I don't blame you. Tell her you will just let her teeth go "au naturale" and see if she starts digging through the trash

Ruth ~ Hey Hon!! How are ya? Haven't been able to check in as much as I'd like lately. Been BUSY around the office the last couple of weeks - and then with Easter and all - it has been crazy!

Little Chick ~ Hope all is well with you too. Hope the job gets better. Life is too short to be miserable!! God knows I have been close to quitting mine a few times.

Has anyone heard from Mama lately? I haven't had time to read all of the posts and threads yet. Hope she's OK.

Laurie ~ Glad to see you're pecking in again - You were MIA for a while there too


Me ~ Have been SOOOOOOOO off the program the last couple of weeks. So---- time to buckle down so I can get in that bikini this summer (NOT) No, really, I have gained back about 7 pounds and I can tell my hips are getting rather large again. Pants kinda hard to get up these days. So - it's celery and cheese and eggs for breakfast for a while.

Well, better run, I am being summoned. Hope all of you have a good day. I WILL check back in later.

Love ya'll
Kelly

[Ruthxxx]

Hey, Kelly, nice to see you - even if you do talk about flowers! Impatiens are a good suggestion for Bamie - the NZ ones can take a little sun, by the way, just not noon sun especially where you chicks live. We have some yellow impatiens started in the Greenhouse. We did them last year but the blossoms were UNDER the leaves! Duh! We are trying another kind this year. Thanks for reminding me about celery and eggs - that will be my breakfast for a while too.

[Rayneysmom]

Ruth ~ I have to talk about my flowers!!! I don;t think I have ever seen a yellow impatiens. How bout pack me one up and send it to me

[Sunnybunny]

Good Morning Chicks!

I just got to work so I only have a minute. My Mom, Dad and little brother are at Hilton Head and I am dog sitting.

Yesterday I went to work and had to leave her (Penny). When my DH and I got home she nearly had a heart attack from the excitement, so I have snuck her to work with me today. I just didn't have he heart to leave her fuzzy butt home.

I am such a sucker...but that's ok!

Have a wonderful day and about the retainer, don't be so mad. I hated my retainer, not only is it ugly, it is really, really uncomfortable.

[Bamiegurl]

Rayneysmom...Yeah I will probably go with some petunias since they will grow over the edge and down the front of the boxes. I am probably goin to put a few others as well. These are pretty big! It is afternoon sun. The sun rises on the backside of the house and sets in the front. But with all the trees I don't think there will be a whole lot of direct sunlight on them. Your right about the inp. as well growin good in the shade. DH used to plant them in the boxes on our porch in Tn. Glad to see ya peckin back in. I've hit a big weight well myself! Gettin back in the saddle for another ride though! lol

SunnyBunny... It wouldn't be as bad if she wasn't always goin oh I hope I get braces oh I hope he's gonna put braces on my teeth! I would rather have a retainer that I could take in and out than have braces. Not to mention it was a retainer that widens your palette. It has the little turn gadget in it. But her teeth are really straight from where she did wear it. Another thing we have already put braces on DS and when he got them off he did not wear his retainer at night (only) and now his bottom teeth have shifted back and you would never know he had them! So I have about had my fill of all this wasted money! lol Oh we are past the mad part! It has been a few weeks since the discovery of the lost retainer! haha

Oh I better hit the shower DH just called and is on his way home to go to the ortho with us! Big Shock there! Talk with you chickies later!

[anchor weight]

Bami - You husbands butt must be puckering from that $1,000.00 lost retainer. It is that Dave Ramsey thing ya know. DS has a retainer and braces! They have MI State Spartan green rubber bands on them.

Raneysmom - Yeah! Where ya been? Jump back on the beach! Glad to hear from you.

Ruth - It is 60 degrees here today. I'm sending it your way sister!

Little chick - I've often thought about getting a part-time job at Chico's so I can get the discount.

Sunnybunny - What do you do that you can bring a dog to work? Got to get a job like that one!

I'm just wrapping up work and packing. I've done my best to have OP food for the ride down there and while I'm there. DM has lost her 18 pounds and is back to eating whatever she wants. Including girl scout cookies. Oh well. I actually have sandals on today since it is going to be 60 degrees today! Tropical heatwave.

[Sunnybunny]

I understand Bamiegirl, my sisters teeth really moved around a lot when she didn't wear her retainer. Thank God my teeth didn't move, but I had braces for 4 years. I was miserable.

I am a grant specialist for a non-profit agency, we are pretty laid back. Right now one of my co-workers little boys is playing with the dog so that's cool. He is a cool kid, I just gave him my business card and he said "We'll do lunch!" His name is Peyton.

I am having a good day!

[soon2Bfab]

Good Morning ladies!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter holiday. Yesterday I spent 12 hours in the car & I visited my mother, so I was very OFF plan yesterday & I'm paying for it on the scale!! Today I'm back on Phase I (again!)
So why is it when I get a little cash, something goes wrong?! I just got my income tax return & my car is acting up. I took it to Midas & they quoted me $1300 (retainer not included Bamie! ) My father said he could fix everything for $200 (free labor!) So I'm driving his car & he's fixing mine. So I thought things were getting better, but no I get a bill collection letter in the mail. I hurt myself at work last year & my employer isn't paying, so I'm stuck with a $800 bill due ASAP! UGH! Hopefully they will let me pay a little at a time, but probably not since it's already in collections - love my employer!!
Thank goodness my car payments are done in June - that will help, IF my car decides to stick around!
Well I work tonight - no boss this week, she's on vacation - which means that's a vacation for me!!
Hope everyone has a wonderful OP day!!!

[cottagebythesea]

Good morning all of you! I peeped in earlier to get some recipes, but no one had started the daily chat yet. It seems every time I decide to start it up someone else is posting at the same time, then poor Ruth has to go to the trouble to combine the threads. I made an awesome omelet this morning, I spread some garlic & herb flavored Laughing Cow onto the egg, and it was delicious! I'm tryng to follow Phase 1 for a few days to detox. Yesterday wasn't too bad, although I popped a couple raisonets without thinking. Today I got on the scale though, and didn't like what I saw, so it's time to get serious! Lunch will be a veggie burger on romaine, a snack of yogurt w/ flax for mid afternoon, and a chicken stir-fry for supper. Gotta run, the wee one is way too quiet in another room!

[Rayneysmom]

Oh - hey you guys - I forgot to mention that I am walking in the Wilson Heart Walk on April 23rd. Anyone want to sponsor me?? It's a three mile walk and my company is matching whatever the participants get. One of our employees here (he is actually MY boss) has a four year old who has had (2) open heart surgeries over the last 6 months and is really not doing so hot. So we decided it would be a nice thing to do.

Lemme know if any of you are interested. I'll give you the website address.

Peck back in later - hope everyone has a great day OP

[beachgal]

I finished my paper!

102 pages later, after staying up until 5 a.m. on Sunday, I was able to turn a finished product in last night in class. Then I actually got a full night's sleep last night! Heaven! Thanks for the prayers and good wishes, chickies! :

Bamie, you sure are the early chick lately! (did you get the worm? ) Must be that bright and cheerful kitchen full of buttercups! I'd love to chat about your window boxes. DH and I want to make some for our windows in front, but they are weird sizes. We're not sure how to make the planters but still get plastic liners for them that fit. How did you get yours?

So glad the baby shower was fun, Ruth! I would love to see your quilt...did you ever get pictures? Love the idea about the disinfecting trough...our pup's paws have gotten muddy so I try to walk her through puddles on our way back to the house, but miss priss will have none of getting her paws wet. Have a nice day at home! I don't think I've ever seen a yellow impatiens either! Don't you guys love how you can pinch their seed pods when they get big? I used to think that was such fun when I was a little girl!

LC, sorry that things are not working out at the new store. Hope you can get back in at the store from X-mas. It's important that you work somewhere fun...it can help a lot with weightloss, I think! Funny about your daughter and Bamie's...everyone in my school had braces when I was a kid, but I never did. I literally used to bend paper clips and stick them in my mouth to simulate braces because I was so jealous! A dear friend of mine is from another country. She's a gorgeous girl but her teeth are apalling. I can really see the benefits of orthodontal care when I look at her teeth.

Hey, Kelly! I know what you mean about busy! Now that my paper is done, I hope I can return to some semblance of a normal life. I have a presentation next week on my paper, then I have another paper (much shorter!) due, finally there are two standardized tests I need to take on April 9 for my teaching certificates. It never ends! Oy! Glad you are back with us, and I know you'll be able to get back on the wagon...see us all sticking our hands out to help you up? LC might even be able to spare you a cabana boy! The flowers sound amazing...I always love Ranunculus, but haven't been able to make them grow out here. Maybe the squirrels eat the rhysomes? Impatiens are so happy in shade...we plant our whole parterre in them each spring. Can't wait to get out there and dig in the dirt!!!

Sunny, have fun with the pup! My SIL takes her little dog to work with her every once and a while. She actually works for a non-profit and is in charge of large fund-raising projects. Guess non-profits tend to be more laid back.

Me:
Well, finally got a full night's sleep last night and in spite of eating the last biscuit and several small cubes of rye bread , I was down to 215 this morning. Sleep really does help weightloss!

I've got some homework to do for class tonight and need to drop clothes off at the dry cleaners. But I'm really kind of floating above it all with this feeling of euphoria at being done with the paper! Tomorrow's my birthday and DH is making me a carrot cake with WW pastry flour, splenda, raisins, and walnuts (no pineapple) with a frosting made from smart balance, splenda, and cream cheese. I got some SF ice cream as a special splurge, too. Some presents and cards have come in the mail and I'm saving them to open tomorrow night. It's the big 30 and I haven't been healthier than this in more than a decade, so I think I have a lot to celebrate!

DH is taking me away for the weekend and it looks like we're leaving Thursday night. All I know is that I need to pack my "fanciest outfit" for one of the nights. Could that mean a cruise? Are we going to Paris? Montreal? A b&B nearby? I have no clue, but it's so much fun guessing and wondering! DH and I haven't said more than boo to each other in the last month with all my homework, so it'll be SO nice just to get to spend some time relaxing together.

Hope everyone has a great OP day!!!