Have a great 4th everyone! (hmm, no little characters for Independence Day)

Happy 4th to those of us in the US! :bday2: (since we don't have fireworks for Pat :) )

It unofficially hit 104 here in Albuquerque yesterday and I don't care if it's not humid, that's still too hot! We got tons of wedding planning done. I got to see the places where the wedding and reception will be (and take a lot of pictures) and we sorted out a lot of details and loose ends. There's so much you just can't do over the phone - you have to BE there!

Monday was Day One of wedding dress shopping and we were convinced that we found The Dress. Until we went to this dumpy wedding dress store with a rude owner yesterday and found an even better dress. The owner wouldn't even help Julia with the dresses, so I was left trying to maneuveur these unwieldy mountains of fabric over her head and figuring out how to fasten them. :faint: But despite all that, we found the perfect dress.

The problem is that the dress needs to be ordered and the store looks like it's going out of business tomorrow. I've heard horror stories about brides not having dresses because of stores just closing up and putting a sign in the window, so we came home and hit the Internet. There's another bridal store that carries this brand in Santa Fe, an hour away, and they're open today, 10 am - 7 pm. Even though it's a holiday, they said they're swamped because of all the brides who want to get married on 7/7/07 this weekend! So they'll be open and we're going to see if we can order the dress through them.

Then, after dinner last night, I found my mother-of-the-bride dress in a 20 minute blitz through Dillards. As soon as I spotted it, I knew it was exactly right. :)

Today will be a picnic at the future MIL's house. We're taking pasta salad, fruit salad, and cookies. The menu is supposed to be ribs and sauerkraut, but I'll manage. Then Julia and I will excuse ourselves to go to Santa Fe for the dress. I don't know about fireworks in Albuquerque? We're probably going to be pretty beat anyway.

What's everyone else doing today? Probably not shopping for wedding dresses! :lol:

Happy 4th of July to everone.

Meg, WTG on finding your dress and hope your DD gets the dress she wants in Santa Fe.

Our temps are in the 90's with frequent rain showers. Very humid and sticky outside. My kids have lots of fireworks to shoot tonite. DH is in a golf tournament and will be gone most of the day. Dinner tonite will be grilled, very lowfat with watermelon for dessert. I'll fit in my walking shortly before the fireworks start.

I finally got in my title so yesterday went and bought my boat tags. Come to find out since previous owner hadn't tagged it for 2006 or 2007 , I had to buy tags for 3 years to get it up to date. Plus pay all the late penalties. It costed Way more than I was expecting to pay. The OK Tax Commission doesn't care that previous owner didn't tag it, the responsibility just falls on the new owner. Now that totally bites. I had never bought a used car or boat with out of date tags, so I didn't know this is how it's handled. I learned something new anyway. I only knew that with the weekend coming up and kids wanting to go to the lake that we had to get it tagged. At least it's all Legal now and I won't have to worry about it anymore.

Happy 4th!

Meg~good luck with getting the dress today!

Lily~too bad about the tags on the boat. Who would have thought that?

Today we might take in a movie (DD went to see Transformers and says it is so good she'd like to see it again). So either Transformers or the new Die Hard. Watched Blood Diamonds on pay-per-view last night. That was a good movie (sad and violent, though). Tonight I'll grill burgers and corn for dinner. We'll be trying to stay cool in our predicted 119 degrees.

The weather forecast all of a sudden turned south here. Thunder showers are predicted. We may go to a movie tonight as the alternative to seeing the fireworks.

Last night we had a lot of fun first east coast swing dancing outside at Lincoln Center in NYC and then west coast swing dancing at a club at 30th & 8th. The live 40's era band was set up on a stage in the center of the plaza between Avery Fisher Hall, the Met, and Alice Tully Hall. It is part of a month long series of outdoor dance concerts called Mid-summer Night Swing. The weather was absolutely perfect last night. It was fun to watch some really excellent couples dance. We've gotten pretty good ourselves and really enjoy it.

When the band stopped for a break, we hopped back on the subway and went down to the club where the group Strickly Westie gets together to west coast dance every Tuesday night. There are a lot of really good dancers there and we spend half of our time dancing with each other and half the time dancing with others. I've gotten good enough to follow most leaders but every once in a while I misinterpret which way someone wants me to turn.

DH has been trying out new moves. Sometimes they work and sometimes I get twisted like a preztel, but it's still fun.

Before all the dancing, we went to a homey dinner on 68th and Broadway near Lincoln Center. I had the Spinach Pie and Greek Salad and realized after it arrived that Feta Cheese is very salty. So my weight's up again this morning.

Huh, pouring rain here all day. My biggest excitement was going to the coffee shop for a latte with DH this morning (he goes every day!) and reading the paper slowly. Now it's 4 pm and I've done laundry, weeded my flower bed (between showers), made a great mushroom soup for lunch, and finished an online traffic class to get my points and fines waived from an accident I had at Easter. Just have to go take the final at a designated site and then take the certificate to the court. Another thing off my "to do" list. :)

Meg, I enjoyed your "power shopping" description on the other thread. The dress looks really nice. Glad you've now got both dresses under control.

Lily - personal fireworks are illegal here, and esp so since they caused a massive forest fire in 1996 about 30 miles from here. Be careful. (And of course, since it's not dark now, we have more fireworks for winter celebrations.) Enjoy your boat! Bummer about paying for the back tags though.

Alison - I'd be in the AC watching movies at 119 degrees too! Wayyy too hot for me.

Guess I'd better start thinking about dinner. I have chicken thawed. Wonder if the rain will stop enough so I can grill without a raincoat....

Hi maintainers,

Hi Pat - thinking about you...I'll be painting & sanding the outside of the shed between showers, & the inside during showers. nift plan he ?

have a great day maintainers,
Rabbit

Hi everyone,

Last night my DH came home from the golf course all depressed. I asked him what was the matter and he said "he got a call from Shane". (MY DS). DH then started crying and told me that it is a VERY BIG possibility that Shane will be deployed to Afghanistan straight from his Desert Training in California without being able to come home first. I did not get to talk to Shane myself because after 24 straight days of rain here, my home phone line isn't working. (absolutely gotta get phone company to come fix this problem). DH never once said that he KNEW for sure that this is the Plan, but I could tell. I am just hoping and praying to get to talk with my son soon. I am sure that Shane told DH not to tell me anything til it was "set in stone". Meanwhile, I'm going bonkers. I already think I need to see my Dr. and get back on anti-depressants and something to help me sleep. I don't know how I'm going to be able to cope.

My good news is today is One Year of Maintenance for me. I didn't weigh this morning but was only 1 lb. over goal 2 days ago (I forgot and ate breakfast first thing this morning). This is far better than I've ever done with wt. loss/maintenace attempts in the past. Before, I was always nearing 200 lbs. again by the time that first yr. was up. So, I am considering this first yr. of maintenace a success. I'm revved up now and ready for yr. two of maintenance.

Lily, congratulations on your big day!!! :balloons: We're all so proud of you! You're such an inspiration and you so graciously support and encourage everyone here at 3FC. We're lucky to have you. :hug:

I'm so, so sorry that your anniversary was spoiled with your news about Shane. I hope you can talk to him soon and find out exactly what's going on. I know it's going to be a tough time for you, but you'll get through this without giving in to emotional eating. I hope your sleeping gets better. They're always our babies, aren't they? :hug::hug:

Thanks Meg, I was crying as I typed my post. He will always be my baby and although he's 21 yrs. old it just seems like he's still my little boy. I love him so much and worry about his safety. I know he feels like he is doing the right thing but it doesn't stop a mother from being scared to death. I am proud of him and I consider him very honorable. I am sure that every other mother feels the same of their child. It even scares me more that he was recently promoted to Sergeant. He won't be over there taking orders, he'll be giving his Unit orders. He was recently given the option of going to Alaska or to Germany for a year and he turned it down. This is heartbreaking for me. He said "if my Unit goes to War, I go with them". Of course, I wish he'd of chosen the other assignment instead. But, He is not like that. I truly think that DH is having as hard of a time with this as I am. (DH lived through his own father being an Army Sergeant during war time).

I think that I am worried as much about a mental/personality change in my son as I am a physical one. He's always been my fun-loving, happy-go-lucky child and I fear that this will change him.

After getting this bad news last night, I had a sudden urge for an ice cream blizzard. But, I didn't go get one. I am going to try my best to not let my own emotions make wt. maintenace a disaster. I think I've always been more the type of person to just Not eat when I'm under a lot of stress. I'm worse to Overeat when I'm Happy. I want to keep the weight off and be as healthy as possible for when my son returns home. My son has been very vocal of how proud he is of me for losing the weight and restoring my health and I think it's important for me to remember that.

Hi everyone! I hope those of you in the US had a good 4th of July! Sorry I'm late in the thread this week, I took Monday and Tuesday off and had a five-day weekend.

Lily - congrats on one year! I hope you can get your phone line fixed soon and talk to your DS. :hug:

Anne - glad to hear the pregnancy is going well!

Meg - sounds like you had a quicker wedding dress shopping experience than I did! I went to seven stores and got so stressed out about having to make a decision I cried in the dressing room! :o I went with my fiance to Men's Wearhouse the other day and we ordered a tux for him. Very exciting! Figuring out what to call your daughter's fiance's mom is confusing. There should really be a word for that. My dad says there is a Yiddish word (I forget what it is) that just generically means "in-laws" that can be used. The thing I struggle with is if we send a card to Ben's parents and sign it with both our names, does it get addressed to "Mom and Dad" or "Mike and Sara"? If I'm the one writing it (I usually do since my handwriting is better) I put "Mike and Sara" but it's weird for Ben to sign a card to his parents which calls them by their first name!

Allison - so hot! We took a cross-country trip with my family one summer (I think I was about 7 years old) and it was 121 degrees when we went through Phoenix. Being used to 100+ degree heat in LA where I grew up you'd think it wouldn't be too bad, but 120 is way hotter than 100! Now after two years in Rhode Island and one year in Indiana I'm not sure I could handle the LA summer anymore. I've only been home during winter the past couple years. OTOH, the first summer I came to visit my fiance (then boyfriend) in Indiana I about died in the humidity.

We had a relaxing long weekend, and I'm especially glad that the long weekend means I only have a two-day week! 90% of my coworkers are on vacation this week, my office is like a ghost town. Food and exercise have been up and down. Saturday morning we drove out to the country with Ben's family to stay at their "cabin" (they call it a cabin, I call it a house!). Since his mom had brought all the food she did the cooking and her cooking style is way different from mine. Plus there is always a lot of beer and wine down there too, and desserts. We did do a little bit of walking though, and Ben got lots of exercise digging holes for his mom to plant peonies in in the fall. Sunday night his family (and the dog) went home and Ben and I were alone down there until Monday morning. Monday we drove through Bloomington (hi Robin!) thinking we'd check out some art galleries, but apparently galleries, like museums, are usually closed Mondays. So we had lunch (greasy Mexican food :o ) and then went to a state park for some hiking.

We hiked a 2-mile trail. Not too far, but Ben cut up his back crawling through a cave and it was hot and buggy, so we went home afterward. Tuesday was spent lazing around the house watching a Twilight Zone marathon on TV and reading Harry Potter (I'm trying to get up to speed for the new book!). Wednesday we went for a jog in the morning, then lazed around the house until going to Ben's parents' house for dinner (more dessert...).

Anyway my scale is still telling me I'm 133. I had hoped my maintenance range would be 125-130 but it's looking like I'm settled at 130-135. Unless I can really get myself into shape I doubt I'll break 130 again. :( It's that nasty cycle -- when I eat bad food, I don't want to work out, and when I don't work out, I eat bad food. Luckily our vegetables are growing and I'm excited about getting to eat them when they're ripe!

Meg, could you inform me of how to contact the National Weight Loss Control Registry now that I have been a maintainer for a year? I want to take part in their survey's. Thanks.

Here you go, Lily: http://www.nwcr.ws/ :)

Lily~:hug: I hope Shane is able to come home before deployment.

We had a nice 4th yesterday. Slept in and had a relaxing morning. After lunch, DH, DS and I went to see Transformers. Great movie! Then I fixed burgers and corn for dinner. DD spent the afternoon with friends, came home for dinner and then went back out with same friends to see fireworks. Then they all went to see the new Robin William's movie--she said it was really bad (started out funny and then it became so ridiculous that she sat there wondering why they didn't just get up and leave).

Got up early this morning and took DD to catch the bus to LAX for her trip to China. My day is already a little off because of that.

Thanks everyone for the support. I really need it right now.

Meg, thanks, I went to the NWLCR site and answered those first questions. I hope to hear something soon from them. It makes me feel good to know that I could be a participant.