Hello I am sorry I have been gone for so long but with my Mom's battle with cancer I have had NO time to Post. My Mom is doing well!!! PRAISE GOD! She still has not learned to speak with her new device but she is strong and independent. My DD leaves for the Air Force March 7. And My DS says he is moving out next weekend. So I may get the computer LOL. Please keep my DD in your prayers I do worry she will be sent to Iraq. My Grandson is the light of my life and Since my DD watches my younger DD's after school I get to see him 5 days a week. Of course he is rotten!

I sorry I carried on so. I use to post here but Praise God this post has grown!
I am sami! I am the Mother of 6! 5 girls 1 son. And the Grandmother of 8 month old Chayse! My mother has been battling throat cancer for two years. Her house caught on fire last April and she had to live with me for 5 months then two weeks after moving home she found out her cancer was back and fast growing. They removed her Voice box and she had to come back and live with me. Right before Christmas she went home for a visit and decided to stay home. She had Christmas at her house! It has been a tough couple years for my family but God has carried us and I can see his hand in my life.

I will try to post often and get to know all the new people!
Sami

Hello group!
I'm not getting my e-mail updates again so will just have to hop in here regularly to stay up with ya'll!
Hey Sami! welcome back! My heart goes out to you and your Mom.....it's good she's doing well. She is blessed to have you and vice-versa.

I have made great progress at the office Gary.....less here at home but I have my "weekend" coming up Tues/Wed and I'll bet I'll get a LOT done then! I can't keep a maid, as the only payment is the pleasure of my company, and no one will show up for that!

Thanks Hilary! I am a funny gal and I fit in well here! LOL! I love to laugh and often it's at myself. Humor is good for the soul and lightens my load conciderably!
OH NO....yep..I have to agree with Gary..when ya forget why you didn't get to the gym, I reckon it's time to get back there! I hope your friend id ok..the wreck would shake up someone's concentration....among other things!

Lori....I do hope you get some answers quickly on the tests. Knowing what's wrong will give you more power to deal with it. Not knowing is draining....
spiritually and physically...as you well know. Hugs to you!

Marilyn, It's so good to know Len is better and we will pray for full and speedy recovery..yes..the quiet is neccesary for healing...hope he will behave!
Good luck on winning the bet with hubby on WATP! Can ya feel the back rub already?

Sue...hugs to you too......this is such a heart rending time.....and yes..we will agree with you in prayer, for Maryanne...for no pain and an easy passing when the time comes.

Gotta run and throw myself together...I'll be back! have a blessed, peaceful day and do something good for yourself today!
Bren

Hi. Just popping in to say hi. I really want to lose this extra weight. Sometimes I think I can do it, and other times I just want to eat for reasons other than hunger, like habit.

Here's a good thing. I didn't try to get my dds to buy pop-tarts yesterday at the store (with the express purpose of *me* eating them) - isn't that good!

And I had salad for lunch yesterday and again with dinner last night, and with lunch today. That's big for me.

Hope you all have a great day!

HI GALS

Taking a few minutes to check in.

Went to the Norwegian Club last night for dinner.... ate so much fish I could've swam home. It was really good, my wife won the big Viking "necklace" for the night so if she wears it to the next one her dinner is free...saves us $25, my ex-wife won $74 in the 50/50 pot. All our first time guests had a great time too.

Church was cool as usual today, I got to read the part of "The Lord" in the old testament lesson...luckily all I had to say was "SAMUEL!" then "SAMUEL!,SAMUEL!" Pastor knows I don't like too many lines...I get nervous!

Sorry about your BEARS MARGIE, I was pulling for them and PEYTON today, I love Peyton Manning so I wanted him, I do like Pittsburg though so it wasn't that bad of a day for me...plus on the BEARS game I won back my raider wins vs. bear wins bet from my buddy.

Great to see you SAMI!

I will post tomorrow, I am off...Angie and I are going to watch IF ONLY on TV.

Bye, gary

I kept busy this weekend cleaning some of the clutter around my bedroom. Still have a ways to go. I think my severly fluctuating water and etc weight has finally normalized. I also noticed that I have been drinking alot more water again. Maybe thats part of it.

Sami good to have you. Prayers for your mother and her continued strength and courage and your daughter for her safety in the Airforce. I think it is mostly army and marines in Iraq for the most part. Maybe she will get stationed stateside.

Greetings to everyone else. I am sorry this is so short. I will post again soon.

Hi everyone! I came into school to work a bit today but it's a ghost town since it's a holiday! The bathrooms are even locked in my building! I'm not sure what I'm gonna do when I have to go. This could be interesting! Maybe it's a sign from above that I'm supposed to take a day off to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather we're having! I had a great weekend. My mother and I attended the AKC National Championships and watched the agility and obedience trials FOREVER. It was fantastic, although one may wonder what the deal with dogs jumping around in a ring is! It looked like such great fun, I wanted to grab a doggie and go try it! Anyway, I hope you all are having a wonderful Monday!

Lori ~ Keeping you in my prayers. I hope they figure out what's going on! I will also say one for Michael. Also, a big congrats on the 2-pound loss!

Wilma ~ I'm glad to hear that you're getting through those reviews!

Sue ~ I am praying for Maryann! I will also send you some warm to help you feel better!

Gary ~ Norwegian fish club? I'm intrigued! at not feeding your daughter's boyfriend the "good stuff"!!! Although if you fed me pizza like that I'd probably want to come over every night! I am a total junkie!

Sami ~ I'm glad that your mother is doing well. I will pray for her recovery, and also for your daughter. She is doing very brave and noble work!

Sprout ~ Congrats on the loss for the month and thank you so much for the prayers! I am glad to hear that Len is doing well.

fitchick2be ~ Hi!

Hi Everyone!!

Just a quick post - the kids are off today for MLK holiday - we went to see Narnia, but they were SOLD OUT! The kids were so disappointed so I took them to White Castle for lunch and to the park. So they were happy again! I was really looking forward to the movie too so we'll have to try again!

Thanks for all the prayers! Mike and Bailey are doing much better and he's happy so mommy's happier too!

Still no word on the medical tests - it doesn't seem like it would take this long - I suppose no news is good news!

Hope you all are doing well - prayers for your requests!

One of these days I'll get to individual posts again!!

I thought I would quickly check in with you while my chicken is cooking. I am feeling a little under the weather and that makes me a little grouchy too. So, I didn't do any reviews today. It wouldn't have been fair to the girls.

DS went to the doc and the result show that he doesn't have asthma. PTL! We are now to wait until spring when the pollen comes out to see how he reacts to that and maybe he has allergies. He's busy looking for a job so hopefully something comes up soon. He needs to get out of the house!

We are going to buy a total gym. It uses your body weight as resistance. I know a couple people who have really benefited from this machine. Do any of you have one and like it (or not)?

Sami: It is SO GOOD to see you here again. As if we could forget you. I'm so glad your mom is doing so much better.

Sprout: WAY TO GO on the weight loss. Keep walking! Glad to hear Len is doing better.

Hello to everyone else! I'm too tired to address everyone like I would like to. sorry!

Talk to you soon!

HI LADIES

I have a pot of great northern beans and ham warming up on the stove for dinner, with crusty bread ready to go in the oven when everyone is here to eat. I made it on Saturday for Sunday night but Angie made chicken picata last night instead. It has been a little chilly here today, in the 50's, so it will be a good soup night. Not sure how my family will do tomorrow with all those beans, teaching, researching and studenting....but as for me...well, it is a good thing I am in construction where we can make a quick getaway (although the guys NEVER do! )if we need to pass a little "octane"

I watched some of the CSI marathon on TV today, watched mostly football yesterday....humm...watched 10 hours of the MONK marathon on New Years...humm, maybe I should get a LIFE...ya think

I "moved" a little this morning, Angie and I took the dogs on a 2 mile walk, they were easy on me since it was my first day at walking in quite awhile. I figured I better start training for our 5K in April. With about 12 of my family and their girl/boyfriends running it with us I figured I could walk it. It has been a couple of years since I did a 5K...humm, I think my last one was Thanksgiving Day 2003! Wow, didn't think it was that long ago....and to think I am still in 5K shape

Maybe it is because Angie takes the dogs for WALKS in the park and neighborhood and I take them for RIDES in my truck.

LORI~ Glad to here Michael and Bailey are doing better...young love can be so painful as I know! I think for every heart I accidently broke KARMA kicked~stomped~pushed~shoved 2 of mine!! Sorry too about missing NARNIA today with the kids. Not sure that would happen here, unless you just ran out of time, I think it is showing on at least 5 theaters within 5 miles of us. Are the White Castle burgers really that good? They have them here in the frozen food section, tried them years ago, that cannot be ALL THERE IS to a White Castle burger. Here in southern California our, well at least my family's, favorite burgers come from In~N~OUT. you can ask Michele (if she ever comes back) about them, also I think Wilma's boys were here once and had them. Hope the tests come back soon and GREAT!

CHRISTINA~ The dog show sounds like fun. Angie and I watch on TV every now and then. Have you ever seen the Dog Whisperer with Ceaser Milan on Discovery? Anytime you want to grab a doggie you can babysit...and I mean BABY sit..my two golden retreivers About the only agility stuff they know though is getting their Daddy (me to jump through hoops!
You can come over for dinner any night~~ I can tell you are not a LOOOSER like my daughter's boyfriend. His name is Zac, with just a C...I'm like NOT EVEN A K at the end of your name? How LAZY IS THAT? Heck, he just left here an hour or so ago and all he did while he was here was play with my dogs, keeping them out of my hair while my daughter visited with me, what a loooser! Then of course I feel sorry for him since it was lunch time, thinking maybe he was but NOOO...he had already taken my daughter to PANERA for lunch...and didn't bring me anything! And he $$ paid $$ for it with a gift certificate that I got him for ...what a loooser I am pretty sure that I can only put up with him for about another 20-30 years or so, then if I am still alive he will just have to go!! Right now he and my daughter are playing tennis, I'm sure she would much rather be with her daddy than her friend!

The mutts came in for a snack and of course I gave in. DUMB!!

CHRISTINA~The fish club is a branch off of The Sons Of Norway group in our area. It is called Fish Club Odin, Odin is the "head" god of their mythology (or something like that)...a very talented guy (high school teacher, 4 languages) started it, he is Odin...he sits at the head table and runs the show. We sit around 2 long tables, about 30 people or so, with other members of the club dressed as Vikings. The room is pretty dark, candle lit, I think we are supposed to be in the viking ships eating quarters. Anyway at each meeting the Vikings interact between themselves with the "business" of the day....they have a jester that is hilarious...he is always smartmouthing the others! Most meetings someone gets initiated into the club (as gods of the Norwegians mythology). It is a really fun way to spend an evening every other month. The food is almost always fish, veggies and potatoes...all you can eat and WONDERFUL!! They almost always make the same foods...but prepare it different each time. My ex-wife had been going for awhile and kept trying to get Angie and I to go, finally it worked out and we have made every one except for the time we were in Washington this summer in the house we built last year. My son and his buddies go, his girlfriend went this time too, my brother and his wife started going a couple of months ago also. My dauhgter is afraid to go probably a good thing, it is a little spooky the first time...and she would probably bring the loooser anyway, he could never pass up a free meal and surely he would wheel and deal dinner out of me or Angie or my ex! He was raised a vegetarian but always seems to eat meat just fine in my home...I wouldn't be so hard on him if all I had to do was throw him a can of beans or corn every now and then

WILMA~ I hope you feel better. I "think" that is good news on your son. Now if they can only figure out the "problem"! or the allergy! My step-d has a Bowflex at her dad's house, all I know is it makes a good clothes rack there! All i can say is to do your research when buying any gym equipment, it is real easy to end up with junk stuff! Thank goodness for consumer reports and the internet.

MARILYN~ That is good news on Len. You and your DH just keep betting on the walking...WHATEVER it takes to keep motivated!! ANGIE and I walked this morning with the dogs for 2 miles, she just got back from the dentist a few minutes ago and went for a 2-3 mile run! She didn't really want to, but she is really trying to push herself right now. She got in a rut after coming home from Washington at the end of summer, trying to get out of it now. My ex and I have a great EX-SPOUSE relationship, my wife and her get along super also...they sat together at Fish Club saturday night, we often sit together in church...I won't say she hangs out here but she is at my house frequently for various reasons...some the kids, some me and some with Angie...it is always comfortable. I know it is not common, and 15 years ago it was hard...but the last 11 years there have been ZERO problems (as long as my ex believes that she is getting the same information from the kids that I am~~ if she thinks I KNOW something that SHE doesn't about the kids...look out! the kids, Angie and I have learned how to go about "info" though).



BREN~ Well today starts your week-end! Enjoy it. I am sure there are tons of maids that would come and work for laughs You would fit right in at Fish Club Odin!! How is that truck running?

BETH~ How did you do on the clutter?

SAMI~ Glad to see you back and your mom doing better. Your daughter and grandson must be doing better also? What daughter is in the Air Force? Our friend Juan should be coming home from Iraq (ARMY) in a few days. I will pray for your family.

FITCHICKTOBE~ Easy on the pop tarts!

HELLO TO ALL....Gotta go stir the bean soup!!

Hi All,
Wow it seems like I missed a lot by not logging on for a few days!
Lots of prayer for Suzi, Michelle, Lori, Wilma and Maryilyn...I hope all is well with you.

Sprout - Congrats on your weight loss, I'm jealous

Gary - I really enjoy reading your posts, I feel like I'm part of the gang as you tell what's going on, thanks. I also made soup today, veggie,beef and barley with warm rolls. I love making soup in the winter.

Today for MLK day I cleaned and decluttered, but of course it's never enough. DD1 went back to college yesterday, and DD2 should be on her way home from the airport after a 4 day ski weekend with my sister and her family. She helps them with the kids and does some babysitting in exchange for airfare, lodging and ski time. Good deal if you can get it! DS had lots of school activities so I logged a lot of miles.

Did some stuff around the house but was slowed down because I slipped on the ice in the driveway and twisted (?) my back. It's been bothering me more today, so I did the miracle ball system for a while and it really helped. I really had my doubts, but it really made a difference. I was going to go mall walking since it has turned really cold here (-15 windchill yesterday) but my back just wasn't up for it. Maybe tomorrow. Unfortunately, I wasn't too good about my food goals today, but I'm hoping for a better day tomorrow. At least at school I can't snack all day! Well, it's getting late, so I'll get going and check in again tomorrow.
thanks for making this such a great supportive place, I appreciate everyone who is part of it!

Good Tuesday morning all!
You guys were busy yesterday! I did laundry and de-cluttered a box before work so didn't log on. Some of the Tickers aren't showing at all but I did get e-mail notices today. Guess it's a random thing. I know FLYlady's site is having some Hotmail problems and maybe we are at times? It's all a mystery to me!

Thanks Gary! I can RELAX on my off days, knowing my major chore of the week is done. LAUNDRY! The good thing (besides clean sheets and clothes) is that I get LOTS of extra steps in, hiking around to the laundry room...uhh 4 round trips! If I could train me to do it more often, it would be less of a chore I'm thinking...that's as far as I'll get today! Aww....that's nice! saying I'd fit in at the Fish Club Odin! I could pack away some fish, that's for sure! LOL! It sounds like a lot of fun!

Hey, Marilyn..congrats on the 3# loss! Hooray! Fitchick2be....... you will find what works for you and in doing that consistantly, the new habits will be formed and old ones replaced! Good for you..tuning out the inner cry for Pop tarts!....and getting some salads in!

Howdy to Lori, Hilary, Mel, Sue, Christina......Jackie, Sparrow, Sami...Margie, Beth....Diane, Michele. We have some Mia's and busy people....throw a note in when you can. You're in thought and prayer regularly! Be good to you today and be blessed best where most needed.
Bren