Oh, I forgot to say...Laughing Cow Light Garlic Cheese = WOW!

Kara

Good afternoon and evening everyone.

Finally I am able to take a moment to check in. Picked up 2 kids from overnight b-day parties. Like to have them go like it better to have them home again. House is crazy. Don't know where to start and really am overwhelmed with what needs to get done. Good thing it is a long weekend I am going to need it just to get things done.

I have 2 Trader joes close to me. I am alittle afraid to go in and really like it that would throw a kink into the budget.

I have been reading the post for the past week and looking up recipes and trying to get jump started on next week trying to find ways not to go out and look at the mess in the living room!

Hope everyone has a good day and a safe one

I didn't have to watch the girls today, after all. Cindy's plans were changed and she was able to take them to the party. So Jake and I decided to go to the mall and window shop. We didn't buy a thing, but it was fun to just browse. Jake did look longingly at some plasma TVs, but maybe someday. I can't justify buying a new TV when there's nothing wrong with our old ones.

phxsunflower, you really should check out Trader Joe's, the prices are so much lower for most things than you'd pay at the regular grocery stores. Just yesterday I got 2 full bags of groceries and only spent $32! I'd pay twice that amount for what I got in a regular supermarket.

Kara, I hope Connor feels better soon! Can you fix him a little chamomile tea with honey? That always seems to help.

Chamomile tea is my go-to tea for upset bellies and general malaise! I don't know if we have any in the house, but I'll put it on the list for Wegman's tomorrow. He reported this evening that he's feeling better tonight (after two naps this afternoon), so I'm glad to hear that. He had half a bowl of pasta for dinner and two glasses of water, so hopefully tomorrow morning will see him recovered. I used this as a huge plug to get him to stop biting at his fingers, which is a new habit he's picked up. I have no clue why. Tom bites his nails, and I'm wondering if Connor is trying to "be like Daddy" or if he just gets attention by doing it. Who knows. I gave him the whole germ speech tonight, so I'm crossing my unbitten fingers that it helps him cut the habit.

Phoenix, I second Linda's rave reviews of Trader Joe's low prices. Their cereal is particularly low!

I'm off to bed down the pups at my parents' house. They're really not pups - one's my 70 pound Chocolate Lab and the other is my parents' nearly 70 pound Golden Retriever. I just like calling them "pups" because they're so lovable!

'Night, all!

Kara

whew, I feel like I have been moving all day, but I made good progress on my to-do list and also have stayed on plan all day. The new part for the refrigerator came today, so tomorrow I'll be taking a crash course in installing a new control board. I'll see if I can get DH on the phone to talk me through it. The kids went up to Grandma's after dinner and they're staying over, so it is quiet around here right now. I just got all the groceries put away, and I'm going to make myself a big bowl of yogurt and watch the Vicar of Dibley. Then off to bed! I know, my weekends are just too exciting! TOM arrived with a vengeance this evening, so hopefully that will help to resolve all the issues I've been having this week.

cottage, when DH got back from his last trip with a big vacation check in his pocket, our TV was acting up. We'd actually been without it for a couple of weeks and were surviving just fine. The first thing he did was rush to the store and buy a gynormous High Def TV. THEN he tinkered with the other one and discovered it was something fixable. I could have killed him!

Schmoodle, "gynormous"! Tom's itching to get a new TV, too, but I told him there's no way we're spending money on an expensive TV that someone else is going to move from Asia to Europe and then from Europe to North America! When we get our "real house" we'll invest in something fun. What is it with boys and TVs?

Kara

Good morning all!

Jake is itching to go to breakfast, so I'll be back in a bit!

Good morning, Beach Babes. The sun is shining right now but we are expecting a blast of horrorshow weather this afternoon - an Arctic and a Texas system are planning to meet right over us! It should be interesting. This is one of the times when I'm glad to be housebound!

Nothing on the agenda today except my frassing exercises. I may get into the sewingroom to do a bit of quilting if I can make my right leg run the machine. If not, I'll just cut out quilt blocks. I'm doing a block-a-month quilt called "Barnyard Boogie" and missed the February class so need to catch up.

Enjoy your Sunday, whatever it brings.

Morning Chicks

It's a quiet house-cleaning day here. Going to do some closet re-organizing, always makes for a fun day. It's supposed to be warmer (it's 1 now so it almost has to get warmer!) and I hope to get out for a walk before it rains this afternoon. Such weird weather! I can't wait to walk outside instead of on the treadmill every day. I have a great movie selection but that does get old after awhile.

Kara - Now that you've discovered Laughing Cow wedges you've opened up new snacking possibilities. My absolute favorite late afternoon protein pick-up is Tofurkey oven roasted slices rolled with Laughing Cow cheese. It really does the trick when I'm flagging and tastes so decadent

Ruth - you know we have to see a picture of that quilt when it's done Physical therapy exercises are a drag. My PT and I agreed that half an hour a day was enough and I could mix-up the rather large assortment she has given me. I imagine your list is even longer. Sounds like you are making progress though. Stay warm!

Have a good day all!

Happy Weekend Everyone

Sounds like everyone has already had a very full weekend and we're only half way there.

Yesterday started with the carpet cleaner coming. I was in complete shock when he showed up two hours early. Then I went house hunting with my mom. I found a great place but it's going to take about 18 months to make this all happen. DF and I are going back today to take a look. Have a great Sunday.

Just a quickie. DH is at church setting up the sound system (he's the resident "sound man") and I need to be ready in about an hour. I just finished a great 4-mile walk. ALmost thought I was only going to be able to do 3.5, but I pushed through and did it!

Today is more homework, laundry and cleaning. Then we have FPU tonight. Another busy Sunday for me!! I love it, though! Makes me feel more alive than I have in years!!

Another blizzard here in Iowa! Six to ten inches of snow on top of freezing rain that fell last night & wind gusts up to 40 mph. This winter has to be one of the worst ever & we didn't get that snowblower we were looking at last December! I can't wait until spring!!
My husband is out shoveling again. At least the temperatures are above zero today.

Afternoon chicks, sat was busy again this week end, Megs had a dentist app then we had to go to the dance studio. Came home, then went out food shopping. Had a nap. That was it for yesterday. Today house work done, helped both of the girls dye thier hair. Have a roast in the oven for supper. Other than that going to watch the race with DH. And wait for the bad weather to come again. They are calling for it to start I think over night and all day tomorrow, I am praying that they do not cancel school again tomorrow that will be 4 days in a row that they were out of school. Well must dash so I can snuggle up and watch the race. enjoy your sunday ladies.

Now Murphmitch, you know the reason you're getting so much snow this year is because you didn't buy the snowthrower. If you would have gotten it, it wouldn't have snowed at all! The first season we had our new one, that's exactly what happened. I hope you can stay safe and warm indoors.

LC, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that school stays open tomorrow! The kids around here had off Friday and again tomorrow for President's Day. We're having several friends over for a playdate, though, so at least they won't be bored.

Kim, hurray for you for getting a nice long walk worked into your busy weekend!

THIN, are you and DF looking for a new house? I must have missed something, but I take it that the wedding is back on? I hope everything works out well for you!

Cyndi, I hope you got your closets all organized and your house in order today. It's a good feeling to have everything nice and tidy again.

Ruth, I hope your weather wasn't too awful today! Stay snug indoors with a nice fire and Hershey curled up at your feet. Don't forget to do those exercises!

Dustin and his family just left after spending a pleasant afternoon with us. They brought us each a piece of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory, and yes, I did eat it. I knew they were bringing it, so I banked my calories all day to prepare myself, and enjoyed each bite. But now I'm right back on track again, and I'm not going to obsess about it. My tummy does feel a little uncomfortable, though.