It looks like it will just be the two of us for Thanksgiving this year. I invited a family we know who have a son in Brian's patrol but they are going out of town except the mom who is recently out of the hospital. I've told her to come over if she feels like it. I'm used to having a big gathering (20-30) people for Thanksgiving so it just seems weird. I wish you were closer Lori.

I dropped off the savings bonds with the lawyer yesterday and sent a note to Robert. He replied late last night to the email so I doubt if he ended up in a homeless shelter. It just doesn't seem likely he'd have an internet connection there.

I've got to stop by the scout shop today. I washed Brian's shirt and it had his patrol handbook in their so I need to pick up a couple more. And he needs some more warm scout socks. He's camping this weekend so I might stop by the gym and maybe even do some shopping for me. TOM arrived yesterday so I am REALLY glad I decided to skip the campout (just a primitive latrine).

Hey chicks, just a quick hello because I need to get moving here if I want to accomplish anything today. I'm heading out to grocery shop and go by the orchard to stock the "root cellar". DH will take the kids to horseback riding and I hope they don't freeze to the horses today. After I've got some serious cleaning to do, and we may be getting together with friends for dinner tonight.

Spooky, did you see my post to you in yesterday's thread? I posted late, but I just realized where you are located.

Hugs to Loriann, and hope the blues will pass quickly and you find a way to make the day special.

Morning! Full day of exercising, lunch with a friend, and working on the duplex! Going to grab some tea and get moving! Have a great day!

Hey there ladies!!! Busy day out here in California. I'm at the USO swinging by quickly. After my shift is completed here, I then have lots of errands to run and a lunch and dinner date. Busy, busy, busy.
Got to get going......more people coming up the gangway.
Have a great Saturday. I hope to get back here later!!!
BLESSINGS!

Good morning brrrr it is cold here.

Full morning of cleaning and running errands have a good time everyone.

Lori we have no family here either I always invite another family Mom and Son over that does not have any relatives near and we have a quiet time. My whole family is getting together in Atlanta but we cannot make this year.

Have a great day everyone

Zeff- I love playing see how much I can save, only you are smarter than me about it! lol... I used to be a coupon clipper until I realized that none of the things I was buying would go together- so I was making more trips to the grocery store... Now I plan out my meals and just buy for them... well, and whatever else I see that I have got to have along the way! That sucks about your veggies!!! maybe you could check back to see if someone stuck them away for you?

Sophie- hope the counter goes in painlessly!

Kim- hope your back is feeling better... I am still fighting off the doctor but thinking I am going to give in today... ugh. at least your dh is there to help you with the cleaning... I have been doing little by little, and last night our dishwasher broke... lol guess I know what I am getting for Christmas~

Schmoodle- horseback riding sounds like fun, kids sticking to them was a very funny image in my head!

weezle, barb, hmac, and pearl enjoy your days!

Hello all!

Gonna make a shorter post today, gotta get to work doing more cleaning. Still hoping to find my wayward package from yesterday, and Sweetie has his friends coming over for D&D later.

I had a REALLY nice surprise on the scale this morning - I am down 2.5 lbs from yesterday!!! When I weighed yesterday I was up a pound from where I got to on Phase 1 (which is where I've been holding steady for a couple weeks) and I felt so good this morning I thought "What the heck, I'll hop on the scale" and BOY was I surprised to see a number 1.5 lbs below my lowest weight! I know a chunk of this is probably water weight or something but it sure is an awesome motivator!

Sounds like a lot of us are having a very small Thanksgiving. My sweetie and I are going to his mother's, and it will just be the three of us. We usually do this, and then do Christmas with my family. It's very odd for me, as I grew up with BIG events - 15-25 people, snacks everywhere... all day eating! I miss some of it, but all things considered I think it's going to be really great to have the food-centric holiday with some one who is more understanding about our diet.

Well, I'd love to stay and chat more but I think I really should get some cleaning done. I'll be reading more later, but probably not posting til Monday as I am going to be out with friends tomorrow and busy cleaning today.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Sounds like everyone has plans - hope you enjoy them. Stay healthy - and warm!

Barb: This may be TMI, but I'm SO glad I'm regular with TOM now! I was never able to correctly plan trips like camping! I'm glad Robert seems to be somewhere besides a homeless shelter. I hope you enjoy your weekend alone and that Brian enjoys his camping trip!

Schmoodle: Sounds like you have a busy day planned! Dinner with friends, should be really enjoyable. Did I miss your birthday this past week?

Lisa: Enjoy your Saturday!

Heather: HI! Busy day for you as well! Enjoy your meal dates today.

, Pearl! Have a great day!

rdw: Yes, DH is here and is being extremely helpful. As a matter of fact, he just finished vacuuming a room for me. He knows how important it is for me to have the house decent before we go out of town. Hope your back gets better as well!

Betsi: Congrats on the scale jump! Enjoy your busy weekend. It sounds like it's going to be a really fun time!

Me: I love the sound of the washer going on a Saturday. It makes the house seem so "homey". LOL! Maybe I'm delirious from the meds! Either way, the house is slowly getting clean. I'm just taking my time and doing one room at a time. It'll get there slowly but surely!

Kim - I posted the pannycake recipe before, in phase II breakfast (whole wheat grain and nut or something like that). I especially like taking the extra batter (it makes a huge batch), cooking them, then eating them cold later in the week for either a snack or breakfast. They're awesome! If you're really feeling naughty, add choco chips (that's what Ido for the kids), then they taste like a huge choco chip cookie!

Zeff - I've been better at bargains! I've had such a hard time finding pants that fit, and I finally went to GoodWill. Found a pair of American Eagle jeans and Ezra Fitch (found out later those are Abercrombie and Fitch) for $8 each! Yee-haw! I'm finalllly getting better about coupons too.

Betsi - I know a lot of people don't recommend it b/c you can become obsessed, but that's why I weigh myself (almost) everyday! Makes you realize how much you fluctuate. I don't weigh myself nearly as often now that I'm a maintainer, but I loved those low numbers when they happened!

Me - almost finished reorganizing the office! Since I'm still in my PJ's, I guess I should get dressed pretty soon, huh? At least I'm being productive!

Ok, I guess I'm taking back what I said before, and stopping in for a quick post. Cleaning went rather quicker than I expected. Not quite done with what I wanted to do today, but close. I always forget how much faster it goes ith two people cleaning!

It also helps SO much to listen to bouncy, high-energy music on my iPod. It makes the time fly, it's fun, and it gets me moving so much more than just cleaning. I'm boogie-cleaning!

I used to do a lot more with being frugal and using coupons - I was a coupon queen, really. But since Sweetie found he's gluten-intolerant it's become much harder - they mostly only put out coupons for convenience foods that are loaded with crap like "modified food starch" and extra flour and such. Now that we're on SB it's even harder. I'm curious, how do you guys shop frugally? Just shopping sales, or do you find you can get coupon deals on some South Beach friendly foods?

Hello again chicks, just popping in to check the bean brownie recipe, haven't made it in a while.

Betsi, I am "frugal" as they say. I manage by doing most of my shopping at Aldi's and I hit the farmer's markets and orchards around here heavily in-season. Just picked up a bushel of apples and a load of squash this morning. Way cheaper than grocery store and local to boot. I used to shop the sales brochures between 3 different chain groceries around here, but that took a lot of time and I find I save more at Aldi's. But I still peek in the brochures and might go in if there's a killer deal on something. Then I load up, and I cook mostly from scratch and fill up my freezer and that saves a lot too.

Happy Saturday! Brrr, it is cold here! I am still in my pj's. I have been working all morning. Lazy day for us. Dh is catching up on poker, kids are playing and watching DVDs. I have been itching to work on a cross stitch project I started YEARS ago! A Christmas tree skirt. NO WAY it will be done by this Christmas, just fun to work on for days like this. Might venture out to the video store later and grab something to watch tonight. LOVE days like these! Enjoy yours!

Just got back in from the dr... she gave me pain meds, steroids, and muscle relaxers- she says I should feel better by tomorrow! OH- I can't wait! lol

Eating some spinach right now for lunch then going to curl up on the couch and watch zohan... I hear its hilarious!

Also, figured what to take for Thanksgiving and it will be spinach for an appetizers with ww baguettes and caramel pie for dessert- that one is super off program but its just for that day! any leftovers will be left there!

I bought the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD today... I am going to start tomorrow. Anyone tried it?

Betsi - regarding shopping frugally: I'll be honest and say that I haven't clipped a coupon and actually used it in years. The foods that are usually promoted through coupons are not things that we need and while it may be tempting, I'm just adding to the grocery bill by buying something that we wouldn't normally buy.

I buy food when it is on sale. I scan supermarket ads for their "loss leaders" and will go to two or three stores to get inexpensive things (especially if it is something that will save me a lot, for example, Winn Dixie does buy1/get1 sales on their family packs of chicken breasts all the time. I usually save about $15 buying those than buying individual packages. I break the packs up and freeze them). I also buy inexpensive food - dried beans, brown rice, lentils, etc. We have at least one vegetarian meal per week, usually more like 2 or 3. The lack of meat really saves money. If I do have to use ground meat, I'll use half the amount necessary and beef it up with TVP. Two meals from one pound of ground meat is pretty budget friendly.

And my biggest money saver? Planning ahead. When I don't, our supermarket bill is usually (at least) $100 higher than if I had. Little things here and there really add up and can really break the bank.

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Got everything purchased for Thanksgiving. The stores were effin' packed today. Had lunch at a little deli where DS hit on a couple girls and then ran away laughing and trying to hide. Ah, it's happening already.

I didn't find my bag of produce, but I talked to the manager and showed my receipt and he just refunded my money. Better than nothing I guess....although I have to find another bag.

This afternoon DH and I worked on the house while DS napped and watched a movie. We finished hanging pictures and I cleaned the house. The place is finally coming together.

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ETA: Rikki, be careful to not re-injure your back. It is very easy when you can't really feel if you're doing anything to it.