Annie- Thanks! I'm excited... trying to talk friends into having parties. I hate being pushy and I feel like I have to talk people into having parties. All the same, I can't wait to get it going! (I love cooking and gadgets so Pampered Chef is right up my alley. lol) Congratulations on the 11 pound lose! Woot!

Albino: Thanks for the congrats on the loss. I'm pretty excited to be on track again. I got so close to losing 300 pounds before. I was 1 pound away and I think maybe I got scared. Who knows. lol.

This is definately unsolicited advice or tips for your business but I am gonna say it anyway.... Please forgive me for it if it makes you irritated or anything.

I think I did so well on Pampered Chef (PC from now on) because I did a few extra things. I saw early on that if you have a party where husbands can come, I always did better at those. Men are easier to trick into thinking that the pan that you cooked the item in was the reason it tasted so good. lol. A the other tip is I always, always baked some bread in the shaped containers even if the hostess didn't request it. It was like an extra gift for her. I took frozen bread dough the day of the party and let it rise etc. Then I rolled it out and put butter, cinnamon and sugar in it. I baked at least one of those so I could show the cute little shaped pans and the bread knife and the cutting board. I would cut it up in front of them OR I would ask a volunteer to use the knife and stuff and do it. I made up some cream cheese with honey mixed into it to spread onto the bread. I already had this mixed up and it allowed me to show off the little glass bowls with the lids and the spreader. When I did this I sold those little shaped bread tubes every time. They are pretty inexpensive and I think it gives those that were not going to buy anything something to buy that won't break them.

Good luck with your business and happy cooking

Blessings,
Annie

albino- my dil used to be a consultant also. I love love love pampered chef. I think it pretty much sells itself!! My duaghter inlaw always passed around the salad bowl and lettuce shears and a head of lettuce for people to play with. I couldnt live without my batter bowls and my spreaders. I also love love love my pan strainer. I keep it hanging inside my cabinet and have it handy to drain pans with. I also couldnt live without my kitchen shears...I could go on and on!!!

Annie_ I have missed you!! I kept up with you on here but just havent joined in conversation alot.
Things here are ok. Hubby is still struggling with his illness. My brother looks amazing and has lost over 200lbs and is close to goal. Im amazed that he doesnt have alot of lose skin like I expected him to have.

I have done great all week and scales havent moved a bit...guess what...Im not letting it get to me!!!I will lose...its just may take time for my body to realize its time to release some lbs.

Debi: I'm so gladl that your family is doing well! I'm super happy for your brother not having a ton of extra skin like I do but I must have been bigger than your brother cause I have lost closer to 300 at one time only a pound away and I have a ton of loose skin. Oh well, I am much healthier now just a bit stretched out. lol. I am super glad to see you and I am really trying to come here often now. Love and hugs to you my friend

Blessings everyone,
Annie

I could think my brother doesnt have alot of extra skin because I see him fully dressed in jeans. I know he has some but not as bad as I thought he would have.
Im having one of those days....just feeling overwhelmed by life. It will be better tomorrow!!

Hugs to you Debi. I will be praying for a better day tomorrow.

Blessings,
Annie

Howdy peeps...

Just swinging by before bed.

Hope all is well with everyone.

Only thing new with me...our youngest is doing a little better with tummy issues. He finally admitted to my hubby that he is mad cause we moved him away from his friends UGH! Mom guilt here.

My oldest got his papers in the mail from the babys mama. She responded to the court that my son is the father..and they pretty much agree on everything. So now just waiting for the court date. She is letting Damian see Ayva about 3 times a week right now. Her parents still dont know. She wants Damian to have supervised visitaion fora year. My on doesnt mind as long as it is supervised with Madison and is not at her house. We will see how that goes.

SOON I hope to get to meet our grand daughter

Popping in to let you folks know that I'm alive and well, and back in Ottawa after a beautiful weekend at home with my family. I started my placement yesterday at an alternative high school program, and I absolutely love it. I'm exhausted already, but in a fulfilled and hard working kind of way. Will try to find more time to stop in some more, when things settle down!

Cyn: How exciting to be meeting your new Grandbaby soon.

Neon: Happy that you are enjoying your new teaching digs and that you are home at last.

I broke down and went to the Dr. yesterday. Outcome for me is pnuemonia and sinus infection. They also saw something on the chest xray that doesn't look very good. They will be doing a follow up xray in 2 weeks to determine what the lung thing is and how to go about fixing it. I guess more medical drama for me for a bit longer. UGH!

MY momma is having a masectomy this afternoon actually right about now. If you read this please send healing thoughts and prayers her way. Her name is Dorothy. Thanks everyone.

love, hugs and blessings,
Annie

Annie I'm thinking of your Mum & hoping it all goes well. HUGS XXXX You have had a really tough time lately, I hope you get some good news & nice things happening to you VERY soon, you deserve it. xxxxx
Neon, glad you got the placement sorted and you're enjoying it. xxxx
Cyn pleased things are looking up for your son & that you'll be seeing your grand daughter soon.xxxxx
Albino hope the parties go well & you make lots of money.xxxx
I'm doing ok, food is GOOD but I've not exercised as I had an 'extra' TOM and it's not been nice, lots of pain & feeling icky. Soon TOM will be gone so I WILL re-commit to exercise, even if it's just to keep me warm! lol Weigh-in tomorrow I'm hoping for a good loss, I'm at that weight where I'll drop into the next stone-I've been there SO often then got de-railed so I really HAVE to pass this particular milestone.
xxxx sharon

Good Morning all,

Sharon: You are so sweet. Thank you for all the good wishes. Good job on the food front. Always a battle huh? I hope TOM leaves you soon so you can exercise.

I am down another pound so I'm looking forward to updating my weight tracker tomorrow. Feeling dizzy still from lack of oxygen or from hyperventilating trying to get more. lol.

My Mom came out of surgery around midnight last night and they looked over the lymph nodes under a microscope and found no more cancer. It has to go to a lab still but that is a good sign so far. I am thankful. Thank you everyone for the prayers for her. My poor Daddy is a wreck worring about her and me. I feel bad to be adding to his worry.

So far antibiotics are not kicking in but I haven't been on them for very long so maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Blessings to you all,
Annie

I've been thinking all night about your mom, Annie!! She is out of surgery and that is wonderful. Preliminary news is wonderful too!

Take care of yourself. Let the antibiotics work.

I'm going to the hematologist tomorrow morning about my low ferritin and iron. PCP wants transfusions. I gathered my labs up today for the doc and summarized what my vitamin regime is currently.

Happy Veteran's Day to all our vets and families of vets!

Hugs,
Ratkity

Good Morning all,

So cold wishing we had a wood burning stove in this house! Supposedly I will be getting a small settlement from the car accident. I was just hoping and praying they would pay my medical bills. Aparently they will do that and I will get some kind of pain and suffering thing. If it is enough, I am getting us a wood burning stove put into our house. That would be so lovely when it snows or when it is this cold outside.

Rat: I hope that they can get to the bottom of your iron troubles. Hugs and hang in there.

blessings and love to you all,
Annie

morning all...

Annie: I am glad your moms surgery is over and no more cancer in the lymph nodes. A wood burning stove sounds wonderful!!

Sharon..bad bad extra TOM! :{

As for me: I have really been stressed lately.. I think it is a mixture of ALOT of things.
Getting ansy about seeing Ayva.
The holidays coming.
MY house being so dirty,dusty,and unorganized.
Many crafts I need and want to get done
Not loosing weight anymore but that my own fault
My son struggling in high school, maybe it isnt for everyone
Missing my Grandma terribly
WORK WORK WORK! I am thankful I have a job..but what good is a job if you dont enjoy it
Listening to everyones problems and feeling I should "fix" them
REALLY feeling a tug towards God and finding a church.

I need to make a list..and really deal with these things

I am seriously thinking about going to counceling..it has helped me with things in the past..maybe it will help again

Greetings Peeps!

I had my first iron infusion on Friday. It took an hour. I have another one on Wednesday morning. The doc was really nice and said I get a gold star for having all my labs and what meds and vitamins I'm taking all written out for him. hehe. He said we just keep infusing until the iron is at a good level.

I don't feel any different with first infusion, but my iron is very low.

Hope everyone is doing well this weekend.

Hugs!
Ratkity