Donna, Wow thats a hard one. I mean Im 33 (older for a mom) and I have 2 kids, girl is 5 and boy is 10. I make sure I am responsible enough to be home for my kids. Actually our school system will not let them off the bus if no one is here to get them. I would tell her, if you get in a jam heres my number and I will try to help, but not all the time. So, while your playing nicey nice to her you can mention that you would like to keep your garage entrence clear of vehicles so you may use the spot as you pay for it. Hopefully she will get the hint. If she makes a habit of calling you then I would tell her you are not a babysitter!!! Hope that helps, but I just could not imagine not being here for my kids because I lost track of time? Thats a kids excuse for being late from coming in from play.

Hugs to you all.

It's funny how this thread can move so quickly and other times, it just drags along...Good to see so many of you posting. Everyone's spirits seem pretty high, motivated and happy...good! I like that. Let's keep it going. Spring is really not too far away...despite what you see outside your window, Lucky! I came across this great catalog today..."Silhouettes," anyone ever hear of it? Plus size clothing...but really nice. No bold florals or teddy bears over everything. Just nice, classic styles. I wanted to order some stuff, but don't really want to commit to a larger size right now. I stuck their website in my "favorites," maybe I'll get back to them in the Spring...then again, maybe I won't need to!


Okay, a few replies and I'm outta here!

Sandy, you must have some YOUNG mommys by you! I was 26 when I had my daughter and 34 when I had my son...I thought I was going to need a walker to go to PTA meetings! Come to find that I am surrounded by Moms that had their first babies in their late 30s, early 40s! God, where do they get the energy?
BTW, can't wait to try those ribs...

As for your nieghbor, Donna...it sounds to me like a call to protective services might not be a bad idea. Either that or tell her that will be your next option, should this happen again. People generally tend to be "polite" and look the other way when someone is blatantly taking advantage of them...you don't want to cause any trouble (understandable) but you don't want to be the babysitter, either...hmmm...tough call. If it happens again, I'd let her know your concerns. If it happens after that, I'd call, she needs it.

Hi Baylee! Twice today?! You are an exercising demon! Way to go, girl!

Mary, you are in the 180s! Awesome!

Sara...don't worry...your bod is settling into it's new weight range. You are MAINTAINING. Good for you!

Lucky...I waited for you...sniff...nobody (except Donna, and she couldn't get in}, came out to chat tonight.

Michelle, glad you popped your head in...listen to Tina, she's one tough cookie! (reduced fat, of course!)

J-ann...they're
berry good for you too!

Duckie...Don't be discouraged...get some more fruits and veggies! They do help to fill you up. I had an obscenely large salad tonight...1/2 bag shredded lettuce, one tomato and some chopped scallions...added 4 oz ground turkey with taco seasoning and 1 oz shredded cheddar...I used taco sauce for my salad dressing...5 points only and I am stuffed! Try to sneak those veggies in when ever you can. Hang in there!

Thin...slow down a minute, come see us.

2cute, have a good visit, we miss you already!

Who did I miss? Sorry...you know I love you too...gotta jump in the shower...see you all tomorrow.

What the &*^(*&^&^%????? I got on the scale this morning - it had not budged. So, when I found chocolate cake at work today I ate it!!!! I was mad at myself when I took it out of the pan, while I ate it and all the time thereafter.

When I got home today, as my exercise and punishment, I shoveled snow for an hour. My feet were so cold my toes got the "pinchers". Any of you other cold dwellers know what that is like?

I feel slightly better.

You all have been busy...I hope I can get caught up.

Way to go Baylee on your loss..

Happy you are posting j-ann, we miss you when you don't.

Tina, you are such a sweetie. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. When I find that special someone and we take our first trip it will be to your house for a BIG hug! Now, if his name was Tony THAT would make it even more special!

Sandy, I haven't eaten red meat in 25 years. I have found that if I tell someone when I will be eating at their house they make a big ta-do about the whole thing. So, after a couple years of that I quit. I just show up and eat whatever I want - if they ask I just say I don't like that or it upsets my stomache. Ya know what - they just say "oh" and it's a done deal. No one is offended or upset. On some occasions I just say I am not suppose to eat that (whatever it is). Almost any excuse works because, in my opinion, as long as you aren't saying you aren't eating because they are terrible cooks..they don't care.

All that was to give you ideas for your MIL. If you don't want to eat something no matter what your reason I have never understood why people care!!!! Okay, done now.

I thought I could catch up but it's late, I hurt from shoveling so I will have to finish tomorrow.

Hey guys! Just thought I'd hop in here real quick before I hit the old sheets. I feel like a fish out of water because we've moved the computer into the living room. I'm not surrounded by pictures of Tony, so it's quite distressing. Donna, I don't believe you or Sandy have had the good fortune to see pictures of my Tony room, so I will include a few at the bottom. I have actually updated the room and added some more treasures, but the ones I'll post are the last ones I took.

Why did I move the computer to the living room you ask? Well, three reasons. Reason #1. Our living room is long and odd shaped and we have a funny little corner that nothing seems to fit in and the computer looks great in here. Reason #2. Many times I want to get on the computer at night, and with it being in the Tony room, (uh, I guess I should say Trey's room) he is asleep and my typing keeps him awake. And the biggest reason..........(drumroll please) Reason #3. My oldest son (14) has been looking at porn. I am so distressed about this. We had AOL and we each had our own acct and I had parental controls set on his and Trey's, so it wasn't a big deal. Well, we cancelled AOL and now we have Charter pipeline through our cable company and if I set parental controls, then it's set for all of us. I thought I could trust him and that it wouldn't be necessary. I was checking the history trying to find something that I looked at yesterday, when what do my wondering eyes appear....but a buttload of porn sites. (excuse the pun) The terrible part was, I immediately thought it was my dh. He never looks at that kind of stuff, but it never even occurred to me that it would be one of my sons. I'm trying to get over this, but I'm very agrivated.........as dh was when I yelled at him for doing it. (falsely of course) He said, "You know, if you had just looked at the times that the sites were visited, you would have seen that's when you, me and Trey were gone to Walmart." And sure enough, he was right. We left to go to Walmart around 5:30 yesterday and these sites were visited between 6-7. The worst part was, my son couldn't even offer an excuse. When I first asked him about it, he lied and said that he doesn't do things like that. The next time I asked him, he said that I had always told him not to look at nasty things like that and that he would never do that because he knows I'm uncomfortable with it. Of course, when I presented him with the proof....what else could he say? (except "OW!" when I smacked him upside the head) Yeah right....I didn't, but I should have.

I don't have time for individual replies right now, but I do want to say to Donna, WW does have some pretty good desserts, but Healthy Choice by far has the best. Their icecream sandwiches are awesome and they just came out with some new ones called Caramel Swirl Sandwiches. They have a blonde type cookie with vanilla icecream w/caramel swirled through it. It is to die for yummy and only 3 points!

Ok gals.....I'm out of here for now because I'm all worked up. Congrats to you Baylee doing all that exercise! You are kicking my butt big time! Not for long though....I am off to do my WATP video!

Have a great night!

P.S. Check out the new quote under my stats. I read it and thought it was ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!









Only 11 more days till Daytona!!

Hidey Ho everyone. I am back.

I had a pretty nice visit with my parents. My mom is doing so much better. I can't believe the difference. They have upped her predisone and it has made all the difference. They also got her back into physical therapy and "making her get some exercise". They gave her appetite stimulants too. She is as different as night and day. A couple of weeks ago NONE OF US thought she would live another week. In fact... I thought she died while holding her hand comforting her. WE are all amazed.

My dad is doing pretty good. I took him galavanting all day. Took him to get a haircut and out to lunch. We went to the bowling alley so he could visit all of his old bowling buddies. It was kind of ironic.... my dad is 100% deaf without his hearing aids and even with his aides in a bowling alley he couldn't hear a thing. Soooo I am sitting there trying to make conversation with all of his 70- 90 year old friends because he can't hear a thing they say. LOL It was a longggggg hour and a half. LOL

My darling baby boy (dog) is feeling much better.
I also did not know that dogs had tonsils. LOL

I am not going to try and respond to everyone. If I miss you please don't take it personal. Just not enough hours in a day to go back and re-read all the posts.

Sandy... this is not just for your MIL... it is for any person or event.
You do NOT need to "ask" your MIL if you can bring your own food. It is "YOUR" life. It is your decision what you put into your body. Just bring yourself some healthy choices. I bet you $$ that if you bring a tray of healthy choices.... others would also eat them up. A vegetable tray maybe. Selection of fruit salad for dessert. Just say you thought you would contribute to the dinner.

Baylee... I really liked your suggests for Sandy too. You are a wise woman. And congrats on your 23.25 lbs !!!!

Mary.... you had me laughing. You did not use a period in your sentence and I read it "different" than you wrote it.
Here is what you wrote.... "Well I better run get a bath and dress son will be in from work in a little while. "
Here is what I read.... "Well I better run and get a bath and dress son. Will be in from work in a little while"
I thought... WHAT???? Mary still dresses her son?? LOL

Donna... You are definitely in a sticky situation with your neighbors. I agree you are NOT their babysitter... but at the same time... they are children and should not be turned away for safety reasons. I personally would NOT give her my phone number. Anyone that irresponsible will not hesitate to take advantage of you. Here is another idea.
You could go to the mother and say "I am happy that I was there to help out with your children but I am worried about the times I might not be home. Maybe you could give your children a house key or hide a key for them. Or maybe leave a key at the main office so the children won't be locked out since I am not always home when they come home. "
I would also tell the children to go to the main office if you are not available. Maybe just take them there yourself and say you are leaving your home and had no where else to take them. I am sure the office personelle will notify authutorities if this happens often. Of course... that is if the office is near.
If it continues ... then you will definitely have to report it.
I will tell you that it can be done anonymously here.... but she will probably figure it out for herself.

Just another idea. That is what is so great about brainstorming with a group. You put all the ideas together and come up with something that might help. Good luck.

Okay.. I have gabbed on here sooo longggg that Tina has posted.
Tina... all I can say about your son's explorations is.....
Hang on.... it only gets harder from here !!!
Sorry... I could not help it. I have raised three teens... and I can't wait to hear about the next few years you have ahead of you.

How ironic that someone sent me this in an email tonight.
Thought Mary would appreciate it. LOL


An English professor wrote on the blackboard the words...

"Woman without her man is nothing" and directed the students to punctuate it correctly.

The men wrote: "Woman, without her man, is nothing."

The women wrote: "Woman! Without her, man is nothing."

DONNA! 10lbs?! WOOOOHOOOO!

Tina I do not still dress my son. My fingers don't type like they should

2Cute I like that one and it's true.

Hey pretty chickies...

I'm trying to decide whether or not to sleep now or later...I just had a yummy breakfast: 1/2 cup sliced peaches (canned, unsweetened=1 pt) topped with six oz Axelrod FF/SF strawberry banana yogurt,(2 pts) topped with 2/3 cup Kellogg's Low Fat Granola (4 points) . For 7 pts, I had a yummy, very filling breakfast.

Uh oh...I think my eyelids will decide whether or not I sleep this am...and since they are closing, involuntarily, I'll say goodbye. Can someone call and wake me at 2:30? Lucky? Isn't that cake/pastry time at the bank? OK...I just volunteered you! And be sure to use their phone!

Tina...let me just tell you about the subtle (hmmm, maybe subtle isn't the word...) brainwashing you've managed to inflict upon me...I was watching a show on TV with DH, when the commercial for NASCAR came on...I sat right up and paid attention...then yelled to dh, "Hey! There's Tony's car!" He just looked at me, somewhat quizzically, I might add...

More replies later...too tired...gotta get into bed...ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Mary: It was actually 2cute that read your sentence wrong, not me....but I thought it was pretty funny! My oldest is 14, and you would think he could dress himself decently by now, but honestly....some of the get-ups he comes out in would make you wonder. Of course, the other day...I also told dh that he just looked like he had wondered out of a nerd convention. (he went back and changed) Was mad at me the rest of the night though....

My little one's out of school today, so there will not be a lot of time for chit chat. He demands most of my attention...but isn't that the way most men are?

Wanted to say to 2cute though....glad you had a good visit with your parents...sounds like it may just be what you needed. I knew when I typed about my sons explorations, that would get a chuckle out of you and I was bound to get some advice. Of course, I'm sure Kat got a giggle out of it too.

You ladies have a nice day and try to not get into too much trouble and I will be back in a bit. I'm hungry this morning and I'm thinking along the lines of an eggwhite omelet, but not sure. I'll pop back in awhile and see what you've been up to. Give me something to read about!

Love you guys!

Kat popped in, so to her I will say, "How dare you accuse me of subtley brainwashing you? I am FULLY 100% trying to get me some new Nascar buddies....as well as some Tony fans as well! You just crack me up girl. I'll have you watching Daytona yet!

Gotta hurry today so will post individually tonight. Thanks for all your suggestions regarding the children. Unfortunately, as this is a condo complex and not a rental situation there is no "office" for the children and I won't turn them out, but though I am home 99% of the time and she probably knows this, what about if it happened today? I have the car and will be gone when the bus comes, it is cold, wet and nasty out. I just want to smack women that treat their children like this.

I got both walks in and froze my buns off along with getting soak and wet. It snowed here this am and is raining now, but the sidewalks all have standing water so my feet got soak and it was like walking with weights! BUT....ladies I got that exercise in! My husband thinks I am nuts going out in bad weather, but I know I have to keep to the routine.

Well, hope you all have a pleasant day and will try and talk tonight some more.

Donna

Good afternoon chick--ee--pooh's,
Guess what? Today is WI day......the scale says down 3 lbs...yahoo, i'll take it and run!!!!!!!!!! . So that makes a total of 9 lbs in 2 weeks......yes, I said 9, thank you in advance. I of course am still having my TOM, so maybe its more? But am doing the happy dance for the 3lbs. So I did update my totals at the bottom for all to see. Im on my way.....

Queenb/ PORNO , well my son is only 10 well almost 11 and I have not had to worry about it to much yet, he still kinda thinks girls are yucky!!! Anyway, my friend has a boy who is 15 and she like you found tons of Porno stuff on the puter. She was mad, but had a good talk with him I guess and explained that she does not care for the porno stuff and does not want him visiting those sites!!!! And he did get grounded!!!!! , and now is supervised while on puter, as it is in the livingroom now too. But I think its a boy thing. Puberty and all? Good luck, my day will come.

kat/ hope you got some good sleep and are all bushy tailed and ready to go.

2cute/loved the sentence.....will have to ask dh what he thinks.

grannie/ hope your fingers are back to working....

Mdonna/ good job keeping up the exercise. You are an inspiration.

luckyladybug/ thanks for the advice, I have decided to make a big salad to share and will take a WW meal of my own to have. She will just have to deal with it, because I'm out to help myself.

Everyone I missed, post with you soon. Gotta run, time for my 5 year old to get home and gotta go meet the bus. Because I'm a good mommy!!!!

Hugs to you all

Do not post here! Instead, come on over to 300+ And Ready To Try Again....#279! See you there!