Hello everyone…..how are you all doing?

It is hard to believe that in a little less then two weeks our little boy is going to be 1! We actually just went over the invite list and Tommy asked me how many people he had to call, and it wasn’t that many because I emailed the majority of the people. We are getting there…..pretty much everyone that we invited, we have heard back from and they are coming! So we are hoping for nice weather!

Well, we can now see what gave Brandon the poopies for that week or two. You can now see the bottoms of his two top teeth! Now he thinks he is hot stuff cause he wants to eat everything now!

I called and left a message for my worker. She was out of the office from Monday, April 4th to Friday, April 8th, but she would be back in the office on Monday, April 11th. So I left her a message. I said “This is Mindee ……. And I can be reached at …….. I am calling because I wanted to see where everything stands as far as the insurance for me (because I am pregnant) and my son. I have been calling you since February when I found out I am pregnant, and I need insurance. Right now is one of the key times when I need to see my doctor. I would appreciate a call back, and if I don’t hear from you, then I would like the name and number of your supervisor. Again I can be reached at …….. Thanks.” After I got off the phone, I went and told Tommy that I left the message and he goes “did you say that you sent her proof?” I said “no, I forget to say that.”

Brandon was in his walker earlier today, and Tommy goes “here comes cousin belly.” Then he looked at my belly and goes “and there is cousin belly, I mean cousin belly #2” (cousin belly was what Brandon was called when I was pregnant with him)

Hello Ladies--

Hope you all had a great weekend. Jhanai & I had some quality time together. We didn't do any crafts, just spent time watching movies and talking. She's such a sweet girl!! She got back her Spring school pictures...I will have to scan one and then post it...she's adorable. It was taken before her hair cut. So she still has long hair. I loved the poses this year! Let's see what I can do. If I would have know about the school pictures day I would have suggested her wearing some color!!

Cristi--After all this talking about HGTV and TLC, I spent a lot of time this weekend watching those channels! They got rid of Page Davis off of Trading Spaces!! I'm not sure what I think about her not being on there anymore. I also watched Debbie Travis ....something. I can't remember the name of the show. She does a great job too...wonder if she'll come and fix up my house!

Mindee--How fun to plan baby's first birthday! Jhanai was sick on her first birthday. My poor baby...made me sad, but she did get a cake to tear into. It was a memorable day.

Sue--Pet sticks is something new I guess. She had mentioned that she wanted to make some this weekend, but by the time she got here she no longer wanted to. I guess that fad went fast!!

Jane--How was the Alumni? The outfit you picked sounded beautiful. Now, why don't people dress up for this? Is it not a formal thing? How did everyone react to Neil's announcement?? I hope you had lots of fun!

Susan--Rocky's coming in August? He won't be able to come visit any sooner than that?? I hope you get a chance to go back there possibly to visit him. The whole thing about Mike....very confusing. I don't understand that man at all. How do you cope?

Hello to all that I have missed. Ok...I'm off to scan and post Jhanai's picture. I will pop in and chat tomorrow morning.

Night!

Good Monday morning, ladies!

Susan - why does Mike want you to get counseling so badly? He's the one that needs it, lol. Yikes, I didn't know Rocky wouldn't be visiting you until August. That's a long time to be w/o the one you love. Or will you be going to Hawaii for a visit before then?

Mindee - you might just have a little Chopin on your hands there! Hope you hear from your caseworker today.

Sue - working out with your aunt is a good idea, especially since it sounds like it would be free!

Marti - I left a message at the other thread with Jhanai's photo. She's a doll, Marti!! And getting so grown up! How did this happen, lol!?!?! People don't dress up fancy here in PoDunk Indiana once you are out of high school, lol. Pantsuits and Sunday dresses are the norm even at the theater! I wish it wasn't like that, because I'd like to get all gussied up once in awhile, but I'd stick out like a sore thumb if I did. Glad you had a good weekend with Jhanai.

The banquet was very nice. We sat with Neal's sister and her DH, and Neal had a real good time remininiscing with his classmates. Then yesterday, I went to a shower for a couple whose home burned down. For the table decorations, instead of candles and flowers that you usually see, they were each done up with a kitchen towel, and household products in the center of each one. The table we sat at had a pack of paper towels, some Windex, Pledge and oven cleaner. The next table over had a cake pan, some cake mixes, and ready-to-spread frostings. There were 12 tables all done differently. Very colorful, and the woman whose home burned was so glad to have all that stuff.

I'm having lunch with friends 3 times this week. Yikes! Today, it's with a new friend I met at church. She is a new member, too, and we seem to have a lot in common.

What are your plans for the day?

Hi all!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather was great here so we spent a lot of time outside. We got a new patio set on Saturday so we spent a lot of time in the backyard. Joycelyn was crawling all over the place. She loved it. She was filthy at the end of the day but what the heck she had a ball.

I feel a little bit more on track exercise wise. I did manage to get 20 minutes on the ski machine this morning and I feel a lot better.

Today's lunch is yummy. 1/2 of a lean cuisine pizza (did you know those things have almost 400 calories in them?) and a greek salad (home made) an orange and some yogurt.

JANE
Thanks. I feel much more in control of my decisions regarding weight loss since I read Dr. Phil's boook. I also keep reminding myself of your advice. "Fail to plan and plan to fail" Which is why I didn't eat the veal sandwich on Friday. I KNEW there was no way I'd be able to eat a 1/2 a sandwich. I love them too much. Like you I haven't given anything up either, I am just trying to make healthier choices all around, and I am finding it so much easier than if I were on a diet.


TERRI I guess it would be hard living on a farm and seeing all those babies. I know I may sound callous for saying this, but I love meat too much to give any of it up. Veal is still one of my favourites, I just don't give a lot of thought to what it looked like before it arrived in my grocery store. Maybe I should and then I'd eat a lot less of it for sure!! Now THERE'S a diet plan!


suetalks I'll post that black bean dip recipe for you.

TTFN ladies. Have a GREAT day!!!
Anita

Good Afternoon ladies!!

I must be a site for sore eyes today!! I took one look at myself this morning and gasp!!!

Big baggy sweats, small, tight wife beater shirt, and my hair and makeup is something to be desired!! So, for you oldies.....this sounds very familiar now doesn't it?? Must clean up today.

Jane--Jhanai is growing up fast isn't she? She wanted me to stand behind her in front of the mirror to see how tall she was compared to me....the top of her head reaches my eyes!! She's going to pass me up soon!!! Waahhh!!! I'm glad you had good time at the alumni. And the shower you went to sound so neat! (I couldn't come up w/a better word than neat) Very creative! I would have loved to have a shower like that. We had an announcement at work on Friday about one of the girls who works for OML (not sure what dept.) whose house was lost in a fire on Thursday. SO sad. They're taking donations and such for her and her family.

Terri--Weekends are usually busy so don't feel bad for not being here. I popped in once in awhile to just read and keep up...but I was pretty occupied too. The Extreme Makeover home Edition ALWAYS makes me cry!! I'm such a cryer!! I love that show. It's so amazing what they can do to a house in 7days!! Maybe I ought to find me a fixer upper and then sign up for the show....think they'd pick me? Probably not and then I would be stuck w/a falling down house!!

Anita--Excellent job on getting the exercise in!! I still haven't gotten on my gazelle today...will here in a bit though. I was seeing great results before my vacation, and then since I've been back...I've been on the gazelle only a few times!!! Not good. So today I will get on and get back on track and be proud of the extra cheekage I have going on, disappearing.

Well I better get my day going.

Hello to Cristi, Angie, Katy, Susan, Ellen, Pam, Kathy, Katie,Sue and oh my...I know I'm forgetting someone....hello to you all and come back soon!!

Talk to you gals later

Hello all, I know it has been a long time since I have been on here. School and life have taken me on a path of exhaustion, stress and extreme weight gain that leaves little time to get online and do anything.

First off I want to thank Cristi for keeping in touch with me. Your cards to let me know I have not been forgotten are so sweet, wonderful and thoughtful. You make my day every time. It only takes a few minutes on your part, but my gratitude goes a long way. Hugs to you.

Well,I am in my last term of school and will be so glad it is over. I have passed two national test up in Salem, Oregon so far and only have one more to go in May that I am really nervous about. It will be the hardest. I have gotten my certificates for Infection Control and for Radiology. I am now in my first office for my Co-op. We have five weeks in one office and the last five weeks in another. It is very stressful and scary. This will be my third week. I went up to portland, oregon for the annual dental convention with a couple of girls from my class and that was fun. It was a nice night out with the girls around downtown portland and then a whole day ful of dental classes and exhibits full of free stuff. I was tired and ready to go home after the second day. I missed my sweetie and my baby kitties. :-)

Well, with all this stress and debt and such, I have packed on the pounds like no bodies business. I am the heaviest I have ever been in my life. It is so bad,that I don't even want to be seen outside my house. I only go out when I have to go to school, Co-op or the store for essentials. So i am very depressed right now and about ready for a collapse. :-) Hopefully when I graduate and find a job, then my stress will go down and my debt will start being chipped away and my body will let me lose some weight. Right now I just want to vomit when i look in the mirror. It is embarrassing. Anywho....

I hope everyone has been well in body and mind and if not, my prayers go out to each and everyone of you.
Hopefully when I start having money come in, I can get a good computer and actually be able to come on more often and get stuff done and chat more. I have never stopped thinking about you guys.

Later gators

Shanna--Always good to hear from you. Sorry that you're having such a stressful time in school. But just think, graduation is just around the corner!! Who are you co-oping for? I would be scared too, to be in a dental office working on people. What all do you have to do? So many questions.

Good luck in the last few terms you have!! And come back when you have more time.

Why Shanna!! Cristi is a sweet lady for always remembering us. Glad you checked have asked about you - sorry though for the stress and weight gain


Jhanai is a lovely young lady Marti!! You and Anita have some very sweet girls. Loved the picture of your little angel Anita she is so fair- so cute.

I only have a sec, so lets talk about me......lol.

egads, I am gaining weight too Shanna!! Think it is the sitting.

Mike wanted us BOTH to go to counseling. I would have been insulted if he just wanted me to go - lol.I told him no to that. I think I will do a very good job at just following the judges orders. We don't seem to have room for flexible,compromise - lets work together for the best of Gaby attitude between us.......like he thought we would now after he caused a stink with Gaby's custody-
He gets her the 1st and 3rd weekend and he was trying to tell me that he gets her the 29,20 and 1st.......nada, Charlie. The first weekend is the 6- 7 and 8th,,,,,and I get her the 8th because of mothers day. He asked what day was his "make up day???" .......I said "forget it, you don't get a make up day"........*roll eyes* If Fathers day landed on the 2 or 4 weekend he would get her that day. Sheesh.....I really, dislike the man!!!!!! lol

His ex is back and we talked last night. Now the girls will go together for a few weekends and I am glad........she can talk.

Rocky can't come til Aug- when baseball season is over. That is that......nana won't let him. lol.......sheesh..........it has already been almost 6 months since I was there. We do talk every day but his refusal to just come on over is annoying - considering. We are suppose to be getting married and to be placed behind baseball sucks........lol.

Best get!!!

Just a brief pop in here. I wanted to tell you that I got good news today. I went to the Pulmonary specialist about a nodule they found on my lung. He said it was very tiny...like a pin head..and it is scar tissue, not a tumor. Whew!

Be back tomorrow....


edited to add..I walked almost 4 miles today and feel pretty darn good!

Marti~ We are having a ball planning his party! We have had so many people say “well, what would you like us to bring?” and we say “anything you want.”

Jane~ He loves to play with that piano. He will even play with it while using another toy. Then he gets really mad if someone else plays with it. I didn’t hear from my worker, so it looks like I will be placing a call into her supervisor. That shower you went to sounded like a nice outing! I love the centerpiece ideas!

Terrie-Lee~ I went to Toronto when I was a senior in high school, and I had a blast! We were one of the last groups (I went with my high school choir) to see “The Phantom of the Opera” at the fabulous Pantages Theater. If you like my stories, did I tell you the one about me and my hubby supposedly being infertile? Yeah, I was told in June of 2003 that we were infertile and I should take two months to talk things over with Tommy and then go back in August to tell her what tests we were going to start off with. I walked in there and told her “the first test I want to start off with is a pregnancy test.” I loved the sights that I saw when I was in Toronto.

Anita~ How are you doing girl? The weather was great here…..we had Brandon outside any possible chance! (he just sleeps so much better after being outside)

Shanna~ It is good to see and hear from you! You have been quite the active little lady. Good luck with your test in May, I know you can do it!

Susan~ Sorry to hear about Mike. He sounds like my sister’s ex-husband.

Suetalks~ How are you doing? Yeah on the good news from the doctors! And also yay on the walking almost 4 miles!

Good morning, ladies,

Just a short one - I have a cold and am going back to bed, but wanted to pop in and say hi first. If I feel better, I'll be back later.

Have a good day!

Jane: Hope you feel better after you sleep a little bit more!! Everyone here has a cold right now too. The baby has been up all night for the past 2 nights... Iam so tired!!

Sutalks: Wow that is super news.. glad that it was nothing!!

Mindee: I have been to Toronto a few times.. It is a little too busy for me, I am a country girl lol. We went there for my 18th birthday, my mom rented a limo and we drove down in that. It was nice, did some christmas shopping at the Eaton center. I have endometriosis.. so it was hard for me to get pregnant, plus i only have one ovary that works and my hubbys sperm count is low.. so all of that makes me not too worried that i will get pregnant.. but i dont want to risk it.

Susan: Can I ask what he wants you to go to counselling for? I think he is probably the one who needs it not you.. sheesh men!!

Anita: What a beautiful baby you have there!!! Emma loves playing outside too, but last year she didnt like the fell of the grass on her.. it was so funny, i would put her down and she would scrunch her toes and cry lol.

Marti: You have a pretty little girl there!! wow, they grow up so fast don;t they, Nolan (6) was playing in his room the other day and the baby was bugging him.. and then he says.. Emma stop it, you are ruining the best years of my life..... That was the funniest thing i have ever heard.. I dont know where he hears these things!!

Shanna: Nice to meet you. things will calm down eventually!!

Hello to everyone else hope you have a great day!! TTFN xxoo

Terri - "Ruining the best years of my life" , lol that gave me a chuckle. My DS8 is likely to pop out with comments like that once in awhile ad I wonder where he's hearing them. His latest is to say "Curses!" when he's frustrated...used to be "Dangnabit"....he's trying to find alternative to the expletives we don't allow inthe house

Marti and Anita - Thanks for posting the pix of your DDs... I enjoyed them both...I'm working on getting some B&W portraits of my kiddos...will post when I get them.

Shanna - It was so nice to read your post and see how successful you are with your school program. I have no doubt you will find work and can start paying down your school debts, spend more time with your honey, get more exercise...the works. I remember going through all that in grad school, it really is like your real life is on hold for awhile...but it is all for a good reason. I, too gained a bunch in grad school....it's so hard to find time for exercise when your working so hard, but you just hang in there!

Terri and Mindee- We had infertility issues w/ my endometriosis as well ... and I have two kids to show for it! lol My infertility story is amusing now, but wasn't at the time. We had been trying to conceive for 2 years, we were opposed to taking fertility drugs so we were running out of options. The doc suspected I might have endometriosis and suggested a laparoscopy to deal with it. We of course said yes. Well, we found out after the lap that I was pregnant during the procedure...no one had thought to give the infertile woman a pregnancy test and I was such a dingbat I didn't even think to ask for one.....Everything turned out just fine... we have photos that were taken during the procedure and we joke about them being James' first baby pictures 'cause he's in there somewhere!

Susan- well, at least Mike is backing off somewhat... Is the court making you two do mediation again at some point? He did SO well with that last time, haha Maybe after a few rounds in the courts system he might reconsider using his mediation time a little more wisely. Bummer about Rocky... maybe you could sneak out there for a little visit.

Hi to everyone else - I know I am missing a few here.. will try to get back later...

Happy Tuesday morning ladies~

Busy, busy weekend and Monday.

Terri~I was looking for the link to your pics but couldn't find it, could you post it again here? I was trying to find it to show DD Emma. Loved what Nolan said to Emma! Kids do said the darnest things that are so adorable and I loved that!

Marti~took a peek at Jahani's pic and she is a cutie, and getting so big.

Anita~what a cute pic of Jocelyn also.

Jane~hope you get to feeling better soon. And THANK YOU for the card I received! I have to say I was doing fine and then lost it when I saw the card. It touched my heart deeply that someone remembered and it meant a lot to me so THANK YOU for that! We released 5 balloons with a message attached and man did the wind carry them! Anyway it was nice.

Ms Shanna~what a surprise lady! And you are very welcome for all the cards. I know what a stressful time it has been for you and I thought a card every now and then would take some of that away if only for a moment. I know everything will be fine with you-hey, you've made it this far-the best is yet to come lady! So you just hang in there. And try to check in when you can.

Sue~glad for the good news and WTG on your walking! You are doing an awesome job. Now send some of those walking vibes my way if you would please!

Katy~love the "Curses"! Like I said, "Kids say the darnest things and they just don't know how cute they are when they say it." They get so serious and sound so grown up sometimes.

Mindee~My SIL lost a baby after having a tubal and they told her she would never have kids, sorry is what they said. Almost a year to the date she was told that she was pregnant with twins, and went on to have a fourth. Even though she was told that she still tried.

Susan~I am sorry Rocky can't make it to see you before August! Darn him! Maybe you can go see him before then?? I still think he should just stand up to Nana but I can understand also not wanting to make waves. Although, at some point there will be waves when you guys are together and that's something she will have to deal with-things just can't stay the same and I can't believe the woman would really, actually think that he would stay single forever, jeez! And Mike...well, I just don't know what to say about that. Sounds to me that he wants you two together. And you go to counseling?! He definitely is the one who needs to go and by himself. I will just be happy for you when all that mess is over. Anywho...

Ellen~thinking about you and hoping things are fine.

Pam~hoping things are fine with you as well. Seems you and Ellen disappeared about the same time. Am I going to have to come looking for you ladies?

Angie~hope you are not too busy with things and can take a few minutes for yourself.

Hi to everyone else

Did go get the dining room set Saturday but...they had the chairs in the wherehouse but the table won't be here till May 1st, bummer. Of course it could be sooner. Told them we will just pick it up at the same time. Yesterday I think V had the BEST birthday ever! I am glad for that. I think this was the first one he actually took off a day of work for. We went to the mall, then to lunch, had to pick up a couple of things at Target, which was right next door to Red Lobster (his fav). Then went to see Miss Congeniality 2-I liked it regardless of what the reviews said. Of course I am a fan of Sandra Bullock so...Didn't get home till 4 p.m., he opened his gifts and loved everything thank goodness. It was a good day. We originally were going to the zoo but the said it was going to rain so we made other plans. It was kind of cloudy but it didn't rain till the evening. Anyway, so back to the same old, same old. Need to get laundry done today and some straightening of the house and that's my day.

Hope everyone is having and has a great Tuesday! Take care ladies