Vickie, your "me time" remark made me laugh! I'm hoping for some "me time" after August 22. It's been 28 years since I had any. Enjoy your time with Julianna. She sounds like SUCH a doll!

I can't stay but will be back later. Everybody have a great day!

Frouf: Yes, I do have a very big garden: gardening for me is more of a compulsion/addiction than a hobbie!! I favor flower gardening, and always end up with pink, blue, lilac tones (does it count to join the "frouf" club? I really need to get me a pink bra though, I think they're cute....) and in past years I used to start most flowers from seeds, but for lack of time and the fact that when I buy the seedlings I`m a 100% sure that they`ll survive, I prefer to order them this way- I'm planting mostly annuals for color: snapdragons, pansies, petunias, sweet william, and some lavender, delphiniums. digitalis, campanulas, pentas (great for attracting hummingbirds), etc

I recommend you to join the fitness center for the 3 months, that way you'll "force" yourself to commit for at least that amount of time, and they say after a couple of months you get used to it and actually miss it when you fail (?): I know, I can hardly picture myself missing my excercise. They just opened a Curves center in Acapulco and a lot of my friends joined and are happy with the whole deal: of course I bought the book a couple of years ago and even got the bands and everything and commited myself for about a week!! It seems I also have a problem with compulsive shopping!! (lol), I ususally get hooked up in the infomercials and end up craving that dvd or whatever that looks so easy to do in the tv.... Like now I'm in the Yoga Bootie Ballet rage, but I'm wondering if the Firm would be nice to have too: I guess it's a good thing I don't live in the States or I'll probably be broke!!!


I'll have to look for that special container to air pop in the microwave and see if I can find it here.... I really like popcorn and is a great core snack, don't you think?

Have a great day....

Maggie

Yeah, Kath, I know. But I knew I didn't have the Mother gene. It's no accident that I don't have any children.

And most days I would say "very, VERY wise choice!" They're fun when they're 4, and I'm sure even more fun when you can return them after a day or two. Did I tell you that I talked to my brother yesterday and the first words out of his mouth were "I'm exhausted".

I hope you don't think I was being snotty though; I didn't mean it like that. It's exhausting no matter if they're there full-time or just for a day. You sell yourself short though ... I'll bet you would have been an awesome mother judging by how you spoil the greats.

I still want my "me time" though. (insert pouty face here)

Oh and a SUPER happy birthday to Cassie!

maggie, it's good to see you back. congratulations on keeping good control of your eating. it's so easy to just give in and eat and eat. i love mexican food and have it often. i would love to see some of your menus. your flower garden sounds beautiful. i've planted flowers to attract hummingbirds, too. what time of year do you have hummers? we have them now till early fall. i say "them" but we only have one right now. we had a pair but one flew into a window. so sad. do you know what time of year they have their little ones? we're hoping for baby hummers but don't know if there will be any.

nikki, how's your day going?

frouf, are we alike or what? i need to watch my mouth, too, both with eating and talking. last night i think i offended my stepdaughter. she manages the restaurant where our archery club meets. like an idiot i said something to her about getting dinner at kfc before we came to the meeting. now was that dumb or what?

also, i joined a woman's club yesterday. i love it!! i'm in the honeymoon stage with it and want to exercise all the time. too bad i have to go to the dentist the morning.

paula, i love blackberries. we don't have them here--but oregon? wow!

saundra, i hope you get over your tired spell. i get those, too. some days i like to just curl up on the couch and watch movies. that helps me.

kathy, does wb1bb mean something special? i hope you're feeling better today. is shaun going into the navy aug 22? i can't remember for sure.

melissa, you are a busy girl. don't worry about posting a lot.

vickie, those sox are smokin' aren't they? i know you're enjoying the sleepover.

angela, sounds like you're busy, too. lots of busy folks here, aren't there?

vickie, i don't have the mother gene any more. i must have lost it with weightloss awhile back.

Sandra we are very lucky in that we have a great climate all year around, and I guess it helps in getting the hummingbirds here, since they're around all year. I really don't know when they have the babies, but I would guess spring. Most of my neighbors also have very large gardens, I guess about an acre at least, so that we have a lot of visitors (should I say residents?): i've noticed that if you have water (like in a pond, fountain, bird bath) more birds stay in the area: it's so cute to watch them forming kind of a "line" to wait their turn to take a bath...

Well those seedlings are waiting for me: I'll try to check in later.

Maggie

Okay, now how's that for an avatar?? The license plate was too confusing, I guess.

I have a hummingbird feeder and you all have reminded me that I should put it out. Now that we have our patio covered across the back of the house, it's nice and shady and would be a good place.

Me time! What the heck is that, I would love me some ME Time! LOL
As I am writing this my dd comes in to tell me she did poopoo in her diaper and you know what, she isn't wearing one, she is starting to refuse to wear one which is well & good if she wants to wear panties but she still refuses to do poopoo in the potty, any suggestions would be wonderful, I did not go through this with my ds he was potty trained in a week.

Vickie enjoy Juliana they are truly alot of fun. How old is she? I love the comment about her wanting to go in your big bathtub, too cute!

Kathy I am sure your brother is exhausted, I tell my brother & sil who just got married and they have no children wait till it is your turn, they sit back & laugh when I am exhausted keeping up with my kids.

Froufy good for you joining a gym, that is such a great motivation.

Maggie you can put 1/4 cup of popcorn in a brown paper bag folded three time to make microwave popcorn, it is a great core snack

Angie my ds is also into earthquakes, tornadoes,hurricanes....When we go to library the librarian always laughs because he clean out their shelfs also, I even got him hurricane dvd's and he loves watching them. This is his favorite time of the year, hurricane season. says he wants to be a meteorologist.

Sandra we must of been posting at the same time. My day is going good, thanks for asking dd is not coughing as much seems like her cold is on its way out, sometimes I think my kids have allergies. How is your day? Enjoy the exercise, that is my down fall I really need to make time for me to exercise.

Wow maggie - sounds like you are a real gardener - and yes you are definitely a honorary member of the frouf club - if you plant pinks and lavenders in your garden (which is what you will find in my garden - I tend to stay away from yellows - prefer blues/pinks/whites).

Sandra - sounds like we are both now members of a women's fitness place - glad you like it. Mine is a very 'friendly' place - seems a lot of women know each other - chatting and such. And they even arrange 'outings' sometimes - I noticed on the wall they have been golfing and to a comedy club and theatre and caving! I just am so depressed about all those measurements and numbers! UGH!

...and at least you didn't show up at the restaurant carrying a bucket of KFC - that would not be good! ha ha ha

Niki - sounds like your dd is partway there? Do you use a potty or seat on the real toiletl? Sometimes that makes a difference? Any reward system going on? I know how frustrating it can be and how much you probably want to ditch the diapers for good!

Vickie - time to stock up on the bubble bath and fancy soap crayons I think for the big bathtub extravaganza? I'm sure you'll have a blast and you will definitely be tired (join the club!) - but at least you get to send her home the next day

Hope Cassie has a lovely birthday experience!

Kathy - ya I didn't get the license plate thing either - your new avatar is definitely more 'obvious'! Bet you're counting the days to your 'me time'!

Saundra - what are you up to today? Hope you are enjoying the nice weather we are finally getting here! YIPPEE

Frouf

Froufy she refuses to sit on the big toilet with a potty seat she is afraid of it, she goes on the portable potty. She does peepee but not poopoo. She gets stickers & I tell her if she does poopoo she will get chocolate, she loves chocolate,but the bribe has yet to work. I know some children are afraid to poop without a diaper, if she was naked instead of wearing panties she would of told me to put a diaper on her, I guess it will take some time, hopefully before she starts kindergarten Oh yeah I forgot, when she does peepee on the potty she like to take the cup out and dispose of it herself down the toilet, needless to say she doesn't have good aim

Niki, I recently went through that whole "poopoo" dilemma with my youngest. She'll be 3 in July. Anyway, it was not pretty. Instead of refusing to go in the potty chair, she refused to go at all. She would go days in between a movement, and when she DID finally go, it was so hard, it'd make her bleed. (I know, TMI!) It was a really scary and frustrating thing. The doctor told us to give her a lot of fiber-rich foods, like Kashi cereals, raisins, fruit juices, etc to loosen her stools, and it actually really helped. I don't know what do do about it if they will go in a diaper and not the toilet, but my advice is to not make a big deal of it. Withholding stool is infinitely worse! I think if you keep up the encouragement, maybe let her see other people use the toilet successfully (I know, it sounds silly, but it helps ) and just be patient, it'll work itself out.

Just my $.02.

Angela

It's been a busy morning around here. The fact that I got up at 9:00 has something to do with it.

Frouf, you wouldn't like my flowers, they are mostly yellow. The large pot has pinks and lavenders, so I'm part way there. I actually did some weeding today, so everything looks quite nice. I'm still waiting for the sun to come out. You're making me feel quite guilty, and I'm now thinking that it's time to go back to Curves. Now, will I do it or think of another excuse?

Maggie, your garden sounds beautiful. Because you have constant warm weather, how long do your annuals bloom? I always wondered about that one. I do love watching the hummingbirds at my sister's cottage. It's so serene. Do you not have 94% ff microwave popcorn there? It's pretty good. I bought a Stir Crzazy electric popper and use 1 tsp oil for 1/4 cup kernels. That's enough for two of us.

Niki, when you talk about your dd, it sounds like my Natan. He turned 3 in January and I think he finally is ready for pooh on the toilet. Before last week, he went to a "private" spot and did his thing. Kids are so funny about these things. Well last week, he said he would go on the toilet and was quite pleased with himself when he did his thing. There were lots of high fives and a space book as a reward. He absolutely loves anything to do with space and can watch the Tom Hanks series From Here to the Moon over and over again.

Vickie, you can tell by my words that being with the little ones is a joy for me too. I agree, have them over, love them, and return them to mom and dad. Who could ask for anything more? Have a wonderful visit, and enjoy the party.

Sandra, glad to hear that you joined the club. I hope that you and Frouf say enough good things to motivate me. I'm thinking that maybe a gym with a personal trainer might help, but I'm not sure about the cost. When I pass the KFC, I love the smell, but then I remember that the taste isn't as good.

Kathy, aren't you guys going on a summer vacation? In my opinion, everyone needs a break, and lord knows, you could use one for sure.

Okay, time to load the washing machine,

Angie my dd will be 3 in July also, I have heard of kids doing that, holding there pooh in and not going, so I would rather have her pooh in her undies than hold it in. What I am trying to do is flush the pooh down the toilet so she can see where it is suppose to go. Eventually like Saundras Natan I am sure she will decide it is ok to pooh in the potty, until then I have my carpet steam cleaner very near LOL

Saundra, we are planning on going to Colorado Springs in early August and then maybe somewhere else for a shorter trip. I'm so tired, and tired of being tired, and I agree -- I need a break. Just not a bone, please.