Good afternoon -

Kristi - I have relatives in Portland - it's one of my projected stops next July - maybe lunch?

Bev - good luck at the center. Just have an idea of what you are willing to pay - and don't feel guilty if they put the hard sell on you and you SAY NO!

Tammy - you are doing great!

Oh, chickies, I'm so card challenged. I have boxes of unused christmas cards, and always forget. Also, a confession - I don't put up a christmas tree. Just never really enjoyed it for just me. When I had a live-in BF, I used to put ornaments on a little live orange tree. Still have the tree; the BF is long gone.

Luckily, I've done most of my shopping. Just found a neat little hat pin on ebay which'll be perfect for a friend. But my brothers are just so difficult.

Hope everyone is having a good day

Britt and Kristi -
If you PM me your fax numbers I will fax pages 4/5....sorry bout that.
Hugs.

After work today, I get to go and see the babies room. My son painted it in a
"Sea Life" theme. He painted on the walls (bottom half) has seaweed, starfish and fish. Get this, they made a mold of DIL's belly and used it for the octopus. There is a boat coming out of the corner of the ceiling. Last night they put in sand carpet. After I check out the crib (lol), we are going to pick up the changing table. This is getting very exciting....

Kristi - Yes, Casey & Katie can picture things and then create them. They bought my house and re-did it to suit them. Their friends call it the "Trading Places" house becuz of the neat things they did.

Kristi - I think it would be terrific fun! We'll have to figure out some way to recognize each other - a red carnation?

And, it's you, Sammy, that lives near Boise, right? Can we do something similar? Now, maybe the following year I can head towards Michigan and meet Star . .

Star - I think your DS and DIL could teach that decorating talent.

Are you all up for the biggest loser tonight? Which team do you think will lose a member?

You know - I was watching the Swan last night - they seem to think that people can lose 30 pounds doing 1200 cals/day with lots of exercise. Do you think that's possible? I thought both transformations were amazing last night.

Hugs

Julie - It will be easy to reconize each other (you & Kristi), you'll be the two skinny hot chicks surrounded by male admirers.......

Thanks for the reminder about "Biggest Loser" I'll have to check that out. Maybe it will give me a shot of motivation. I missed the Swan, think I was too tired. As for 1200 calories and lots of exercise? I think what works with the best results is diet and exercise together. However, if you have alot of weight to lose I think the exercise should be cardio. (Just my opinion).

Anytime you come to Michigan be sure and let me know - I'd love to meet any of you chicks......how fun that would be....

Hey chicks!

Sorry I have been MIA, I had school today and then have spent most of the day tiffing with DH, damn, not dear!!! I took on that PT job with the hopes Jake would be able to help with the other two kids and kind of spaced school, soccer, lacrosse and well life in general. I probably should just quit and get refocused on my school as I only have 3 classes to go before I start my paralegal certificate program, but just did not want to give up the thought of having some spending cash that felt like it was mine. STUPID, I know, in the bigger picture, but I think it also has a lot to do with pride and self-worth. Okay, thanks for letting me vent!

Julie-I do live in Boise and would absolutely love to have lunch with you! That would be so cool! I know you asked me a while back about distance to Reno and I think it is about a 5-6 hour drive!

Sy-that makes me laugh about the tree. I don't think I have ever met a man so passionate about his tree! My H (notice no D!) does not care as long as he does not have to be part of it! He is the scrooge type. Nothing about Christmas excites him other than it being over. I have his mother to thank for that!!!

Kristi-The countdown is on huh? We so bad would love to move to Portland but the kids don't want to go. Guess it better be a mutual thing if we leave here to go somewhere else!!!

Star-You have all that equipment and still go to the gym? Or did I miss understand and when you say gym you mean your home gym? I would love an eliptical but I think it will go on next year's wish list! I am with you, I love that Fantasy Fudge! And how easy is it!!!! Jake loves it too and begs me to make it every year without the nuts though! Me, I like pecans in mine!

Well I better get, I need to start studying for finals! I have one Tuesday next week and Thursday next week. I will be so glad to have this semester behind me!

Star - at least that's the dream that I'll be a skinny chick on maintainence next July - but certainly Kristi will be.

And thanks for the invite; now I have another reason to go to Michigan - I'm trying to cover all 48 states before the nursing home. . .

Sammy - I'll pencil you and Kristi in - I'll know more which dates I'll be where next spring.

And Christmas is tough on everyone - your H will be DH again, soon.

Hi Sammy - No, I only go to the gym once in awhile now to see old workout buddies. My home gym is great, has everything I need (except workout buddies).

Julie - you give such good advice and comments! should we call you Dear Julie?

have to go now, talk to ya'll tomorrow......oh and it rained all day here too......

Fiona - I got sick of looking at me too...

Hugs

Star - I'm just trying to keep up with you - I don't know where I'd be without you chickies. . . what happened to your picture? And didn't our ticker change?

Hugs

Hey, anyone planning a cross-country trip to visit other Chicks had better plan on stopping in to see me! I'm always up for a good girls-only lunch, AND I live less than 15 minutes from the Mecca of the shopping world - Mall of America!

I'm excited - I just got off the phone with my RE company's marketing provider about my "real" biz cards and announcements and other introductory marketing stuff. And I have my first (at least that I've been able to attend) RE-related social gathering tonight - remind me to take my outgoing attitude with me when I sign off 3FC tonight!

I haven't caught BL for the last two weeks at least - I will definitely have to either be home in time for it, or have DH tape it for me.

Have a good one - I'm finally almost done here for the day!

Fiona

Oh, hey! Guess what! I took a 3FC survey a few weeks back and won one of the monthly drawings - $25 at amazon.com! Yay me! (The big banner ad at the top about "stop, take our survey" reminded me.)

Fiona

Hi girls, I've been MIA for a while--since before Thanksgiving and haven't really had a chance to read all of the posts to catch up. I was hoping to not gain over the holiday---I did. 3 lbs. Oh well. When I told the counselor that I'd been off program for 6 days and had no regrets she laughed and said that was ok. Yesterday I went back and the manager was the one to grab my file (I inwardly groaned). I had only lost .5 since last Thursday and she looked at my diary and got visably upset. She ran her hands through her hair and was very frustrated with me. I said, "hey, atleast I listed all of my sins". She looked back in my file and read aloud what the previous counselor had written, "off plan for 6 days and no regrets". Then she turned to me and said, "We gotta get a plan. Yes, it's the holidays but that doesn't give you lisence to eat to your hearts content from Thanksgiving until Christmas." Well, I gave her my teacher smile and said "I know" but afterwards I was really steamed. The only positive thing she did for me was suggest I try the cream of chicken soup with my own cooked chicken since I've been craving warm soups. All day today I've imagined walking up to her overdone make upped (is that a word) face and grapping her 4 inch stilettos, smacking her with them, and telling her that her fat butt in those skin tight mini skirts is getting on my nerves!

Wow--I didn't know I was so ticked until I started typing. hehe....just a little holiday stress.

Anyway--I did try the cream of chicken soup, it takes the place of an LA Light. I cooked up some chicken tenders and used 8 oz of the broth, shredded the chicken and added the powder. With a little salt and a lot of pepper it really tasted very good.

I've missed the board and all the neat people the last two weeks, I will try to keep up a little better.

Have a great evening,
TootSweet

Toot -- sounds like she was having a real bad day! Maybe she should have one of the christmas ghosts visit her (a commercial on TV) -- but you were so good not acting out your aggressions (where is that imoticon with the rolling pin). The next time you go back and you get her -- just look her in the eye and say 'At least I came back'. That'll take the wind out of her sails.

Fiona - wow - I wish I had won one of those Amazon certificates. And I'm sure you'll be terrific at that social event tonight. I've been to the Mall of America -- about 5 years ago, had a training class in Minneapolis -- saw the Twins play -- I really liked the city.

Hugs