Okay, so I'll give you the condensed version of "Dips' goes to college" Not as entertaining as the Tommy Lee version (sorry Noelle ) but twice as stressful. Here goes:

Got my class schedule, it looks pretty good but I want to make some minor changes to accomodate my work schedule but I can't make adjustments until my financial aide kicks in. Speaking of financial aide, I was expecting my first GI bill check from the army this week but my application papers got kicked back becasue I was short on postage by 23 cents. In all of this stress I paid all my bills; cable, phone, credit card, etc. only to realize that I already paid them this month (idiot!) so now I'm trying to get things in order so that I'm not still dealing with it when class starts.

By the way, Tome stopped by today so I'm hoping that he stays only 1 week instead of that horrible two week stay he pulled last month.( crossing my fingers and toes) I want to go back to the school today and check up on things but I swear I don't have the friggin' energy. Instead I've opted to go grocery shopping (it's amazing how fast you run out of sh*t when your man stays over all the time), clean up (after him ofcourse) and organize my mail (separate the important stuff from the junk) I have to sit down and phisically shred all those wonderful "Pre Approved,0 interest" God and platinum credit card applications and figure out how to get these people to stop sending them to me.

I'm so sorry to be whining like this when you all have real fsmily issues with hubbies and kids and all but I hope you all understand my plight. Anyways,

Angie- Congrats on your anniversary and the new furniture. I'm glad that you are happy still and I wish you guys the best. Make sure you celebrate hard! Let us know how your new haircut comes out.

Kempy- I'd kill to be where you are right now.

Noelle- I clicked on your avitar and came across the pic of you and your son. I can't get over how cute he is. I want to grab him and kiss his cheeks. You're quite the looker yourself. I don't think I had seen you without your glasses. What a fox! This little ecrush of yours on Tommy Lee is so adorable. Glad you had a great weekend with the girls, definately check out that salon. I'm crossing my fingers too for our reunion. Who knows what the future holds.

J- I was in staples the other day and immediately I thought about you. I can see how Moms get all excited about school shopping. I was there to get some things for work but I was soooooo tempted to do some personal shopping. They had everything! But lucky for me I have a mom who still couldn't resist hooking me up with school supplies so I'm pretty much set for my first semester. Gotta love Mom.

Cal- I went throught the aisle for teacher supplies and ofcourse thought about you. I wondered what kind of teacher you are, Strict, Softie, stern, flexible. Are you a smily-sticker teacher or a red pen radicle! You can tell a lot about a teacher by her supplies. Hope all is well with you.

Cherie- You seem to be doing well, considering. Your girls seem to be trooping along as well. You all have eachother so you all will be fine when the time comes to discuss the ashes.

I really wish I could get up and go to my school today but If I go there and learn of one more set back, I'm going to flip out so I'll wait til next week to finalize everything. I'm off to the store now. Take care ladies.

Good Evening Girls

Angie and Jay Happy Anniversary !!!!!!!!!!!! You two are such a great couple. Congrats on more furniture too. How did your hair turn out? I bet you look wonderful!

Noelle I am glad you had a fun time with your girls. I would love to see a picture of you in that T-shirt with you hair teased up (80's style ) . I love your new picture of Tommy. That show was an hour re-cap of last week and the new one was after. Missed that one though. Call me crazy but I think he is really getting handsome with age. I love his hair. I love his go with the flow attitude. Okay how many times did I just say the word love in this post to you LOL. Did you hear Bo Bice had broke his ankle and just had emergency surgery on his intestines? Talk about bad luck.

Dips you poor thing. Your little brain is working on over-time....Deep breath in and deep breath out....feel better? You will do just great and everything will just fall right into place. I hope your Tom does not stay to long. I have pms like a mad woman, eating wise . Btw how sweet of Mom to help you out.

Cherie, I am wishing that the girls had a nice first week at school. Are you hanging in there?

Kempy are you still on that beach holding a cold one? If you are....order one for me, LOL!!

Cal have a nice relaxing weekend.

Well girls going to get off of here for now. We had brats for supper. Tailgating a day early . I can't wait for TOM to get here for this eating to stop and monster headache to go away. Oh well enough ranting about that. Plus side I get boobs once a month . Bye for now.

Good Night Girls....Have a nice Friday.

Hello everyone.... Its finally Friday, and I just transmitted payroll, so I can goof around for a while.

The girls and I are doing great.. they are adjusting fine.. I guess. They do know about the ashes now, and tonight we are going to get the black box down and show them the urn. I found a note that Steven had written Hannah a while back, and I wish he would have written one to Megan, but oh well.. it was a day that she had asked him to draw her a unicorn, and he did and wrote her a small note on the paper. It's priceless. I showed it to her this morning, and her face was just beaming. I told her I would keep it in a safe place, but whenever she wanted to read it, just to let me know.

As of today, I am back on the South Beach Diet. After talking to a friend of mine, (Cathy, she and her husband Tim are best friends of Alan, and they are going on the cruise with us) I have found my motivation and determination to get healthy before the cruise. I have exactly 8 weeks, and any place lower than where I am today will be an improvement. SB worked so well for me two years ago, I figured, instead of trying to wing it like I have been doing, I would go and buy the paperback (I loaned out my hardback book, and it was never returned) and just go by the rules and see where it takes me. I managed to unpack my bedroom enough last night to get to my treadmill, so I will be doing that tonight, and pulling out an abs video to work on. I also plan to start having a nightly walk around the block with the girls, just to spend some time with them, and get us all out moving a little. So, after it cools down a little this evening, we are going to go do that. I am really loving my new place... just to feel like I can walk out the door and do that is great.

Angie.. congrats on your anniversary! That is fantastic! And enjoy your new furniture! I got all my old stuff back that Steven had, so I feel like I've gotten new furniture again!

Dips.. Enjoy school! I really miss college.. and one day, if I am able, I am going back!

Julie.. how are you doing? The first week of school went fairly well, however, on the second day, I had to go get Hannah and take her to the doctor... but she is doing fine now. Last night we had the back to school ice cream social (which I didn't even have any of) so I think they are really going to enjoy their new school.

Cal... have you started back to school yet?

OK.. well, I need to get back to work. TGIF.. I am feeling so much better today, mentally, and energy wise, now that I've decided to start back on South Beach and to get on my treadmill. I've got 8 weeks! :-) Now I'm feeling back to my old self!

Talk to you all soon!

Cherie

Noelle.. I hope your computer gets well soon!

Hello Everyone,

TGIF is right!! I've been so tired lately, but I've been getting to bed a lot earlier and it seems to be working.

Angie: Congrats on your anniversary. You two are a cute couple. I've got that picture of the roadrunner I said I'd send and I just found your address; so, look for it soon.

Noelle: How long until you go to CA? Too bad we can't meet up again. Have fun.

Cherie: I'm so glad you're feeling better. We just finished our 3rd week of school. Only 6 more until break.

Dips: You'll do great at school. I'm taking some classes, starting in about 3 weeks, to get an ESL endorsement on my teaching certificate; it will mean about $1500 more a year.

Julie: Thanks for everything. I wasn't aware that you didn't know that I used to live in Wisconsin. Hope everything is getting cooler there for you. It's still getting around 105 every day.

Kempy: Hope you're really enjoying the beach.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Cal

Hi Everyone!! I hope you all are having a great weekend.

Cherie, I am so glad to hear that you and the girls are doing better. That is so sweet that Steven wrote a letter...that is something for her to cherish forever. I am sure it will help her feel like he is always with her in the future when she misses him.

Noelle, More computer trouble huh? I checked out the link you sent of Jude Law. Poor guy cant even get naked in his own yard without pics being shot...haha Your girls night out sounds like so much fun.

Dips, I hope you can get your schedule squared away soon. You are a very busy woman these days. I hope you get a chance to get some free time to yourself to relax. My hair came out okay by the way. I got it highlighted so it is pretty blonde and cut short again.

Julie, Have your kids started school yet or is it this week? Mine go on Monday. YEAH!!! It is about time. I will be so happy to get those few hours not having to break up a fight everyday.

Kempy, I hope your vaca rocked. We miss ya though.

Cal, Wow, you guys have been in school for 3 weeks already? That went by quick. (easy for me to say since I didnt have to teach them all. )

I dont have any big plans for this weekend...the twins went to the fair all day yesterday and my parents met up with them last night and took them to their house for the weekend and Brit is going to the fair today with her friends so me and Jay are going to Bangor to buy a diningroom set and get a Moolatte and that is my big exciting weekend. I bought a nice bedroom comforter set yesterday it is ultrasuede like the sofas and it should look nice with the dark plum color I painted my bedroom....now for the bed to come.

Hey girls, just a quick one this Saturday. No big plans here either. We may go to a Greek fair tomorrow to eat some yummy Gyros and listen to some Hellenic sounds. Just went to do some small shopping. I had to buy all new sheets for my bed since the mattress is like 15+ inches and my old sheets just don't fit. I found some great 500 thread count sheets at Costco for around $54 for queen size. Joy!

Kempy, hope Katrina doesn't wreak too much havoc for you. That thing is massive! i'm watching the weather report and that storm system is huge. They said they are evacuating New Orleans? Stay safe girl, I know that's just a few miles from ya.

Angie, your house will feel like all brand new again with all that new furniture. Enjoy. Yeah, I know poor Jude law in the privacy of his own family's house...tut tut. But I'm not sorry for the pics

Cal ESL is what my mom taught for all these years. She's retired about 3 years now though. We will be in CA at the end of Sept., the 28th? Then end our trip in LV thru 10/6. I can't wait Too bad our schedules don't coincide, I'd love to spend a few extra days @ Disney w/you and Ashley--Bert too if she came along. I still remember riding that CA Screamin' roller coaster w/her. It's a bummer that it may still be closed when we get there.

Cherie, how did your talk w/the girls go last night? That is sweet of Steven to have the foresight to write a letter to Hannah, she will cherish that forever. Good luck on South Beach, w/Dips' results, the water looks real good. You'll look mahvelous on your cruise.

Julie, how ya doing this weekend? I did hear about Bo Bice and his emergency surgery but I didn't know what it was for. I hope he's recuperating ok. As for that broken ankle, what's with that cheap stage set up for the AI tour? Didn't Diana Degarmo do the same thing last year? They better do some improvements so no one else gets hurt. I saw somewhere online that they were calling this years AI tour the "Bo Bice show"--everyone knows that even though Carrie won, he's the real winner--kinda like Clay and Ruben?

Dips, thank you you make me blush Yes my boy's cheeks warrant a pinching every now and then. That picture's back in early '04 in Vegas I think, New Year's I believe. You best be training your man to bring the groceries with him if he plans on extended stay overs. Yup, men sure can eat you out of house and home. Good luck with getting your GI bill stuff straightened out. Don't stress too much.

Well, gotta go and order some sushi for dinner tonight I'll try and pop on tomorrow. have a good rest of the weekend. Be safe!

I just got off the treadmill... first time I've been on it in how many months???? Well, I did only 30 minutes, but it's my start over. So far, I've stayed on track with the South Beach Diet... tonight may be a little harder. Alan got back into town last night, and tonight he has asked to come over and bring dinner. Hopefully I can do decently and stay on track.

I got Steven's death certificates yesterday. Another one of those small shocks I guess. I need them, but just to actually have them is another dose of reality.

I've got the place all unpacked. (well, not counting the garage... I need my brother to come get the furniture, then I can start on those boxes). I have to say, I really love my new place. Feels like a home. First time in a long time I can say that.

Noelle... your festival sounds great! I hope you had fun.

Kempy... I hope you and your dogs and hubby got out ok. I have a friend there in NOLA and he and his daughter are heading towards Texas.. however, the roads are almost gridlocked.. and it's taken him five hours to get the distance it normally takes him one.

Angie.. how does your new comforter look? I've got my eye on a new one, but I will have to wait til I get the Social Security stuff straightened out....

Cal.... hope things at school are going well....

Dips.. how is your weekend? Your guy still in town??

Julie.. are you doing OK this weekend?

OK.. well I am going to go finish my laundry.... talk to you all soon!

Cherie

Hey girls, i just got done watching the Little League WOrld Series Championships and the team from Ewa Beach, HI won it! it's amazing! They played against a team from Curacao (the returning champs from last year) and they pulled out a win. Some of the boys on the Ewa Beach team are sons of my former classmates, so it's like the win really hit home with me. We were cheering so loud this afternoon. Well, gonna go head to the Greek fair... just wanted to celebrate a little.

Cherie, I know you can stay on track w/South Beach. Just enjoy your visit w/Alan and think about the cruise coming up

Well girls, gotta head out the door. Have a good one.

PS Kempy, hope you're doing ok!!!

Hey girls sorry I have not been around this weekend. I have been busy non-stop. Plus I have just been feeling horrible waiting for TOM to come, just a really rough pms month not feeling well all around. But I did get some excercise in this weekend, went to my mom's today and took a long walk and came home and mowed the backyard. Cutting the grass is great excercise! We went to some furniture stores yesterday to look for a new living room set. Nothing caught my eye that much. But I did see an ad in the paper this morning with a sofa in it that I liked and it was only $499.00. Finished up school shopping, found some shoes for the kids and a lunch box for ds. Glad that is done. Ds starts the 1st and dd on the 6th. Dd only goes a couple half days a week though. I should come home and excercise for those two hours. Try to . I feel so bad because I am gaining again. I have to get control of my eating. Last summer I was at my goal and now I am not, oh well. I will work on it.

Noelle congrats to the team....way to go!! Have fun at the fair. Enjoy your gyros! Great job on the sale on the sheets. Good price for that thread count.

Cherie, have a nice visit with Alan. Great job staying on track and getting on your treadmill. I am so glad you are liking your new place. You and the girls deserve to be happy where you are living. I am so happy that you are enjoying it. Btw I think it is great you are still going on the cruise, you probally need a vacation so bad.

Angie back to school tomorrow huh? I bet you are ready for that. You know since it is my ds's first year going to be gone all day everyday I have mixed feeling. Happy and Sad....but there will be less fights that have to break up with him and his sister actually they don't fight too much but you know what I mean. Your comforter sounds nice. I took mine off today and washed it. Did you find a dining room set? Your house will look even nicer with all that new furniture. I love the color of your walls in your house.

Cal I hope you rested up this weekend.

Kempy hope you are staying safe with that storm. Thinking of you and Joe.

Dips how are you doing?

Well girls going to get off of here for now. I will check back later on. Have a nice Sunday night. Gotta go see what my drama queen dd is yelling about .

Kempy, I hope tha you,Joe and the babies are all safe. I am worried about you so when you get a chance to post could you just say hi so I know you all are okay. We are glued to the weather channel to keep up on what is happening.

Angie: Enjoy the freedom you'll get tomorrow with the kiddos in school!!

Kempy: I echo Angie. We are worried about you and are praying you are all ok. We are glued to CNN, Fox, and the Weather Channel.

Julie: The one thing about our kiddos starting school is that they seem to grow up faster. Of course, the plus side is...a quiet (read..clean) house for a couple of hours.

Noelle: Enjoy the fair. Bert starts back to school tomorrow. She said that she's looking forward to it, but could use a little more time to get everything ready.

Dips: When exactly do you start school? How many hours are you taking? Try to make sure you have some down time for yourself.

Cherie: I'm really glad that you are enjoying your new place and that the girls are in a good school. What cruise are you going on? We are planning on one to Alaska in June, 2007. So far my brother has gotten enough people to reserve 96 cabins. He likes putting these things together.

Have a great week everyone.

Cal

Hi girls just checking in this afternoon to say Hi . And to see if Kempy posted yet. Have a great day everyone.

Good morning girls, I'm on my way to work.

Kempy, thinking about you! Stay safe, warm and dry.

I'll be back later, have a good one.