I thought I might start us up since I'm done patching one set of servers and am waiting on the SA in Canada to finish the set he is patching.

I managed an hour at the gym tonight. It felt so good. I made a double batch of broccoli cheese soup and now have four meatfree lunches in the freezer. That will help get me through Lent. I didn't have any left for today so I actually had to go to the cafeteria. The fried fish looked wonderful but I got the baked fish and it was pretty good. I even told them No on the hushpuppies that came with the meal. Luckily I had brought a yogurt and lots of cauliflower and zucchini so I got healthy snacks with lots of veggies.

I sure hope Andre finishes soon. I have to get up in 5 hours and I'd like to get some sleep.

Well, for not getting much sleep these past few days, I sure am up late!

I want to thank everyone for their well wishes with the xbf situation. It's nice to know this isn't just a support system for SBD...

It snowed all day here on Friday and it is really windy. Not too much planned for this weekend, because of this weather. Lane Bryant is having a big sale this weekend, so I'm going to brave the weather and go out tomorrow AM...for 40% off, I'd trudge through just about any weather! My groceries are being delivered Sunday morning (I love Peapod ). I'm cooking on Sunday...this week it's Shrimp Scampi, Taco Bake, Eggplant Lasagna, Chicken with Rice and Beans. I have some cream cheese that has been in the fridge for a while, so I might make mini PB cheesecakes, too. And those clothes I washed a week ago still need to be folded.

Speaking of that wonderful Shrimp Scampi recipe...has anyone heard from Jetsetter?

Eating is going well, Curves is not. I just can't seem to keep it up. I think I just need to start making myself go, no matter what. I always feel so great after the workout. I need to remember that, I guess.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I check back in after sleep

I knew if anyone was up and posting at this hour...it would be you!! We were posting the weekend thread at the same time

The sad part is that I am still up. The SA has one more server to patch and he is having problems. Meanwhile I have to get up in less than 3 1/2 hours. I sure hope he finishes soon. Of course it would be a production one that is giving him trouble so I can't just go to bed and check it out when I wake up. I definitely do not feel guilty for leaving work after 8 hours and heading to the gym.

Ruth will merge the threads.

So are you two chickies EarlyBirds or NightOwls - NightOwls, I guess. Barb I do hope you get some quality sleep before your weekend starts. Want me to call that Canadian SA and offer my help? Annarenee, of course we are supportive of XBF woes. This is a great group of compassionate women.

I'm in overdrive this morning with flowers to do, veggies to buy and prep and dips to make so will just get to it rather than crab about it. This is going to be a fun wedding! Christine and Steve are a great couple who have been coming to our crazy Church for a few years. They have no close family so we are doing the wedding for them! They are moving to Charlotte, NC, the end of this month so I'll have somebody "down there" to visit.

Better get with it. The Girls are fed and pottied and are hinting for me to light the woodstove so they can doze in comfort. A "dog's life" looks pretty good to me!

Have a great weekend and think of Little Chick in the awful storm about now! (Our sunrise is going to be clear but who knows these days!)

Hello SB ers!

I am so sorry I have been MIA this week! My hubby was out of town and between that, a snow day and all the things I had to do as a Single Mom for the week caused me to just not get everywhere!

The Good News? I have lost another 3 pounds to bring my total to 10.5 pounds since starting SB!

WOO HOO!

This is a busy weekend! First weekend of Cookie Site Sales for Girl Scouts! ACK! So, I will be gone for part of it! I am going to try to get my but into the gym though!

An EARLY good morning to Barb and Anna!

Barb, I hope your 3 hours are blissful and rejuvenating. Sleep is my favorite part of the day!

Anna, definitely not just diet support around here. We're chicks, we have a great deal of compassion for others in need. On the Curves note, I hear where you are coming from. I've been going since November and honestly, I'm bored with it. I still feel good when I come out, but not as sweaty as I used to. The tough thing about it is that it's a freaken circle and you just go round and round and round. It's dull. Also, with the resistance bit, you have to make the machines work harder, you can't just up the weight. That takes major motivation. HOWEVER, I have found that if you get a buddy to go with you, especially someone who just joined, it makes things a lot smoother. I'm constantly looking at Megan on the first time around going "Is this our third time round?" She gives me the look and keeps me pushing. My mom and her friend go and when the four of us are together it's a great time. Get a buddy!!!

Ruth, hope your flower arrangements are beautiful, but I have no doubts that they will be. A wonderful deed you're doing for that couple! So cool to be able to visit NC!

Jovi - Don't worry about the missed couple of days. Congrats to you on the extra pounds!!!!

Me - I'm up and about this morning planning the next batch of meals to make tomorrow. I need to clean the house again as well, but I'll save that for tomorrow.

This day will consist of planning the menu and making my shopping list. Megan is coming over at noon and we're off to the Y for some Racquetball and elliptical, possibly the nautilus circuit. Then to the grocery store. Finally, home by 3:30 so I can walk to the restaurant by 4! The owner is out tonight and one of my good friends is managing instead. That's so great because we don't see each other very often these days. We're usually working different jobs!

Hope you ladies have a lovely day!

Wow, you girls started in early this morning! I hope you both got some good quality sleep, especially you, Barb, and that you can snatch a bit of time for a nap during the day today, too.
Caitlyn and Carley came up last night and stayed over, Monica has a church conference to attend today, and the girls wanted to come here. We had a yummy breakfast of whole grain blueberry pancakes and veggie sausages, and I just finished cleaning up. It's a beautiful warmish sunny day, so we'll probably go for a nice walk. It's too muddy to play in the yard. I took Audrey and Maggie to the park yesterday, and by the time they were ready to go home, they were covered from head to toe with mud! It felt good to be outside though, and they had fun.
Nothing much else is planned for the weekend. I'm still taking it slow and easy so I can recuperate from this nasty headcold. I will try to do some cooking for the week tomorrow though. It was great to have all those ready-to-eat meals in the fridge this last week. What a time-saver!

A couple more to go. The dips are made! I had a bath and washed my hair because I suspect this day will accelerate as we hit afternoon.

Wow!!!! Those are gorgeous!!!

Good morning girlies!

Ruth Those arrangements are gorgeous!! I love weddings- especially hearing the wedding vows again. I wonder if DH and I can crash a wedding just to hear them...... (through good times and bad)

Adia Your days always seem so packed full of activities! I am definitely boring in comparsion.

Cottage How fun that they came for a sleepover. The pancakes sound yummy. I almost didn't "recognize" you with your new avatar!

Anna Morning to you! I need to get on this making meals ahead bandwagon. It makes it so much easier to stay on plan! I do have the bean and sausage soup already made for lunches the next few days. I PM'ed Jetsetter some time last week and didn't hear from her. I do hope that everything is alright!

Me- We are officially on spring break as of yesterday afternoon. 9 "stay at home" days as we call them at my house! We don't have much planned, jsut relaxing, getting the house back under control. DH's last day at his job is Thursday, so we will have a long weekend with him home. He starts the following Wednesday. It is wonderful to see a light at the end of this tunnel! I just finished our taxes which we can use for a few "niggle" expenses for things we haven't been able to take care of.

Off to tackle more laundry.... I was doing a good job of keeping up and then it exploded again!

Jovi Morning! I have been MIA a bit this past week or so myself. Welcome back!

Ruth, those flower arrangements are just beautiful! I especially love the first and last ones. You are really blessed with a special gift to make such lovely arrangements. I hope the wedding goes off perfectly, and you all have a blast!

Kiko, you are so lucky to have the next week off! It's great that your DH will have a few days off, too, to spend some quality time with you. I'm just thrilled that everything is finally starting to fall into place for you guys. I decided it was time to change my avatar from it's "winter" mode into something more spring-like. I'm sick to death with the cold and snow this year, and am eagerly anticipating warmer weather.

Gotta run for now, so a big HELLO to everyone, I'll be back later!

Kiko, my days only start out busy, because something always goes awry! Today, didn't get my tips because the boss is feeling a bit lazy. Wouldn't be that bad (I normally just stash them away for savings) except my other employer was out of town on payday, so I don't get that money until Tuesday. I could survive without that money, except for the whole car incident this week WIPING my savings......so, no grocery shopping today. Also, friend forgot the racquets for the game, so we just ran the elliptical. My legs are SOOO heavy today! Did some crunches and stretching, but nothing major. Save it for the stairs tonight and the walk to work.

So this means I have to fit in laundry, shopping, food prep, house-cleaning racquetball, and working for Carole (do extra things for a school teacher on the weekends to help her stay organized) ALL tomorrow.....I'm totally jealous of your break!

Hello chicks, Thanks for thinking about me Ruth we did get the storm it started late yesterday afternoon, I called them at work and told them I would not be in. But when I got up this morning it was sunny and warm. Taught dance and got grocries and cleaned off the roof. Then took a nap.
Ruth the flowers are beautiful, I will have to remember your talent when my girls get married maybe you can come for a visit, to little ole Saint John

Well have to dash for now, of course both girls are home this weekend so my youngest needs the puter. My oldest is so sick she came home early from her friends house she has a fever and a stuffy nose. Well I am starting to ramble on again and will never get off. Have a great nite chicks.

Ruth - I am actually an early bird. Given my choice I am in bed no later than 10. But work sometimes forces me to stay up much later. It's the world of IT and I just have to put up with it.

We had the participant orientation this morning for Wood Badge. It went really well. I had to present not only my part of the Logo but also one other troop guides portion since he was at his daughter's game. That meant I had to start memorizing it late last night. Everyone said we did really well and I think so too. The afternoon was spent in staff development. The last one for the entire staff. We did get out of there by 3:30 and I was able to come home and fix lasagna. We're having a potluck tonight. I'm making the veggie lasagna out of the South Beach cookbook and adding in some very lean ground beef for those who don't want straight veggie. It sounds like we'll have some good stuff tonight. I just need to stay away from the desserts.

As Kiko mentioned next week is Spring Break for the school district that she works in and that is where we go to church so there is no Sunday school tomorrow. At least that way, I can sleep in until 7 or so. Our Spring Break is the week after. Almost time to go. The lasagna is out of the oven. Talk to you all later.