Good Saturday morning!

We're getting ready to go for breakfast and some groceries, with a stop at the Flower Warehouse to check out Christmas decorations. We did succumb to the lure of Black Friday yesterday, and were out for a few hours. Bed, Bath & Beyond was having a good sale, so we bought some Tempurpedic Contour pillows for our bed, and a few things at Target. The stores were crowded, but it wasn't too bad. We got the tree up in the livingroom, but are going to do the other trees and outside lights today.

BARB & KIKO, have a great time meeting IRL this morning!

Morning!

Cottage, glad you got some goodies!! How are those pillows?
Our mall was torn down after Katrina (not related, it was already planned) and they are building a new one. Target will be one of the new stores...a super Target and I can't wait for it to be done. It's only a couple of minutes from my house and on the way home from school. It could be dangerous to my pocket book though! I love the produce section of the super Target in Baton Rouge and hope this one is as good. This what it is supposed to look like, but right now, it's just a big mess.
Got finished painting my living/dining room yesterday and now waiting another day for it to dry before moving all the furniture and knick knacks back in. But got a picture of my bedroom all put back together.
Going to take the day off of painting and go over to the Gulf Coast to pick up my Mother in law who is visiting and bring her to New Orleans, so it should be a fun day and I get to see family we haven't seen since Katrina, which will be great.

Hope everyone has a fun day!!

Fun morning around here with three dogs play-fighting. It's so funny so see them. Bailey is 60 pounds and is really gentle with wee Jazz. Disney is the referee but gets into it a little bit.

Not much to say except today will be wild! I have a couple of problems to deal with over Country Christmas and it's showtime at 6. I am really looking forward to 9:30 tonight when my weekend will start!

Cottage, you are a brave woman to shop yesterday. I'm glad it wasn't too crowded - I have a real problem with crowds and reading about Wal-Mart was horrible.

Cat, your bedroom looks gorgeous. I do so enjoy your pictures. I'm sure it'll be great to see your MIL. We forget that families were shattered by KAtrina as well as houses.

Major scratching at the deck door so I need to let the herd back in. Have a great Saturday.

Cottage - I've heard the Contour pillows are fabulous. Let me know how they are.

Cat - your bedroom looks amazing. When I first heard that you were painting your hardwood, I questioned it...but after seeing the pictures...wow! Girl, you know what you are doing!!

Ruth - Have a great day!

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I heard about all the problems that happened out at BF sales yesterday, but for whatever reason the people in this city have always been really polite at BF. I heard a lot of "excuse me" and "oops, sorry to have bumped into you" - it makes shopping on BF much more pleasant even with the crowds.

We're going to pick out a tree today and DH wants to check Target to see if the game he wants is still there. Tonight we're meeting my SIL from Idaho and her family for some dinner and dancing. I have zero sense of balance right now, so dancing should be interesting. If I can just stay on my feet and not land on my butt, I'll be doing well.

About two more hours and I'm finally meet Kiko. Yeah!

Brian liked the turkey enchiladas I made last night. I'm glad. Last time I made them a couple of years ago he didn't.

Quiet in here today! Our Thanksgiving was so nice. We went to my mom's house and stayed in one spot! We have 3 sets of grandparents, so we spend holidays running from one house to the next to the next. This year we said no more. We are celebrating again tonight, but it will be low key.
Yesterday I spent the entire day decorating the house and putting up the tree. The only shopping I did was run out at 7am to Walgreens to pick up these skinny trees for my front porch. They were $10 each! They look so cute! Then in the afternoon we ran to the store to get a train that runs in our tree. DS was so excited!!! DH brought home a Christmas train for the kids last night, so they played with that for HOURS! We are huge train fans in this house.
Today is low key, cleaning, and getting ready for tonight's dinner. DS has a birthday party and DD and I are going to paint her nails!

I have been OP most of the month. Eating right, probably not enough veggies or water though. I have worked out almost 1000 minutes this month, including starting to jog. I have increased my speed on the treadmill and can run for a 20 minute stetch without having to walk (this is coming a long way!) Unfortunately, I have only lost 1 pound, and my foot is killing me! Most days I can barely walk at the end of the day. I plan on making a dr apt next week and taking it easy on the exercise for a while. Just bummed because of all the hard work I have been putting in. Not only am I not losing, but I am in pain!
Just needed to vent. Knew you would understand.

I really should add though that even though the scale isn't moving, my body is changing. I am seeing a HUGE difference in my body, the way my clothes fit. So many people comment on how I look like I am losing weight. My DH says he notices a lot, and I am losing inches. Just wish the scale would move too!!

Good morning ladies,

Cottage- I went shopping as well yesterday, I went to the local Walmart which is normally not crowded even on BF but not yesterday wow the crowds everywhere. I was back home by 9 a.m. done lol.

Cat- Your bedroom looks gorgeous- you did a great job- making me want to redo everything lol.

Ruth- sounds like you have a busy day ahead of you. Hope everything goes well.

Zeff- glad to hear everyone is polite down there, not too bad here no fights that I know of- just long lines

Jenskihere- glad to hear that you have been OP and getting in lots of minutes this month. The past week I have not been OP- trying to get back on track today.

As for me- Had a nice Thanksgiving- then got up early with DD1 and we went shopping- than came home and later DH and I went and saw Australia- very good movie-and then later on we took DD2 to see the Lights at Our Lady of the Snows- we had a busy but fun day. Today is cleaning and putting out Christmas decorations- I am only putting out a few plus the tree because we are going to Colorado Springs for Christmas Week, but since DD2 is only 5 we decided to put up the tree anyways.

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Barb- Glad to hear that you and Kiko finally get to met- you will have to post a picture if you get a chance.

It was wonderful meeting Kiko! She brought her 3 year old who is just adorable. I hope to meet her 7 year old next time we get together. She took pictures of Brian and I and then Brian took them of her and I. I'm sure when she gets a chance she will post them. It was so much fun getting to meet. We met at Barnes and Noble. Brian picked up a couple of origami books and has been working on that ever since.

My friend came over and replaced a broken electric outlet for me this afternoon so that completes the work in that room. I tried to replace it this morning but I couldn't get the old one out and he had all the tools (and knowledge). I just need to caulk around that outlet and a few others but I think that will wait since I'm not sure where the caulking gun is right now.

Jen - the scale will show it eventually. I know it's frustrating but those inches coming off means that you're doing something right. All the exercise is changing your body and if you've been putting on any muscle (and being that you've started running, you're building your leg muscles) you are probably holding on to water to feed those new muscles.

Congrats on the 20 minute jogging stints - I can't wait to get back to being a "runner". I ran with my son the other night and the baby was bouncing so hard that I just couldn't do it anymore.

I saw those skinny trees from Walgreens....I totally forgot about them until just now though. Are they pre-lit? They would look great in front of our front door.

Glad you had a good thankgiving! Enjoy your evening.

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I got most of the Christmas decorations up this afternoon as well as most of the house cleaned. DH was a dear and washed the dishes from Thanksgiving prep yesterday. We're going to get our tree early this week.

Evening girls!

First time I have had a chance to get on the computer today.

Barb and I had a lovely visit!! Didn't get to talk as much as we may have liked as Megan loves to chat an interrupt! It was so cool, though, and Brian is just as neat as he sounds. Here are some pictures.

Just got back from a cardio workout at the gym. It felt great. I am going to start another Body for Life challenge on Monday. It is totally in line with SBD eating, so I know I will use tons of our "go to" recipes.

Girls are in the tub, so I need to go do some hair washing!

SHOOT- I can't get the photos to upload..... I will keep working and get this figured out!!
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Jen If you are working out- take measurements and go by those. Do not focus on the scale, because you will become totally frustrated. You are building muscle, which is in turn, burning tons of fat. Keep it up!!

Moo?

Oof. Moo. The only home-cooked meal I've eaten since Wednesday was Thanksgiving.... both plates worth. Insert Snoopy cry here. BUT, we're almost completely moved out and done with the old place. Just have cleaning supplies and a few odds and ends at the old place. Can't wait to be completely done!

Slept in our duplex for the first time last night and it was weird because our bedroom is SO MUCH BIGGER than the old one that it makes it feel like our bed is tiny now. Otherwise, slept like a rock.

Still have a lot of work to do, plus trying to get myself up to speed on Mary Kay, and I go back to work Monday. Just want to get back to normal! Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving!

Lisa

Okay, here is one photo with the two of us..... I am still working on getting the ones with our kiddos small enough to attach.

Woohoo! Here are the other two in addition to a cute picture of Rob and Abigail before the birthday party last night.

Those are great! Brian is a lot better with a camera than I am.

I was hoping you'd get those pictures up before I went to bed! BARB and KIKO, you both look great!

Your girls are getting so big, Kiko, and are even more adorable than I remember them. They're gorgeous! And that DH of yours is very nice to look at.

Barb, Brian is one handsome boy! I'll bet he's popular with the girls, already!