Good morning ladies! I am coughing just a bit so decided to get up so it wouldn't wake up Jack. Well, Fortune slept with Ruthie last night and came downstairs to be let out them promptly went back upstairs and barked at Jack to get on the bed! I made him come back down here and he is sleeping on his pillow.

Jean: I would want to avoid Denver in February is I could too. Likelyhood of getting stuck there I would think could be pretty big that time of year. She does just need some attention. I told her I would take her for a haircut then color her hair if she got her parent's permission. We found an "emo" style cut that was actually on a man, but really will look great with her long face and emailed it to her dad and asked him. He ok'd it so she is all excited about it now. The hair color wasn't a problem, but her hair is down past her shoulders and we will be cutting it short, about like the singer Pink wears her hair. I told her if she liked I would do her makeup for her before we go to Kelly's tomorrow night and her eyes just lighted up. To be ignored in your family and then have a disability like cerebral palsy that makes you walk with a gate like that sure messes with your head and I want to "beauty" her up. She is desperate for a boy to notice her and I am going to give them something to notice. She has a very pretty face and not too bad a figure so we are going to make her stand out a bit. I think after we do all the hair stuff, I will take her to the mall one day to walk around all dolled up so she can show off a bit to boys. I imagine the mall will be full of teenagers.

Susan: I am a serious soft touch when it comes to my grandkids and Thomas knows it. If I had a present for Suzie under the tree, she would get to open it too I would imagine! I bet the massage did feel good. Knowing you I would think you already drink your weight in water.

I am done with the leg part of the first sock for Thomas so will try and finish it up today then start on the other one. I doubt I can finish by tomorrow evening, but I am going to give it a good ole college try.

I have to make a key lime cheesecake pie today and I am making two chicken casseroles for dinner tonight, one is the chicken rice casserole I always make and the other is a chicken enchilada rice casserole which I bought at that carrousel of shops. Ruth can take her pick and I am making the chicken rice one for Jack and I want to try the other one. I just hope it tastes good.

You gals have a great Tuesday. I am going to get in my chair and knit. Faye

Good Morning, Flowers! It is doing "something" outside besides being terribly windy. The mix is supposed to hit tomorrow, and it looks like we will also be stranded at home for Christmas Day. There is no point trying to travel in the ice and snow. Often times the interstate, which Jason would be on, closes down when the wind is blowing the snow around. I went to card club last night; the hostess fixed the meal and then we played cards for an hour. Everyone was eager to get back home because we could hear the snow/sleet hitting the deck. Crazy weather!

Susan -- I hope you had a good nights sleep last night! Is there a Hawaiian method quilting? You can tell I know nothing about quilting!

"Gma" -- Ruthie will look like a different person with a new hairdo and makeup. She might decide she'd like to come and live with you and Jack permanently! The chicken casseroles sound yummy; I haven't eaten anything yet this morning so should do that before I leave. Good luck with your sock project today.

I am waiting for Bob to call with a road report so I know whether to go and do my last minute stuff, cat chores, or wait for him to take me. I hope you all have a good day and are inside where it is warm and safe!

Jean -- in Iowa where the weather is happening!

Good morning, ladies! A 40 degree sunny day in Virginia.

Nothing special going on today. This is my last work day until January 4. It will be so nice to have a break. Lots of time for quilting and cleaning my sewing room some more.

Faye, you are doing such a fabulous thing for your niece. What color are you going to do her hair? How's Kelly doing with her ankle?

Jean, we are supposed to have rain for Christmas. Rain - how novel! I'm sure you feel the same way about snow.

Hi, Maggie!

Have a great day!

Good morning everybody. It is chilly and rainy here and expected to rain through Friday, but NO SNOW!!! Ruthie and I are getting ready to go out and do errands get our nails done, breakfast and shopping.

We leave for Arkansas early tomorrow morning so I won't be back in here until Saturday. I am looking forward to seeing my sister as I haven't seen her in two years and Larry is 3 so it should be fun.

Ruthie is having a grand time. We haven't done anything spectacular but since I got the ok from her dad to get her hair cut and then I am going to color it we will be having more fun next week. She is getting into the girly thing and though she is getting a radical haircut with spiky and chunky cuts I think it will look adorable on her. am doing her hair bright red. Gives her a bit of Emo style without being drastic. She has a long thin face and it is a perfect cut for her. I just hope my salon lady can do it well.

Maggie: Ruthie has been fun to have here, but I can honestly say I don't miss having kids in the house all the time. We let her stay up as long as she likes and she usually doesn't go to bed until 2-3 o'clock. I have to say though that she doesn't lay around. She is up by 9 am most days. I told her I was going to pay her and Thomas to take care of Fortune tomorrow and Friday and she said I didn't have to do that she would take care of him because, "that's what families do for each other." Nice to see a teen with their head on straight. I am still going to pay them a little. Hope you have a grand time with your friends on Friday. Does your church do a Christmas Eve service? When I was a kid, I used to go with my best friend to her church for the evening service. It was so pretty and just some carols and special music and such but very nice.

Susan: Kelly is in one of those boot things for Christmas. She is doing ok, but she is very allergic to all anti-inflammatory stuff like Ibuprophen, Aleve, etc so she can't take any of that for pain. Thankfully, she does have loritab she can take if it gets too bad. Have lots of fun on your time off and hope you have a wonderful Christmas with friends.

Jean: Bummer, maybe the crappy weather will somehow bypass you and you can go visit the kids. If not, just snuggle up with Bob and have a nice Christmas together in your warm house. Ruthie is almost as excited about getting off the bus at her home and surprising everyone than she is anything else. I told her I would do her all up to go back home. I bought her new jeans, a cute black tshirt, her bangle bracelet with her name on it and a cross body shoulder bag for Christmas so she will be super teen girl! It is like having a lifesize doll to fool with. Give Bob a big ole hug from us down here and have a terrific Christmas.

Gloria and Gail: I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends too!

I will talk to you when I get back. Have a super duper holiday and stay safe and warm if you are experiencing bad weather! Faye

Good afternoon, ladies. A lovely day in the low 40s.

I made a Trader Joe run this morning. They have the best meats and I wanted a Prime Rib for Christmas dinner. I told Glory I'd bring the meat and she can bake the potatoes and make us a salad. I picked up a pair of size 12 jeans at Goodwill today for inspiration. I can get them on but not zipped all the way or buttoned, so I figure about 15 pounds should do it. I also found a brand new still in the cellophane wrap WW exercise video for $1 so I've added that to my collection. I might watch it one day.

Faye, Merry Christmas! It gives one such pleasure to do something for someone else, doesn't it? I hope you and Jack have a safe trip and enjoyable visit. I watched a program on Discovery Health last night that followed the pregnance of a 55 year old woman (in vitro) and luckily the baby was health and all and now she wants another next year. Her husband is 65. Is this the decision of intelligent people? Some doctors will do anything for money.

Maggie, I hope your Christmas plans with the other family don't get called off. I remember snow-covered ice all too well.

Jean, Keeping my fingers crossed that you can get to the kids for Christmas. I'll go to our 10 am service on Christmas Day. We have 2 masses on Christmas Eve. I'm hoping we don't have incense or I'll probably have to leave.

I'm thinking a nap might be nice this afternoon.

Good Evening, Flowers! It is snowing HUGE flakes as I am typing. We've had "mist" off and on for a couple days now, along with thick fog in the country. Our winter watch/warning is in effect until 6 AM on Saturday. We have a chance of 12 - 15" of new snow while Sioux City is 17 - 20"! Beth has to work on Sunday so we may end up doing Christmas the next weekend. Sioux Falls is getting snow but not as much as we are supposed to. I made a batch of cookies today and wrapped a few more gifts. I'm waiting on the weather to decide whether to make my chili and salad tomorrow.

Susan -- Does your whole office close for the week or are you the only one taking time off? Either way enjoy yourself! When you fix prime rib do you fix it in the oven and not look at it the whole time it is baking? I have a recipe like that but have never tried it because I need the oven for other things at the same time. I've thought about using a roaster. We have 3 Christmas Eve services, but nothing on Christmas Day. The pastor we have now started having one at 2:30; I think it is because we have a lot of elderly members who don't like to go out at night. The 7:30 service is geared towards families with younger children and then the 10:30 service is for anyone who can stay awake!

Maggie -- What a treat to be invited out for Christmas Day! I congratulate you on staying for the WW meeting. Sometimes that is enough to get the momentum going again. Good luck! It doesn't seem possible there are only 9 days until another new year begins. Time does fly!

"Gma" -- Will Kelly have to have a cast on her ankle? I hope she gets along ok. I know you will enjoy your trip to Arkansas and visiting with your sister. At least you don't have to worry about ice and snow for your trip. Will Ruthie let you take her picture to share with us? I'll bet you two are having so much fun!

Gloria and Gail -- We miss you! Stop in and visit soon.

I need to unload the dishwasher and then I'm heading to bed. I hope you all have a blessed holiday!

Jean -- in Iowa!

Merry Christmas to all the Steel Magnolias--Maggie, Jean, Susan, Donna Faye, Gloria, and any new magnolias that might have joined in the last year. I hope you and your families are well. I wish you all a very merry Christmas.

I think of y'all often. As you know I went back to work back in the spring. Life has changed that I don't have much time in the evenings. I have a long commute to and from work and at times I don't arrive home until 6:30pm. Thankfully, I'm married to a wonderfully thoughtful man who has dinner waiting for me. I am tired. 2009 was a true roller coaster ride for me. I know that 2010 is going to be a better year. Hopefully, I'll be retired again in a couple of months at the most. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Weight-wise I have maintained. I had lost weight at the end of 2008 and going into 2009. I am "holding" at 210 for the year. Which is a big...a huge...deal for me. I will be focusing on losing weight in the coming year to break 200 and learn to maintain that. Baby steps.

If anyone is traveling; travel safely. If anyone is feeling ill; get well quickly.

Merry Christmas from a friend...

Gail

Good morning, ladies. 33 degrees and sunny in Virginia today.

I'm not leaving the house today. Traffic will be horrendous around here. I took the back roads as much as possible to go to Trader Joe's yesterday. I saw in the paper today most stores will open at 6 am on Saturday. I'll turn over and sleep some more.

Gail, Merry Christmas to you and a very happy New Year. I know what you mean about being tired after work. My DH was a chef and did most of the cooking until he became ill so I was very spoiled when he passed away.

Jean, it was in our papers to check with airlines if you were planning to travel to the MW today. I'm sorry your Christmas plans may not be happening. Stay safe and count the days until Maui. Our whole office is closed until January 4. Nice boss!

Faye must be on her way so I hope they have a safe trip and good time.

Maggie, are you getting snowed in today as well?

Off to my sewing room.

Merry Christmas, ladies! It's in the 40s and overcast today.

I just wanted to peak in and give you my greeting before I head off to Mass and then I will be spending the day with Glory.

Jean, I'm sorry your Christmas plans have gone awry. Be safe today and have a good day with Bob.

Well, I have to get on the road so enjoy your day and a very Merry Christmas!

hello gals! we are at the hotel this morning waiting for the sun to melt the ice! dang, we got caught in this horrible blizzard that came from oklahoma city last night. had a nice visit with family and will go back today for christmas dinner then home since it may take awhile. jack is snoozing at the moment until we leave as we expect the 15 minute drive to take about an hour. merry christmas to you all and talk to you tomorrow!

Good Day after Christmas Morning to you all! We got home safe and sound around 7 last night. When we left the hotel the roads were almost completely ice covered. My aunt and uncle live back in the hills and whoa boy that was fun getting there but worth it to sit for one last time and visit and have a meal with them all. I will miss my sis. My aunt is down to 80 lbs and looks like an anorexic. She had a bowl obstruction several years ago and had most of it removed and she says now nothing sticks. She says she seems to get just enough to nourish her body as her blood work all comes back fine. This woman is 78 and did ALL the cooking for about 45 people for two days. We had fabulous food both ham and turkey with potatoes a wonderful broccoli rice casserole, the best sweet potatoes I have ever tasted and desserts out the wazoo. I ate two bites of dessert and didn't have any more the whole time I was there. Traveling can fool with my intestines so I wasn't feeling all the great part of the time.

I have everything almost put away, the first load of laundry washed and will put in dryer when I get done here. We picked up Fortchy last night and he is home all snug again. They said they would keep him anytime as he is no trouble at all except Kelly said last night she and Tom had the two of them, her big old boot from her ankle, their dog, their cat, our dog and Thomas all in bed with them! She said Fortune kept letting gas stinking up the bedroom! I sent half soft and half crunchy dog food so he would be sure and eat and it makes him gassy.

Jean: I am soo soo sorry you didn't get to be with the kids for Christmas. It was almost a white out where we were for awhile. Funny thing, when we left their house to head home, we left about 2 hours sooner than we had planned because we were worried about the roads and didn't know what we would get coming east. We got off the country road onto the interstate, drove about 10 miles or so and it cleared immediately and was dry all the rest of the way home.

I got a pretty handbag from my sister and some lovely hoop earrings from my aunt and uncle. Jack got a great pair of insulated gloves and a nice wallet. We felt bad because we didnt' but gifts for anyone. We weren't planning on being in their Christmas celebration but they insisted we stay put.

I saw some of my cousins I haven't seen since they were toddlers or early school age and they are in their late 40's now. Some of them look just the same and Jack and I were welcomed like long lost relatives with a "You don't live far come and visit us more often," before we left. It was a most wonderful Christmas for us.

All you gals, hope Christmas was great for you too! I never met face to face any of you, but you are truly loved by me and one day, I am gonna get to see you before God calls me home! Have a wonderful weekend all!
Faye