BBIAB to post!

Ali

Morning all,

I hope you're all doing well today..I had a busy weekend... I went to my BFs step sister's place Saturday + Sunday and then went to my parents Sunday evening...

It's my bday Thursday and I am having a get together Saturday (with friends),. Anyhoo, I am kind of bummed since it looks like my bf will be busy on my bday My parents can't drive out on my bday either So as petty and dumb as it is (compounded by PMS), I am just slightly bummed (the rational side of me knows I will be celebrating it a few days later and the actual date doesn't really matter, and my parents will make it out on Sunday). I guess I would have just liked my BF to come and hang out with me for the evening, oh well. That's what I like about coming here, I can be slightly neurotic

Take Care!

Ali

Kim: I know what you mean about having everything circle around a natural disaster. I lost my power for 9 days six years ago (can't believe it's been that long)... The first five days were not fun with an ice storm that just wouldn't cease... De-icing everything took forever (we spent about 4 hours on day 6 of the storm de-icing our cars and clearning our driveway)> We also ended up buying tons of junk food... Basically during a situation like that, really there's not too much you can control about diet and exercise and also... it's just so stressful, so that .4lbs up is just a blip really. But I am sure during this situation, you're helping out friends/strangers... We met tons of people and what not sharing in the experience.

Take care!

Ali

Hey all... where is everyone today??

It turned super cold here. I woke up to 31 degrees F. I almost choked. I didn't get everything out of my garden because I thought I had another week yet. Guess not. And we might have snow flurries this week. This is plain nuts!

I went a little over board this weekend, but had fun and am back on track today. Actually my overboard was on Saturday. We took the kids out for pizza, then went bowling. Then went to my parents so Paul could assemble his hunting stand. Well mom was alone and had a roast in the oven. So we stayed and ate. It used to be my favorite meal as a kid. She did give me a nice bag of carrots from her garden that I am going to cook up to make baby food for Kate. I am also going to buy some squash and make that. Baby food and formula prices are getting more and more expensive here. Emma is only 3 years old and the prices are higher. Also there are less coupons. I used to get piles of coupons when Emma was a baby, now I get basically non.

That's it for me. We are all getting sick again with colds. UGHHHH... For me I don't think it totally left. Now Hubby is sick and Emma is still coughing. My chest aches. I have been taking my vitamins everyday for weeks. But I guess that didn't help me.

Hey girls

Not too much happened with me this weekend, besides working. My roommate was sick and I had plans with her on Saturday, so I guess I saved $ at least this weekend, since we couldn't go out. Went shopping for a dress for my friend's wedding in 2 weeks, got one for $6!!! I love clearance prices! Although I haven't decided if I should wear that one, or go shopping for a different one-- I have enlisted the advice of my sister, we're going shopping this weekend for a dress otherwise.

Hmmm BTW - any Cubs fans out here? I kind of miss being home, apparently my parents threw a huge bash on Saturday since we are going to the playoffs!!! It's kind of exciting here in IL!

Ali - neuroticism does seem to run rampant around here doesn't it!! That's okay, we've all got it - Make sure that your BF makes it up to you for not being around for your birthday!

Jen - it's freezing cold here too today, not 31F though!

So I made this big pot of chili on Friday and with my roommate being sick, I've been the only one eating it all weekend! I love chili though so I'm not sick of it yet, but it's pretty much all I've had for supper for Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and tonight that's what I'll have again... I made it with ground turkey though so it's not totally bad for me!

I've gotta work - hello to everyone not posted yet!

Angie, I made a big pot of Chicken Noodle Soup last night. I love homemade soup. I could eat it all the time. I want to make a black bean soup too. And with it being so cold here, it is nice to have a hot supper.

I think I am going to make lasagne for supper tonight. Can you tell I love to cook??

where is everyone? Quiet around here today -

Jen - I love homemade soup too, especially in the winter!

Hey girls,

My weekend was pretty uneventful as well. Went to the redskins game yesterday to see my patriots lose, so that was a real bummer! I ate horribly yesterday, I won't even discuss it. Today isn't looking much better. I'm totally stressed and it has been all hand to mouth.

Thanks for the advice on the boy situation. I did call him this weekend and we cleared things up a bit. At least at this point things are cool between us, although I don't know if we'll go back to hanging out. I hope so, but I'm not going to do anything till I see him next. I'm just honestly in such a bummed out mood, the boy thing is only part of it. The real part is my living situation (still don't have a place to live afer october), money, job I hate, body I hate, etc. Yes, some of these things I can control, but it would be nice to have someone to just give me a hug. I have some great girlfriends, but it's just not the same. Plus, they are going through their own stuff as well. I guess I just need to grow up.

Anyway, don't want to bum people out! Ali, sorry to hear about your birthday. You don't need to be rational when it's all about you!

Lexxy: My BF would be so jealous of you... he adores the Redskins and I am guessing he's happy they won. Sorry about your team though (I am very neutral about NFL teams). It's normal to be bummed when everything just seems so overwhelming... maybe take a weekend for yourself and see what you can do.

Jen: you continually amaze me with all the things you do; raising 2 daughters, cooking, crafts, work, visiting family. You sound so organized!

Angie: Thanks.. $6 for a dress? Wow, that's an amazing bargain!!

Take care!

Ali

Then Ali, you will be amazed by this... At lunch I went out to get some fancy fabric for Emma's halloween costume. She wants to be the Pink Princess, which is sleeping beauty. So I found some fabric and ribbon for it. I have a pattern, but I am adjusting the length since I don't want Emma tripping. Also, I prefer to make it because the ones you buy are so scratchy and I know she will want this for dress up time also. And she is having a Princess B-day party and will want to wear it then too. Oh the joy of girls!

I have a hard time juggling my lifestyle but I don't want to give up any of my "loves", so I make it work the best I can. Sometimes I don't get to do what I want because above all, my family comes first.

What I really want to learn is Scrapbooking, but I have no clue where to being. Anyone have any ideas? I don't know which size is better (8.5x11 or 12x12). So I am trying to find kits and stuff to get started. Oh, this is my big question... people talk about using the plastic page protectors... first, do they come in 12x12... second, what if you use all those fancy do-dads and ribbons and stuff that stick out.... how do the page protectors keep things from getting smooshed? Do I really need a new hobby??

Jen,

I am right there with ya. I would love to start scrapbooking, and really want to start with a kit for our upcoming baby, so I would like to get started soon (with pregnancy pics, u/s pics and such), but I don't know where to begin. Jess ~ Aren't you a scrapbook dealer?

Help us!!!

I agree that a kit would be a good place to start, as I don't know what I need, and just need the basics to start with.

I think Jess did stamping. Tried that too and failed (yes I do fail at things). I didn't have enough stamps to make anything cool.

I was watching TV a couple weeks ago and checked out HSN... they had these really cool kits. I didn't know if I should get them, so I didn't. Then a week later I went to their website to see if they were there. They weren't. I was so bummed. So now I am stuck!

I tried to do a page of Emma's first camping trip a couple years ago and it was horrible. That is where I am at! Need me to quilt something, I can!

Well, if you find a good kit, let me know. I thought about checking Michael's or Ben Franklin, didn't know if they would have something.

Tonya, Michaels has a bunch of scrapbooking stuff. I haven't looked for kits there, but I have checked out their stickers. Also, if you have one of the new Joanns, they have some stuff too. They just built a new Joanns here and there is more crafting items there than in the old Joann Fabric Stores.

I'll let you know if I come across something. I want to do our vacation that we are taking next month, but I want it done nicely.

I have started scrapbooking, just like every other hobby I have started . I got a lot of my things at hobby lobby. Do you have one? They put their stuff on sale a lot. I don't do embellishments (ribbons, do dads) haven't gotten there yet and they are quite pricey. I have done like 4 pages so far. I got the frame a name scrapbook. It comes with stickers so you can personalize the album, they are really cute. I want a cropping/cutting mechanism (I don't know what they are called, but they look cool). Also I use this double sided tape stuff that is in a plastic applicator thing, i think it is called adhesive. I have also used double sided tape.

I have bought some markers from QVC. They were pretty nice and cheaper than the store. My book is 12x 12. Sometimes I wish I had done the 8 X 12, but I like the square pages too.

I don't know much about it, but Ijust have fun with it. I'm not a scrapbooking **** or anything (just joking ) I have also gottten kits from LTD commodities.

Hello to all, I just had a chance to get on here after a day of tring to get things ready for a garage sale. Best wishes to everyone.
Arden is grabbing the curtains, gotta run.