Good morning!

Coffee's on! Hot and fresh.

My weekend with hubby was just what I needed. I feel great! The Rams stunk up the playing field and still managed to win. Go figure. When we got to the game, we looked over and saw DH's brother and his grandson. Someone he knew had given him two tickets to the game. It was his grandson's first pro game. He's 8 years old. It was really fun sharing the game with them.

I stayed OP all weekend. We ate a Super Smokers, a BBQ place. I had pulled pork with boiled cabbage and greens for lunch Sunday. At the game they had a Super Smokers kiosk so I had some more pork for supper! The hotel had a breakfast buffet with eggs bacon, and sausage.

Sunday I told DH that there was a plus size store ( Catherines) I wanted to find so that I could get myself a new top. He found the store and gave me a shopping spree. I have a ton of new clothes! When I tried to reason with him and explain that I might not be in the clothes all that long, he said, "Then we'll have to do this again, won't we?". Is it any wonder I'm crazy about this guy?This was my first real shopping day since I've lost weight. I've gone from a size 30 to a size 26. From a 4X-5X to a 3X. It's a little scary.

Gotta go. It's time to get ready for the day. Have a great one!

Karla

Karla - You are doing great! And you've got quite a keeper there - I can tell how proud he is of you and how much he loves you. You are a lucky gal!

Sunny but nippy here this morning. Kids have loligagged around for the last 3 days so I need to crack the whip and get some help around here before they go back to school tomorrow. My 14 year old had a horrible headache last evening and sheepishly admitted it was from playing computer games for too long! Ha! Teens!

So a bit of cleaning, list making for the kiddos and then I am off to have a fairwell lunch with the Pear people I have worked with for so long. The board made the hard decision of merging the Asso. duties with another group and we three are getting the axe. Too, too many changes in my life right now - my head is spinning. But change is good, right? Scary, but good!

Have a great day all -

Kel

Checking in a bit late for me but what a morning!! More drama bout stepson! Ugh! They've had their lights turned off---again! And it's expected that we turn them back on ---again! So, DIL's mom and grandmother have been calling me. I feel so bad for grandma as she could pay them also but has too given them so much help and money she's standing strong and not going to. While the are in the dark, SS called my dil three times trying to get her social # and other info so he could refinance her vehicle and buy him another! Is this kid a spoiled brat or what? Wonder which one of us he expects to pay that note not to mention the note dil will now have on her vehicle! DH is treading lightly--obviously I am the wicked stepmother who feels that as a 23 yr old married father he needds to start acting it. I told dh that we vowed no more unless it's an emergency---$hit! they still live in our now "non" rent house! Aw well, never ending saga-lol

Tippur - sounds like a wonderful weekend and a wonderful hubby!

Kel - you mean your kids actually do their chore list? Mine says, okay mom.......and probably trashes the list! Change is good - remember....when God closes one door he opens another for us! {{hugs}}

Better run as dh is waiting for me to do some invoicing. I'll try to check back in later!!!

Have a good one and drink your water!

Janice

Greetings, Chicks...and AWOL Rooster. Where are you Brad?

I've spent the morning sewing on some baby garments that I could probably have bought a lot cheaper but when I get into grandma mode there's no talking sense to me. Still awaiting birth of #3 grandchild to daughter in Scotland. I haven't heard from her today and she was supposed to tell me the results of a scan she was supposed to have this afternoon. Well, it's already near her bedtime in Scotland and not a peep from her so I'm wondering if they are at the hospital. This is hard on the old nerves. This baby is now 11 days overdue but who knows with first babies?

I finished the first level of Fat Fast on Friday and have tried the second level but, for some reason, the food choices aren't as appealing to me as the first level. Go figure, huh! So, now I have skipped on to Induction and already the ketostix are showing a much lighter color. Darn!

MamaJ, our older daughter and her family rent a house from us for a pittance. Honestly, we could rent this place out for over $1,000 a month and they're getting it for $325. They are appreciative but they still expect dh to come arunning every time a tap drips or a door sticks. Lately, I've been hearing that the oven on the old range no longer works and the dishwasher is gasping its last. Do you think I'm unreasonable to tell them they should be buying their own new appliances considering how low their rent is? Last Christmas they invested in a huge, top of the line barbecue. The money spent on that could have bought a new stove and dishwasher but the thought never occurred to them. Now they say they are saving money for sailing lessons!! So, I say, well I guess you can barbecue your Christmas turkey. We told them, if they bought their own appliances they would be THEIRS not ours. We recently spent thousands building them a new double garage opening onto their back lane and converting the existing carport into a home beauty salon for daughter. Enough is enough IMHO. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.

My day has been crazy, Charity work this morning and library duty this afternoon. On thop of that full school day and well, general mayhem,. Older boy is working on his project and i am making makshift dinner.....

Linda,
my advice is that sailing is the luxury and the stove/dishwasher are the imidiate need. life lesson #1, meet your basic needs. You could tell them if they want you to buy the stuff you will have to raise the rent to cover the cost. A bank of Mom and Dad type thing.... anyway I think you are right.
and for the record my kids do their chores or they do't get allowence, a piddily 2 for the little guy and 4 for the older but it boils down for them to no candy on Friday.

Ok off to finish doing the mom thing,
be well,
-L

Wow! I can't believe I never got in here yesterday (and maybe even over the weekend - I can't remember.... CRS, ya know!! )

Life is hectic, and I am about to have my "last meal" until Thursday afternoon......... from midnight tonight I am only allowed clear liquids.... going for a colonoscopy (joy joy joy) on Thursday - so i'm splurging on a burrito tonight!!
Enough about my notsofun stuff.........

Linda and Janice:
stay strong!!!!!!! both of you!!!! we really don't do our kids any favors when we keep on breaking down and giving in -- my my younger daughter broke up w/her bf, she asked about us having our tenant leave and letting HER have the apartment! I told her " my momma didn't raise but one fool, and SHE lives upstate!!! (the fool being my sister, but that's another story) - anyhow - our tenant has been with us for 12 years, never a single minute late with the rent and always quiet......... how stupid do I look??????? DD would take the apartment, and then in a little while, decide to go back w/bf (a real SH imho) and I'd be out the rent and have to try to find a tenant HALF as good as the one I had lost -- no thank you!!! Linda, you did MORE than enough with the conversion, etc etc etc Let them use their barbeque or skip the sailing lessons: repeat after me: It's NOT YOUR PROBLEM!!!

As for you "losers" out there......... WTG!!! I am very jealous of you....... of course, it really is time to get serious here.... someone forgot to keep on kicking my butt!

Well, I'm gonna go and rest up from the buttkicking I just gave to Linda and Janice........ chickies, it was from love -- tough love, maybe, but still love...........