Yay Cat! I also don't own a belt...hmmm...

Gonna, I'm so sorry about the trip not being feasible. It's hard with last minute arrangements like that. I do hope you can make it out to spend time with family soon!

Kim, you were a powerhouse last night! I hope you get the freezer you want - I'd vote for a little extra room, too! Extra freezer space gets used up about as fast as extra closet space in my experience!

Kara

Cat - I didn't own a belt even when I was skinny. I am so short-waisted, it was NEVER comfortable.

Got some laundry done, the kitchen picked up, kids' schedule written out (they seem to have lost their last one... Hmmmmmm....) And I'm trying to get a schedule worked out for me. Took care of the chickens, built that fire I needed, swept the basement (laundry room). Now I'm sitting and eating my lunch - a salad with a bunch of stuff on it.

What is your favorite SB-OK salad dressing?
I have to pick some more up - the only kind I have is Vidalia onion (sugars). I'm not a fan of sharp italians, but I can handle balsamic stuff.

I would like to be one more pound down by Sunday, so I'm not going to step on the scale until then. This is day 4, so I don't expect anymore major loss. Now it's just going to be slow and steady.

Kara - I would love to live in Germany, even if it was just on a base. My heritage is German and I heard a bunch when I was growing up. When I was heading for USAFA, I had hoped world travel might be part of the fun, but instead I got a knee injury right before basic ended. I got married, had four kids and don't leave home instead.

Update on the school/career thing: I called an old work friend (who is in the same field I used to be in) and asked what the going rate was for salaries. Turns out, it's about $20K MORE than what I'd be going back to school for. I liked what I did, just felt I was a bit lacking in a few computer things. Perhaps I'll just go back to school for the parts I felt lacking in and go back to my old career. I did like it a lot, and I'm not sure I'd like the new career as much. I'm still indecisive, can you tell? It's not like I have to make a decision RIGHT NOW anyway. I couldn't work at all until next year, and even then the summer thing poses an issue.

Krystal, I like to use just a good quality olive oil (I like Carapelli's) and a splash of balsalmic vinegar with whatever spices I'm craving at the moment (basil, oregano, parsley, salt, pepper, etc.). I *think* (I don't have a bottle in the house right now) that I've used Hidden Valley Light Buttermilk Ranch in the past, but I'm not sure if that just didn't have hydrogenated oils and did have sugar...

Kara

I make our own. I got some of the medium sized mason jars and an immersion blender. We usually use olive oil and salad or balsamic vinegar and whatever spices we feel like. If I'm making "Mexican", I substitute lime juice for the vinegar and make sure there's lots of comino, chili powder and cilantro in the mix. For Japanese food night, I use a bit of sesame oil, ground ginger and etc. If we leave it in the fridge it usually lasts 3 or 4 days. Tasty, I control what's going in, and we spend A LOT less on dressing now.

Hi everyone! I can't read long as I need to sleep. But I wanted to say hello.

Gonna: my sincere condolences to you and your family.
Kara: One week? You must be so excited!
Everything is fuzzy, I look forward to reading and catching up with everyone soon.

My husband left today for a snowboarding trip for Spring Break. So it is just me and my two puppies.

cottage, don't sweat the brownie. Hope the babies are all better now and you had a fun long day with them today.
spirit, hope work continues to go well. Congrats on getting the exam out of the way!
littlechick, hope you have gotten out from underneath the crazy dance mamas. Poor DD, hope they can figure out soon why she is in pain!
Stephanie, glad your co-worker is okay. Have fun at your Trader Joe's visit. My closest is 30 miles away, but I'm going to be passing it tomorrow, so I'll stock up.
Kim, I'm so glad you had a great vacation with hubby. Buy a BIG freezer, you can always fill it up.
Fluffy, do ya love the WATPs? I've been doing well with them. I don't seem to mind doing them (not yet, at least). If you are a good worker, most employers are pretty good and flexible about where and how you work. If you get a job in the fall, by spring you may have proven yourself invaluable and be able to telecommute. I've been able to have a good career with three kids and never putting them in daycare. I love flylady, although I haven't flown much in the past year. But she did help me develop a few good habits that have stuck. However, my sink is rarely shiny these days.
Trader Joe's goddess dressing!
Kara, I guess you're down to 7 days now. I know you're getting excited! Hope the babies enjoyed their gymnastics class. DH loves skype for VOIP calling. He uses it to call him mom in France and me when he's away. We sure do save money over what we used to spend on phone calls!
Gonna, so sorry you have another family loss to deal with. Alzheimer's is so sad, my SIL's parents both passed of that disease, it was a terrible thing to watch and so hard on SIL. Sorry that you will miss the funeral.
TnTechGrl, how did the Lasik go? I am so tempted to do that but the thought of it freaks me out. I've worn glasses or contacts since I was 8!
Cat, I guess you'll be getting your daughter soon. I'm sure you're psyched for the visit! Have a great weekend with your family coming and going.
Loriann, hope your day wasn't too long or difficult and you had a great visit with your friend.

It is a little cool but a beautiful day here and the kids have been taking advantage of it, running around the back yard with light sabers since they got home from school, even DD. I'm letting them enjoy it while they can, plenty of time for homework later.
I think I'll make them a potato and ham soup for dinner, but still need to come up with something for me and DH. Laurie's pizzas sure did sound good. Hmmm...
Survivor tonight! I have missed an episode or two and need to catch up to all the goings on.
There now, all caught up! Hope I didn't miss anyone. Time to go start dinner.

I went into the office for awhile today but when one of the managers came around saying the rain had turned to ice pellets and it was getting slippery, I came home. I had an inch of ice on my car. Brian's day care closed early due to the weather so it is just as well I can work from home. It's hard to tell what is going to happen. They are still saying 3-6 inches of snow tonight but it looks like most of the snow may go north of us. We have had a LOT of rain though. The pool is full to the top now and it was about 3 inches lower.

Tonight is tomato and spinach soup which is fast, easy and a comfortable food when it is cold.

grrrrrrrrrr.....

I am really feeling hungry. But I shouldn't be because I had quite a bit at dinner. I'm thinking it's cravings, but not sure what to have that's going to make it go away and still keep on plan... I also didn't get to exercise formally. I was moving around all day cleaning, hauling laundry and scrubbing out my fridge, so hopefully I haven't set myself back. I know that dinner could not have possibly caused me cravings because I only had veggies (brussel sprouts and green beans) and meat. Maybe I *am* just hungry????

Sorry to whine... I'll see y'all tomorrow.

Oh, BTW - can we post a link to the next day's thread on the previous day's? I use the subscriptions and it would make life really easy if we could do that.

Thank you all for your thoughts and concern - it means a great deal to me

Intech hope all went well with the surgery

The concrete contractor finaly finished late this evening with blocking up the room addition now we can get the other contractor in to finish everything

Sleep tight everyone

Fluffy...try a boiled egg with salt and pepper. Soothing and filling and good for "I want SOMETHING but I don't know what"..