Glorious morning here although it's a tad chilly. My furnace came on! It'll be a good day for gardening which I plan to do this morning.

Not sure what else I'll do for fun this morning. The birthday party will be a real cattle call this afternoon with tons of food like sandwiches and squares. My strategy at these events is to get a cup of tea and just circulate chatting with people. Nobody really notices if you are eating or not, and if someone does ask, I just tell them I will later.

How does your weekend look from the perspective of the morning? Put on a warmish robe and come sit on the deck and listen to the bird chorus. cofdate.

If I put on a warmish robe, I might melt away to a big puddle of sweat! *Not* what I am aiming for in losing weight!

We had a nice Saturday. I ran down to the gym and participated in the yoga class this morning. The regular teacher is on vacation, but they had another girl filling in for her. She was less calming than the other teacher, and she incorporated more pilates into the class, so it wasn't as soothing as the other three classes I've been to. Certainly a good workout, though! Tom and the kids met me down there again and the girls and I watched the boys do their martial arts class. They did great! On the way home we stopped by the commissary and got a week's worth of groceries. Usually I shop every other day since our fridge and cabinet space is quite limited, but we're entering the Korean rainy season and some heavy monsoon-type storms are expected this week, so I didn't want to be lacking in the food department and having to run out with all three kids in a downpour.

Hey, Nessa, if you're out there I have a question. I made your oatmeal bars yesterday and they are divine! I was wondering what kind of nuts you'd put in them if you were using dried apricots? I love the crunch of a nut, but I just couldn't wrap my little brain around which one would taste good with the apricots. Tom thinks pistachios. I think I might give that a try! He was just reading over my shoulder and suggested that. Just tonight I had an apricot, feta (subbed for the goat cheese the recipe called for that I don't like), and pistachio salad, which was yumtastic.

We have church tomorrow morning and Tom and I are doing the Children's Church portion. Then, after the service we're going out to a Thai restaurant to celebrate a friend's birthday. It shouldn't be too hard to stay on plan as they have delicious steamed veggies and a really good fruit salad that I always get.

Hope your Saturdays are looking lovely!

Kara

Thanks for the invitation Ruth, there's nothing I'd like better than sitting on the deck with a hot cup of coffee for a while.
Kara, what about almonds and apricots? That seems like a good combination to me. I've got to try those bars sometime, they sound really good.
It's a pretty morning here, and cool. Should be a nice day.
We've got a busy day ahead. I just got back from my trip last night and the cupboard is bare. DH and the kids did a pretty good job of keeping the house in shape, but they didn't water my flowers that are in planters - they looked so pretty when I left, but now they're cooked!
I'm giving a birthday brunch/lunch for my parents tomorrow, so it'll be cleaning, shopping, cooking, yardwork for me today. DH is away for the weekend, so I'm going to enlist the kiddies as much as possible. Well, it's mostly family, so I'm not going to kill myself to impress! I thought I'd steam some shrimp and make some mini-crabcake appetizers, and a fruit salad - all SBD friendly for me. One brother bringing sinful crab dip (we're from Annapolis, and there's just never enough crab, ya know?), and another brother smoking some kind of meat and making potato salad. So maybe I'll make a cold bean salad, and still need to think of some veggies. Oh, and a birthday cake, of course!
You all have a great Saturday!

good morning... dog alarm did not go off till 7:30 yay me I got to sleep late. of course DH did not get home till 3 am so i was fitfully asleep till then.

i'm waiting for the dogs to finish eating then i will take them for a nice long walk...

then i'm getting my hair done here at the house

then cleaning and laundry

boring weekend.

Do you have someone who comes and does your hair for you or do the dogs just lick it clean?

Kara

Good morning to you all and I want to reintroduce my self. I am abigi7 better known as Katie who used to be on here alot but it has been awhile for me and I am coming back for I need the support of you all to lose 130 lbs. I am on calorie counting plus I am trying to eat whole foods to be healthly. I have been reading the message board for several just trying to muster enough courage to start all over again. My Dr. says to lose or I will be in big trouble with insulin war and heart problems.
I hope you will all accept me back. I will give you all my support as well and hope to get you all. Have a great day and week end.

Schmoodle, I have an excellent bean salad recipe that I learned from a Lebanese friend...

1 can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 can of kidney beans, drained
1 can of cannelini beans, drained
a bunch of scallions, chopped
a couple tomatoes, chopped
juice of two or three lemons
about as much olive oil as lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Make it early and let it sit overnight if you can. Tom calls this "stewing in its juices". It is a staple in our summertime diet, and I just realized it's Beach friendly!

Kara

Oh, I'd love another cup of coffee, but will have to skip the warm robe. I just got in from cutting the grass in the back and I don't think you'd want me to be seen in your neighborhood! My hair is a big frizz ball in a pony tail on top of my head. I still have my gown on and a pair of crocs and I am pouring sweat. the gown is a thin cotten and perfect to cut grass in so I don't pass out from the heat. Luckily there are no neighbors behind us to see that sight.

I also just sprayed for mosquitos after I finished cutting the grass. Unfortunatly, the puppy decided to run under a stream of mosquito spray and now she is "garlic flavored". I am headed back out in a sec to deadhead some climbing roses in the back that need it desperately, then to bathe puppy and then myself and off to the grocery store. I bought a new lettuce/herb mix in a bag yesterday and realized it has cilantro in it. For some reason I absolutely hate the taste of cilantro...smells like an old mop to me. ick. Funny how something tastes great to one person and icky to another! I have a couple of tuna steaks to defrost for husband and I today. Seems that everyone staying here this weekend is scattering for the day and I don't have to cook for an army till tomorrow.

Time to Shake Shake Shake them Tail Feathers Chicks!!!

Well maybe I should be the one shakin! Look at all you early bird posters!!!!

Kara: That bean dish sounds delish!! I copied it over to the recipe section - Salads Ph1 and called it Lebanese Bean Salad... I love bean salads - and think I'll give this one a goooo!

Femme: "garlic flavored puppy" sounds like a chinese dish .... eewwwww What's wrong with me

Ruth: It's toooooo hot for my FUSCHIA fleece robe..but GASP I've started to wear house dresses/dusters!!!! oooh so not sexy but sooo comfy!

abigi: back doll! Your beach blanket was in storage...just a fluff and good as new... !!!!

Nessa: ohhh post a pic
of your new dooooooo!!!!
Schmoodle: sounds like a loverly family gettogether with lots of SB friendly foods! enjoy your family!!!

Today I have to go out shopping for clothes and shoes... it looks like I start my new job in 2 weeks then depending on my mood after I hit this stores, DH and I may go for a celebratory dinner! but first ... need to walk the pups! wheeeeeeeeeeeeee..........................!

oh Shatzi i love shopping...

my new do is just a trim and a color... standard 3 week trim

yes you read that correctly i have to have it done eveyr 3-4 weeks...

Hi Katie! Of course you're welcome here! Join right in!!!

Femme, garlic is one of my favorite scents. I wouldn't wash the pup!!!

Have fun shopping, Schatzi! I hope you find some great new clothes!

Kara

Nessa, that's why I don't color my hair. If I get it WASHED every three to four weeks I'm doing well!

(Just kidding, of course, but I do go six months to a year or more between trims. Ah, the life of a mom of younguns...)

Kara

Hey ladies! It's a little bit early for me on a Saturday. :P Last night the boyfriend and I went to see a Night at the Museum at an outdoor showing at the Esplanade in Boston. It WOULD have been very cool had it not intermittently started raining and a freezing wind wasn't blowing across the place! It's the end of June, I should not have to be in long sleeves! It was fun though- LOTS of cute little kids. The MC before the show was a royal jerk though. There were some kids my age behind us who were really intent on winning prizes, so the 6 of them were doing really well. They won a t shirt and one of the girls had to go up to the stage to get it and the MC said something to the effect of "this is only a medium, might not work for you". The girl was a bit on the bigger side but nothing warrants that! He got booed the rest of the night :P

This morning the kids in the apartment behind mine started SCREAMING outside at about 8AM. I'm all for kids playing outside, but when you live in townhouses with about 6 feet separating the back of each apartment, please don't have your kids play in the alley. They even woke up my roomie this morning who lives on the other side of the apartment.

Anywho... today is orientation for Harvard Summer School so I'm excited! And such a nice day for it too. I bought my books yesterday and for 1 class it was over $200- and that was used! But I've always wanted to learn Portuguese so it's worth it. Then I might be heading to the other side of the world for a block party my internship is putting on... it should be fun (or at least that's what I've been telling everyone- I was in charge of online publicity!).

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

well the color can go 6 weeks easy.... it's the growth i need to reign in.. short hair needs it often..

when the kids were little i was natural and long it was much easier.

Hello again all,
Kara, thanks for the recipe. I love cold bean salads in the summer and love to try new combinations. Sandra Lee on Food Network did a black bean salad that looked good. I may try that one or yours for tomorrow, but I would leave out the garbanzos. Something about the texture of those I don't like, except in hummus. The only bean I ever met that I didn't love!

Nessa, I admire your keeping up with the do. I let mine go too often. I'm an early grayer, so I have to get the touchups, and sometimes, it just goes too long. Not pretty. A boring day sounds lovely, hope you enjoy!

Schatzi, A shopping day sounds fun, wish I had some extra cash and had lost enough to need new clothes!

Katie, welcome! Very nice to read you.

Well that's my quick visit. I just finished mowing and decided to have a coffee break, but now the messy house awaits!