Hi all... sitting down for a sec with coffee, just did load of laundry, (washed, dried and folded), dishes, finished recording information from bills paid yesterday, wrote the girl that will be letting the dogs out a note as too which dog belongs to which leash when she lets them out (if she doesn't they'll get tangled).... and ready to go soak in some sea salts bath! Busy day at work today since it's a short work week (four days, yes, have to work Friday), I have to have payroll done today so we can review it tomorrow. Much pressure. I hope Friday's talk with Ann (my boss) helped, but I dunno. At least she realized I was afraid to even go to the bathroom for fear of her saying something! New week, we'll see. I really hope this position works out, but I also know she's let a few people go because they couldn't handle the job.

I hope Cody is alright. We went hiking yesterday and he jumped in the creek... it was zero farenheit (freezing) (according to the bank's sign)... he seemed to shake it off, but I hope it didn't hurt him. so far he seems alright.

oops, eggs should be done...

Hope you all have a wonderful day, not too busied before the big Thanksgiving Day!

Good morning, Lori. I'm up a bit earlier than usual and the dogs are still zzzing away. I'll get them up and out shortly as I need to get this day started. I'm being picked up at7:45 to go to do my hour of reading at the Church in the next town. This after noon I will sign some papers at the lawyer's office and work in lots of other stuff in between. It's a hectic week.

Beachies, I've been way off track lately despite planning. I think I need a willpower transplant. The scale is moving the wrong way these days and I do know why. I need to get a grip or I'll be back where I was last year!

Time for bran buds, yogurt and blueberries to get a healthy start to the week. See y'all later.

Morning all. I'm off of school this week, so may have some time to check in more often.

I decided to take this week and paint all of the floors in my house that are wood...living room/dining room/hall way and 3 bedrooms. Got the hall way done and a 1/3 of the living/dining room done and it looks great so far. Yesterday just as I had gotten done with the dining room, my son wanted to know if he could walk in the hall way and I told him it was dry, just don't wear any shoes in there for while. But then he didn't close a door to the living room tight enough and one of the dogs...a little white maltese...decided to take a stroll through the paint. I was not a happy girl. Since it is oil based paint, I had to use mineral spirits on his feet before bathing him...whatta mess. Now I have to go back and repaint what he walked through...aughhh. The painting is going very fast, it's just moving everything out of rooms one at a time that is such a pain. I want to get my bedroom done today when my husband gets home.

Since I am painting this week, I decided not to cook for Thanksgiving. So the boys are going to my ex's family's and Terry and I are just going to grab something here or go out in between painting.

Hope everyone has a great week! I'm off to the gym, then looking at a day full of moving stuff and cleaning out my closets so we can move big stuff quickly when T gets home.

On a side note....has anyone tried fish oil/borage for dry skin? Even with loading myself up with baby oil etc (which usually does the trick for me) since the heater came on, I am dried out like a prune and the skin on my arms and legs actually hurts. I read that fish oil and borage can help and started taking capsules yesterday. Even drinking tons of water is not helping.

Hmm, been a long time.. hope everyone is well. Has anyone seen Melanie lately?

Good morning,

Cat, it's good to hear from you. I really miss chatting with you in the mornings, but I know how important it is to get your workout in before your day gets started. That's a shame about having to re-paint the floor, and poor doggie must not have liked the foot bath, either. I hope you get it all finished this week!

Ruth, I had a good on-plan day yesterday, but I've been slipping up here and there, too. That willpower fairy should give each of us a good dose, especially with the holidays right smack ahead of us. Have a good day.

Lori, you've accomplished a lot already today! I hope all the bumps in your job get smoothed out!

I had a great weekend just relaxing and catching up on the lastest happenings with Caite. It's so nice to have her home for a while, although she's going to be busy working and getting together with her friends while she's on winter break. But she's promised to have some special time with me, too.
My girlies have 1/2 days this week, so we have some playdates and crafts projects planned to keep us occupied. I'll have Thursday and Friday off, and am looking forward to a nice 4 day weekend. We'll put up the trees on Friday, and get the rest of the Christmas decorations up over the weekend. I have most of my shopping done already, and don't plan to leave the house on Black Friday this year.

Ruth! Here's some :willpower:

Femme, have fun painting (shame you didn't refinish the wood floors)... as for dry skin, I just discovered Corn huskers! Believe it or not, this stuff works! It's what farmer's use (hence the name) and It's NOT oily! I hate oil left over on my skin, yet my skin has NEVER been so soft! Found it at walmart for a little over $3 yesterday...

Hi Jelly, no, have not seen Mel, if you hear from her direct her butt over here!

Have fun Cottage with the girls this week! And yeah for a long weekend! This will be the first year I've had to work the day after Thanksgtiving in fifteen years!

Morning gals...

Just a quick check in as I should be getting the girls up- Abigail is exhausted and is being totally uncooperative!

Meals are planned, gym bag packed- I WILL be reporting back with a successful day tonight!

Happy Monday to all!

Good morning all

Lori - I'm tired just reading your morning list Have a good day!

Ruth - I know what you mean about that scale. I keep having these 90% on plan days but I can pack a lot into that 10% . I wonder if our evolutionary brain thinks we need to store up for winter??!!

Cat - been missing you - it's good to see you again I've got the dry skin thing going on too, wonder if it's less fat in the diet? Let me know if those capsules help. I've got lotion in every room at work and at home and in my purse. Have a good, productive day

Cottage - Sounds like a lovely weekend. Enjoy your short week, I know I will. Black Friday is a non-issue as long as we stay in Vermont. If we cross over to NH it gets crazy, but it's quiet here. I only go out for the Windham Reads book sale. They have all new books for half price and all the money goes to reading programs in town, including the book mobile. I usually find some good gifts there.

Rikki - I'm crossing threads because the other one is locked now I use my bread machine every week, twice last week cuz I made pizza too. I don't eat much bread so 1 loaf holds us for the week. I absolutely love it because it is incredibly easy to use. I've developed a base recipe and just tweak it every week (most of the time that works out!). It's great because you can tell by watching the dough ball if the dry to wet ratio is correct. I must have had the holidays on the brain because this week I used applesauce for some of the liquid and added cinnamon. Yum!

Not much here today. I've got a three day week so they are guaranteed to be the longest three days in the history of work Yoga tonight so have to come up with something easy for dinner.

Have a good day everyone

ETA - Good morning Kiko! We were posting at the same time

Wow, lots of busy chicks!

Should be fairly quiet at work because it's break week, but you never know. I need to run an errand for my boss, though, so this is just a quick "peck-in!"

Not much of interest going on with us. DH and I both have Wednesday and Friday off, so we're going to do a ton to get ready for Christmas. We planned out the calendar for the rest of the season and it's jam-packed with no room to breathe...and it doesn't have the daily chores on it. I got a lot to do!

I'll need to find a way to make really simple, easy (but HEALTHY) suppers during those weeks to avoid the snack-n-grab dining that makes it even harder to get through. Would love your tips for fast-and-easy meals with lots o' veggies.

Have a great Monday, chicks!

Lori - I think talking to your boss and letting her know your concerns will cast you in a good light. Enjoy your bath and the rest of your day!

Ruthie - Congrats on identifying the problem causing the scale to move in the wrong direction. You know what needs to be done! Also, to help you out - just send me all of the baked goods that you have stored in the freezer. I just want to see you lose the weight...really...I won't enjoy them one teensy bit.
Enjoy your day!

Cat - I love the floors! Good to see you back. I was thinking about you recently hoping everything was going well. I take vitamin E and up my fish oil and it seems to help - I still lather up with lotion after every shower, though. I use gold bond's ultimate moisturizing formula - seems to do the trick. Don't be a stranger this week!

Jelly - nope, no signs of Melanie

Cottage - no Black Friday....awww...I <3 black friday! We're planning to get a tree this weekend as well. Enjoy your half days and time with Caitlyn...it brings back memories of holidays home (and never actually being home!).

Morning, Kiko!

Cyndi - Supporting the book store seems like a really great idea. I would love to have some stores do that here. Our libraries could definitely use a little sprucing.

Laurie - What are Holidays if they aren't jam packed, right? Christmas is coming far too fast and with that comes the baby....I don't even want to think about it! About the easy meals - I was looking through the freezer meals yesterday and the grab bag chicken recipes really sparked my interest. It would definitely be quick and easy. Add a veggie or two and you have a nice round meal.

-
DS woke up this morning with a runny nose...oy. He hasn't been sick in probably 9 months and now that his cousin is coming in from Idaho, he decides to get a runny nose! He's eating applesauce loaded with vitamins right now. I hope getting a head start on it will help it go away faster. I don't want the poor little guy sick for Thanksgiving.

We're still with one car - DH hopes to have his back sometime this week. I'm just going to drive him around today as I wanted to meet a friend at Hobby Lobby for some Christmas tree decorations.

Other than that, not much on my list. I was up early this morning in an attempt to get some things done as I won't be around much during the day. I got some laundry done and folded as well as the dishwasher going. I have to change sheets on the beds and run a quick vacuum around before we leave.

Later, girls! Have a great day!

Good morning all! Happy Monday!

Lori - I hope your day goes smoothly and that your boss heard you last week. I really hope this is a job that will stick.

Ruth - Hope your day is productive. Remember as far as the scale goes, you've got to plan and respect what you eat. It's a product of what you put in that gets results. Try to be mindful today of every bite you put in your mouth.

Cat - Good to see you stopping by!!! The floors look fantastic! Hope to see you again soon!

Jellybean - Morning!

Cottage - Sounds like you've got a lovely week ahead of you! I hope you're able to enjoy your time with your wards and your gdaughter.

Kiko - You go with your bad - planned out - self!!! Great way to start the week off!!!

Cyndi - Good luck getting everything done that you need to get done! And enjoy your yoga tonight!

Laurie - My dh and I need to do the planning thing as well. There's always a lot that goes on between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm sure you can find some great meal options, but if you need any suggestions, let me know. I've got a ton of meals I can throw together in under a half hour.

Zeff - Hope your time with your friend at Hobby Lobby is fun!!

Me - Well, I woke up with a new good attitude. Looked more closely at the car yesterday and I think it's only cosmetic damage. We'll definitely need a new back seat door, and they might replace mine as well, although they could possibly just bang out the dent. And the bottom side panel also need to be straightened. But other than that, the car is still good. Today I call my own agent to find out what else we need to do. I'm sure that I'll also talk to both insurance companies to report the accident. Rich and I are carpooling this morning. And hopefully by tonight we'll have a rental car for tomorrow.
Other than the car drama things should be good but busy. Lots of cleaning and prepping for Thursday. I may bake tonight and get things rolling.
Have a fantastic Monday, ladies!!!
BLESSINGS!

Morning chicks, not much time to post as I spent too much time catching up from over the weekend.

Kiko so glad to see you back!

Cat the floor look great! Have a great week off.

It was a busy weekend, saturday was a shampoo the carpets day, and yesterday we were on a mission to find a new display cabinet. I think we will end up back at an antique store where we found a nice one for not to bad a price.

Busy week ahead, here's lots of will-power dust to all of us that need it!

Good Monday morning, everyone! One day work week this week, so I'm feeling happy!

Lori: Geez, louise! You've done as much before work as I feel I did this weekend! I hope your work situation continues to improve. Keep us updated; I'll be praying!

Ruth: Another early bird this morning! Here's some . It's going to be a tough week, but we can get through this together!

Cat: Good morning! Nice to see you here! The hall looks gorgeous, so I'm sure it will be well worth it to get the rest of the floors taken care of! I'm sure you'll enjoy your low-key week of home improvement!

, JellyBean!

Cottage: It sounds like you have a great Thanksgiving week planned for the girls. I'm glad you're going to get to see Caitlyn while she's home! Enjoy your week and have fun decorating!

Kiko: HI! I saw that you checked in over the weekend, but was a bit too drugged to feel like I could make a coherent post! I hope you and yours are doing well!

Cyndi: I know what you mean about the short week meaning long days (or day, in my case)! I hope you have a wonderful day and a nice yoga class tonight. I'd invite ya'll over for some of my leftover soup, but I don't think you would make it in time!

Laurie: Wow! Sounds like you have a lot going on! I hope you wrote in some time for reading on your calendar! Enjoy your slow week.

Zeffryn: Awww, to DS! I hope he gets better quickly! Enjoy your Hobby Lobby shopping trip. Shopping for Christmas decor is one of my favorite things to do. I hope everything goes well with your DH's car and that ya'll get it back quickly!

Hmac: I read about your accident yesterday and I'm SO glad that everyone is okay. Thank goodness for those angels that were watching over you! I'm glad it seems to be mostly cosmetic damage and I hope that it won't be difficult to get it fixed.

Me: Not much going on here. Still dealing with some soreness in my back, but it's nothing that will keep me out of work today. I've got some loose ends to tie up before I leave for the week. I was able to get most of my luggage packed and just have one last load of laundry to put away. DH is going to take care of most of the house-straightening tonight because he really hates driving around Austin. He wants me to take it easy tonight to be sure I feel up to the drive tomorrow! I can't wait to see the family!

Well, off to check on the progress of our field work. Hope we're all caught up. After being gone so much last week, I feel like I'm clueless as to what's going on!!

ETA: Stephanie: Thanks for the dust! Hope you have a great day!

Good morning, ladies! I can't get over how early some of you rise - I am so not a morning person. But then, it seems like most of you have dogs or small children or both; either one will get you moving early. I wish I could get going earlier in the day, but then again I'll count my blessings that I have the luxury to get up at 8:30. It's a good week for being thankful!

I am hoping to get back on track with lots of veggies and informal exercise today, as yesterday was a lovely lazy day with a friend for me but unfortunately I ended up eating fairly poorly because there wasn't much healthy for me to eat. Gotta plan better! At least the scale isn't up much today and judging by how thirsty I am I bet a lot of it is retained water.

Lori - boy, what a wonderful busy morning you had! Congrats on being so productive, it's a very good skill to have. I wish you luck with your busy week, hopefully things will be a bit improved for talking to your boss.

Ruth - I feel your pain! I need a Willpower transplant myself. We'll just keep picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves off, and doing better, right? Here is some for both of us! (And there is plenty to share for everyone else if they need it. )

Cat - your hallway looks wonderful, I love the gleaming black floor with the light colored walls. It looks really open and airy that way.

Jelly - Hello!

Cottage - Sound like you have a busy week planned, but a fun one. Have fun getting crafty! I have a bunch of my holiday shopping done too, though not as much as I might like. I'm definitely avoiding Black Friday, I always find it way too hectic. I prefer to start shopping as soon as the leaves turn, and space out the spending.

Good morning, Kiko! What a great affirmation! I for one know that I WILL be reporting a day more successful than yesterday. Not that it would take much...

Cyndi - Wow, what a great book sale! Your cinnamon-applesauce bread sounds delicious.

beachgal - I wish I had any suggestions for fast-and-easy for you, but our easy meals tend to be chicken of some kind. I definitely recommend a slow cooker though, I find that makes a great easy meal that you can usually make very large and have it to grab for the rest of the week.

Zeffryn - Oh yuck, not a cold on Thanksgiving. Your poor DS... the vitamins should help, though. I hope he feels better. And I hope you get back to two cars soon, sounds hectic having just the one.

hmacneil - I'm so glad to hear your car isn't as bad as you'd feared!

Stephanie - Congrats on a productive weekend, hope your week goes as well for you.

Kim - Glad to hear your back is on the mend, try not to overdo it. Good for your DH for helping out!

Well, I better get going... I just remembered my Sweetie's mama is making her rockin' cappuccino pie for Thanksgiving. Between that and just wanting to impress her with our weight loss, I better get busy making today's healthful food and planning how to keep nice and busy and active. Definitely walking to my errands later, and doing some laundry (lucky for my waistline the machines are two floors down!). Catch you ladies later - hope you have a wonderful day!

Good morning busy chickies

lori You sound under so much stress. Good thoughts your way.

Cottage Enjoy your time with your granddaughter. She is so luckly to have you in her life.

Ruth you owe that congregation a rum cake after yesterday's doggie accident.

Cat Vaseline does the trick for me but I am so oily after.

Jelly Hello

Kiko You are organized for a successful day.

Cyndi I too love my bread machine. I do alot of stuff in the bread machine and then bake it in my oven.

beachgal Stir frys are good. I precut the veggies ahead and refrigerate them.

Zeff Kids get over things quickly.

Heather So thankful that you and DH are fine. Angels definitely watching over you.

Stephanie My first name is Stephanie but since I saw that it was taken I used my middle name.

Kim Rest that back and have a safe drive to family.

Betsi Have a healthful day and watch those stairs with laundry.

Me - I'm the assistant today with the new sink and faucet being installed.
Bad weekend, not on plan. Hope to jump back on the wagon today.

Sophie