Schmoodle, thanks for sharing your pictures with us. Your DD is a cutie! Your banister looks great, and I just love the stained glass transom window above your door! Have fun playing in the snow today!
Schatzi about the hoarding. I'm right there with ya. The funny thing about moving, as frustrating and annoying as it is, is that it makes you clear out a ton of old stuff. Since you guys haven't moved in a while, that kind of explains the random stuff. I still have boxes I haven't opened from our move 6 years ago. Just wait until the next move...that ain't gonna be pretty... I'm just amazed that you didn't ditch the bowling balls before moving them!
Ooh, Kara, your dinner sounds divine! I think one of the best things one learns as a military family (or any kind of often-moving family) is how to pack quickly and let things go. My friend Ange, who's lived all over the world as a military brat, can pack up all her belongings faster than you can say, "move!"
Cat about your kids having a yard sale with your junk! Me too! The superstore sounds like great fun!
Glad you get to ease into the morning, Cottage! Sounds nice! We still have snow, but it's not much. I don't like doing dishes, myself, but I have several friends who eschew their dishwasher in favor of doing them all by hand. My friend Caty is a fervent hand-washer to the point that I was shocked to find out, last year, that her mom uses a dishwasher! I have no idea where she picked up her preference. The tobagganing sounds fantastic!!!
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Schatzi I'm sure you live by the motto waste not want not and any day now 8 tracks and stirrup pants are bound to make a huge come back
Dawn!!! That's great! *wiping eyes* I'm glad things are going much better with DF's job future. Sounds like he'll be a lot happier. I agree with you, weddings work out eventually. No matter what else happens, you'll be married, and that's the most important thing!
Oh, Beautiful Ruth...that's SOOO frustrating!!! I don't know if you can manage it (especially if the "wildlife" takes an interest), but we always put our trash out the night before. We'd never make it in the morning--they come by around 4 AM! Hope your trip to the dump is fast and easy.
Schmoodle, your house is gorgeous and your DD even more so! Love what you did with the bannister! Glad the kiddos are having fun! We didn't get hit hard enough for a snow day, though it snowed all day yesterday.
Me:
Last day of the work week for me. Today's the long day, made even longer by the Ladies' Night Out tonight. Somehow I got volunteered to be in charge of the LNOs for a club I belong to. I don't mind planning the events too much, but I have to go to all of them, and that can be frustrating during this time of year. A good friend I haven't seen in a while is going, though, and we're going to carpool so we can catch up. That'll be nice. Tonight's plans are to go shopping at the mall for an hour or so, then meet up at Ruby Tuesday in the mall for dinner. I hope it goes well!
Lots to do tomorrow--I'll be packing up and mailing my Christmas gifts for family and friends, who are on the West coast and in Hawai'i. Got get em going so they'll be there by Christmas.
Hope everyone has a great day! Stay warm! It was 11* here this morning!
There's a kind of eggplant called Japanese eggplant. Do you think that's what you had in China? It's long and skinny. For some reason, it makes me sick though regular eggplant causes no problems. It must be rawther different than the "regular" stuff!
The recipe sounds delish! Here's what I would do:
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Gratin of Zucchini and Squash
1/2 stick of unsalted butter (I'd use either 1 T of butter and a complimentary amount of canola oil to make up the difference, or the same amount of regular Smart Balance as the butter listed)
1 large onion,
large zucchinis, cut into round slices
1/2 carrot, box grated
1 sweet banana pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups of squash, and diced
1/2 cup of flour (change to WW flour)
1 1/2 cups of milk (use 1% milk)
1 cup of aged white cheddar (use 1/2 cup of really, really flavorful white cheddar, and 1/2 cup of lowfat sharp cheddar)
A few springs of thyme
1/2 cup of chopped fresh dill
2 scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp. of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg
some grated cheese for topping (here's a good place to use some real cheese as it melts better and broils better as well...but you could use lowfat if you like)
I registered for fitday and for some reason it just seems so complicated and to much work. One of the main reasons I like south beach is because it takes hardly any effort. So now I wonder do I even need to continue with fitday?
Ruth, sorry I missed ya this AM! Gonnabe, feel better soon! I used fitday for a few months. It is labor intensive at first, but does get easier, once you've got your own stuff entered in the custom foods. Sometimes you really have to hunt for a common food though. There's absolutely no need to do it on SB, only if you feel it's a benefit to you. It helped me to get a feel for portion sizes, how many calories I was eating, etc., but I did get tired of it and quit. Jessie, you feel better too, glad you made your way over here! I'll look up the recipe. I think I'll be able to eat the fish if I put lots of added flavor on it. Otherwise, I'll just feed it to DH and DS. They prefer fish that doesn't taste like fish!
Thanks Laurie and Kara!
Kids are enjoying a lazy morning, but the phone has been ringing off the hook with friends looking for them. They just ate breakfast and are getting ready to head out into it now...
Kara, I have several as I used to sell Partylite. I have 3 little jar candles that they sold as a pack years ago, one's red that smells kind of like cinnamon and other stuff, one's white (Holiday Spices,) and one's green and smells woodsy and a little like pine. I also got one from Bed Bath and Beyond last year called Christmas Wreath that smells like a Christmas tree. I love the smells of Christmas. Oh, and I'm a candle FREAK.
Good morning girls! Getting ready to start my day but I thought I'd pop in real quick-like and say hi! Not a lot going on today, as my piano student's dad didn't call, so I just have to go to the store and relax, probably do some housework, and that's it! Going to watch a movie in a sec. Hope you all have a great day!
I'm back. My boss is out of town so I actually have a little down time at work today Schmoodle Your daughter is adorable and your home is gorgeous. I fought for 3 hours with the tree last night only to decorate and find out the stand had a leak and had emptied its contents on my living room carpet. Needless to say no pictures at my house this year. Ruth I hate when that happens. I hope the trip to the dump was quick and painless. Weezle Your candles and movie sound delightful have a great day. Pacer Do tell more about these yoga Ipod downloads. I've never done yoga but have been looking into it. Gonna Rest up. I hope you're feeling better. Laurie Stay warm and have a great time tonight with your friends. Jessie Enjoy your first night back home. There are times of the year when I travel quite a bit for business and there is nothing like that first night back home.
Hope everyone is having a great day.
Dawn I have been getting podcast downloads from itunes. The ones I really like are from yogadownload. They are short 20 minute practices and there are pose guides you can download also for each session. I have found I enjoy the free podcasts because, well they are free! If I end up downloading one I don't like I can simply delete it and be out nothing!
As for yoga itself, I love it, I am not much of an exercise person but really enjoy yoga. It is amazing the strength and balance I have gained since starting. Trust me, this is coming from a person with no coordination at all, if I can do it anyone can!
I now feel my left leg has healed as I did 47 min walk/jog on the treadmil at lunchtime. I weigh in in the morning and I'm kinda wondering if my lack of working ou intensity will have an effect on what the scale will read.
I haven't had much of an apetite today I did eat an omelet at bfast and I just forced myself to eat some lunch. I know its probably from this cold bug I think I'm getting. Whats a girl to do?
YIKES! Every day I end up getting here later and later and there's always a lot of chatter going on! What about the winter makes us such chatty chicks??
I've read all the posts, but I'll have to get back later to respond. Went to the doctor this morning for my follow-up for the breathing thing and that went well. She said my lungs sound perfectly clear and that I could get back to working out. Wahoo! (Shhhh, don't tell her I worked out yesterday!)
We also went over my lab results from my bi-monthly blood work. Everything is still normal except the testosterone levels, so she upped my Metformin again. I think it will be fine this time and am looking forward to having all these symptoms under control. I still need to be working hard to get this weight off, but at least I have the medical world on my side!!
Finally, I joined a weight-loss competition with some friends from Austin. Today was my official starting weigh-in day with them, so I'm going to call that my official starting December weight! 214.5 to start.
Goodness, it's almost 1:30 - need to get some work done. I'll try and get back after dinner tonight!
So much for getting back in. I made the trip to the dump, went to foorcare at the clinic, couldn't mail the parcel as it was too heavy for me to lug, my wood was delivered but not stacked and Donna came and did a super cleaning job this afternoon. Whew!
Tomorrow is another day as Scarlett said. I'll ask friend Rob to mail my heavy parcel for me as I have to hang out for the Sears dw repairman. Tonight I WILL get a good solid night's sleep. I promise to go to bed right after Grey's Anatomy and go to sleep. Today has been sort of a lost day.
I haven't even read the threads. Work has been busy. I'm exhausted after less than 4 hours of sleep last night with a big fight with Robert. For awhile it looked like he was going to try to contest me for custody of Brian. Things are calmer for now but I never know what it is going to be like when I get home. Hopefully I'll be able to read and post more tomorrow.
I'd cut out the butter and replace it with maybe a tablespoon of olive oil. I'd use whole wheat flour in place of the white (they're making a roux there, like what you do for a white sauce), and you oould always cut back on the amount of cheese and use low-fat instead of full-fat versions. I'd skip the bread crumbs completely.
Hope that helps!
Oh, I just realized Laurie already answered your question but I don't feel like deleting my reply...
Barbara, you sound really stressed, even over the computer. Hugs and prayers for you!
Thanks for the candle advice, Lisa!
Ruth, your busy-ness rivals mine! Gosh, I was hoping things would settle after the kids got bigger, but apparently not!!!
Kim, glad you're clear for working out! I won't tell your doc about yesterday.
Barb, I'm so sorry that Robert is making things hard for you. It sounds to me as if he's scared, now that he has to grow up. Try to take it one day at a time, sweetie, and one day this will all be behind you.
Schatzi about the hoarding. I'm right there with ya. 
The funny thing about moving, as frustrating and annoying as it is, is that it makes you clear out a ton of old stuff. Since you guys haven't moved in a while, that kind of explains the random stuff. I still have boxes I haven't opened from our move 6 years ago. 
Just wait until the next move...that ain't gonna be pretty... I'm just amazed that you didn't ditch the bowling balls before moving them! 
I think one of the best things one learns as a military family (or any kind of often-moving family) is how to pack quickly and let things go. My friend Ange, who's lived all over the world as a military brat, can pack up all her belongings faster than you can say, "move!" 
I have no idea where she picked up her preference. 
I don't know if you can manage it (especially if the "wildlife" takes an interest), but we always put our trash out the night before. We'd never make it in the morning--they come by around 4 AM! 
Hope your trip to the dump is fast and easy. 
Love what you did with the bannister! Glad the kiddos are having fun! We didn't get hit hard enough for a snow day, though it snowed all day yesterday. 
