[techwife]

Okay...so, I lay in bed this morning listening to the alarm clock, which is set to a country radio station from Canada, and hear them say the temperature in Watertown is minus 16 degrees. I thought...It's way too early for temps that low, they must mean celcius. So, I got up and put on the Watertown news and sure enough...they meant farenheit!! I love the snow, but I'm not a real fan of subzero temps!! I drove Shelley to the busstop and didn't think to start the car up and once I got through a sketchy period of the car barely turning over, I looked up and the whole windshield was white with frost. Did I mention I was in my bathrobe with my coat over it and my slippers??? I'm thinking it will be a quick trip two blocks down, let her out and come right back. So, I can't find my ice scraper, I'm cursing up a storm because I feel frostbite kicking in on my ankles and fingers just trying to get the sliding door open, Shelley's coping an attitude because now I'm giving her guilt for driving her to the busstop and I'm trying to calm down and tell her, "It's really not you, honey, I just really don't like pre-frostbite!!" So, I managed to get a tiny porthole scraped off the windshield because time was of the essence so she doesn't miss the bus altogether. Then, one of the doors wouldn't shut (it was frozen open) and the lights wouldn't go off in the car and everyone got to see Shelley's mom in her bathrobe. The minute I got on the road, the porthole started to fog up. By the time I got her to the busstop, which is two tiny village blocks away, she could have walked there and back twice!! So, tomorrow, I get up and start the car and let it sit for half an hour and then just glide in the seat and down the road. I always have this initial induction to winter when I forget that I must plan ahead to go out to the car and dress for the weather.

Anyhow...MMM was a bummer for me. I've been eating properly, walking and keeping active, drinking my water, etc. and I'm up 5!! Maybe I should have Thanksgiving food and lemon pie for breakfast again!! Anyhow...I said, "Who cares" after the scales yesterday and had some chocolate candies I bought for my mailable presents and rigatoni and sauce that was NOT legal and now I'm down three to 157. Beats me.

Oh...and in other Shelley-related news. She tried out for the HS/MS musical yesterday. They are doing the King and I and she had to audition singing "Getting to Know You". I bought it off iTunes and put it on my iPod for her and when she auditioned, she got a 7 out of 10!! I was really proud of her because of several factors. First, she's never sung outloud before. Not even to me. She did it for the first time in front of all who are auditioning. And secondly, because being a 6th grader, she's in the youngest grade and was competing with the kids all the way up to 12th grade...and got a 7 out of 10!! Don't know if she'll make the cut or not, but I'm proud of her just the same. There is not a whole lot that would get me to sing...for the first time...on stage in front of half the school. So, I'm going to see about getting her singing lessons so she can learn to belt it out a bit better and maybe make the musical next year! Don't expect her on Broadway, but I'd like to see her be the best she can be if she wants to be in the musicals like this.

Anyhow...Derek is in Long Island this week. He was funny on the phone getting there because he's never been to NYC before...neither have I...it's officially 6 hours from our house. I had Mapquest open and was telling him where to turn, etc. He was afraid to take his eyes off the road and look at the map...the roads there and in NJ, he says, make driving in Los Angeles seem like a Sunday drive. He was more than nervous, but I was glad, at least, that he has the NY plates so people will think he's one of them and be less apt to pick on him.

Okay...so....

Monet: Man, I hope they don't close our Michael's!! I love the yarn they have there!! And, for someone that doesn't like Walmart, you sure seem to go there a lot!!

Talitha: What is it about being pregnant that makes us so sick? I remember with both of mine I was nauseaus. Before I knew I was PG with Shelley, I felt so sick to my stomach and tired. I went to the doctor because I was convinced I had a fatal disease and he said, "Oh...it's not fatal...you're just pregnant!" Which, just that news nearly gave me a heart attack. As if the words "just" and "pregnant" should ever be used in the same sentence. Anyhow...do you actually stay sick throughout your pregnancies or does it die down after a while? Here's a little funny for you (and everyone else) to cheer you up:

HOW THE BIRTH ORDER OF YOUR CHILDREN CHANGES THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE:

Your Clothes:
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN
confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.

Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time,
breathing didn't do a thing.
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month.

The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and
fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard
only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?

Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up
the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your
firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical
swing.

Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you
can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with
some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.

Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need
it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain
about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.

Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby
Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.

Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call
home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a
number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees
blood.

At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older
child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.

Swallowing Coins
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the
hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for
the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his
allowance


Cindy: Sounds like you've got a nice routine going with the weight training. Keep up the good work!!

Bob:

Solly: I wish I could help you with your painting. I love redecorating!!

Thin: Your trip to the spa sounds fabulous!! Just what all of us need this time of year to break up the pace!!

Munch: It's really hard as we all get older to see our parents and grandparents come to need our help when it seems it was just last week we were dependent on them for this type of help. Just know that you are a rock in your mom's life right now and that she needs you to lean on. In a weird way, it's like you're unfolding a whole new area or chapter of your relationship with your mom where now you're the caretaker and nurturer and she's the dependent one on you. Try to think of it as an honor, of sorts, that you get a chance to show your mom that you are just as capable of taking care of her as she was of taking care of you when you were young and not feeling so good and needed a strong person to lean on. I just have this feeling that I'll be in your shoes some day...my parents are both in their early 70's and something just tells me that one day, one of them will be on their own and I'll be taking care of the one left behind. I hate to think that way, but I also thing I've been mentally preparing for it for a long time. I just hope it's a long way away, but I'll be ready for it, I hope, when it happens!! Anyhow...hugs to you... you're being an awesome kid to your mom.

Okay, well, gotta run. Talk to you bustin buddies later!!

[Talitha]

Ok, So Jake jsut fell asleep for a minute. I jumped on the scale beforeg etting in the shower. I never weigh 2 days in a row, but I thought why not? I was down to 189 again I really didn't do too bad yesterday, in retrospect. I hadmy smoothie for breakfast, a bowl of chili for lunch, apple for a snack and one bean burrito for diner. The beans were fine, just not the tortilla, I think. I've done really well with my water.

Anyway. I just had my smoothie and a shower, an now I need to get dressed to go to Walmart. I never go to walmart, because there isn't one in the city. I ahve to drive about 25 mintues to the one on Cobb Parkway. They're cramed every few miles in the burbs. THey are finally putting one intown, and it is right off my exit. I wish it were a Target, but I'll take either at this point!!! I'm going today to return some shoes that are too small for JAke, and to buy a space heater. Out gas bill for last month was $190!!!!! we have a 2 bedroom house, only 1100 sq ft!!!!!!!!

Monet-bummer about the class. I never think that Michaels is that great of a deal. I like JoAnn's becaose I get the 40% off coupon once a month.

Tech- you're awesome!!!! That was all so true!! Except that Selah didn't get the typical first child experience. I had already raised 6 of my brothers and sisters before I became a mom!! I was sick the whole 9 months with both so far. Even thorwing up the morning I had them... BOTHOF THEM!!! sigh....


Solly- Painting is a good workout, right?


Cindy- Godd jobon the workout. you're better than me!!

[Ellen]

I just wasted an hour of time driving over to Kohls to try and get a new watch battery. The tool they use to take off the back was broken, so she could not get the back off. Grrrr.

I confess I came home and did some emotional eating. I ate popcorn and a diet coke...at least the popcorn was Smart Balance, but not legal anyway. I have chilled a bit now, but I was awfully mad about it earlier. I can't find anyplace else close that will replace a watch battery. Most places only will do it if you purchased the watch there. There is a place in the mall that will do it, but I did not have time to go to the mall this morning. Maybe Thursday, but I sure wanted the watch for school.

TECH: You need to be careful going out in that kind of cold without dressing for it. You can get hypothermia in just a few minutes! Does Shelley WANT voice lessons?

SOLLY: Wow...what an awful time to have to be painting and redecorating! Just thinking about the stress of it is making me ill. Make sure you don't over do it. You need your rest! The RA I am sure is better when you get proper rest.

TALITHA: I agree - just put that burrito behind you and move on. Give my sweeties a big hug from me.

We have some MIAs again... GATOR, FILLISE, TONI...have we lost FROG?

[ThinWithin225]

Hi! How is everyone this morning?

I'm staying busy trying to get through this one last week of school. Rachel's chorus concert is tonight, then she is dancing at the annual holiday gala at our local library on Thursday night. She will have her time in the spotlight this week!

I saw on the news that they are watching a system that will be moving in for us tomorrow/ tomorrow night. It may bring rain/frz rain/sleet to us, and I DON"T WANT IT!!! If we are going to have bad weather, I want it to be snow! You can't go play in ice! All you can do is pray that your power stays on! And on top of that, Craig has a two day meeting in Atlanta tomorrow and Thursday and will not even be home Wednesday night! I just hope we don't get it! My MIL says they've been calling for bad weather so often lataly that eventually they're going to be right!

[techwife]

Monet: I do know better, but after a hotter than usual summer, you forget just how cold, cold can be and I thought I could just run out real quick, drive her to the corner and come back. I'll definitely be warming up the van and dressing properly tomorrow morning!! And, yes, Shelley's been wanting voice lessons for years, but I've been avoiding the expense of it, thinking she just wants to sing like Hilary Duff...but if she has potential and wants to be the girl in the musicals throughout middle school and high school...what a wonderful boost to her morale and confidence that would be and I think voice lessons would be highly appropriate. The only reason she's avoiding them is because she has a desperate crush on the voice/choir teacher's son and she's pretty sure that the teacher teaches out of her home and Shelley's embarassed to go there.

Talitha: Our Walmart is a good half hour away, too. BUT, they just had on the news that they are putting in a Target in the mall next to the Walmart!! Walmart....Kohl's...Target...why, back in MY day we didn't even have a mall!! We had a Barbara Moss in the downtown section of Watertown and that was IT!! Don't even get me started on cable and the TV selection back then. Okay..well...we had ONE channel (CBS) from Watertown and one channel (CBC) from Canada and that was IT! Okay...anyhow...

Thin: Rachel is becoming quite the little Diva!!

[Ellen]

Ok, now I am REALLY mad! I just found out I don't have class TODAY at all!

:

THIN: I don't WANT it either! Lets hope the weather men are wrong again! Hope Rachel's concert and dance go well!

TECH: Surely there are more than one voice teachers in the area? As for the two TV stations, you and my hubby... He grew up in rural south Georgia on a farm, and they only had two stations growing up. About the time he went to college, they put in a really tall tower and got a third! You couldn't get cable until just a few years ago, and of course my MIL did...she watches a LOT of TV. Me? I never do. I only watched it at her house when we were down there, and before that, it had been over a year!

[THE BIG ORANGE BABE]

EVENING ALL YOU BUSTERS OF SUGAR!!!


It's been cold down here...in the low 40's at night and in the morning. This is nothing like you Northerners are experiencing, but here it's cold! It's supposed to be cold again tonight and in the morning and then warm up to the upper 70's during the days.


Still not in the shopping mood though...I did get the North Carolinians done and one thing has already arrived..Jay and Cathy called this morning while they were waiting on the Library to open. That child might just be 3 yrs old, but he already loves books! He's into the dinasaurers SP??? His Grampa has one waiting in Corbin when they come after Christmas...it's a robot and he has no idea that he's getting it. Jimmy told him that if he was good and didn't cry when he went to see Santa that he would have a surprise for him...Jays answer?? TWO SURPRISES GP!!!!

SOLLY...I use WILEY'S BEAN AND PEA SEASONING...you can get the packages (actually envelopes) in the produce section at KROGER!!! One package per two pounds of beans. I also put a capful of canola oil or olive oil...which ever I have handy..I cook mine in the pressure cooker for 20 minutes and they taste like you've cooked them with fat back and all day on the stove!

MONET...we went one year to a MIchaels closing up in Clearwater...I bought my Christmas wreath...it had been $125 and I got it for $20! It's beautiful and keeps wonderfully for the next year...

THIN...How did you do with the cheesecake in the end???

TALITHA...jump back in the wagon...on bean burrito won't kill you, just don't make a habit...

TECH...GOOD GAWD WOMAN....I'd never be able to visit you in the winter...My best friend and her husband are in the process of moving to Stillwater MN and they are already starting on me to come up...Brrrrrrrrrr!!!

CINDY..how much snow did you end up with?

I'm off to fix some supper...left over chicken legs (baked) YUM!!! and of course....GREEN BEANS!!!


BOB

[Cindylcing]

Happy Tuesday ! Oh Im so happy... ( not really) .. but more snow tomorrow... whoopeee....
Still no movement on the scale...but... I did get a compliment at work from a coworker today so maybe all the exercise is paying off. I have offically kicked the 18s out of my closest and have moved on to my 16s ( well all but one pair that seems a bit smaller than the rest) . Though on the top Im still a 1x. Almost I can get into a xl misses. Im amazed when I think " wow from a 24 to a 16" it sounds like alot but... when I look in the mirror I still see the same fat ole me. Wonder why that is and will that change?
Anyway... just went to work today, home, cooked ,exercise and now here I am. Not too of a exciting day. Everyones counting down for Christmas at work. Its getting very festive. We are doing our secret Santa all next week so Im kinda excited about that!

Monet- well personally I think art is way more important than finals ! Really art and music were my favorite subjects in school !

Solly- I got tired just reading about your day !

Tech- Loved your robe story. Sounds like something that would happen to me . LOL. I also loved the birth order of your children... how true!

Thin- looks like you and I are getting the same storm

Bob- last friday we got 8.3 inches and tomorrow supposed to be another 1-4. I just wish the ice on my neighborhoods streets had melted before more snow.

Going to make a nice warm cup of green tea and surf the net. Have a great evening !

[Ellen]

Checking in... I got my watch battery, had lunch at Longhorn steaks, where I got a grilled chicken caesar salad and unsweetened tea, and then home to do some prep for tomorrow. Instead, I got sucked into helping Laura do some online shopping, then to Costco, and Target. I got a replacement Pur faucet filter with a coupon I was sent from them to replace mine that cracked. I got a stainless steel one, so hopefully it will last. We got a few presents, then came home. After dinner, we put out our Christmas lights on the front porch, and then rolled parchment triangles into decorating tubes for tomorrow's gingerbread house extravaganza.

I am pretty tired, so I will sign off here, and get ready for bed! Goodnight all!

[Ellen]

Oh, I almost forgot...dinner was beef stew cooked in the pressure cooker and green beans.

[Munchermom]

Good evening! I know I'm on late- got home from the studio at 10:00 and just settled down to check in here! Its so nice! Well.. I think its a whopping 10 degrees outside. The snow we do have is all sparkly and has a squeeky feeling underfoot. Brrrr. I like the snow- but the really cold days are for the birds (I don't really think they like it either )

Accomplishment of the week- I used to run for a bit- and loved it, but I had a problem with my achilles tendon getting sore- so I stopped. I really missed it- it gives me a unique time to be with my thoughts. Sooo- I decided (silly me in 10 degree weather) to try running again last night. I did the old walk briskly for 60 seconds/run for 90 seconds routine for 20 minutes total. It felt great. I just need to start slow to be careful of my heel. But I am so glad I tried it again. If you had told me 3 years ago (when I was like 30 some pounds heavier) that I would like to run, I would've told ya you needed a brain transplant!!!

Confession of the week- I ate 3 cookies tonite. They were good. I won't do it again. I came, I saw, I smelled, I ate. I will do 3 pushups and 2 crunches.

BOB- I wanted to thank you for your kind words of encouragement about my mom. When you go thru this stuff, it feels like you're the only one in the world thats going thru it. What you wrote made me feel like I was not alone!!! You're awesome! Thank you.

CINDY- Let me know how the calisthenic DVD is- been wondering about that! Thank you for your words of encouragement with my mom. I tend to forget that it can be a positive thing to be able to show her I love her in a practical way!

SOLLY_ I had to re-read your post- I was SURE I was wrong in that you got all that stuff done and were at Kmart by 7!!!!!! I am in awe of your morning energy. Send some my way!!!

TECH_ I loved your bathrobe story!!! I am the moron that is out there scraping the snow of her car with her bare hand cause I forgot my gloves (and left the ice scraper in the garage) on the first snowfall. Yup- I catch on slowly. Thank you for those wonderful thoughts regarding my mom. You helped me have some needed perspective on the situation. I really needed to hear that.

THIN- Sounds like your daughter is an amazing dancer! How long has she been dancing? What does she take? Yeah- sleet and freezing rain are lousy. I was in the "BIG" ice storm in Rochester NY- we were out of power for 2 weeks and it looked like a war zone. Yuck. I"ll send snow vibes your way....

MONET- sounds like you were busy tonite! I got tired just from reading your post! I am sorryabout your classes today- that must've been rough> I can't believe they take away one of the most important classes (In my humble opinion) from those kids!! Hope tomorrow goes better!

On that note, I am sleepy too- I'll check back with everyone in the morning while I have my COFFEE!

MUNCH

[GatorGal]

Hello all. I've been pretty busy, but I can now say that I am officially finished with all the Christmas stuff: mailing, wrapping, cards, etc. Tonight I finished my last gift, something I'm sending to my French friends. It took me most of the afternoon to write a letter to go with the package--French is a lot harder to write than easy ole English--but it is finished and wrapped and in the box ready to go. We just have the fun stuff to do. We have our tree sitting in our LR waiting to be decorated. We have cookies to deliver (maybe ) and friends to visit. We have tickets to the Rockettes show here the day after Christmas, so I can now relax and enjoy the season.

Tech--Brrrr. Makes me glad I live in Florida. I know you love the snow, as do others on this board. I just have thin blood.

It's very late so I won't finish all the replies.

Except to BOB--Didja see that UF got Tebow? Our recruiting class is lookin' good!

[Ellen]

Morning! I am up, and that is about all I can say! I slept well, I think. I am just starting to worry about today and what all can go wrong. I had wanted to put together all the houses yesterday after the one class, but now I need to do them all today. I am obsessing over it.

So, off to get some breakfast, and get dressed! I will check in later and let you all know how it went!

Have a wonderful day my friends! Stay warm! (Tech and Munch...that means you two especially!)

[Fillise]

My weekly check -in! I'm sitting here waiting for the eye doctor to call me back. I don't know what I've done, but my left eye is really bothering me. Either this is the case of pink eye from **** or I've scratched my cornea. I've been struggling with this since Thanksgiving. I thought it was pink eye and got an antibiotic to use--which seemed to help. It cleared up, and I put a new set of contacts in and seemed to be ok for about a week, but now the eye is all pink and watery again and I cannot stand light of any kind. Needless to say, staring at a computer screen is difficult.

Monet-- I hate it when you get all prepped for class and then you don't have one! I don't use my watch in class anymore, I put my cell phone on silent and then set that on the desk so I can check the time.

Talitha--Sorry you are having the morning sickness! I know what you mean about Christmas parties--my boos is too cheap to throw one too!

BOB--It's cold here too. We are supposed to have lots of rain this afternoon and tonight. The chicken legs and green beans sound good!!!

Gator--I must say that the drama over yesterday's Tebow announcment was entertaining! Congrats. All the Bama folks thought they had him and you would have thought it was the second coming--LOL!

Munch--It's great that you were able to run again! Try not to freeze!

Tech--Speaking of freezing--I know you must be--STAY WARM!

Cindy--You've done great, I don't know why we still see ourselves as fat? Do you have a photo of your from the size 24 days that you can compare to one of you now? You will see the difference!

Solly--Try not to wear yourself out with all the running around.

OK_-I've got to stop staring at this screen. I can get into the eyedr at 4, so I think I'm gonne lay down until then.

Susan

[THE BIG ORANGE BABE]

EVENING ALL YOU BUSTERS OF SUGAR!!!


Still a little chilly and we're supposed to have rain as well....Y'all know me, I can't let SUSAN get by with something that I don't have down here!!!

SUSAN...Sounds like you might have scratched your cornea...probably on your pillow case. I've done that before and it's not fun. It takes a while to
get it cleared up

MUNCH...I meant everything I said, so if I can help you in any way...just YELL!!!

GATOR...I saw the hooplah...better prove what they think he's gonna do! Case in point...CASEY CLAUSEN....enough said....you know what a disapointment he was to our place!!

CINDY...Brrrrrrrrrrrr...I remember that ice that doesn't melt...it's TERRIBLE!!!
Ours used to not melt in KY until the spring!!!!

MONET>..what did you buy at Michael's??

I'm going out to dinner with my friend who is moving to MN...I know it won't be legal since we're going to a GREEK place...
Kate fixed a pot of PINTO BEANS and I've got her a pan of cornbread in the oven right now. I was out of buttermilk and sweet milk so I had to use half n half...this ought to be an interesting pan of bread!

I'll check in later...

BOB