Good Evening Ladies,

Great to see Rita & Shanna posting!!!!

Now we need Kayecee and a little more of Katie.

I don't like walking in the wind either Cristi.One good thing though is when you are walking against the wind, shouldn't you burn more calories?? lol.....it SHOULD be that way at least. I like home improvement shows also, thinking I want to be a real estate agent.
When I was a little girl........ok,I was never little, and I think I was 17....whatEVER.
"This Old House" came out on public tv, use to sit and watch it every week.

CONGRATS, ANGIE!!!! Send some beer my way Love beer and chips with salsa.

I am glad the card & pic cheered you up Shanna, hope you pull out of the funk ASAP!!! No fun to be there, at least you have Marti close by.

Cross fingers for Jana tomorrow along with Cristi!!

Not to sure about me, I think I only drank 33 oz today, just haven't felt up to it.Hope to get a good rest tonight and regroup tomorrow. I did join the YMCA and hope to start there next week or over the weekend, we'll see.
They have a 12 week fitness program that I would like to do. It gives you a trainer that works with you, kind of think I need that.
It cost extra $$$$$.....have to see how much.
Though they do have monthly hikes!! I am kind of excited about that.

So, Gaby & I cleaned and puttered around the apartment. I wanted to get my haircut and called my mom to ask if she would watch Gab's. She said "Susan, you just go home and take care of yourself, you are doing too much, and you don't feel good.You sound tired.You are almost 40, you aren't young anymore"
Me :......."It is very frustrating not to be able to get a haircut because you have a toddler to watch.I sound tired because I haven't had coffee yet".........anyway, I went home and rested. Still feel blah........

Did get home to hear a message from Alex..........ahhhhh.I just read this email from him and he is telling me all his favorite dishes that he cooks....sounds soooooooo good.Now he is asking me what I like to cook.....what am I going to say????? Tuna salad with pickled beets??? lol

So, cute because Gab eats that right along with me, she always has little red fingers.

Best get!!! We did shop at GW today!! Bought things for Gaby....some summer dresses and such.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Hi Aagain,

Since I don't feel good enough to work I will sit here and write down favorite foods of Alex.......

I know, you are all thrilled but he does have some yummy faves!!!

So, here we go.........

BREAKFAST:
Triple Berry or Strawberry & Banana shake with soy milk--- toast with butter & honey.
Sometimes scrambled eggs & ham.
When the kids are there: "I make Huevos Rancheros, an egg fried over a corn tortilla, served with tomato,onion,garlic and jalapeno pepper sauce (ok, I don't like that part) the kids love this breakfast"

For dinner he makes stir fry chicken with steamed jasmine rice.beef stew, chicken soup,pot roast,steak tacos and some side dishes.
He made shrimp soup last night " nothing fancy,just chopped tomato & onion with spices and shrimp."

Favorite meal is Chiles Relents, a stuffed papilla pepper with tomato & sour cream cheese.

ugh,........I don't feel good.

going home, talk later

I'm falling asleep standing up, but I just HAD to share my birthday surprise. I came home today to find the following in my yard(click the attached image below for a full sized image)

Too cool, eh?

It's Saturday!!

Kat - who knew Freddie had a family???? If you didn't put those there, who did?? Cool!

Susan - good luck on your weigh in today! I vaguely remember you mentioning before that you had lost a lot of weight. 110 pounds -OMG!! How did you do it? From your picture, I think you look like a model who never ever had to worry about weight. Yay for you joining the Y - I want to join when I lose about 30 more pounds. I am too embarrassed to go there at my present weight. About Alex - my advice is to ALWAYS be honest. He sounds like a really good cook and probably wouldn't mind at all that your specialty is tuna and beets sandwiches.

Cristi - if you ever want to talk about what happened to your first DH, we're here for you - just so you know that, 'k? Some of Neal's family weren't and still aren't very accepting of me and the two kids I had before we married. I feel like it's their loss! But I wish it was better for you w/you in-laws. I also like to watch the DIY shows - they give good ideas on things.

Angie - YAY for you!! And don't worry about your hair - I am living proof that it will grow back in.

Shanna - how did I miss the pics of your babies??? I will go look for them when I am done here.

Now for my news of the day: I am down 2 3/4 more pounds. That's 11 sticks of butter!! Since I stayed the same last week, some of it could be attributed to that. But I am so happy about it and have worked hard for it. I bought another pair of jeans the other day, and they are way too tight - I can get them on,(barely!) but the zipper doesn't even come close to zipping. So my next goal is to wear them. Probably about 15 more pounds.

Gotta go to Wally World to the digital picture machine and work on the photos I took in Louisiana. C-ya!

Jana

Jana!!-- 19lbs. total! That is wonderful!!! I haven't weighed in yet. Mondays are my days, but I've been busy and last Monday I didn't even weigh in......I haven't been doing so good so I'm sure it's not down. I'll be satisfied with a maintain!

Kat--Wow! Flamingo's!! How many? A few months ago a woman was in the paper for her,(I think 80th birthday) and she had 80 flamingo's through out her yard!! (That's a lot of flamingos) How fun that must have been to see.

Angie--I wouldn't worrry about how short your hair is. At least we know it will GROW!! Plus, I'm sure you still look really cute!!!

Susan--Yes,,,,I have to say Congrats on the 110lbs weight loss too. You had sent me a photo and I think you look marvelous!! The photo at your heaviest, I wouldn't have recongnized you! You'll do great today on your weigh in.

Hello to everyone else. I'm starting to feel much better. I"m downing the water like crazy. The more I drink the better I can breath!!! Today I'm taking Jhanai to my sisters.....meeting Shanna there to do some scrapbooking. Should be fun!!

I need to get Jhanai some breakfast....wonder if she likes boiled eggs and a blueberry bagel??? That's my breakfast!! Maybe I should go on a fasting next week before my "Married" day!! Nah.....I'd probably pass out when they ask me if I want to take James as my husband!!!

Ok...time to clean up and go.

BBL tonight
Marti

And it's a great morning. This is the first day of my vacation -- I am off for a whole week! Those silly little pics show exactly how I feel today. I didn't realize how stressed I've been until the end of the day yesterday, when I was changing my voicemail and email at work to let people know I'd be gone for a week, and when I finished I just felt this HUGE weight drop off my shoulders. I'm not even going anywhere, just staying home, spring cleaning, trying to catch up on some errands and paperwork that have been piling up and nagging at me -- and scrapbooking, of course Tim and I had planned to go to Florida months ago, but then he lost his job, so we had to postpone those plans. More good news -- he got a job starting Monday! So his company closed doors 2/18, he was still officially employed (paid) through 3/6 on "administrative leave", and still has a couple of weeks of severance pay coming -- and new job starts 3/15. Lucky dog, he got a month's paid vacation Our 4th anniversary is Wednesday the 17th, so we'll have to plan something for that night. I'm probably the only person I know who has romantic memories of corned beef and beer!

Kat, I sure hope you've gone to see your dr. -- being a nurse, you of all people should know how important that is! I had some similar problems, fibroid tumors and endometriosis, until about 6 years ago. It got to the point that every month, for about a week and a half, I couldn't even leave my house -- had to sit around with my feet up all the time, and was taking Darvocet to manage the pain. I had a hysterectomy, but the dr. was able to leave my ovaries so I haven't had to take hormones or anything, which is good. If you haven't seen your doc, please do so as soon as possible! You shouldn't have to live with that.

Susan, got your card, and Gaby is such a cutiepie! She looks like she's singing I've told my three sons that at least ONE of them better give me a granddaughter someday. I've earned that, after putting up with all their "boy" stuff all these years.

Shanna, I'm sorry to hear you've been so down and that things have been rough. Keep staying in touch here, post when you can -- if you need to talk or vent, you know we are here. And I'm glad you have Marti close to you, and that your family and your sweetheart are supportive.

Angie, WTG!!! I've looked back through the threads and can't find the specifics -- where will you be working?

Jana, you are doing so great What an inspiration! Are you doing any particular kind of exercise program? That's where I have the biggest problem getting motivated. I know a lot of it is because I'm so stressed and tired all the time, and changing my eating habits would certainly help in that direction. I have confidence that you'll be showing off your new jeans very soon

OK, hello to everyone else...and I have to get off the computer and get busy with a pen so I can get these St. Patrick's Day cards in the mail today.

Hugs,
Katie

My youngest daughter spent her paper earnings on flamingos for me, so we now have a nice little flock of 13. I absolutely LOVE them. My son gave me an Israel Kamakawiwo'ole CD that I've wanted for a while too...my kids are SO thoughtful.

I would write more, but we have to dash out the door to work at the church chicken pie supper, after which I drive a bus an hour to pick up a group of theatre students I took to a contest at the butt crack of dawn this morning. I'll drop a line when I get back though so I can say a proper hello to everyone.

Hi, you all are so chatty, thanks for the post to read!!!

I am down .5 pounds!!! No, that isn't five pounds, it is point five as in half of.....lol
YAY...I will take it. So, 153.5 to 153 this week.

CONGRATS on your awesome weight loss this week Jana!! I will send you a before picture in the mail if you want. I have always been over weight. I did lose 110 pounds back in the mid 80's , that time it took me 7 months.Way too fast and I gained it all back after Rebecca was born in 93.
I used slim fast and started walking at 200 pounds on a treadmill that was given to me.
I think there was a lot of stress at work with a tenant and before I knew it I had lost 20 pounds, so I went from there.It was kind of a jump start.
I did gain up to 170 with the birth of Gaby and lost back down to 150 , only to be stuck there for months.
Last summer I started gaining weight up to 165 and feeling miserable.
Excited about turning 40 that is a lot of motivation to get this weight off once and for all.

I will say my YMCA cost $37 a month for a family.Discount and all,.......I think it is around 75 if I didn't have that.

Katie- Congrats on your anniversary!!!

Was going to say that salsa helps with you have a cold, Marti. I read that today in First magazine.
Also, read some good things about peanut butter.

I finally got my hair cut!!! YAY.......feels tons better. Only 12.95 at Perfect Cut, what a bargain!!! lol

You are right Cristi..........won't eat those peppers either, and I am part Mexican. LOVE tamales. I just told him I make wonderful soup. He seems very sincere in wanting to be a friend.

Ok, I better go get Gabs home. She spent the day at grandma's and enjoyed her time.Got to see her great grandma and charmed her of course.........now she is whiney for mommy...........ugh.

Going to go home and get ready for church,play with my hair and such

Talk more tomorrow

Oy. My day bean at 4:30am and just ended at 12:20 am....too long. That in depth reply will have to wait until after I get some shuteye.

HI! Everyone hopeing that everyone is having a great sundayShanna sorry to hear that things are tuff right nowplease post back and let us know how you are doing Susanyou really got some good sales went with daughter sat and did find a pair of uniform pants for 1.50and was happy with that trying to hold off for buying capriesthey were cheapwant to fit in to a size 10only 10 poundsto go for that Jana gotyour card thank you so much!!!!!!!! Angie congrats on the job!!!!!!!Hope to get on my bike today for I can loose some of them poundswell everyone else have a great Sunday Rita

Marti - hope you had fun with your sister and Jhanai. Are you close to your sister, emotionally, I mean?

Katie - so glad you have a vacation and hope you make time to just relax and take it easy!! Tim got blessed finding a new job so quickly! YAY for that!! About exercise - I have been really slacking off on it... no excuses, either.

Kat - awww, your kids are sweeties to you! Hope you get some much needed rest today.

Cristi - I hope you do post pics of your kids - I would love to see them. Hey, that's a good idea to take a pic of me in the new jeans! I think I'll do that and print it at home so I'm not embarrassed at Wal-mart's photo dept. : Neal and I got married on a Friday so we could have the weekend together before work on Monday. (I worked outside the home then) It happened to be the day after my birthday, and yes, although we celebrate both, separately, I do wish we had picked a different date to spread out the fun a little.

Susan - YAY on your .5 loss. Thats equal to 2 sticks of butter gone! Yes, I would love a pic of you when you were bigger, just to give me motivation. Glad you like your new haircut. I am due for a trim but am about half afraid to go back after she buzzed me last time!

Rita - good job on finding the uniform pants! Hope you get to ride your bike today. Here in Indiana it is rainy... But have fun if you do get to go!

I am down in my back and don't know what happened. It feels like I need to be stretched out or something. Katie and Neal went to church w/o me, because sitting in the the pews would've been unbearable. As I write this, I am surrounded by a pile of pillows on the couch. Somebody else will have to cook Sunday dinner....

BBL,
Jana

What a beautiful Sunday!

I woke up cranky yesterday,,,both cordless phones are dead and we didn't notice. All we saw was the answering machine blinking...and then the dreaded news that the realitors are coming at 11:30..its 11:25 and I hadn't even brushed my teeth..
No nibbles yet.

We took Skittles to get trimmed and she wigged out. Poor groomer...I was told to leave and when I came back 2 hours later there she was,,,my pretty lil pup. And she made nice with the groomer....lol

Jana,,,did you strain your back doing something? (gotta tell Neal to be more gentle with you...geesh) I hope you are up and about soon.

Katie,,,relax,,,enjoy, and sleep in. Congrats on hubby getting a job so soon.
I start Tuesday at the Brewery. YAY for me,,,only 3 days a week..good pay so Im happy. And one free case of beer a month so Monte is happy too...lol

Susan,,,GAWD my mouth was drooling when you talked about Alex's cooking...I can just smell it...

Marti good to know your feeling better. So did you find a dress? Or is that next week?
Shanna, its alright to feel down,,,you have had a couple of bad breaks, you got to remember this too will pass. I say this from experience.

Cristi, Monte choose our wedding date, and well pretty much everything else,,,I just organized it. And for birthdays...Brandon is the 10th Im the 11th and Tanner is the 26th of Sept. Its like Christmas,,,or at least it cost just as much as Christmas. There is 6 family members born on the 10th and 11th in my family infact.

So today Tanner and I are going to an audition for a film being done outside of Calgary.
Anyone see Open Ranges? Thats with Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner. That movie was filmed just outside of Calgary...so was Legends of the Falls, and numerous other westerns.
Well I need to get myself cleaned up...
Ill let you all know how everything goes with Tan
Angie

I haven't had time to go through and read past posts so I'll just jump in. I haven't been here since the 8th! Sorry gang! I think my puter is going to crash soon. I tried to log on for Landon so he could do some homework the other night and it took me about 20 minutes then everything will disappear completely off the screen after you have been on for a while. I just love the technology advancements that we as a society have made over the past few years. Hope everyone is doing well. I got back from Little Rock last Friday. It is really pretty easy to drive around even though it is a big city, so Mom and I are going to take the kids there on Tuesday or Wednesday to the mall. (We have Spring Break this week! ) Yay!

I really needed this time off. One reason that I haven't been logging on this week is because I have been in a funk. I don't know if I can explain all this without writing a book. Three years ago, our superintendent retired. He went behind everyone's back on campus and told the elementary principal that she had the job. One of the ladies on campus (who is a prominent politician/lawyer's wife) found out and promptly informed him that #1: the school board hires superintendents, not him and #2: by law, the school has to advertise the position. She fought for the job and even though the superintendent made sure that the board voted on the principal first to make sure that she had the better chance of getting hired, the board ultimately voted against her and hired the other lady. She did a wonderful job and got several grants for our school, but the staff members who work in the principal's building made it as tough on her as possible and were all very hostile towards her and her administration.

In the meantime, board members changed during a couple of elections and last year- with no reason except personal ones from what I understand- they fired the superintendent and attempted to hire the principal. DUH! Ya wanna court fight, try firing a woman who is married to a lawyer! She got an injunction to stop them and this week, the injunction was up and she left on Wednesday at noon. The school board promptly hired the principal as interim superintendent and now the staff is in a complete division and uproar.

During the last board election, the incumbent who helped get the superintendent fired not only lost his election, he lost it by a landslide so it is very obvious that the community is totally against the board and the few staff members who have been such a pain in the butt.

Anyway, on Monday, I had jury duty. I showed up and low and behold, one of the cases before the judge is part of the school's lawsuit. FIVE staff members from the principal's building showed up unannounced just to sit in the courtroom for intimidation purposes! I couldn't believe it. Then to make matters worse, the next day, I go to school and one of the staff members is telling everyone that she had gone shopping and was really sick the day before. I NEVER thought that this person would tell such a blantant LIE!!! She is even the wife of a local church deacon! Then I find out that another staff member has a sick grandbaby in the hospital having a spinal tap. When she left school Monday morning, the sub was told that her grandbaby was extremely ill so she had to leave. Where does she wind up? DUH! In court! THEN she goes to see her grandbaby who is so sick in the hospital that the woman had to miss the rest of the week! Come on people! Get your priorities straight! In my book, family definitely comes before doing anything out of vindictiveness!

So after they hire the principal Thursday night, they send around an envelope the next day to collect money for flowers to send to our new superintendent. (they never bothered to do that for the other lady) Apparently, when it was brought to me and the one from our building who was handling it found out, she went ballistic because it wasn't supposed to be sent to anyone who tried to remain neutral (me) or anyone who supported the other lady. Talk about dividing the staff! On top of that, the card said something to the effect of "displaying such fine Christian attitudes!" Sorry- but my bible doesn't say: Thou shalt lie. Thou shalt intimidate. Thou shalt harass...... Aaaarrrrrggggghhhhhh! And what is so sad is that they all believe that they are fine Christians! Anyway, the court wranglings aren't over yet and it is a loooonnnngggg 2 1/2 months until summer! *sigh* Well, I guess I'll get off my BUT if y'all will, please pray for not only our school but the community as well.

On a lighter note: I have 7 1/2 more days of freedom! Tim and I worked on the house last night, so it is fairly clean so I can sit back and kick up my feet for a few days! Also, I got a $425 bonus this week, so I can go and do a little shopping and won't have to sit at home like I thought that I was going to have to do!

Well, gonna get off here. for letting me vent and getting some of this off my chest. I really needed that. Later girls. I'm gonna go and try to read some of the posts I've missed.

Took me a while, but let me get this straight..... in the space of a week- Marti got divorced, Susan moved on from Arkansas to Washington, Jana's been in court, Angie's doing the Laverne and Shirley thing and getting free beer to boot, Freddie broke his back AND found a flock of his illegitimate children, Skippy (bless his little heart) died, and everyone got buzz cuts. Is that the total gist of things here at the Jaded Ladies? Sheesh! Remind me not to bail for a total week again. This was like reading the Enquirer! LOL