I JUST POSTED A REPLY AND IT GOT LOST IN CYBERSPACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HATE WHEN THAT HAPPENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mousie, I totally get it.

I don't remember what I posted, so now that I am all crabby from losing my post, I shall ***** and moan. I think I might be going into Perimenopause. I think I just had a hot flash! I was on the phone in my cool kitchen when I suddenly began to sweat like crazy...it was dripping down my body...dripping down my right leg like I was peeing on myself only it was sweat! When I hung up the phone, I ran into the living room and turned on the A/C. My DH looked at me like I was nuts since it wasn't hot, and yet, I was sweating like a pig. I still get my period regularly, and I totally know when I am ovulating. Yet, my PMS has gotten a little more intense with some panicky feelings (not panic attacks) and some anxiety creeping on me especially when I drive.

I don't need this crap.

Ohhh, Summer....that sounds horrible...and yet very familiar! When I had my hysterectomy, they warned me that "messing in there" would cause me to have some
symptoms of menopause. I had sweats like that for about 2 months. Thought I was loosing my mind! Also, my dear friend at school went thru the change and got EXACTLY like you described...in less than 3 seconds! From dry and fine to freaky and literally dripping with sweat in less than 3! It was horrible!

Just what you need something else to have to deal with! Arghhh!

the children are interrupting me......I'll be back!
meeee

Afternoon Ladies:
I was going to check back in with you all yesterday afternoon or evening. But everytime I went to go on-line, either we were leaving to go visit his family or my dh was on the computer. So I said fine, have at it. Then when he said it's yours I was really for bed and went to bed. I was tired after taking care of him and a sick kiddo all weekend long.
His leg seemed fine yesterday after he got up. He has finally decided that he needs to rest and let it heal some more before he plays ball or plays any games outside with the kids. He told me that on Friday night when he went to the pool with the kids for their lessons that there were no more chairs. So instead of asking in the office for one, he stood on his leg for an hour or so. So I think he put to much pressure on it on Friday night and then Saturday he was walking around the house and took a few wrong steps and he went down in pain like a load of bricks. I don't think he liked it too well when I had to help pick him up off the floor. Once he was back to a standing position, he informed me he could hobble over to the couch. But I was proud of myself, since I had to pick him up off the floor. I guess my workouts at Curves are finally paying off. LOL.
I have been making time for myself though. Even if it is, getting up before everyone else is up and just reading a trashy novel for a few chapters.
I hate to see what the scales say tomorrow night at TOPS. I was doing really good about watching my carb intake and measuring out my food portions. Then yesterday, after church, they had a surprise 80th birthday party for one of the members. They had ham spread sandwhiches, chips, punch and cake. So I ate a small handful of chips, two little sandwhiches and a little piece of cake. Then I came home and didn't eat anything until dinner last night. Then after dinner we went over to my sister-in-law's for her birthday. She had homemade carrot cake and so I couldn't pass it up and had a piece of that. Then I came home and just had the munchies all night long. I had some grapes, a few handfuls of chips and then some celery sticks with carb free ranch dressing. I just felt like a pig yesterday. But I got up this morning and measured out my cereal, milk and grapefruit juice. So hopefully it was only a one day off the band wagon type deal.
Sorry to hear about your hot flashes, Summer. I can sort of sympathize with you. When my grandpa was a live, he had his wood stove going all year run. It was bloody hot in his house. We use to dress in layers in the fall and winter when we went to see him. We would start shedding our coats, sweatshirts on the back porch and then just wear short sleeves in the house. My grandpa would say aren't y'all cold. I was freezing so I put some more wood on the stove. It was an hourly thing for him to put more wood on the fire. I guess he just wanted to prepare us girls for what menopause feels like.
Mouse, I hope things go well for you at school today. Don't let those other people get to you. You do what you need to do to teach your student's the skills they need. They will look back on it in a few years and remember how you went the extra mile for them.
Robyn, is today you started back on WW's? Good luck! You can do it! I have faith in you.
Well ladies, I guess I should stop being a lazy bum and go get my shower for the day. I have been back from the gym for about 1 1/2 hour now. I usually hop in the shower as soon as I get home. So I am a little sticky and stinky right now. Maybe that is why everyone is not bugging me right now. LOL.
Have a great day ladies!
Take care,
Kerry

Hi!
Sorry for being MIA for a few days.......getting ready for the invasion of my house by 8 14/15 year old boys and surviving the aftermath was something.
I did this as Dh was off at a softball tournament all weekend.....and I mean all weekend, came home only to sleep and have breakfast. Ds is going nuts- and needed something for him- so we did this get together. Most of them slept over too. I must say, they are a great bunch of kids...well behaved, polite, no bad stuff at all- just normal teenaged boy stupid humor. Ok it was a lot work and I hardly slept ( they got even less than me!) but it was fun, and I am glad we had them over. But my eating has been all messed up.....oh, do I really have to face the scale at WW this week??????
I have a lot to do online and little time, so I'll say hi and be short.......

Welcome Chilli! These ladies have been gracious enough to have me here ( I just started at this thread a short while ago).... and I am sure you will fit right in!!

Robyn-don't you hate that when people lurk and read a post but never post themselves? (they have nothing better to do?). If I missed your answers forgive me.......but yes I do attend meetings. They are the only reason I stay honest......and can lose, the threat of facing that scale. I get LOTS of info from them. Ask away if you have any questions, and I can get answers for you. How is it going?

Summer- gee the hot flashes......sound awful. I guess that stuff can happen anytime from 35 on.......I know my body hit major changes at or around 35 and I probably went into a perimenopausal state then. Never done much reading on it though.....they say that there are some herbal preparations (black cohosh???sp) that can help. Hugs to you....hang in there.

Kerry- well, it is 2 hours later than you and I did not shower yet either!!!! (at noon I was doing my WW tape). Good for you, you strong lady. And no matter what the scale says at TOPS- just regroup and have a great week. No sense beating up yourself with a bad day or so......look foward and make better choices in the future. You are doing fine!!!!!!

Mousie- gee.....you have had some major health issues......sorry that the medical community has been so out of touch with you. It must be so frustrating. But it does sound as though you are getting back on track.....and your game plan is a good one.

Gotta go......2 very insistent 8 year olds are waiting for me to play badmitton with them......sorry if I missed anyone.
Ginny

Nice to hear from you Ginny. A group of boys well into puberty sleeping over for the weekend...You are a better woman than me!!! I guess God knew that I more suited to be a Mommy to a girl when He gave me DD. I am experienced with girl sleepovers (since I used to frequent them), but teenage boys...eek! You are a brave one! I'm sure it helps that they were good boys.

Kerry, if you look at the foods you "pigged out" on, you didn't do badly at all. Heck, you could have eaten much more fattening and unhealthy food. Don't beat yourself up!

Yes, Rob, HOT FLASH !!! It hasn't happened again since. I suppose I should just get used to the idea that they will be occurring over the next several years. I can't change the aging process...and I'm not quite ready for the alternative!

I'm in a better frame of mind today. I rode my bike for 30 minutes and cleaned my entire house for about two hours. We had a short playdate this afternoon. I hate short ones...anything less than 3 hours. I enjoy chatting with other moms, and DD gets very involved playing. So, when our guests arrive 30 minutes late and leave 2 hours later, it seems like DD and I are getting jipped. The other thing that was weird was the mom made it clear that she was coming over after lunch. She didn't tell me that any of them are on a special diet (which I would have accomodated). I don't really know the reason. So, as someone who is BIG on hospitality, I feel like she didn't get the whole experience of a playdate at my home. I did get to give the girls chocolate frozen yogurt in Oreo cones with sprinkles! Well, even if it was short, it was nice. Tomorrow we will be going back to the family cottage to visit my cousin Mo. Her side the family is all morbidly obese. Her DS had weight reduction surgery 15 years ago, living with diarrhea and eating only a liquid diet for a looooong time. She is back to being obese. Her other DS has diabetes and so many other health problems including being wheel chair bound. They are such wonderful people, but are all on disability and miss out on so much of the joy of living. I love to visit them because they are very funny and bring back wonderful childhood memories. It is raining now, and is supposed to continue tomorrow. Yuck! A day at a beautiful beach house in the rain.

DH is putting in 5 hours a day at work and is trying to rest more. He doesn't have an infection though!!! Boy is that lab lucky! He still has a lot of diarrhea...and it appears that is how it is gonna be for a while. I guess we will be familiar with every single bathroom in Disneyworld!!!

Hi Ladies,
Glad to hear that everyone is having a great start to the week. It was a hot and muggy day here in Ohio. It was too hot to be outside for long. So now that it is getting evening time, I hope we can enjoy the weather outside some. I am praying it cools off so I can either take the kids for a bike ride or a walk.
Ginny glad to hear that you had a nice weekend with the boys. My DH's two nieces are in from Kansas for a month long visit. The kids have been begging us to let the girls spend the night at our house. We are still refusing, because the one is an 8 year old hellion. She thinks she can do anything because her mommy and daddy are divorced. She has been allowed for to long to get away with murder. I told my DH that I would not put up with that in our house. He agreed. We were able to get by with it lately because of his leg. Plus the fact the kids have their art lessons and the summer reading program to go to this week. So I hope we can stall them some more without telling them the real reason we don't want them over. I told my DH he really would be testing my nerves and my patience if he allowed them to spend the night this month. LOL So how was the softball tournments?
Summer sorry to hear that you went to all that work for a playdate and it didn't go as you had planned. I would feel awful if I told someone I would be at their house at a certain time and showed up late. I can't stand being late to anything. Sometimes knowing were all the bathrooms are in Disneyworld isn't a bad thing. LOL I hate going to theme parks and drinking tons of iced tea and water only to have to walk what seems like forever to find a potty. I hope his diarrhea clears up before you go to Fla. though. Have a great time at the beach house tomorrow!
Robyn did you say that you like Debbie Macomber books? I just read one by her called Navy Blues. It was a fast easy read at only 298 pages. It was about a lady who tricked her ex-husband into getting her pregant and the problems they encounter getting back together. I am like you picking out the really long books at the library. The last two books I picked out were each 400 pages long. So did you pick out a shorter book at the library?
Mouse I hope you were able to get through the day without being sick. When do you go for your test, is it this week sometime?
Well ladies, my one stepds invited his aunt and cousins over for a visit tonight. I was not too happy, since our house is sort of a wreck and my sinsus' are killing me. So I am going to be in a really good mood to visit with a sinsus headache. Wish me luck that I don't kill anyone. LOL
Take care,
Kerry

Dh has me back here to check the softball tournament results......they played 3 games on Saturday and 4 on Sunday......had they not been eliminated they would have played 6 games to win it all....any wonder why I dislike those tournaments so much????? Think I would rather have root canal....anyway the server for the tournament was down. I'll have to check later.

Kerry- don't you hate it dealing with someone elses spoiled monsters??? (does this have anything to do with the fact that we deal with them all the time anyway???). But how sad- all too frequently, children are being spoiled with stuff.....lack of parental guidance. You see it all the time. And who would want to wreck a week in the middle of summer with that! What kind of books do you like to read?

Summer-when are you going to Disneyworld?????? Enjoy the trip! Too bad that the play date did not work out for you. SOunded as though they just got there and it was time to leave. I like the longer playdates too, the visit is nicer for us moms and it gives the kids time to really engage in some creative play. Glad that you were free from hot flashes today.....not something I am looking foward to either.

Did some stress eating today......but if I behave myself I can finish within points. Got the WW tape in (have not done that in almost a month, but I have been walking instead). I am a bit sore, but it felt good.
I rented Cold Mountain for tonight- is it any good??? (I have no life when school is in session- so I have to rent everything. Come to think of it.......I have no life when school is not in session either......... ).
Gotta go. Have a great nite.
Ginny

Ginny, we are leaving for Disneyworld in nine days!!! We are going from 7/21-7/28. Not knowing if DH had another infection was rather nerve racking, since it would have meant follow-up surgery and him not going with us. That would have been awful. But, God is good. So, we will have our first trip to Disneyworld together as a family just as we intended.

Kerry, don't be surprised if I return from Disney with a map of all the bathrooms in the park!

I am sitting on the most stubborn plateau right now, and I'm so pissed off about it. I am so close to a binge...I am holding on by a thread.

NINE MORE DAYS TILL OUR VIRGIN EXPLORATION OF DISNEYWORLD...

I know there is absolutely no way I'm going to hit everybody. I had class tonight, and so just got home at 10:30 pm. Only one more night of this, and that is IT. I'm finished with grad school for the summer.

I totally understand hellions... My cousin was one growing up,and I loved hanging out with her when I was little, but now I understand why my mom was more 'iffy'.
What else? Glad the leg is getting better from the husband, and I STILL want to go to Disney! Two people in one grad class are going... I keep asking if I can hide in luggage!
I haven't been too sick today, but I also haven't eaten much. I'm eating dinner now which I know is a cardinal sin, but I figure missing grad classes and failing is WORSE. Plain salmon, romaine lettuce, plain potato and plain broccoli. All pretty safe foods, I think! We'll see in about an hour!
Yesterday, I did some weights because I couldn't go to the pool...
My appointment for the endoscopy is next Monday; I like the GI doctor who is oging to do it. She's very respectful and straight-up. She's also a member of my gym, so she between seeing me swim and getting my blood results from my endocrinologist, she totally believes the whole medical saga! My endocrinologist also called on Friday to tell me she found a surgeon who might do the other surgery... I think I explained this in another post in this thread... Anyway, I talked to his office today, and one of the things I always judge is how nice the staff/nurses are on the phone. This lady was very nice, and quick to set up a Friday appointment when I told her I'm off Fridays during the summer... very accommodating to me. So, we'll see how that goes... That is on the 23.

Good morning!!!


Summer- how wonderful that you are getting to Disneyworld!!!!!! (don't tell my Dd, the 8 yr old- that is where she wanted to go for vacation this summer). My BIL moved to Fla about 5 years ago.....so we were there 2 years ago to visit him and spend some time with Mickey. See if you can get your hands on a Birnbaums Guide to Walt Disney World. It has some great tips for how to avoid crowds.....what parks are busiest when etc... Not that that their strategies always work, but it can be helpful. Also for the kids there is a Birnbaums's (our library had a copy) and it was neat for the kids to get an advance heads up on some of the attractions. Take me with you please!!!!!! I live in southern NYS......you could pick me up enroute along Rt 95...........just leave me off in Epcot somewhere so I can dream I was in all of those countries. Hope you survived the urge to binge! I know it is tough to break out of. WW suggests that you find something else to totally break the mood....try to find out why you are upset (guess that is because the scale did not budge). Go for a "non scale victory" , how much better you feel or how much better your clothes are fitting.....or even that you got your workouts in. Plateauing is normal....and so darned frustrating!!!! Hang in there.....you will break out of this.

Mousie- congrats on getting to the last day of grad summer school!!!!!! Bet that must feel good! How much time off does this give you? How did dinner end up- hopefully it did not throw your system off much. (I have irritable bowel syndrome, so I too have issues with food messing me up). Good for you getting some weights in....... Sounds as though your medical team is a good one. That must make you feel better already.

Opps.....gotta go wake up Mr Sunshine.......(Ds- who is a grump in the am) for work.
(He helps landscape). I'll be back in a wee bit!!!
Ginny

Hey there hi there ho there gang! All this talk of Disney makes me just plain ole grin as I remember our trip to Florida (and Disney) in December! That place is something else! What a wonderful time you are in for, Summer! AND there are worse things that you could be looking for than bathrooms! LOL I'm with Ginny.... you MUST plan your attack and bathroom stops prior to going! Have you done the actual park planning yet? My dh laughed at me, shook his head at me, and even threw his hands in the air at me PRIOR to us going....BUT I had researched stuff....and KNEW and while the parks were not crowded at all like they are right now, dh had to admit that my research and plan was useful! LOL hehehhee I highly recommend something along the lines of the books written by Bob Sehlinger called the "Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World" or even better visit (and pay for...) TourGuideMike dot com's schedule and list and READ all of the stuff about going left instead of right cause everyone else goes right! LOL
I used Tour Guide Mike's tips as well as all the info from the "unofficial" book and had a wonderful trip! Anyway...Enough about that! Both were WELL WORTH THE $$! If you get a guide book...go buy the NEWEST one! The times and stuff will be accurate and well worth the cash 2!

Kerry, love the discussion of little evil monsters! We've got a few in our extended family and what a JOY it is to be around these little boogers! NOT! Actually our family has spent less than 3 hours around our nephew who is perfectly placed between our dss but whose behavior is sooooo horrible that we can NOT tolerate being around the Prince! We take a LOT of grief from my dh's parents who don't understand..... OH WELL! Glad that you could pick your dh up off the floor. Mine would have had to crawl to the couch or a chair to pull himself up! LOL Weights or not, I"m not superwoman! I've never read any books by the author you mentioned. Yesterday at the library I checked out a bunch of books...that were non fiction.... Dave Berry essays, a book written by Patricia something or the other...the actress who plays Ray's wife on Everybody loves Raymond.... other stuff.... I did get a fiction book, but I can't recall what it is...haven't started it yet! So far, the actresses book is funny....written like she is talking to you....just cutting up and stuff! LOVE IT!

Ginny, I am doing the old points plan..... don't know why I stick with the old plan except that it worked....My mom did buy the newest "At Home" kit..... I should REALLY mess with it and see what I can learn and do! WW works for me! That and good old exercise.... together they will melt your mass right off your bones! I've never gone to a meeting due to money and time..... I bet I'd get a LOT out of it! I've got the exercise dvd....it is a tough cookie! Sometimes I use it...most often I'm working out with The Firm tapes/dvd. I hate the old firms...but LOVE the newer ones! babble babble...sorry! LOL I'm glad that you are here to tell me that 12 year old boys grow up! LOL Our oldest is a good kid...but mannnnn, some of the changes in him are sorta mind boggling....1 minute he is off riding a mini bike the next minute he is sitting in the floor playing with his brother's Lord of the Rings figures! He can't decide if he is a kid or a teenager.... AND the dag on aggressive girls that call here are scary! He doesn't talk to 1/2 of them! But geesh!

Summer.... You MUST change the type of exercises that you are doing! Did you add any weights? I know that your knee can't take too much....but add upper body and weights! Two cans of veggies work...just make sure your dd isn't standing too close when momma starts slinging the peas around! Also.... eat at the top of your points. Eat at the maximum do that for 3 days and then go down to the minimum for 1 and then up for 2 and then minimum for 2. Alternate your point intake to keep shaking your metabolism up. ALSO, don't eat the same food intake for days and days....like everyday don't eat the same breakfast, lunch and dinner.... Your body freaks out or something and gets stuck.... I'm NOT a doctor or WW specialist....I just play one while on the Message Boards here at 3FC! I'm all set for a famine! I bet I'd be the last person left alive..... my metabolism is that of a sloth! Then again.... don't do anythign that could hurt your body 9 days from Florida!

Mousie, how did the food sit? Grad school over?! Hip Hurray! NOW what are you going to fill your time with? (that is a joke....I know that you have more than enough to do!) Eating so late is hard on a healthy body! Hope you managed ok! Did you hear back from the Evil Dr's office? You need to make another call and get ALL of your stuff out of there...... I also tend to judge drs offices by their phone folks and the way they "handle" me. I called a new dr yesterday to make an appointment for a check up and DEAR MEEEEEE....I'm sort of afraid! I was offered an appointment on August # at 10:45. When I remarked that I was having some dental surgery the day before that and was there any other date available, she clicked around on the computer a bit.....and then said...nope and your appointment will be August # at 1:45. To which I commented, "What about 10:45?" she clicked a bit...and said "Oh that appointment was taken while I looked at the other week"....so I said, fine...August # at 1:45. to which she clicked some more and said... Sept.# at 10:15. WHAT THE H#@$? I said, "No, Sept doesn't work for me. What happened to 1:45 on August #?" She said "Oh it got filled while I looked at 10:45." I said, "I will call back in a little while and make an appointment for the End of December (You know...christmas break!)"....To which she clicked some more and said ..."Ok...August # at 10:45." #$%#)@*#$& Considering that this was the 3rd person I'd talked to during this phone call...... AND I have a very hard time believing that there were THAT many people calling and asking for appointments at the VERY SAME TIME I was??!!! I'm a bit concerned about this office! The only good thing....The office that I had to call is NOT the office that I am actually going to be seen in...(Don't you HATE that?!) I'm very hopeful that the local office will have a brain. I'm changing drs because I want to get out of a giagantic practice that makes me feel like a very unimportant #. However, I'm not too sure that the one I selected is the answer! I love the dr that is at the new one. I've been to him before when he was with the Gigantic practice and left due to not wanting to work for some giant organization..... My favorite "issue" was the billing that I got from the Gigantic practice that I had to literally FIGHT over.... several years ago, they sent my papsmear out to the wrong lab. And tried to bill me for it! I ended up having to talk directly to the doctor and ask him and I quote, "What was I supposed to do with the Q tip? Drive it over myself? I wasn't given that option... Next time, I will do that tho. I'm not paying this outrageous charge because my QTip was put in the wrong baggie in your office." His response was, "You're right. And nope, you don't need to drive your own papsmear to the lab." HE fixed in less than 3 minutes what I couldn't argue the office chicks down on for months. I'm ready for a change!

WELL.....enough words of wisdom...choke, choke....from me for now! I'm off to get my hair cut! Gotta go by the vets to pick up our elderly cat some more thyroid pills AND of course no trip out would be complete without a visit to WalMart! Yahooo!

Ya'll take care! Behave!
meeeee

I'm back!!
Gee, Robyn you can write, girl!!! (even beat me on one of my good days!)
But I agree~ all the planning for a WDW trip is well worth it.... I have been with WW for a year and a half and much prefer the old winning points system....even like the old journal better (which I would kill to get a copy of now). I agree with you. Something psychological about handing me 35 flex points a week and then telling me to hit exactly 22 points a day seems odd..... Which DVD do you have (the Get Fit one from WW?)

So for me today.....think I might skip a strenuous work out......just not into it today and I have been doing great in that department anyway. I should be doing a ton of things now.....all the stuff I can't get done during the school year... Guess I am just a bit frustrated with Dh at the moment. He is off at softball tournaments all weekend with Dd, plus he gets home from work too pooped for much of anything except watching the home run derby on TV.
I have been doing a lot of stuff here that really he should be doing or helping with. Seems as though I am alone most of the time (not counting our youngest Dd). And I am expected to shoulder most of the load with raising our kids and all of the housework. He has a good job with a major corporation, which unfortunately is so stressful.......so he comes home with little or no energy. (except for softball!) Ok, he is a good provider- and thankfully supported my decision to leave the private sector to work for the school. Aw, I am rambling....guess I'd better shut myself up. Just had to vent. But he got to me this am, telling me to fix the garage door sometime today. And those were his last words to me (the door did not close properly last nite- don't know who left it open- so a racoon got into the trash, leaving me a mess to clean up and now a door to fix). Sorry I sound like a raging moron......I rather feel like one too. But I will be fine.

Off to clean up the mess and fix that stupid door. See ya!
Ginny

Well then...you ladies REALLY want me to map out my plan of attack on Disneyworld ahead of time...I guess you don't want me to fly by the seat of my pants? So far, we have scheduled two character breakfasts, one with Cinderella & the other with Mickey at Ohana. And we've scheduled the Luau at the Polynesian and a dinner with Minnie at Hollywood & Vine. We are going to Pleasure Island on our anniversary while DD stays in the room with a sitter. See? I've been planning. Since we are staying in the park, we know that we have one hour before the crowds outside the park converge on us. So, on the mornings we don't have a breakfast scheduled, we will be ready early to do the rides. We have the Ultimate Park Hopper Plus for 7 days, so we can go anywhere at anytime on any day. We plan to use speed pass. We plan to either play in the pool or visit the water parks during the hot July afternoons. I'm not sure how we will avoid the crowds since for us to really enjoy our stay, we will most likely want to do the same stuff as everyone else. Hopefully getting up early and using speed pass will help. DD begged for Pal Mickey (the interactive tour guide plush doll). We were gonna rent it, but the 7 day rental costs as much as buying it, so $60 later, DD has already started spending money in Disneyworld! She knows ahead of time that between us needing to watch our spending and needing to fit everything in our baggage when we fly home, she can't go nuts with buying everything she falls in love with. I have checked off everything I am interested in doing/seeing. DH and DD pretty much have the same interests as me, so we can hopefully avoid doing/seeing things unnecessarily. I just don't think I want to do anymore planning than this. This is our vacation after all. I am such a planner in my "real" life, that I would sort of like to take it as it comes and plan things day by day once we get the "lay of the land."

Ginny, I wish I could help you, but we are flying out of Hartford not New York. I wanted to avoid taking Connecticut Limo (it is soooooo expensive), and I hate the hectic NY airports. Bradley Airport is a lot smaller and calmer. You know if we were flying out of NY, I would have no problem smuggling you along. Sorry!

Robyn, I know you are gonna be on my case if I don't get the tour books. How about this? I will check out Mike online. If I like what he has to say, I will take the next step. Oh, and THANK YOU for the advice about switching up my points. That sounds nutty enough to actually work! It is certainly worth a try. I have some hand weights I can start to play with. I just can't seem to get myself to the gym to work out there. I don't know what is keeping me away. DH is home more since he can't put in a full day at work. I really like exercising at home without being watched. Maybe that is my hangup. Good news though, The Caribbean Beach Hotel has a health club. So, I can work out in Disney...not that all the walking I will be doing won't be sufficient!

Mousie, I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU HAVE FOUND DOCTORS WHO GET IT!!! About time. You must be quite relieved.

Hellions. Well then, have I got some opinions about them. First of all, my best friend's kids are hellions. The girl, DD's best friend, was just diagnosed with ADD. Based on my experience as a teacher, I can pretty much verify she actually has ADHD. The boy, 4, hasn't been diagnosed as of yet, but I guarantee he will be in K or 1st grade. It is hard because I love my friend and her family. And, she is VERY INCONSISTENT in her discipline. I think I may have told this story, if so, ignore it, if not, enjoy it. One day they were at our house swimming. The boy wanted his life preserver taken off. The catch was that he was standing on the end of my deck, and my friend and I were on lounge chairs by the pool about 15 feet away from him. He wanted her to come to him to remove the life preserver. She told him to come to her. He refused and started to fuss. She started to get out of the chair, and I told her, "If you go over there I swear to God I will jump on your back before you get to him. Don't you dare move. Make him come to you. You are the parent." She laughed, then realizing I was serious, looked shocked. She didn't know what to do. She looked at him then at me. I said, "Just ignore him. He will come to you." Within one minute, the boy was at her side getting is life preserver removed. "See? I told you!" She thanked me for stopping her, and then we talked about consistency. Unfortunately even knowing the right thing to do, she continually gives in. And, if she holds strong, it is her DH that gives in when she leaves for work at night. I watch her other friends parent, and I go nuts. Their kids are even wilder and brattier than hers! I feel like conducting a behavior management class for them! And the worst thing is, DD has slept over their house. It is my turn to invite their hellion over my house for the night.

Well it is a rainy day, so we will not be going to the beach cottage. My cousin will be pissed, but DD will go nuts looking out the window at the beautiful beach and not being able to play on it.

Have a great summer day!

Well Ladies we survied the visit. We even had fun. When it was time for everyone to go home, the two teenage boys asked if they could spend the night. Then the little hellion asked and my dh said that he would only take two kids at a time. So she would have to wait her turn. So instead his dd went to spend the night at her aunt's house. So guess who had to get up this morning early to get 30 minutes in on the excerise bike, wake the boys up, fed them and get them ready. Plus get a shower and get clothes on to go out the door at 9:10. You all guess right if you said me. I had to run across town to pick up stepdd and then go to their art lessons. Thank God I took a really good book to read. Came home to do three loads of laundry. Help fix lunch for everyone and then clean up the messy kitchen. I did go outside to play with the two nephews and stepkids some baseball. I quit after my one stepss said to me that I couldn't throw worth crap and that I should just give up playing ball. Mind you he is only 6. I was instantly pissed off. I know that I am not the world's greatest ball player, but I was only out there to have fun with them. It has taken me several years to work up the courage to play baseball. So I think I am just not going to play with them for a few days and see what they all have to say. Then I am going to tell them that I don't appreciate running my @%& off for everyone and then being told that I am not good at something. That I was just out there to have fun with them. The only saving grace I have is that tonight is my TOPS night. I will be able to go out of the house for a while. Maybe I will treat myself to dinner out after my meeting.
Congrats on being done with grad school for the summer, Mouse! I need to start thinking about starting grad school myself. What I want to do is get my master's degree in Library Science. But no one seems to be able to tell me if that would apply as an earned master's degree for my school system or the state. So I am on the hunt for some answers. So how long do you have off from school until you start again in the fall?
Summer sounds like you are going to have a great time at Disneyworld. I wish I could go with you. I have never been there. But I have been to Fla. three times to visit my aunt and uncle. They only live about an hour away from Mickey. Oh well, maybe next summer I can go on a vacation. Sorry to hear about your missed beach house visit. I can understand about not taking your dd to visit because she would want to be out playing on the beach.
Ginny sorry to hear that you have been left to shoulder so much of the household burdens this summer. I can sympathize with you big time. I can't believe that I am going to say this but I am looking forward to go back to school next month. Then I wouldn't have to take care of everything at home, run the kids here and there and do all the household chores. I am hoping by the end of this week or next my dh is back to helping out more. I am so freakin' tired that it is not even funny.Sorry for my little rant there.
Robyn glad that you were able to find some shorter novels to read. I think that one about Patricia from Everyone Loves Raymond would be a good one to read. I am currently reading I Am A Soldier, Too The Jessica Lynch Story. It is interesting. I will have completed the reading program for my sister's library after I finish this novel. So I am happy that I was able to find books in each 6 caterogies and even enjoyed them.
Well I guess I better go and fold the last load of laundry in the dryer. Then I think I might go hide in my bedroom and watch some tv and even take a quick nap. Talk to you all later.
Take care, Kerry

Great news ladies I lost another pound. I was very surprised when I stepped on the scales at TOPS tonight and saw the results. I had thought that having cake twice on Sunday and punch would do me in and I would gain weight. But I didn't and am glad that I had those sweet treats since I don't have them that often anymore.
Hope all is well with everyone. I will talk to you all later.