oh my gosh, I just typed a "book" and it disappeared on me.

QOTD-I have worked in the family business (candy warehouse) since 1989. I worked full time with my first girl, and after Kayla was born, I only worked part-time. I only work 2 days a week, more as an escape from home for a bit and to help my dad out. I package candy and I also operate the printing press to make the labels for the candy bags.

Spryng-Way to go girly!!! I hope to be able to say "Hey, 50 lbs. gone" someday. That is so awesome!!!!!!

I got the kids to school...almost late. I'm supposed to be cleaning my house but just haven't got the motivation yet. I read on here that someone calls there laundry "Mount Washmore" -I so agree. If you don't do at least 3 loads a day around here, you're drowning in it for the next week it seems.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GERI AND AMY!!!!

Michelle-still have to check out your website. Have a good day, hon!

Morning to the rest. I must check my emails and get my rear end in gear. TTFN.

I feel bad I can't get personal this morning but we have a big day ahead. Bayley has her doc and I have to run to the University to get books and then get my hair done. I hope when I get back it won't be 4 pages!!! LOL Anyway I wanted to share that I am 2 pounds down!! YAY!!! So I have officially lost 11 pounds so far!! Congrats to the other losers and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOO!!!! I'll be back to wish you congrats officially later! HAve a great day girls!! TTYL

HI girls just got back from the doctor and I was down 3.5 lbs for the month and lost 3 inches on my waist She says I'm doing well. So that was good

Qotd: Hmmmm jobs....My first job was at an orange Julius (YUM) and then I went to work for a hotel doing banquets serving and setting up, then I graduated highschool and worked at Denny's for a bit and then I moved to massachusetts to be a nanny which was great! Then I came back and went to work at a hotel again and did auditing, yield management, front desk work, and I headed up our employee relations program, as well as our guest perks program, and now I work at another hotel just doing auditing about 5 hours a night 6-7 days a week, its better than my last hotel job because I was putting in 18 hour days at my last job and I was a walking zombie and always had work on my mind, now I'm able to relax a bit without so much on my mind.

Spryng WAY TO GO!!!! I'm so happy for you!!

Melinda its great to hear from you I was just thinking about you the other day!!

Penny How is the rash? Man you should see teagan girly she is just walking all over the place!! she even walked the whole way across the livingroom!!

Deana I think it was you who asked, I'm going to draw names for the friendship swap on the first of November so the deadline to let me know you'd like to participate is 10-31

Geri and Amy!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

Ok I gotta go the kids are fussy
Michelle

I'm back!

So far I have washed all the sheets and made the beds and the towels are in the dryer....cleaned up the coffee that Tony spilled...threw out the soaking wet books he hit (most of them he has destroyed already anyway ) yelled at Tony about 100 times to stay away from the TV's...he can't keep his hands off of the power buttons...arrrgh! Dh is bringing Chinese home for dinner so I don't have to cook. I got an under cabinet radio/cd player for the kitchen for my bday. The TV is on way too much during the day and Will tends to just sit in front of it rather than play and watch it once in a while so I wanted something else. We do have a nice stereo, but to hear it in the family room I would have to blast it.

Mt Washmore...I'm not sure but I think Cindi was the first to use that one . Stuck with me and still cracks me up.

Melinda...so glad you checked in. It has been a long time since we heard from you! The Core plan sounds really great and I hope it will work for you! Are you still working part time?

Crystal...more hours is fine with me but no more than 3 days a week. My neighbor knows someone who is looking for part time kids but her MIL just passed away so she can't call her for a few days.

QOTD: I worked as a waitress, in retail and then for 16 years at my last job. I supervised an accounts receivable dept at a company that did the processing for brokerage transactions. It just closed in December as our parent company bought a bigger firm and they swallowed us up. I was pretty happy because I got a nice severace package and I was getting really unhappy in my job. Now I'm working at an accounting firm in administration...basically a secretary I guess...but I will learn to use accouting software that will help me to find another job if this one doesn't turn into something permanent.

Deana...thanks babe...for calling me old I'm used to it...Spryng does it all the time

Michelle...love your web page...maybe someday I'll use my Paint Shop Pro and do something creative like that! I think you can use that for web page designs...

OK, nothing planned for the rest of the day. Think I'll trim some trees while Tony takes his nap. The branches are really starting to hang pretty low. Also have to start sanding the deck where the printing on the beams is beacause we need to stain it before the snow flies. Don't I have exciting plans for my birthday?

I'm so excited! My cousin and I are exactly a week apart...she's older ...anyway she got married when we were in our early 20's and moved south so I hardly ever saw her. She lived in Louisiana and Arizona and I visited her once in AZ. She and her dh moved about 45 minutes away from me! Unfortunately her dh has had problems with his legs and back and has to use braces/crutches and may someday need to use a wheelchair. That is why they decided to move back to WI so that they could be closer to family if it should come to that so that my cousin would have some help. Anyway...that's pretty sad 'cause her dh was a very active guy before. I just got a letter from her with my bd card and I want to call her so bad but she has out of town guests so I'll have to wait until next week. Can't wait to see her.

OK, hi to everyone I missed. I need to check my email then get off of here!

TTYL...have a great day.

Congrats Jill & Michelle!!!

Hey there to all you losers and birthday girls!

Spryng - you are awesome, almost at 120 lbs? I can't believe it, you give me hope, I never knew anyone that a weight lose program worked for, I guess that is why I needed you all so much! Big hugs to you! Hope you have a nice week with DH, mine comes home tionight, I can't wait!

Geri - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! I hope you get to do what you want.....and if that includes trimming trees and sanding the deck then so be it! I got one of those under the cupboard cd/radios too, and I absolutely love it! It has become fun for sydney and I to sing while she helps me cook, a nice memory that I will cherish forever! P.S. - you are not old! age is a number, its realy how you feel!

Amy - Happy Birthday, happy birthday! Hope you have a great b-day! Have fun shopping and on your night out on the town! I didn't know you were a nurse! How often do you work?

Jill - Have fun getting your books and new hair cut....I always feel so "new" when I get my hair done! I hope Bayleys appt. goes well! Shots stink, i hope she doesn't have any!

Michelle - your site is incredible! I wish that I had that kind of talent! I have a question for you...my little techie! hehe ....when I size the pic down to 25% of its size, its still too big it says to use for my avatar! ggrrr....I am not so computer savvy as you can tell....is there something that I need to do to it first, before I add it to photobucket? Thanks darlin! BTW - WWHHHOOO-HHOOOO! on the lbs and inches! You are doing so wonderful especially since how busy you are!

Melinda - so nice to hear from you !! Glad that you have a plan to lose weight and that you and JW are well!

Deana - I have had both of those situations and I will just tell you what I did in each. #1 - I weighed whether or not that they had showed up at any of our stuff...the answer was no....I decided that I wouldn't go, because it just left me feeling bad and frusterated and why put yourself through somethign like that? NOt to mention its really far away! I wouldn't go! #2 - I would tell her that your lives are taking different paths and that you are choosing not to put yourself amidst her destructive behavior....it doesn't matter if that is how she seeing it or not, but you do and its your choice to make. THose are both hard situations, but there are so many things in life that pass you by...why would you want to waste a moment of it doing something with you family that you don't want to do, or that makes you feel bad? Go with your gut! hope that helped!

okay - all the kids are bugging me for lunch so I guess I should go ! Love to you al! TTYL !

I'm back for a minute.
Michelle-checked out your website. I think its great. I'd love to do something like that but I'm not educated enough on these machines to do anything like that yet. We finally joined the millenium this year and bought a digital camera and just got a new printer. I have yet to try and scan a pic on it. Maybe that will be my afternoon project- that and some more laundry.

My "loving" sister (bless her to bits) wants to put highlights in my daughters hair again...She wanted red or blue. This mom said NOT! So we settled on copper. My sister is the "HIP" one whom my daughter idolizes, right down to the clothes and choice of music.

I guess I'll get back to my laundry now. TTFN.

Congratulations Spryng on the loss of 50 lbs !!!!!

Happy Birthday GERI AND AMY!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry the smilies aren't working on my end for some reason.

Melinda, Congrats on joining WW.!

Jill, Congrats on the 2 lb loss. You are doing great!!!

Heylllo, Penny, Michelle, Crystal, Kristin, Deana, and the rest of you. I have a busy day too.

Day 3 of going to the gym!!! YES!!!! I had to drive an hour to pick up the kids pictures today and an hour back and Tonight I have a wedding, so I'm busy busy. TTYL

I am still working on M and W. We are doing a PACT program with JW on Tuesday morning and now WW. They have parenting classes while the children play with developmental toys, etc. I am doing an ALPHA program on Wednesday evenings and I am hooked back on the Apprentice. And my MOMS club meets a couple of times a week. I don't know where the time goes by.

Any workout challenges? I am reading a new book Escape Your Shape. It says that I have been working out wrong for my body type all of these years, so that is why I have not seen results. It says I am hourglass shape. Hard to believe, but I guess I have larger curves. ANyway, I should not do step aerobics the ellipic. etc. It says I need to focus on lower impact workouts and weights. I have been doing it for two weeks so we will see how it goes.

OKay - so you all are MIA today, its not me for once! LOL!

Melinda - Sounds like you have a great schedule figured out for yourself! That is really interesting about the shape of your body helping you figure out which works the best! I never thought of that!

Crystal - we do ebay and thrift stores too, and we only have one child so far! I get lots of things that are new for her, like shoes, but other than that, I get stuff on sale, clearance, hand-me down from cousins, or thrift! I also did a clothes swap when Sydney was 3 months old, and that was fun, we had 3 of us with all girls that were the same age/size adn just traded clothes for some variety and if I needed something for a spcial party, we just called each other to see if someone had something!

Chris - Hoe funny about your sister! Ho old is she...and your daughter? I can't remember (mom brain kicking in now! )..I think I would have said no to the blue.red too! Hope you are getting your laundry done!

well I should get a snooze while all the girls are nappign and the older boys are watching a movie! Have a great afternoon all...not sure when I will get back!

I forgot the QOTD again! sheeesh! I have worked many jobs too! I started out when I was 14 in a grocery store, my mom was the accounting director there...it was the funnest job, I was just put where ever they needed me, floral, cust, service, camera/video...it was great! The second job was at jcpenney...I worked in accessories and guess where my paycheck went? the 3rd was at TTS a marketing company....I installed cox cable, phone and internet over the phone or computer and/or set them up for a tech to come out to the house to do thigns. It was a cool job...and then I worked at Hallmark...there was a mistake, guess where my paycheck went this time? and then I worked at Memberworks, which is a company who helps customers to use their discount programs that they sign up for or stuff like that...I worked in the compliance dept auditing calls and having callibrations with company execs to give feedback about their programs. All fun jobs, the last one, was the only full time I had and it only lasted like 6 months, so I started staying at home! my first job at Hy-Vee grocery store is where I met dh...he worked in produce...I always took my break when he was stocking bananas, because he could talk then haha! okay now I'm going to ebay for alittle while, then maybe lay down!
TTYL !

Kristin go to the microsoft.com page and search for "powertoys" and it will list a few tweaks to xp features and one that they added was an image resizer that is really easy to use. Your image (to use as an avatar) will have to be 200 x 200 pixels or 500 kb (I think) or less to post so just size it to 200 x 200 and you should be abel to upload it directly to 3fc without having to use photobucket.

Geri man you are cleaning up a storm, wanna come do my house next? jk lol I have my hubby to do it for me! You sure can use psp to design websites but the only thing is that you can't publish them through psp (that I know of) I use psp and adobe photoshop for my graphics, along with supplementary programs such as background magic and xara 3d and I can get pretty good turnouts.

Chris Thanks for the compliments on my site it really isn't that hard to do. Our internet company gives us 60 mb of ftp webspace so I use a ftp site builder called cuteSite Builder its easy to use and I just love it.

Mel way to go on the workout keep it up!!!!

Okay I need a nap before work so I'm gonna be missing the rest of the afternoon.
Love to you all
Michelle

1 1/2 more hours and I'm free...free...well, almost. My sister will be back to pick up her son so I'll only have my 2 year old to handle. Having 2 of them at the same time is hectic.

Kristin-My sister is 24, and my daughter Tiana, is 11 years old. Makes me feel old. My sister is the second youngest and I am the second oldest. At my age, I guess I'm just not cool enough, or maybe parents aren't cool (period).

Hi everybody. I tried to scan some pictures but once again we are having problems with the hunk of new junk. Installation wasn't a breeze. It's a multifunction unit. I can print and copy but when I try to scan it says that the computer cannot detect the scanner. How is that when its one unit...????

THANK YOU MICHELLE !! THAT IS REALLY NICE AND SIMPLE! As you can see it worked!

I'm back for a bit before I have to start supper.

Thank you Amy and Kristin on the advice. I am goin to call my sil and tell her that we can't be there tomorrow. It's just too far, my van takes too much gas, money is tight til payday and we really need to tear out the shower wall and replace plumbing this weekend since dh is home. It's been leaking for a while and the thought of the water bill this month scares me. And our local hardware store just closed recently so if we need supplies we may have to go to the city to get them. Ok that problem solved.
As far as the other problem.....she called me a little while ago from my bil's house. She told me that she gave my number to the people she borrowed the van from to get here and asked me to tell them I would get ahold of her and she would call them back, if they call. When I got off the phone with her I told dh what was up and he said if he were his brother he would step out with a gun and tell her to never come back. The problem there is he has been chasing her, but yet she hates being treated like crap and still won't leave him alone. Grrrrr!!! He also said he never cared for her much. I came to the realization that I didn't either, she just latched on to me and it was just my nature that I saw someone in need and I helped.....God, I'm such a sucker. Now she wants me to lie for her if anyone asks me where she is because she doesn't want anyone to know she is at his house. Trust me, I have told her to leave him alone and get on with her life but she keeps calling him and giving in to his request to see her. Stupid. There's alot more to the situation but I could go on and on forever. Then I would be in a bad mood and I don't want to do that with dh home all weekend. I still don't know what to do. I'm not one to hurt anyone's feelings and I know it would tear her up to lose me as a friend because she really doesn't have anyone else except the guy she is living with in St. Louis. That's another story, she says it's platonic but I don't believe her....So I keep chuggin along, biting my tongue. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll be busy with her kids and such and not want to hang out this weekend. I can only hope. Then maybe she will go back to St. Louis and not call for a really loooooong time.

I'm so sorry to be a stick in the mud today. I don't usually ask for advice, I'm always the one asked for it, but these things have been bugging me. It actually helps to put it in print and get my feelings out instead of sitting on them and letting the fire build.

Thank you all sooooooooo much for putting up with me today.

80 oz down, going for more.

Supper tonight is chicken tacos, spanish rice and refried beans.

Hope everyone has a great evening. I'll probably be tearing up my bathroom.

TTYL