Hi ladies,

Angie - no, the table isn't my Christmas gift. We just need one, and I ran across a really good deal. Your dinner sounds delish! I don't use WW pasta sauce, either. I just eat less of the real deal. Actually, I don't buy a lot of "diet" products. Love my Light Done Right salad dressings, though.

Susan - take a deep breath! And know in your heart that when Gaby gets older, she'll know who was there for her.

Marti - like Cristi, I like to wrap presents, too. And I listen to Christmas carols while I do. This year, I made a lot of my own bows, so that took some extra time. Some of the bows look very homemade, lol.

Cristi - the traffic in our town is awful! Seems like nobody is at work - they're all in cars or at Walmart, lol. Yikes, why did our applicances pick this time of year to go bonkers? Could you maybe have a short in the wiring? I have to wait until Friday after the repair guy leaves to bake sugar cookies, but then the 3 oldest DGDs are coming to decorate them. That is if the repairman has the part we need.

Connie - hope you've had a happy birthday!!

The two littlest DGDs were here for supper, and then Katie helped them make a paper chain of red and green for the Christmas tree. They colored on the papers and put stickers on them, too. It's the sweetest thing on my tree!

Tomorrow I'm making some Reese cup dessert and no-bake cookies for Christmas. Can't do the sugar cookies until the oven is fixed. I sure don't make desserts for holidays the way I used to, anyway. Way too tempting, and I've been bad enough as it is!

Talk to you tomorrow!

Reece cup whats?

Cristi,,,you can have the wrapping girl! I do as much bags as I can manage. I infact recycle as many all year...and will make a non christmas bag look christmas if i have to. When we were in Montana back in Oct we did alot of shopping at Target...I bought these really cute pens with funny sayings on them..and have used them as small gifts to co-workers. My boss got the pen with a turtle dangling from the top with PANIC written on it...she cracked up. I didn't choose,,,all I did was grab a pen and put tape it to a card. But man it was funny,,,so perfect.
Jane...I saw this table that I just was so in love with,,,but Ill wait a few more years...possibly when one of the kids moves out they can have the old table and ill run out and buy that one. Big ol wooden table with black brackets on the side. It reminded me of what my grandfather made before I was born. With so many kids he had to go home made to fit everyone around the table. I wonder sometimes who has that table. I have done no baking and will not be doing any baking. My neighbours stopped by with about 10 lbs of a mix and match of stuff she does each year. We gave them coffee gift cert. Everyone is happy....lol
Tanner and I sang at the Zoolites again,,,it had to have been a perfect night,,,so warm,,,so crowded,,,so much fun.
Went to the orthodentist...Tanner needs braces...yikes! That is 6300. no insurance...so I asked if we can wait for a bit. There is a small chance there will be a full time position opening in Feb. If i get that then with the company benefits Id get something like 40-50% orth off.
My mom called to say my two oldest brothers will be home for christmas,,,i haven't seen the one brother in 6 years. He works on film sites as a carpenter and travels alot.
Not much else happening,,,well off to bed

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CONNIE!

Good Morning -

Cristi - There was 5 t shirts and they were huge! How are you going to wear a t shirt in 28* weather?? I was telling the saleslady that (Gaby is 4 in Feb) and I said "kind of cold for t shirts (I know- it is the thought that counts - whatEVER- lol) and she goes "forget that, they are huge, what was he thinking??
Obviously he wasn't and some were from the discount rack. *breathe *breathe.
I don't know why he thinks she needs clothes. His main complaint when he was seeing her was that I send too many clothes.
Anyway, nothing was color coorinated and for HRH Gabrielle that is UNACCEPTABLE!!! haha

anyway.......Come with me to Hawaii Cristi and be my maid of honor. Maybe we will just get married and live apart for awhile. I don't mean you and me - I mean Rocky and I.....lol

I am breathing Ma Jane

Good morning! Only 4 more days until Christmas -- ack!!! I feel so not ready... Need one more stocking stuffer, and just found out a friend bought us a gift that I wasn't expecting, so I really should get a little something for her and her husband, too, and they are tough to buy for! I need to brainstorm this one. I've been working until 7 every night, helping with a training class, and there is just no time left -- I get home from work, and it's already 7:30, try to throw something together for dinner, do a load of laundry, do the dishes, fall into bed exhausted, then wake up at 5 the next morning and start all over again *sigh* Thankfully, I have Friday off, maybe I can catch up some then. I have prescriptions I called into the pharmacy about 2 weeks ago -- hope they haven't returned them to stock by now!

Happy Birthday Connie!!! Hope your day was wonderful

Angie, wish I could go caroling with you at the zoo. I sang at work last year, but just couldn't fit it in my schedule this year since I'm working so late -- couldn't make the practices. Really missed doing it, too. I agree, YIKES about the braces! Man, kids are expensive...hope my boys take good care of me when I'm old and broke and feeble Crossing my fingers for you that you get a full time position with benefits.

Jane, I don't like most "diet" foods either, especially if they are "fake". I prefer smaller amounts of the real thing, or revamping recipes with lower fat ingredients, reducing the amount of high calorie ingredients that have no substitute, etc. It's actually kind of a fun to makeover a favorite recipe and make it WW friendly. If the repairman doesn't have the part for your oven, might be time for a new one I got mine just before Thanksgiving, but my old one was ancient.

Cristi, I love the way pretty wrapped gifts look, but mine always look like I wrapped them in the dark. With my toes. I finally broke down a couple of years ago and bought a pretty assortment of gift bags at Costco -- and the ones that stay in our family get reused the next year if they are still nice. As for your dryer, is there any possibility your 220 is out? I work for an electric company, and if people say their dryers seem to turn on but won't dry their clothes, we always ask if they tumble but don't get hot. Or if you have an electric stove and the oven light comes on but the burners won't heat. Could be you are only getting 110 to your home. Probably not, but just a thought.

Susan...well, on the bright side...at least the clothes are too big, and Gaby is still growing. Would be worse if what he sent was too small and she'd never be able to use them. When my mom was growing up, her mother died when she was eight, her dad went to work in the mines in Idaho, and he sent her and her brother to live with her maternal grandmother in Wyoming. This was during the depression, and they lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere, totally dirt poor, 7 people in a one room farmhouse, counting all her uncles that still lived at home. My mom got to see her father maybe once a year, and when he visited he pretty much ignored her and took her brother fishing. One year he remembered them and sent a couple of Christmas presents -- my mom was so excited...he sent her a pretty pair of slippers. She never got anything new, just for her, nothing pretty or feminine.

And they were about 2 sizes too small.

I'm sorry Mike is such a weenie, and he may or may not ever change, or grow up, or act like a responsible caring dad. But Gaby has a mom and sisters and other family members who love her dearly, and she will be just fine. Even if her britches -- or panties -- are too big for her

Marti, hope your computer gets back to normal soon -- we miss you!!!

We are having friends over for New Years, with their three kids -- trying to come up with party food that will please grownups and kids and a picky teenager (Noah), that won't send Tim and I over the edge if we eat it, too -- now THAT will be a challenge... I'm thinking veggies and baked pita chips with a couple of lowfat dips like that hot artichoke dip and a lightened up guacamole, fruit and an assortment of lowfat cheeses and crackers, filo spinach triangles, bruschetta, frozen taquitos and mini pizzas (not much of a temptation for me if there is a lot of other good stuff, and the kids will like those), any other ideas?

Talked to another friend at work yesterday -- she has to have surgery on her arm, too. She has carpal tunnel syndrome, one of my other workers had surgery carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists, and I have to have surgery for radial tunnel syndrome in my elbow and forearm. This is not a good trend, folks.

Ack...time is flying...and so must I...

Hugs,
Mary Kate

You are so positive Katie - lol

and they are Dora panties!!! Big enough for even me to wear. I can bring them to Vegas (there are 3 packs - enough to go around and share with you all. Give it as a prize for the weight loss we have been doing

I am going to buy her a helmet and some horses with the exchange gift card. I did save the pretty coat and some rubber duckies he sent. So he tried , bless his little weenie heart. lol - jk.

Speaking of the Gabster.

She was dragging her horse around last night with her little curved
shape scissors. She likes to cut the horses mane - something she has
been doing for a few days now. I tell her no - the horsie needs his
hair!!
So, last night she is dragging the horse around and goes into the
hallway. I am vacuuming - in heaven with that vacuum - I love a clean
floor!
So..........anyway.
Rachel yells from her room "Gaby is cutting her hair!!!"
I am just thinking that she is kidding - so I walk into the hallway
and there is the horse on the floor with mane hair on the carpet.
My first thought is "oh, good........I can vacuum it up."
My next thought ( this is a rare occurrence - I usually limit my
thinking - har,har) is that it is just the horses mane. Until I look
at Gaby and she is this awesome layer look to her hair.
On closer look and combing her hair I see that she has done a pretty
good butcher job.
I go "oh, my God!!!
Gaby "sorry mommy"
Me "oh my God!!
Gaby "sorry mommy"
Me "I am going to have to take you to the beauty shop now!!!
Gaby "ok"
Me "ugh........oh, Gaby - you are lopsided!!!!
Gaby "sorry mommy"

Hello ladies

The snow is melting...supposed to be close to 50 today which will be a nice change from the cold. They said on the radio on Christmas Day it will be 60 degrees! Now how's that for a nice Christmas?! It was so pretty everywhere and I know I whined about it but I think I am going to miss it-it was just too pretty and Christmas'y. I remember when I first moved to CA and how odd it was for me in the beginning having a warm sunny Christmas. That was the hardest thing to get used to.

SUSAN~you made me laugh so hard! Gaby cutting her hair brought back some of the goofy things the kids did when they were that age! Of course Carrie was into barbies and she would hide them because she liked cutting their hair! And I took Josh to a salon to get his hair cut, poor kid. At the time they had a cut called a buzz, which was basically shaving the kids head, but not bald of course just close to the head. Well, this girl said she knew what it was and how to do it and all I heard was a sound, someone gasped loudly, and I looked up and a couple more ladies were standing around him so I went over to investigate. The girl did not know how to do a buzz and he had patches on his head! She had never done it before and didn't know how to use the shaver evenly so went too close to his head and then came back out. They tried to fix it the best they could and didn't charge me. Thank goodness he wasn't in school yet! Then when Jason was 5 he thought he would get Carrie up at 3 am and clean the living room! I heard noises and wondered what the heck was going on. Went into the living room to find Jason with a bottle of windex in hand. On top of cleaning everything including pictures which to this day are stuck to the glass in the frame...he thought Carrie needed to be cleaned! Her hair was soaked with windex! I remember just standing there like you saying Oh my god! What are you doing?! Then just laughed! Anyway, it's hair and it will grow back. And I would love to go to Hawaii with you and be your maid of honor! When do we go?! Hey, people have long distance relationships & marriages all the time and they make it work. Of course I think it would be hard but at the same time think of it as him being in the service and having to go away for two years etc. Too bad he won't give and move to Portland.

ANGIE~I had a dentist tell me that Jason should get braces. I asked him if he needed them and he just keep saying he should get them soon. I said but does he need them? I didn't see anything wrong with his teeth except a gap and not a big one. Now Josh could have used braces and he just wanted to do a retainer so it made me question it. Not saying that you should question the dentist, just made me think of the kids. But I know back then they were expensive. They have all these new stuff now days though. My friends boyfriend had white braces...I thought they were gross though because it always looked like he had food on his teeth and they were the braces! He just didn't want anyone to know he had braces. Anyway...I too save gift bags. Some are just too nice too throw away so I reuse them, just get new tissue paper. I like the idea of the pens and they sound so cute!

JANE~not sure why appliances seem to go out when ya really need them. I'm keeping my fingers that they fix your stove. I like the idea of no bake cookies...what kind? SIL gave me a recipe for some no bake oatmeal cookies that actually tasted pretty good. I wish there was a short in the wiring...it would be easier to figure out! It's this new safety stuff to prevent the dryer from catching fire so it will turn itself off. It is fine once I clean the lint but I have to bring the vacuum out and vacuum everything, and I mean everything which gets to be a hassle. It doesn't say anything in the book about E:01 but it does say a bunch about the lint light and it beeping and turning off. Ya just gotta keep it spotless! I went up and vacuumed it and it was fine.

MARYKATE~see what I said to Jane about the dryer. Thanks for the thought though about the wiring. I'm glad V does electrical-that's saved us some bucks before. It's just these new appliances with saftey features. I just get lazy sometimes and don't want to bring the vacuum out, such a pain. But I did and it is fine. I think you got it covered with the food you have listed...that seems like a lot and it all sounds good! I think the adults and kids would like it all.

MARTI~check in when ya can girly! We do miss you being here.

Hi to everyone else!

Today is a lazy day for me...well, sort of. I still need to straighten the house a little but that's about it. Run and get some milk and jump in the shower. Can't believe it is 1 pm and I haven't had my shower yet! Like I said...lazy day for me! Anyway...take care ladies and have a great day!

I keep forgetting to mention to you ladies to make sure when you come to
3fc when you are typing it in to make sure you add the 3. I typed it in the other day and as I was typing it I had a pop-up. Well, that pop-up did something and when I hit enter I saw something I really didn't want to see! It only took fatchicks.com and not 3fatchicks.com/forum which is what I always type in. Porn, porn, porn! There's another place I go to and sometimes I do forget to put in the 2, AngelEyes2.com, it's a card site but you don't want to put in just angeleyes! Anyway, just wanted to let you know.

See ya

Hi Cristi -

My sister was 10 when she put vaseline in her hair once. It took all week of washings to finally rinse it out. She also went through this phase of scooting around on a towel, not wanting to touch the carpet.
She was one weird chickie.......lol.

We are going in April. We'll see how the 2 weeks pan out - at least Kris will be in school. If he is mean to Gaby I am gunna knock him down! lol Geez, what a wonderful mommy I am going to be.

HUNGRY!! Going to take off and get Rach for a doctors appt - might bring her back to work - see how it goes.

Chat later.

This is a quick hello!

Hello!!! Only a few days before Christmas!! I'm looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend w/James & Jhanai. We'll have a nice evening on Christmas Eve and a yummy ham dinner on Christmas.

After all that......I've GOT to get back on the exercise routine! I've let it go and it's starting to show! Heaven forbid I get on that scale.

I've gotta rush.....things to do still. I think I've lost half my hair from pulling it out! (Maybe have Gaby take the scissors to it later! )

Ok....I'll be back soon.

Hugs to all!

Thanks to Angie and Marti for the cards. I am really tired from finishing up shopping. I don't think I could do the gym or a tape tonight if I tried. Still got the blues. I think it's more the empty nest than my birthday. Maybe things will look up after Christmas....

I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday...

Hiya ladies and a HAPPY FRIDAY!

It is such a nice day so far! I am lovin' it! Supposed to be 61 today! Had to run a few errands this morning early and by the time I was coming home people were already out and about. Jason decided to wait until the last minute to do his shopping and headed to the mall, poor kid! Actually, he called and said it wasn't so bad at that point. They expect a lot of people today and tomorrow. Boy, I wouldn't want to go anywhere near the mall either day. Anyway, will be glad when it's over. Thinking about taking all the Christmas stuff down the day after and getting things back to normal, especially my walking!

SUSAN~OMG! That made me think of when I did that to Josh! He had cradle cap (think that is what it was called ???, his scalp was REALLY dry) and someone told me to put vaseline on his scalp that that would get rid of it. Yeah, right! All it did was make a mess and of course it was hard to actually get it on his scalp with the full head of hair that he had. Kid to this day has to keep his hair short because of his dry scalp. Okay, so what was the deal with not wanting to touch the carpet? Kids do and say the darnest things and you gotta love 'em for it. I know mine have kept me in stitches over the years with the silly things they have done and continue to do. We have loads of fun though. Hawaii in April sounds so nice, I wanna go. One day I will make it over there, want to do an Alaskan cruise first. So did ya get Gaby's hair straightened out?

MARTI~I hope you, James & Jhanai have a wonderful Christmas weekend! We are having a small dinner on Christmas Eve and then will attend midnight mass-always a nice way to end the day. Then we will just relax and open gifts on Christmas day and pick at leftovers. I too need to get back to my walking. I have slacked so much and the last week and a half I feel I've been out of control with my eating! Somebody save me! Actually, I have felt out of control but when I weighed I hadn't gained anything so that is good. But I definitely need to get back on track with my walking/exercising and drinking my water. I can't remember the last time I had a bottle of water either.

JULES~sorry you have the blues. I usually feel that way every year as Christmas gets closer but this year I am very thankful to have my son home. Now next year will be a different story because we have no idea where he is going. It just won't seem like Christmas without him here. I think I will literally die when they all leave the nest. Okay, sorry, I am not helping you here. Just remember we are here for you anytime you want to talk or vent.

Hi to everyone else

I am going to be scarce this weekend and probably next week. As I said to Marti, our Christmas dinner is tomorrow and later today I have some baking to do and then tomorrow lots of cooking. V has the whole week off so will be spending some quality time with him. He's been working so much we hardly see each other, or so it seems. He goes back to work Jan. 2 and Josh will be leaving Jan. 2 so I am going to be spending time with both, actually everyone but Jason & Carrie will go back to work after Christmas. So, I am going to wish you guys a Happy Holiday today and I will see you, not sure when.

Hi ladies,

Angie - Reese cup dessert if lethal. It's basically melted butter, peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and powdered sugar mixed together with a layer of milk chocolate on top. I made it at Dale's request. Katie's braces were $5500.00 four years ago, and included oral surgery to get an impacted tooth out. Insurance only paid $750 of it, but the orthodontist let us make payments.

Cristi - the no-bake ones are the ones with oatmeal. I only use 2 cups of oatmeal, though, and add a big squirt of Hershey's syrup to the rest of the ingredients, and they're real creamy. Uh, like you, I also made the mistake of going to the porn site by accident when I first started coming here, before I bookmarked it, lol.

Susan - if Cristi gets to be your maid of honor, can I be your personal assistant, lol. Will the wedding be held in Hawaii?? I need a grass skirt for the occasion. OMG, stop the visual!!!

MaryKate - hey, your New Year's Eve munchies sound good and healthy, too. Neal and I plan to stay home and celebrate alone. Last year we went out and the smoke in the place about killed me!

Julie - aww, this is for you ---> I hope you're feeling better by the time you read this.

Marti - we can get serious again about exercise after the new year as a group, if you want. I'm planning on becoming strict after we get back from Florida.

Well, my appliance repair man hasn't shown up yet, but the furniture guys were here early. I love my new table and chairs!!

It's going to be busy around here, so I'm not sure when I'll be back. So....

Have a Blessed Christmas, Jaded Ladies!!

Hello Ladies!!

I can't believe it's Friday! It has been one long week I tell ya!

I have a bunch of little things to catch up on today before work and I haven't even started!

Jane--The oven guy still hasn't come by?? I think it's time to make a phone call and ask when they'll be there. OR....to ask if you could borrow their oven so you can get in some baking!!

Cristi--I'm glad to hear that your son is home for Christmas. That is truly a wonderful gift to have! I hope you and all your family have a memorable Christmas together!

Jules-- Sending you a hug! I'm sorry you're feeling down. Hope you feel better soon!

Susan--A vision of your sister scooting on the towel cracked me up. For some reason I picture her scooting like when dog scoots....not a pretty vision (sorry) But I'm curious too....why didn't she want to touch the carpet?

MaryKate--Your New Years menu sounds very good! I think you and hubby are doing such a fantastic job dieting together! So proud of you two!! The artichoke dip sounds good! Is there a recipe to share???

Angie--I want to go to the zoolites w/you and sing!! And if I did that, hopefully you all would sing loud enough to drown me out since I can't carry a tune!! Jhanai needs braces too. I'm not sure how we're going to afford it. But it's something that needs done. She just got the last two teeth that needed pulled, pulled yesterday. Poor girl...she had a total of 6 teeth pulled out, w/one being pulled on her own!

Hello to everyone else out there. I know I'm missing a few....so sorry.

Well I think I better get to my list of "things to do before work" before I just don't get to any of it!! Not sure when I'll be back online since it's Christmas but know that I'm thinking of you and wish you a very Merry Christmas!!



Merry Christmas Ladies!!

Marti -

lol No it wasn't like how a dog scooted. Not like she had worms or anything - (or did she???? - lol) She might have had 2 towels and kept one ahead of the other. She did this like a week , I think it had to do with bugs or something. As a family we didn't really talk about it - seemed normal. lol- jk

Jane - Hool skirts and a coconut bra is what we are all wearing!! lol Gaby would look so cute in one. I called and talked with the ex for a second and could hear her in the background barking like a dog. Cracked me up....she is so sweet.

Anyway= heading out for a second...so bored at work today - everyone is gone.

Merry Christmas!

That was kind of festive. I haven't done much to prepare this year. I feel bloated and depressed the last 3 months. I hope 2006 is better and I can get back on track with the weight.

Picked Gaby up a bear at the store and just watching the clock so I can go home.
ohhhh, Rocky is on the phone - yay. He is weedeating outside, it is around 85*. He has such a laid back lifestyle - annoys the heck out of me - he moved furniture and now is outside working.

blah

I better go - he is in a chatty mood.