God Bless America!

We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We recently started a Topic of the Day.

Monday........Motivation Monday
Tuesday.......Tuesday Tips
Wednesday.....Wednesday Weigh ins
Thursday......Thankful Thursday
Friday........Friday Facials, Fingernails and Fun
Saturday.......Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Sunday.........Soup and Salad Sunday - recipes

We chat on Wednesday and Saturday at 8:30 EST, 7:30 CST.

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We have found them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears...joys and celebrations.

Me Again!

Well, I think I have caught up on reading the past couple threads, but there is no way I can reply to everyone... I know I don't have to, but I usually like to. Sorry, I'll just catch up with everyone as I can.

If you don't mind, I'll catch you up on my weekend....

Friday night was a great time - We took the Regional Rail into Philly to meet up with an old work buddy of Jeff's. It was our first time meeting the wife and son of the friend. We decided to walk to the restaurant from the train station, which was about a mile, so at least I got a bit of exercise in before the feast began...the restaurant was great --- it was an Italian place called Buca di Beppa. When they seat you they take you on a tour of the restaurant - starting with the kitchen - there is actually a booth in the kitchen that you can reserve for dinner and watch all the action. There is the Pope room for big groups - the huge table has a Pope sculpture in the middle of it. There is just room after room in this place. The menus are up on the wall and everything is family style. They warn you ahead of time that the portions are huge and they weren't kidding. Between the 5 of us we had salads, 4 kinds of pasta, 2 entrees and 3 desserts. I did pretty good with the pasta - ate reasonable portions, didn't feel stuffed.....however, sweets are my weakness and this place had one of the BEST chocolate cakes I've ever had! Yummy!!! We had so many leftover! There is still enough for another meal in my fridge. Anyway, it was a wonderful evening!!!

Saturday was working around the house, making curtains, running some errands, making b-day cake for Jeff. It was a non-stop day.

On Sunday, Jeff's B-day, we had to go into his office for a few hours. Their department had moved over the weekend and he had to unpack a zillion boxes in his new office. That was a workout in itself. Financial reports are not light! I took his cake into work to share with another friend that was there working as well. After that he got to pick wherever he wanted to eat for his day ---- what does he want, but Italian AGAIN! I opted for some buffalo wings and soup. More sewing last night while he played his computer game.

The bedroom is finally done, with the exception of needing artwork and what not around the room. I am going to post a picture for you, but I'll do it in a second post for fear of losing this book I am writing.

I am getting ready for my trip on Thursday --- I am flying down to FL to spend Thurs - Mon with my family. It'll be a nice, relaxing few days. Mom and I will shop, I'll go boating with my brother and his family. I asked Dad to get me a pass to his gym so I can go work out with him.


Jeff and the dogs will have the house to themselves this weekend - who knows what I'll come back to! Yikes!! So, I'll get the place a little cleaned and organized before I leave.

Well, that brings me to now....I still have another bathroom to clean tonight and I am watching the Eagles and getting ready to watch for Love or Money.

Evilyn ---- WELCOME to our little corner of the web! It's great to have you here!! I can relate with so much that you said in your post --- I know many of us can. Where in PA are you??? I am just south of Philly near the DE border. I am 33, married 9 years, 3 dogs, no kids, work in corporate marketing for a financial company.

Tina --- I loved you post. No need to worry about hurting these feelings. You spoke only the truth!!!
I'm proud of you for working on the mental aspect of weight loss.


Alright --- if anyone is still actually reading this I am bidding you farewell for now. If any of you fell asleep and hit your head on the keyboard I can not be held liable for any injuries sustained from boredom!

Catch ya later!
to all!
Barb

Knock, Knock...yep, me again.

Thin - you snuck in on me and started a new thread while I was writing my saga. I managed to delete my post from the other thread and got it over to the new one. My heart skipped a beat for a minute for fear of losing it, but - ta da- I did it.

Now I am attempting to post my bedroom pic. When I started the project the room was completely white. I pulled all the colors out of the floral chair and wanted to try something bold. I figured what the heck - it's just paint. I painted the inset of the ceiling burgandy, the soffit is a light gold and the walls - as you can see are green, the curtains are the same color green and there is some gold in the valances that I made, you just can't see it in the picture. I made the bench at the foot of the bed --- I have to thank Trading Spaces for the ideas! You will also notice Charlee taking a flying leap off the ottoman!

Ooh la la!

That looks wonderful!

Okay...come do mine next!

One more thing --- as you can see, I still need to re-paint the bathroom. I plan on painting it a light gold and putting up the same curtains.



Now to change the subject --- for those of you that like reading, who are some of your favorite authors??? I enjoy John Grisham, Jackie Collins, Danielle Steele (starting to get a little bored with)....who are some others that you think I might like?

Hmm...off the top of my head...Anne Tyler, John Irving, Maeve Binchy, Stephen King, Patricia Cornwell, John Grisham...

...still thinking...

Hi guys... wrote a longgggg post and accidently erased it.
Now I am too tired to post. I am going to bed.

Evening ladies,

Almost time for me to turn in too..but I like to begin and end my day here with all of you.

Barb, I recommend Nicholas Sparks; The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, and his latest one the Guardian is very good...Anything by Richard Paul Evans, The Timepiece, The Locket, all of his are wonderful!! Jan Karon's At Home In Mitford series of books are good, and James Patterson's; Suzanne's Diary For Nicholas (it is out in paperback now, as are all the others I mentioned except The Guardian it is still too new. Those are all excellent choices I think you'd like them. Use to read Danielle Steele too, but her stuff all started sounding just alike to me, got really bored with it!!
My favorite author is Pat Conroy, Beach Music is wonderful, and Prince of Tides is my all time favorite. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb was really good, and most all of the recommended books on Oprah's book club are good. So, there are a few suggestions for you, I love reading can you tell?????....your room looks great by the way!!!

Goodnight all the rest of you chicklets, I am getting

sweet dreams!!

Hey everyone

I am sooo tired! It was the first day of school for the girls and the first day at the town office for me. The town clerk is breaking me in slowly, and so far it is going great.

I also found out something great today. I had been looking over my pay stub from last Friday and noticed they took out money for my insurance. Well, it turns out the person in charge of payroll forgot I had asked to be taken off the company insurance. I am still insured!!! I know there is a reason I didn't see those numbers before now. I would have had her take me off immediately to save some money, and then where would I be until DH or I could get another position that offered benefits?

The lady who owns our Curves did the cutest thing this morning. She called me at home to make sure I was ok because I hadn't been in there in over a week. Judy is the sweetest! I explained about the nasty cold last week and that I couldn't breathe. I went in this afternoon and did 2 circuits. I should be back up to full in a couple more days.

Ok, I think DH's show is finished, and I'm going to drag his unsuspecting bod off to the bedroom. Take care, all!

Andria

Hey Pam,

Got to disagree with you on just one author choice. For some reason, everyone thought Richard Paul Evan's Christmas Box was the perfect book to give me. I've received no less than 3 copies now! I have quite enjoyed his other work, but I have issues with that one.
I'm more of a fantasy type for reading. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is a favorite of mine. My favorite all-time book is called Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

Ok, really dragging that man off now! He got busy doing something else. Wonder if he knows what's up...

Andria

Hi gang,

If you want different, check out Oprah's old book club list. It hasn't failed me yet when I'm looking for something great to read. I usually get so into the story and characters that I hate for it to end and you have to leave them.

Off to work. TTFN!

Morning chicks,

Barb: I love the room, it looks like a pic right out of a magazine. Wish I was creative. I got the plain old white thing going, well off white, except for my sons room whos is blue with a boarder that has sail boats in it. Looks like you have a big house too? Do ya? The bathroom is next you said, then whats the next project?

Andria: did you get your man off to the bedroom finally? I got tired of waiting for mine, but he kindly woke me up at 4:30 this morning for a little romp he said.

I don't read a lot because as soon as I start I fall fast to sleep. But when I do read I am not real picky about authors yet....Although I really used to enjoy VC Andrews.

Well it is only 8:00 here and already the kids have had 2 fights. And they exspect me to take them to Walmart today???? Do I dare. I can't wait for school to start on Sept 2.

Okay got to run, check back later chicklets.

Have a nice day,
Sandy

Good Morning Everyone! Oh my, these thread are sure moving along.
Just another work day. I don't feel like I've been doing great with my food and I skipped my workout yesterday. DB and I are still fighting, well I don't even know if I can say that because we haven't spoken for 24 hours. I hate fighting with him, but this time he's really under my skin. The whole thing started over something really dumb (doesn't it always?). Anyway, there is this horrible sexual tension between us. I'm just not in the mood for it anymore. We've grown apart and there is no intimacy left what-so-ever. He feels rejected and I feel lonely, neither one of us know how to communicate it to the other one. I feel like the two of us are going down a bad road, we hardly ever talk about us or the future anymore. It's been 5 and a half years and I want to get married already. He keeps saying "soon". That's so frustrating. Sometimes I think I'm being too picky. Maybe I should just get over it, I don't know. Hopefully one of us will start talking eventually. Hmmm.
Sorry to vent, I just had to get it out. It was either cry at my desk or vent to you girls. *sigh*

Hello Chickadees!!

Natalie: Sorry to hear that things are not going so well with your boyfriend, it is hard I know, you want to talk and keep communication lines open, but at the same time you are hurt and may be withdrawing to try and protect yourself! no apologizes necessary friend...you come here and vent anytime, we are here for you!! Hope that it works out...here is something to ponder...People come into our lives for a reason, a season or a lifetime - Iylana Vanzant......

Peek, enjoy your day off, I guess you ARE counting the days till kiddies go back to school, hopefully they can get outside today and run off a little of that energy!!

Andria, glad to hear Curves is going well for you, there is one really close to me and I have been considering going...just want to build up my stamina a little more before I do...feeling stronger everyday so maybe it will not be long

well chickies, time to eat my breakfast I am getting really

later chicklets

Hey Ladies!!
I hope everyone is having a great day. Pretty good here - I just ate lunch so I feel nice and full. This morning I was so tired and just not with it. I decided to forgo the salad for a BBQ pork sandwich (I skipped the fries) and an orange. It was one of those meals where I just felt like I needed some substance. Does that make sense? Anyway, it's a gray, humid day here. It's suppose to rain -- again. If it does we are going to set a record for 17 straight days of rain. I talked to my dad and he said FL is not much better lately --- I'm heading there on Thurs and was sure hoping the Sunshine State would hold up to it's name.

Thanks everyone for all the book suggestions. I have a Lisa Scottline paperback that I am going to read on this trip and then I will try some of your suggestions.

Andria - That's great news on the insurance! Good job with Curves as well!!!

Sandy - Hey Gal! Glad you liked the room! I have had plain rooms for many years and hubby always wanted white walls, but no more. Now he loved bolder colors and I have started being a little more daring with decoration. Especially things like paint that are easy to change. Yep, the master bath will be next to go along with the bedroom. Not sure when that will happen. Maybe over Labor Day weekend. After that I will take a break from decorating for a while and just focus on smaller projects around the house. I do like our house - it's not huge, but decent sized? Its a fairly typical 2 story colonial - 4 bed, 2.5 bath. Plenty big for us. We moved so much the first several years that we were married that we bought this one with the intention of not moving again --- for a very long time! Good luck if you decide to venture out with the kids today!

Natalie - {{{HUGS}}} I am so sorry about the problems you are having with your boyfriend right now. You need to be happy whatever you do!!! I am sure we've all had tough time in our relationships and are more than willing to listen to you vent! You need to be able to get it off you chest!! I hope it all works out for you. Sounds like it's time for a good heart to heart!

Pam - me too, I have to start and finsh my day here - as well as a lunchtime stop when I can. Otherwise my day just isn't complete!


Alright, enough dilly-dallying around! Back to work!

Catch ya later!
Barb