mdrai

Sorry janie, I don't do "chain" anything... not socks or books or dishtowels or underwear (yes, I once got one for underwear!! :thumbdown:) or, well, anything. (Now watch one of you win big-time! That'll show me!!)

Hello from Panera, girlies! DS's busy Weds eve is my 2-hr respite! He has soccer practice from 5:30 - 7pm, then I hustle him over to the community college for jazz band from 7:30 - 10pm... & in between, I decided to come here & hang for a bit... do some personal stuff... sip some decaf... I could've gone home, I suppose... but then I'd be doing laundry & cleaning, etc... so made the "selfish" decision to treat myself to some time out to myself... ahhhhh...

((Tracyks))... when it rains, it pours. :thumbdown:

Good Morning, Haydee... keep it up! I know exactly what you mean about the sugar withdrawals and the food being friend thing... that's just how I feel, too. It's like breaking up! You (we!) can do it! Pam... I hope you get the High Point classes! Sounds like you're rarin' to go with the new school year! Yay, you! Oh, & you're right that my days haven't included much "me" time yet... didn't I tell you all that on Monday I dressed in my workout gear & was all ready to hit the Y... & then I get an e-mail "reminding" me that the Y is closed this week for annual rehab! LOL! Foiled again! So NEXT WEEK, for sure. & I'm finalizing which classes I'm going to take, too. Jenn... you are doing so great & are really motivating me!!! Judy... go fimming today! Yep, summer's over... Laura... that was my fear, too. So sad. Terri... Good for you! Giving back just feels so good, & puts life into perspective, huh? Hi TracyK, Suzie, Janie, Kat! My dd's science teacher is a gal who I know from the ES... she had gastric bypass a year ago... she knows about my banding... so yesterday she asks dd how much I've lost, but dd doesn't know & said so (& thankfully didn't tell her that I've actually GAINED this year!), & then this gal tells her to tell me that she's down -110! Ack! Good for her, but for some reason it made me feel like CRAP! So I'm trying to use that as motivation for me. and so it goes... Make it a good day, everyone! We can do this!

Last to post & first to post? This must be a first! Another busy day today... I get to go to the vjj doc for my annual check this a.m.... then errands (school supplies for each specific teacher that weren't on the summer list, ugh), work... then travel down the road an hour for ds's soccer scrimmage tonight v. MY High School! Too funny! My mom & sister & cousin will be there, too. I don't think I've been back there since '81! Everyone have a great day!

Wow, Judy, that's outrageous! I second what Pammie said, esp. "all that other fluffy happy crap!" Kat, you cracked me up! I can picture you w/your hand up waving like crazy! No, Janie, that's Chai... I've got 2 cats... Chai poops like a normal animal, so that's why you don't ever read anything about her. She's my baby... always w/me... but she shouldn't have been on the counter... I think she was confused that we were all up & at 'em so early this morning! lol! Laura, I'm voting, too! That murder is national news, but I didn't realize that the show is currently ongoing! Oh my! Micheal Jackson may be dead... murdered, even... but he is NOT BURIED!! :biggrin: Now I am rambling... I must've caught it from Janie! I'm up late filling out all the first day of school forms... they make us fill out 3 big long emergency cards per kid... guess they haven't heard of online forms!! + "ethnicity" forms (I always want to screw w/them & put down some really obscure race!), free & reduced meal forms (even if you don't need it!), + sign each class syllabus... it goes on & on... my hand is cramping!! G'night!

TOO soon, Laura! Don't wish it away!! Enjoy every moment. Time flies too too quickly. Trust me, I've shed a few tears today, as well... & my days are FAAAAARRRRR from "empty"!

Pammie, I love your way with words, er, smilies! :biggrin:

At 8:59 my phone rang... it's the new ES PTA Prez, calling me for my sage advice. The first day of school! School hadn't even started yet! & the new Board is all fighting & sending snarky e-mails & generally behaving badly. To say that I felt a smidge of redemption would be putting it mildly. I really shouldn't be feeling so smug, should I? It's unbecoming, I know. But... I do. Sure, it looked easy -- because I WORKED HARD to achieve that! Yes, there's a lot to do -- I DID IT! So I guess taking the high road eventually does lead to some satisfaction... albeit delayed. Tee Hee.

So much for the red-eye removal! lol! & the kitties knew something was up this morning: Bad kitty!

Sing it with me, moms: "It's the most... wonderful time... of the year..." The kiddos are off to school! It's just me & the kitties all alone in the quiet house!! Of course, the house is a mess & needs to be cleaned & I have a pile of work to do, but still... a few moments to myself. I think that's what I miss most of all over the summer... never having any "alone" time... I need it!

Enjoy the wedding, Judy... fimming & snuggling sounds like the perfect day! Another busy day... riding & the first soccer scrimmage, then the boys are going to a DC United v. LA Galaxay (Beckham!) game & I'm actually going to a party... a real, honest-to-goodness adult end-of-summer party! I never do that! So it'll be fun! Smooches!

((Violets)) Love you all!

For all you readers out there... here's a list from Borders of the best fiction of 2009 (so far)... http://bit.ly/fUVlA...

News Flash: I am fat primarily because I am a stress eater. &, naturally, every day brings with it its own kind of stress. Yesterday, keys locked in a car (dh, not me, but yet it somehow was my fault that he couldn't find the spare set, & was going to have to shell out $ for the locksmith, but then I found them in a spot that he'd already checked?) & health care concerns... today, so far, it's mouthy, unhelpful children + me trying to squeeze in some work + a jam-packed schedule. It's ALWAYS SOMETHING. That's life! I get it. What I don't get is how to break the knee-jerk reaction that chomping on a handful of cookies or spooning out 1/2 a jar of chocolate fudge topping will calm me down, soothe me, get me to a place that I'm not a raving lunatic screeching @ her family. I HAVE the self-awareness. Stress = eat for me. What I NEED is alternatives -- it has to be something immediate, not "take a bubble bath before bed" or "go for a walk" -- suggestions? (FYI, I am already working on MY back-to-school daily schedule, which will include work time + ME time each day during the hours when the kids are @ school. Then @ 3pm I turn into the taxi driver where my time is not my own. BUT... I do think that having a concrete daily plan that includes ME time will help w/the daily stress when it rears its ugly head... so, I do have THAT to look forward to starting on Monday!! So don't think I'm a *complete* basket case!)

Please add "Sheila [my last name]" to any & all prayer lists, formal & informal, as we all know the amazing power of prayer. She's my MIL & we got the word last evening that she has lung cancer. Just a small spot, but still. The "C" word. My always-stoic DH called me (I was driving kids to activities) & I couldn't even understand him on the phone he was crying so hard. So I rushed back home & just held him. When I finally spoke w/my MIL, she felt worst about upsetting him. She said she knew he was really upset because before they hung up, he said "I love you" to her. She'll have a bone & brain scan asap to see if it's anywhere else. Treatment decisions will be made after that. Thanks, friends.

Mid-day checkin! Happy Belated Birthday, Kat! I hope it was nice and I agree w/Janie... celebrate today, too, since most of us missed it!! I know I sound like a broken record, but... I am trying to get back in the groove/on the wagon/whatever euphamism works for you re: the band & losing weight. Self-analysis has revealed that I've gained 20 lbs since Spring and I believe it's based in stress eating, + not planning my meals + not exercising. So, what to do? Dump the stress, plan my meals, & exercise! So piehole report for today: B'fast: vanilla chai protein shake 2 coffees + lots of water Lunch: (a visual) Pammie: kids go back on MONDAY -- THIS MONDAY! All together now: "It's the most... wonderful time... of the year..." :sad: Enjoy the day!

She'll be 11 in October! & Ev will be 15 in Nov! How time flies... & she *should* look happy in the pics... they were taken Sat. morning right after she found out that we were leasing Lady!

Good memory, Haydee! It was pink! It washes out when she goes in the pool, so most of the time it's just a bleached blonde streak... you just can't tell w/her hair back in the pics... but we "pinked" it last night because this a.m. she went to MIDDLE SCHOOL ORIENTATION! <sob!> My baby's in middle school!! We're also getting other colors, so she can match her mood. So funny! I'll post a color pic when I get a good one!

Another drive-by post from me... DS is a Sophomore but made Varsity soccer -- yay him! Here is a pic of DD & Lady: (hope I do this right!) Hope everyone is having a great day!

Quick "Hi" to everyone... am making my FAVORITE summer dish: tomato tart w/homegrown tomotoes... mmmmmmm.

Oh my, Kat, that's a visual I think I'll keep in my head, thank you! :biggrin: Me doing trick riding! Me getting on a horse would be the trick!! I have considered riding, too... but want to be 220 or less before I do it... so..... that'll be awhile... ay yai yai! DS is on his way home from the 2nd tryout of today... & is getting up @ 4:30am to ride in his first-ever Metric Century bike ride w/dh tomorrow morning... (how is this athletic, nonstop kid mine??)... so I've got to go get dinner ready for him! G'night!

:biggrin: Terry

Back from the morning's doings and guess what?! -- I am now the proud LEASER of a horse! We bit the bullet and moved from just taking riding lessons on the school horses to leasing one for DD as her birthday present (as in, that's it, she's getting this horse & maybe underwear if she's good!). I realize I'm sliding down that slippery slope of horse people everywhere... ack! It was supposed to be a surprise, but when we got to the barn the updated Fall list was on the bulletin board w/her name on it so I had to tell her. To say she was thrilled is an understatement, as I had told her repeatedly that we couldn't afford it, that Fall was too busy to lease (you get 5 rides/week + care, etc.), etc... but her favorite love horse was still available when I called the other day and dd was so worried that someone else would lease her & then once you lease a horse you get first dibs on that horse for the other seasons, so............. here we are! Her reaction really made me so happy inside... she was shaking & tearing up & couldn't believe it, & when her friends arrived she ran to them & screeched it at them... now she can participate in jumper shows, too. So it's all good. I feel like a good mom, today! Off to WORK now (so I can pay for this 4-legged beast!)...

Good Morning! We're up & about to be out. Taking DS to HS soccer tryouts by 8:30, then down the road to take DD to the barn... then I hadve a couple-hour lull before I have to pick up DS @ 11, and at first I thought I'd take a book & go hang at Starbux, which is a lovely idea, but then I thought: GO TO THE Y & WORK OUT! -- & that is what I am going to do! I am proud of myself for even THINKING it, let alone actually DOING it! lol. After that there's more to & fro'ing for this afternoon's tryouts + picking up DD + she's going to a sleepover tonight... whew!... no wonder my car's been acting up... it's tired of being a taxi! (btw, there was some loose hose that caused the engine light to go on... ugh!) Everyone have a good day!