Iluvharleys

I took the tax break last year, and it made a huge difference in our taxes. There is an article on here about it too.

My son was very small for his age, runs in the family, but then they all end up tall. In fact today he is 6 foot tall and I look up to him. He used to get really upset that he was the smallest kid on his sports teams. He also had many friends older than him in the neighborhood, which allowed him to play sports with them. My son taught himself how to read at age 4. He started kindergarten and his teacher was amazed at how he could spell large words. He also excelled at Math. At the conferences she told me that he would be hard to raise if I didn't stay one step ahead of him all the time. Boy was she right! This was a very wise teacher, she actually sent him up to first and second grades to read to the classes. Once he got into second and third grades they sent him back down to first etc. to read to those classes and help some of the kids that was having trouble with their work. He did plays for these kids and even the teachers loved it. My son loved doing this, and it took all the boredom out of his daily routine. I must say that before they started doing this he was bored to death. A couple of teachers wanted to move him up a grade or two, and I refused to let them do it. I had to think ahead to the times that these older kids would be driving cars, dating, drinking, etc. Just a year at that age makes a huge difference. It would have made a big difference in sports too, as they kids that were a year or two older would be much larger and he was already so small. Sports was a big part of his life, he played basketball, baseball, hockey, and football. I can honestly say that it was the best thing for us to keep him with the kids his age. I don't regret for one minute doing that. When he was in 7th grade, he actually had high school girls calling him! I can't imagine how it would have been if he had been moved up to a higher grade. I think each parent has to make the decision what is best for their child. There is no set of rules that can apply to all the children. I do think it is an important decision to make and should be thought through carefully. Good luck Alex!

Sending now! We'll see you in bandland!

I meant buy all the items you need so you won't have to do it when you get home. Things like broth, Jello, juice, popcicles etc.

Good luck! I would definately see if I couldn't get it covered with insurance first!

Platoon - I am an anxious foot soldier on the battlefield of life, seeking to avoid danger and preserve my security. And, I am Gandhi

Welcome to LBT! You'll find lots of people on here from Texas! Good luck and keep us posted!

Wow, now I really am impressed! I had no idea that y'all did it yourself! You are an inspiration to women! (and men too!) It's only normal to be nervous! Start getting all your liquids in and keep busy, it'll be here before you know it!

Welcome to LBT Joe! Take your shoes off and sit a spell, lots of information here just for the taking. Good luck in your journey to get the band. Please keep us updated!

Whoooo Hoooo Vines! I am so happy for you!

Your house is beautiful! I love the decorations! What a cute picture of your daughter. She is adorable! We used to pick apples every year when I was up north. I used to love going to the orchard and picking plums, apples, grapes, peaches etc.... I used to can them too. I made apple sauce, pies, apple crisps etc. (maybe it's a good thing I don't pick them anymore)! We went Harley riding both Saturday and Sunday, it was so nice and cool in the mornings. It got up to 92 later in the day. What a relief that 70's was early in the morning. We went out to "Strokers", I don't know if any of you know the place, but that is where "Hardtails" is filmed at. It is a bar/store here in Dallas. It really is a cool place to go, hundreds of bikes, live music etc. Winning anything on the lottery is good! Hey, just think of it like this: you got to play and it didn't cost you a dime!

"Whoooooo Hoooooo" I just knew today would be the day! I am so proud of you Michelle! You have been an inspiration to me from day one and I always look forward to your posts. It couldn't have happened to a better person. Please go out and do something "Very Special" for yourself today. I am also sending my thoughts and prayers for your DH.

While looking for Poblano Chilie's at the store, (I never bought them before and wasn't sure what I was looking for) I ask a guy which ones they were. He pointed to one and said he thought that was it, he said they weren't hot, and that his wife uses them for stuffing. Then a lady came around the corner and he ask her if that was the one (she was on the phone) and she ask her husband what the name of the peppers she used to stuff was called. Well, it was the one they guy showed me. By the way while cutting one of these I stuck a big bite in my mouth and let me tell you that they are hot! Anyway, now I am curious as to what they use to stuff these peppers with. The guy talked about cheese, and I don't know what the lady used. Can anybody tell me what they use to stuff them with and do you have any recipes for them?

I finally got to try this last night, and it was sooooooo good! It was good and thick so it won't go right through the band. My DH isn't much on soup, but he loved this! I will definately make it again.

Wow, I love it! Might be something I will look into a little later on. Right now I really love my Heritage and couldn't dream of parting with it.

Happy Birthday Jack! Hope it's a good one!

I came real close to getting a trike when I got my Harley. We even went shopping for them, but at the last minute I decided to just get the bike. I hope you post that picture, I would love to see it!

My neighbor gave this book to me with the recipe, and I am trying it for the first time. I did alter the recipe so I will tell you what I did at certain parts. I also have not tried the total finished part, but the first part has a good flavor. Tortilla Soup with Roasted chicken and Avocado Relish 2 Tablespoons Corn Oil 1/2 cup Diced White Onion (I used a whole large onion) 1/4 cup roasted, seeded, and minced chile ancho 1/4 cup diced poblano chile (I used a whole one) 1/2 cup coarsely chopped tomato (I used 2 roma tomatoes) 2 tablespoons finely diced jalapeno (I used 1 large one) 2 tablespoons minced garlic (I used about 4-5 cloves) 3 cups chicken broth (I used a large can) 1 cup coarse-cut and toasted corn tortilla, broken into chip size pieces (I used 5 toasted in the oven and broke up) 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste 1 cup roasted and shredded chicken meat (I used a whole roasted chicken) 2 (6 inch) flour tortillas cut in long thinn strips and fried (or baked) 1/4 cup diced avocado (I'll probably use a whole one) 4 cilantro sprigs 1/4 cup grated, dried monterey jack cheese (any hard cheese, yellow or white can be substituted) 1 lime cut into 4 wedges Heat the corn oil in a heavy pot over high heat and saute the onion, chile ancho, poblano chile, tomato, jalapeno and garlic until just tender. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil, cooking until the soup has reduced in volume by 1/4. Add the toasted corn tortilla pieces and the chopped cilantro, and then season to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1/2 hour. Puree the soup with a hand-held blender (when using a blender to puree, make sure you do not seal the blender airtight with a hot liquid in it while blending, or it might "explode," causing burns and most certainly , a mess). (I have one of those hand held Hamiliton Beach blenders that you blend drinks etc. with and that is what I used. It worked great.) Add the chicken to the soup and bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. For each serving, ladle the soup into a large soup bowl, or crock, and lay some strips of fried (or baked) tortilla across the soup. Spoon some diced avocado into the center of the soup and lay a cilantro sprig across the tortilla strips. Sprinkle dried jack cheese over the soup, squeeze a lime wedge over it, and serve. Now, I wanted more than just juice so that is the reason I added the whole chicken, and then I also added some zuccchini (green and yellow squash) and a few carrots. I went to the part where you ladle the soup into the bowls and that is where I stopped. Now when I get ready to eat it, I will finish with the strips cheese, etc. This sounds like a really long process, but it didn't take anytime at all and it is very easy. It has lots of meat and some veggies to make it lapband friendly. I hope you enjoy it!

I actually cleaned it and rinsed it before I started slicing it up. That is what surprised me that no seeds etc. was on it. It burned my lips/tongue, but it went away after a while. I am used to eating hot stuff, so it wasn't too bad. I just was surprised because the guy said it wasn't hot. A long time ago when I was young I cleaned a whole bushel of hot peppers, and burned my hands really bad. I walked the floor for three days crying because they were on fire. I learned my lesson then. If I have any amount to clean I now wear rubber gloves or have DH clean them. I'm glad I didn't touch any girlie parts then! My Dad used to eat hot peppers all the time. No body could find any that was too hot for him. (I think he burned all his taste buds off his tongue lol) Up until the day he died, everyone would bring hot peppers over to him and say I bet you can't eat this one. He could always eat them and say that wasn't that bad. My DH eats hot peppers all the time, but when he tried to eat some of the ones my Dad could he couldn't do it. I called him a woosey (?) then!

Wow Michelle that is great! I can't wait to see you lose that last pound!

Wow, that was fast! I'm glad to hear you are doing good! Take it easy, but remember to move around some and sip on that water.

Welcome to LBT! Congrats on your surgery date. There is a lot of information here for just reading. If you have a certain subject, just do a search on it. Of course there is a lot of great support here just for taking too!

Welcome to bandland! Remember to start walking (for gas) and sip, sip, sip!

Great work Sarah! I love it when people have great NSV's! You put a smile on my face and tears in my eyes!

Yes, that is the one! I was making tortilla soup. I love Mexican food and would welcome any recipes you have. Thanks!