piercedqt78

Here is my post-op shopping list: heating pad flexible ice pack liquid tylenol (they make adult strength) chewable or liquid gas-x a few books or movies comfy clothes (loose waisted pants or jumpers) squishy pillow for car ride (guard against seatbelt) a sports bra (doc said no underwire for a few days) protien shakes flavored water make sure you have a good blender I bought a drink mixer for the protien mix (cost $10 at walmart) broth or stuff to make broth sugarfree popsicles and jello sugar free gum (ask your doctor) sugar free breathmints (ask your doctor) Some doctors allow cream soups within a few days, make sure you have a good wire strainer. *Ask at your pre-op for the pain med prescription so you can have it all ready to go when you get home, our walgreens has to order liquid pain meds and it takes 3 days to get them.

I just called the Nest and they have a big party coming in for lunch and suggested we get a ressie. Do we want to go somewhere else or do we want to get a head count and go there? ~Mandy

One is fine with me. At the Nest? ~Mandy

I hope everything is ok with Darcy. I worry about her. I am a born worrier though so I worry about you all. Even when you guys check in I worry. I know silly me. I am buying my last few gifts tomorrow. I'm so happy to be done. ~Mandy

Welcome back Diva!!! Sonia, do we need a reservation? I didn't call but will if I need to. ~Mandy

Cindy, today they did some dive searches in a local canal. Not sure if they found anything, they made the press leave so it wasn't on TV. I'm told that happens to protect evidence, and also for the privacy of the family. Not sure about anything yet....I'll update if/when I hear anything. The dive was only 2 miles from my house. It's really sad. I too feel sorry for the kids, but he seems to be ok with them. He has even made arrangements for when he is arrested. So at least he is thinking of them right now. I'm worried that he is realize that he is going down and will take the kids with him just to spite Stacy's sister. He is a real piece of work. I'm off to the bus stop to pick up Abi. I'll check in later. ~Mandy

Sunsett, I'm glad to hear that surgery went well. How are you recovering? Pat, you can have all the snow that we got. Almost 6 inches last night. And it's still snowing....ugh! We didn't get a snowday today. So I have work and Abi has school. ~Mandy

Betty, they live right around the corner from me. When I go to the grocery store, or work for that matter I am driving by the press, cops and frenzy of gwakers. It's really all very hard to live around. It's bad that he is free and her family is living this hell all because of him. I'm off to bed girlys. Much love, Mandy

We are looking at the bolingbrook country/golf club for lunch on the 8th. Who's in?

Addresses sent! I only have a quick second. Can you all please say a prayer for Stacy Peterson? She is a young woman that is missing in my neighborhood. She's been gone a month, her husband is a local cop and looks to be guilty. www.findstacypeterson.com really sad case, weighs heavy on my heart. I've gone searching a few times for her, adn cry each and everyday over this. She has 2 young kids, 2 and 4 that are still living with their monster father. He has a dead ex-wife and several missing people in his past. Scary that he was a cop in my neighborhood. Keep her sister in your prayers, her name is Cassandra Cales. Maybe even add her to your church prayer list? Thanks guys, you are the best. ~Mandy

Today I decorated the 10 foot tree at our "clubhouse" for the subdivision. It's huge....and really beautiful. We are going to use it for the pictures of the couples after the formal dinner. I'm tired, so I'm going to prop myself up in the floor and wrap presents. No lifting, no pulling or bending, just wrapping some gifts. Tomorrow our committee shops for the gifts for the kids party. 23 kids, that's a ton of shopping. Then next week I get to go after work and wrap the gifts that we buy tomorrow. 2 weeks til party time. I guess if we get the work done a little at a time, it won't be crunch time in 13 days. LOL I decorated today, shop tomorrow. Then next week I'm going to do the food shopping, and order the Desserts. The catering is ordered, and the beverages are being made by members. I have the paper goods and flat ware in storage. 90% of the decorating is done, I just need to wrap the banisters with garland. I have music picked out and burned onto a few different cds. I think I'm on track. Now for time to do my own Christmas cards.... ~Mandy

Jetti, I'm 2 and 1/2 years out and still love chicken salad. It is also good for the first few days after a fill, they usually have you slowly start back on real food. I use the chicken salad when my family is having something I don't want or can't have (pizza, or anything pork). It is also a great light meal that is high protien, and easy to grab in a hurry. I try to keep some in the fridge. Here is the website for Aldi ALDI - Home page They are owned my Trader Joe's. They have great stuff really cheap. You have to bag your own stuff, and buy the bags, but you can save a fortune there. Canned veggies are only .39 all the time. I also love their "fit n' active" yogurt. It's cheap, taste really good and is lowfat. They carry tons of sugar free, and low cal stuff. The sugar free fudgepops are great. They are worth checking out. Make sure you bring a quarter if you find one near you, they have a cart system that requires a quarter, and you get it back when you return your cart. They also do not accept credit cards, or checks. It's cash or debit only. I was there yesterday and got a cart full of stuff for about $70. I get all my staples there, and sometimes pick up the special purchase stuff. Right now they have barbies for $6.99, and they are the Disney princess barbies. Anyway..... my tree is all up and decorated. I will take some pics over the weekend. I hate the way it looks without presents. I'm wrapping tomorrow. My weekend is pretty laid back this week. I'm coloring my mom's hair tomorrow afternoon. Sat is present wrapping, and Sunday is shopping for my subdivision kids party. Santa brings each child a present, based on what they put in a letter to Santa when they RSVP'd to the party. I have 23 kids comming so I have lots of gifts to buy. I will have help so it should be fun. What's everyone else doing? ~Mandy

Jetti, if you have an Aldi near you they now have Chicken salad in the cooler section. It's in a cup like sour cream for about $3. It's good but chunky, so toss it in a blender first. I lived on chicken salad, refried beans, and guac. ~Mandy

Jetti, be very careful eating in the car. That can lead to serious PB issues. Too big of bites, not chewing well enough or swallowing before you are ready to. A word of caution... my worst PB ever was on wendy's chicken nuggets in the car. Normally I am fine with them, but not while driving. ~Mandy

Melissa, where are you located? We might move the lunch on the 8th. ~Mandy

Happy late Birthday Cindy!!!! ~Mandy

For the LBT person, ho about something Boston and she sent me a cool local womans group charity cookbook. It was filled with local recipes, and so much fun. For the people from work...I prefer to get gifts that spoil people rather than something practical. I always give Abi's teacher a gift card to blockbuster or a good restaurant. I don't want to give target or walmart cards, no laundry soap with my gift card. I want the people to be able to do something special with my gift. Last year I bought a huge cheap bowl, added some popcorn a couple of big boxes of candy some 20 oz pops and a $25 blockbuster gc. It was movie night. They loved it, and the teachers were joking that they all wanted Abi this year for the cool Christmas gifts. I managed to sleep almost 11 hours last night. I needed it. I went to the doc on wed and he said I have really bad bronchitis, and the beginning of pneumonia. I'm on antibiotics and cough syrup, but still feel like poop. I'm going to attempt to put up the tree today. I'll check in later. ~Mandy

We had popeyes for dinner tonight. Last night was dinner with Dave's family so I didn't have any leftovers either...sucks. I'm having Christmas here, so I will have goodies afterwards. Did anyone go shopping today? I got some really good deals, but now I'm exhausted. I'm sick, lacking sleep and didn't get coffee until lunch. I need sleep. ~Mandy

Sherry, Walmart did price match the other stores door buster deals. I bought DH a playstation 2 game that Toys R' Us had for half price and walmart matched it. I also had Operation for Abi and it was $15.88, but today it was $5.88 and they refunded the difference. I got over $100 back today and didn't have to wait in line, just walked to the service desk. We decided to put in a closet organizer and the local hardware store had some of the nicer ones for 50% off today. I bought 2 as our closet is 12 foot long. We will install them later in the week. It's a huge deal to clean out a 12 foot closet. Well I'm off to do puzzles with Abi. She's mad that she didn't get to go shopping with me today. I was home before she got out of bed, but she's still mad. ~Mandy

How about Dec 8th for lunch? Do we want to go somewhere other than Panera this time? ~Mandy

Sonia, I'm car shopping and I know you LOVE your Xb. I also know that your family has all bought Scions. Do you have a certain dealer or salesman that you use? ~Mandy

I am home from the black friday madness. I mostly had to get price adjustments. I did my shopping last week from the ads that I had online. I did some shopping, but not much. Basically I spent what I got back in price adjustments. I did get myself a compact digital camcorder, it takes pictures, plays MP3's and does movies. $50 at wal-greens after the rebate. I also bought 2 2gb sd memory cards for $12.88 each, one for my digital picture frame and one for the camera. My local wal-greens had wrapping paper for $1.99, buy one get 2 free so I'm set for paper. I'm off to make Breakfast, but I'm making hubby take me to cracker barrel for the Fish Fry later today. After breakfast it's nap time, my alarm went off at 4:30am. ~Mandy

Here is a great way to help others, and have fun testing your smarts. I checked it out on snopes.com and it's the real deal. FreeRice This place donates 10 grains of rice for every word you get correct. ~Mandy

Happy early Turkey day all. We are prepping the fryer as I type. I have eggs on for the deviled eggs, I have sweet potato casserole and wheat rolls ready to bake in the a.m. All this and it's not even at my house. I am also making 2 glutem free pies (no crust) for my bil, he is celiac (sp?) disease. This is all new to us, as it is a new diagnosis for him. So this t-day will be slightly modified. Even though the have never attempted to modify anything for my allergy or my band. Like I said it's a holiday with the in-laws. I will be getting home early for the big black friday deals and then coming home to put up the tree. What is everyone else doing for the big weekend? Any one looking for anything great as far as deals go? I'm mostly getting price adjustments for stuff I bought this past week. ~Mandy

Kat, I hope you have someone to do thanksgiving for you. Please tell me you do. ~Mandy