Shrinkin' Violets- Part 2 Read Here

[TracyK 3]

Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!:cursing:

Have a great one violets!!

[mdrai 3]

I'm back! :biggrin2:

We had a GREAT, FANTASTIC, WONDERFUL, AMAZING, MEMORY-FILLED trip!!

The "reveal" in the car on Friday night went EXACTLY as I planned... after driving for awhile (at this point I was CRAZY waiting for one of them to ask the big question!!) ds FINALLY asked, "Mom? Where are we going?" and I shout out (definitely louder and more spastically than I intended) "SURPRISE! We're going to Disney World!" and I'm shaking & laughing and the two of them don't believe me (which I expected) so I tell them to look in the back & there they see the luggage, and then I gave them the cards from their aunt and then they begin to believe me and THEY start flippin' out and jumping up & down & it's total chaos and I'm STILL managing to keep the car on the road!! Of course ds starts text messaging his new (first!) "girl-friend" and long story short it turns out she's flying to Orlando w/ her family to visit her g'ma and we're all on the same flight! So that was fun & funny @ the airport & flight.

We land & get our luggage & start walking to the Disney bus area and out pops my sis, their aunt, from behind a big pillar -- more surprise & happiness erupt!

Saturday we went to Magic Kingdom & Epcot; Sunday we went to Animal Kingdom & then over to Magic Kingdom for it's "extra magic hours" for resort guests only -- we ended up riding rides 'til 1am!! It was so empty that we could just walk right on to every ride & ride them as many times as we wanted!! It was soooooo much fun! Monday dd & I went to Magic Kingdom so that she could get her "Disney Diva" makeover (hair, nails & makeup) & then we went to Hollywood Studios to meet up w/aunt & ds.

The whole trip was magical. We laughed CONSTANTLY and had so much fun. We did everything we wanted to. We ate everything we wanted to, too!!

We flew home on Tuesday, into a big ice storm here in the DC area. Our flight landed @ 9pm and I was worried about driving... guess I didn't have to worry so much because my car battery was DEAD!! Another L-O-N-G story short... after much freezing waiting for the car care service for a jump... back & forth between the car & airport... FINALLY someone jumped it & it started. (DD was totally freaked out by all this... we did almost end up spending the night @ the airport, which for some reason has her still upset...). Well, now I'M scared cuz' it's 1am & I've got to drive in the ice storm!! So instead of trying to make it the hour (w/out ice) drive to our house, I drove slow & steady & SLOW to my mom's house, which is closer to the airport. I was shaking so hard the whole time (good thing the kids couldn't tell!)... I don't think I could've physically driven the whole way home anyway! So we get there after 2am and I'm so wired that I can't sleep but the kids crashed & slept 'til 11am yesterday! It was still sleeting but we made it home about 1:30pm yesterday (schools were cancelled, which was good for them!).

I've just been trying to chill out & do laundry & sleep since then. Today is back to "normal" day -- except that DS didn't shovel & salt the driveway as I asked him to 87 times yesterday, so now I'm frozen in as our driveway is a sheet of ice straight down the side of a hill into the woods!! Lovely. Guess we ARE back to normal... I request a teen to do a chore & he doesn't do it! Ha ha!

I had such high expectations for this trip... and I'm so glad to be able to say that I wasn't disappointed -- it was really even better than I imagined. Now the big question is... when can we go back?????????????????????????????

Will post some pics later!!

[janiebug 0]

Wow Michelle!!! That story gave me goose bumps!!! First of all to be able to surprise them like that!!! Then their joy at that age... How nice for you and what a special time!!!

Judy, thanks for my card!!!

I am feeling a bit better tioday. Cough is not so bad. I think I am going to live!?!:cursing: I go to fill Dr. today and see what happens.

Have a nice valentines day!!!!

Jane

[TracyinKS 7]

AWESOME Michelle!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad to have you back!

Jenn got her job while you were gone...

TracyK is getting her hair 'did'

I've been sick and am home today AGAIN....starting to stress me out.. with the PTO I'm using... but oh well... I'll deal with it.

The good news is that the scale went down to 193 today!!!!!! This is because I am unable to chew without shooting pains in my head.. so I've been drinking a lot of milk.. (feels good on my throat)

But crackers and all the crap I've been eating feels like sandpaper and I've not been able to eat them! YAY!!!!

[Teachlady 3]

Good Morning, and HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY,Violets!!

Michelle.. so glad to have you back safe and sound and it sounds like your trip was everything you wanted it to be.. except for the car battery and the ice storm. What a wonderful memory for all of you. Can't wait to see pics!

Well, I didn't make my mini-goal for today, but that's ok. Maybe tomorrow. I'm kinda hanging in at 170, but at least it's not bouncing up and back. I'll keep on exercising and making healthy food choices and it will happen.

Denise, I've only owned one house in my life because we always lived in parsonages. I'll never, ever have a brand new home in my lifetime. Though I love my home, if I'd had the choice, I'd have gone with a brand new one. They homes you showed us look just beautiful! I envy you!

Kat, Pam & Janie.. hope you're all feeling better today.

TracyinKS... your ears doing ok today??

TracyK..your hair looks beautiful, I like the Whisps of hair framing your face. And Macy is soooooooooo cute! Brings back memories of my Kindergarten munchkins.

Haydee....anymore dings or dents today?? :cursing:

Ethan is here so I better go amuse him for awhile. He likes to watch Gramma on the elliptical trainer, so I kill two birds with one stone.

Catch ya'all later. Have a great morning!!

[TracyK 3]

Michelle-welcome back and I am so glad you & your family had such fun. What wonderful memories.....you are such the "cool mom"

Judy-Thank you!

[kity 2]

Good Morning V's~

Late start here...woke up w/ no electricity @ 5:40. 40 min. late in the am is huge. The electricity came right on when I awoke, but I hit the ground running this morning. Because it is Parent/teacher conferences...I MUST look good, hahaha.

Michelle~glad your back. We really missed you and couldn't wait to hear the story!

Laura~Aren't you back today.

Gotta run. I'll be back later!

[mdrai 3]

Attempting to post a few pics... the one of us @ Splash Mountain is especially for Judy!!

[mdrai 3]

Ugh... those arms in the first pic give me the heebie-jeebies!! Yikes!!

Needless to say... it's back on plan today!! + next week I'm kicking up the exercise to 1x/day!!! I've GOT to get back in the groove!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Altho I will say... it was wonderful to fly... I fit while walking down the aisle... + had too much seat belt!!! + I rode every ride w/out fearing that I wouldn't fit or would have a heart attack for being out of shape... It really was just a trip of NSVs & I have the band & all of you to thank for it!

Now it's time to whip this butt into shape & FINISH what I started!!! I want to be at least -100 for the May trip!!!

[Teachlady 3]

The pics are awesome, Michelle!!! And patooie on the arms on the first pic... check out the curves!!!! You got a waist, woman!!!:cursing: And notice that your daughter can get her arm around you, but not around Eore.. Now that's a NSV if I ever saw one.

Big smiles in every picture. Love it! Thanks for sharing. And glad to have you back. I've kicked up the exercise and good eating habits too. Only 92 days til the Bandiversary Bash.. woooo hooooooo!

[kity 2]

I took this pic for Susanne and thought I'd share w/ ya'll! I look tired, but I wanted to send her a Valentine of me!

[Teachlady 3]

That's my roomie!!! Ain't she gorgeous??

[Jennifur 0]

Michelle

So glad to have you back and that you had such a great time.

Pam - you still look great... tired and all

Sooooooo I must have had all the good violet vibes because I kicked butt today... i'll fill you all in shortly

[Kat817 19]

:cursing::tt1:HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!:wub::tt1::wub:

Well woke up feeling better this morning---not sure what got me yesterday---man I felt like crap!

Jenn--look forward to hearing what went so well!!! But I am sure glad it did!

Michelle-great story, and wonderful pics---you all look like you had a wonderful time!

Pamela--you look beautiful! Enjoy your conferences today!

I am short on time, Rick is ready to GO!!! LOL, I am still in jammies!!!

So I guess I better get with it, I have to go deliver Valentines to the Grandkids!

Will check back in later ---- have a great day everyone!!!

Kat

[Jennifur 0]

Kat

family court was this morning... but i have visitors right now so can't get totally into it... i looked great and totally stood up for myself