I'm here to help...

[Great2BThin 5]

Pretty table Arlene! Did you win anything? I didn't know there were 'in' colors for the holidays. Thought red and green were the norm. Shows what I know and how well I keep up with it. My goal this year is to open all my Christmas boxes, to first make sure nothing broke in the move and second to go through things and get rid of some. I have so much and so many boxes and so little room to put it out. May ask DD and DS if they want any of it that I don't and pitch it.

Jodi, good to get caught up with you. Are you and Jeff contemplating a move? Congrats on getting the position even though you didn't take it. sounds like you made the right choice for you but good to know that they wanted you.

[sndycnrd 1]

Jodi, I checked at Trader Joes and what they carry is peanut flour which is not the same. I bought some though to try a pancake recipe I saw online. I will let you know how they turn out. I have decided that I cannot order more of the chocolate PB2 as I like it way to much. It could become a trigger food for me so better not to have it around. The regular PB2 is very good too but I am happy just to have a Peanut Butter sandwich. It doesn’t trigger the sweet tooth in me the way the chocolate PB2 does. Warning, danger, danger, chocolate PB2 is too good. LOL.

Congratulations on the job offer. It feels good to get an offer even if it doesn’t work for you. It sounds like you are focused on your family. I wish all parents were.

Charlene, Your table is beautiful! Nice job. I don’t think I will do the red and aqua theme either. It doesn’t even sound good.

Laura, I am so glad you enjoyed your time off. Sometimes it is such a treat to be by ourselves. It is so good to have Daddy / Son bonding time too. Awesome. It is getting cold here too. It was in the 20s when we started our run yesterday and in the upper 30s when we finished. Go figure, it is supposed to get in the 60s and possibly 70s tomorrow. Winter is coming.

Apples, Charlie and I talk all the time. Not sick at all. Our dogs are such a part of our families, aren’t they?

Joyce, It is great to hear from you. It sounds like you will be off that plateau at the end of this trip. Enjoy your trip and your family.

Attached is a post run picture of my friends and I after the race. That’s me on the far right in the brown coat.

[Apples2 19]

Gosh, Arlene...I am 25 yrs ahead of the game. I've had an aqua and deep raspberry coloured tree for that long. I plan on doing my tree the weekend of Thanksgiving (my three trees) and will have to share some photos. My tree is so laden with ornaments but I have a plan....I have collected 9 new and ornate ornaments each year since we have had children. 3 for us, 3 for oldest DS and 3 for youngest. They have all gone on the tree each year and it just keeps getting fuller.

The plan is...when each of my boys gets married they will be gifted a nice lighted tree and boxes of their ornaments. What is nice is that I will have the same ornaments as they have. If their wife wants to throw them in the attic and use her own, I'm fine with that...at least they will have them in their possession.

We did have plans on running up to the lake today just for the day but those plans have to wait. It's going to be in the upper 50's today and sunshine. DH still has a couple hundred acres of fert today and rain is threatened after Tuesday. It's called making hay when the sunshines so those plans are out. OK with it. Love to see the work get done when it has to be done. Ready to wrap this farming year up.

Some ppl may see this as an unfortunate thing....but we don't....We had one of our landlords pass away this year, one landlord rent out her land to a grand son-in-law and another landlord (DH's uncle) sell all of his land this week. We lost 1,000 of our rental land. Soooooooooo....we will be farming 1,000 less next yr but the opportunity for 260 more acres to rent was offered. Most farmers around here own half of their land and rent the other half from retired farmers, etc. Land prices have gone through the roof and we are not silly enough to go out on a limb just to be "land hungry" so we did not purchase our rental land that was for sale.

It all comes at a good time. DS's agricultural business has really taken off and less land will make for DH to help DS with his business and DH, at the age of 57 really needs to slow down. Nobody likes to lose their rental acres, but for us it's a positive thing at this point in our lives. We're TIRED. We cannot keep up this pace for the next few years until we hit retirement age.

Now that I've bored you all with that.....

Today will be spent back and forth from the field helping DH refuel, bring him fert trucks for refills, etc. Tanker will love that. He will have the opportunity to pee on a lot of different tires.

I am eating a little more than mushies. Could not chew the shrimp I made last night but was OK with it. DH said it was the best he ever had. Marinated for most of the day and just sauted it.

Arlene...your table was sooooooooo nice. Just beautiful.

Jodi...sounds like you got a good workout. Thanks for the update. Always enjoy your posts. Just go to the Bell Plantation or Amazon website and order the PB2. Might be something both you and Dazzi would like.

Gotta run..DH is ready for a load. You all have a nice Sunday. Later.

[Apples2 19]

Sandy...thanks for sharing your photo...and, congrats again on the run

[Charlene K 1]

Wow! Slept till 6:20am. It paid off to go to bed late.

Great, yes, and also you should have 100 lights per foot of tree. Also, have a theme. When her son left for Iraq after Christmas she had done the Christmas tree in red, white, and blue. It makes memories. The tree is something everyone remembers. She did a tree of her daughters wedding stuff the year her daughter married. She said the topper should be as much as 10 times the size of the rest of the ornaments.....like a huge bow with streamers. She took a toilet paper roller and wrapped it in green florist tape....put it on the top branch....and just hooked the bow topper on it. I had never thought of doing that. She said to go to thrift stores and find old stuff to paint. One year she decorated the Houston Symphony's conductor's tree. She went to the thrift store and bought an old french horn. She sprayed it gold then bought old sheet music and deopaged (sp) it. It trailed down out of the horn. The tree was ten feet tall. He was thrilled.

Oh, aprons are big again. A return to the fifties. Okay, that's all I remember right now.

I gotta go to church and greet. My back is hurting because I didn't have anyone to help me load my stuff.....well......I didn't ask.

Gonna babysit this afternoon. Tomorrow is Water aerobics.......then out of town to a funeral. My friend's DH....age 59 was found dead in his office Friday morning. This is a shocker. Both of them worked at a hospital. I am sure they took every measure to revive him.....so sad.

Later peeps!

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Good morning friends.

Well, I slept until 10:30 (time on my clocks) today! I know, it's really 9:30...LOL. LATEST I have slept in, ummm, how old is Nels (6), 6 years! The clocks will have to wait until DH gets home. <smirk> There are too many of them in the house (DH likes a clock in each room). :cool:

My boys had a fabulous day in Orlando. Universal's Island of Adventure (there's a new Harry Potter exhibit). Then dinner show with the whole Sponge Bob gang. (Patrick, etc...). DH called me last night a little confused- the 2 BR suite they got... well, there were no doors on the rooms! So, every time he tried to watch tv or look at the computer- Nels would get up..LOL. DH finally just surrendered and went to bed early..LOL. This morning they had a private Breakfast with Bob. (Sponge, that is). Nels called me and was upset that I "forgot" to pack his bathing suit. It was 40 degrees last night! I apologized to him. (took the fall for DH). It was purposeful, as we had no intention of him swimming with those crazy Canadians! It was 50-60s during the day but windy. OMW. Today they are going to Kennedy Space Center. They called me from the road. DH had packed last night before they went to bed..LOL. (guess he was ready to get out of there!) He had the suitcase in the car before their Breakfast date! So, I have a few more hours of freedom. My battery is recharged. My garage is clean. Laundry all caught up. (Yes, I couldn't "relax" until it was done). Finished a book I have been trying to finish for a month. Life is good. : ) :tt1:

Apples~ I just love your tradition of 3 trees. I remember you mentioning it last year. Just beautiful. I think any woman would LOVE such a thing! (and lucky to have you for a MIL):smile2:

I would give anything to have a BABY photo of my DH! So, to have anything handed down would be just a dream come true. I asked DH to ask his mom if she had any and he refused. I think he didn't want to know the answer. The youngest photo we have of him is 5 or 6. Either she didn't have any made- or didn't keep them. It breaks my heart. I think it breaks DH's too- which is why he didn't dare ask. He said there were tons of her last 3 boys baby photos around her house (his step brothers), but none of he and his sister. The 2nd husband probably had a lot to do with that, but still just isn't right. :frown::sad:

Arlene~Loved the pics- just beautiful.

Lori~ If your kids won't take your leftovers- I WILL! I will even pay for shipping!

I love decorating for Christmas. It's the only holiday I go all out for. (although this Halloween I did more than ever in my life, now that Nels isn't afraid of ghost and skeleton decor). I am bummed that I didn't snatch up all the John Deere ornaments two years ago at Walmart. They discontinued the line last year. : ( We do two trees- though they don't have the same ornaments. One is mine- and one is Nels'. He's allowed to trim his tree ANYWAY he wants. : ) Mine has white lights and his has psychedelic, flashing, music playing, etc. (It will give an ordinary person a seizure!) <looking for a seizure emoticon...> This was the closest I could find, LOL.

Julie~ Love that you guys had fun with your DGD. I am sure she is having some adjustments with her new family. It's good that you could have her alone. Love the skunk thing..LOL

Sandy~ It looked COLD in that run photo! so proud of you! I tried the PB2 a while ago and didn't like it. But I was just banded and was missing too many REAL things. I bet if I tried it now, I would be ok. Even shakes- after the liquid phase, I was DONE with shakes for a while. Now I have a liking for them again.

Joyce~ Glad you are having fun! Enjoy your family.

JaGo~ Welcome to the thread. You've come to the right place for support. I know before I was banded I LOVED hearing from people that have been there and were SUCCESSFUL. I had to leave my thread of people that were banded the same month as me, b/c they were all so negative. Surround yourself (even on LBT) with people that are positive and motivated! It is contagious! Best of luck with approval. (Did they tell you surgery would be scheduled the same week you get approval? Most require some pre-op work, diet, education, etc.) Let us know!

I just crack up every time spellcheck tried to change LBT to BLT.......LMAO

ok guys- I am off to enjoy my last few hours of freedom. :smile2:

until later..........peasout...........Laura

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

ok............ i have to say something that is PISSING me off. I think we need to UNITE and write the owner of this LBT.......... he has CROSSED the line by letting Papajohns advertise on this thread! I think it is BEYOND acceptable. Not sure if you guys are seeing it on yours, but I am PISSED.

[phyllser 3]

Yes, LauraK, I had a better day today. I should be able to try some solids tomorrow. Thanks for asking.

You're a trooper!! Can't believe what you've been through with your mouth!!

 

Thanks for understanding maybe he did not think this was a life long process. i am not sure we will have to tal about it more

It is funny I have my journal but have not written in it yet. Not so much funny as nothing is going on at work to really write about

``````````````````````````````````````````````````

To All So I found out yesterday my health insurance is not a group plan say like Atena it is a reimbursement plan. Meaning I pay for everything up front then I can some money back. Well that won't work. So right now we pay $1300 a month in Cobra. Now I have to find another job even though it was getting better. Uggh my fault I should have asked more questions

That stinks!! GEEZ!! Hope you can find a better job SOON!!!

Just a quick one to thank everyone for the good wishes and juju. IT WORKED! My goal for the 5K was anything under 45 minutes as my last two runs were at 45.5 minutes. I finished in 44 minutes and 37 seconds (by my watch). The official results will be out later. Yay!! Happy dance

CONGRATS~~~!!!!!

Hello from Guam - eating has been a real challenge here and while traveling. I've been hungry most of the time. Fear trying new things (don't want to vomit).

Finding my way around the resort and restaurants to discover items that will work for me and eating very carefully.

Should have brought Kashi (may go to store today). Have friends here who brought me a bullet blender, milk, and Peanut Butter to mix with individual shake packets which I brought from home. Also brought me some yogurt.

Find the salmon mostly overcooked & adding tartar or soy sauce to make it go down.

Sliced deli turkey, I roll around cheese. Scrambled eggs and hard boiled (when available).

Asian Soup with tofu and onions.

Yesterday some tuna salad was available. Of course, buffets are best choice with lots of selections and ability to eat very small portions.

Internet is very slow here - so may not be able to check in again.

Doing lots of walking and enjoying family.

Forgot my camera, so won't have many pictures, altho some are being posted on Facebook by my daughter-in-law here.

Miss all of you. I'm expecting weight loss after this trip. Will be here until the 15th.

Sounds like you're having a GREAT time

and making GREAT choices!!

ENJOY!!

Wow! Slept till 6:20am. It paid off to go to bed late.

I gotta go to church and greet. My back is hurting because I didn't have anyone to help me load my stuff.....well......I didn't ask.

Gonna babysit this afternoon. Tomorrow is Water aerobics.......then out of town to a funeral. My friend's DH....age 59 was found dead in his office Friday morning. This is a shocker. Both of them worked at a hospital. I am sure they took every measure to revive him.....so sad. Later peeps!

Your Christmas table was GORGEOUS!!! Loved it!

So sorry to hear you are still dealing with the aches and pain!!

And so sorry to hear about your friend's DH! So young! So sad!

We did have plans on running up to the lake today just for the day but those plans have to wait. It's going to be in the upper 50's today and sunshine. DH still has a couple hundred acres of fert today and rain is threatened after Tuesday. It's called making hay when the sunshines so those plans are out. OK with it. Love to see the work get done when it has to be done. Ready to wrap this farming year up.

Some ppl may see this as an unfortunate thing....but we don't....We had one of our landlords pass away this year, one landlord rent out her land to a grand son-in-law and another landlord (DH's uncle) sell all of his land this week. We lost 1,000 of our rental land. Soooooooooo....we will be farming 1,000 less next yr but the opportunity for 260 more acres to rent was offered. Most farmers around here own half of their land and rent the other half from retired farmers, etc. Land prices have gone through the roof and we are not silly enough to go out on a limb just to be "land hungry" so we did not purchase our rental land that was for sale.

It all comes at a good time. DS's agricultural business has really taken off and less land will make for DH to help DS with his business and DH, at the age of 57 really needs to slow down. Nobody likes to lose their rental acres, but for us it's a positive thing at this point in our lives. We're TIRED. We cannot keep up this pace for the next few years until we hit retirement age.

Now that I've bored you all with that.....

Today will be spent back and forth from the field helping DH refuel, bring him fert trucks for refills, etc. Tanker will love that. He will have the opportunity to pee on a lot of different tires.

I am eating a little more than mushies. Could not chew the shrimp I made last night but was OK with it. DH said it was the best he ever had. Marinated for most of the day and just sauted it.

Gotta run..DH is ready for a load. You all have a nice Sunday. Later.

You could never bore us with your farming stories!! It's so different from anything I've ever experienced. I find it all quite fascinating, really!

I would have found a way to eat that shrimp even if I had to put it in the blender!!! LOL! I LOVE my seafood.

Jodi... sounds like a good decision on the job offer!!

Laura... sweet of you to give the toys to your cleaning lady. Her little ones will enjoy!

Julie.... hope you're doing okay with the shoulder pain, etc.

That's all I can remember gang!!

Friend's memorial service was yesterday.. very nicely done. Wife asked me to take photos so some of you may have seen them on FB.

Really fighting a bad case of depression this week. Maybe the med changes are taking their toll, I don't know. But I'm ready for it to be over!!

[Apples2 19]

Laura...I don't know if the advertsing on LBT is a territorial thing but understand your "Pissedoffness". For about two weeks I've been getting pop-up ads for delectible bakerys in the Mpls area. WTH????? On LBT???? They actually show exquisite looking Cookies, cakes, mini-pies, etc. I don't understand. If you have a tendency towards sweets it would surely make a person go to the pantry and grab a bag of cookies or dig into the cake that is in the freezer.

Nope...not all three of my trees are decorated the same, Laura. My big livingroom tree is LOADED with the decorations for sons and us. The kitchen tree is just tall and skinny but cute and the family room tree is big decorated rustic with pine cones, rustic ribbons and such. I have had pre-lit trees since they first came out. I think my first was in 1988. I will never forget salivating over it in the Speigel catolague and thinking there is not way I would spend $800 on a pre-lit tree (now they are cheaper than cutting your own). Well, DH surprised me and told me to just to buy it. It is the one in my basement which just got moved down there last year....so we got our use out of it and will for years. Invested in the new one for the livingroom last year.

I look forward to the Christmas holidays all year long. I am always so sad on Christmas night knowing I need to wait for next for all the happy feelings. Silly...but I have always been this way. So many different parties, family getting together. Ppl we only see a few times a year, shopping for special things for special ppl, making homemade gifts and baked goods....All in all just a very happy time.

You enjoy your few hours of alone time. We have such good memories or taking the boys to Kennedy Space center....they were both "science and aeronautics guys" and their eyes were the size of quarters.

Arlene...hope the pain in your back eases.

[Apples2 19]

Phyll...sorry about the depression bug...is it time for a change in meds???? I am sure losing your friend did not help matters any. Depression is so misunderstand anyway. I view it no differently than having diabetes. Youngest DS's ex-GF was bipolar. She had a tough time staying on her meds and would just suddenly stop and then had a tough time getting out of bed. Sometimes laid in bed for 2 weeks at a time and he supported her. She was the sweetest little girl and I still miss her. He was as understanding as he could be for a young man and supported her when she could not work. But, in ways he did not "get it" and I tried to use the diabetes explaination...it's physical. When on her meds and meds were working, life was so good for her. It's a very misunderstood disease and treatments are sometimes difficult to figure out and it's difficult for the person experiences that "dull spot" to explain. Hope the cloud lifts soon and I also hope that my explaination of the above did not offend you in any way....Just me junking up the thread.

Arlene...Phyll's post reminded me that I forgot.....sorry about your friend's DH. Too young to pass away. You know the saying....live life to the fullest...you never know.

[IndioGirl55 32]

Good Morning Gang..

Yep Apples - I contacted Linda on FB she's been traveling working - life stuff nothings wrong - I'm sorry I forgot to tell you all..

Didn't do anything yesterday but watch tv read ate and napped.. I love the time change - went to bed 9ish - got up at 6 ish - ready for the gym ;0)..

Arlene - table was beautiful !!!

Joyce - You will be ok w/food - you got the right mindset.

#2 Janet - Welcome - I don't try to run on my 55 yr old knees - but I can jog a little -

Laura - glad you got to sleep in - it feels good to sleep - I needed it yesterday - ate way too much - but nothing too too terrible - it's just that when we do eat more than usual it bugs us - our minds have changed - I have gym at 10 may go a little early and do the treadmill..

Julie - Like I said it's good to sleep to me it's our bodies telling us to slow down - I know we don't feel older in our heads but the truth is we (well most of us) are 50+ and we need our rest to get re-energized.

Jodi - You sound like you have it under control (fill) - I back to reading my Holocaust books and on What would you do t.v. program on friday - it was about a guy dissing Jewish pple - I was proud to see so many Non-jews getting pissed and telling him off.. Like I said before I think I was Jewish in another life - reading these books helps me appreciate my life that we take for granted..

Phyl - We are on for shopping on Monday - just remembered I gotta p/u my tickets from AAA the open at 9 so I will be at your house around 10 ish..

Well gang need to move - I got my rest in yesterday and now I got stuff to do....

CBL

[kellyodoran 12]

ok............ i have to say something that is PISSING me off. I think we need to UNITE and write the owner of this LBT.......... he has CROSSED the line by letting Papajohns advertise on this thread! I think it is BEYOND acceptable. Not sure if you guys are seeing it on yours, but I am PISSED.

I often see three big cheeseburgers, don't recognize the restaraunt, but that "just ain't right"!

[LittleOleMeinFL 1]

Laura...I don't know if the advertsing on LBT is a territorial thing but understand your "Pissedoffness". For about two weeks I've been getting pop-up ads for delectible bakerys in the Mpls area. WTH????? On LBT???? They actually show exquisite looking Cookies, cakes, mini-pies, etc. I don't understand. If you have a tendency towards sweets it would surely make a person go to the pantry and grab a bag of Cookies or dig into the cake that is in the freezer.

...

You enjoy your few hours of alone time. We have such good memories or taking the boys to Kennedy Space center....they were both "science and aeronautics guys" and their eyes were the size of quarters.

Yeah, I think it is the Ads by google. So scary, it's like BIG BROTHER watching us. They have our zip code and put things that are near us. There is a CONTACT us at the bottom of LBT and I just sent a really expressive email about how horrible it is. I think it's great to have ads (especially new and improved products/services, etc.) and understand the need for the $, but when they start putting UNHEALTHY ads it crosses the line for me. Let's unite and have a ZERO tolerance for this B.S.!!! Everyone please hit the contact us and tell them how you feel.

So funny about our boys and their love of flight. : ) Nels will be sure to come home with a little space ship/shuttle and play with it for DAYS. DH was trying to go up there Friday for the last launch, but couldn't get off work in time. Lucky for us/unlucky for NASA- it got delayed until Nov. 30!!! We won't be able to go that day though. : (

I just posted some of my most recent pics in bikini and panties. No modesty. So proud of how far I've come!

LAP-BAND

peasout......Laura

[kellyodoran 12]

Yeah, I think it is the Ads by google. So scary, it's like BIG BROTHER watching us. They have our zip code and put things that are near us. There is a CONTACT us at the bottom of LBT and I just sent a really expressive email about how horrible it is. I think it's great to have ads (especially new and improved products/services, etc.) and understand the need for the $, but when they start putting UNHEALTHY ads it crosses the line for me. Let's unite and have a ZERO tolerance for this B.S.!!! Everyone please hit the contact us and tell them how you feel.

So funny about our boys and their love of flight. : ) Nels will be sure to come home with a little space ship/shuttle and play with it for DAYS. DH was trying to go up there Friday for the last launch, but couldn't get off work in time. Lucky for us/unlucky for NASA- it got delayed until Nov. 30!!! We won't be able to go that day though. : (

I just posted some of my most recent pics in bikini and panties. No modesty. So proud of how far I've come!

LAP-BAND

peasout......Laura

Wow just took a look at your photos!!!!!! Incredible...Oh the transformation! You rock it girl,,,,,very inspirational.

[Apples2 19]

Laura....wish my thighs looked that good. You look wonderful and should be so proud to post your pics. And, 90 some pounds is not small fete. Congratulations. Now...you are going to be saying thank you all day and tomorrow with all the photo comments you are going to get!