Toystoryduo’s Journal: Baby Steps are the Key... Celebrate Each Victory!

[toystoryduo]

Thank you all for your good thoughts and prayers for my DH.....He got the contract! :yay: I don't know all the details yet, but I am so glad and thankful that he got it. Thank you, Lord!!!!:woohoo:

We are done for the day with homeschooling, the girls are doing their chores as I type, and guess what?!?!? I got January, February, AND March done with monthly summaries and receipts for our taxes!! I was going to keep going, but I noticed that I was getting tense. So I decided why should I have all the fun? DH can celebrate his new contract by helping me get more done this evening! :lmao:

Food Today:

B: (2) small bowls of Cheerios (no milk)

L: 1/2 fish sandwich from Wendy's, 1/2 box of large fries, 1 large ice tea

S: 1 bowl of tator tots + ranch dressing :(

This morning, I got up and went for a walk. It was cold! :scared1: I managed almost two miles in about 30 minutes....Not bad considering that the sidewalks were snowy and icy. Goal: 65/500 minutes

My SIL went to the doctor yesterday....Know what he told her? Come back on Friday! :eek: What?!?!? :mad: Not only that, but he wants her to have another amnio....If the baby is healthy and things are progressing well, why does she need another amnio? In any event, she is frustrated and discouraged at this point. Your continued good thoughts and prayers are much appreciated.:grouphug:

Well, that's about all from here....Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Great job getting out there and walking today. That is the dedication that will lead you to your goal. Congrats to your hubbie for getting the contract. Woohoo! I will say some prayers for your SIL. Perhaps they were unable to get sufficient fluid to run the test? They occasionally will wait, so they can find a "new" pocket at a later date. Just a thought.

Take care,
Beth

[Blueeyes101817]

HAPPY FRIDAY! already posted to you, but wanted to say hi over here too :)

[traceycooper]

Sounds like you had a pretty good day Tracy :)
Great news for DH, you got some taxes done & you managed to get a walk in :)
Hope DSIL is ok, not a good idea to get worked up!! i hope everything goes well for her

[toystoryduo]

Thanks everyone!:grouphug:

Good afternoon friends,

No snow day here, but we decided to take the day off of school anyhow. Since we did that, I was able to get all the tax information done! :woohoo: Now all I have to do is plug the information into the software and I am completely finished with 2007's. Once that is done, I will start on January and February of 2008 so I will be doing the work gradually, instead of all at once.

No work on Baby K or my SIL yet..... I'll try and come here for an update when I can.

I probably won't get a workout in today which means that the 500 minutes most likely won't happen. :( I should have waited until the taxes were completely done before making an exercise goal. I'll make a couple of new goals for March and do the best I can for the rest of the month.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Stay warm and drive safely! :grouphug:

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

The doctors have decided to let my SIL try and have the baby without induction. Her original due date was March 2nd and they feel that everything is progressing the way it should and want to try and let it happen naturally.

Today, we 'll be visiting baby K in the hospital. I haven't heard from my friend to find out how she is doing yet, but we'll get to see her later on this morning.Thanks for your continued good thoughts and prayers.:grouphug:

Today's Plan:

* Go to the hospital

* Enter tax info into software

* Mall?

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am so sorry I haven't been around too much lately, please forgive me! I hope Baby K is doing well and am keeping sil in my prayers too. It sounds like the doctors are feeling pretty good so that is very encouraging. Great job getting some walks in, cold weather and all. And that is awesome your dh got that contract! Very good news, I am happy for you both.

Great job getting the taxes done, what a relief. I think you are doing very well. Just remember being 4 pounds below your highest weight is a victory. You could be higher than that number and think how that would feel. Instead you are still below and with spring around the corner, taxes done and your dh's job going well, I think you will find your mind and body are ready for some changes! Just keep up those walks, I wish I lived close by to walk with you!

Thanks for being such a good friend Wish Sis!:hug:

[traceycooper]

yay the taxes are done :cool1:
That must feel like a weight has been lifted!!

[Lesli54]

Thank God, I am not the only one who has been working on last year's stuff for taxes. You sound like you are holding up pretty well considering that you have some extra stressors going on right now. Sending prayers your way to keep you strong.:grouphug:

Just remember, one day at a time.::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[pearlieq]

Hi! Long time no see! :wave:

It sounds like you're in good spirits, and I'm happy to hear it.

I'm SO impressed to hear you're out walking. I don't think your weather is too different than ours, and I've been hiding inside all winter. Good for you!

Take care--I hope you're having a great weekend!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks everyone for stopping by.:grouphug:

This weekend was good, but a bit rough. We sat down and worked on taxes and that was quite stressful. :crazy2: My DH reminded me that it's important to stay positive....I'm trying!;)

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Laundry

* Library (done)

* Organizing

* Work for DH

I have so many things going around in my mind right now...I need to sit down and make a to do list before I get completely overwhelmed.:faint:

On our way to my grandma's house on Sunday, my DH and I talked about coming up with a job description for me. He said that I have a tendency to have too many things going on at once and I agree. I need to be able to focus on a few things in order to do them well. If I am doing too many things, nothing gets focus, and I give less than my best to each thing. Does that make sense? We both feel that having a "job description" will help me focus more on what needs to get done so that I'm not overwhelmed with all the extras.

Hope everyone has a great day! I will try and get to more journals later.....

[goldcupmom]

I think that will be the longest job description on record. Hello, Guinness, new record here!!!!!!!

Hope today goes well. I'm off to the dentist, but will pop back later.

Hang in there!!

[MIdanceMom]

Hey Tracy,

Do we get to see the job discription. Just remember the more responsibilities, the higher the pay.

Hope today runs smoothly.

Take care,
Beth

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Julie and Beth.:grouphug:

I want to clarify a bit....It's not really a job description. I used the wrong wording there. It's more of a re-prioritizing of my priorities list.:rolleyes1 As you can see, I'm DISing instead of making the list so that's why I need the list......:lmao:

[Amy&Dan]

I think making some sort of priority list/job description could be very helpful. I agree with Julie, thats gonna be one long list! And I also agree with Beth, a nice raise in pay is definitely a necessity!

You are one busy lady, don't forget to take some time for yourself! I don't know how you do it all, but you do, you are such an inspiration to me!

Hope the taxes are almost done!

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

Today is a SNOW DAY!!!:banana: :cool1: :yay: :woohoo: That means no homeschooling today which is great because I got some really good books at the library that I want to read.:thumbsup2

Today's Plan:

* Workout

* Help DH with work

* Sled Riding/ Shoveling (maybe that will be my workout!:lmao: )

Not much else to report.... DH found a ton of receipts that we didn't include with the tax stuff so we'll be entering those into the system in the next week or so....Can't wait until April 15th is over!:rolleyes:

Hope everyone has a great day!:hug:

[pearlieq]

SNOW DAY! :dance3: Hot chocolate and snowmen--how can you go wrong with that!

And yes, I think shoveling could definitley count as your workout.

Good luck with the taxes--that's always such a pain. At least it will be done soon.

I hope you have a great day today! :thumbsup2

[Lesli54]

When you come up with that "job description" could you pass it my way? I can completely relate to the too many things to do and not being able to focus to get the things done.

Have fun doing your "snow exercises".:cool1:

[AmyBeth68]

Hi Tracey...

Enjoy the sledding and snow fun! We had a day like that on Friday! :goodvibes

Today it's just messy...nothing fun like snow here.

Good luck getting everything done!!!

[goldcupmom]

I LOVE Snow days!!! Just wish we had REAL SNOW DAYS here....they close school if we get 1/2" & then it's gone by about 10 a.m. (Yes, I'm certifiably CRAZY about Snow!)

Hope taxes get done soon. NOT a fun thing, but unfortunately necessary.

Have a fun day!

[traceycooper]

Thanks Julie and Beth.:grouphug:

I want to clarify a bit....It's not really a job description. I used the wrong wording there. It's more of a re-prioritizing of my priorities list.:rolleyes1 As you can see, I'm DISing instead of making the list so that's why I need the list......:lmao:

Tracy you are multi tasking - something men cant do ;)
DISing would be at the top of my list too ;)

Enjoy your snow day :)

[toystoryduo]

Good evening friends,

I am totally and completely exhausted! I shoveled two very long driveways today.:eek: We've had about a foot of snow in the past two days.....I am exhausted. :(

My sister in law is in the hospital and will have the baby either today or tomorrow....Your prayers are much appreciated!:grouphug:

I probably won't get to journals until tomorrow....Hope everyone has a great night!:grouphug:

[goldcupmom]

Wow! That's a LOT of snow!!!!

Praying for your SIL! Isn't that just like babies to come in a storm or bad weather???

That is a lot of shoveling. I like snow, but don't miss the shovelling part!

Hope you have a good Thursday!

[Amy&Dan]

Definitely sending a prayer out to your sil, may she have a safe and easy delivery and a very healthy baby!

Saw you got snow, its 55 degrees here today, go figure. March will be brutal for us, maybe you'll have a nice one! Glad you at least got a snow day out of it.

April 15 will be here before you know it! Keep up the good work, snow shoveling burns off some serious calories so great job! :thumbsup2

[Lesli54]

Well, I am glad that most of the snow missed us, but I am sorry to hear that you ended up with it all. This sure has been a real winter for everyone with all the snow shoveling. At least it was great exercise, right?:confused3

Sending prayers for your SIL and the baby.:grouphug:

Have a great day!::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[pearlieq]

Sending lots of prayers your way! What is it about storms that seem to bring babies? DH was born during a blizzard in Sandusky in 1977. No one could visit for 2 days!

Good job on all that shoveling. Rowr! You're an animal!!! :lmao:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.:grouphug:

No word yet on my SIL....She's still at 1 and the baby hasn't dropped down yet. Your continued good thoughts and prayers for her are much appreciated.

Haven't gotten much accomplished today.... I'm really sore from all of the shoveling. I do need to get to the grocery store and the library in a little while.

I'm thinking that my two of my goals for March are going to be "freeze and fitness". Freeze as in stop spending unnecessarily and fitness as in getting my rear in gear!:lmao: I will need to come up with the specifics, but that is the direction I am leaning.

Well, that's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great evening!:hug:

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Tracy, saying prayer for sil, sounds like that baby is being a slow poke! I hope that as I type this maybe she has delivered.

I need to freeze my spending too, of course instead I just keep booking WDW trips! Your snow shoveling is going a long ways towards being fit, talk about a total body workout. Soon it will be spring and you can take some nice walks outdoors without freezing your hiney off!

Keeping your family in my prayers, new babies are exciting and wonderful but always a bit stressful too!:hug:

[toystoryduo]

No baby yet for my SIL.....They started her on pitocin yesterday morning and the baby just doesn't want to come out. Of course, yesterday was my nephew's 21st birthday and I told my MIL that the baby didn't want to share his birthday with his big brother. ;) So, my SIL is hoping for a Leap Year baby today. Your prayers are much appreciated!:grouphug:

I am so happy that tomorrow is March 1st...It means we're closer to spring and it's a new month with new goals. My two major goals for the month are freeze and fitness...Freeze means to freeze unnecessary spending for the month which means I need a plan. Fitness means I need to get back in the game and get my workouts in. I don't have specifics yet. I will work on those today.

Today's Plan:

* Finish laundry

* Straighten the house up a bit

* Homeschooling

* Movie Marathon

My girls got their library cards yesterday. It's awesome to see how proud they are to have to one! :goodvibes

Hope everyone has a great day today! :grouphug:

[pearlieq]

Sending more good thoughts and wishes to your SIL. A leap day baby would be SO cool!

I feel the exact same way about March coming! Something about saying "It's March" just makes it feel like winter is on its way out.

Your plan for the day sounds like fun--what are you watching for your movie marathon?

[Lesli54]

I like the idea of your "freeze and fitness" goal, sounds like a great way to start the spring. Still praying that things go well for your SIL.

You know if you want, you can do the rest of my taxes while you are doing yours.;) Here's wishing that we both can get 2007 done real soon.:teacher: ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[Caitsmama]

Hey tracie! Your Freeze and Fitness plans sounds awesome, mind if i borrow that -- sounds like a good motivation to have on my fridge and inside my wallet.. LOL

[traceycooper]

Happy March 1st Tracy :)
Hope mit warms up for you soon!!
Any baby news???

[toystoryduo]

Good morning everyone,

The goals for March are officially out the window. My DH and I talked about it on Friday evening and he said that he thought they were too much with all that we have going on this month. I'm not sure if I will come up with new goals or not. I will keep exercising and looking for deals though. ;)

Speaking of deals, we got a lot of Christmas shopping done this weekend! This is what we bought at CVS on Saturday and Sunday:

Trip #1:
Curve Crush Perfume Gift Set (4 piece): $2.99
Drakkar Noir Gift Set (2 Piece) $1.99
Lucky # 6 Gift Set (4 piece) $2.99
Liz Taylor's Passion Gift Set (4 piece) $1.99
(4) Sean John's Unforgiveable Cologne (.5 oz.) $1.89/each
Total Savings: $158.40
Total Spent Out of Pocket: $18.62 (No coupons or ECBs used)

Trip # 2:
(2) Essence of Beauty Handbags (body wash, body spray, purse, pillow) $3.75/each
Celine Dion Perfume $0.99
Cool Water Gift Set $3.49 (DH's birthday gift!!!!!! :woohoo: )
Curve Gift Set (4 piece) $2.99
Liz Lady Gift Set (4 piece) $1.49
White Diamonds Gift Set (3 piece) $1.99
Coty Gift Set (4 piece) $3.49
(3) Tide (100 oz/each) $4.99/each
(4) Dawn Liquid Soap $0.97/each
(2) Febreeze Noticeables Kits $6.99/each
Total savings: $199.97
Total Spent Out of Pocket After Coupons and ECBs:$24.73
ECBs earned: $5.00

Trip #3:
(6) BOD Fragrance Sprays: $0.33/each
Venus Embrace Razor: $9.99
(3) Mach3 Razors (3 count): $7.99 each
Total Savings: $56.47
Total Spent Out of Pocket After Coupons & ECBs: $3.44
ECBs earned: $21

Trip #4:
EOB Lip Butter: $0.75
Flair Cologne Set: (3 piece) $1.99
(2) Flair Cologne Sets: (4 piece) $2.49/each
Mustang Gift Set: (3 piece) $1.99
(5) Colgate Advanced Toothpaste: $2.99/each
Snicker's Bar: $0.79
Total Savings: $119.74
Total Spent Out of Pocket After Coupons & ECBs: $0.92
ECBs earned: $19.95

Trip # 5:
Venus Embrace: $9.99
(5) Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste: $2.99/each
Total Savings: $18.50
Spent out of Pocket After Coupons: $12.19
ECBs earned: $20.95

Grocery Store Trip:
(2) Spam Singles: $1.39/each
Fruity Pebbles: $2.39
Distilled Water: $2.09
Might Dog canned dog food: $0.55
After Coupons Total Out of Pocket: $0.62

Whew! That was a lot of shopping and a lot of work. We had to go to a couple of different CVS stores for the cologne and perfume deals. (They were gift sets leftover from Christmas.) It was worth it though because we have gifts for several family members for Christmas and I found DH's birthday gift as well. :D (By the way, in case anyone wants to know, I use the forums at hotcouponworld.com to help find coupons and savings.)

Today's Plan:

* Take a walk with the girls: 60 & sunny this morning :cool1: rain & Winter Storm Watch this evening :scared1:

* Homeschooling

* Bills :(

* Finish Laundry

* Research for DH

* Return Library Books

My SIL is back in the hospital and should be induced today. Of course with the way things have gone, that may change again. Good thoughts and prayers are much appreciated!:grouphug:

I would also like to ask for prayers for my BIL. He is having a tough time right now and is struggling with a lot of different things. (Not the BIL whose wife is having a baby today.) Thanks!:grouphug:

That's about all from here. Have a great Monday everyone! :cool1:

[goldcupmom]

That's my kind of shopping, Tracy!!! :thumbsup2

Praying for your SIL. How many weeks is she?

I like your F&F - wish I could (more in my journal)

Library cards are so exciting! You need a book day....get the books one day & next day spend in pjs reading!!

Have a great week & stay warm!! Looks like a storm is headed your way again.

[wilderness01]

Hi Tracy, How are you?

Hope all is well. I just read this page and not any further, so I hope things are going well.

They started your SIL on Pitocin and then sent her home? I have NEVER heard of that before. Now they have brought her back in to restart her induction? Maybe I didn't read something right as I don't have my contacts in.

Does perfume hold that many months? Sounds like good deals, but I would be worried about the sets holding up for over a year. Let me know what you discover because I have found deals like that but haven't bought because I didn't know if the "smell" would be the same a year later.

Hope you have a good week and good luck to your SIL. A new baby is always so much fun and brings sunshine to everyone's life.:goodvibes

[pearlieq]

Wow! Your SIL sure has had an experience, hasn't she? I hope the baby comes today and she has a smooth time of it.

Good job at CVS! I didn't notice the gift sets when I was there yesterday--I might have to swing by today for another look. I need to get the razors, but I've got to track down the coupons first.

Isn't this weather nuts? Almost 60 degrees out yesterday, and it's 33 and sleeting right now. Still, better than a blizzard, eh?

I hope you have a great day today! :cool1:

[traceycooper]

I HAVE to shop with you Tracy!!!
bargains like that just dont happen over here!!!
Who was the snickers bar for on trip #4 ? ;)
Hope all goes well for SIL induction.

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, your shopping skills amaze me! I need to check out that coupon website. I really hope sil has that baby, she must be so sick of being pregnant! Really keeping her and your bil in my prayers.

Thats good your dh recognized your list was too long! Good for him and good for you in that now your list will be doable and therefore more successful.

Hope you have a new baby in your family very soon (if not already)!

[toystoryduo]

Thank you Julie, wilderness, pearlieq, Tracey, and Amy for stopping by.:grouphug:

No baby yet....Can you believe the doctors sent her home AGAIN!?!?!?!?:mad: They have been telling her for the past month that they would induce because the baby was large and not in the proper position. She has been going to the doctor 2-3 times a week expecting each time to be told that they will do a C-section the next day. The past week, she has been in the hospital twice and then sent home. I don't understand any of this. I know that my SIL is frustrated and miserable right now. Please continue your good thoughts and prayers.:grouphug:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Work for DH

* Vote

Yesterday, I managed a 30 minute cardio/weights/abs workout and a 30 minute walk with the girls. I'll try and get some type of exercise in today.

My DH is working at the polls today and will be gone until they close this evening. The primary is huge news nationwide, but especially here in Ohio.:eek:

Hope everyone has a great day!:hug:

[postesf]

Hi Tracey! Just checking in. You got some great deals!!! WOW!

I can't believe they have sent your SIL home twice! That is crazy. Is there a reason they don't want to do a c-section???

Hope all is well with you!
Stacie

[Amy&Dan]

Wow that seems sort of crazy to keep sending sil home. I guess they know best but that has got to be frustrating. Her husband owes her a very nice Mother's Day gift this year! Please keep us informed, she's in my prayers.

That is great you got the exercise in, that must feel good! I was thinking of you today with all the primary talk, you never knew Ohio could be this important in our political process did you? I am betting you will be glad when today is over!

Keep up the good work!

[wilderness01]

Thank you Julie, wilderness, pearlieq, Tracey, and Amy for stopping by.:grouphug:

No baby yet....Can you believe the doctors sent her home AGAIN!?!?!?!?:mad: They have been telling her for the past month that they would induce because the baby was large and not in the proper position. She has been going to the doctor 2-3 times a week expecting each time to be told that they will do a C-section the next day. The past week, she has been in the hospital twice and then sent home. I don't understand any of this. I know that my SIL is frustrated and miserable right now. Please continue your good thoughts and prayers.:grouphug:

'

Not to alarm you, but I have never in all my years in OB ever heard of someone having an induction started/on pitocin and then being sent home. That would concern me if they are really doing that. I hope all goes well for your SIL and the baby.

[toystoryduo]

'

Not to alarm you, but I have never in all my years in OB ever heard of someone having an induction started/on pitocin and then being sent home. That would concern me if they are really doing that. I hope all goes well for your SIL and the baby.

Hi wilderness,:goodvibes

That's what several people have told me. I really don't understand what this doctor is doing.:confused3 The last I heard, my SIL is scheduled to have a C-section sometime this morning. All we can do now is pray and wait. :grouphug:

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

I have so much to get done today that my head is spinning. :eek: The main thing is helping my DH get caught up on his work,homeschooling, going to the library and post office, planning Easter baskets, and doing a lot of research online. All of this while waiting for the news that my SIL has finally had the baby.....

I will try and get to journals later on today. Have a great day everyone!:grouphug:

[AmyBeth68]

Hang in there Tracey! :hug: Sounds like you have a busy day...just take a deep breath and work your way though it. I'm not sure how you keep juggling everything...pretty impressive. Make sure to take some time out for yourself too!

[wilderness01]

Hi wilderness,:goodvibes

That's what several people have told me. I really don't understand what this doctor is doing.:confused3 The last I heard, my SIL is scheduled to have a C-section sometime this morning. All we can do now is pray and wait. :grouphug:


I am hoping for the best for your family. I would also be looking for a new doctor for the next baby! Doesn't sound like common practice to me. I have taken care of loads of people who have failed inductions and a c-section the same day or the next. I can assure you that none of these women have ever been sent home from their inductions with pitocin to try again another day.

Please let us know how this all turns out. I will be checking your journal later today or tomorrow for an update.

[toystoryduo]

Quick Update....


My nephew is here!!! :banana: He weighed in at 9 pounds 11 ounces and is 21 inches long. His name is Daniel James. Mom and baby are doing well....Thank you all so much for your good thoughts and prayers! :grouphug:

Happy Birthday Daniel!!:hug:

[Amy&Dan]

OMG that is one big baby! I am so happy and mom and Daniel are doing well. Great news for the whole family! :yay:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy.:hug:

Good morning friends,

I woke up tired this morning. Not a good way to wake up. :( My mind seems to have shifted into Negative Nelly gear already. :sad2: Vent ahead....

My DH is working 12-14 hour (or more!) days this week, my DDs are tired of being cooped up in the house due to the weather, I can't seem to get motivated to get my workouts in, we have nothing to eat in the house so I have been eating junk, we only have 1 car so when DH is gone all day, none of my errands get done, and the weather just plain stinks. :(

Vent over.....maybe ;)

I have a lot to do, but it may not get done today. It just depends on when my DH gets home. If he gets home late, no grocery store, no Walgreens, no library, no post office. If he gets home early enough, I'd like to get all of that done and go to the hospital to see the baby. In the meantime....

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Laundry :laundy:

* Errands?

* Work for DH

* Workout (right after I post this)

Thanks again everyone for your good thoughts and prayers for my SIL and the baby. :grouphug:

Hope everyone has a good day!:goodvibes

[larry's girl]

Hi, Tracy. Congratulations to your family on your new nephew!

So sorry you are stuck in the house like that. I don't do well when my DH is gone long hours for work, and I'm not stuck with no car - I just miss him! So I can empathize with how you're feeling. Hope his work days get shorter, the weather gets better and you and the kids can get out and about soon!

Thanks for the encouragement and checking on me in my journal - I appreciate it!

Hope you have a good one!:hug:

Susan

[traceycooper]

:cool1: Great news that the baby has arrived & mum & son are doing great :goodvibes
Hope your having a good day Tracy, despite being stuck home :hug:

[toystoryduo]

Good afternoon friends,

We have a winter storm warning in effect until 3:00 a.m. on Sunday. :( When will winter be over?!?!?!:confused3

We did get some errands done this morning.We went to the grocery store, Walgreens, the library and the post office.

Due to the storm, we will most likely stay home this weekend. I have a list of organizing and cleaning that I would like to get done. Once everything is done, we'll watch movies from the library and maybe play some board games.

The plan for this afternoon:

* Homeschooling

* Coupon cutting/organizing

* Research

* Relax

Hope everyone has a great weekend!:grouphug:

P.S. I forgot to mention....We went to the hospital to see my SIL and the baby last night. My SIL is in pain, but doing well. The baby is such a cutie pie!!!!:lovestruc He had his eyes open and was looking around last night. He only cried when my SIL changed his diaper. The rest of the time, he just watched everyone or slept. He is a beautiful baby!:lovestruc

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Congratulations on the addition of your nephew. I do agree with Wilderness that she needs a new OB, if your SIL wants more kids. It sounds like a very unsafe practice.

I hope the snow misses you guys. I am ready for winter to be over too. My DD is tired of being cooped up too.

Have a good weekend.
Beth

[Lesli54]

Glad to hear that the baby is finally here. Is this her first C-section? Tell her to keep walking as much as she can handle because that will truly get her back on her feet much quicker with less pain. Also wearing an elastic wrap that goes around your midsection really helps ease the pain since it "holds" everything closer to you and helps defy gravity so it doesn't pull on the stitches, if that makes sense. I have done this 2 times so I know it works.

Sorry, to hear that you are still getting storms. I haven't checked our weather lately, but we are looking at some serious flooding.

Hope you get a chance to get those errands done. Have a great evening.::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[Amy&Dan]

Hi Tracy, you have such a rotten winter weather wise! I can only imagine how sick you must be of this. I hope the snow misses you and that you are able to get some things done around the house to at least make you feel like something good comes from being cooped up! Hope your dh will soon get some time off! Have a great weekend sweetie!:hug:

P.S. I had a friend who got sent home by an OB when she clearly needed to be kept in the hospital. She had her baby in the parking lot of a firestation at 3:00 a.m. the next day! I am so glad everything turned out safe and sound for your sil and new little nephew. Friend had a healthy baby girl btw but not a good situation. Doctors!:rolleyes:

[Blueeyes101817]

Congrats to your SIL!!
Hope you relaxed and enjoyed the weekend--even if you were "Snowed in!:)

[traceycooper]

Hope the weather isnt too bad Tracy!
We have a severe weather warning for tomorrow - high winds & rain :(
Roll on Spring eh?

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

What a storm we had this weekend!:eek: We had about 2 feet of snow here! Businesses closed, highways closed, and most people stayed home to wait it out. The irony of it all was the beautiful sunshine we had the next day. :goodvibes

On Sunday, we did a lot of bargain shopping. Here's what we got:

CVS Trip 1:
Alavert Allergy Medicine
Garnier Fructis Conditioner
Garnier Fructis Hair Gel
Irish Spring Body Wash
Irish Spring 8 pack of soap

Total Out of Pocket: $2.07 Extra Care Bucks Earned: $13

CVS Trip # 2:
Alavert Allergy Medicine
Garnier Conditioner
Garnier Gel

Total Out of Pocket: $3.47 Extra Care Bucks Earned:$8

Walgreens: A lot of stuff! Total $30/ almost $17 back in rebates

Walmart:
Sweater for me

Pants for me

Workout Pants for me

4 Johnson Buddies Soap (free w/ coupons)

(2) Pampers Baby Wipes ($1.00 w/ coupons)

(2) Easter gifts for the girls

Super Glue

Total: $24!!

CVS Trip # 3:
(9) Disney Movies
(1) Night at the Museum

Total: $70/ WOW!!!:eek:

We also bought a couple of razors over the weekend that have rebates on them. We spent $18 and will get $18 back.:banana:

Whew!:faint: Can you imagine how much thinner I would be if I put as much energy into working out as I do finding bargains?:lmao:

Yesterday, we also had my nephew's 21st birthday at my MIL's house. We had a good time and we got to see baby Daniel.:lovestruc

My MIL really seemed out of sorts yesterday. She said she was feeling bad...very bad. When I asked her what that meant she didn't really answer. I would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers for her. Thanks!:grouphug:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling (We're taking a trip around the 50 states this week!)

* Laundry

* Work for DH

* Post Office?

* Movie?

* eBay? (We listed 4 items last night and 2 sold already!:banana: )

* Workout

* Disney Meeting (We make ADRS next week for September!:banana: )

Hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

[postesf]

Wow! What a great job on those savings!!!!

2 feet of snow... I can't even imagine! I had to drive 8 hours to find snow this weekend!

Have fun Disney planning!!!

Stacie

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
sounds like your storm was much worse than ours!!
Glad your ok!
Great job on the shopping trip :)

[pearlieq]

You were on my mind during that crazy storm! Hopefully that's the end of it!!!

Glad to hear baby Daniel is here and healthy. That's a whole lotta baby! :rotfl:

I hope you've had a great day and had a lot of fun Disney planning!

[kimwim8]

Hey Tracy! :goodvibes Man, it's been way too long since I've stopped by.

I'm going to send you my shopping list and let YOU get the stuff for me!! :worship: You are the ultimate bargain hunter!! :worship:

And ADR's for September??? I still haven't made the one I need to for May!! Let alone our August trip. Geez lady, you like the energizer bunny! :yay:

Thanks, as always, for your support and friendship on my journal. Even though I don't stop by here often, you're in my thoughts. :hug:

[Lesli54]

I was thinking about you when we heard about all that snow you got. Thankfully, it missed us.;)

Too bad you can't count bargaining as exercise, that would be great. Keeping your SIL in my prayers.::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[AmyBeth68]

Hi Tracy...

How are you feeling? Hopefully you've dug out from all that snow!!! :goodvibes

I'll echo everyones' comments...great job with the bargain hunting :). You could be a professional bargain shopper. I'm very impressed! :worship:

How is your MIL doing? Any clues as to what might have been the problem?

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for stopping by.:grouphug: I'm sorry I haven't been around lately....We have a busy day ahead of us so I probably won't be able to get to journals until tomorrow.

My MIL seems to be doing okay. I think she was completely exhausted from her double shift at work and then driving home in the snowstorm. She says she is feeling better. :goodvibes Thanks!

Today's Plan:

* Research...We're thinking of going a new direction with homeschooling for next year.

* Work for DH

* Bible Study w/ friends this evening

* Disney Meeting Part 2

* Work on rewards programs

* Ebay?

Hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Wish Sis, I am glad your mil is better, you have had one heck of a winter! I am sure you are right, the long work hours and driving through that winter weather just probably wiped her out. Your bargains are so incredible! I need you to come out here and show me the ropes, I am not a good bargain finder! Hope today was a good one and I hope you don't have anymore snow for quite some time!

Enjoy holding Baby Daniel, I am so envious!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy.:hug:

Yesterday was a good day..We got our grocery shopping done, we went for a walk, I went to Bible study, my DH and I had a meeting, and we had our Disney meeting part 2. All in all, a good day.:goodvibes

This weekend is kind of busy. Today, we have our Pop Century party (see below) and a stop to the Osh Kosh outlet later on. Tomorrow, I have Mom Time at church and we are helping my aunt and uncle move. On Sunday, we have church and we are teaching the 4 year olds this weekend. At some point, we need to get our taxes done. It's really stressing me out. :eek:

The Pop Century party is our family night activity for the week. The girls have planned the menu and the activities for the evening. They also will be decorating our kitchen with Pop Century type items. (pictures, Rubix cubes, e.t.c.) Our menu consists of:

Appetizer: Broccoli and cheddar POPpers

Dinner: Penne Pasta and Meatballs (from the POP menu)

Dessert: Yogurt (from the POP menu)

Snack: POPcorn

The activities planned are a hula hoop contest and a Mickey Mouse bowling tournament on my DD's plug and play Disney video game. We'll also be counting the money from the shoebox and adding it into our savings account where it can collect interest and not dust. ;):lmao:

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Please send :wizard: that we get done with the taxes this weekend!:eek:

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, you are such a great mom! What a fun idea, I love your Pop party! You are so like me, finding ways to weave those upcoming Disney trips into everyday life! It is absolutely killing me not to do this for our surprise trip but I am committed! I hope you have a great weekend, you sound busy as usual.

Great job getting in that walk!:thumbsup2

[traceycooper]

i love the Pop party idea Tracy :)
Have a super weekend & i hope those taxes finally are out of the way!

[Lesli54]

Your Pop Century party sounds like fun and a really cute idea. Maybe we will try something like that here with the Beach Club to everyone "ready" for our upcoming trip. You always have such cool ideas.

Have fun at the party and teaching the 4 yr olds!::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

Yesterday was a good day. We went to church and taught a group of (15) four year olds who had lots and lots of energy. :scared1: Afterwards, we went to breakfast. My DD7 went shopping with grandma while DD5 went with my DH and I to the job he had to get done. We came home, went to my MIL's, had our St. Patrick's Day meal a day early, came home, and called it a day. We did go to CVS, Walgreens, and Office Max yesterday too. :goodvibes

CVS Trip #1:
(2) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(1) Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids
(2) Packages of Easter Eggs
(2) Bags of Jelly Beans

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $0.93
ECBs Earned:$16.93

CVS Trip # 2:
(1) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(2) Lady Speed Stick Deodorants
(1) Men's Speed Stick Deodorant
(1) BIC Soleil Razor
(1) BIC Soleil Razor Refills
(1) Maybelline Colorstay Lipstick
(1) Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids
(1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $1.11
Total ECBs Earned: $25.97

CVS Trip # 3:
(1) Hershey's Pot of Gold
(1) Reese's Peanut Butter Cup
(2) Easter Eggs
(2) Jelly Beans

Total Out of Pocket After Coupons/ECBs: $0.75
Total ECBs Earned: $8.95

On this transaction, the balance actually came out to -$.04 so I had to add the Reese Cup in order to owe something. :thumbsup2

Walgreens:
(2) Easter Baskets
(6) Bubble Envelopes to mail DVDs sold on eBay
(2) Au Gratin Potatoes
(4) Rolls of Walgreens Toilet Paper
(2) Candy Chickens w/ bubble gum

Total: $10.84

And finally, Office Max:
(1) Pack of X-Treme File Rubber Bands
(1) Airheads Candy (for DD5)
(1) HP Black Ink for Printer Twin Pack
(1) HP Premium Photo Paper (FREE w/ ink purchase! :mrgreen: Regularly $10.49)
(1) Coke Classic (for DH )

Total with Coupon: $26.36

It was a great weekend for deals, plus I was able to get some Easter things I needed as well. :woohoo: Thanks for letting me share our deals with you. My DH and kids get excited when we get deals, but my extended family doesn't see the point. :(

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Laundry

* Work with DH

* Thrift Store

* Pay Bills

* Workout

This will probably be a busy week ahead. DH will be working daily and we will be getting caught up on homeschooling as well. We still need to have the Pop Century party and will fit it into our day either today or tomorrow.

Hope everyone has a Happy St. Patrick's Day! :goodvibes




P.S. ADRs for WDW in September tomorrow!

[pearlieq]

It was a great weekend for CVS, wasn't it? :thumbsup2 I'm not stocked with mouthwash from now until the end of time, and I don't mind those Pot of Golds at all!

How does Walgreens work?

Your POP party sounds awesome! You always have the best ideas for family fun. I hope everyone has a fantastic time!

Have a great day! :banana:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
another great shopping trip :)
Hope the pop party was fun :)

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Your Pop party is a fabulous idea. Why can't I come up with these ideas? I'll just have to steal yours.;) You are also the bargain shopping queen. I love a good deal. Keep sharing with us.

Take care,
Beth

[Amy&Dan]

I love to hear about your deals! You just amaze me, I don't know how you do it. You need to have a reality show "Tracy's Deals"!

Sounds like you had a nice weekend but a busy one! Hope this is a good week for you, is it spring yet????:flower3:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies!!!:grouphug:

I am so excited!!! We got the ADRs we wanted for September!:banana: Here's our list:

9/14: Cap n Jacks
9/15: Chef Mickeys (B); Kona Cafe (D)
9/16: Boma
9/17: Chef Mickey's (D)
9/18: Cape May Cafe
9/19: Le Cellier on my birthday+ Extra Magic Hours at Epcot!!!!!!! :woohoo:

I'm glad we were able to get the reservations that we wanted. The only one I was really concerned about was Le Cellier because it fills up so quickly.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling
* Laundry
* Rewards Programs
* eBay? (We've listed 6 items in the past week and so far, 5 of them have sold! :mrgreen: )
* Research
* Workout

These plans may change based on whether or not we go to work with my DH. He has a quick job to do this morning and he could drop us off at the mall while he works. Then, we could go to lunch because we have a buy one get one coupon for his birthday. The girls aren't feeling 100% so we'll have to wait and see what happens.

That brings me to my weight issue. I weighed myself last night and I am up to 225. :eek: This needs to stop. I have to figure out a plan that will work for me. Exercise is definitely important, but eating right is too. I am really looking forward to warmer weather so I can walk more and get out on the bike.

Hope everyone has a great day! :grouphug:

pearlieq~ There were great deals at CVS this weekend!:thumbsup2 I was running around like crazy on Sunday trying to get to two stores before we went to church. We made it on time and got our deals!:thumbsup2

Tracey~ Thanks! I love getting good deals on stuff.:goodvibes The Pop Century party has been officially postponed until Thursday or Friday. The kids are super excited!:banana:

Beth~ Please feel free to take my ideas! They're actually not all my ideas. I found some of them here on the DIS. Thanks for your words of encouragement!:hug:

Amy~ I love the idea of a TV show! I could use the money for extra trips to WDW!:lmao: We could even have a WISH meet!!!:yay:

[toystoryduo]

Good morning,

We finally had the Pop Century Party yesterday!:banana: The girls had a lot of fun decorating the house with Mickey and Pop Century stuff, helping with dinner, and playing the bowling video game.:cool1: The only thing we didn't do was open the money box. We'll do that today.:thumbsup2

Today looks to be a busy day ahead;

* Homeschooling
* Workout
* Account Setups
* Wrap DH's birthday gift
* Work on the treasure hunt for Sunday
* QR
* Grocery ad/deals
* Bible study

I'm glad that spring starts tomorrow!:flower3: If the weather would cooperate, I would be even happier! ;)

Hope everyone has a great day!:hug:

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Glad to hear that the party was a success. Great job on the Ebay items. You will figure out a program that works for you, and you will get the weight off.

Have fun counting that change.

Take care,
Beth

[Amy&Dan]

Glad you got to have the Pop Century party! I am so with you on spring, it is here I guess but only on the calendar, not in reality! I too look forward to nice walks when I don't have to bundle up and freeze my hiney off. I always think about my trainer telling me that food is the bigger part of the equation. Just keep up the hard work, we are getting there. I love your ADR's and congrats on Le Cellier, that one is very hard to come by!

[traceycooper]

yay you had the pop party :)
It sounds lots of fun!
No sign of spring here :(
Heavy rain forcast for next 4 days! :(

[toystoryduo]

Happy Spring everyone! :flower3: (As I say that with snow on the ground here.:lmao: ) I hope that the weather starts reflecting the change in season real soon.

Yesterday was an okay day. Instead of tackling my to do list, I got sidetracked by other things: I opened an investment account, cleaned out my DH's top dresser drawer:scared1: , and went to Walgreens for more eBay supplies. Today, I plan on working on finishing up Easter baskets, the treasure hunt, and getting my DH's birthday present wrapped. (His birthday is on Saturday.)

I worked out today....Power 90 Strength Circuits 1-2 and Ab Ripper. (Sounds painful doesn't it?:lmao: ) I am not happy at all with the way I feel right now. :mad: I am back to my all time high of 225 and boy is it frustrating! I've got to start taking action NOW before it gets even further out of hand. I'm going to sit down later on today and make a few goals for the rest of the month through April. I would love to be in Onederland when we go to WDW in September, but based on past history, 25 pounds may be too lofty of a goal.:confused3

I will try and come back later to update my goals. Hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

[AmyBeth68]

Tracy...

I know the weight issue can be so frustrating. Just keep up with your workouts and the healthier eating seems to follow. Good job getting your workout in...start to build that momentum now that you are feeling better.

[pearlieq]

Hi! :wave:

I'm glad to hear you finally had your Pop party! How fun is that!
Glad to hear you got your ADRs for the trip. It always seems more "real" after that.

Good for you for getting that great workout in! One step at a time! I KNOW you can do it! :cheer2:

[larry's girl]

Hi, Tracy. I feel your pain on the weight issue. It will happen, as long as you don't give up!

I admire your creative energy and spirit - you get so much accomplished for your family, I hope they appreciate you!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Susan

[Blueeyes101817]

have a great weekend!!!!!!!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy, pearlieq, and Jen!:grouphug:

Good evening friends,

Happy Spring!:flower3: I'm glad that it's spring, but I wish the weather would cooperate. We're supposed to get 4-6 inches of snow tonight. :(

I finally got the rest of the stuff for the girls' Easter baskets today. I still have to work on the treasure map though. I can do that while watching TV tonight or tomorrow.

I did a Power 90 workout yesterday and it felt good. :goodvibes The program calls for daily exercise, but for now, I think that's too much. I'm going to try alternating strength and cardio every other day. So tomorrow, I will do the cardio workout and then on Monday, I will do the strength workout. My DH may/may not join me in the workouts. He's still not feeling well. :(

Speaking of my DH, his 35th birthday is tomorrow! We bought him some Reese's eggs and a Cool Water gift set at CVS. (Everything under $5!!!:banana: )

Weekend Plans:

Saturday: DH"s birthday. He has to work. The girls may be going to my MIL's house to color Easter eggs.

Sunday: Easter egg hunt, treasure hunt and baskets at our house; Easter at my grandma's; Easter at a local hotel (with my in laws) that has a pool and putt putt for the kids

Hope everyone has a great weekend!:grouphug:

[hockeygirl]

Hey Tracy--sounds like you have had a busy couple of weeks! I love reading about all the bargains you find while shopping....I wish I was that good!!!

The Pop Party sounds like so much fun....the girls must have had a BLAST!!

Great job on those ADR's for September....Le Cellier is GREAT!! It is funny that you say that Le Cellier is hard to get..I thought the same exact thing, and I got it. But when we went in January, we get there and the place was half empty!!!!! They were turning people away at the door that were coming up and just trying to get in, yet the place was half empty..it didn't make sense to me.

Keep your chin up about the exercise. As someone else said, take it one step at a time, one day at a time. You can so do it, just stick with it.

Hope you have a great weekend!!

[kimwim8]

Hey Tracy. :goodvibes Just stopping by to wish you (and your family) a very Happy Easter. :thumbsup2 You're really doing great with your workouts! I agree that every day is too much too. For me, if I do it every day - I burn out mentally and physically.

Have a GREAT weekend! And happy birthday to your DH! :banana: (I'll be 35 this year too....ugh)

[traceycooper]

Happy Easter Tracy :)
We got snow too :( only a dusting though!
The workouts sound fun :)
Hope DH has a great birthday :)

[Amy&Dan]

Hey there, I hope Easter and dh's birthday were fun! Did you get snow? We got a dusting and it was chilly all day. Where oh where is spring? I hope you aren't in that flooded part of the midwest?

We have a new week upon us, lets make it a good one! Great job doing those workouts, just do what you can, when you can. Happy Easter Wish Sis!:)

[pearlieq]

Happy spring and happy, happy Easter! I hope it has been a great day!

Good job getting that workout in! You can definitely do this! :cheer2:

Can't wait to hear about your adventures today!

[postesf]

Hi Tracey! Just checking in... How was your weekend?? Good I hope! :)

Stacie

[toystoryduo]

Thank you so much everyone for stopping by!:grouphug:

We had a really nice Easter yesterday. :goodvibes We went to my grandma's house and then to my MIL's celebration at a local hotel. The kids had a great time playing with their cousins and swimming.:thumbsup2

I had to do my CVS and Walgreens trips today since Easter was yesterday. Here's what we got:

Walgreens:
(12) Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (for DH)
(3) Tide :Laundry Detergents
(2) Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaners
(2) Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
(2) Hormel Complete Eats Meals
(3) Nail Clippers

Total: $21.10

CVS
(2) Boxes of Rice Krispies Cereal
(1) Maybelline Mineral Foundation
(1) Maybelline Mineral Powder Foundation

Total Out of Pocket: $1.07 :mrgreen: No ECBs earned :(

Grocery Store:
(1) Purex Laundry Detergent
(2) Ore Ida French Fries
(2) Ore Ida Hash Browns
(1) Purina Cat Chow
(1) Chex Mix ($0.50 w/ coupons)
(2) Cheerios Snack Mix ($.50/each w/coupons)
(6) Gillette Travel Size Shaving Lotions ($0.19/each w/coupons)
(2) L'Oreal Kids' Shampoos (FREE w/ coupons!!!)

Total: $14.78

Can you tell that I spent some time today on Hot Coupon World? :laughing:

My DH's uncle is taking us to Outback for dinner this evening! :cool1: I love Outback and I love that I don't have to cook even more! :lmao:

I will try and get back on to the boards this evening and get to journals. Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

I'm glad you had a nice Easter. The girls must have loved the put-put. As always, great deals. Have a yummy dinner tonight.

Take care,
Beth

[Amy&Dan]

Oh, I love Outback! That is great you had a nice Easter and great your inlaws did that thing at the hotel. What a treat for you and your girls! I am telling you, I need to take some shopping classes from you! Glad you had a night off out of the kitchen, "see" you tomorrow!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Beth and Amy!:hug:

We had a great time at dinner this evening! The food was delicious and the company was wonderful.:goodvibes

My DBro sent my girls their Christmas gift....A Play Station 2!:eek: The girls are so excited!:woohoo: :yay: They didn't get a chance to play much tonight because we were out, but they have all day tomorrow. ;)

I did get my strength and abs workout in today. That makes 330 minutes for the month.

I hope everyone has a good evening!:grouphug:

[pearlieq]

That's quite a gift! That ought to keep the occupied.

It's a slow week for deals, isn't it. I'm going to make a CVS run this week, but it's not too exciting.

Good job getting all those workouts in! :cheer2:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks pearlieq.:hug:

Good afternoon friends,

I am completely exhausted today. TOM is looming on the horizon and I am just plain wiped out. :( We're going to leave in a few minutes for haircuts and later on, a trip to the library. After that, I think we'll stay home for the evening. Maybe we'll do some Disney planning or plan for a possible sleepover for the girls and my niece on Friday. We'll see.

I'll try and get to journals tomorrow. :grouphug:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
Well done on the workouts :)
We did Outback when we went to Clearwater to get married - LOVED it :)
Hope TOM isnt too bad!

[keenercam]

Hi, Tracy! Sorry you are feeling wiped out today. I hope the girls will enjoy some play time together and you will get some quiet time for you. It sounds like your WDW trip plans are coming together nicely. :thumbsup2 LeCellier is our favorite restaurant and it is always touch and go on whether we can get an ADR so I am glad there is no uncertainty for you.

Take good care of yourself, sweetie! I hope the weather warms up for you and you can get some outdoor walks in. :cool1:

[AmyBeth68]

How are you feeling today Tracy? Sending some energy PD! :goodvibes

Congrats on 330 minutes this month! Keep up with the exercise and hopefully it will help you to feel more energized. I know that when I'm feeling droopy exercise usually invigorates me!!! :)

[Caitsmama]

Hi tracy -- how are you feeling?

[goldcupmom]

Wow, Tracy! That's my kind of shopping. I am always wishing we had a CVS here when I read the deals on line.

Hope you're feeling better. TOM just plain stinks sometimes! (ok, most of the time!!)

PS2 for the girls is a really awesome gift. There are some great games for it & usually at a good price. Do you have the redbox dvd rental vending machines where you live? if so, they rent ps2 games & you can get free codes every week (and online more often).

Hope you have a great Friday & the weather improves. It's near perfect here - except for the wind.

[Amy&Dan]

Hi Tracy,

Oh I hate that when TOM is about to come and you feel like you ran a marathon! I hope you are feeling better. That is so nice your brother gave the girls a playstation! I can vouch that those really can keep the kiddies occupied! That is awesome you have those exercise minutes in, that must feel so good. Keep up the good work and feel better!

[kimwim8]

Hey girlie! :goodvibes Sorry to hear you're not feeling too well. Freakin TOM. :headache: Who invited him anyway? :confused3

Your trip is getting closer!! I seriously want you to plan one for me sometime. :thumbsup2

[pearlieq]

Bad TOM! I hope you were able to get some rest and you're feeling better now. :wizard:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks everyone for stopping by!:grouphug: I have more energy today, but TOM is still looming....My cycles are very irregular when I'm not on the pill so sometimes, it can be a guessing game as to when it will show up. :rolleyes:

I've got my to do list ready for the weekend. I've got a few things on it and will try to baby step my way through the list.:goodvibes

My niece may be sleeping over our house tonight and the girls are very excited! We have nothing specific planned as of yet, but the High School Musical Dance Along is on tonight so I am guessing that they'll want to watch that. ;):dance3:

Today's Plan:

* Finish cleaning

* Call Disney and make a payment on our Sept. trip!:banana:

* Errands

* Strength workout

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!:grouphug:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
have a great weekend :)
never mind the kids i would wanna watch the HSM dance along ;)

[toystoryduo]

I'm super excited!!!! :banana:

We got a letter in the mail a few days ago about a special promotion that the local gym was having for new members. So, today we decided to go check the gym out. It is wonderful and very affordable!!! Plus, it has childcare for the girls too so my DH and I can workout together like we used to before kids. We're hoping to go sign the membership papers in a little while. Just had to share the good news! :yay:

P.S. Tracey~ I told my DDs that since I would be working out at the gym now, I need to get the Disney Dance Party CD for my workouts.:cheer2: Maybe I'll get HSM too!:thumbsup2

[toystoryduo]

I'm pretty excited about the gym.:banana: After I graduated high school, my DH (my DB back then ;) ) asked if I wanted to get a membership to his gym. I gave it a try and I loved it!:goodvibes I worked out there through college, but once I got a job teaching, I stopped going and that's when the weight gain started. During our tour of the gym yesterday, I just wanted to hop on the machines and start working out again right then and there.:woohoo: Since the price was so good for both of us and because they have childcare, we decided to go for it. Another plus is that it is right around the corner from our house. We can walk there in about 10 minutes. :D Our first workout will be on Monday and on Tuesday, we have an appointment for a body composition evaluation, an age test, and a metabolic thingamabob. (Tells you how many calories you need a day to lose or maintain weight.)

My to do list for the weekend has shrunk considerably. I got a lot done yesterday. :goodvibes I really need to work on taxes today and tomorrow so we can get them filed.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!:grouphug:

[traceycooper]

thats great news Tracy :)
& you've got DH to workout with :)
i'm liking the sound of the Disney dance party CD - i will have to look out for that :)

[pearlieq]

What an awesome find with the gym! It's great that it's so close and that you and DH will be able to work out together. It's a great couple activity. :cool1:

I hope your weekend has been going well.

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Congrats on the new gym membership. The gym is the very best money spent in my opinion. The fact that they have child care is awesome. You will definately reach your goals now.

Tkae care,
Beth

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies!:grouphug:

I love the new gym! My DH and I did 10 minutes on the treadmill and 20 minutes on the ellipticals, followed by a 30 minute upper body workout with weights. It felt great!:woohoo: (Remind me I said that after I wake up with sore muscles tomorrow morning. ;):lmao: ) Tomorrow, we have our body composition and fitness evaluations. I'm very nervous about that!:scared:

I'm almost done with laundry and we finished homeschooling early so the girls could enjoy the 60 degree weather.:goodvibes

Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[postesf]

A new gym! That is very exciting!!! It's great it has childcare and so close your home! To be able to walk would be nice!

Keep up the great work!!!
Stacie

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, congratulations on joining the gym! I think that is great and having the childcare is huge. I know now that my kids are old enough to stay home or come to the rec center and swim its so much easier. Its just hard to work out at home when the kids keep coming in with "what are you doing?"!! Now you can put the girls in the kids area, they'll have fun and you and your dh can work out. Thats great you can walk there on the days he has the car. What a win/win situation!

Glad it was sixty there today, we had snow!:mad:

Don't worry about the body compostition thing, they see all shapes and sizes and its about helping you be successful!

[Caitsmama]

Tracey, congrats on the new gym!!! How did your analysis go?!

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
hope your enjoying the workouts :)
hope the evaluations went well!

[goldcupmom]

Congrats on the gym!! What a great deal for you!!

It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who is still working on taxes. UGH!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow. How did the body testing stuff go?

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.:grouphug:

This morning, we got our body composition test results. :scared1: : It was eye opening for sure! Here are my stats:

Weight: 224.4 :(
Fat: 51.6% UGH!!!! :guilty:
Lean Muscle: 48.4%

The trainer told me that the calories I would need each day are 1,484. However, I don't think the increased activity level was factored into that amount. My friend in a personal trainer and I will ask her about the results when she comes over for Bible study on Thursday. After I talk to her about our results, my DH and I will come up with a plan of action.

We could use good thoughts and prayers....My DH hasn't been busy the past two weeks and we are still waiting on payments from contractors on invoices that are way overdo. With taxes due in a few weeks, a smaller than usual workload, and these payments not coming in, it's making for some financial stress at the moment. :(

I'm off to journals....Have a good evening!:grouphug:

[ScoJo15]

Tracy -

Congratulations on signing up at the gym!! What a great thing to do...especially when you can work out with your DH :)

The body composition test results can certainly be eye opening, but it's a great opportunity to use them as a starting point for a healthier you :goodvibes: I hope you see improvement as you continue your workouts...do they take that BC test monthly or something? How does that work?

Hope you have a good night!

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am keeping you and dh in my prayers that his business picks up. I know firsthand how stressful that is. It will all work out, just keep thinking postively! Easier said than done I know. Why can't people pay their invoices on time? So aggravating and not fair!:hug: :wizard:

I am proud that you went in for that body composition. You know your starting point, its all good news from now on! Definitely check on those calorie total/levels. You want to make sure you are eating the right amount for the increased activity you are about to start up! You can do this Wish Sis, you and I have travelled a long road together and we have at times felt like it would never happen. But it is, in that we haven't given up, we have learned a lot and now we both have a way to work out and make this happen once and for all! Those numbers are going to be going in the right direction from here on out!:thumbsup2

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Scott and Amy!:goodvibes

Today has been a good day so far. We went to Walgreens this morning to get some cleaning supplies. Low and behold, if you purchase certain ones, you get Register Rewards back that you can use like cash. We spent $71, got back $29 in Register Rewards, got a survey for $5, and have two mail in rebates for $5 and $5.29 each. :banana: That was a good shopping trip! :thumbsup2 After shopping, we went to Bob Evans for lunch and got our homeschooling done. This afternoon, we'll clean the garage up a bit and then tackle the kitchen, living room, and bathroom....Bible study is at my house tomorrow and the house needs a serious cleaning! :eek: We may go to the gym this evening if we aren't too worn out. ;)

We're still waiting on payments from two certain contractors. We are beyond a NET 30 and that is what each contract called for...We're trying to be patient and understanding, but it can be a challenge!

I picked up the book, "It's All Too Much, by Peter Walsh today. He is the professional organizer from TLC's Clean Sweep and has been on Oprah a couple of times too. I love his approach to cleaning and organizing! I can't wait to read this book! :woohoo:

Hope everyone has a great day! I will try and get to journals later on this evening or tomorrow morning.:goodvibes

[keenercam]

Tracy -- Congrats on finding the new gym. I am definitely with Scott on this one. Those measurements are just the starting point. Just think how great you'll feel by the time those analyses are done the next time. In the meantime, isn't it great to know that everything you do can improve those numbers? Awesome! I am sending you loads of pixiedust: and lots of :goodvibes (as well as prayers) for those two contractors to quickly meet their payment obligations. It really isn't fair that their delay is putting your family under undue pressure.
Your shopping trip was very impressive! Can't wait to hear what you think of the book. :thumbsup2

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
i hope work picks up for DH soon & he gets his payments!!
It must be very stressful for you both!
yet again you are the shopping queen :)
Hope you dont mind me asking but what do you do exactly at bible study?
May be a daft question i know but its something that doesnt happen in the UK!!

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I really hope those people pay soon! Don't they realize your dh doesn't do his job for his health and has a family to support?

If you don't get to the gym, that cleaning counts as exercise. At least thats what they say at Weight Watchers! You had a busy productive day. And as usual, your shopping saavy just puts me to shame!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Cam, Tracey, and Amy!:grouphug:

Good morning friends,

Today, my friends are coming over for Bible study. My house is a mess!:eek: I meant to clean it yesterday, but got caught up in organizing the garage instead. There's not a whole lot that needs to be done, but I don't have a whole lot of motivation at the moment to get it done. Maybe after I eat brunch.....

We're still waiting on the payments from the contractors. This can be frustrating at times. I am grateful for the work and the money, but when payments are overdue, I can't budget properly. :(

I did manage to get to the gym yesterday evening. It was not my best workout. I can't figure out if it's because it was an evening workout as opposed to a morning workout or if it was too much working out too many days in a row.:confused3 In any event, I had a very hard time just getting through 20 minutes on the elliptical when I did 30 easily earlier in the week. I added 10 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes on the treadmill plus upper body weights. I feel it today!:headache:

I hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

Tracey~ The Bible study we are doing is on the Old Testament book of Esther. We have a workbook type book that asks us questions about the different passages that we read in Esther. We get together once a week to share our answers, discuss the book of Esther, and pray for each other. Hope that helps!:goodvibes

[pearlieq]

Weight: 224.4 :(
Fat: 51.6% UGH!!!! :guilty:
Lean Muscle: 48.4%


Something about this has me a bit confused. Where does this account for all the water you're made up of, or things like your bones, organs, etc.? I'm thinking that fat number has to be wrong--or maybe it's describing something different than what we're used to hearing when we hear about body fat %.

I'm not saying this to be a naysayer or anything, I just wonder if the actual situation may not be as bad as you're thinking. I just know that my body fat % hovers just over 50% and I outweigh you by more than 100 pounds! And I don't remember being that much taller than you either...

At any rate, if it motivates you, that's what counts. It sounds like you got a great workout in the other day. Good for you! :cheer2:

I really hope the situation with the contractors works out soon. That can be so frustrating. :hug:

Enjoy your bible study! Esther is a fun book.

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
Thanks for the info :)
well done for getting another workout in!

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I always have a harder time working out in the afternoons and evenings. But it could just be you are worn out from the gym and life in general. I tell ya, some days are just like that. My legs felt like lead weights today.

I hope you Bible study went well, they are your friends, if the house wasn't perfect, they probably didn't notice and definitely didn't care! We women put way too much pressure on ourselves!!

[Caitsmama]

Hi tracy,
don't worry so much about the house -- they are there to study God's word, not your amount of dust.. LOL ;)

I know how you feel when you say it was hard to get thru it - your w/o, b/c if i try to do too much too many days in a row, i feel the same, i think sometimes you need that "recharge" day off!!

[toystoryduo]

Something about this has me a bit confused. Where does this account for all the water you're made up of, or things like your bones, organs, etc.? I'm thinking that fat number has to be wrong--or maybe it's describing something different than what we're used to hearing when we hear about body fat %.


I was thinking the same thing! I talked to my friend who is a personal trainer yesterday and she said that the lean mass % includes muscle, water, bone, and internal organs. She also said that the test we took has a 5-7% failure rate and that there are better ways to measure these things. At our next Bible study, she is bringing me information on how to test these things more accurately.

[toystoryduo]

Thanks pearlieq, Tracey, Amy, and Stacy!:grouphug:

Yesterday was a good day. We did get the house clean, DH worked, and Bible study went well.:goodvibes After Bible study, my tummy started not feeling well and still isn't feeling well this morning. I may send my DH out for some Pepto Bismol soon.

Today, I am supposed to babysit my niece and my nephew so that my SIL can take my niece out for my birthday. She turns 17 today!:bday: I'm babysitting from 2:30-7:00 p.m. The money that I make will go towards a Disney payment for our September trip!:banana:

Plans for the weekend:

* Finish taxes (can't wait to be done!:banana: )

* Make Disney payment

* eBay?

* Head out to thrift stores/ eBay

* Workout or walk (depending on how I feel)

Hope everyone has a great weekend! :grouphug:

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, i have to get my ebay going too.. i just bought a nice lightbox for photographing stuff in..
Do you go to the thrift stores to buy stuff to sell on ebay? curious about this.. :) I need to start making some extra $$ for paying my inlaws for my double dip DCL cruise this sept. I need to pay them about $600 more.

[toystoryduo]

Tracy, i have to get my ebay going too.. i just bought a nice lightbox for photographing stuff in..
Do you go to the thrift stores to buy stuff to sell on ebay? curious about this.. :) I need to start making some extra $$ for paying my inlaws for my double dip DCL cruise this sept. I need to pay them about $600 more.

I'm sending you a PM, Stacy!:goodvibes

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, thats great you worked out and got the house clean. I love those days when I feel like I got all my bases covered! Good girl putting that babysitting money to your Disney trip! I hope you had a good workout today with whatever you chose to do (isn't nice you have these choices now that you have joined your gym?). And have a great weekend Wish Sis!!:)

[pearlieq]

Are you feeling any better? I hope so. Stomach woes are no fun.

I hope the babysitting goes well. Sounds like fun and every extra bit to the Disney fund is great!

Have a wonderful weekend! Taxes are on tap for us this weekend too, so I'll think of you while we're sorting receipts. :laughing:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy and pearlieq!:grouphug:

Yesterday was a good day. I started feeling better so I decided to go ahead and babysit. My DDs went with me and everyone had a good time. I earned $35 for 3.5 hours of babysitting and the girls earned $3 Disney Dollars each. (DD7 has almost $70 saved in Disney Dollars and DD5 has about $50 saved in Disney Dollars!:cheer2: )

Today's Plan:

* Taxes ( pearlieq.....Are you sure you don't want to do my taxes too?:lmao: )

* DH work

* Thrift Stores...eBay

* Call Disney...Make a payment!:banana:

* Rewards Programs

* CVS/Walgreens Lists

* Walk (Still not 100% yet, will go back to the gym on Monday)

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great weekend!:grouphug:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
hope you have a great weekend :)
well done on earning a few extra $'s for WDW :)

[Amy&Dan]

Hey Tracy, glad you started to feel better. $35 more towards WDW!:cool1: That is great your dd's have that much money saved up. I have found having my kids save for our trips is a great way for them to learn budgeting skills. Good luck with the taxes (yuk, no fun I know!)

Happy Weekend!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Tracey and Amy!:grouphug:

I called and made the WDW payment today. :banana: I had 2 razor rebates come in the mail so I added those and ended up making a $50 payment.:goodvibes

Taxes are still not done..... I have a few more days yet. The weather is beautiful today and is supposed to be beautiful tomorrow too. I'll wait for a rainy day. ;)

Have a great Saturday everyone!:grouphug:

[Blueeyes101817]

gotta love making disney payments!!!!!

Hope you have a great sunday :)

[traceycooper]

can you send some sun this way Tracy??
We've got snow :(

[Amy&Dan]

Yeah, why waste a lovely day doing your taxes? That is awesome, $50 less that you owe on your WDW trip! Keep that up and your trip will be paid off in no time. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!:)

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Jen, Tracey, and Amy!:grouphug:

Today, we have a field trip scheduled for the girls. We're going to the McKinley Museum in Canton, Ohio. It's not Disney World, but I think they will have a good time. ;)

The weather is supposed to be about 70 degrees and sunny today. After we go to the museum, we'll go to a local park to walk and for a picnic lunch. It should be fun! :banana:

We also have my niece's 17th birthday party at my MIL's house this evening. I can't believe she is 17 already! :eek:

Work is starting to pick up for my DH and I pray that it continues to do so. We still haven't seen the payments that are way overdue. :( We may have to get our attorney involved.

That's about all from here.... Have a great day everyone!:grouphug:

[traceycooper]

oooh 70 degrees - i can only imagine!!
it was like that here this time last year then we had months of rain.
Now its snowing so i'm hoping that means months of sun!!

I know what you mean about DNiece mine is 18 this year & i can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday!!!

Hope the girls enjoyed their field trip :)
I hope the payments come through for DH before the attorneys have to get involved!

[pearlieq]

Oh I'm so jealous! 70 and sunny sounds amazing! We had a little taste over the weekend, and now we're back to 45 and gray.

The field trip sounds like fun. I hope you had a blast!

I'm really glad work is picking up for your DH. I really hope he gets paid soon and without too much fuss. That really stinks!

I'm glad to know I'm in good company--the taxes didn't get done here either! :rotfl: I figured they could wait a couple more days since I wasn't going to pay them until I get paid at the end of the week. They'll get done.

Have a fantastic day today!!!

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

The 70 degree weather is fabulous!:cloud9: Unfortunately, it's not going to last. :( Our local forecasters are predicting snow in their extended forecast. :eek: Did I mention that I wanted to smack the forecaster last night? ;) :lmao:

We had a great time at the museum yesterday! We were getting ready to leave and my DD7 said, "Mom, we had a great time today. Thanks for bringing us!" DD5 ran over and gave me a hug and said, "Yeah, thanks mom. It was fun!" Made me feel good. :goodvibes

After the museum, we came home and decided to go to the gym. I spent 45 minutes on the elliptical and burned 515 calories! :banana: After that, I did some upper body work on the weight machines.

After the gym, we went to my MIL's house for my niece's birthday party. I had two pieces of pizza and that's it. No cake, no ice cream. :thumbsup2 We took a 25 minute walk afterwards and guess what? I went to bed hungry! :woohoo: No late night eating for me last night!:yay:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Finish Laundry

* Internet Research

* Walk to the park?

* Hot, bubble bath....My muscles are sore! :eek:

We could use some prayers, good thoughts, pixie dust....We still have not received payment from the contractors yet. :( One of the contractors has stopped communicating with us all together. I really don't want to get attorneys involved, but can you imagine what would happen if my DH were given a work order and he didn't complete it for two months? They called, he did the work right away, and he deserves to be paid in the manner that their contract specifies. I keep praying that the check will just come so that my DH can move on to other things. Thanks....

Well, that's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great day! :grouphug:

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, Ohhhh.. 70 sounds fab!!! LOL I can't wait- - its about 52 today here, and i am glad! LOL

Hope everything works out for your dh -- i know all too well the financial burden that owning your own business can bring -- hope it gets resolved soon for you!!

[Amy&Dan]

Tracey I am so sad and angry that guy has still not paid you. What a moron. I hope you can get it resolved without the atty. but in the end you gotta do what you gotta do. One letter or phonecall from an atty and that guy will probably whip out the checkbook. Why can't people just do the right thing on their own??

Great job on working out and your food, that is wonderful! The museum outing sounded fun, that is so sweet your girls were so appreciative.

I hate to tell ya, but I think the snow we got yesterday you might be getting soon. Sorry, I tried to send it to Julie in New Mexico like I usually do! :rotfl:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Stacy and Amy.:grouphug: The whole thing with this contractor is very frustrating. :(

I got up early this morning and got my workout in. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes doing lower body. I got a good workout in and it helped me to relieve some of the stress I am feeling. :goodvibes

Yesterday, I made another $60 towards our Disney trip! :banana: I think the girls and I will make our annual Disney posters today so we can track our progress on paying for our trip.:goodvibes

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Disney Posters

* Research for my DH

* Straighten the house up a bit

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!:hug:

[AmyBeth68]

Hi Tracy!!! CONGRATULATIONS on getting those workouts in! :thumbsup2 I'm really proud of you :).

I'm really surprised that contractor hasn't paid you :(. I'm really sorry to hear that! :sad2:

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, congrats- $60 is $60 more right!!?! What kind of posters do you guys make?

[keenercam]

Tracy -- congrats on the awesome workouts!! You are so disciplined, especially with two little ones! princess: princess: I am so happy for your progress! I am very frustrated on your behalf and your DH's about those contractors. Would a stern letter from your attorney with a quick deadline or threat to file suit in small claims court (JP court here) help, do you think? I am really sorry you are going through that. :mad:

[Amy&Dan]

Wish Sis, I am so proud of you for working out so hard! You are really utilizing that gym, good for you! And great job making another payment to your WDW trip. That always feels so good and makes paying for the trip so much easier. Keep up the good work!

We are supposed to get snow tonight, hope we don't send it your way again!

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

You are getting your money's worth at the gym. Great job on the elliptical!:thumbsup2 Your kids sound so sweet. It's great that they aprreciate all that you do for them.

I hope the jerk pays you guys soon.

Have a good weekend.
Beth

[pearlieq]

Good for you for getting another challenging workout in. You're really doing well with the new gym!

I hope the last few days have been nice for you. Hopefully there's been some progress made with the payment your DH is owed. That is so frustrating.

I bet it feels great to keep making those payments on the WDW trip. It's nice to just keep chipping away at it and seeing the balance go down.

Have a fantastic day today!

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
you are doing amazing with the workouts - you should be proud!!!
Thats so nice that your kids appreciated you & the trip!! your a great mom :)
I remember when my teen appreciated me!!!!! long ago!! ;)
Hope the weather man is wrong!
Have a great weekend

[toystoryduo]

Amy, Cam, Stacy, Amy, Beth, pearlieq, and Tracey~ Thank you so much for stopping by and for your words of encouragement!:grouphug:

I wanted to post here quickly before the storms come.....We're expecting severe thunderstorms in a few minutes!:eek:

We finally heard from the contractor yesterday and we are supposed to receive payment within the next couple of days. :banana:

Today was a great day for deals! Here's what we got:

Walgreens Trip 1
* Crest Whitestrips
Total Out of Pocket: $15.XX/ $10 Register Rewards

Walgreens Trip 2
*(2) boxes of Raisin Bran Crunch
*(2) bags of Cheese Curls
*(1) bottle of cherry soda
*(1) box of cheese its
*(1) carton of orange juice (1/2 gallon)
*(2) loaves of bread
Total Out of Pocket: $1.51 (used coupons and Register Rewards)

CVS
(3) EOB Gift Bags
(1) 8 pack of Snickers Candy Bars
Total Out of Pocket: $3.45/ Extra Care Bucks Earned: $5.00

The Children's Place Outlet
* (2) pairs of pants
* (3) shirts
* (1) shirt for my nephew
Total Out of Pocket: $16.XX

Walmart
(4) Treats for Pets
(2) Packs of Dog Bones
(4) Packs of Baby Wipes (FREE w/ coupons)
(1) Cascade Dishwasher Rinse (FREE w/coupons)
(2) Sunlight Dishwasher Tabs
(1) 22 pound bag of dog food
(1) 10 pound bag of cedar shavings for the guinea pig
(4) Rubbermaid Take Along Containers

Total Out of Pocket: $29.65 (original price before coupons was $42.52 + tax!)

Walmart 2
Glade Car Scents for Windows

Total Out of Pocket: $3.56 I have a mail in rebate for this and will get the $3.56 back in 4-6 weeks and my DH's car will smell better!:lmao:

It was a good day, but I am exhausted. :faint:

We did manage to get to the gym this morning too:

* 45 minutes on the elliptical
* 20 minutes upper body/abs

Sometime this weekend, we have to tackle taxes. I'm not looking forward to it, but it must get done. I will be happy when April 15th is over! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone! :grouphug:

P.S. I will probably be able to get to journals tomorrow. We are expecting severe thunderstorms here tonight so I need to unplug the computer for the evening.

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, glad to hear you heard back from the contractors! Hope all goes well, and they keep their word!!

Also, hoping all is ok for those storms tonight -- i LOVE me a good storm! LOL I am crazy like that!

And congrats on you crazy good day of deals!! Wow!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Stacy!:hug: I love storms too! We were waiting all day for the storms to arrive and I think they lasted a total of 10 minutes yesterday. Some areas south of where we live got hit a bit harder, but I think overall, the storms weren't nearly as bad as the forecasters predicted.

Well, Saturday is here and I have no idea what we are going to do with it. ;) I could work on taxes, but I really don't want to. :laughing: DH doesn't have to work and we don't need groceries or anything, so I'm not sure what we'll do.:confused3 Maybe I'll list some more stuff on eBay or go to a rummage sale that a city near ours is having at their high school or maybe we'll go to the mall and just walk around and window shop. Hmmmmm.......

Hope everyone has a great weekend!:grouphug:

[pearlieq]

Isn't it positively delicious to have a whole day completely open? I hope you had some fun adventures.

I don't want to do the taxes either. :laughing: That's what tomorrow is for, right? :rolleyes1

[Amy&Dan]

Sometimes there is nothing nicer than a wide open Saturday! I am glad the storms missed you. You are doing really great with those workouts, I am super proud of you! More good deals for you, as usual your shopping skills put mine to shame.;)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

I got my workout in this morning already!:banana: ...I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 10 on the treadmill, and 15 on lower body/ abs. I'm glad I got it done already!:goodvibes

Today's Plan:

* Workout (DONE!)

* Church

* Taxes

Hope everyone has a great day!:hug:

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am so proud of you for working out so hard! That is awesome that you got in there on a Sunday morning. You are kicking some serious butt girlfriend!:cool1:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy!:hug: I'm glad I got my workout in early because I am way too tired right now to go to the gym. :faint: I think I may have pulled a muscle this morning too so that may limit my gym time a bit in the days to come. :(

We finally finished our taxes today!:cheer2: I'm glad.:cool1:

That's about all from here....Have a good evening!:grouphug:

P.S. Only one CVS trip today, but it was a good one!

CVS:
1 Contour Monitor (for my MIL)
1 Gas X Soft Chews
1 Benefiber Chews

Total Out of Pocket:$2.68 (after coupons and ECBs)
Total ECBs Earned: $19.99:banana:

[Lesli54]

Hi Tracy!

It is great that you found a gym. I was hoping with spring weather, I would go sign up somewhere, but the weather here is so gloomy, wet, and cold that the motivation is out the window. Glad to hear the snow missed you, it snowed some last night but didn't accumulate. Thank goodness.

Getting those taxes done sure is a good feeling and I will bet that you will feel alot of relief once the contractor payment comes in. I know a guy here that does trucking and he says that he is struggling with clients paying, so it seems to be hitting alot of areas right now, unfortunately.

Your WDW planning sounds like fun.::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[Blueeyes101817]

you are doing fantastic tracy!!!

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, how's your muscle feeling today??

You are rockin' those CVS deals i tell ya!! LOL

Have a great day!

[pearlieq]

Ding, dong, the taxes are dead! :cool1: :laughing: :banana: :woohoo: :yay: :dance3: :cheer2:

Isn't it great to have that monkey off your back!

I really hope your muscle feels better. Just take it slow and be gentle. You're doing a great job with your workouts. I'm sure you'll bounce back well.

Have a great day today!!!

[MIdanceMom]

Hey Tracy,

I hope your muscle strain is feeling better. You may need to baby it for a bit. Congrats on getting the taxes done. Isn't that a huge weight off your shoulders? You got some unbelievable deals this weekend!


Take care,
Beth

[keenercam]

Hey, Tracy! Congrats on getting the taxes done! I hope your muscle is feeling better! Did you enjoy your Saturday? Or is that how/when taxes got done, so the best thing you'd say about it is that it was productive? LOL!
WISHing you a fabulous week! :hug:

[traceycooper]

yay the taxes are finally done :cool1:
hope you can relax now Tracy!
Glad the storms were not as bad as you thought - i love storms too, i cant wait for one to come now we've moved as we have a great view from our bedroom window!
Well done on getting to the gym - you have really got into it, i'm glad your enjoying it :)

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for stopping by!:grouphug:

Today has been an okay day so far for a Monday! ;) My DH scheduled some work for the week ahead and I spent about an hour and a half doing work for him this morning. We decided to send out some old gold jewelry to US Gold Buyers as well. There's a huge thread about selling old gold on the budget board. We found some really old stuff in my jewelry box that I don't wear anymore so off it went this morning via Fed Ex.:banana:

Plan for the rest of the day:

* Workout at the gym (If MIL can watch the girls)

* Make another payment to Disney!:banana:

* Make a to do list for the week ahead (homeschool, eBay, RPs, e.t.c)

Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[toystoryduo]

Good morning friends,

I got up and went to the gym already this morning.:banana: I had Taco Bell late last night and figured I should put some extra time in at the gym because of it. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 10 on the bike, and 20 on lower body. Grand total of workout minutes for the month? 570!!!!:banana: I can't remember the last time I logged that many minutes with half the month left.:goodvibes

Today's Plan:

* Mail out the taxes

* Homeschooling

* Walk

* Work for my DH

My DD7 finished her math for the year already!:eek: I'm thinking about coming up with a Disney type project to let her practice her math skills on. Maybe she can plan a vacation or I can come up with scenarios for her to see if she has enough time and/or money. If we go to work with my DH today, I'll have at least 2 hours drive time to brainstorm the idea. :thumbsup2

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today!:hug:

[kimwim8]

:worship: :worship: :worship:

AWESOME job with the workout minutes so far this month!! That's so inspiring!! With all that you always have going on, you still manage to spend the time on yourself too. :goodvibes You're an inspiration!! :hug:

[Lesli54]

Great job at getting in the exercise! You are a great influence for showing that it is possible to "make time" and rearrange things in a hectic life for a healthier lifestyle.

Maybe, you could give your DD7 a few menus from WDW and she could plan her meals on a given budget? Of course, she might just have more fun in reading the menu choices, I know I would.

Have a great day!::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[goldcupmom]

Wow, Tracy! I'm REALLY impressed at your workouts! You're doing AWESOME!!

I want a CVS near me!! I keep reading about all the deals & all we have is dumb old Walgreens. :sad2:

Glad your taxes are done. They're just so easy to procrastinate over.

I'll be interested in hearing about your 'old gold'. I've always thought about it, but never done it.

Have a great rest of the week!

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

Great job with your workouts. You will breat 1000min/mo without issue. Keep it up woman.

Congrats to your daughter on finishing her math for the year. I like the menu idea. You could do some story problems too. Mickey needs to travel from MK to AK. Using a map draw the path, and add the distance. I am so glad I am not a teacher.
Take care,
Beth

[postesf]

Hey Tracy!!! Great job with your excercise this month!!! You are doing fantastic!!! Way to go!

I love the idea of a Disney Math Project for your DD. She may grow up to be travel agent! Or Disney accountant! :goodvibes Not only would she learn to budget/do math stuff, but it would also be fun since it's Disney! :thumbsup2

Keep up the good work! You're doing awesome!

Stacie

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for your suggestions and for your words of encouragement! :grouphug:

We finally got our taxes mailed out today.:banana: The post office was absolutely crazy!:scared: At one point, the computers went down while my DH was waiting in line. They did manage to get them back online in a matter of minutes, but the line just got longer and longer. Note to self.....Get the taxes done earlier next year! ;)

This morning, I cashed out for a Rainforest Cafe Gift card from one of my rewards programs.:banana: We also got a call back from the gold buyers and we made $172 on 2 rings and 3 necklaces!:banana: Love the extra money for WDW!:love: I'm also just a couple of dollars away from (2) $25 Red Lobster gift cards as well!:banana:

Today's CVS Trip:

(6) EOB Gift Bags
(1) Bag of Combos
(1) Bag of Goldfish

Total Out of Pocket: $0.92/ Extra Care Bucks Earned: $10:cheer2:

Thank you all so much for the Disney math unit ideas!!! I love the idea of giving DD7 the menus to look at to decide what she wants. I'm going to continue brainstorming ideas tonight. I'll let you know what I come up with!:goodvibes

Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:


edited to add:

I just sent my DH on another CVS run....Here's trip # 2:

(3) EOB Bags
(1) Package of Doublemint Mints Twin Pack

Out of Pocket: $0.26/ Extra Care Bucks Earned: $5.00

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am so proud of you for working out like that! Its okay to have Taco Bell and when you get right to the gym the next day, that's the key to success! I'll miss you when I am gone!

And I am going to have an Orange Slush from Epcot. Saw that on a Travel Channel show over the weekend, its got Grand Marnier in it, what could be better? I'll tip my glass to you when I drink it Wish Sis!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy!:hug:

I got my workout in on the elliptical today...45 minutes + 5 minutes of abs. Total workout minutes for the month: 620 :cool1:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Work with DH

* Read on the porch in the sun

* Work on DD7's Disney math unit

* Clean the house a bit....Bible study has been moved to my house tomorrow because my DH has to work.

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great Wednesday!:grouphug:

[goldcupmom]

Great job on exercise, Tracey! Your day looks 'doable'. Hope you have a good Bible Study!

Happy Wednesday (and no more taxes for almost a year!!)

[Lesli54]

Did you mention reading on the porch in the "sun"?:cool1: Aren't you glad that we are finally past all that winter weather?

Thanks for reminding me that I need to get my rewards cards ordered before our trip. Have a great day!::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

I hope you have a ggod one.

Take care,
Beth

[pearlieq]

Wow! What a great return on your gold. Way to get creative to pay off that Disney trip!!!

You're doing so great with your exercise. This gym turned out to be a great investment!

I hope today is a great day for you. Enjoy that sun!

[traceycooper]

Tracy you are doing amazing with your workouts:)
You must be really enjoying them:)
love the idea of getting some maths into your Disney trip:)
who says WDW isnt educational?? :)

[AmyBeth68]

Tracey...GREAT job with all those minutes of exercise this month. EXCELLENT WORK...you must be feeling fantastic about that!!! :hug:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for stopping by! :grouphug: I have to admit that I am loving the gym right now. It feels good to get back into an exercise program and a challenging one at that. :goodvibes With that having been said......


I took today off!:lmao: I'll be back in the gym tomorrow morning though.:banana:

Not much else going on here....Enjoying the beautiful weather and reading a couple of books. I love spring!:love:

I may weigh in tomorrow to see if any progress has been made. I'm not putting a lot of pressure on myself to lose weight at the moment. I am focusing on the exercise right now. It is such a great feeling to get into the gym, get that workout in, and move on with my day. :goodvibes

Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[ScoJo15]

How great it is to see you loving the gym!! Congratulations!!

And remember that you need days off so that your muscles and overall system get a chance to recover, heal and get stronger!

I'm just really happy for you! :goodvibes:

May I make a suggestion on the weigh ins? Because my weight fluctuates so much, I was getting frustrated by seeing gains when I thought there were supposed to be losses and vice versa...so I started weighing myself every time I go to the fitness center. I record the weight and look at the MONTHLY average and track it for progress. I've found that it goes down slightly each month which makes up for those weigh ins that show an increase ;)

Anyway...great job with everything!

[goldcupmom]

Days off are good for you, Tracy! But so is the gym!!

Glad you're not focusing on the weight, but I bet you'll start seeing some real body changes soon!

Have a good Friday!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Scott and Julie!:goodvibes

Good morning friends,

I got up way early this morning and decided to get to the gym. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical and 5 minutes on abs. Total minutes for the month: 800!:banana:

Today looks to be a relaxing day ahead. I have Mom Time at church at 10:00 a.m. and other than that, the rest of the day is free.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Go Cavs!!!!:cheer2:

Scott~ Thanks for stopping by and for your words of encouragement!:goodvibes I'm trying to schedule some rest days into the week, but it's hard. I feel bad when I don't get to the gym now. :blush: Thanks for the weigh in suggestion too!:goodvibes I've decided to wait a few more days before weighing in.

Julie~ Thanks WISH sis!:hug: I will definitely try and get those rest days in. :goodvibes I don't want to burn out or injure myself. Thanks for your words of encouragement and support!:hug:

[Blueeyes101817]

Tracy-you are doing a great job! im so proud of you!!

[Lesli54]

Sounds like the workouts are going well. Now what are you going to do with all that extra energy that you will be increasing?;)

I agree, a day off every couple of days is a good thing, so try not to feel so guilty. Hope the rest of your weekend is good.::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[pearlieq]

800 minutes! That's awesome! :cheer2:

Good for you for taking a day off. Your body needs a day to rest and rebuild.

I hope you're having a lovely weekend!

[traceycooper]

well done for getting another workout in Tracy :)
I'm so glad your enjoying working out.
Hope your having a great weekend :)

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies for stopping by.:grouphug:

I managed to get my workout in this morning, but boy was it hard!:headache: I did 45 on the elliptical, 15 upper body, and 10 minutes of stretching and abs for a grand total of 890 minutes!:cheer2: It feels good to get the old muscles working again! ;)

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* :laundy:

* Research for DH

* Transition from winter clothes to spring/ summer clothes (clean out closets/ dressers)

* Clothes shopping?

The check from the contractor still has not arrived yet. We were told it was mailed last week. My DH is going to check the P.O. Box to see if it's there. If it's not, he said that he will contact our attorney today. I really don't understand this. My DH did the work...It was a "rush" job and payment per their contract is supposed to be a NET 30. We are way beyond a NET 60 at this point.:mad: I guess we'll see what happens.

We're supposed to get our settlement from the gold company today. :banana: That's supposed to be Disney money, but if the two payments we are waiting for don't come in, we'll probably need to use it for bills. :(

That's about all from here....Have a great day!:hug:

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, Congrats on the great workout!!! And sending pixie dust that you get those checks -- i can't imagine the stress that it must be causing.. :(

Take care!

[traceycooper]

Tracy
I hope the checks turn up soon! It must be so frustrating for DH & you!
well done on yet another great workout :)

[Lesli54]

Here's hoping that the contract money comes through today.:wizard: :wizard: It is really sad to see people take advantage of the situation.

Great job on all the exercise!::MickeyMo::MickeyMo

[keenercam]

Tracy -- Your exercise minutes are AWESOME!!! Congratulations, WISH friend!! :thumbsup2 I am so happy that you are enjoying the workouts and how disciplined you are to be getting to the gym so frequently! I am sure there are many other things you'd rather be doing. Especially with 2 little ones! Keep up the great work. You are such an inspiration! :cool1:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies.:grouphug:

I'm probably going to skip the gym today. I didn't sleep well last night and I woke up this morning not feeling all that well. I think I'm going to try and workout M, W, and F, and maybe an extra day of cardio this weekend.

Still no payment from the contractors. :( I'm getting very frustrated about this. :mad: We have been told since March 22nd that payment has been sent. We spoke with the contractor yesterday who said, "It will go out today for sure." If it's not here within 3 days, my DH is planning on turning it over to our lawyer.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling (picnic + nature walk)

* Finish :laundy:

* Online work

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great day!:grouphug:

[pearlieq]

Grr--how frustrating about those payments. I hope it comes through soon. DH does side work and it can be amazing how casual folks are about paying the bill when it's due!

Sending lots of :wizard: :wizard: :wizard: your way to get this taken care of!

I hope you feel better today and enjoy the picnic. What fun!

[toystoryduo]

I am beyond frustrated now. :headache: My DH has had this business for over 6 years now. In the past 6 years, we have had contractors flake on us here and there, but never two at the same time. I absolutely can not believe that these people continue to lie to us about payments being sent out.:headache: It is so frustrating and disheartening to go to the mailbox and the P.O. Box each day to find them empty after being promised that payments have gone out. My DH completed his work in a complete and efficient manner and trusted that these contractors would adhere to their own contracts and pay on time. This is really, really messing up our budget this month.:mad:

And to top that all off, the kids down the street are making fun of my DD7 and telling her that her mom is fat. :sad1:

What a great day. :(

[AmyBeth68]

:hug: Oh no Tracy...I'm so sorry you had such a rotten day.

First of all...:mad: those kids!!! Oh my goodness...that is awful....don't you think about it for one second. Attitudes like that come from the parents..I'm sorry...that is just pathetic. You're an incredible mom Tracy. Take that to heart and know that those hurtful words do NOT define you or your daughter.

As for your husbands situation...I'm really sorry that you are still dealing with that. I wish I had advice for you...but I really can't believe the lack of ethics in this world :(.

[pearlieq]

UGH! :sad2:

I hope you're able to get it through to DD7 that when kids do something like that, the problem lies with THEM, and definitely not you two. What little jerks!

Here's hoping today is a better day! :wizard:

[postesf]

Hi Tracey. I'm so sorry to hear about the situation w/ the contractors. I just don't understand people sometimes. I hope you get it all worked. I know it's hard to budget and pay bills when the payments are this late.

What rotten kids! Try not to let it get to you. Re-read what Amy said!

I hope things are better for you today!

You've done an excellent job getting to gym! You should be so proud of yourself!!!

Stacie

[toystoryduo]

Amy, pearlieq, and Stacy~ Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Your kind words of encouragement and support have blessed my heart.:hug: I hope you know how much I appreciate you!:grouphug:

Today has been a very blah kind of day. I got up this morning ready to workout and my DH didn't get home from working out until an hour and a half later. By the time I got to the gym, I had almost pretty much talked myself out of going. I did 30 very difficult minutes on the elliptical, followed by 15 minutes of lower body work. I came home, got on the computer, checked e-mails, took a bath, got back on the computer and checked more e-mails, got frustrated, ate lunch, took a nap, and am back on the computer checking e-mails again.

Here's the latests updates on our contractor payments:

Contractor A: I was told via e-mail that payment would go out Monday. I found out via e-mail today that payment had not gone out yet and that a check would be written and mailed today. Somehow, I don't believe it. If we don't received payment by Saturday at the latest, I am turning the situation over to our attorney. The payment is rapidly approaching the 90 days overdue date. :mad:

Contractor B: My DH got a hold of this contractor on the phone last night. Contractor said that they have not received payment for work my DH has completed yet so a check was in fact NOT written last week like my husband was told. (My DH was told a check was mailed last week that covered two invoices.) The check was written two days ago and was only for one invoice. Ugh! :mad:


Our Disney money has had to be used to cover some of the bills because of this. I really wanted the trip paid of by June 1st. Now, it may not be paid off before then. :(

As for the comments from the neighbor kids yesterday, I'm not going to lie...They hurt.:sad1: Of course I was very upset and highly emotional before hearing what was said, but it still hurt. It especially hurt knowing that my DD was being teased because of my weight issues. :sad1: I will say this....The little boy that made the comment didn't come over, but his friend did, and his friend had the courage to apologize for him. A very nice and mature gesture on his part.

I know that all of this is just one of those "seasons" in my life. The contractors will pay eventually and I will lose weight eventually. It's just a tough "season" to be in right now. :sad1:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling (DONE!)

* Workout (DONE!)

* :laundy: (never done!:laughing: )

* eBay

* Get ready for the flea market tomorrow (selling some CVS surplus and garage sale items)

* Grocery store?

Hope everyone has a nice evening ahead....:grouphug:

[keenercam]

Oh, Tracy, sweetie, I am so sorry you are going through such a rough time. PLEASE take legal action against these contractors. Your DH is entitled to interest on the overdue payment from the due date through the payment. Is there any way of having a mechanics' lien initiated? I hope this will soon be resolved for you.

As for the little brat with the nasty comments, I hope you realize that his behavior is a reflection on HIS mother/father/elders. You are an amazing, generous, attentive, loving mother, Tracy. It is such a shame that your daughter has been made to feel badly by a child whose parents have not taught him to value people for what they bring to this world and to the people around them. I am so proud of you for getting to the gym when I am sure it is not what you wanted to do and it wasnt' where you wanted to be. Keep up the great work, Tracy. Your "fitness" isn't defined by the scale, sweetie. It is about the effort you put in and the balance you have achieved in your life. Those of us fortunate enough to know you and call you friend KNOW how wonderful and beautiful you are. Sending you hugs, sweetie! :hug:

[pearlieq]

Good for you for digging down deep and getting yourself to the gym. I'm sure that was very hard, but you're such a strong woman!

I'm so sorry for DH's situation. I hope it can be resolved soon, or let the lawyers deal with it. Ugh. I'm sorry this is forcing you to reallocate resources and delay paying off the WDW trip. But if there's one thing I've noticed, it's that you're very creative and clever and finding ways to bring in extra funds. If anyone can do it, I know it will be you!

I hope today's a good day and the flea market goes well! :hug:

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, :hug: - I can only imagine what you felt like hearing that from a neighbor's kid - but, remember , they are kids, and immature. ;) Usally kids who say stuff like that are insecure about something in their own lives i think.

Sorry to hear the junk with the contractors is still going on, i am sure that is not helping one bit -

But, be PROUD of yourself for getting to the gym, and doing your workout!! That is a big accomplishment!! :yay:

Hope you have a good day!! :goodvibes

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am so sorry you are going through this right now. Kids are so cruel. I had this happen a few years ago from one of the kids in my ds' class. It really hurt, never mind the age of the person behind the jab, it hurts plain and simple. I am glad the one little boy at least did the right thing. Just remember all the good work you are doing and don't let this bring you down. You are working out and getting healthy Wish Sis, that is what matters. Far more than some little seven year old s**t who needs his little mouth washed out with soap!

I cannot belive these morons have not paid and continue to lie. I am sure one letter from your atty will make the checks magically appear. That is jsut so wrong. Don't worry, that trip will get paid off. But again, it still hurts to have people not do the right thing and have that affect your life.

I am praying for those checks to arrive and that tomorrow is a great day for you Wish Sis. I am proud of you for all that you are doing. :hug:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy :hug:
i'm glad you realise all this is going to pass,
& i cant believe how cruel some kids can be!!
I just did a guided reading session today at school about how we need to be able to empathise & think how would another person feel if you were unkind to them!
& on top of all this you managed to make the gym :worship:
sail the storm Tracy the sun will shine for you soon :hug:

[toystoryduo]

Thank you so much Cam, pearlieq, Stacy, Amy, and Tracey!:grouphug: Thank you so much for your words of encouragement and support! I appreciate each and every one of you!:grouphug:

Yesterday was a blessed day indeed. :goodvibes My DH decided to call a guy whose phone number he found on Craigslist to buy our non-working van. The guy didn't answer the phone so my DH decided to call a couple more people. This man called my DH back and apologized for missing his call. He told my DH that he couldn't pick the van up, but if we could get it started, we should take it to the scrap yard ourselves and make more money. So, we spent some time trying to get the van started, got it started, and took it to the scrapyard. My DH got twice as much as he would have gotten if someone had come and towed it for us! :woohoo:

When we got home, we decided to go out to eat. So, we took the money to the bank, went to Chipotle, got ice cream, came home, and opened the mail....One of the contractors sent a check! :yay: It wasn't for the full amount, but we will take it! :) Thank you, Lord!!!!! :cool1:

All in all, a very blessed day. :thumbsup2

This morning, my DH and I went to the gym. I did upper body first and then did 25 minutes on the elliptical. Usually, I do the cardio first, but my friend who is a trainer suggested I switch it around to make the cardio more efficient in burning calories.

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Laundry

* eBay?

* Grocery store

That's about all from here....Hope everyone has a great Friday and a wonderful weekend ahead!:grouphug: Thank you everyone for your prayers and support!:goodvibes

[Caitsmama]

Tracy, glad to hear it!!! God never sleeps. ;)

[pearlieq]

Oh thank the Lord! You were about due for some good news!

I hope you have a great weekend! :)

[keenercam]

Tracy --- Sending prayers of thanksgiving that you finally got some good news financially. :hug: Have a great weekend! :sunny:

[Blueeyes101817]

Hi tracy-
Im sorry things have been so crazy for you--but you are doing a fantastic job with going to the gym! Keep it up!
have a great weekend

[Lesli54]

It is so good to hear that some money finally came through. What a relief that must be. At least is takes the edge off while you deal with getting the rest.

Good job on getting in the exercise and don't worry if some days you are just not up to it. At least you are still sticking with your plan and that is the important thing. ::MickeyMo::MickeyMo

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am sooo happy you got money for the van and one of the idiots paid at least some of his bill! Praise the Lord indeed. I am praying the rest of his money and the other bill both get paid very soon.

Sounds like a good day, great job on those workouts. I am super proud of you! That gym membership was really a great investment. :goodvibes

I hope you are having a great weekend! Here's to a super next week!:)

[pearlieq]

Mickey says hi!!! :earsboy:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies!:grouphug:

This weekend went by entirely too fast. My DH had a seminar to attend on Saturday and we had church and lunch at my MIL's on Sunday. It seems like we didn't have any down time from the week before. :( I'm hoping we have a nice relaxing weekend ahead of us. My DH will start deejaying in the next couple of weeks and it's usually every Saturday. It's great Disney money, but we do miss the family time.

On Saturday, we received the check from Contractor A!:banana: It was two months late, but who's counting? :laughing:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Finish laundry

* Work for DH

* Relax and read

TOM arrived early and it is a tough one! :( I was scheduled to go to the gym today, but I don't think I'm going to make it. I may do some weight training at home, but no cardio....Too tired..:upsidedow

I'm starting to think about this year's garage sale. The girls have been doing an excellent job on saving for WDW (DD7 has $75 in Disney Dollars and DD5 has $65 in Disney Dollars for both trips!:thumbsup2 ) and now they want to start saving for other things. So, they've been talking about selling their stuff and cold drinks at the garage sale so they can earn money for skateboards, CDs, e.t.c. We may do the garage sale the first weekend in June. That will give me enough time to sort and price items and hopefully, the weather will be warm and sunny by then.:thumbsup2

That's about all from here. Hope everyone has a great day ahead!:hug:

[postesf]

Yay Tracy! I am so happy you finally got paid!!! Whoo Hooo!!! :cool1:

I hope you have a more relaxing weekend coming up!

A garage sale would be a great way for the girls to get money and also some for your Disney Fund!

Stacie

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy
Great news that DH finally got his money :)
Hope TOM is easing for you!

[AmyBeth68]

:hug: Tracy...thank goodness your DH finally got paid. What an ordeal!!! Sending some TOM pixie dust!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies! :grouphug:

Yesterday was an all out food fest. :( I ate and ate and when I was done, I ate some more. And nothing even good! :headache: Here's what yesterday looked like:

B: 2 Breakfast Burritos from McDonalds/ Iced Tea
S: 3 large chocolate chip cookies
L: salad and soup
S: 10 crackers
D: Spaghetti, green beans, 2 crescent rolls
S: 3 cupcakes, 1 cup of cupcake batter
S: 1 bag of hot fries
S: large Coke

I don't even want to think about how many calories were in those things. :(

So, this morning I get up and automatically start making excuses as to why I can't go to the gym. After a few minutes, I realize that I really need to get there especially after yesterday's food fest. So, I went to the gym, got on the elliptical and did 50 minutes. I burned 516 calories. :banana: Of course that doesn't make up for yesterday, but it's a start.

Total exercise minutes for the month: 1095:woohoo:

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling

* Disney Planning

?????

We don't have much on the schedule for today....My DH has 3 work orders he has to take care of and that's it. I'm not sure if we'll go anywhere this evening or just stay close to home. He was in West Virginia and Pennsylvania yesterday so he may want to rest this evening.

Hope everyone has a great Wednesday! :grouphug:

[Amy&Dan]

Good job getting back on track! TOM generally makes us all eat more than we should. I have to say, your food fest was downright tasty! I especially liked the cupcake (both baked and unbaked ;) ) part!

50 minutes on the elliptical, I could not do that so good for you! That is some serious calories.

Good luck on the garage sale preparations and I am so glad you got money from the first guy, better late than never!

I hope this weekend is relaxing for you all, we are hoping for the same thing, our last weekend was a lot like yours. I need a slow one to make up for that!

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Tracy,

I hate sneak attacks from TOM! You got the hormone related binge over with, and now you are back on track.

It is about time your DH got paid.

Good luck with the garage sale,

Take care,
Beth

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy and Beth.:hug:

I woke up too late this morning to get to the gym. :( That's okay. I don't need to go every single day. I will try and do something at home or I'll just get up before Mom Time tomorrow and hit the elliptical for about 45 minutes.

Yesterday was a great day! My DH got his job done early so he came home and we went CVSing. We got amazing deals! Here's what one of our two trips looked like:

CVS:
1 Softsoap Body Wash
2 Colgate 360 Toothbrushes
3 Aquafresh Advanced
2 Tums Quuick Packs
3 Adidas Deodorants
1 One Touch Mini Glucose Monitor (We donate these to my DH's uncle's church.)

Out of Pocket Total: $2.73 (After free deodorant coupons from All You magazine, a toothbrush coupon, a Softsoap coupon, a $5 off/$30 purchase coupon, and Extra Care Bucks.)
Extra Care Bucks Earned: $41.30 :cool1:

After our CVS shopping yesterday, a bunch of kids from our neighborhood came over and played a game of kickball. Then, we went for a walk, met one of DH's friends on the way, and before we knew it, my DH had a job for today that pays cash! Plus, he may have sold a Prepaid Legal Membership as well. :cool1:

On to today.....
Two local churches are having rummage sales today. These sales usually kick off the official garage sale season around here. The girls have some money and a list of things they are looking for. Plus, they want to try and buy some stuff to list (w/mom's help) on eBay and see if they can make some extra money. I guess bargain shopping will be our homeschooling lesson for the day. ;)

Today's Plan:

* Homeschooling/Rummage Sales/Bargain Shopping

* DH works (quick job...pays cash!)

* Finish laundry

* Quick workout?

That's about all from here...Have a great Friday! :grouphug:

[Blueeyes101817]

Just stopping by to say have a great weekend!!!!!!

[toystoryduo]

Can someone tell me what is on the first page of the DIS at the top of the screen? Is it a movie or something? I still have dial-up and can't get through the DIS because something is trying to load. I had to Google my journal in order to get to the WISH journals.:confused3

It's been a busy weekend.... I found out yesterday after Mom Time that my grandma was in the hospital for an irregular heartbeat. :( We went to visit her yesterday and she seemed to be doing better. They have her on medication to get the heartbeat regulated and heparin to prevent clotting. Good thoughts and prayers for her are much appreciated!:grouphug:

Other than that, it's the usual busyness....DH worked, we went garage saleing, did our CVS and Walgreens deals, and went out to eat.

The week ahead looks busy...I'm not sure how often I will be able to get here especially if I can't get the DIS to load on my computer.

Hope everyone has a great week ahead!:hug:

[goldcupmom]

What a great job at CVS!!! I so wish we had one!!

Glad the deadbeats are finally paying you! It's just so unfair sometimes!

I think the front page thing is an 'in memory' thing, but not sure who it is.

Your exercise is incredible! I really need to get to the gym I'm paying $90/month for! :scared1:

Prayers for your grandma being sent up. Hopefully things get better for her soon.

Hope you have a great week ahead!

[pearlieq]

You've been a busy bee!

Great job at CVS! Is yours offering the ECB deal on CVS toothbrushes? Some stores are offering them at $2.99 with $2.99 back, others are offering them at $2.99 with $2.00 back. With the right coupon, you could still make that one come out even. I wound up with a total of 10 toothbrushes yesterday--I guess we'll all have really clean teeth!

I'm sorry to hear about your grandma--I really hope she's home and healthy soon.

Take care and have a great week! :wizard:

P.S. I haven't seen any kind of video on the DIS page, but I guess a moderator or webmaster passed away recently and there's a big memorial tribute. I think the "official" memorial might have been yesterday, so hopefully it will come down soon. Not to take away from this man's rememberance or anything, but that kind of thing can make it tough on dial-up users.

Have you tried going straight to www.disboards.com (instead of wdwinfo.com)?

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am keeping your grandma in my prayers!:hug:

That thing on the disboards yesterday was for one of the disboard founders (I think he was a photographer and did a podcast) who passed away last week. So that was a shame, he was really young (I think 56).

Good luck with those garage sales with the girls, they are learning from their mommy!

You are doing great at the gym, I am super proud of you!!

[goldcupmom]

How's it going, Tracy??

Hope your day is a good one!

Have you sent away for the free lemonade stand for the girls? I think I read about it on the budget board here on Dis. (and I secretly wished I had a little one I could set it up with! I'd look pretty silly doing it myself! :rotfl: )

[toystoryduo]

Thanks ladies. :hug:

Today has been a rough day. :( We found out that the finance company that our gym uses billed us twice in the month of April and has not returned the money to our account yet. :( My DH spent quite a bit of time on the phone with them this morning. The call ended with a promise to have the money in our account by tomorrow. We'll see....

Then, my DH went to work on a job. A 2 hour job took 6 hours due to the fact that the client didn't have everything he needed for the install. My DH pulled in the driveway and got a phone call that the system isn't working properly and now, the client has a problem with his phone system which my DH did not touch. So, my DH turned around and went back to the job site which is over an hour away to fix the system that was working and now is not and to check the phone system that isn't working even though he didn't touch it. :( My laidback DH is very stressed right now. :( Who knows how long he will be on the job site this evening....

Add some of my DDs' attitude to the day and it has been a real fun day. :( My DH still hasn't had a chance to fix the car yet and probably won't get a chance this evening.

On the positive side, my grandma seems to be doing better. They gave her the all clear on the ultrasound of her heart and her heartbeat was shocked back into rhythm again. She may be coming home from the hospital as early as tomorrow. :banana:

Sorry for venting....I'm hoping tomorrow is a much better day! Have a good evening! :grouphug:

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I am so sorry yesterday was rough! I hope the money gets returned to your account today as promised. Sometimes I hate those direct debit bills! When they work they are great, but when they don't its a huge pain in the neck!

I am glad your grandmother is better. I hope your dh got home from the job and that it all turned out okay. When he's stressed so are you I am sure!

Hope today is a better one for you sweetie!:hug:

[AmyBeth68]

Tracy...

Good news on your grandma....so awesome that she will be home soon! :goodvibes

But I am sorry for the stress you had yesterday. I hope today was a much better day!!! :hug:

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Amy and Amy!:grouphug:

Today has been an okay day. It started off with my DH missing an important appointment, but ended with laughter and some great conversation. :goodvibes I haven't been to the gym since Sunday and I feel it. :( I probably won't make it tomorrow either unless my DH and I go to the gym after he gets home from work. I will try and get a workout in at home just in case.

I really need to do some thinking about my healthy living journey. I am now at my highest weight ever even though I am going to the gym and being more careful about what I eat. Maybe I will need to weigh myself more frequently to monitor progress. Maybe I will need to do more strength training and less cardio. Maybe I will need to write down what I eat. I don't know what the answers are.:confused3 I know that although I feel healthier and stronger since joining the gym, the scale just isn't cooperating. :sad2:

Well, that's about all from here....Hope everyone has a great evening!:grouphug:

[Amy&Dan]

Tracy, I hear you on this whole thing! (Just like you hear me on this and the job thing, we think alike ;) ). I think you are on the right track. You are working out, you are eating better. Sometimes it takes your body awhile to adjust to a new routine. Have you ever tried something like Weight Watchers? It can be very motivating and it can help you really track what you eat. You can do it online or go to the meetings. I would say to give this another month and if you haven't lost weight, evaluate what needs to change, the food or the working out. I feel for you Wish sis, boy do I feel for you!

I am glad your day ended on a positive note! In the end, its a journey and it takes a lot of time. But I truly do think you are on the right track and that it will happen. I have faith in you!

[toystoryduo]

Tracy, I hear you on this whole thing! (Just like you hear me on this and the job thing, we think alike ;) ). I think you are on the right track. You are working out, you are eating better. Sometimes it takes your body awhile to adjust to a new routine. Have you ever tried something like Weight Watchers? It can be very motivating and it can help you really track what you eat. You can do it online or go to the meetings. I would say to give this another month and if you haven't lost weight, evaluate what needs to change, the food or the working out. I feel for you Wish sis, boy do I feel for you!

I am glad your day ended on a positive note! In the end, its a journey and it takes a lot of time. But I truly do think you are on the right track and that it will happen. I have faith in you!

Thanks Amy!:hug: I so needed to hear those words of encouragement this evening!:hug:

[MIdanceMom]

:hug: Tracy,

I agree with Tracy. Give it a month. You are making positive changes. Have you taken your measurements lately? You know that your body rarely loses pounds and inches at the same time.

Hang in there.

:hug:
Beth

[goldcupmom]

I agree! Give it a month & see how your body adjusts. When you exercise, your muscles hold water & that can definitely make the weight stay up.

Hang in there & know that you are doing what is right for your health. The weight will eventually move.

Hope tomorrow is better!

:hug:

[kmp1191]

Hey Tracy!
Just getting caught up on the past month or so! I can't believe I've been away from your journal for so long! Sorry!:guilty:
Great job on the CVS trip...I'm so impressed with your saving skills!!!
Hope grandma is doing better..:flower3:



HAVE A GREAT MOTHER'S DAY ~ YOU DESERVE IT!!!

marie

[goldcupmom]

Happy Mother's Day, Tracy! Hope you had a good one!

[toystoryduo]

Thanks Marie and Julie!:grouphug:

We had a 50/50 weekend. On Saturday, we went to my grandma's for Mother's Day. (She's doing much better...Thank you for your prayers!:hug: ) We had a nice meal and some good conversation. Right before we left my grandma's, we got a call from my MIL. My DH's grandma was being rushed to the hospital...She had been found in her home on the floor and semi-conscious. :( We left my grandma's and went to the hospital. We got to see her for a few minutes. She looked so bad.:sad1: She had a lot of bruising (from the fall) and was very dehydrated. She didn't really understand what happened or what was going on and we had to tell her several times where she was and how she got there. She's also experiencing kidney failure and is refusing to eat. :sad1:

While at the hospital, we received two phone calls...One was about my DH's cousin, Jennifer, who just found out that her cancer has returned and it is now in her bones. She is younger than I am and has two little boys who need their momma. :sad1: We got another phone call and found out that my DH's cousin, Mike, found out that he has two herniated disks and 2 tumors on his spine. Saturday was a tough day....Please send prayers for my DH's grandma, Jennifer, and Mike. Thanks!:grouphug:

Mother's Day went well....I got some cute cards and homemade gifts from my DDs and two CVS gift cards.:banana: :banana: We went to church, had lunch at my MIL's house, and then my DH took me out to dinner. It was a good day even though I wasn't feeling well. :sick:

Fast forward to today....I got next to nothing done today.:sad2: I haven't been feeling well so I decided just to take it easy. I took a nap, washed a couple of loads of laundry, and spent some time doing research on the computer. That's it. I wanted to get to the gym, but I don't feel well and my DH is out of town so I decided not to go today. Maybe tomorrow....

I did get some great deals this weekend...I got:

(10) Colgate Advanced Toothpastes
(1) Crest Spin Brush
(2) Intuition Razors
(1) Pert Shampoo
(1) Set of Ant Traps
(2) Gillette 2-in-1 Body Wash/Shampoo Combos
(1) Snicker's Bar
(1) Altoids Mint
(4) Rolls of Paper Towels
(4) Lunchables
(2) Farmland Bacon
(5) Stouffer's Mac and Cheese
(2) Tyson Entrees
(4) Cheerios Snack Mix
(1) Eggs
(2) Trial Size Shaving Lotions
(1) Pack of 3 Gallons of Distilled Water........

for less than $10 out of pocket!!!:banana: These were trips to CVS, Walgreens, and our local grocery store with Extra Care Bucks, Register Rewards, Coupons, and a gift card (Mother's Day gift) for the grocery store.:thumbsup2

That's about all from here....Hope everyone has a good evening!:grouphug:

[pearlieq]

I'm so sorry to hear bad news about the family. I hope your grandma continues to improve and DH's grandma begins to heal. It's so hard, and it always seems to come at you at once.

It sounds like you, personally, had a really nice mother's day. I'm very glad for that--you deserve it!

I know we all keep an eye on our weight, but if you're feeling healthier and stronger, and making better choices, focus on that. Keep doing what is making you feel healthy and powerful and let the scale cooperate when it decides to. After all, if you were in great health and fantastic shape, would you give a hoot what the scale said? ;)

I hope you have a great day today! :banana:

P.S. Our CVS here had 4.0oz Colgate Total toothpastes for $2.99 with $2 ECB. There are printables floating around for $1.50 and/or $1.00, making it free or even a bit of a moneymaker. I know we all need more toothpaste, but hey, it's free! :laughing:

[traceycooper]

Hi Tracy - i'm sorry things are hard at the moment :hug:
I'm glad your grandmother is getting better & i hope DH's grandma is ok too, my DH's mom had a similar bad fall last year (a stroke) we didnt think she would make it through - but she did :)
Sending lots of prayers for both grandma's & Jennifer and Mike too :hug: