~~ They're leaving the nest, sew it's time for a trip - or two - or three...~~ D~'s bag ~9/22 ~~

[DisneyTeacher01]

I have a Fitbit Charge and love it….but I haven't had any thing else to compare it to!

 

[DMGeurts]

Oh Cooper! The kitchen floor? We're considering getting the kids a puppy since we now have the space, but reading things like this scares me, lol. Hopefully he outgrows it soon.

Yup - Our brand new kitchen floor - one day a few weeks ago, he pulled back a corner and ate a spot about 1.5x2 feet - while I was upstairs sewing. And then, since that was up - it exposed the carpet at the bottom of the stairs, so he peeled that back and ate the padding underneath it. We have enough flooring left to fix the kitchen (which needs to be done asap, but it hasn't been done yet. Sigh) and we will redo the carpet at the bottom of the stairs/office eventually - but it's still annoying. So, now poor Cooper is in the kennel all day. He is out for about 2 hours in the morning while I am down here working out and eating breakfast... and then he is out for about an hour for lunch... I feel so bad for him - but I don't know what else to do? I seem to remember having to do this with MM too - and it only lasted a short time, like a month or two? Hopefully that's all it is with SC too.

I'm so sorry you had trouble with the DIS today. I'm glad you were able to write your replies
I can understand that you don't want to change your schedule at Target during Christmas since they didn't change it back to what it used to be after Christmas the last time you offered to help out.

Yes I'm in relation to the people mentioned, but not directly. You see there were two brothers that came from Germany to Tromsø. The one mentioned in the book that started the brewery and his brother that was a merchant. The merchant is the one I'm directly in relation to. So event if I'm not in a direct straight line related to the brewery, I'm still a relative since the two men that came to Tromsø was brothers.

Today it's heavy rain (not compared to what you get in USA, but heavy in Norwegian eyes ) outside. We still haven't got frost during the night. But the newspaper did write that if you are going up the mountains it could be wise to change to winter tires even if the date for change isn't until 15th October here in Northern Norway. From what I can see on the weather forecast they think it's going to be 33,8ºF on Sunday. That's pretty close to freezing point, but they are not predicting any temperature below freezing point the next 7 days yet.

Thanks - by the end of writing them = I was DONE with The Dis. LOL

Yes - it's very frustrating, because they do get angry that I won't change it... They do threaten to take away all of my hours and impose the fact that I don't work many hours makes me a "person on the payroll that they can't really use" - but in all reality - they can take away my hours if they want to - I have enough work here at home to keep me busy - I just like the discount. LOL And there are SO MANY of my co-workers who want the hours and can't get them. They are usually upset for about a week, and then they are over it until next year. The fact that I am there and dependable, plus I work hard while I am there, usually calms the waves.

Interesting... I figured, there must be some relation - even if it is pretty far back. Sorry I didn't get a chance to pick up the book again last night - I had planned on it, but then I got busy on Pinterest. :embarrassed: I'll try to go through it again tonight or over the weekend.

Glad you are only getting rain right now... but snow is coming - sigh. I am not looking forward to it at all. Do you have your appointment to get your tires on yet?

I knew you could do it!!! Awesome job, lady D~!

Thanks! I even ran it! I was pretty impressed with that! I get to do it all again today. LOL But I am kind of excited about it - it wasn't awful.

Mr. Ariel484 and I both have FitBit Charges and we really like them. There's a clock on it (as opposed to the Flex, which doesn't have a clock) and you can hook it up to your phone so that it'll vibrate when you get a call and show who is calling you. We didn't look at the Charge HR because neither of us need a HR monitor.

Congrats on your SparkleSkirt, and welcome to the addiction! Is that ShockingRed? If so, word of warning - that one can suffer from color bleed, so try to soak it in water + vinegar to set the color and be careful the first few times you wash it.

And see - that's where I am stuck... I don't normally wear a watch, but I know if I had something on my wrist - my brain would think it was a watch and I'd constantly be looking at it for the time.... I think after a few days that would annoy me. I guess - when I really think about it, I don't really care about my heart rate, I've gotten pretty good at exercising where I need to be - and I kind of don't believe in exercising in the "zone" either. LOL So, maybe just the regular charge? I get really nervous about spending almost $100 on it though. I do like the caller ID feature - that would be nice to have. Eventually - I really want to get a pair of headphones that let me talk on my phone and answer calls while I am running... Not that I get that many calls - but it would be nice to have. More to think about.

Thanks!!! I happened to hop on here yesterday while eating breakfast and I saw your post... I ran downstairs super fast and pulled the skirt out of the washing machine. I'd totally forgotten about the vinegar/water soak - so you totally saved my skirt. Thank you! The water in the washing machine was still clear and when I soaked it - the water was clear too, so hopefully they've fixed the issue? Whatever the case is - I LOVE the skirt... I have to run today and I really want to wear it again, but I must resist temptation. LOL

Hi D~!

Just catching back up here. It's been a crazy busy past few months with work and racing. Now that racing is over, it is just work keeping me tied to the computer for too many hours a day. I am hoping it slows down a bit for me so I can work a normal day!

I loved seeing your run results! Great job on them! And how awesome are you to do two 5K runs so close together!!! My runs have not been so great lately. Work has gotten in the way and I only ran three times in the month of August. September started off the same way but I said to DH that my runs need to come before work or I am going to burn out. I am back on track this week and doing my normal schedule and I feel so much better. Now if only we could get two or three nice frosts overnight to kill off the ragweed, I will be able to breathe while running. Darn allergies! We have two, maybe three, 5K's coming up quickly this month. DH, DS and I are running the first one Oct. 11 to help support athletics at one of the smaller high schools in our area. Then we are heading to Pinery Provincial Park on the 18th to help support conservation efforts in the park. I am going to do the 5K, DH is going to try the 10K and DS isn't sure which one he wants to do yet. We haven't decided yet if we are going to do another one on the 31st. There are two different race events that day and we don't know which one to choose or if we will even want to do one. I think I'll wait to decide until after the 18th.

So we have been Fitbit users here for almost two years now. DH and I started with the Force trackers and absolutely loved them. The Force trackers were recalled mid 2014 and we ended up sending them back as part of the recall. I got DH a Charge for Christmas last year and he was happy with it, but really wanted the Charge HR which hadn't been released here at the time. It came out in mid January and he ended up getting one of those and I took his Charge. We really like them. DH loves that he can see what his HR did while running or biking. I love that I only have to have one device on my arm that is my fitness tracker and watch. The Fitbit Dashboard and app are great too, very easy to navigate and we love that can connect them with other programs/apps like MyFitnessPAl. I have no complaints with my Charge and DH only has two minor ones - he wishes his HR had the prong closure instead of the watchband closure and he would like a longer battery life. His will last about 3 1/2 days before he has to charge it, while mine lasts 9-10 days before I have to charge it. I would highly recommend either of these trackers, I don't think you could go wrong with either one. Which one just depends on whether you want to track your HR or not.

ttyl,
Loree

Hi Loree!!!! Wow - sounds like you've been super busy!!! Yay for all of your upcoming races - yes I would play it by ear too... That many in a row and you might tire out? Not sure - because when I've done mine, I just do them as my "long run" of the week, so it's no different than me running somewhere else. Best of luck to you and have FUN!!!!

I am definitely leaning towards the Charge right now... I don't think I need the HR - I just don't feel like my heart rate is that important... As long as I am out there and moving - and I am not killing myself while doing it - then I know I am where I want to be. That's the other thing though - is even if I get the Charge, I'll still continue to wear my Garmin when I run... So I am going to have wrists FULL of stuff... My Road ID... My Charge... My Garmin... LOL I know my Road ID plate fits other things - I might go online and see if it's the one that works with shoes, if so, I might order that strap? We'll see.

Thanks for taking the time to give your opinion on the Fitbits for me.

Glad to see you and catch up with you!

Gotcha, I see what your saying! Sounds like a good plan to me! Are you planning on creating a new outfit for Allison's trip as well?

That's too bad, I hate when it does that. Maybe the site was getting maintenance this morning? Glad its all up and running now...

That's great! Short work days are the best

That's horrible! I'm glad your careful enough to not get taken advantage of. It's totally not worth it. The holidays is a time to spend with your friends and family, not be be at work all the time if you don't want to.

Well that's a nice treat!

Even better!

That is a great perk for working there!

SO CUTE! Love it! And yeah it looks very comfortable.

Awesome!!!

Enjoy!! Have fun

I am not sure? I haven't decided yet. I do have an idea or two in mind that I"d like to do... I will see how much time I have? I think there is only about 8 weeks between trips and that's right in the midst of the holidays... If I can carve out enough time to throw together another outfit - I will. There are 2 more themes I definitely want to add to my collection at some point - not including my Halloween theme for V's trip.

It was definitely doing something annoying... Today it seems to be back to normal, and my keyboard isn't acting funky. Let's hope it stays this way.

Yes - it's pretty frustrating... They usually aren't very nice to me about not changing my hours... But - I just tell them that I run a full-time business from home (which I do) and I cannot commit any more time to that job... Usually, they are fine with it after a few days, it's just frustrating to me, because I can't please everyone- ya know?

I know - I am very excited about the Fitbit and the additional discount on C9 items - this will be very helpful for me! But not so much for my wallet. From what I read, the additional C9 discount is a forever thing... Which is cool. I am not sure if we get the additional on top of Clearance though? I would think so - because we get our employee discount on top of clearance prices and this discount is applied at the same time our employee discount is. I guess, we'll see. I am excited about both promotions though.

Thank you!

I have a FitBit Charge and I love it!

Congrats for tackling the hill!

Awesome!!! That is the one I am really considering... If I can justify the $100... I am having a hard time choking it down, especially since I have the Garmin. And do I really need to spend $100 on something that tells me that I sit in a chair too much during the day? LOL

Thanks! I am really proud of myself for that one. I'll try to get better pictures of it today.

Sorry about the computer problems this morning. I have a Garmin Vivofit. I don't know much about the Fitbits. The HR seems to have a bigger display, though. I sell a lot of them at work. You are getting better with your running. I have no hills around here so walking or running up a hill is a drive south from here.
I totally understand about not changing your availability at work. I have fairly open availability which is why I get some weird shifts. My store doesn some not so nice things with Thanksgiving, too even if someone can't work that day normally they get scheduled. Someone I know got scheduled days on Black Friday but he had to work at his 'real' job. After some arguing they did fix it. I don't normally work Wednesdays but got scheduled on Christmas Eve even though it was on a day I don't work. They did fix that.
Glad you got a lot done in your sewing room. Sorry to hear that Cooper is being so bad. My mom had a dog that ate her carpet and pulled wallpaper off the walls. Evenually he grew out of it.
Hope you had a good day.
Liz

It's OK... It seems to be back to normal again.

I've heard great things about the Vivofit. And I love my Garmin. I wish we were getting a discount on that one - it would be a no-brainer for me.

Yes - they do that to me every year... They totally schedule me on days I am NOT even available to work - I usually don't say anything because it's Black Friday - and I do enjoy working that day... It's TG day I have the biggest issue with working.

Eeek - carpet and wallpaper.... I would have a fit. Glad to hear he grew out of it.

Thanks you too!

Charlie and I both have the Flex and like them. No problems with either, however I am thinking of upgrading to the Charge or Charge HR, since both will count stairs. I am up and down the stairs at work many times during the day and I'd like to keep track of it.

This is what I am seeing the most with the Flex, is that almost everyone loves it - but once they get it, they wish they had the Charge. So, do I want the Flex for $50 (which is a GOOD deal) or do I want the Charge for $100? The two biggest benefits for me would be the clock and the Caller ID while I am running... I don't know what to do? LOL Thankfully I have a couple more weeks to decide... And then we are on to color - LOL.

I love the 2 gallon size Ziploc bags….Ziploc brand at Walmart is where I have the best luck!

Yup - that's what I got. I got the Up & Up brand... They seem to be doing their job just fine.

I have a Fitbit Charge and love it….but I haven't had any thing else to compare it to!

This is what I am leaning towards - I just don't know if I want to spend the extra $20 for the HR? I am not sure the HR is worth it to me? I am almost certain I am doing the Charge though.

***************************************************************************************************

Thank you everyone for chiming in about your Fitbits. I really appreciate it! I am mostly leaning towards the Charge for the clock and the caller ID when I am running. I'll let you know what I decide.

Yesterday was just a really great day in general. I love Wednesdays!

First - I worked out, and I was done early. I had breakfast and went upstairs.

Rather than going to work though - I started packing... I am so glad I start early - there is so much to do and so much to figure out. I think I made good progress and I feel like I have enough room to add what I need to my suitcase. I hope. As long as I can get everything into my carry-on that I need to get in there, the rest should be OK. I am most nervous about getting all of my shoes in there... Sadly - my Donald ones will have to come out first, since I have other shoes I can wear with my Donald stuff that will work - I am hoping I can bring them though. I need to start wearing my Converse again - I've been in flip-flops all summer (no surprise), and I've really been babying my feet since I started running - so I am a little nervous to break in my Converse again, but I need to do it. I'll also have to bring shoes for running while I am there (as I have a race shortly after I get back) and work out clothes. So, there's quite a bit I still need to pack, but I think I have room?

I have the top right corner empty... So I have a spot for my shoes. I have a bit more room in my headgear box. I think my work out stuff can go in one of the pockets in the lid - since I really have nothing in there. 3 of those bags are going in my carry-on and the rest will get spread out over the top of my clothes/shoes. It's gonna be tight - but I think it will work. I hope.

After all of that... THEN I went to work. LOL

I was able to get everything done that I needed to yesterday, and then I worked on some little projects for myself... A Christmas MB cover and a MB cover to go with the bag I just finished for myself. I was also able to get my Goofy bag cut out and quilted. I hope to work on the applique for that little by little over the next couple of weeks - I should be able to get Goofy done in time for the trip - it doesn't make any sense not to, since I already have ears and jewels to go with that theme - all I need is a bag to complete it. So, aside from time - it's free for me to have another theme.

Then I made pork steaks and acorn squash for dinner - it was good. It was just Josh, Matt and I again for dinner last night - Allison had a photo shoot and V had youth group.

I was lazy for the remainder of the night - enjoying my laziness.

Oh!!!! Annnnd - we go to Disney next month!!!!!

Today... I'll be heavy lifting shortly. Then breakfast. Then working upstairs all day... I will be starting another side project - and if I get to a spot where I need to be, I can stop and work on Goofy for a while. We'll see.

I have to be done with work early this afternoon, because I need to run before dinner - I'll be tackling the hill again.

I hope you all have an amazing day! Prayers and good thoughts to all of you!

D~

 

[Ariel484]

And see - that's where I am stuck... I don't normally wear a watch, but I know if I had something on my wrist - my brain would think it was a watch and I'd constantly be looking at it for the time.... I think after a few days that would annoy me. I guess - when I really think about it, I don't really care about my heart rate, I've gotten pretty good at exercising where I need to be - and I kind of don't believe in exercising in the "zone" either. LOL So, maybe just the regular charge? I get really nervous about spending almost $100 on it though. I do like the caller ID feature - that would be nice to have. Eventually - I really want to get a pair of headphones that let me talk on my phone and answer calls while I am running... Not that I get that many calls - but it would be nice to have. More to think about.

I've gotten used to the Charge. It's very lightweight and comfortable, and I like having a watch again. The caller ID is really nice - I keep my ringer turned off at work but at least this way I'm still alerted to calls. I know what you mean about it being overkill to have a Garmin AND a Charge - I'm in the same boat. If the AppleWatch had Garmin capabilities, I would get one and use that for steps (I know it can do GPS but it's not Garmin GPS). Garmin has a smartwatch that is GPS and step counting (the VivoActive) - I would TOTALLY get that but I don't think my workplace currently accepts Garmin for their incentive program (same with AppleWatch)...so I have the FitBit and the Garmin. Oh well.

You can take calls with the Apple Ears Pods...my bigger splurge with headphones recently was to get Bluetooth ones so that I don't have the cord attached to the phone (PowerBeats2 Wireless - I got a deal on Groupon but they were still pricey). That has been really nice.

Thanks!!! I happened to hop on here yesterday while eating breakfast and I saw your post... I ran downstairs super fast and pulled the skirt out of the washing machine. I'd totally forgotten about the vinegar/water soak - so you totally saved my skirt. Thank you! The water in the washing machine was still clear and when I soaked it - the water was clear too, so hopefully they've fixed the issue? Whatever the case is - I LOVE the skirt... I have to run today and I really want to wear it again, but I must resist temptation. LOL

Did they send you a care instruction sheet when you ordered the skirts? Normally they do that - should be about the size of a business card. Having said that, I get those sheets and almost never read them, but people on the Facebook group were talking about having to do the vinegar baths for some of these newer solid-colored skirts - that's how I knew to do it when I got mine. Specifically if you get MagicalTeal...that is supposed to be the worst offender. It took a couple of washes with mine to get the color to stop running out. Glad you like your skirt! It's a great product for runners.

Congrats on making a dent in your packing - I HATE packing. It's so overwhelming!!

 

[ljcrochet]

Yup - Our brand new kitchen floor - one day a few weeks ago, he pulled back a corner and ate a spot about 1.5x2 feet - while I was upstairs sewing. And then, since that was up - it exposed the carpet at the bottom of the stairs, so he peeled that back and ate the padding underneath it. We have enough flooring left to fix the kitchen (which needs to be done asap, but it hasn't been done yet. Sigh) and we will redo the carpet at the bottom of the stairs/office eventually - but it's still annoying. So, now poor Cooper is in the kennel all day. He is out for about 2 hours in the morning while I am down here working out and eating breakfast... and then he is out for about an hour for lunch... I feel so bad for him - but I don't know what else to do? I seem to remember having to do this with MM too - and it only lasted a short time, like a month or two? Hopefully that's all it is with SC too.

My younger dog decided he wanted to rearrange the living room furnituyre by dragging the couch by the fabric on the bottom which of course he ripped off. With Cloe we did the bitter apple spray on everything when she was a puppy. It really seemed to work. Not sure why we didn't do it with Russell?

And see - that's where I am stuck... I don't normally wear a watch, but I know if I had something on my wrist - my brain would think it was a watch and I'd constantly be looking at it for the time.... I think after a few days that would annoy me. I guess - when I really think about it, I don't really care about my heart rate, I've gotten pretty good at exercising where I need to be - and I kind of don't believe in exercising in the "zone" either. LOL So, maybe just the regular charge? I get really nervous about spending almost $100 on it though. I do like the caller ID feature - that would be nice to have. Eventually - I really want to get a pair of headphones that let me talk on my phone and answer calls while I am running... Not that I get that many calls - but it would be nice to have. More to think about.

I am definitely leaning towards the Charge right now... I don't think I need the HR - I just don't feel like my heart rate is that important... As long as I am out there and moving - and I am not killing myself while doing it - then I know I am where I want to be. That's the other thing though - is even if I get the Charge, I'll still continue to wear my Garmin when I run... So I am going to have wrists FULL of stuff... My Road ID... My Charge... My Garmin... LOL I know my Road ID plate fits other things - I might go online and see if it's the one that works with shoes, if so, I might order that strap? We'll see.

Thanks for taking the time to give your opinion on the Fitbits for me.

Adam got the garmin vivosmart I think last year for his birthday. He has the HR part but never wears it so it was a waste of money. He can see the caller id on his wrist so misses a lot less calls that way. It also displays his text messages which he likes but I think could be distracting when running. Hope that helps in thinking about which fitbit to get.

Yes - they do that to me every year... They totally schedule me on days I am NOT even available to work - I usually don't say anything because it's Black Friday - and I do enjoy working that day... It's TG day I have the biggest issue with working.

That has been going on in retail stores forever. I remember in college Adam worked for a Kmart. He never worked on Thursday. He put in for off Thanksgiving week 2 months or so in advance, they waited to the weekend before to tell him that he was lucky they were only giving him Thanksgiving off. That was the end of him working for Kmart.


I'm impressed that you are packed a month in advance.

 

[Terkina]

In my experience it's not the space in the luggage that is the problem but how much it ends up weighing.

Here it is still raining. Ulf is so kind that he helps me get the tires on my car change. So I don't need an appointment anywhere. Which is good, because first of all it's not cheap. A specially when I have to get it done 2 times a year. Second it's not easy to get an appointment if you wait until the first snow arrives. Because then "everyone" want an appointment.

Today I went grocery shopping and I was a little later than normal so I ended up in "Rush hour" on my way back home. I guess you can't really call it Rush hour because it only took 3 minutes more to drive home than normal

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I am not sure? I haven't decided yet. I do have an idea or two in mind that I"d like to do... I will see how much time I have? I think there is only about 8 weeks between trips and that's right in the midst of the holidays... If I can carve out enough time to throw together another outfit - I will. There are 2 more themes I definitely want to add to my collection at some point - not including my Halloween theme for V's trip.

Oh yeah I totally get it, the holidays are always an exciting, but crazy time of year! Ooh yeah a Halloween outfit sounds fun - gosh the possibilities for that are endless!

Yes - it's pretty frustrating... They usually aren't very nice to me about not changing my hours... But - I just tell them that I run a full-time business from home (which I do) and I cannot commit any more time to that job... Usually, they are fine with it after a few days, it's just frustrating to me, because I can't please everyone- ya know?

Oh course not, pleasing everyone sadly cannot be done - I've learned that as well! You have a lot of other things going on - you just need to do what you can.

I know - I am very excited about the Fitbit and the additional discount on C9 items - this will be very helpful for me! But not so much for my wallet. From what I read, the additional C9 discount is a forever thing... Which is cool. I am not sure if we get the additional on top of Clearance though? I would think so - because we get our employee discount on top of clearance prices and this discount is applied at the same time our employee discount is. I guess, we'll see. I am excited about both promotions though.

That's great!

Yesterday was just a really great day in general. I love Wednesdays!

This semester, I also love Wednesdays, so I'm with you there!

Rather than going to work though - I started packing...

Super exciting! Packing is always so much fun!

I am so glad I start early - there is so much to do and so much to figure out.

Yes, when you start earlier it makes less stress later!

Sadly - my Donald ones will have to come out first, since I have other shoes I can wear with my Donald stuff that will work - I am hoping I can bring them though.

At least you have an alternative just in case, but hopefully you will find some space to squeeze them in!

I'll also have to bring shoes for running while I am there (as I have a race shortly after I get back) and work out clothes. So, there's quite a bit I still need to pack, but I think I have room?

You can also wear your heaviest/clunkiest shoes, and maybe like a jacket/sweater on the plane - that always does the trick to save me some room!

I have the top right corner empty... So I have a spot for my shoes. I have a bit more room in my headgear box. I think my work out stuff can go in one of the pockets in the lid - since I really have nothing in there. 3 of those bags are going in my carry-on and the rest will get spread out over the top of my clothes/shoes. It's gonna be tight - but I think it will work. I hope.

You are so organized, I give you credit! Sounds good to me!

After all of that... THEN I went to work. LOL

Wow, you had such a productive day!

I was able to get everything done that I needed to yesterday, and then I worked on some little projects for myself... A Christmas MB cover and a MB cover to go with the bag I just finished for myself.

That's exciting!

I should be able to get Goofy done in time for the trip - it doesn't make any sense not to, since I already have ears and jewels to go with that theme - all I need is a bag to complete it. So, aside from time - it's free for me to have another theme.

YAY that's great!

Oh!!!! Annnnd - we go to Disney next month!!!!!

I'm so excited for you! That's awesome!

Today... I'll be heavy lifting shortly. Then breakfast. Then working upstairs all day... I will be starting another side project - and if I get to a spot where I need to be, I can stop and work on Goofy for a while. We'll see.

Good luck

 

[Wood Nymph]

I tried out my Sparkle Skirt for the first time... And I do have to say that I love it!!! It was great to have my legs out in the open air - I've never run in shorts before, because I fear chafing. These shorts did NOT ride up at all and my legs were well protected. I think the skirt is very flattering and comfortable.

That skirt is adorable and looks really comfortable. I know a lot of women love the skirts. I bought a few skorts for Disney last month and they were so comfortable that I never wore shorts.

Overall - it was a fantastic run... and it added almost a mile on to my week day runs... Which is what was on the menu for this week.

Congratulations on conquering the hill. You're doing great. I wish I could be as motivated as you are.

I can't believe your trip is next month. I can't wait to hear all about it.

 

[huggybuff]

then I got busy on Pinterest. :embarrassed:

OMG that thing is such a rabbit hole. But so much fun!

I'll also have to bring shoes for running while I am there (as I have a race shortly after I get back) and work out clothes.

Awesome! I hope your resort has a good running path. I guess you won't know until you arrive, lol.

That's the other thing though - is even if I get the Charge, I'll still continue to wear my Garmin when I run... So I am going to have wrists FULL of stuff... My Road ID... My Charge... My Garmin... LOL

And a Magic Band at Disney.

 

[DMGeurts]

I've gotten used to the Charge. It's very lightweight and comfortable, and I like having a watch again. The caller ID is really nice - I keep my ringer turned off at work but at least this way I'm still alerted to calls. I know what you mean about it being overkill to have a Garmin AND a Charge - I'm in the same boat. If the AppleWatch had Garmin capabilities, I would get one and use that for steps (I know it can do GPS but it's not Garmin GPS). Garmin has a smartwatch that is GPS and step counting (the VivoActive) - I would TOTALLY get that but I don't think my workplace currently accepts Garmin for their incentive program (same with AppleWatch)...so I have the FitBit and the Garmin. Oh well.

You can take calls with the Apple Ears Pods...my bigger splurge with headphones recently was to get Bluetooth ones so that I don't have the cord attached to the phone (PowerBeats2 Wireless - I got a deal on Groupon but they were still pricey). That has been really nice.

Did they send you a care instruction sheet when you ordered the skirts? Normally they do that - should be about the size of a business card. Having said that, I get those sheets and almost never read them, but people on the Facebook group were talking about having to do the vinegar baths for some of these newer solid-colored skirts - that's how I knew to do it when I got mine. Specifically if you get MagicalTeal...that is supposed to be the worst offender. It took a couple of washes with mine to get the color to stop running out. Glad you like your skirt! It's a great product for runners.

Congrats on making a dent in your packing - I HATE packing. It's so overwhelming!!

I am pretty sure - almost positive - I am going to go with the Charge... I did look at the Vivoactive - a good friend of mine has one and loves it -but the almost $300 price tag kind of puts me off right now. LOL

Yes - I definitely want to get a set of good ear phones... I saw a review somewhere that had them - they were corded, but you could answer calls with them... They were more in my price range of $30, LOL and that is an expensive set of earphones for me. LOL So, now I need to figure out which ones they are.

They did send me one -- but I only glanced at it and set it aside. I knew it bled - so I was washing it in a red load, I just forgot about the vinegar wash. I was looking at all the photos on Instagram last night and there ar some CUTE ones on there - they look like they are either discontinued styles or possibly custom ones... How do I get in on that, if they are customs?

Thanks - I love packing for Disney... I have a "Disney pile" that I add to all of the time - so when it comes time to pack, I just sort through it. I also have one of those HUGE Disney bags in the pile, that has all of my Disney stuff in it - travel items... Ponchos... Small electric cords... So, when I am packing - I dump that out on my bed and find what I need. It seems to work for me.

My younger dog decided he wanted to rearrange the living room furnituyre by dragging the couch by the fabric on the bottom which of course he ripped off. With Cloe we did the bitter apple spray on everything when she was a puppy. It really seemed to work. Not sure why we didn't do it with Russell?

Adam got the garmin vivosmart I think last year for his birthday. He has the HR part but never wears it so it was a waste of money. He can see the caller id on his wrist so misses a lot less calls that way. It also displays his text messages which he likes but I think could be distracting when running. Hope that helps in thinking about which fitbit to get.

That has been going on in retail stores forever. I remember in college Adam worked for a Kmart. He never worked on Thursday. He put in for off Thanksgiving week 2 months or so in advance, they waited to the weekend before to tell him that he was lucky they were only giving him Thanksgiving off. That was the end of him working for Kmart.

I'm impressed that you are packed a month in advance.

Hmmmm... I might have to look into that sour apple spray... It sounds like it might work for SC.

I wish Target was doing a Garmin product - oh well... It sounds like so many have the Garmins and like them. I know I love my Forerunner - even if it is an older model - it works perfectly. I could wear it all the time as a watch, but I don't.

I know - it's so frustrating. And difficult. I don't mind the whole TG weekend - but TG day - I mind that. A lot.

In my experience it's not the space in the luggage that is the problem but how much it ends up weighing.

Here it is still raining. Ulf is so kind that he helps me get the tires on my car change. So I don't need an appointment anywhere. Which is good, because first of all it's not cheap. A specially when I have to get it done 2 times a year. Second it's not easy to get an appointment if you wait until the first snow arrives. Because then "everyone" want an appointment.

Today I went grocery shopping and I was a little later than normal so I ended up in "Rush hour" on my way back home. I guess you can't really call it Rush hour because it only took 3 minutes more to drive home than normal

Hahahaha.... Yes - Well, I picked it up pretty easily yesterday... Which isn't saying much - since I am pretty strong now, I can pick up some pretty heavy things quite easily. I will definitely be weighing before I go to the airport.

I am glad Ulf does that for you and saves you the $$ - That is very awesome of him!

Hahaha - the extra 3 min... But it's not fun having to sit there either.

I hope you had a great day!

Oh yeah I totally get it, the holidays are always an exciting, but crazy time of year! Ooh yeah a Halloween outfit sounds fun - gosh the possibilities for that are endless!

Oh course not, pleasing everyone sadly cannot be done - I've learned that as wel! You have a lot of other things going on - you just need to do what you can

That's great!

This semester, I also love Wednesdays, so I'm with you there!

Super exciting! Packing is always so much fun!

Yes, when you start earlier it makes less stress later! :

At least you have an alternative just in case, but hopefully you will find some space to squeeze them in!

You can also wear your heaviest/clunkiest shoes, and maybe like a jacket/sweater on the plane - that always does the trick to save me some room!

You are so organized, I give you credit! Sounds good to me!

Wow, you had such a productive day!

That's exciting!

YAY that's great!

I'm so excited for you! That's awesome!

Good luck

I know! I am super excited for a Halloween outfit. I was watching the Boo to You parade on Youtube yesterday morning while I was lifting - Ahhh now I miss Halloween in Disney.

Today is another "Wednesday" for me... It's an easy work out day... and I will be working on appliques all day.

Excellent idea.... Which means I might be wearing my running shoes, even though they are probably the lightest - they are probably the chunkiest. I'll have to put my flip flops in my carry on though - because I cannot live without those.

Thanks!!! It's been fun!!!

That skirt is adorable and looks really comfortable. I know a lot of women love the skirts. I bought a few skorts for Disney last month and they were so comfortable that I never wore shorts.

Congratulations on conquering the hill. You're doing great. I wish I could be as motivated as you are.

I can't believe your trip is next month. I can't wait to hear all about it.

Thanks - I really love it... I'd love to get a few more, but they are very expensive - so it will really have to be a "treat" item... Maybe a reward for myself after each next bracket of race I complete? I'd love to wear these in Disney - but they seem a little too "costume/swimsuit-ish" to me? I am sure they will be really comfy and this one will be worn for running in WDW - as the weather down there will be perfect for it.

Thanks - I took better pictures of them yesterday - which I will be posting below.

I know - I am very, very excited!!!

OMG that thing is such a rabbit hole. But so much fun!

Awesome! I hope your resort has a good running path. I guess you won't know until you arrive, lol.

And a Magic Band at Disney.

I know... It's crazy!!!

I hope so too - I think most of them do, so I am not too worried... I am more worried about finding the time to go. Even if I can get in one good run while I am there, I think I'd be OK with that.

Awww... Crap... Yes - I am going to have an arm full of gadgets - I hope it isn't all too annoying. I doubt I will wear them all at the same time, except while I am actually running at the resort... Gosh - that's going to suck. LOL I'll be sure to get a picture for you all. LOL

***********************************************************************************************

I had another really amazing day yesterday.

I lifted weights right away - and while I was doing that, I was watching the Boo to You parade on YouTube... Ahhh - I am so excited to be planning a Halloween trip for next year.

Then breakfast.

Then work... I accomplished way more yesterday than I thought I would - and I was really happy about that. I usually set certain benchmarks I have to achieve each day, in order to take breaks - and I was done with what I needed to finish an hour early - so when that happens, just keep working until I hit my time benchmark... So, I made way more progress than I'd intended - and it was really nice. Love it when that happens - especially at this stage in the game, where my trips are closing in on me.

After lunch - I worked for another hour... So, I am even further along than I wanted to be... Which means that Goofy is nearly half done. It appears I will have 2 new themes for this trip.

I've also been in contact with my new bow lady - she is awesome!!! I cannot wait to share her info with you all - she has been fantastic to work with, very speedy in her turn around, very thorough in making her items character-like. I just want to see her quality in person, before I tell you all who she is - but she has 5 stars all around, so I really have no doubt that her stuff is great.... And now that I've found a way to make my headgear more affordable - I am super excited to share that idea with you all, as well and also, making it possible and realistic to have new headgear for each trip, if I so choose.

So, once I was done working yesterday... I went for a run... It was time to tackle the hills again... I took pictures for you all - hopefully you can see them well. The first picture is at the top of the first hill, looking out at the last hill... I actually run a half mile beyond that.

Also, looking at this first picture... See that first hill in front of you? That was my VERY first run... Starting at the top of that hill (coming this direction on the other side of the road) and running towards the bridge - I remember pushing myself to get to that bridge. It amazes me, truly, how far I've come in such a short time!

This is a photo of the hill I posted the other day - it's the last big hill before I turn around, the one I've been staring at for months, knowing that I'd have to run it. There is one more hill after this that I have to climb.... Even though these hills look like they dip down after each one, they actually just flatten out - on the other side is ONE BIG HILL down... That is the one I'll probably get to next spring/summer. This whole road is 4 miles long, so 8 miles out n' back.. It will be a while before I work up to 8 miles. But I will be at about 6 miles when I start working that hill from the other side.

Then, this last photo is me standing at the top of the last hill, looking back the way I came.

Aren't you glad I took pictures of all these hills? LOL

And, of course - my after run selfie... It was a hair too warm for long sleeves.... I wasn't dying, but It was a chilly 60°... and long sleeves would have been more comfortable about 5° cooler.

While we are on the topic of running... I know, I know I am probably boring you to death...

I happened on a DEAL for my running shoes on Amazon... They are last year's model -but I paid a lot of $$ for the pair I currently have, and these are more than half off of that - I just couldn't pass them up. They should be arriving today. It will be nice to have a second pair of shoes to alternate with, even if they aren't the exact color I would have preferred... I think I may need to go into men's sizes for that - because I'd like a plain red or yellow eventually.

Wow - that was a big update today. Sorry about that.

Today... It's another "Wednesday" for me... An easy workout of WATP and abs... Then I will be working on appliques all day. And with any luck - I will finish Goofy... Which means, I'll have Goofy outfit pictures for you all sometime this weekend. This weekend will also be a working weekend for me.

I hope you all have a fabulous Friday and a great weekend. Prayers and Pixie Dust to all!

D~

 

[Tinkercc]

D,

I LOVE my Mizuno's!!! If there is a TJ MAXX by you, look in their shoes. I got my last pair there. They were last year's color, but I saved a lot of money! Great find on Amazon.

Have a great day!

 

[Chicago Mo]

I love those shoes!
There is a lot here and i didn't read it all.. Not going to lie, i am just exhausted. But know i love you miss you and will see you next month!

 

[huggybuff]

, even if they aren't the exact color I would have preferred... I think I may need to go into men's sizes for that - because I'd like a plain red or yellow eventually.

Ooooh, I love them! The blue with pink accents are right in my wheelhouse. (But then, what shoes are out of my wheelhouse? Hahaha. )

See that first hill in front of you? That was my VERY first run...

Awww, memories. You're coming so far, so fast. Amazing job!

It amazes me, truly, how far I've come in such a short time!

You should be very proud of yourself.

This whole road is 4 miles long, so 8 miles out n' back.. It will be a while before I work up to 8 miles. But I will be at about 6 miles when I start working that hill from the other side.

 

[Terkina]

How great that you got so much done yesterday.
You should be proud of yourself for running in those hills
Nice shoes you got.

Here it's raining and on the mountains it's snow. So I guess it's not long now until we have snow down here in the city as well.
I hope you get the time to look through the book I gave you again so I can hear what questions you had. I can't wait to hear the questions

 

[Sweetly]

Checking in, sorry I have been MIA. Lots going and just not enough time for everything. So glad your trip is coming soon. Love the outfits, bags, and accessories.
Fall has definitely arrived here. Last weekend we went zip lining. We had a blast!!!
This weekend is my daughter's big run. I was going to do it with her, but a few friends decided to go with her. I am off the hook, which is good because I did something to my knee. Tough getting older.
Have a fabulous weekend!!!

 

[Wood Nymph]

It was a hair too warm for long sleeves.... I wasn't dying, but It was a chilly 60°... and long sleeves would have been more comfortable about 5° cooler.

It's funny that you said that because 55 degrees is my cut off for short sleeves. Great minds think alike and all that jazz.

I happened on a DEAL for my running shoes on Amazon... They are last year's model -but I paid a lot of $$ for the pair I currently have, and these are more than half off of that - I just couldn't pass them up. They should be arriving today.

New running shoes are always exciting. New running shoes on sale is even better. The colors are a little crazy right now, but everyone is wearing them, so why not. I started wearing my new running shoes yesterday. I moved up a half size and changed the model. My toes have never been happier, since they no longer slam into the front of the shoe.

After lunch - I worked for another hour... So, I am even further along than I wanted to be... Which means that Goofy is nearly half done. It appears I will have 2 new themes for this trip.

You are further along than you expected to be. I can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[KatMark]

I am in love with your Donald Santa bag...that is absolutely THE best.

Love reading your updates on FB. And although I don't post often here, I am following along.

 

[DMGeurts]

D,

I LOVE my Mizuno's!!! If there is a TJ MAXX by you, look in their shoes. I got my last pair there. They were last year's color, but I saved a lot of money! Great find on Amazon.

Have a great day!

I am pretty excited about them - they did come yesterday and the color is a bit different than what it is online, I like them better in person. I will check TJMaxx - we do have those here. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks - you too!!!

I love those shoes!
There is a lot here and i didn't read it all.. Not going to lie, i am just exhausted. But know i love you miss you and will see you next month!

Thanks!!! It's OK - I totally understand! I cannot wait to see you next month!!! And I cannot wait to share Disney with you! They have NO Idea what they are in for!

Ooooh, I love them! The blue with pink accents are right in my wheelhouse. (But then, what shoes are out of my wheelhouse? Hahaha. )

Awww, memories. You're coming so far, so fast. Amazing job!

You should be very proud of yourself.

View attachment 126892

Thanks!!! Yah - the color is a bit different in real life, I think - but I like them better that way, so all is good. I know - I can't think of any shoes that I don't like, LOL... It's a pretty serious problem - one I've been trying very hard to be good about.

I am, it's hard to believe a few months ago, that small bit of tar was a challenge to me... Then I look at the road in the picture - and tell myself, "I run that! As far as you can see... Then I run back." LOL - To me, it's just amazing! I can't help, but be proud of myself.

How great that you got so much done yesterday.
You should be proud of yourself for running in those hills
Nice shoes you got.

Here it's raining and on the mountains it's snow. So I guess it's not long now until we have snow down here in the city as well.
I hope you get the time to look through the book I gave you again so I can hear what questions you had. I can't wait to hear the questions

Yes - it was nice to make so much progress!

Thanks Lillian - I am. It's something I never thought I would or could do.

Thanks - the color is different in person, but I like them better that way, so it's good.

I hope I get some time too... Yesterday was really crazy, and today isn't going to be much better, but I do have it sitting next to my recliner, so the next time I sit down - I am reminded to go through it quickly.

Checking in, sorry I have been MIA. Lots going and just not enough time for everything. So glad your trip is coming soon. Love the outfits, bags, and accessories.
Fall has definitely arrived here. Last weekend we went zip lining. We had a blast!!!
This weekend is my daughter's big run. I was going to do it with her, but a few friends decided to go with her. I am off the hook, which is good because I did something to my knee. Tough getting older.
Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Hi Lynee! It's good to see you! No worries - I understand. I am glad to see you are well.

I am very excited to get going - it's going to be a fun trip, for sure! It's only sad that we'll only get 7 days together, but that's the longest we've ever been together, maybe it will be good for us. LOL

Oooh - zip lining... I dunno if I could ever do that - I think my fear of heights would hold me back... but I dunno - maybe? It does sound like fun, and I have been more adventurous lately.

Yay... Best of luck to your dd - I hope she has a great run!!! And I hope your knee is better soon, it's probably best that you sit this one out.

Thank you - you too!

It's funny that you said that because 55 degrees is my cut off for short sleeves. Great minds think alike and all that jazz.

New running shoes are always exciting. New running shoes on sale is even better. The colors are a little crazy right now, but everyone is wearing them, so why not. I started wearing my new running shoes yesterday. I moved up a half size and changed the model. My toes have never been happier, since they no longer slam into the front of the shoe.

You are further along than you expected to be. I can't wait to see the finished product.

Hehehe... Yah - I was OK running in long sleeves - that particular shirt is quite ventilated... but, I really was fighting the urge of ripping my shirt off and running in my sports bra... Who cares what the neighbors think... Right? LOL But, my common sense kicked in and prevailed - to their benefit. LOL So, now I know, for sure - it must be 55° or cooler to run in long sleeves comfortably.

I agree - the colors are a bit crazy... and most websites have their new 2016 shoes up (just not for sale yet) and these colors don't look much better... So, I guess there isn't much choice, but to run in some awkward colors. Comfort and fit is still the most important, but it sure would be nice to have a shoe that's a little more normal looking. LOL But not plain white/gray/black either... Like I said - red or yellow... But I do think it will be easy enough to go into men's sizes, I don't think the shoes are that much different between the sexes - other than the color?

I am much further along - which makes me happy. I hope to get further today.

I am in love with your Donald Santa bag...that is absolutely THE best.

Love reading your updates on FB. And although I don't post often here, I am following along.

Kathy!!! It's great to see you here! So happy that I get to follow along with your life on FB - I miss seeing you so much!!! Hehehe, and I am so excited that you have an extra trip plopped in here, even if it doesn't overlap mine - I know it's great for your soul.

Thanks for stopping by... Love ya~!

*************************************************************************************************

So, first off - some sad news... My foster-Dad's mom passed away yesterday morning... She wasn't doing well, so her passing was expected, but all the same - it is sad. So, I am cutting my working weekend short, and my work week, and headed out tomorrow for the wake/funeral. So, I may be offline for a few days. I am very glad though, that we were able to make a trip to visit her earlier this spring - It was a fun trip, and good to be able to see her.

So, my weekend plans have changed, which means - I will be working extra hard today to make up some time.

Yesterday, I took a picture of the girls - they were so cute, dressed coordinating for school - not intentional.

I worked out, like I always do... I was pretty sore from my heavy lifting/run the day before - which is odd, I don't often get sore, but this was my inner thighs - which believe it or not, it was nice to be sore there, since I know I am doing something to work that area then. LOL

Then I went upstairs to work...

My new shoes came around lunch time - as I said in a few posts above, I think they are a bit darker in person - which I like much better. And I think they look cute on my feet - which is a huge issue I have, if shoes don't look cute on my feet - then I don't wear them, even if I like them. I know, weird. They fit nicely though, and I can't wait to try them out for a run. (Don't mind my sewing room floor, I need to vacuum in the worst way - I just hate hauling the vacuum up the stairs...)

I talked Josh into taking us out for dinner last night... We ended up at Culvers... Again - I had the kids meal, which is a good size for me... but like an idiot, I also ordered a side of chicken strips - which made it too much food, but I ate them anyways because I thought I was "starving"... Then I was uncomfortable most of the night. Next time, order the kids meal - even if I feel like I am starving. LOL That Little Scoopie custard gets me every time.

Then we came home and I fell asleep in my recliner until Alli came home from work.

She got her senior pictures yesterday - just the wallets, remember I cancelled the order for the almost $300 11x17 - they turned out much better than I remembered. They were still expensive, but they are cute. I still need to order the ones she took, but I haven't downloaded the program on to the new hard drive, which I need to do soon. Very soon.

That's about all... Today - I will be finishing up Goofy... Then probably start on another side project? I haven't decided fully what I am doing yet.

Tomorrow is my "long run" day - which is another 3.5 miles... Next week - I bump up to 4. Then, I will come home, pack and get ready - stop at my dad's for a few hours then head home for the funeral.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Prayers and good thoughts go out to all of you!

D~

 

[Terkina]

I'm so sorry to hear about your foster dad's mom.

Nice picture of the girls

As I said to you when I met you: The portions are really big in the US. We never tried the kids portions so I don't know how big they are over there, but it sounds like much food when order both a kids size meal and a side.

Here it has rained today. Then it came wet snow for like a minute before it turned back to rain again. And yesterday the newspaper wrote that it was 2,1 inch of snow on the ground (and road) on the mountain passes in Troms (the "state" I live in). Next weekend I'm going to Harstad (4 hours drive south of Tromsø) and to get to Harstad I have to pass one of the mountain passes that had snow yesterday. So Ulf will have to change my tires on my car before I go to Harstad.

 

[huggybuff]

So sorry for your loss. I'm glad you got that last visit. That helps a bit. Good thoughts for the next few days.

 

[Clio]

I'm so sorry to hear about your foster dad's mom.
It's been cold and rainy all day here. I think that's why it was so busy at work.
The girls look really good in their outfits.
Have a good day.
Liz