My husband and I celebrated our 40th birthdays this past Saturday night. My actual birthday is this Friday Oct 1. I am hoping to be under 130 by then, I am going to make a big push for it. Although, after all the alcohol(and I did try to behave) I had..I am hoping it won't be an unattainable goal.
So nice to see you back here more often! And aiming for under 130....
that has been my goal for MONTHS now and I just can't seem to get there. Let me know how it feels!!
Hi, everyone!! I have at least read the past 3 1/2 days worth of posts, but will never be able to catch up with everyone in responses.
We had a lovely weekend out at University of Notre Dame. My food choices were much better than I might have expected. I just tried to make the best choice in each circumstance, though I had no control over the breakfasts at our B&B. In fact, each morning was a casserole that wasn't very point friendly, but I tried to choose the smallest piece available. We had dinner out 2 nights, B&B breakfast 2 days, and airport food for dinner yesterday.
I don't know how people do it who travel a lot for work, but I wouldn't want to have to constantly make judgments about the best choices just from a menu's description of various offerings. For example, we ate at Fazoli's on Saturday night (I'd never been there). They had a brochure at the counter with all the nutritional information. The relative points-friendliness of various menu choices was so vastly different from what I'd expect. Fortunately, I read the brochure BEFORE I placed my order. LOL!
Here are some of those memories:
I agree, travel eating is SO difficult. I think if I traveled more often I'd have to keep a "cheat sheet" in my purse of the points/NI from many different restaurants.
Sometimes you need to make up your own meals at places where the choices might be difficult. Order a cup of broth based soup, order a dinner salad with no cheese, no croutons, and dressing on the side. Or order an entree and put in special requests like no sauce, no cheese, no oil, etc, etc, etc. It can be hard, especially if you aren't a really assertive person. I'm sure you handled everything just fine. And places like a B&B, where there is no real "choice".... you just do the best you can, right??
Thanks for sharing more pictures... they are so pretty!! I love your tiara and your flowers! I can't imagine how special that day must have been.
Good evening everyone.
I didn't get home until after 6 and then had to have dinner. But dh was not home because he was meeting a scout about an Eagle project so we did not get dinner until 7. Right now I am just relaxing waiting for something good to come on tv. I have some crocheting to do. It is almost October and Breast cancer month. I want to make some pink scarves for my department. One of the teachers in our department is a 2 year survivor.
Anyone who is sick I hope you get better soon.
Thanks for all the great memories over the last few days.
Have a nice evening everyone.
Dona..... I am always impressed by how much you think of others. You truly have a gift.... both with your thoughtfulness and your handcrafting talents. I always have the best of intentions, but unfortunately that is all it ever seems to be.... intentions. You go out there and make it happen. I'm always in awe. Keep it up!
Hope you are feeling better. You need a pocketwatch, too! Thanks for the ideas re: the Bisquick, I might have to get some. Taryn
Just to let you know.... last night's dinner was very tasty, but the portions were pretty small. I actually made a triple batch (original recipe was only 2 servings).... DH had two servings before soccer and another one later. DD and DS each had one serving. I actually didn't end up eating the bisquick pie.
I made the pie as I described, with the taco meat and a combo of cheddar and mozzarella. They really liked it, although DS was trying to pick out the veggies
. And I knew that DD would be
at refried beans, so I didn't put them in.
I ended up with a bigger batch of the veggies/taco meat than I needed, so after I put together the bisquick batch, I pulled out a one serving casserole, poured in the remaining veggies, dropped on a few dollops of fat free refried beans, and a serving of 2% mozzarella and cooked that up for myself. It was DELICIOUS! I will definitely making myself something like that again! I think that the casserole would be great with the RF beans too, but I didn't want to deal with the picky-ness issue.
If anyone is interested, I will post the original recipe and my modified version on the recipe thread later.
Stressing again over money, just found out that Brad will probably be on short time for the rest of the year. His salary was about half this month
, and the bills keep pilling up. Not sure what we're going to do to dig out of it, hoping it doesn't come to something drastic. Want to try to refinance the house to cut that bill a bit, but I'm afraid our credit got shot this month...... Send PPD our way, please. Pretty, pretty, please. Brad didn't sleep at all today worrying, and I'm not feeling the sleep tonight. I can't afford a repeat of up til 1, sleep late today....
Taryn
What a nightmare! I can't imagine how hard this is goin to be. You CAN get through this and come out stronger and healthier on the other side!!
Not sure what kind of experience you have with cutting back, but obviously it is something that you will need to be doing. I know that several of us here are also "budget queens", so if you need any help, advise, coupons, suggestions, etc, just ask!!
One month of late payments isn't going to shoot your credit to hell. Start on the refi NOW, before things get away from you. IMMEDIATELY start looking for things you can drop right now..... book/movie/beer of the month club, over-the-top cable/satellite tv bill, gym/club memberships, etc. Look into places that you are currently paying to see if they offer discounts for lower incomes. I know our YMCA went to a "membership price according to your income" plan earlier this year.
You will need to look into giving up things you might have thought of as "neccessities" or "rewards" such as mani/pedi, new clothes, fancy leased cars, bottled water delivery.
Remember some of the old thrifty mottos like... "Use it up, wear it out, make do, or do without!"
Most importantly.... remember to take care of YOURSELF during this stressful time. Exercise can be done on the cheap, so no excuses there! You will feel SO MUCH BETTER and more in control of the entire situation if you make sure to continue to care for yourself during this time.
Well I have to go wash my hair, grab Penney and go to bed. She has to stay in my room all night because she can't go outside. We have a system in the summer, keep the cats in by day, let them out late at night. It works because we're very urban-- only animals we see around here prowling anyway are a few racoons and possums and they don't bother the cats. It's cars and mean old ladies they have to contend with... it's a shame-- our street in a one lane 25mph zone but people go too fast. there's no sidewalks either and you'll see a lot of people walking and kids playing. I don't know what is so urgent to people they'd risk lives.
Also the cats-- (being cats) prefer the outdoor plumbing in the summer so keeping them in that amount of time helps with that issue.
Funny.... I do just the opposite with my cat.... but probably because we live in a very rural area and cats "disappear" at night frequently around here. I get a bit frantic if the cat isn't in by dark. But every once in a while, in the summer, she will choose to be a night prowler. I usually end up leaving the porch light on all night to entice her home, and I get up repeatedly to call her. The kitty we currently have has always come home (obviously), but I have had a few occasions where a kitty doesn't come in at night... and never is seen again.
.
Tuesday Question of the Day
Speaking of restaurants at DW is there a place you tried at DW or DL that you really enjoyed? If you haven't been in a long time is there a place that you have read about you would like to try?
We aren't big on sit-down restaurants... especially in Disney. We prefer to spend out time touring the parks. I have often felt like we "wasted" time when we have had reservations. We are much more a "grab it and go" type of family.
That said, we LOVE Chef Mickey's! We have tried to plan it a few times for either our last night or on a non-park day. We get to meet lots of characters, enjoy a delicious meal, and have FUN! Same with Goofy's Kitchen.... great food, great fun, great characters!
We did go to the Biergarten during our 2008 trip and I can assure you, we won't be going there again. The atmosphere was not nearly as fun as I remembered it being in the past and the food was just not great.
I've always wanted to try Le Cellier or O'Hana, based on everything I've read here on the Dis.
Well.... happy rainy Tuesday everyone! My sour queasy stomach from yesterday does feel better, but not 100%. I didn't get in my run (or any exercise) yesterday because of it, but I told myself that I had no excuses today! I think I'm going to do some incline training on the TM today. The rain is putting a damper on my planned activities, like painting and hanging laundry out, so I'll be finding other things to keep me busy.... like the menu planning I've been putting off for 2 days now! Plus I've got Robotics to coach and a swim parents meeting tonight.
Tonight was supposed to be baked fish, brown rice, and spinach, but I didn't find the type of fish I like at the store over the weekend, so it will be salmon burgers on light whole wheat rolls. I found a delicious, healthy brand of frozen salmon burger that DS, DH and I really love (remember, DD doesn't eat anything from the ocean
). Spinach salad on the side and we are good to go! Not sure how this will all fit in the schedule though. But I'll make it work.
Anyone know how soon I can mask off the new paint in DS's room (using the blue painters tape)? I know it needs to cure for probably 2 days, at least. I would be so aggravated if I taped it off and then the tape pulled off the fresh paint. Would I be okay by this weekend?
Okay.... I got around to watching the TLC show "Sister Wives" that was on Sunday night..... it was....um.... interesting?? I guess, coming from a more traditional lifestyle, I just have trouble seeing how these wives are all okay with this. But at least two of them grew up in polygamist's households, so I can see that this is what they are used to. The whole thing was just bizzarre.... and by the end I really DIDN'T like the husband. Something kind of creepy about him, IMHO (although I didn't get that feeling initially). But the fact that he is openly/actively courting ANOTHER woman..... it was just too much for me.
Anyone want to take a guess at who might go home this week on DWTS? To me, the most obvious choice, as far as dancing ability goes, is Michael Bolton. But this isn't always about the dancing.... it is a popularity contest. And I'm afraid that Bristol Palin might be paying the price for her mother's spot in the public eye.
I didn't vote for anyone, but I'm really rooting for Jennifer Grey. That "Situation" guy just bugs me.... what the heck is his claim to fame?? And I was glad to see Margaret Cho make a real EFFORT this week.... last week it seemed like she treated it as a joke. And GO CAROL BRADY! I am stunned by how fabulous Florence looks for 70-something!!
Anyhow, enough rambling. Can you tell I am just avoiding the inevitable?? Housework, exercise, laundry, etc!!! TTYL...................P
I can commiserate with you. Since I can't seem to land a full time job, I've bit the bullet and agreed to work more evenings. I hate to be away from my kids so much, but there are bills to pay and this is my only solution for now. Hopefully you can figure something out soon.
, Ohana breakfast, and Tusker House breakfast all rank high on our list! Boma is another favorite.
Tomorrow night I have a flu shot clinic going at my office so it will be another late night.
I think I"m becoming addicted to both walking and my Garmin.
I finished my laundry and upstairs chores and sat to chat with DH for a while. Still felt a bit queasy and like a sour stomach feeling, but I've had some lunch and it seems to be settling okay. 
And I don't believe a word of it that it was all the hair and make up people -- they didn't give you your beautiful smile! 
Hi Maureen! Nice to see you! Don't worry about catching up, just hop on in.
Thank you for sharing this with me and us. I am hoping that last night was a one time thing, but no matter what, the basement door is staying shut at night.
for the OP day! 
