Good Morning D!
Love the truck story! LOL I was wondering....has Josh caved yet about the trip? If not, new truck sounds like a wee bit of leverage (insert evil laugh)
Have a great day friend!
Nope... No permission for Disney yet.

It's a bit complicated... I'll explain below.
I wish...
OK i take back telling him to feel better.. Now you can give him a Slap on the back and tell him i said hi...
Bad Josh. I hope the dog house has a good floor to sleep on for that back of his!!!
Good Luck at Dad's this weelend!! Still wish i lived closer so i could help you!!!!
Hahaha Mo... I will tell him.
Thanks... I appreciate that. I am ready to be done with this move - that's for sure.
Stitch is adorable and makes a great pirate! I think I like him so much because he can go from showing his badness level to having such a sweet face so fast!
Thank you... It was a fun bag to make.
Josh is a brave, brave man, doesnt he know its going to be cold outside in that doghouse? I understand the need for a new-to-you vehicle but that seems like something that would need to be discussed. Heck I get aggrevated when Gerald goes to the grocery and spends money on snacks and candy!
Yah... There's a story below...
Truck for him=Trip for the girls! This means you are free to book away without discussing it with him right?
Not quite... Again, story below.
Love the pictures of your mom, all the curls are so cute! My mom will be 70 this year, i'm thankful everyday that she is still in good health! My sister and I are planning a surprise for her, my niece Morgan is planning a
Disney cruise wedding and really wants her there so we are going to force her to go by booking and telling her we can't cancel! She is really hesitant about a cruise but I think she will love it once she gets there! We are such mean daughters!
Thank you! This sounds like such a wonderful and fun trip! Nope, the tickets are non-transferrable and non-refundable... Good one.
That was totally going through my head...new truck= green light for Disney trip. Works for me! I can't believe he didn't even discuss it with you. Well, I can believe. My Dad did that over and over again. He traded in cars constantly. And never, as far as I know, gave my Mom a say. And it was every few years, not 20 years!
I wish... I am afraid it won't be working out that way. I am glad I am not the only one who goes through this... There's a story below.
Oh, be careful driving to your Dad's. I wish Alli could go with you, but AP classes are hard enough without missing any! I hope you get everything you want to accomplish done in record time. And something fantastic is in the works??? Do tell more! (I know you won't, but had to try)
Thanks Lois... I hope the weather is good... And I hope we finish everything - it would really do a lot for my stress level.
Whew, had to catch up on the last few days....
It has been snow madness here in the south. we did not get it quite as bad as Arianna, but it has been bad enough. Eastern NC is just NOT prepared for snow and ice. Give me a hurricane any day....no, not It took me two and a half hours to get to work yesterday. I had to drive about 15 mph the whole way. my normal commute is 45 min and I have a heavy foot hahaha Although none of this comes close to what y'all have to endure!! My brothers keep sending me weather updates around -40. That is why I don't live in Brainerd!!!! I miss them, but not enough for that
I did see the NC got it pretty badly too... I hoe you all are getting out of it soon.
Man, I hate it when Greg makes big decisions without me. I mean, you're supposed to be a TEAM, right. But I agree, might be good leverage for the Disney trip!!!
I wish it would work out that way, but I am afraid that it probably won't this time. Sigh... Story below.
I hope that the dr. aptt. goes well. And boo for having to make three versions of dinner. Most nights I can barely do one!!! I applaud you for doing what's right for your family though. You make me want to change my eating habits!!!
Thank you... I really feel great! I wish I could explain it, but I have so much more energy because I am burning a totally different fuel than I used to - it's such a great feeling!
Oh man, I think I would kill Jim if he went out and bought something that big without discussing it with me first. Of course, I handle all of our finances so he would have to consult with me first. I agree with the previous posters that this is good leverage to get your trip approved!
THAT is the problem in our house... Josh makes the $$ - I maintain the budget/finances... He knows what's going on - the budget is always up on the computer... but man... Things like this make it really hard one ME. I'll explain below.
I hope you have a wonderful weekend with your Dad and that you get his garage all cleaned out.
Thank you - I hope so too.
I'm home from work again today, we are closed for the 2nd day. Jim decided to go in and said it was a pretty scary trip. He said it looked like a zombie apocalypse with all the abandoned cars along the way plus it was still pretty icy. It took him twice as long to get there as normal and I worried the whole time till he called me. Thank goodness it's supposed to get up past freezing today so this stuff can start melting!
I sure hope that Jim made it home OK yesterday... I can't believe it's still like that out there.
I swear I posted a reply yesterday, but I don't see it.... oh well, I can't remember what all I said, but with regards to Alli and her vegetarian diet - she cannot subsist on PB&J. She should be eating other sources of protein, including eggs, veggies and fruits - any kind would be good for her, but especially berries. Will she eat fish? I have a firiend who is semi vegetarian - she will eat fish which is a great source of protein.
Oh - I totally realize this, and it's driving me crazy! Seriously! When she first declared her desire to be a vegetarian, Josh and I OKed it, as long as she was able to figure out the nutrition macros she needed to be healthy, AND she was planning/prepping her meals. There has been virtually NO planning or prep work done on her part... Ideally - what I wanted to see her do, is find a few recipes each week, make sure the items she needed to make them were in the house (or add them to my grocery list if they weren't) - then on the weekend, prep her meals for the week and make them, so all she had to do was warm them up. This has never happened. It's fallen on our shoulders completely to make sure she is fed. And if we are making something that doesn't fit into her vegetarianism - rather than taking the initiave to make herself something, she slaps together a PB&J and calls it good.

At this point - I just don't know what to do? Her nutrition is suffering, I know that, and I continue to tell her that. But she doesn't care, and doesn't realize that this is going to affect her eating habits for the rest of her life.
I can't believe Josh bought a truck without discussing it with you. Its not like you didn't agree he needed one, but geesh.....
I know... There is more to the story below...
We are going to be in the market for a "new" car very soon. I think Charlie is not too keen on driving his 12 year old car to Allentown, which is about 2 hours from home (about 100 miles more or less), which means he will take my car, which is now 10 years old. I'm thinking maybe once we get back from Florida in March, we will be car shopping. Not a new car, I'm like you - I don't want to take that initial hit on a brand new car, and we've always had luck with the used ones we've gotten. The last brand new car I had was my 1988 Dodge Caravan -
Can't wait to see this new bag! It is going to be fantastic!
Yah - it's probably time for a newer car. We have always been of the philospohy that we have to have ONE dependable car at all times. I absolutely LOVED my Caravan... and I would buy another in a heartbeat, it was the best vehicle I ever owned.
I think now is a good time to get the final go ahead for your next trip. He wouldn't dare give you a hard time after buying a truck!
LOL - I wish! It's just not that easy... Read below... BTW... Have I welcomed you yet? If not... Welcome, glad to have you here!
Love the truck story and I agree with everyone else that it gives you the green light for Disney
I wish it did Chiara... Read below...
Hey D - I had to pop in and give you some love. Josh's truck=big time leverage. Sock it to him lady. You get a truck, me and the girls get some Disney magic. I think guys make important decisions like this just to show us they be the big man of the house and they just can. He did this even with a bad back. Wow. That's all I can figure out. Men are simple yet so complex. When my back goes out, I can barely walk. Hmmmm, and I was feeling sorry for him at first, ha ha.
Thanks Carol... I wish it was that easy. Yes, I am certain this is why Josh did that, grrrr... I will explain below.
LOVE the Stitch bag, the inside fabric is too adorable. Stitch wasn't my favorite movie of all time, for some reason he irritated me. But, he is such a cute wittle wascal.
Thank you - it was a fun bag to make.
Please drive slow and be safe. I was going to ask when you get to see your Dad next. So glad you will get to take him to church and visit with him. If you see someone there and they ask how your dad is, I would continue to send out the word that no one church would know since they didn't visit him. I am waiting on a postcard from E-bay to send to him. I would like to send him a little care package from Texas. Any ideas on what he might need?
I will - thank you Carol!

That is so thoughtful of you!!! I have a couple of great ideas, actually... He LOVES Word Searches (if they have the big print ones, those are easier for him to read). So, I always try to find him a couple of new ones when I go up. He also loves to play Solitare, but he has soooo many decks of cards, it's insane. LOL He LOVES his Agave nectar for his coffee (something, I am afraid, I turned him on to...) - so I always bring a fresh bottle up with me when I go... He carries it around in his walker basket. LOL

Personally - I think he uses too much of it, and I keep telling him that, but his blood #s seem to be OK.
I had been wrestling with youngest DS acne for several years now, the last 2 years it has been steadily getting worse. I finally caved in a couple of weeks ago and started him on Accutane. I hate that this is the only drug out there that is truly effective for bad acne, it has so many side effects. With your daughter, if her skin condition is getting worse, I think you might have to consider the shots. Sometimes these decisions have to be made.
I agree - I do need to call the Dr. back... I need to find out exactly what medication they want to inject into her - because she didn't exactly tell me. And I want to research. I was watching a commercial last night, and it was for a psoriasis medication... Some of the side effects were stroke, heart attack, brain infections... the list goes on. Sorry - but NO WAY...
Alli needs to go to her doctor and get some stern talking to. She is not getting enough nutrients, as you know, and she is not taking the lead in her decision to go vegetarian. I think she will listen to her doc.
Yes, I plan to make an appointment for her in the coming weeks - she needs a physical for track anyways. It will be a good time to have the Dr. give her a nice chat and pull some of her bloodwork too. I did mention some of this above when I was responding to Tess too, if you want to read that reply.
Bundle up and stay warm; many prayers are sent your way!
Thank you - you too!
I am new to this PTR and I am loving it so far!
I love all the cool pictures of you and your girls. So cute. I love the denim matchy-matchy.
You are inspiring me to learn to sew. My mom gave me a sewing machine a year ago that is still sitting in the box. I wish I could make the creations you make. You are so talented.
I only got through the first few pages and I am heading back to read more.
Welcome! Very happy to have you here! Thank you - I just love going out and doing photo shoots with the girls. I can't wait for spring to do another one.
I hope you dig out that sewing machine! There is nothing stopping you - if I can learn, anyone can - trust me! I just posted this link the other day - not sure if you saw it? But here's the link about my story and how I learned to sew...
http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=42492753&postcount=16
Anyways... Thanks for joining in!
Hi D,
Wow!! A new truck. I agree with everyone that you have some serious leverage!! I was a ovo-lacto (egg and dairy) vegetarian for about 10 years. There is a ton of info out there on vegetarian living. Maybe see if there is a nutritionist in her school that she could talk to. If she eats dairy that makes getting her protein consumption a lot easier. Veggie burgers also have a lot of protein. The veggie pizza burgers from Trader Joes are wonderful. Pintrest has a ton of recipes. Be safe driving to your Dad's this weekend.
I wish I had leverage... Sigh... Read below.
This is what worries me the most... that once she wants to eat meat again, she won't be able to. Thanks for the great ideas... Trader Joes is actually on my list of stores to hit for grocery shopping this week - thanks!
I forgot to say why. Often the PIN codes for free
DDP are earlier in August than the general public codes. If your BFF can get a PIN she could book both of you rooms with the code and you could move your trip a few days like you want to.
That makes total sense Bernadette! Thanks - I will tell her about it today.
Still nasty sinus headache but feeling a bit better. Work is still crazy-trying to get all the year end work done for the audit and now we have another month end. My boss did get approval to hire another analyst so that will eventually take some pressure off. I think they are leaning toward an internal candidate who will be great! It just takes so long for the process. My boss was selected to take part in the mgt training program that includes 4 week plus long trips to Utah, China, Japan & Italy so he's going to be away a lot this year so they really need to get rolling on the new hire.
Glad you are starting to feel a little bit better. And happy for you that someone was hired to take a little pressure off - hopefully they do - and don't create more work for you.
They just announced the new president that will start July 1st. Everyone who has ever met this new guy says he is wonderful so that is very encouraging news!!!
Oooh - this does sound very encouraging! I sure hope so!
Maybe you could do a split stay with just a few nights at GF. I looked at the new villas for our summer trip because Gene thinks he would love staying at GF. The 1BR units have beds for 5 BUT only 1 bathroom so I booked BLT that I wanted instead.
That is an idea... I will definately be looking into all options when we go.
I think its part a call for attention, part he's such a perfectionist that if doesn't think he can do it perfectly he doesn't want to try at all, part poor organizaitonal skills, part being lazy and part a fault of the school. The middle school students are not allowed to bring backpacks to class They can at the high school-which is in the same building just another wing. He has little time to go to his locker between classes. He has no homeroom so no place to sort of pull yourself together for a few minutes at the start of the day. They have A/B/C days that rotate 2 classes (band, art, PE, ect). And they also rotate the periods so one week starts with period 1 the next period 2. They used to tack period 1 onto the end so the day would be 2-3-4-5-6-7-1 and the next week 3-4-5-6-7-1-2 but Joe's graduation class is so much bigger than any before him (Lizzy's is at about 90 now but Joe's is nearly 160) that they can't just tack them onto the end-something to do with the specialist teachers so they do something like 2-3-1-4-5-6-7 and then maybe something like 3-2-1-5-6-7-4. I think it all just a bit too overwhelming for some kids.
I understand Joe's need for perfectionism.... I have much the same problem - and it stalls me out frequently... It's a hard road block to get past sometimes, and I really have to push through it.
That period rotation sounds awful! I am totally confused - I can't imagine how hard that is for the kids to keep track of?
Unfortunately the stay at home parent doesn't have the best organizational skills either. I feel like I work very hard full time in a stressful position so there can be a stay at home parent so that parent needs to step up and take care of the school work. I think I'm going to have to find a way to take a more hands on, active roll.
That is unfortunate... I hope you are able to work it out somehow.
Still none of this an excuse for not trying to do the homework. And NO excuse for lying to me when I ask if it is done and he says yes.
Oh yes - I totally agree!
Sent you our dates. I think we are going to just miss you.
I did see that... But I don't think I will have the time to reply before I leave today. But yes, if those are your dates - we will JUST miss eachother. So sad. Unless... FD is release to the public... Then we have a chance.
I would be so mad! I'm sorry needing a new truck has nothing to do with him not discussing something so important with you. I would find it insulting that he didn't value my opinion or think I was worthy of being consulted.
I did not think of it this way, but knowing my DH - it has nothing to do with not valuing my opinion... It has to do with being scared to tell me in the first place, because he knows I will freak out.

There's more to the story though, so read below.
Thank you - I will.
I tried to take Joe to see Saving Mr Banks a couple of weeks ago. Joe is my Disney fanatic. But he decided he would rather wait to see it on DVD. Now with the repeat of missing work and lying about it I don't exactly want to reward that behavior with doing something special. It is hard!
I know - it is very hard, and I agree with you completely.
Little Jeffery is so cute. Good luck to your son in his Pinewood Derby. My son has his this weekend too. His car looks great.
Good luck to both boys!
lovesdumbo - "He was still dragging his feet so I told him he couldn't come downstairs for Christmas until his math homework was done."
Is this child in middle school? I hope he turns things around...
D~ Oh man - a new truck!
Yah... Sigh...
I hope you have a safe trip up to your dad's tomorrow and enjoy your visit.
Thank you Liz, I hope so too.
Hopefully the doctor can give Alli some advice that she will heed.
Yes, I hope so too.
It's great to see you back Liz - I've missed you. I hope the weather in your area hasn't affected you too much.
Oh my....I can certainly understand why Josh is in the Dog House. I think my husband would have been sleeping outside if he did something like that without talking to me.
I know... Thankfully - for me... I know the warning signs, so it wasn't a total shock to my system. I was just waiting for him to get up the courage to tell me.
I hope all goes smoothly with cleaning your dad's garage out and you get it all out and delivered. Be careful so that you aren't hurting your back too.
Thank you... I hope so too. I am just ready to be DONE with it all.
I hope the weather cooperates (we are due another 6 - 9 inches starting tomorrow night through late Saturday afternoon).
I think that may be the same system we had go through yesterday... It was a MESS!!!!! And yes, it was 6"-9" in a matter of a few hours!
I am hopelessly behind but I wanted you to know that I LOVE the adorable Pirate Stitch bag. The lining with the map is perfection! I'm amazed that you don't replicate the same bag twice. True talent!
Hi Brenda! I hate to admit, I am hopelessly behind on your TR too. So sad about it.
I have to say that your reaction to Josh's truck was much better than mine would have been. I would have done more than refused to see it.... I think I would have had to surgically remove my foot from my DH's behind. I'm sure it was one of those moments when had you been asked it would have been a different reaction than figuring it out.
Hahaha... Well, there is more to the story... Read below.
You have cute Mickey jammies. Adorable.
Thank you - I have not tried them on yet, I am afraid to - they just look soooo small.
Good luck this weekend with taking care of your dad's belongings. Stay warm!
Thank you - I just hope this is the last of the move.
OMG Tom would be in the dog house too. He owes you Disney now!
Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards
Hahaha... I wish - read below.
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The Truck...
Soooo....
A lot of you said that truck = Disney... Well, sort of, but not really. See, Josh pulled a fast one on me... He justified his truck with my 2 previous Disney trips.

What! He can't do that! Oh - yes he can... Sadly. See, Josh makes the $$ in our household... If it wasn't for his job - I would not have my business nor would I have any of my trips.... It is truly because of his hard work that I get to do all the fun things I get to do, and the sole reason why I get to have a job that I barely make anything at, but I love so much. Yes, it's OUR $$... but Josh is the one who makes it all... AND - he's been driving a crappy vehicle for sooo long - it's only fair that he gets to have a new truck. It really is. He commutes 40 miles/day - on some pretty terrible roads (in the winter) - it really was time.
As a side note, he also PROMISED he would quit smoking to justify the cost of the new truck... You better BELIEVE I am going to hold him to that. As having him quit smoking is far more important to me than any Disney trip.
Yes, he should have discussed a major purchase with me... but I know better. This is NOT the first time this has happened - and I am certain it will not be the last. You see... He did this with my van... He also did this with my Edge... He did this with his lawnmower and his Jeep... It's not that he does't value my opinion... It has nothing to do with that. It's the fact that I am a TIGHTWAD and I never want to let go of any of our $$. He knows this... He also knows that I would have anxiety attacks just going through the motions of spending that much $$. I just CANNOT do it... If we are ever to get any newer vehicles, he almost has to go behind my back, because I would push my cars to work if I had to, to avoid spending $$ on new ones. I know, I am weird.
I hope that explained it a little better?
So, no... New truck does not = Disney. I wish it did. If anything, it = less Disney, because now we have less $$.
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I worked on my applique most of yesterday... It it not even close to being done... Sigh. I plan to work on it a little while this morning before I have to leave for my Dad's.
It's the last day of the month, so I get to do my measurments... I also need to do a progress photo... I will try to do that today after I get ready to leave for my Dad's. I am very pleased with this month's progress.
I hope all of you stay warm and safe this weekend... I know that so many of you have been affected by the weather - please know that you and your families have been on my mind and in our prayers.
D~