~ Sew Sweet 16 ~I’m packing your angry eyes just in case~Aug 2014~ BFF' bag 8/20!!!!

[sewmess]

D~ when I say eating less, that actually means eating less carbs. And when I eat less carbs I find I eat less over all. And since the last time I actually figured up the calories I eat in a day it was close to 2200... I did, at one time, figured out that I need 1800 cals to maintain the weight I want.

I've been looking at paleo diets and seriously thinking about them. Cale would actually go along with them because, hey - meat! I am concerned about some of the recipes I've seen because of the use of coconut. Again, won't kill me, just make me itch from the top of my head down.

What I need to do is take my vacation eating home with me. I eat more basic foods when I'm on vacation: veggies, fruits, simple carbs, etc. Oh and protein.

 

[solana131]

I just love love love the Step Sister bag! And Lucifer! Love him The yellow is so fun too. Just a great all around bag my friend

 

[NiniMorris]

I seem to spend a lot of time at my mother's "escaping" by either planning fantasy trips or reviewing past trips. Our 32nd anniversary is this year so I was trying to figure out an appropriate place to go (that's the fantasy part, I don't see how we'll be able to get away).

It's not the silver anniversay so can't go to Nevada, the silver state. Not gold anniversary so can't go to California, the golden state. So I decided to look up which state was the 32nd to come into the union. Low and behold, it's MINNESOTA. That gave me a good chuckle, because I know you've been wanting me to come visit.

Minnesota!!!

HI CHERYL!!!

(sorry, didn't mean to yell! )

I think a visit to Minnesota would be perfect! And then you could visit Georgia....but you have to wait for the summer to visit here...every time someone from the frozen north visit us we end up with below zero weather! This fragile southern girl can't take it and is going to leave for the Bahamas in a few days to escape!


Sorry for the hijack D~!


Nini

 

[DMGeurts]

Hi D,

The new step sisters bag is adorable. Can you tell me what lifting program you are doing? Congrats on the progress. I am doing the couch to 5K program and weight watchers. I am still waiting to see some progress. Have a great day!!

Thanks! Well, I am doing New Rules of Lifting for Women: http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women It's a great book and a great program - especially for someone like me, who has NEVER ever lifted a weight in her life... Everything is very well explained. And other than the last few chapters of the book showing you how to do everything - the whole beginning of the book is a fantastic read... I've read it 3 or 4 times now... So much info in there. The program is supposed to be like a 6 month long program... but since I am such a newbie at it - I am dragging all of the stages out a few extra weeks... So, it will probably take me another 6+ months to complete it? Then I'll probably start all over, or find another one of Lou's programs to do. I just love it! And I love my results - I shared some progress pics yesterday in a few private FB groups, and there is a lot of great progress (still a long ways to go... but). I wish I could share them here, but they are a bit inappropriate for The Dis.

I just ordered a new book the other day... I cannot wait for it to get here... http://www.primalblueprint.com/prod...nd_Expanded_Paperback_Edition/Books_and_Media I've been really trying to focus on proper nutrition these last few weeks, and I am really liking this new program. It's pretty intense - but the changes I am seeing already are quite astonishing - and more health related than size related... but I cannot wait for this book to get here... This book paired with my lifting routine... I think it will be a good thing?

Saw the bag on FB and love love love it.

I am debating an inverted bob. I want to do something different and I think with my super straight hair that would be a great route.

I get to sew during the day today since I sent J to school. Routine is so important to him. I kept C home. We have to drive a lot of back roads and 2 are steep hills I am just not comfortable driving and it has nothing to do with my ability LOL.

have a great day.

I think an inverted bob would be very cute on you. Go for it! I am not sure how long I will keep my inverted bob (once I get it grown out to that) - I am debating on growing my hair out even longer? We'll see. LOL It's been over a decade since I have had truly long hair.

I hope you had a safe drive yesterday.

Good Morning D!

Love the Step Sisters bag The colors are so bright and the applique is so cute!

I hear ya on the hating going to the kids school thing. Talea's school is the same way. If we don't have to walk two miles to the door I feel like I hit the lottery!

Have a great day friend!

Thanks Tasha! Yah - it's no fun going to their school, it's such a pain. I hope you had a great day too.

Love the step sisters bag!

Hope you have a great day!

Thanks! I hope you have a wonderful day, as well.

The bag is gorgeous!! I don't remember you using a lot of yellow, and this is beautiful fabric! I know it will garner a LOT of attention in the parks for whomever uses it. Fantastic job, D~!!!

Thank you Lois! Yah - I just stumbled on this fabric, and it was perfect for that bag. Sometimes I just get lucky. I love to use prints that are "print" but more subtle - if I can't use a solid color, that way the appliques still stand out.

You are spot on with the weight loss advice. Anything that is sugar-free, fat-free or reduced fat is POISON!!! And the diet sodas...don't even get me started. I'm glad you're getting educated on eating properly. Our diets begin in the grocery store. The fewer packaged products we buy, the better off we are. Keep up the good work, D~. You're an inspiration to a lot of people.

Thank you for understanding this Lois... This is something that I have become so passionate about recently... It is SOOOO scary to me, the "food" that the government feels is OK to make us put into our bodies... Chemicals that are chemically processed... Fat doesn't make you fat people - enjoy the good stuff, just not too much of it. It drives me crazy when people who are dieting grab a "diet granola bar" or whatever (light yogert... fat free pudding... Diet soda) And consume it because it's "healthy" - yet half of the ingredients are not even prounouncable, but it's "OK" to put that in our bodies, because the government has brainwashed us into believing that they are OK. Then they wonder why they always have headaches/indigestion/acne/blah, blah, blah - it's because of the chemicals they are eating. So very sad... but very few people out there even recognize that it's bad for them.

Sorry to rant... Like I said - it's something that I am JUST recently discovering for myself and it makes me SICK to think I have fed my body (and, even worse, my family's bodies) this way for YEARS!!! What was I thinking????

The girls are totally on board... They've been reading some of the stuff that I have - and I never thought that my girls would have any interest in this sort of thing... but they are reading exactly what I am - and are 100% in agreement with me. Josh, OTOH, well... he is an unwilling participant by default. I still have to buy some of the crap for him - but I don't like it - and I try to give him as much harassment as I can... If he continues to eat that way - I will be SURE he eats it KNOWING what he is eating. I know, pretty harsh - but what else do I do?

And don't even get me started on the school lunches. D.I.S.G.R.A.C.E.F.U.L!!!!!

This is:,but I was wondering if they ever discovered why your friend's husband took off for a while. I still think about that sometimes because I know it was so traumatic for your friend. Hope they are working through it.

Yes, they did. Thank you for asking. I will send you a PM to let you know what happened. I just don't feel like it's appropriate to talk about publically. If you don't hear from me today - please send me a PM to remind me... Today is a Target day - so I never really get a chance to sit down at the computer after my morning stint.

If you weren't able to lift, don't sweat it. (haha no pun intended) You know your body and will make the right decisions for it. Hope you are staying warm. I have to go out this morning for some ingredients for a crock pot meal. It is zero degrees out without the wind chill factored in, so I'm waiting a bit to see if it will warm up to just frigid! Have a great day of sewing!

I did lift... It was a crappy lift - but I did do it. I wasn't able to get all of my reps done on my squat presses... I should have done one more set to make up for it - Oh well... Next time.

We have very bad cold here again today... No school for the girls - it was called off due to cold. So, they are headed to BFF's house for the day, while I am at work. Josh was kind enough to go out and start my car for me this morning... Bummer - I was hoping to call in to work because my car wouldn't start.

I seem to spend a lot of time at my mother's "escaping" by either planning fantasy trips or reviewing past trips. Our 32nd anniversary is this year so I was trying to figure out an appropriate place to go (that's the fantasy part, I don't see how we'll be able to get away).

It's not the silver anniversay so can't go to Nevada, the silver state. Not gold anniversary so can't go to California, the golden state. So I decided to look up which state was the 32nd to come into the union. Low and behold, it's MINNESOTA. That gave me a good chuckle, because I know you've been wanting me to come visit.
Minnesota!!!

Hi Cheryl!!!! It's great to see you! I hope things are going well at your Mom's... I know it's a lot of work - but I am sure she is very appreciative of having you there.

Are you seriously coming to MN??? YOu've said it before, but never messaged me... I would love to meet up somewhere if you are coming.

It's so good to see you - thanks for stopping by!

Well if this doesn't inspire me to get up and do something NOTHING does..

that's it. I am going to get this fat *** into shape!!!

Hi Mo!!! You can do it - I know you can! You have HUGE trip to get ready for... Just focus... I am here to cheer you on!

I got about a week behind once again but I'm all caught up now!

So glad everything has worked out so well with your Dad. Too bad his church has failed so miserably, I can understand why you are so angry about that.

Love the stepsister bag!

Hi Ariana! Thank you! I hope you are well! It's great to see you back! Thank you - yah, I am not too happy with his church... HOpefully they come around soon...

We are actually getting snow here in NC!!! It is my day off, and although I had errands to run I am sitting around the house doing Disney crafts and reading up on my threads...... (I am NOT going out in the snow too cold AND people around here CAN NOT drive in it!!! there is a reason I do not live in MN with my family hehehehe) luckily ours will probably melt in a few days and it will be back to normal, I do not envy you up there though!

YIKES! Not that us Minnesotans know how to drive in it either - we just think we do... but I would not want to be on the roads in the southern states with all the people that REALLY don't know how to drive in it. I don't blame you for staying put. LOL

Anyhow, to answer your question....we are going Sept 24-Oct 5 and staying at POR. We've only changed our reservations about 4 times in the past year so I think this one will stick (the dangers of planning for two years hahahaha)

Hahaha... THat sounds like a fantastic trip! I love POR - I've never stayed there, but we do tend to spend quite some time there - it's a gorgeous resort. I hope it sticks for you.

D~ when I say eating less, that actually means eating less carbs. And when I eat less carbs I find I eat less over all. And since the last time I actually figured up the calories I eat in a day it was close to 2200... I did, at one time, figured out that I need 1800 cals to maintain the weight I want.

Ahhh, got it. Sorry if I went all "preechy" on you... I just see so many people that try to lose eating as little as possible. Sooooo relieved to hear that you are doing it the right way! Phew! I hope you'll forgive me for assuming.

I've been looking at paleo diets and seriously thinking about them. Cale would actually go along with them because, hey - meat! I am concerned about some of the recipes I've seen because of the use of coconut. Again, won't kill me, just make me itch from the top of my head down.

I love that you are looking into Paleo... It's a great thing! I've been eating "Primal" for about 2 weeks now, and I cannot believe how great I feel... That and I LOVE the food! LOL

There are a LOT of recipes that use coconut... but I would think that you could either eliminate the raw coconut or use another kind of oil if it calls for coconut oil... Most people aim to be eating 80% to 90% Paleo/Primal when they are following that way of eating. It's a hard plan, but the benefits far out weigh the missing of the items you can't eat.

Oh, and just as a side note... The only difference between Paleo and Primal is that on Primal, you can eat a bit of dairy (or in my case, more than I should - I love my dairy...) Although, as time goes on, I am starting to think I may have a slight intolerance to dairy... I may have to eliminate it at a later time, just to see.

What I need to do is take my vacation eating home with me. I eat more basic foods when I'm on vacation: veggies, fruits, simple carbs, etc. Oh and protein.

Yes... I am really nervous about how we are going to manage at Disney... This will be a WHOLE NEW experience for us. And NO Freedom Pasta... Makes me soooo sad.

I just love love love the Step Sister bag! And Lucifer! Love him The yellow is so fun too. Just a great all around bag my friend

Thank you! I love how it turned out too!

HI CHERYL!!!

(sorry, didn't mean to yell! )

I think a visit to Minnesota would be perfect! And then you could visit Georgia....but you have to wait for the summer to visit here...every time someone from the frozen north visit us we end up with below zero weather! This fragile southern girl can't take it and is going to leave for the Bahamas in a few days to escape!


Sorry for the hijack D~!


Nini

No worries Nini! IT's great to see you here too.

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

Well, after many hours messing around on the computer, when I should have been upstairs working yesterday... I finally made it up there. Sometimes that commute up the stairs and down the hall is the LONGEST and HARDEST commute ever. But, I know, once I get up there, I can't drag myself away.

I managed to lift yesterday morning. It wasn't the best lift ever... Sigh. I coulnd't finish all of my reps at the weight I was sqatting (which I've successfully squatted before), and I was very disappointed in myself. But, in my defence... I usually put a kitchen chair behind me - so it barely brushes my back side - that way, I have sort of a mental "visual" of where my "squat to parallel" is. I hope that makes sense? Yesterday, I didn't do that - and I am positive I was squatting below parallel - which would have accounted for the added difficulty and the reason I couldn't finish all of my reps. Squatting below parallel is VERY hard, and not something I am really aiming to do - especially with my bad knees... I am very concious about not injuring them. Otherwise, my lift went well.

I also took some progess pictures yesterday morning... Unfortunately - they are not really Dis-appropriate, but I am happy to see some good changes over the last 8 months. I am a little bummed, because my "before" pictures were taken 2 months into this journey... So, if I would have taken them sooner - I think my progress would have been a bit more significant. I will be taking progress pictures that I can post here at the end of the month.

As I said earlier... I worked all day in my sewing room (once I dragged myself up there) - I was able to finish quilting that little bit I had left to do from Tuesday. Then I was able to cut out my applique and start stitching it. I really like this one too... It's very fitting to the Character's personality. I LOVE it when that happens!

Today is a Target day - so I must go do my Walk Away the Pounds DVD... Doing WATP is, sort of, a "rest" day for me... I have to be careful on my off lifting days that I don't do anything real strenuous, so my muscles have a chance to heal. I really like doing WATP for that reason. It just keeps my body moving on my off days. I can't wait until it's nicer outside though, so I can get my body out there... Only 2 more months of winter...

Have a FANTASTIC day everyone!!! Sending out prayers and good thoughts to all of you!

D~

 

[disneychic2]

I love your passion for what you are learning about the food the FDA has approved for us to consume. The labeling of many items is just plain fraudulent, but not illegal. It deceives the public into thinking they're dong something good, making good choices for themselves. If you get netflix, you should watch Food Matters and Hungry for Change. Those will educate you further on this shameful subject. I'm glad the girls are on board. Hopefully Josh will see the benefits before too long.

Don't worry about sending me a pm about what happened. It really isn't any of my business. I just was hoping it was something that was medical that could be fixed or something. They've been on my mind a lot lately.

Sounds like you're making good progress on your custom order. Hope you are kept busy at Target so the day goes by quickly for you. AND hope your car starts for the trip home!! We are enjoying quite a heat wave here...14 degrees!! That's the highest it's been in a while. But I try to look at each day as a gift and not complain too much about what it brings. That said, I have the option of just staying inside if I want to, so that's what I do.

Have a great day!

 

[Texan]

Hey D!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bag, as I was reading posts I was racking my brain trying to think of the cat's name and someone said "Lucifer" - THANK YOU! That was driving me crazy. You hit another home run lady.

As usual, I was thinking of you with this Artic Blast as the news people like to call it. Yes, we are going to have our wintry mix tomorrow, hope they start school later as we live up in the Hill Country where it can get icy. Stay safe and warm okay?

You don't know how much I love reading your eating healthy and exercising posts. Exercise is an evil thing on my end, I need to get off my lazy behind and just start. I think I am going to look into the weight lifting as you are, as I can no longer walk or do many of things I used to do before my foot surgery. I have been an advocate of healthy eating for a long time, and a big label reader. Whole Foods and Sprouts love me. I have always discussed with my husband why our grocery bills are so much higher. Not just organic food, but healthier food also costs more. I think it pays off in the long run. I cannot wait to read the web sites you posted. I love when other people share their knowledge. My oldest son is into cross fit and Paleo eating, I am so proud of him. Youngest son HATES all forms of exercise, go figure, and he is a tall stick. Keep it up lady, I am so proud of you, as you should be.

I have been in the midst of discussions with your TA. We are having a few problems with our reservation. She made the comment that her Magic Bands were a disaster on her last trip. I am dreading my experience. Let us know how your Magical plans are going. It will all work out with your BFF and O. It will be one of those situations you cannot dwell on and just let it work itself out while you are there.

Take care, and prayers sent your way.

Carol

 

[Terkina]

Great bad with the stepsisters. It's great that you see result of your change in diet and training

 

[ladylyons]

Beautiful baby Sandra!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thank you!!

Awww, love the pics! How old is Sarah? Hope your first night home was not a typical first night with a new baby...meaning I hope you got some sleep!

Sarah is 5. She's our 2nd child. She's still loving getting to hold her baby brother. I got a little bit of sleep. He's decided that night time is the time to be awake and day time is the time to sleep so we're trying to change that by trying to keep him awake more during the day.

Baby Jeffrey is beautiful .... and so is big sister Sarah!

Thank you!!

OK - before I do my morning update...

SQUEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is just so very precious! And I love that picture of Sarah holding him - how sweet. How does she feel being the only girl with a gaggle of brothesr to protect her? And he is just so sweet in that little Pooh outfit... I wish I lived closer so I could snuggle him.

Again - congratulations! I hope you are feeling OK and continue to.

D~

Thanks D!! She's loving being the only girl. Daddy has already taken to spoiling her a little bit more than normal. Still feeling good. Just trying to rest while I can since my mom is here until February 3.

Your children are precious!! Congrats on baby Jeffrey!

Thank you!

Your baby is Gorgeous Sandra! Congratulations!

Thank you!

Fist Sandra little Jeffrey is just super adorable.

Thank you!

Sandra, congrats on baby Jeffrey. He is so cute.

Thank you!

FIRST i must say BABY Jeffery is the CUTEST little guy!!! just squishable!!!! CONGRATS!!! so glad to hear everyone is healthy and home..

Thank you! It is nice to be home and not in the hospital where they are constantly checking you to make sure everything is ok.

D - I had a nice long response typed up the other night and my computer crashed!! Now can't remember what I was going to say. I did see the new bag and it turned out great!!!

 

[DMGeurts]

I love your passion for what you are learning about the food the FDA has approved for us to consume. The labeling of many items is just plain fraudulent, but not illegal. It deceives the public into thinking they're dong something good, making good choices for themselves. If you get netflix, you should watch Food Matters and Hungry for Change. Those will educate you further on this shameful subject. I'm glad the girls are on board. Hopefully Josh will see the benefits before too long.

Yes - I couldn't agree with you more! It makes me very angry too... I really want to go through all of my cupboards and remove all of it, but I think that would drive Josh over the edge.

Oooh - we do have Netflix... I will see if I can find those movies... I may never want to eat again though.

Don't worry about sending me a pm about what happened. It really isn't any of my business. I just was hoping it was something that was medical that could be fixed or something. They've been on my mind a lot lately.

Yes, they have been on my mind a lot too - and in my prayers. I know they could still use them.

Sounds like you're making good progress on your custom order. Hope you are kept busy at Target so the day goes by quickly for you. AND hope your car starts for the trip home!! We are enjoying quite a heat wave here...14 degrees!! That's the highest it's been in a while. But I try to look at each day as a gift and not complain too much about what it brings. That said, I have the option of just staying inside if I want to, so that's what I do.

Have a great day!

I had a decent day - it did go by quickly, which is always a blessing.

That's what I love about you Lois - you are always looking at the bright side. I also try not to complain too much about my life - but sometimes it's so hard to keep my mouth shut. LOL

I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday. Your trip must be so close now... How many days are you at? And I'd love to hear some of the final details!

Hey D!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bag, as I was reading posts I was racking my brain trying to think of the cat's name and someone said "Lucifer" - THANK YOU! That was driving me crazy. You hit another home run lady.

Hi Carol! Thank you! It was a fun bag to make... Great characters - I love doing unique things, and I love it when people let me. LOL

As usual, I was thinking of you with this Artic Blast as the news people like to call it. Yes, we are going to have our wintry mix tomorrow, hope they start school later as we live up in the Hill Country where it can get icy. Stay safe and warm okay?

Yah - it's pretty darn cold here again. Sigh. Only 1 more month of really DEEP winter... We just try not to think about it. Be careful out there - I hope it doesn't get too icy... Stay safe and warm, as well.

You don't know how much I love reading your eating healthy and exercising posts. Exercise is an evil thing on my end, I need to get off my lazy behind and just start. I think I am going to look into the weight lifting as you are, as I can no longer walk or do many of things I used to do before my foot surgery. I have been an advocate of healthy eating for a long time, and a big label reader. Whole Foods and Sprouts love me. I have always discussed with my husband why our grocery bills are so much higher. Not just organic food, but healthier food also costs more. I think it pays off in the long run. I cannot wait to read the web sites you posted. I love when other people share their knowledge. My oldest son is into cross fit and Paleo eating, I am so proud of him. Youngest son HATES all forms of exercise, go figure, and he is a tall stick. Keep it up lady, I am so proud of you, as you should be.

I definately don't like to excercise either... Most days, I have to really talk myself into it. I just started off super easy and worked up from there. I could still work a lot further up - but I am too lazy and I kind of like things the way they are. I sure hope you can find the motivation you need to get started - it's such a mental thing and it's hard to overcome. I wish I could say something to make it easier on you.

So glad that you are an advocate of heathly eating - it make such a difference. YOu are right - it is sooooo expensive!!! I guess, in the grand scheme of things though... I pay more for groceries, in the hope that I can pay less for medical bills in the future...

Love that your one son is doing crossfit and Paleo... What a great lifestyle! I know a little bit about crossfit, but not a lot. I just know those people are STRONG!!!

I have been in the midst of discussions with your TA. We are having a few problems with our reservation. She made the comment that her Magic Bands were a disaster on her last trip. I am dreading my experience. Let us know how your Magical plans are going. It will all work out with your BFF and O. It will be one of those situations you cannot dwell on and just let it work itself out while you are there.

Take care, and prayers sent your way.

Carol

I sure hope your trip turns out OK. I am really NOT liking this new stuff they have going on, and it's seriously making me second guess our trip this year. I guess we will play it by ear - but if Disney doesn't get their stuff together, I would seriously consider putting off a trip until they can figure it out. It makes no sense to me, to go down and spend our hard earned $$ only to stand in line the entire time - which we do anyways - but it seems like it's so much worse right now. Praying your trip goes off well - you have the BEST TA ever on your side, so I have great confidence!

Great bad with the stepsisters. It's great that you see result of your change in diet and training

Thank you Lillian! I hope you are doing well, I miss seeing you around. Do you have any big trips coming up?

D - I had a nice long response typed up the other night and my computer crashed!! Now can't remember what I was going to say. I did see the new bag and it turned out great!!!

No worries Sandra! I hope you are getting enough rest, I am glad that your mom is there for a week+ yet, how wonderful! And I hope the kids are all used to having a new little brother.

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

Nothing great or exciting to report today.

Target went well yesterday... It went fast... My feet aren't too bad this morning. So, I consider that a good day.

We are in the middle of a deep, deep freeze right now. It's so cold out there - you just run from house to car and car to house, and hope nothing happens in between.

I will be working in my sewing room today. I hope to finish my applique this morning, and start some pre-assembly work. With any luck - I might be able to finish this afternoon? We'll see.

Alli had 2 friends over last night. I know, for a fact, they were still up when I woke up at 3:30 this morning... I laid there for an hour before I crawled out of bed, and by that time, they had all gone to bed. They are going to be some TIRED girls today. 2 of them are zonked out in our living room recliners... It will be daylight bright in there in less than 2 hours... Anyways... I think I have to bring both girls home today - so that will take some time out of my work day.

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

My ADR date is quickly approaching... About a month +/- away... I am certain I will be able to get all of the restaurants we'd like, I am not very nervous about it.

I am more nervous that Disney has a BIG MESS going on, and I am not sure I want to deal with it. As much as I love FD... I am not sure I want to deal with all of the other "Crash Test Dummy" stuff they have going on with Magic Bands and FP+... I will play it by ear, but the closer it gets the more nervous I am that is will just be a disaster and not worth my time/$$. We'll see...

I hope all of you have a great day! Sending out prayers and good thoughts to all!

D~

 

[disneychic2]

Yes, my trip is in 12 days!!! I started setting things out to pack yesterday. I was terrified I would forget to take the magic bands! I'm working on a couple of outfits for Charlotte. One is Frozen theme and the other Cinderella. Since Mo talked me into (bullied really!) doing a trip report, I'm not saying much of what our plans are. I'm anxious to see what the bands are like. I'll let you know the truth of our experience, good or bad. I just wish they weren't taking out the regular fastpass. They could just put fewer in to make up for the bands. And I really don't like picking so far ahead. That's just crazy. I don't mind ADRs, but attractions? Really? And only one major ride a day?? I'm trying to keep an open mind, but on paper it just doesn't work for me. Still, I'll be in Disney, so how bad can it be?

It was -2 this morning before adding wind chill. I usually would just stay home, but I have lesson with my new sewing/embroidery machine. Yep, I totally drank the koolaid and traded my less-than-a year-old machine in for the really expensive one I wanted in the first place. It was a demo, so I got a good deal, but holy cow! I went in to get just a simple sewing machine with no bells and whistles. And Dan was with me, so he was okay with it. This was two weeks ago and I'm loving it. One of the features I love the most is the camera that helps with placement (which I have no idea how to use yet) and the tablet that my grandkids can draw on and I can then embroider their actual drawings for pillows or to frame. That is priceless to me! Okay, sorry for the commercial, but I'm pretty excited about it.

Glad your day at Target went quickly for you. I know you're already up in your sewing room working away, so I'll wish you a good day and get down to my sewing room as well. I love how the Frozen characters are stitching out!

 

[Pluto0809]

If it eases your mind at all, Jim and I loved the MBs! We had very few problems with them, found them very easy to use and comfortable to wear. It was a little interesting to make it work with only 3 FP+ per park, it does change your stategy a bit. But I sure liked not having to run from one end of the park to the other to get the paper FPs. I also found it very easy to change our selections the one time I did it.

This next trip may be a little different due to the tiering in Epcot and DHS but I still think it will work out OK. I will give you a full report when we get back! I'm guessing that they should have most of the kinks worked out by the time you go in August.

Have a great weekend, try to stay warm! We've got really cold temperatures but at least no snow. I know I won't be back on here till Monday. I have to leave work in a few hours to go downtown Atlanta for a class at Noon. Not looking forward to that drive. This weekend I need to do some serious work on packing for the trip in two weeks! I have to get a lot of my packing done this weekend because for some reason, I've got stuff going almost every minute of next weekend. Not very smart of me to plan so much the weekend before a trip but I guess I'll have to make it work.

 

[Terkina]

Sounds like your days are going well.
I wrote a reply about your dad a few days ago but I'm not sure if you read it since you didn't comment it.

There are no big trips planned for a while now. I have to drive to Sweden 650 km (404 miles) one way with a friend to attend a funeral on Thursday next week. Other than that no trip plans until August. Then my friend, I and my 3 cats will take a motor home and drive in Sweden and through all the counties in Finland geocaching. We will be gone 4-5 weeks. After that I'm hoping we will go back to London in November/December for a week (even if I would like to travel to New York and Christmas shop there instead)

 

[lovedonaldduck]

I think the kinks will be worked out on the Magic Bands well before you trip. I'd imagine they'll tweak things too, and what you are faced with may be very different than what is going on now. I wouldn't worry too much about it. We used them for our trip in September and I loved that we could take the pressure off of getting to the parks for rope drop every day - we still did it for Magic Kingdom, but it was nice to be a little less rushed on our other days knowing we'd still get to do all of our must dos. Of course, this was before they added the tier structure so we'll see what I think next time around.

 

[Iamthequeen]

I wouldn't worry too much about the MB and FP+, if you stop to think of the thousands of people that go to the parks every single day that don't have any issues with them, they can't be too bad. We are only hearing about the ones that a) truly have a problem or b) don't like the idea of them and will complain about everything, or c) those that have a problem with any change that Disney makes. Honestly, something had to change with the paper fps. We have only been able to ride Toy Story once in all the times we've been to the parks. We are not rope drop people and usually by the time we get to TSM all the fps are gone for the day - and there is an hour wait. Not going to happen - I'm not waiting in line for an hour for any ride. That's why I go in September!

People complained because Disney started enforcing the times on the fps, too, so I'm not surprised that people are complaining about using fp+. Give it a try before you completely disnmiss it. Ok, I'm off my soap box....

 

[Iamthequeen]

Yes, my trip is in 12 days!!! I started setting things out to pack yesterday. I was terrified I would forget to take the magic bands! I'm working on a couple of outfits for Charlotte. One is Frozen theme and the other Cinderella. Since Mo talked me into (bullied really!) doing a trip report, I'm not saying much of what our plans are. I'm anxious to see what the bands are like. I'll let you know the truth of our experience, good or bad. I just wish they weren't taking out the regular fastpass. They could just put fewer in to make up for the bands. And I really don't like picking so far ahead. That's just crazy. I don't mind ADRs, but attractions? Really? And only one major ride a day?? I'm trying to keep an open mind, but on paper it just doesn't work for me. Still, I'll be in Disney, so how bad can it be?

It was -2 this morning before adding wind chill. I usually would just stay home, but I have lesson with my new sewing/embroidery machine. Yep, I totally drank the koolaid and traded my less-than-a year-old machine in for the really expensive one I wanted in the first place. It was a demo, so I got a good deal, but holy cow! I went in to get just a simple sewing machine with no bells and whistles. And Dan was with me, so he was okay with it. This was two weeks ago and I'm loving it. One of the features I love the most is the camera that helps with placement (which I have no idea how to use yet) and the tablet that my grandkids can draw on and I can then embroider their actual drawings for pillows or to frame. That is priceless to me! Okay, sorry for the commercial, but I'm pretty excited about it.

Glad your day at Target went quickly for you. I know you're already up in your sewing room working away, so I'll wish you a good day and get down to my sewing room as well. I love how the Frozen characters are stitching out!

OHHHHH, a new machine! Which one is it? Sounds awesome. I really don't need a new machine, but.......

Nah, not going to happen. The next big purchase is either going to be a new furnace or a new car.....

Besides, Jim is going to give me Gwen's older Singer - not sure which model it is, but I know it is an older one.

 

[KatMark]

D, I'm still here. A few days without internet put me way behind everywhere again (including my own TR which I finally got to doing responses on and a brief update).

I LOVE LOVE the step sisters bag.

I'm glad you ahd a good visit with your Dad.

Have a great weekend (hope you are staying warm during this brutal winter!).

 

[ladylyons]

No worries Sandra! I hope you are getting enough rest, I am glad that your mom is there for a week+ yet, how wonderful! And I hope the kids are all used to having a new little brother.

I'm getting sleep whenever I can. Today I got to sleep in until about 10:30 am. Got up at 7:30 am to make sure the kids got up and to school in time, fed the baby, and was back asleep by about 8 am. I didn't even hear my mom come in from dropping the kids off at school I was that tired.

Sorry about the cold!! We've been having some gorgeous weather!! We're able to go without jackets and this is one of the reason's why I live in sunny California!! We do need the rain though so I know this weather can't last.

Glad your shift went fast and your not having much foot pain.

Hope you were able to get a lot done on the bag your working on this week.

 

[DMGeurts]

I can understand it's tough for you to find out how your dad has been living. But you have to think that he now lives in a nice apartment and have people around him to look into him and see that everything is ok. Sounds like a good plan to visit him once a month and stay overnight. It's a shame that his church haven't offered to help him out.

You have some big decision to make about your WDW trip. I know the feeling of wanting to be there as much as possible. But one day in each park is possible (that's what I did when I was there last February).

You were right Lillian - we were posting at the same time, and I totally missed your post. I am very sorry about that. Thanks for letting me know.

I agree - it is so much easier - and I am so relieved that he is doing so much better now. The girls and I are excited to stay with him, and spend some time with him... He is a very good Grandpa. When the girls were little - we only lived a few blocks from him, so he was over almost every single day - so they are very close to him... This will be so good for all of us!

As usual - right again, LOL I just keep wishing for 2 days in MK - with the expansion and Robyn only ever being there for a few hours - I just want to "do it all" and I know that I can't do that. We will just do the best we can.

Yes, my trip is in 12 days!!! I started setting things out to pack yesterday. I was terrified I would forget to take the magic bands! I'm working on a couple of outfits for Charlotte. One is Frozen theme and the other Cinderella. Since Mo talked me into (bullied really!) doing a trip report, I'm not saying much of what our plans are. I'm anxious to see what the bands are like. I'll let you know the truth of our experience, good or bad. I just wish they weren't taking out the regular fastpass. They could just put fewer in to make up for the bands. And I really don't like picking so far ahead. That's just crazy. I don't mind ADRs, but attractions? Really? And only one major ride a day?? I'm trying to keep an open mind, but on paper it just doesn't work for me. Still, I'll be in Disney, so how bad can it be?

Wow Lois - I knew it was close - but I didn't think it was THAT close!!! Soooo excited for you... I hope you kiss that Duck from me, every chance you get.

Oh - I really wish you would take pictures and post some of these outfits you are making... and when you come back - I hope you'll post a picture of yourself from the trip... You've become such a good friend (to many of us) - and I have NO idea what you look like!

I am looking forward to your review on the MBs and FP+... I hope it goes very well for you! I agree - picking all of that stuff so far in advance is really a pain... but on the flip side - I do like the aspect of not having to criss-cross the park... I would LOVE to be able to schedule a FP for EE, ride the safari - then go ride EE as many times as possible while the lines are short (even doing a few single riders) - then ride with our FPs. ONce that is done - we just wander around aimlessly anyways. LOL Same with DHS...

It was -2 this morning before adding wind chill. I usually would just stay home, but I have lesson with my new sewing/embroidery machine. Yep, I totally drank the koolaid and traded my less-than-a year-old machine in for the really expensive one I wanted in the first place. It was a demo, so I got a good deal, but holy cow! I went in to get just a simple sewing machine with no bells and whistles. And Dan was with me, so he was okay with it. This was two weeks ago and I'm loving it. One of the features I love the most is the camera that helps with placement (which I have no idea how to use yet) and the tablet that my grandkids can draw on and I can then embroider their actual drawings for pillows or to frame. That is priceless to me! Okay, sorry for the commercial, but I'm pretty excited about it.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! You go to get a new machine and end up with that!!! And then you WAIT for 2 weeks to tell us? But seriously - how exciting!!! THis sounds like a top of the line machine!!! And it sounds like it has some really cool features! How big is the hoop? Because we all know that is MOST important. LOL I sure hope you'll take pictures and share some of your creations from it! Congrats! Does he/she have a name?

Glad your day at Target went quickly for you. I know you're already up in your sewing room working away, so I'll wish you a good day and get down to my sewing room as well. I love how the Frozen characters are stitching out!

Gah... I was such a sloth yesterday... I didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted to - so, guess who is working in her sewing room today?

If it eases your mind at all, Jim and I loved the MBs! We had very few problems with them, found them very easy to use and comfortable to wear. It was a little interesting to make it work with only 3 FP+ per park, it does change your stategy a bit. But I sure liked not having to run from one end of the park to the other to get the paper FPs. I also found it very easy to change our selections the one time I did it.

It does ease my mind a little bit... I have just heard so many horror stories - I am really afraid that we will get there - pay thousands for this trip - and it will be miserable, not even including the heat. Sigh. I do think that not having to criss-cross the parks will be an awesome thing though, and I am excited about that - even though, it's mostly Victoria who was our runner.

This next trip may be a little different due to the tiering in Epcot and DHS but I still think it will work out OK. I will give you a full report when we get back! I'm guessing that they should have most of the kinks worked out by the time you go in August.

I agree - I sure hope so! I am anxious to hear how people do their touring plans. I know how I'd like to do ours - but, I am fairly certain that is how most people will be doing theirs...

Have a great weekend, try to stay warm! We've got really cold temperatures but at least no snow. I know I won't be back on here till Monday. I have to leave work in a few hours to go downtown Atlanta for a class at Noon. Not looking forward to that drive. This weekend I need to do some serious work on packing for the trip in two weeks! I have to get a lot of my packing done this weekend because for some reason, I've got stuff going almost every minute of next weekend. Not very smart of me to plan so much the weekend before a trip but I guess I'll have to make it work.

I hope you had a safe trip into Atlanta yesterday. And I hope you are able to get your packing done... I am sooooo excited for your trip! It's gonna be EPIC!

Sounds like your days are going well.
I wrote a reply about your dad a few days ago but I'm not sure if you read it since you didn't comment it.

I found it... I am such a dork... LOL We were posting at the same time - and I totally missed it. My sincere apologies!

There are no big trips planned for a while now. I have to drive to Sweden 650 km (404 miles) one way with a friend to attend a funeral on Thursday next week. Other than that no trip plans until August. Then my friend, I and my 3 cats will take a motor home and drive in Sweden and through all the counties in Finland geocaching. We will be gone 4-5 weeks. After that I'm hoping we will go back to London in November/December for a week (even if I would like to travel to New York and Christmas shop there instead)

My condolances for your and your friend... What a long drive for such a sad occasion. I hope you have a safe trip.

Your August trip sounds like a lot of fun!! And a trip to London... It just sounds so wonderful... I really hope that Josh and I can take a trip back to Europe some day... Ideally - I'd LOVE to take a transatlantic cruise and dock in Amsterdam - then we could spend a week with B/M/T (or longer - LOL) and also explore a little more of Europe - it's so beautiful there.

I think the kinks will be worked out on the Magic Bands well before you trip. I'd imagine they'll tweak things too, and what you are faced with may be very different than what is going on now. I wouldn't worry too much about it. We used them for our trip in September and I loved that we could take the pressure off of getting to the parks for rope drop every day - we still did it for Magic Kingdom, but it was nice to be a little less rushed on our other days knowing we'd still get to do all of our must dos. Of course, this was before they added the tier structure so we'll see what I think next time around.

I sure hope so Jennifer... I agree - that does seem like an added benefit. I sure love those rope drops, but I hope that the MBs and the FP+ give people that exact mentality, which will leave the parks less crowded longer for us early risers. LOL

I wouldn't worry too much about the MB and FP+, if you stop to think of the thousands of people that go to the parks every single day that don't have any issues with them, they can't be too bad. We are only hearing about the ones that a) truly have a problem or b) don't like the idea of them and will complain about everything, or c) those that have a problem with any change that Disney makes. Honestly, something had to change with the paper fps. We have only been able to ride Toy Story once in all the times we've been to the parks. We are not rope drop people and usually by the time we get to TSM all the fps are gone for the day - and there is an hour wait. Not going to happen - I'm not waiting in line for an hour for any ride. That's why I go in September!

People complained because Disney started enforcing the times on the fps, too, so I'm not surprised that people are complaining about using fp+. Give it a try before you completely disnmiss it. Ok, I'm off my soap box....

You are totally right Tess... ANd if all else fails - we can go back to the resort and sit by the pool - which we didn't get to enjoy nearly enough on our last trip anyways.

OHHHHH, a new machine! Which one is it? Sounds awesome. I really don't need a new machine, but.......

Nah, not going to happen. The next big purchase is either going to be a new furnace or a new car.....

Besides, Jim is going to give me Gwen's older Singer - not sure which model it is, but I know it is an older one.

I know... Lois was totally holding out on us!

Oooh - you are going to get Gwen's old Singer! What a treasure to have!

D, I'm still here. A few days without internet put me way behind everywhere again (including my own TR which I finally got to doing responses on and a brief update).

I LOVE LOVE the step sisters bag.

I'm glad you ahd a good visit with your Dad.

Have a great weekend (hope you are staying warm during this brutal winter!).

Oh Kathy - I am so miserably behind on yours... I feel horribly about it - but I don't even know which report you are on. I plan to go on a scavenger hunt this morning to find it. Thanks so much for stopping by, I hope you have a wonderful weekend too!

I'm getting sleep whenever I can. Today I got to sleep in until about 10:30 am. Got up at 7:30 am to make sure the kids got up and to school in time, fed the baby, and was back asleep by about 8 am. I didn't even hear my mom come in from dropping the kids off at school I was that tired.

Sorry about the cold!! We've been having some gorgeous weather!! We're able to go without jackets and this is one of the reason's why I live in sunny California!! We do need the rain though so I know this weather can't last.

Glad your shift went fast and your not having much foot pain.

Hope you were able to get a lot done on the bag your working on this week.

I am so relieved for you that your mom is there, so you can get some rest. And it sounds like he is just a wonderful baby.

Glad you are having some great weather... I do wish we lived somewhere warmer - I am really beginning to despise winter!

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

Yup - I was a slacker yesterday...

First - it was supposed to be a lifting day, but I totally crapped out on it. Technically, I am finished with Stage 2 of my program... I even extended it out a week. And at the end of each Stage, I am supposed to take a week off from lifting... So, rather than lift yesterday, I decided to end my Stage and start my week off... However - I did do 2 sets of deadlifts, so I wasn't being a total dud. LOL

Then, when I finally got upstairs to work... The applique took me much longer to finish than I anticipated. By the time I was done, I had to bring Alli's friends home... Then we had to run to the grocery store... By the time we got home, it was time to make dinner.

I made Primal friendly Beef Stroganoff... Josh didn't even notice! LOL I just swapped out a few ingredients... Rather than ketchup - I used some tomato sauce and a bit of white vinegar. And I just used water and salt instead of beef broth. And I substituted plain Greek Yogert for Sour Cream (even though sour cream is OK) It turned out really delicious. I ate mine with out any sort of noodles, but I had fried sweet potatoes on the side. Those two items didn't exactly compliment eachother - but they were good seperately. LOL I was a VERY nice wife, and I made Josh noodles for it - and I even made him some garlic bread on the side. He was pouting the other day because we had NO bread in the house.

I am just loving this way of eating... I really LOVE fat foods! One of the keys to being able to cut wheat, is supplimenting with full fat foods... Nom, nom, nom... Bacon, eggs, real heavy whipping cream, real butter, full fat cottage cheese, full fat sour cream, whole milk, cheese... Clearly - you can't eat TONS of it, because there are calories in this stuff... but all these items that society has been teaching us are bad for us, really aren't. And my body agrees... I am very excited to take my measurments in a few days... I am certain I will be down in most areas.

Last night, we all just hung out... We rented a couple of movies while we were in town, but we didn't watch them. Probably tonight?

I need to work in my sewing room for a bit this morning. I hope to make a dent in my bag assembly. I would be happy if I could finish it.

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

Finally... I just wanted to share a few pictures with you all...

Today would have been my Mom's 70th Birthday... It's so strange how time flies... I could NEVER imagine her being that old - it just sounds so old... My Mom died when I was 16... So... 23 years ago... She was only 47 years old! She was very sick her entire life, I won't go into the details, but the things she had to endure were nothing short of hell. Even though I was devistated when she died, we all knew she was finally at peace. Anyways, because it's her birthday today and a milestone birthday, I wanted to share a few of my favorite photos of her from her childhood - most of them were before she got sick.

First, here she is as a baby, on the tractor with my Grandpa:

My aunt Betty (who is also my Godmother) and my mom (on the right)... I love these pictures where they are dressed alike - I know who I got that from. LOL And I just ADORE their dark thick curls... YOu can even see my Mom's under the bonnet in the above picture.

Here she is with her oldest sister and younger brother (she is on the right) - there were 8 more siblings that came after this. My Mom was the second oldest of 11!

My Mom (on the left), my aunt Betty and my aunt Janice:

Her High School graduation photo:

My Mom and Dad when they were first married (or maybe this was when they were still dating)? Since you all have "gotten to know" my Dad over the last few weeks... I thought it would be fun to share this.

Thanks for letting me share...

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend - stay warm out here and travel safely!

D~

 

[babynala]

Hi D~ and the gang. I've been caught up for a few days after being back from my trip but never got a chance to respond on here (guess I need to update my ticker)

First off I wanted to say that I'm glad to see your dad is doing so well in his new home. I hope you and Josh aren't too wiped out from all the struggles you've been dealing with in getting him moved out of his old place and into his new apartment. Hope this weekend isn't too crazy.

Your Step Sisters bag is just beautiful. You did a great job capturing their expressions and the colorful ruffle adds a very nice touch. I loved seeing your "Goofy" bags again. I think those are two of my favorites (but then again, I might say that about all of your bags). V's Goofy bag was just so creative and fun!

Making ADRs makes the trip feel real for me and gets me settled down so I can sleep at night.

Sorry for all this rambling, you can skip it if you want....
As for the MBs I think you will be OK. I'm sure by your trip all the wrinkles will be ironed out and the CMs will know all the tricks to resolving the issues by then. Actually having the MB is a nice feature because it keeps you from having to take out your wallet and risk losing something in the process (I speak from experience). My DH does hate that you have to use a pin every time you make a purchase because he didn't want to touch the key pad and then pick up his tray from the QS location (he would comment at every register so they always gave him a squirt of hand sanitizer). The only issue we had on our last trip was on our second day of the trip when a waitress told my BIL that they only had 2 kids meals left on their plan. I knew this had to be wrong and we had the receipt from the previous day to show how many credits were left back in the room but my BIL (who is known for having a short fuse) was very annoyed and it mostly ruined our lunch. I just charged their meal to my credit card and got reimbursed back at the hotel that night. After lunch I went to Guest services in the park with his band and the girl told me everything was reading fine and all the meal credits were there. Looking back we realized it was the waitress and she must have mixed up my BILs print out of remaining credits with the table next to us. We should have just had her try it again using my sister's band but we didn't think of it at the time. I think the CMs and guests have gotten used to the issues being related to the bands so that is the first place they point to with a problem. SORRY for the long story but just wanted to try and ease your mind about the MBs and I'm hopeful any issues will be fully resolved by your trip.

As for the FP+, hmmmmmmm. So far not a fan. We used it in Oct with mixed results. On my sister's trip two weeks ago we were in MK the day before the FP machines were taken out and the day after. I even got my picture taken with my old friend - the Thunder Mountain FP machine for old times sake. It was interesting to see that the stand by wait times for some things seemed shorter without the paper machines in place (I honestly took some time to notice the stand by times on our first day so I could compare them with our second visit). I'm not sure if it was a good study or not because the parks seemed pretty dead. It seemed less crowded then my trip last January which was this week last year. The wait time at Space Mountain at 10:00 (9 am park opening) was listed as 10 minutes but we literally walked on. CRAZY. I contributed that to the fact that it was very light crowds and I'm guessing off site guests were using the kiosks in the morning to make FP+ reservations and not riding the rides. (The lines for the kiosks were not that long either).

I'm really curious to see how the new FP+ system works out. I know for us the limit of only getting one FP+ per ride per day would be a real bummer. I'm also afraid that folks who normally wouldn't get multiple FPs because they are not big riders will be getting 3 FPs for attractions just because they have to get 3. I do have a feeling that the ability to switch FP times will not function as hoped. I tried to change one of our MK FP+s to a different attraction at around 12:30 on that low crowd day and there were only two choices left - I think small world and philharmagic for much later in the day. We were a party of 7 so I'm not sure if that was a factor or not. We didn't end up using our originally scheduled FP+s and now that I think about it I didn't bother to cancel them because I didn't think about it and I didn't want to be bothered with the app (I'm riding around the MK on this big steam engine enjoying the sights, I don't want to be messing with my phone).

Even after all my worries with the FP+ (I was totally stressing out about it before the trip with my sister) we still had a great time. I do think you will need to consider your FP+ choices in advance and not count on changing them once you are in the parks.

ladylyons - Congratulations Sandra on the newest addition to your family. What a cutie.

And D~, thanks for sharing the pictures of your mom. WOW - 11 kids!!! What a nice way to celebrate her life.

 

[Terkina]

You were right Lillian - we were posting at the same time, and I totally missed your post. I am very sorry about that. Thanks for letting me know.

No problem. I'm glad you found my post and replied to it

My condolances for your and your friend... What a long drive for such a sad occasion. I hope you have a safe trip.

Thanks It is a long trip and it feels even longer now when it's winter and dark outside for the most part while we are driving. We think we will have daylight from around 10.30am until 3pm. That means we will still have a lot of driving in the dark. We are driving my car and it is old so it's not that fun to drive on long trips with it anymore.

Your August trip sounds like a lot of fun!! And a trip to London... It just sounds so wonderful... I really hope that Josh and I can take a trip back to Europe some day... Ideally - I'd LOVE to take a transatlantic cruise and dock in Amsterdam - then we could spend a week with B/M/T (or longer - LOL) and also explore a little more of Europe - it's so beautiful there.

Last year we went to Rome in November/December. It was a nice trip, but I really missed going to London before Christmas. So already then I said that in 2014 I want to go to London before Christmas as we usually do.

If you ever come to Europe please let me know and maybe we can meet somewhere in Europe. That would have been so fun even if it's just a short meet.


Sounds like your training plan and eating plan is going well. Keep up the good work

So many nice pictures you have of your mother. That's a good thing to have to remeber her. Thank you for sharing.